Tag Archives: South Coasting

Franceschi plan draws split crowd

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If the Franceschi Park Master Plan fails to deliver planned improvements to the park, it certainly won’t be from a lack of community input. More than 100 people filled the Santa Barbara City Council chambers Tuesday night to give their comments about the plan, which has been in the works since 1998.

“The park is really a great horticultural treasure,” said Mayor Marty Blum, who approved the plan in a unanimous vote. “I hope I live long enough to see it in all its glory.”

The most debated element was the Pearl Chase Society‘s proposal to start a $250,000 endowment for the rehabilitation of Franceschi House, with an eventual plan to raise $2.1 million for the building that would then be used as a museum/library, a staff residence and for small weddings and events. While the social functions would be limited to one per weekend and only 30 guests, that seemed to be an area of great concern to some.

The granddaughter of the park’s benefactor, Dina Franceschi Fenzi, said, “The house must be a place for the study of botany, not weddings … The El Encanto is right down the road.”

“The uses outlined seem to go against the vision of the man for whom this park is named,” said Ann Beth, vice president of the Riviera Association. “He was more concerned about growing a zucchini than serving one as crudites.”

Of the 41 people who spoke out, 21 were opposed and 20 in favor of the master plan, according to Mayor Blum’s tally.

Ultimately, the council agreed with neighbors like Wendy Hawksworth, who spoke in support of the master plan. “It’s not going to disrupt the character of the park … really, its going to enhance the character of the park.”

Originally published in South Coast Beacon on December 18, 2003.

Case against art dealers hinges on technicality

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The fate of a pair of local art dealers may rest on Judge Frank Ochoa’s ruling on a legal technicality that will determine whether the People versus James O’Mahoney and Ronald Gillio goes to trial.

After a lengthy pretrial hearing during which they were accused of taking advantage of the late Josef Muench, an internationally known photographer, the judge is expected to rule whether case law regarding “theft from an elder by a caretaker” is applicable. The more broadly defined elder-abuse statues were not in effect when the incident involving transferring of the rights to Muench’s photographs took place in 1996.

During closing arguments on Dec. 15, Deputy District Attorney Gordon Auchincloss argued that Muench, who was 92 when he met the defendants, suffered from dementia and that “it was obvious this man could not handle his own business affairs.”

Characterizing the defense arguments that the art dealers ended up losing money on the deal as “like saying that a drug dealer that went out and bought $10,000 worth of heroin and sold it for $5,000 isn’t guilty of dealing drugs because he didn’t make a profit,” Auchincloss made a number of allegations against the two, including claims that the original agreement with Muench was forged.

Admitting that the case against Gillio was more problematic than the one against O’Mahoney, Auchincloss nonetheless contended, “Both defendants should be held to answer as charged.”

“Lack of evidence is not evidence,” said Stephen Balash, Gillio’s attorney, who argued that the case against his client did not hold up to scrutiny.

O’Mahoney’s attorney said, “In the area of his photography, Muench was as sharp as a tack.” He also stressed that his client’s relationship to Muench was not that of a caretaker, prompting Judge Ochoa to request a brief on the matter from the District Attorney. Ochoa is expected to rule on whether the case will go to trial today at 1:30 p.m.

Originally published in South Coast Beacon on  December 18, 2003.

Entrada project takes step forward, back

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The renovation of the Californian Hotel took center stage last week in the long-debated Entrada de Santa Barbara project. A partnership between developer Bill Levy and the Ritz-Carlton, the timeshare project was approved by the Planning Commission on Dec. 11, 2001 after more than 36 public hearings and failed appeals to both the Santa Barbara City Council and the California Coastal Commission. The developers — known collectively as Santa Barbara Beach Properties — have yet to apply for building permits to begin scheduled construction in January.

Pending now is a determination by Community Development Director Paul Casey as to whether proposed revisions to the project are in substantial conformance with the project that was approved for the lower part of State Street, near the beach.

While the revisions include a reduction in units, an increase in commercial/retail space, some design changes and relocation of the lobby and valet areas from the Californian Hotel property to across the street, staff has labeled those changes as “either beneficial or benign.” The plan to phase the building permits, with the Californian Hotel property renovation taking place third, instead of first as initially anticipated, “is the major issue in question,” according to Casey.

At the Planning Commission meeting on Dec. 4, community members and some commissioners expressed concern that there were no guarantees in place that the Californian Hotel would ever be built. “Everything that needs to be done has to be done,” said Assistant City Attorney Steve Wiley regarding assurances for the project. “There’s no such thing as bonded for something like this.”

Wiley also pointed out that the Carrillo Hotel — which remained leveled at the corner of Carrillo and Chapala Streets for several years — is a completely different situation, where the city required the demolition of the property, for safety reasons, before the renovation funding was in place.

