Double-Down on Sola

We are writing in behalf of our company located on Micheltorena Street in Santa Barbara. We are aware of the City Planning Commission’s intent to move forward on eliminating street parking on both sides of Micheltorena from State Street to the freeway overpass. This would definitely affect all the businesses on our block. We are not against bicycle lanes, just not on streets where it is crucial to have on-street parking.

Our business would have no available parking where we are and would cause a great hardship for the seniors who visit our office, some of whom use walkers, as well as the disabled clients who will suffer getting to us for services. The nearest public parking lot is three blocks away!

Seriously, we may be forced to move our office if this plan comes about. This will also affect the residents and other businesses all along Micheltorena. Our businesses will be negatively impacted by this plan.

It seems to us that the most logical answer would be to remove parking spaces one block down on Sola Street and put the bike lane there. That block has two large parking lots on either side of the street and only one major business, Green Hills Software, which has its own parking lot.

Candace Wheeler is a placement consultant and Peggy Renker is a certified senior advisor and owner of Senior Living Consultants.