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Through the AIA Santa Barbara, architects have a unified voice on the business and the design issues important to all of us.

The AIA Santa Barbara Advocacy Committee is focused on three areas of interest: representing members in professional matters within our local community; interfacing with AIA advocacy at the state and national level; and understanding how architects can contribute to the quality of life issues in our city.

Advocacy is an integral part of our mission – to promote architects and architecture in Santa Barbara County through legislative action at the National, State and local levels. Ways in which we accomplish this is through:

  • Facilitating effective dialogue between our members and the public
  • Advocating for better community design
  • Expanding the influence of architects in the community
  • Serving as a voice on community, legislative and design matters
  • Promoting AIA Santa Barbara members and the value of their services to the public

Chair: Ellen Bildsten AIA
Committee: Clay Aurell AIA, Dan Johnston AIA, Brian Cearnal AIA, Joe Campanelli, Detty Peikert AIA, Dawn Sherry AIA, Chris Manson-Hing AIA, Alex Pujo AIA, Bob Kupiec AIA, Cass Ensberg FAIA, Paul Poirier AIA

Accessory Dwelling Unit (Ad Hoc)

Purpose: To engage members and the public in the crafting of local ordinances governing accessory dwelling units in compliance with recent state laws.

2018 Goals: Ensure AIASB input influences local ADU ordinances to reflect the interests of our members.

Chair: Alex Pujo AIA
Committee: Cass Ensberg FAIA, Andreas Blomst, Ellen Bildsten AIA, Gil Garcia AIA, Lori Kari AIA, Natalie Cope Phillips, Paul Poirier AIA, Paul Zink AIA, Stephanie Poole AIA, Tom Jacobs AIA, Val Froscher AIA, Christopher Manson-Hing AIA, Tere Jurado, Kevin Dumain AIA, Everett Woody, Dan Johnston AIA
Meets every Monday at 12pm at AIA Santa Barbara

AIASB works with City Council  to adopt a much improved ADU Ordinance
On May 8th Santa Barbara City Council moved to adopt the revised ADU Draft without further changes.  As you may recall from previous dispatches, this Draft is a major, major improvement from the original version proposed last September –due in equal parts to new State legislation and AIA participation with community input.
Read the whole report from Alex Pujo AIA here

Read the reports from the ADU Advocacy Team below written by Alex Pujo AIA on behalf of the ADU Committee

ADU Committee Update April 27

City Council Report April 17

Planning Commission Report March 28

Goleta Ordinance Report

ADU Report February 23

Planning Commission Report January 31

Planning Commission Report January 25

Recovery Assistance

Purpose: The Mission of the AIASB-CRT is to support a streamlining permit process for affected homeowners in the Montecito-Carpinteria disaster areas and to advise the property owners in ways to rebuild in a more resilient and sustainable way going forward.

Chair: Robert L. Ooley, FAIA
Committee: Tai Yeh AIA, Brian Cearnal AIA, Jose Luis Esparza AIA, Paul
Poirier AIA, Stephanie Poole AIA, Michael Holliday FAIA, Ellen Bildsten AIA,
Christine Pierron AIA, Thomas Moore, Carolle Van Sande, Karen Feeney,
Valerie Froscher AIA, Serena McLintick Assoc AIA,Courtney Miller, Dan
Johnston AIA, Cass Ensberg FAIA

AIA National is using the Thomas Fire and Montecito Debris Flow response as
a Case Study. Read the Case Study here

Task Force to support EOS: Robert Ooley, Ellen Bildsten, Dan Johnston, Susan
van Atta, Ken Radtkey, Brian Cearnal, Chris Manson Hing, Bob Kupiec

AIASB is now represented at the Montecito Recovery Center on Coast Village
Circle.  Many thanks to Harrison Design
Associates,<http://harrisondesign.com/> Cearnal
Collective<http://www.cearnal.com/>, WWA Design, and RRM Santa
Barbara<https://www.rrmdesign.com/> for providing staff on behalf of AIASB.
United Way of Santa Barbara<http://www.unitedwaysb.org/> has generously
provided a grant so that AIA Santa Barbara can support the AIASB staffing of
the Montecito Center.

Location: 

The Montecito Center for Preparedness, Recovery and Rebuilding is located at 1283 Coast Village Circle, Montecito, CA 93108.
Phone:  805-845-7887
montecitocenter@sbcoem.org
To reach the AIASB-CRT contact crt@aiasb.com

Hours of Operation:

Mon-Sat 10 am to 2 pm (Wed additional hours 6 pm-9 pm)

Water Culture (Ad Hoc)

Purpose: Engage chapter membership with one another to provide information to local community about modern ways to capture and store drinking water so existing and future buildings may be sustainable in terms of efficiency, economy, and endurance.

2018 Goals: Advocate for Thomas Fire / Flood recovery efforts that incorporate sustainable water strategies.

Chair: Peter Hunt AIA
Vice Chair: Dana Harrison, Certified Water Specialist
Committee: Matt Gries AIA, Erica Obertelli Assoc AIA, Adam Grosshans AIA, Nick Zemke CE, Bob Flowers CE, Wes Barber CE, Meg West LA, and ad hoc member Dan Johnston AIA

State St Charrette

2018 Goals: Ensure charrette ideas are incorporated into future city’s policies regarding the revitalization of State St.

Chair: Brian Cearnal AIA
Vice Chair: Detty Peikert AIA
Committee: Ellen Bildsten AIA, Anthony Grumbine AIA, Cass Ensberg FAIA, Detty Peikert AIA, Dan Johnston AIA, Dawn Sherry AIA, Paul Poirier AIA, Alex Pujo AIA, Karl Kras, Holly Nuovo

Check out the information from the 2010 AUD Charrette at the link below!

City, County and State Advocacy News 

Design Standards Standards Must Allow For Creative Expression by Robert Ooley, FAIA

Technical standards are widely used in many aspects of our lives: medicine, technology, engineering, food…

Read more

Thomas Fire / Montecito Debris Flow Case Study With Robert Ooley FAIA

"It is common for zoning and building laws to allow “like-for-like” rebuilding of homes damaged…

Read more

New designs for downtown Santa Barbara on display for the public to see

Drawings that could become a real-life change for downtown Santa Barbara in the years ahead,…

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Local Architects Share Their Visions for Reimagined Downtown Santa Barbara

The AIA chapter hosts a 2020 Design Charette that looks ahead 90 to 100 years;…

Read more

Interested in getting involved on an Advocacy Committee?

Contact Executive Director Tara Rizzi at tararizzi@aiasb.com

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