The Californian Hotel is also seismically unfit, but is not eligible for demolition as long as there are approved plans in place, said city officials.

The city has hired an independent consultant, at the Levy group’s expense, to analyze any other factors that will affect the probability that the Californian Hotel property will be developed. The consultant is “just kind of getting started on the report,” said Casey, who would not commit to a date that he expected to make the ruling on substantial conformance. We are working on how to protect the city’s interest in the best way we can, he said.

Originally published in South Coast Beacon on December 11, 2003.

Schneider, Williams and Barnwell take City Council seats

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The certified final numbers for the Santa Barbara City Council race are in, with no real surprises. As projected, Helene Schneider took first place, followed by Das Williams and Brian Barnwell. The three incumbents are going through training this month, said Mayor Marty Blum. They will take office Jan. 6.

An analysis of the precincts showed that Schneider had steady support all over town. Williams had his strongest showings in the Eastside and Westside neighborhoods, which have not historically had strong voter turnout. Barnwell had the strongest appeal in the areas dominated by homeowners, the Mesa, San Roque and Rivera in particular.

Write-in candidate Bruce Rittenhouse’s final vote tally was 2,638, placing him seventh behind incumbent council members Schneider’s 8,597; Williams’ 8,169; and Barnwell’s 7,955 votes; and well as fourth place finisher Babatunde Folayemi’s 6,933 votes; Scott Burns’ 6,622; and Michael Magne’s 6,557. Rittenhouse ended up ahead of Carlos Quintero’s 1,337 votes; Bob Hansen’s 1,011; and Robert Cawley’s 721 votes.

Originally published in South Coast Beacon on December 4, 2003.

Youth Council voices frustration

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Members upset they were not consulted in decision to create services center

What’s the point of having a Youth Council to advise the Mayor and the Santa Barbara City Council if they don’t even consult us when they make a decision involving teens? That was the question recently voiced by members of the Santa Barbara Youth Council (SBYC) with regard to the City Council’s Nov. 11 decision to turn the former Unity Shoppe building at 1235 Chapala St. into a Youth Services Center that would consolidate the administrative offices of various city departments that serve the youth of the community.

“We don’t have anywhere to go,” said Kevin Spracher, a San Marcos High School junior who serves on both the SBYC and as an intern with the Parks & Recreation Commission, part of the city department where the recommendation for the building use came from.

Despite attending Parks & Recreation Commission meetings, Spracher said he initially learned about the decision when watching the City Council meeting on TV with fellow SBYC members Autry Liggett and Melinda Radsliff. The trio took their concerns directly to the City Council on Nov. 25.

“I’m upset and disappointed,” said Radsliff in her address to the City Council “… it makes me feel like the Youth Council exists to make you feel like you’ve done something for the youth of Santa Barbara. (But you are) just downsizing space. … In no way does (the proposed center) benefit teens or the youth of Santa Barbara,” said the Santa Barbara City College student.

Council members Iya Falcone and Babatunde Folayemi were apologetic to the teens and requested that the item be put back on a City Council agenda for discussion.

At its Dec. 1 meeting, the SBYC voted to hold special work sessions this month to prepare a presentation in favor of opening up a Teen Center for themselves instead of a Youth Services Center for city employees.

This could be the biggest thing we’ve done in years, said Spracher, who has served on the SBYC since 8th grade and was involved in advocating to get the skateboard park built.

“We need to cover this really big at our schools and try to get as many kids as we can there,” said Liggett, a Santa Barbara High School senior who’s served on the Youth Council since he was a 7th grader. “On August 20, 2000 (the youth and the City Council) formed a bond to create the skate park,” said Liggett in his Nov. 25 comments to the City Council. “On Nov. 11 it seemed as if the bond and connection were cut in half … what troubles me most about the decision … is that we were not consulted.”

While Liggett, Radsliff and Spracher were under the impression that Falcone’s request would automatically put the item back on a City Council agenda, according to the City Clerk’s Office, as of Dec. 2 the item had not been placed on an agenda for this month. Calls to the Parks & Recreation Department were referred back to city administration.

Despite the bureaucratic hurdles, expect the Youth Council to make their voices heard at City Hall in the very near future.

Originally published in South Coast Beacon on December 4, 2003.

Gamma Phis shine

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UCSB sorority chapter celebrates 20 years on campus

The UCSB chapter of Gamma Phi Beta celebrated its 20th anniversary on campus last weekend by honoring four women who have served as advisors since the start of the 129-year-old sorority’s tenure on campus.

Lois Abbott said she is very proud to have served as chapter advisor since 1983. In addition to receiving the sorority’s merit award, one of its highest honors, Abbott also received a special award from the National Sister Link Chair. Abbott reflected on the changes she’s seen over the past twenty years. While the clothes are different and the emphasis or lack of emphasis on partying swings, “the heart of what we are all about is the same,” she said.

