State Street Promenade Survey Results Released

Go ahead and permanently close off State St. from Sola to Gutierrez. intersections remain open for thru-traffic.

I'm surprised so many people favor closing it permanently. I initially (a few years ago) thought it would be a great idea, but I've since changed my mind. I favor a single lane of traffic going down the street toward the water, but not back up. Incredibly slow speed limit, and a dedicated bike lane. I currently can't stand the bicyclists riding all over the street, especially in the farmers market. They should be confined to a dedicated lane. There is something iconic about heading down State to emerge at the water, and we have a strong cruiser culture, plus the need for emergency vehicles, etc. to be able to easily access State. There is actually some data showing that completely closing streets is not that helpful - and Carp for example just scrapped their closure for this reason. A single lane would enable a significant widening of sidewalks so that pedestrians have more room and are able to accommodate more outdoor dining, which pre-pandemic I believe was a shortcoming of State Street. Will all restaurants want to have a huge outdoor presence so big once COVID is over? Sure, some want more covers, but once we can go back inside, do we NEED all of that outdoor space? Why not a hybrid model? I believe a revitalization of State is essential and a partial closure and paring down to one lane is the best way to have it all. My nightmare is that we continue to see the street used as it is now by vagrants loudly preaching with their words echoing off the buildings, and awful kiosks like you see in malls selling tchotchkes and doing temporary tattoos and other tacky stuff. This is California and while I'm not huge on car culture, I think a drive down State Street is an iconic California experience that will permanently change the entire experience of our town especially for those just coming here for the first time and wanting to take it in.

Keeping the pedestrian zone with cross streets open seems like a nobrainer at this point. I think having a good bike lane down the middle would be nice but may cause more problems than it's worth.
There too many clueless pedestrians and dangerous bike cruisers for that to safely work. I'd also add that having the ability to open up the street for parades is still important. Even though I'm personally not a parade person, SB seems to thrive on these State Street Parades and that should continue. Maybe take a cue from Disneyland on how that's done. Not sure how I missed this survey, I would love to have contributed.

I hope the planners take note that most people said they’d need a car if they lived downtown. I’m in favor of public transit and used the bus system weekly pre-covid, but we must acknowledge that most people want/need to have regular use of a car and therefore will need parking spaces.

Closing State Street is a terrible idea. Expanding sidewalk dining is okay, but auto traffic and easy pedestrian access to shops as well needs to remain - not the obstacle course it has become. . Closing State Street to auto traffic was a dagger into the heart of our own downtown. Closing the first block on a few side streets off State Street that creates meadering, occasional courtyard if you must, but not the entire main downtown traffic corridor. Re-invent the midblock paseos to be pedestrian destinations that connect these single side street traffic blocked courtyards. I like the West Victoria - one block closure. That works 100% better than closing the entire long main street. See if a few more of these one side street block closures could work, scattered along State Street, but keeping most of the main cross traffic streets open.

I wonder what this obsession with building height comes from? State Street is the one place where taller buildings makes sense. I don't hear that anyone wants to demolish the Granada Building and it is pretty tall. A really dense core would allow other areas to stay less dense or undeveloped. Like it or not, we will get there eventually due to population growth. Might as well figure this out now and do it sustainably.

People who missed the survey probably thought that a Charrette was something involved with barbequing - a cross between charcoal and briquette. I was one of them until I looked the word up. It certainly was an overly pretentious and complex title for what could simply be called a survey. I looked at the questions and thought they were pushing their end game - housing with no space for parking, tall buildings to block any mountain views, etc. There was no place to offer other options for State Street's future.

As I commented when the survey was first offered, it was one of those devices that only allow responses that are consistent with the agenda of the agency offering it. People who wanted to offer alternatives were not able to do so. It is a set up. Nothing to see here.

i am against state street turning into a promenade.
i was born here in 64 and i just think it is a lame idea. i understand how we had to widen the freeway and take out the highway lights and make state go under the freeway.. though i remember a record store called the turning point.. where i bought albums.. and i think i parked out in front of it before all that happened.
i just think that no matter what you all think about this change being a good thing.. state street will not be what it used to be.. which was, in my opinion, exactly what it ought to be.
there ought to be foot traffic.. on the sidewalks.. and there ought to be car traffic.. on the street. there ought to be this mix. it's a good mix. the cars aren't the pedestrians.. and the pedestrians aren't the cars. each has their special place. but when the cars are taken away.. everything becomes boring and monotonous. it's just another step in the homogezation of santa barbara into an everytown.. and if that's what you want.. then you'll get it.. but santa barbara won't be santa barbara anymore.. no matter what you think.

