Putting our compass after the current crisis

Santa Barbara needs our love, care and attention. Our city has been hit by a storm of fires and debris, environmental and economic fragility, and the devastation of COVID-19. I believe that our city could emerge stronger and more resilient, if we took the time to deliberately set our course. Strong civic engagement and public discourse are essential components of this process.

The coronavirus pandemic has led to past tensions straining our society to breaking point. In seismology, we describe the rupture in terms of prolonged stress versus fragile strain. When stress builds up over a sufficiently long period of time, the Earth has time to absorb the stress and the prolonged adaptive response. If the compressive forces were too intense, or applied to an already tense area, the ground would be catastrophically torn, sending echoes of the brittle response in all directions. In a large enough earthquake, the earth rang like a bell. We are witnessing such a shock.

Board member Christine Sneddon

Before COVID, our society was in heightened tensions and pressures, but we were still able to absorb and adapt. The cumulative stress of the natural disasters of the Thomas Fire and Montecito Debris Flow, of dealing with the impacts of climate change and severe drought, has left us from a changing local economy, and a growing housing crisis. When COVID hit us hard, the additional stresses came very focused and very sustainable, and like the sudden earthquake, it forced our fragile community to breaking point. Santa Barbara is a strong and resilient community. We will get up and bounce after this tectonic shift in our course; However, we do not yet know the full measure of our compensation.

Now is the time when we must reimagine and compass what we want for the future of our city. I first came to Santa Barbara in the 1980s, when Piazza Piccadilly was the place to be, when Paseo Nuevo was an open-air Paseo rather than a mall, and there was still a stop sign on the highway. I’ll admit some nostalgia, but as a Santa Barbara City Councilor, I also share the excitement of having access to Santa Barbara’s full potential.

Our response requires a holistic vision: promoting a diversified economy, creating a policy for affordable housing, stimulating the adaptive reuse of office or retail space for housing, reducing homelessness, recognizing and celebrating our diverse cultural history, enhancing public safety and resilience, enhancing our legacy, and articulating a sense of place. He is represented by Santa Barbara.

In an initial response to the COVID crisis, the city has taken measures to boost the economy in the city center. We have made major, but temporary changes to State Street and its adjacent streets by creating a pedestrian park, permitting parks, and encouraging outdoor dining experiences. The community response has been very positive, with many requests to make these changes permanent.

We know what we want: a livable and walkable city center with open spaces, basios, and parks; Affordable housing in the city center. A distinct artistic and cultural identity; A thriving local business economy; And revitalizing public spaces in the library and Piazza De la Guerra, all of this was accomplished through a plan to activate sustainability measures to mitigate the effects of climate change.

Overarching questions remain: How do these projects fit into Downtown’s overall vision? How do we want to experience the city center and the waterfront? What is our identity?

These questions are not new, but they have arrived at a new sense of urgency. We need to plan now for what we want our community to be like, after the current crisis. A forward-looking vision, other than the interactive designs that draw us in at the moment, is imperative. This is the time to set our course.

It should reflect downtown Santa Barbara and be a welcoming place for our entire community. This means you are! We need to incorporate inputs from the population, the arts community, the business community, the educational community, the Chumash community, the underrepresented communities, our homeless neighbors, the farmers’ market community, the historical preservation community, architects, the environmental community, public safety, craftsmen and artists. Young, old and medium, and of those who want to live in a vibrant, attractive, inclusive, connected and thriving city center. A collective view of the city center is more than just a matter of creating a pedestrian center.

It’s time to boldly envision and embrace everything we can. It’s time for your city council to invite your input, listen, and act. I want to hear your thoughts. Please contact your city council to request a general admission process.

Christine W. Snedon is a member of Santa Barbara City Council as mayor and is a professor in the Department of Geosciences at Santa Barbara City College. You can contact her at [email protected].

Add to favorites

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos