Downtown Parking Committee backs flexible State Street plan, raises funding and access questions

The Downtown Parking Committee on June 25 reviewed the draft State Street Master Plan and signaled support, via straw poll, for a ‘flex’ design that would prioritize pedestrians while allowing the corridor to reopen to vehicles at specified times.

State Street master planner Tess Harris and consultants Stephanos Polazoidus and Miguel Nunees told the committee the plan responds to mobility conflicts, retail shifts and aging stormwater and utility infrastructure. Harris said the vision is “a flexible pedestrian-first State Street rooted in Santa Barbara's history and adaptable to its future.” The presentation cited more than one million visitors to State Street in the last year, $200 million in annual arts and culture contributions on materials shown to the committee, and tourism spending updated to $2.3 billion as of 2025.

The consultants described a typical cross-section for much of the corridor on an 80-foot right-of-way: 30-foot sidewalks on each side and a 20-foot center reserved for emergency access and flexible circulation. That geometry, they said, would allow expanded curbside activity and outdoor dining during the day and controlled mixed‑use circulation — including retractable bollards — during events or evening hours.

“We must accept that change is inevitable,” consultant Stephanos Polazoidus told the committee, arguing a flexible approach is preferable to a permanent open or closed configuration. The team also emphasized drainage and subsurface utilities as key constraints: presenters said substantial stormwater and utility work — in some cases four to four‑and‑a‑half feet of depth for new systems — could constitute about half the per‑block cost.

Committee members expressed broad support for the high‑level approach. Chair Newerk conducted straw polls asking whether members backed the 30-foot sidewalk/20-foot emergency lane concept and whether the committee supported use of retractable bollards; the chair reported the committee’s preference in both cases. Members nonetheless pressed staff on specifics of implementation, funding and operating hours.

Committee member Kunar Cohen asked why private vehicles might be allowed at night if the plan’s goal is a pedestrian-first street. Consultants replied the limited presence of private vehicles at night can provide “eyes on the street” and that nighttime private vehicle counts are very low — roughly a car every five minutes, in the consultants’ estimate — but acknowledged the choice carries trade-offs for noise, safety and adjacent housing.

Several members urged the team to protect service access for deliveries and refuse collection: consultants and staff said the morning hours (roughly 6 a.m. to 10 a.m.) are key for loading, maintenance and janitorial service and that the plan preserves time windows and curb space for service needs in design and implementation. Staff said an interim configuration for State Street will be discussed at City Council on June 30.

Funding and phasing were another focus. Harris outlined three implementation phases — near‑term engineering and grant pursuit, phased district construction and final programming — and listed potential funding sources including state Active Transportation Program grants, stormwater funds, Measure B and local bond instruments. The presentation noted past examples, including a Cliff Drive project that obtained roughly $25 million in external funding, and a state funding cycle the slides described as containing about $600 million in available active‑transportation dollars.

On housing and redevelopment, staff said the plan’s study area could accommodate an estimated 1,000 to 2,000 new housing units over time with changes to permitting and zoning; members recommended additional feasibility studies, especially where converting surface parking to housing may affect capacity and access.

Design details such as bollard type and spacing, bench designs, tree canopy planting and pavement materials will be refined during engineering. Multiple members urged mockups and pilot installations for bollards and other street furniture to test safety, accessibility and maintenance implications before full deployment.

The committee approved routine minutes from May 14, 2026, at the meeting’s outset. No public speakers addressed the item. The committee adjourned after the discussion.