Neighborhood embroiled in city politics By SALLY CAPPON South Coast Beacon Sally Cappon Photos What’s in a street name? Plenty — at least in Santa Barbara. In a dispute that pits two of Santa Barbara’s most deeply held passions, the environment and history, the next round of the Dixon Street-Magnolia Lane name-change dispute moves to the courtroom after a Superior Court judge issued a stay that halted the return of the original street name of Dixon. At an April 18 hearing, residents of the tiny San Roque cul de sac, most of whom support the Magnolia Lane designation, will have the opportunity to argue that “Dixon’’ is frumpy, dumpy, banal, nonpoetic, ugly, repugnant and artistically uninspiring, according to their attorney, James Kahan. “There is nothing that sounds nice about Dixon Street,’’ says Kahan, who happens to live on Magnolia Lane. The name does not lend “dignity’’ to the street, he said, adding residents will suffer “irreparable damage’’ if Dixon partisans endure. The revolving door of street names began in 2001 when the City Council, at the request of homeowners, changed “Dixon Street” to “Magnolia Lane,’’ for the dozen handsome magnolia trees shading the football field-length street. Oops. Kathleen MacQuiddy Galbraith wrote to City Administrator Jim Armstrong saying Dixon Street was named for her grandfather, Dixon MacQuiddy, a prominent early developer, and his son, Dixon, a principal of Garfield School and Santa Barbara Junior High. Officials, she said, failed to do their history homework, noting her grandfather developed a tract nearby and built the famous Moody Sister cottages. In December, a red-faced council backtracked, voting 4-0 to return the street name to Dixon effective March 30, despite residents’ claim that any Dixon link was family fantasy. The area was developed in 1958, after MacQuiddy was active as a developer, argued Kahan, who claimed there was no connection between the street name and the early developer. A nearby street that was once named MacQuiddy Avenue, was changed in 1939 to Callecita, since corrupted to Calle Cita, he said. Dueling historians have been brought into the fray in which Kahan claims returning the name to Dixon Street would lower property values. The city declined comment on the name change as it is now before the court. Meanwhile, a street sign at the corner of Grove Lane reads Magnolia Lane, with a smaller sign below, “Formerly Dixon St.’’ (Tip: It’s just down the road from Avon, Brent, Coral and Essex.) Stay tuned.