Tragic Notes

Longtime slow-growth and neighborhood activist Claudia Madsen died this past weekend at age 85 after a battle with cancer. During her 30-plus years in Santa Barbara, Madsena one-time reporter with United Press Internationalwas active in a host of neighborhood organizations. In recognition of her work, some Santa Barbara city councilmembers have suggested that the city’s Neighborhood Preservation Ordinance should be named after her. Madsen was an old-school environmentalist and was well-known around City Hall, where she testified frequently. She worked most recently on an effort to limit the commercial expansion now slated for outer State Street.