Council OKs State Street action-plan funding, greenlights temporary pilot elements including golf-cart shuttle

The Santa Barbara City Council voted on April 15 to reallocate existing Measure C capital funds to the State Street Action Plan and to authorize a package of temporary pilot measures aimed at increasing access and activity along the corridor.

The council approved two related staff recommendations after separate votes. Council Member Kristen Sneddon moved the funding reallocation (item 12a); the motion passed with all members present except Council Member Eric Freeman, who was absent. Sneddon later moved item 12b — the pilot package including modular sidewalk extensions (often called "pedlets") and a three‑vehicle golf‑cart shuttle — which the council approved after debate and an added legal‑form clause recommended by the city attorney.

Why it matters: Council members said the short‑term pilots will help test ways to improve pedestrian circulation and downtown access while the city updates the longer State Street master plan. Supporters said pilot data will inform longer term decisions; opponents and at least one council member cautioned about impacts in historic areas and the piecemeal approach to reopening the street.

Key council discussion and public input: Sharon Rich, president of Friends of State Street, told the council the pilot would generate “real data, demographics, ridership, and demand” and said her organization stands ready to support the effort. Council Member Jordan emphasized that the pilot aims to preserve outdoor dining while adding transit options and to create a standardized “look and feel” for street furniture. Council Member Sneddon said pilots let the city “see what works.”

Mayor Randy Rouse said he supported moving the Measure C money into the State Street project but opposed the pedlets and the golf‑cart pilot, expressing concern about installing temporary plastic sidewalks in the El Pueblo Viejo historic district and about whether the overall approach would conflict with a broader reopening resolution the city previously endorsed. Council members responded that the pilot items are temporary and will be uniform in appearance.

Staff clarifications included that the golf‑cart pilot will be operated by a private vendor called SB Sweep, with three carts planned and one equipped for full accessibility, and that the city is in parallel conversations with the Metropolitan Transit District (MTD) about summer transit options. The funding reallocation would move appropriations from the Amtrak building column repair project and the revenue control system project to the State Street Action Plan project (the underlying budget resolution cited amending Resolution No. 24‑066). The motion to approve the pilot included the phrase "subject to approval as to form by the city attorney."

Outcome and next steps: The council voted to separate the funding and pilot items for individual votes; the separation motion passed 5–1. Item 12a (reallocation of Measure C funds to the State Street Action Plan) passed with the council members present except for Eric Freeman (absent). Item 12b (the pilot package) passed after addition of the city attorney's approval clause; the staff implementation plan will return to council as needed for contract approvals and any pilot evaluation reports.

Votes at a glance: The council recorded the separation motion (to vote on 12a and 12b separately) and then approved item 12a and item 12b. The minutes show the motions and final recorded outcomes in the meeting record.

Background: The State Street Action Plan has been under development in multiple blocks of downtown and includes a mix of streetscape pilots and longer‑term infrastructure planning. City staff and downtown stakeholders described the pilot as a way to gather user data and test options for improving circulation and access.