Parking on Riviera streets
September 27, 2008

The parking issue affects all neighborhoods in our town. However, it is especially a problem on many of our Riviera streets. Some streets have red curbs, others have “No parking or stopping” signs, and many more have no designation at all. The majority of our residential roads do not meet required width and often do not have center striping to delineate traffic lanes.

If cars are parked on both sides of these narrow streets, they are partially blocking both traffic lanes. This creates serious problems for emergency responders such as fire engines, ambulances and police vehicles. Not to mention frustrated neighbors who have to navigate these dangerous obstacle courses! Unsafe parking can result in warnings and possible traffic citations.

If parking is needed for parties or holiday gatherings, let your neighbors know and maybe ask for use of their available parking areas. Should this not be possible, please inform your guests that parking is limited to only one side of the street - it will keep everyone safe.

Brigitte Forssell
Board Member

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Underground Utility Update - September 24, 2008

On Tuesday, September 23, the Santa Barbara City Council agenda included an Underground Utility Assessment District Program Level of Support Update. Riviera Association President Paul Cashman, and Board members Steve Kittell and Christine Oliver were present and spoke in support of continuing the program and requested that The Riviera Association be informed and included in UUAD discussions since Riviera residents have a particular interest in the improved views, and fire and evacuation safety undergrounding provides.

The Underground Utility Assessment District (UUAD) was established to help neighborhoods accomplish the undergrounding of overhead utilities. To help defray the high initial cost to prepare topographic surveys, preliminary designs and Engineer’s Reports, the UUAD Program provides the start-up costs through the City, funded by revenues received as part of the Southern California Edison Franchise Agreement. Utility Undergrounding Program revenues are approximately $380,000 to $390,000 per year.

Since the City funded start-up costs are only recovered by the City if the UUAD is ultimately formed by neighborhoods, Council desires to have strong neighborhood support to achieve Council approval. At the September meeting, Council heard neighborhood support threshold recommendations from John Ewasiuk, Principal Civil Engineer.
Currently, consistent with state mandate, the City of Santa Barbara requires 60% of property owners by area of land to accept an initial petition for a UUAD, and a majority weighted vote to consider final approval. The Engineers report outlines preliminary assessment costs per property based on benefit gained by undergrounding, thus the “weighted vote” majority. Under these guidelines, the City has accepted three UUAD resident petitions (Ferrelo Road, Eucalyptus Hill Road, and Chapala Street). Eight additional neighborhoods have interest in a UUAD, but have not yet submitted petitions. Also, six property owners on Mission Ridge Road recently completed a self-assessed undergrounding project.

Some other municipalities have established a “Neighborhood Level of Support” policy stricter than these minimum state guidelines. Council and staff discussion at the September 23 meeting revolved around 1) increasing to 80-90% property owner support requirements for both the petition and approval phases (simple or weighted majority), and 2) developing a policy for UUAD hardship situations. Opinions shared by City Council members indicate that the majority favored either maintaining the 60% majority requirement or increasing that percentage to no more than 65-70%. Council members voiced concerns that by requiring too high a majority, property owners might feel the process would be doomed from the start. City Attorney, Stephen Wiley, made several comments to Council regarding the legality of providing City funds for hardship cases, especially for individual lines to homes and new electrical panels, unless a repayment plan with interest would be involved. All Council members agreed that, if stricter majority requirements are instituted, it would not be fair to apply them to the UUAD program in neighborhoods already approved.

At the conclusion of the Agenda item, Council directed Mr. Ewasiuk and staff to come back with revised recommendations on the above two issues more in line with the 60-70% majority requirements Council supports and the City Attorney’s input on allowable hardship support.

Public comment on this Agenda Item consisted of support for the general UUAD program and members of the Chapala Street UUAD requesting exemption from any increased majority requirements. In addition, Riviera Association Board President and members spoke supporting the UUAD program, requesting permission for a survey to be conducted on the Riviera to help residents judge support for a UUAD in their neighborhood, and suggesting the City Council allocate funds for mediation to help neighbors resolve differences and successfully achieve undergrounding. Professional mediation decreases the likelihood of a UUAD dissolving after approval and consequently protects the City from the revenue loss when neighbor differences cannot be successfully resolved.

Christine Oliver
Board Member

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Under-grounding of Utilities

The Riviera Association has made a commitment to facilitate the under-grounding of utilities on the Riviera. Montecito attempted to do this several years ago for the entire community and it failed. Our approach is to encourage neighbors to form small groups to underground in their areas. This effort has already begun with 4 separate projects. Utilities are being undergrounded by approximately 6 homes on Mission Ridge just north of the El Encanto. There are 17 homes involved in undergrounding on Ferrelo Road. Another effort on Arbolado involves 15 homes. And another on Roble Lane involves 17 homes. Keep in mind the City has now designated someone to help coordinate the process including the determination of how the costs should be allocated among homeowner. Also, there are various options to pay for the undergrounding, including spreading the cost over 30 years. Please contact Jules Bender, 805-882-2107, if you would like to discuss further.

The link below will direct you to the City's Engineering Division Web Page where information pertinent to the Utility Undergrounding Process in Santa Barbara can be found. http://www.santabarbaraca.gov/Government/Departments/PW/Engineering_Division.htm

Update on the transformer on La Paterna:

On Jan. 16, 2008 Southern California Edison arrived unannounced on Paterna Road to do an electrical improvement on their distribution system. The electrical service in this neighborhood was conceived to be underground and constructed that way in 1914. SCE's "improvement" was to include an aboveground transformer placed between the sidewalk and the roadway. These eyesores are now the standard practice and are found on or next to the sidewalk throughout the city. Now, nearly five months later, and with the aid of The Riviera Association, the City Council, the Public Works Department and cash to SCE the transformer is underground. Better than it could have been. Not as good as it should be.

- Chuck Croninger