“We emphasize scholarship and philanthropy,” said Abbott, citing the chapter’s consistently above 3.0 gpa and work with the Isla Vista Youth Project, among other community service activities.

Kay Graham, who served as recruitment advisor (what used to be called “rush advisor”) for 15 years, was also honored with a merit award for her work with the chapter at the Nov. 22 Founder’s Day Luncheon, which was attended by over 200 alumnae and collegians from around the country.

Another merit award honoree, Jane Habermann, has served on Gamma Phi Beta’s house corporation board since 1985. “She has handled our meetings with a style that makes our collegians feel privileged to serve on house corporation board,” said Abbott of her close friend and sorority sister.

The fourth founder of the Delta Psi Chapter, Leslie Storr, was also given the merit award for her many years of service on both the house corporation board and as property manager for the sorority’s apartment building at 890 Camino Pescadero in Isla Vista.

Gamma Phi’s sorority is a bit unusual in that it is housed in an apartment building rather than one big house.

“When we first started the chapter we had one TV in the common living room and one telephone in the hall,” said Abbott.

Little by little over the years they’ve all gotten their own TVs, their own computers, and everyone has a cell phone, she observed.

While the technology has changed (and the tattoos and the piercings) Abbott sees the character and 129-year-old mission of the Gamma Phi Betas — “to foster a nurturing environment that provides women the opportunity to achieve their potential through life-long commitment to intellectual growth, individual worth and service to humanity” — as something she remains proud to be part of.

And the Gamma Phi’s are obviously proud of Abbott, Graham, Habermann and Storr as well.

Originally published in South Coast Beacon on November 27, 2003.

Going long

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Like the chorus line of old ladies with walkers traipsing across the stage of The Producers, the 172 members of the Ninety Plus Club honored at the 19th Annual “Celebration of Life” Birthday Luncheon exhibited vitality, athleticism and a sense of humor as they navigated the overflow crowd at the DoubleTree Resort on Nov. 21.

The event, organized by the City of Santa Barbara’s Parks and Recreation Department and funded by Santa Barbara Securities, The Hutton Foundation, the Santa Barbara Foundation and the DoubleTree Resort, was designed to honor the combined 15,899 years of wisdom and longevity of some of Santa Barbara’s most inspirational figures.

Oldest among the group was track & field legend John Whittemore of Montecito, who turned 104 on Nov. 20. Whittemore — a life-long resident who competed as recently as 18 months ago and still holds five world masters records — said he started competing in both track and baseball at Santa Barbara High. He offered this life advice: “It’s easier to keep out of trouble than get out of trouble.”

Also sharing sage advice was 92-year-old Elizabeth Johnson, who gave “enjoy life and have a great sense of humor” as her secret to a long life. Johnson, one of the first female comedy writers during the golden age of radio, certainly knows a lot about humor. “I wrote for Bergen and McCarthy and W.C. Fields and Judy Garland and Lucille Ball,” she said. Recently married to family friend Harry Johnson, whom she’s known for 50 years, Elizabeth beamed, “Harry’s always had a great sense of humor. We have a lot of fun together,” she said of her younger husband, who is only 87.

Host Larry Crandell introduced and joked with the attendees who had reached the century mark, including Whittemore; Tillie Ackerman, whose brother Rich was there but “he’s only 97”; Mary Hill; Frances Stewart; Emily Thies; Elizabeth Curtis and Leslie Gray.

Las Positas Park (now Elings Park) Founder Jerry Harwin was among the 90+ members tearing up the dance floor to the tunes of the Jerry Dokken Band. “Next year we’ll have to have a bigger dance floor,” said Santa Barbara Mayor Marty Blum. Other entertainment included a sing-along and a number by the Razzle Dazzle Silver Follies Dancers, a dance group of over-50 ex-professionals, founded earlier this year by Glory Lamb.

As they trooped out of the dining room, full from a gourmet meal, the seniors were handed birthday gift bags made by local Girl Scouts and filled with handmade gifts and books of local history for them to enjoy.

Originally published in South Coast Beacon on November 27, 2003.

Nyle Utterback was champion of South Coast’s natural assets

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Santa Barbara lost one of its most dedicated citizens with the sudden passing of Nyle Gene Utterback on Nov. 21 at the age of 72. Married to his wife Kay for the past 45 years, the Utterbacks came to Santa Barbara in 1963 and have been active in the community ever since.

Utterback served as a Planning Commissioner and on the Santa Barbara City Council from 1973-1977. Rain or shine, Utterback never missed a peace march. Among the many causes he championed were limiting growth in Santa Barbara, making Stearns Wharf pedestrian friendly and maintaining the Wilcox Property (now the Douglas Family Preserve) as open space.

