Hold the Line, Santa Barbara
In support of Robert Coronado’s concern expressed in “Mega-Mansions Invade” regarding the Mesa neighborhood, I would add similar concerns of mine and many others in the Hillside District of the Riviera.
An influx of monied urbanites from the East is buying small lots and tearing down modest homes nestled in natural settings that allow for space and privacy. They are building in their place McMansions with lap swimming pools and patios right up to the legal setback. This practice is permanently changing the “quaint, coastal” semi-rural atmosphere that has been the hallmark of this quiet, very beautiful town.
In the Hillside District, huge excavations of land and increased hardscape endanger surrounding properties with swift-moving storm waters and insufficient attention to drainage. This has already caused land and mudslides similar to what occurred in Montecito. Tier 3 retention of water has not been strictly monitored.
