Historic Landmarks Commission reviews draft preapproved outdoor-dining furniture for El Pueblo Viejo

The Santa Barbara Historic Landmarks Commission spent much of its May 7 meeting on a staff-backed proposal to publish preapproved outdoor-dining furniture options for El Pueblo Viejo (EPV), aimed at making it faster for restaurants and cafes to set up sidewalks and patios without separate Historic Landmarks Commission (HLC) review.

Staff and members of the State Street Interim Working Group described a market survey of tables, chairs, umbrellas, planters and small stanchions and asked the commission to approve the list as guidance for property and business owners. Tess Harris, State Street master planner, told the commission the short-term action plan adopted by the City Council in September 2024 included standardizing dining furniture and getting HLC sign-off on preapproved options. Staff said the intent is to reduce repeated review workload for businesses while keeping EPV’s character.

Commissioners discussed materials, color restrictions, accessibility and long-term maintenance. Commissioners repeatedly emphasized that color choices should conform to the EPV color palette and that materials must be durable: metals should generally use the EPV “iron” colors, fabrics and awnings should reference the fabric/awning part of the EPV palette, and wood tops or natural-stone tabletops should be treated or stained rather than covered with thin decorative veneers. Commissioners also asked staff to confirm which manufacturers actually offer the shown styles in EPV-approved colors before the list is finalized.

On specific elements the commission gave direction rather than formal approval. Commissioners voiced general support for offering a range of stackable and nonstackable chairs and for including ADA-compliant table heights among the preapproved options. For umbrellas the HLC generally favored 6- or 8-sided (segmented) or square forms rather than exotic overhanging-arm systems; commissioners split on allowing scalloped valances and on broadly permitting striped patterns. The group agreed to: require umbrellas to be no taller than 8 feet; prohibit logos and advertising on umbrella canopies; allow solid or striped fabric only if the stripe and color choices match approved EPV fabric colors; and to return to HLC for any canopy/awning or umbrella treatment that does not meet the published preapproved options.

Regarding planters and pots, commissioners preferred terracotta or natural-stone looks and asked staff to avoid recommending raw cast-concrete finishes as a default option; commissioners asked staff to assemble a small range of preapproved terracotta and cast-stone styles that better match EPV buildings. For stanchions and perimeter posts the commission directed staff to require durable metal construction; they asked staff to include removable, sleeved-base solutions so barriers can be taken out during city events.

HLC members asked staff to return with a revised packet that: 1) ties each pictured product to manufacturer color options that meet EPV iron/awning/fabric palettes; 2) removes or replaces sample images that appear to show colors outside the EPV metal palette (a bright green cafe chair in the packet was flagged for removal); 3) clarifies finish and material allowances for table tops (stone, natural stain, not stick-on surface); and 4) documents a short, expedited approval path for businesses that want a minor exception (for example, review by the HLC working group or chair/consent review rather than a full HLC hearing).

Commissioners said the goal is to make it easier for businesses to buy and deploy furniture while protecting the El Pueblo Viejo streetscape. Staff and the State Street Interim Working Group will revise the draft per the commission’s direction and return with a version that ties each product to manufacturer color/finish availability and clarifies the process for exceptions and awning projection limits.