The raging Cave Fire in the Santa Barbara foothills again brings to mind how ideal the Sears property is for a new police headquarters. The Sears site is equidistant from S.B. to the east, Goleta to the west, and San Marcos Pass at the center. Additionally, as we increasingly face the catastrophic effects of global warming, the property’s ample lot can accommodate emergency vehicles. Instead, we have the city deciding to cram a new police structure into the Farmers Markets’ small lot, not unlike Cinderella’s stepsister insisting on squeezing a big foot into the tiny glass slipper. Surely the police and citizens of Santa Barbara merit a more practical solution that is worth fundraising for.
