The Results are in: How to Restore Economic Vitality in Santa Barbara

Posted on Jul 23, 2019

In January, 2019 the City of Santa Barbara hired economic development and real estate advisory firm Kosmot Companies to provide recommendations on how to improve economic vitality downtown. Here are their recommendations from the revitalization plan that cost the City $84,000:

Regulatory Tools and Policies

– Fundamentally review/revamp zoning and permitting process to be more flexible to accommodate market and changing retailer and customer dynamics.

– Prioritize Economic Development within the City and work with other business organizations to clarify their roles.

– Identify beneficial retail categories and streamline permit process.

– Provide easy permits for temporary Pop-Up users.

– Facilitate infill housing or live/work space in back of vacant buildings along State Street.

– Incentivize a blend of residential, office, and hotel reuse of vacant commercial buildings.

– Expand community outreach efforts to get broad feedback on land use issues.

– Consider Specific Plan for zoning strategy/higher density on targeted sites.

– Facilitate development of new workforce housing, including micro units, between Chapala St. and Anacapa St. and utilize surplus parking spaces in City parking structures to meet onsite requirement and reduce development costs

– Encourage more creative office uses along State Street (e.g. Impact Hub, The Sandbox, and cowork zones).

– Work with MTD to expand evening bus services for State Street workers and visitors.

– Encourage window displays to avoid dead zones with 100 feet of frosted glass.

– Encourage UCSB to open a satellite campus downtown.

– Establish an Adaptive Reuse Zone with less restrictive building permit rules.

– Facilitate outdoor dining permits to yield major increase in restaurant sales.

– Encourage rooftop public dining areas along State Street.

– Provide process to allow for live music/amplified sound after 10 PM to attract customers in evenings.

Infrastructure Investment

– Provide free waterfront shuttle service on State Street.

– Improve image through public infrastructure improvements.

– Consider creation of pedestrian mall for 2-3 blocks on State Street, requiring closure of portion of State Street to vehicular traffic.

Marketing and Outreach

– Increase special events – facilitate and standardize the event permit process.

– Educate residents, City Council, and jurisdictional bodies on importance of State Street’s economic health to generate revenue for critical public services – +5 years of declining sales can cause a snowball effect, creating blight throughout the entire State Street corridor.

– Educate landlords/businesses and City on experiential, destination, and omni-channel retail trends and blended use so City can resolve “anti-business” reputation and image through marketing/branding and implementation.

– Increase local Santa Barbara resident patronage through special events and promotions.

– Consider concept of monthly or more frequent community events in Downtown (Consider using De la Guerra Plaza and other public spaces to host arts and music events).

– Create more experiences for shoppers (e.g. “Pop Ups”, entertainment, breweries, etc.).

The Kosmont team will present their findings to Council and the community at a public hearing on Thursday, July 25 at 4 PM at City Hall, Council Chambers, followed by public comment and Council discussion.

CLICK HERE to view the full report from santabarbaraca.gov.

CLICK HERE to view Santa Barbara Independent’s article on Kosmot Companies recommendations:  “Report Describes Santa Barbara Unfriendly to Business, Suffocated by Red Tape.”