Grant Not

It is vital to preserve Santa Barbara’s history. Currently, the Santa Barbara City Council is seeking a grant to widen Mission Creek Bridge by 10 feet or more and realign and widen Mission Canyon Road and East Los Olivos Street on either side of the bridge. This proposal would have a very negative influence on our community’s historic resources.

The grant the City Council is seeking would also move dozens of feet of historic stone walls on either side of the bridge, including some of the unique stegosaurus wall. In addition, according to the historic structures report, about 15 feet of a retaining wall dating to the late 1800s or early 1900s would be removed entirely. Historic sandstone curbing of the original Mission Canyon Road would be paved over, according to the conceptual site plan submitted with the vity’s grant application.

The Santa Barbara Mission/Mission Canyon area is an extraordinarily valuable historic resource that should be preserved. The City Council should vote to rescind the grant application for widening the historic Mission Creek Bridge that would do so much harm.