As a research physicist for corporations such as General Motors and TRW and as a lecturer in advanced physics at UCSB, Utterback was very concerned that his work be utilized for the good of mankind and refused to do defense work.

In addition to his wife Kay, Utterback’s family includes his three daughters and their husbands: Lynda Elliott (Michael), Cheryl Tafejian (John) and Tracy Blakeley (James). He also is survived by seven grandchildren: Whitney, Tom, Melanie, Maddison, Jacob, Dylan and Hayden.

A memorial celebration will be Dec. 5 at 10:30 a.m. at the First Congregational Church, 2101 State St.

As a tribute to Utterback’s continual fight to protect Santa Barbara’s natural assets for all to enjoy, the family will be erecting a bench in one of his favorite places to assure that even more people have an opportunity to stop and reflect on the beauty of the city he loved. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made toward this public monument or to the charity of your choice.

Originally published in South Coast Beacon on November 27, 2003.

Medical marijuana issue inflames council

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Cannabis Seedling Marijuana, courtesy maxpixel.freegreatpicture.com.

Cannabis Seedling Marijuana, courtesy maxpixel.freegreatpicture.com.

Put the words “marijuana” and “wasted” in the same sentence and the path usually leads to a state of inebriation. At Tuesday’s Santa Barbara City Council meeting, however, it led in the opposite direction — at least for some — to a state of frustration about wasted time, as the council heard a presentation from community activist Bruce Rittenhouse on the implementation of Proposition 215, which deals with medicinal marijuana.

Given that the state of California already passed legislation legalizing medicinal marijuana, and that when it takes effect in January, the County Health Department will be responsible for its implementation, some of the council members responded as though Rittenhouse was bogarting their precious time in bringing this issue before the council.

Councilman Gregg Hart responded to Rittenhouse with, “I do not understand what we’re doing here when the problem has been resolved. … I think, frankly, there must be some political agenda here at play.”

Rittenhouse, who first brought this issue before the council in June 2000 and frequently mentioned it as a priority during his recent failed attempt to win a seat on the council, unsuccessfully urged the council to send the matter to the Ordinance Committee.

Calling it an “issue of the milk of human kindness or lack thereof,” councilman-elect Brian Barnwell also advocated for the Ordinance Committee.

Recent council candidate Bob Cawley also spoke in support of action as he recalled his brother’s terminal cancer diagnosis 10 years ago. “If you’ve ever had a loved one who was critically ill … you’d do anything you can to make them more comfortable.”

Also voicing public support for taking action on the measure was Janet Benner, whose son died of AIDS in 1993.

Despite some obvious compassion for the cause, particularly as voiced by councilwoman Iya Falcone, the council ultimately agreed to let the State and Federal governments deal with it, despite Rittenhouse’s contention that “I doubt seriously that on January 1 this (the law going into effect) is really going to happen.”

Originally published in South Coast Beacon on November 20, 2003.

Funk Zone fate v. Coastal Commission politics

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Issues like RV parking, transportation, jobs, traffic and housing may billboard the need for regional cooperation, but a shared frustration with the California Coastal Commission’s interference with local governance may be the issue that actually brings the words “regional cooperation” out of the realm of rhetoric and into action.

Ignited by Councilman and commission member Gregg Hart’s passionate testimony about the way the coastal commission disrespects the desires of local governments, on Veteran’s Day the Santa Barbara City Council voted 4-3 to withdraw a Local Coastal Plan Amendment application that had been many years in the making.

“We have a responsibility to step up and respond to this,” said Hart. Describing the commission’s mandated zoning restrictions — which would have a rigid mixed-use proportion of 30 percent commercial for any residential development on parcels 5,000 square feet or greater (90 percent of the Funk Zone) — as a “political power play,” Hart cited the commission’s recent rejection of Santa Barbara County’s plan for Toro Canyon as yet another example of the state imposing its opinion while ignoring years of community work.

“This is a great chance for us to do something positive for the entire state of California,” said Hart, as he urged the Council to organize its colleagues in the state around the issue of the commission overstepping its boundaries.

Councilmembers Iya Falcone, Roger Horton and Mayor Marty Blum voted in favor of the commission plan, while Councilmembers Dan Secord, Rusty Fairly and Babatunde Folayemi supported Hart’s position.

Interestingly, while she said she didn’t like the mandate at all, Councilwoman-elect Helene Schneider said she would have voted with the minority on this issue. Since Councilmembers Hart, Fairly and Folayemi are leaving in January, this means the vote would have gone the other way if it had been delayed two more months.

Originally published in South Coast Beacon on November 13, 2003.