A New Look Coming to Downtown Santa Barbara with One Block Pedlet Trial
John Palminteri
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – A creative change to the look of downtown Santa Barbara is taking place beginning Monday.
The 500 block between Cota St. and Haley St. will have a new walkway known as a pedlet. It will be next to the curb and serve as the primary walking area.
The sidewalks will then be used for dining and retail space.
The parklets will all be removed.
For those walking the street, the pedlet will be the main area for pedestrians, but they can also use the street in a shared space with bikes.
The sidewalk use for tables, chairs, and retail racks will have to have accessibility space for wheelchairs and those who are mobility challenged.
Servers from restaurants for example will be able to go directly from the front door of the business to the guest tables, instead of crossing through a pedestrian walkway with food and drinks to get to a dining area.
The pedlet plan is temporary with no end date at this time.
Businesss are being asked to remove their parklets Sunday night. Anything remaining Monday morning will be torn down with heavy equipment and put into a rolloff dumpster.
The pedlets will be installed Tuesday and Wednesday and be in use starting Thursday, September 11.
Chair and tables in the future will have to meet certain city design standards to be compatible in the Historic El Pueblo Viejo Landmark District, which preserves the city’s Spanish Colonial Revival architecture and early-American history.
Two businesses have put in metal posts for their outside seating plan. The city says the permanent style including concrete around the base was not approved. A temporary set up was in the plan.
Routine cleaning is part of the future in this area with a newly approved tax.
More information on the pedlets can be found here.
The Latest Breaking News, Weather Alerts, Sports and More Anytime On Our Mobile Apps. Keep Up With the Latest Articles by Signing Up for the News Channel 3-12 Newsletter.