Chapter 13

The Scenic Land

Santa Barbara County is a county located on the Pacific coast of the southern portion of the U.S. state of California, just west of Ventura County. As of 2000 the county had a population of 399,347. The estimated total population of Santa Barbara County as of January 2006 was 421,625, according to The California Department of Finance. The county seat is Santa Barbara and the largest city is Santa Maria. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 3,789 square miles (9,814 km²), of which, 2,737 square miles (7,089 km²) of it is land and 1,052 square miles (2,725 km²) of it (27.77%) is water. Four of the Channel Islands--San Miguel Island, Anacapa Island, Santa Cruz Island and Santa Rosa Island-- are in Santa Barbara County. They form the largest part of the Channel Islands National Park (which also includes Anacapa Island in Ventura County).

Santa Barbara County has a mountainous interior abutting a coastal plains area (often and inaccurately referred to as a valley). The largest concentration of people is on this coastal plain, referred to as the south coast—the part of the county south of the Santa Ynez Mountains--which includes the cities of Santa Barbara, Goleta, and Carpinteria, as well as the unincorporated areas of Hope Ranch, Mission Canyon, Montecito and Isla Vista. North of the mountains are the towns of Santa Ynez, Solvang, Buellton, Lompoc; the unincorporated towns of Los Olivos and Ballard; the unincorporated areas of Mission Hills and Vandenberg Village; and Vandenberg Air Force Base, where the Santa Ynez River flows out to the sea. North of the Santa Ynez Valley are the cities of Santa Maria and Guadalupe, and the unincorporated towns of Orcutt, Los Alamos, Casmalia, Garey, and Sisquoc. In the extreme northeastern portion of the county are the small cities of New Cuyama, Cuyama, and Ventucop.

Chapter 12

Neighborhoods

As with most cities, Santa Barbara has a range of neighborhoods with distinctive histories, architectures, and cultures. While considerable consensus exists as to the identification of neighborhood names and boundaries, variations exist between observers. For example, real estate agents may use different names than those used by public utilities or municipal service providers, such as police, fire, or water services. The following is a list of neighborhoods with descriptions and comments on each.

• The Mesa stretches 2.5 miles (4.0 km) from Santa Barbara City College on the east to Arroyo Burro County Beach (or "Hendry’s/The Pit" to locals) on the west. This is considered to be a desirable neighborhood due to its proximity to the ocean as well as the college.

• The Riviera encompasses an ocean-facing hillside extending approximately two miles (3 km) span between Mission and Sycamore Canyons. For the past 65 years it has been known as "the Riviera" due to its resemblance to slopes along the Mediterranean coasts of France and Italy. Most of the area has curving streets with mature trees and foliage, and most of the topography of the Riviera is relatively steep.

• The Westside ("west of State Street") lies predominantly in the lowlands between State Street and the Mesa, including Highway 101, and also reaches down to Cliff Drive, incorporating Santa Barbara City College.

• The Eastside ("east of State Street") is generally the area east of State to the base of the Riviera, and includes Santa Barbara Junior High School, Santa Barbara High School, and the Santa Barbara Bowl.

• The Waterfront

• Lower State Street is the most "touristy" part of town, usually defined as Anapamu to either the intersection with 101 or Stearn's Wharf. It features primarily commercial properties, as well as a thriving nightlife.

• Upper State Street is a residential and commercial district which includes numerous professional offices, and much of the medical infrastructure of the city.

• San Roque is located northwest of the downtown area and north of Samarkand. It is a good spot for families within the Hope School District. This area is said to be a constant 5 degrees warmer than the coastal areas, due to its greater distance from the ocean than other Santa Barbara neighborhoods, and being separated from the sea by a low range of hills to the south, occupied by the Mesa and Hope Ranch. San Roque is also the most popular spot for Trick-or-Treaters on Halloween.

• Samarkand currently has approximately 630 homes on 184 acres (0.74 km²) with a population of about 2000 people. The name Samarkand comes from an Old Persian word meaning "the land of heart’s desire." It was first applied to a deluxe Persian-style hotel that was converted from a boy’s school in 1920. Samarkand later became identified as its own neighborhood located between Las Positas, State Street, De La Vina, Oak Park and the Freeway. Earle Ovington built the first home here in 1920 at 3030 Samarkand Drive. As a pilot, Ovington established the Casa Loma Air Field with a 1,500-foot (460 m) runway that was used by legendary pilots, Lindbergh and Earheart.

• Hope Ranch is an unincorporated suburb of Santa Barbara, west of downtown. As of the 2000 census, the area had an approximate population of 2,200. The neighborhood occupies a hilly area immediately adjacent to the coast; the highest elevation is 691 feet (211 m). Hope Ranch is one of the wealthiest areas in California; the median price home was $2.61 million in 2006.

• Noleta is an informal name for the unincorporated suburban area west of Santa Barbara. It is bounded on the east by Santa Barbara and Hope Ranch, on the west by Goleta, on the north by the Santa Ynez Mountains and on the south by the Pacific Ocean, and largely includes the zip codes 93105, 93110, and 93111. Approximately 30,000 people live in the area. The area is called Noleta because of its history of voting "no" on incorporation with the City of Goleta (i.e. "no" to "Goleta"), and as a pun on the more famous neighborhood "North of Little Italy" in New York City. Residents have the address of Santa Barbara.

Chapter 11

The Agricultural Core

Agriculture continues to be a leading industry in Santa Barbara County with a gross productionvalue of over $509 millon for 1994 (Santa Barbara County Agricultural Production Report). The Santa Maria Valley is the most active and productive agricultural region in Santa Barbara County, generating more than half of all the County's agricultural revenues. The regions intensive irrigated croplands produce the bulk of the County's strawberries and fresh vegetables, in addition to a significant amount of dry farming and cattle gazing. Although between 1,500 and 2,000 productive land is currently planned for urbanization, strawberry production has continued to expand its acreage, often on land unsuitable for other crops.

QUICK FACTS:

Agriculture is predominantly non-irrigated livestock gazing
Cultivated agriculture (primarily strawberries and other row crops occupy most of the remaining land in production.

Most of Santa Barbara County is native pasture and woodlands. Much of this area is used for livestock grazing, but the area also serves as watershed to provide water for downstream people, plant and animal communities. Rangeland also provides wildlife habitat and important recreational uses.

Chapter 10

Amenities and Architecture

Amenities and Architecture

Possibly the most famous examples of Spanish Revival architecture can be found in Santa Barbara, California. Santa Barbara had a rich tradition of Hispanic architecture long before Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue unveiled his vision of a Mediterranean skyline. But after a massive earthquake in 1925, the town was rebuilt. With its clean white walls and inviting courtyards, Santa Barbara became a showplace for the new Spanish style.
A landmark example is the Santa Barbara Courthouse designed by William Mooser III. Completed in 1929, the Courthouse is a showplace of Spanish and moorish design with imported tiles, enormous murals, hand-painted ceilings, and wrought iron chandeliers.


Most places on California’s coast face west to the ocean; Santa Barbara’s broad, white beach and ocean view is south—the sun seems to set in the wrong place. Similarly, there’s an air of unreality in the remarkably coherent look—storybook Spanish California—to much of downtown, where red tile roofs top white adobe-style buildings, where Macy’s would be a castle in Seville, the parking garage a bullring, and the courthouse a palace, as though Ferdinand and Isabella ruled Santa Barbara County.