Santa Barbara council approves consent calendar including 920 State Street lease, bike-parking grants and housing trust application

The Santa Barbara City Council on Sept. 30 approved its consent calendar, authorizing a five-year lease for a downtown retail tenant, appropriating state grant funds to expand secure bicycle parking, establishing a 401(a) deferred compensation plan for city employees, authorizing the city to apply for and manage a Local Housing Trust Fund award, and appropriating design funds for airport taxiway pavement repairs.

The approvals matter because they allocate grant and budget authority that will support near-term transportation and airport design work, create a retirement benefit vehicle for city staff, and launch the city—s role in a local housing trust fund application with the California Department of Housing and Community Development.

City staff read five consent items into the record, including the proposed lease for 920 State Street, described as a five-year lease with a five-year option for a 1,200-square-foot retail space to Estrella Emporium LLC, doing business as GameSeeker. The consent calendar packet also included resolutions to amend the city—s fiscal year 2026 budget (referenced in the staff reading as resolution number 25 0 6 6) to appropriate: (1) Active Transportation Program Cycle 7 metropolitan planning organization grant funds and Coastal Resource Mitigation Fund grant funds for the "Increasing Secure, Convenient, and Accessible Bike Parking in Santa Barbara" project; and (2) funds for award of the design contract for the Taxiways E, A3 and A5 pavement repairs project.

Other items the council approved were a resolution to establish a 401(a) deferred compensation retirement plan for city employees and to authorize the finance director to execute related documents; and a resolution authorizing the city to act as manager of the Santa Barbara Local Housing Trust Fund and to execute an application and standard agreement with the California Department of Housing and Community Development for a conditional award under the Local Housing Trust Fund program.

Council Member Sneddon moved the consent-calendar motion; Mayor Pro Tem Friedman seconded. A city staff member called the roll for the vote and reported, "It passes unanimously." The vote recorded all present as voting yes; Council Member Oscar Gutierrez was absent.

The council closed public comment and moved directly from the consent items to community and council engagement reports. No consent items were pulled for separate consideration during the meeting.

Items approved on the consent calendar will proceed under the usual administrative steps: the 920 State Street lease will take effect upon adoption of the enabling ordinance; grant-funded bike-parking work and taxiway design work proceed subject to receipt and appropriation of identified grant funds; and the Local Housing Trust Fund action authorizes application and acceptance of the HCD standard agreement if awarded.