Ha Ha Ha, re-envisioning downtown, closing State Street yada yada yada...still thinking inside the box. Catering to outsiders was the first mistake; it transformed State St. into a pricey mall, hence the outrageous rents, which aren't gonna change (SB -the Venice of the West) . We will be seeing empty store fronts for some time to come, unless the city decides to dig into its investment portfolio, and subsidize re-inventing spaces like the Macy's or Nordstrom's buildings not much is gonna change.

No salt allowed I see... the truth always tastes better with little salt

close it to car traffic and build more housing!

Few cities have a single 13 block one street "downtown". Therefore it is impossible to apply a one size fits all to the entire 13 block thoroughfare of Santa Barbara as they have done now: now seen as The Santa Barbara Dead Zone. Other cities have allowed a few blocks, or a zone of concentrated surrounding blocks, but not one 13 long block main street with little along the surrounding blocks that constitutes a "downtown". West Victoria block closure and other dining zone sides streets in this area in this area will be more successful for outdoor dining, because they are also close to the city's main entertainment destination theaters: Granada, Arlington and Ensemble, as well as sufficient downtown parking allowing easy access to these surrounding side street blocks. 1100-1300 State Street - closed off side street out door dining only in this area, but leave all of State Street itself alone.

I am very pleased to see that the overwhelming majority favors State Street being closed to vehicle traffic. I just hope that there will be designated lanes for bicyclists because I have witnessed several reckless riders zooming down the path, causing near-misses - or actual accidents as I witnessed last week. I like the idea of it turning into a promenade and am excited to see what it becomes!

Been living and working downtown for 35 years. We definitely need a couple of beat cops to lay down the law downtown. It's a bit out of control right now.

I see it as a limited vision for any substantial change (to close down some of State St.). Getting people downtown will require more than side-walk dining, and a farmers market. Having the funkzone where it is, is kinda like having UCSB in I.V., if both we're actually part of downtown or close by there would be a synergistic flow back and forth. It is what it is...as they say.

Bank of the West- downtown branch, just closed and moving all operations out to their Upper State Street branch. Increasing the State Street dead zone and even fewer reason to go downtown. Nice work. More large empty store fronts - be creative. A terribly sad loss for all. Glad I new State Street when, but it cries for help were ignored by city councils for far too long. "Covid" just made the city council's neglectful decline obvious. When the heart of your commercial and retail sales tax generation source is imperiled, you need far, far more than scattershot "restorative policing". You need a clear sense of order and safety to make a downtown welcoming and thriving. The city never stepped up to the table. Now we all suffer with this civic loss.

The Restoration Hardware/PressRoom buildings development is moving forward with 36 residential units and 17 parking places. It's across the street from the city parking lot so that will be helpful. But if the city parking lots are used by residences where will the shoppers/visitors park? I think it is great to have more housing downtown but they need to be careful that State Street doesn't become a housing development --- careful, that is, if the city is interested in drawing shoppers for downtown businesses. Few outside people go to shop in residential developments. It would be interesting to see the stats on parking, how many and when in the city parking lots? It would be interesting also to see quotes from the other councilmember, not Harmon, whose district includes State Street, Alejandra Gutierrez.

The city budget needs to be reserve engineered: what amount of tax dollar generation do city operations need to generate, from what sources. How does any new development support the hard numbers the city budget requires. Just wishes and self-interested beliefs of certain city council members is not enough to radically change the direction this city is going. Numbers please, game plan please, or this is just one more handout, boondoggle for the selected few at the expense of the many. Like all other city housing schemes. (Retail sales taxes, tourism taxes, property taxes - give us the projections - wins or losses in each category)

AIA is a de facto business trade operation: not a charitable civic planning organization. Fair enough, but just don't give its voice unearned public authority. Members interests first - fine. But not the city's interests first.