I am greatly concerned by the recent Santa Barbara City Council decision to just “kick the can down the road” another three years with no vision for State Street’s revitalization.

I have been in commercial real estate for 38 years and have seen the ups and downs of the market for commercial tenants, real estate prices and overall business trends.

Local government red tape and occasionally capricious design review boards have normally been the issues that plague the attraction and retention of commercial tenants and investors.

But the lack of forward movement by policy makers on the status of downtown is the largest and least sensical roadblock to vitality and recovery, in my experience. No one spoke about Paseo Nuevo, which is the biggest hole in our downtown.

I am in contact with retailers all over the country that are interested in a Santa Barbara presence. Every conversation includes the same question: “What’s going to happen with State Street … when will it reopen?”

We are faced with a bigger dilemma — and opportunity — with Paseo Nuevo. There is broad interest in redeveloping the open-air mall, providing much needed housing, varieties of ground-floor shops and restaurants, and welcoming common areas.

Everyone is aware that this will involve hundreds of millions of dollars in long-term capital commitments to achieve. The missing element is certainty.

These investors are highly aware that commercial tenants are reluctant to open on closed thoroughfares, and that the current policy makers don’t seem to have a cogent direction or plan. We don’t have a story to tell.

Santa Barbara needs downtown to be open and vibrant. The current situation has inflicted real monetary damage on existing properties and businesses, while discouraging new investment and energy.

No one wants to invest on the “chance” that something might start to happen three years from now. If we had a plan, it would be three years before we can put a shovel in the ground.

My recommendation is to go back to what worked, and that was an open State Street.

I call on Mayor Randy Rowse and the City Council to consider alternatives that permit owners and businesses the opportunity to invest, thrive and then be participants in whatever State Street Master Plan may be adopted.