Road Warriors



Revolution of our region

Residents adjust to shifting times, expenses, protests.

By SALLY CAPPON
South Coast Beacon

The earthquake that shook the South Coast in the closing days of 2003 was more than a wake-up call. It was a symbolic reminder that the South Coast is a pulsing phenomenon, a constantly changing landscape pulled in many directions, at once charming and frustrating, a victim in some ways of its blend of undeniable beauty and stubborn devotion to Hispanic roots.

The cost of living in paradise continued to climb right out of sight, making Santa Barbara increasingly accessible only to the richly endowed. Meanwhile, middle class workers — the community’s police, firefighters, teachers and nurses — fled to homes in lower-priced neighboring communities. In June Fidelity National Financial announced a move to Jacksonville, Fla., with rumors abounding about the fate of another Santa Barbara Fortune 500 company, Tenet Healthcare.

The housing shift acerbated what was until recently one of the area’s closest kept secrets — a transportation crisis of major proportions. Congested Highway 101 south of Santa Barbara became, to quote a writer from another town, another time, the latest “car-strangled spanner.’’ Suggestions abound as factions feud. Third lane? Commuter rail? Car pools? Van pools? Buses? Bicycles? Stay tuned in 2004.

In other transportation news, MTD chief Gary Gleason reached the end of the line in an ongoing saga. Parking fees were extended to full time at UCSB, which may help account for poor turnouts at 2003-04 Gaucho basketball games.
Last February, the South Coast Beacon identified the South Coast’s 10 busiest intersections. Top (or bottom) honors went to Storke Road and Hollister Avenue near the Camino Real Marketplace, beating out the intersection of State Street and Las Positas Road.

The new city of Goleta is into its third mayor, its first major in-house squabble over election of a mayor pro tem and still lacks a General Plan. Granny flats made headlines.

A county proposal to build large numbers of housing units in No Man’s-Land farmland fueled a summer of discontent for the usually laid-back residents of the unincorporated land between the cities of Goleta and Santa Barbara, dubbed “Noleta’’ by outsiders but never by people who live there. A move to speed up legal processes to push for a future sphere of influence with Santa Barbara was cut off at the pass by LAFCO. More to come in 2004.

Architecturally, Goleta goes in your face to Hispanic Santa Barbara, reverting to ranch architecture in the revamped Fairview Shopping Center currently under construction.

The growing split between the North and South County faces another showdown with a battle royal likely between former Assemblyman Brooks Firestone and Gail Marshall-aide John Buttney for the swing 3rd District supervisorial seat. Marshall, who survived a recall, announced that she will not seek reelection.

The statewide budget crisis that triggered October’s unprecedented recall of Governor Gray Davis and election of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, had its fallout in local schools. While monetary losses to area school districts were less devastating than perceived last January, local teachers got pink slips and Goleta school trustees closed El Rancho School over vehement parent protests.

It was the Year of the Protest. Peace protests became a downtown weekend ritual. Countering them were Support Our Troops protests. Latinos ended the year with a Dec. 12 march on State Street showcasing their economic power and protesting Schwarzenegger’s repeal of a state law allowing illegal immigrants to have driver licenses. Strikers became a regular sight outside Vons, Albertsons and for a time, Ralphs markets, after the United Food and Commercial Workers union struck Vons on Oct. 12 to protect employees’ wages and health benefits. The other two supermarket chains quickly locked out their employees. The strike is not settled and continued through year’s end.

Whither though goest?

This is, after all, a state of flux.

– Sally Cappon