Monday, April 12, 2010

The County of Santa Barbara & Old Town Orcutt - Planning for the Future

The Orcutt Community Plan (OCP) was adopted in 1997 and identified Old Town Orcutt as a “commercial center, a mixed-use area, and a cultural focus for the community.” In 1999, Planning & Development (P&D) began work on a revitalization program funded by a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) grant.

In late 2002 a group of property owners, business owners and residents got together to help the County of Santa Barbara implement the Orcutt Community Plan and specifically the Revitalization of Old Town Orcutt. This group focused on the goals of the 1997 Orcutt Community Plan and the process started to move forward. This group was called OTORA or the "Old Town Orcutt Revitalization Association".

On September 21, 2004, the County of Santa Barbara amended the Transportation sections of the adopted OCP and established a Pedestrian Area-Old Town Orcutt (PA-OTO) Overlay District to facilitate redevelopment of the district, enhance the Clark Avenue and Broadway Street corridors, and promote pedestrian activity in the district. Later that year, Clark Avenue in Old Town Orcutt was re-striped from 4-lanes to 2-lanes and angled parking was added.

The Old Town Orcutt Streetscape Concept Plan and Design Guidelines were approved by the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, July 25, 2006.

Old Town Orcutt Traffic, Circulation and Parking Study March 20, 2008

Public Meeting - A draft Study was presented to the public and community interest groups to gather comments. Comments were received and incorporated into the study. On March 20, 2008, County staff facilitated a public meeting on the study that included representatives for Penfield & Smith who were on hand to answer specific technical questions regarding the study analysis.

To find out more about what the County of Santa Barbara has been doing to revitalize historical Old Town Orcutt click on the link below.
http://longrange.sbcountyplanning.org/planareas/orcutt/orcutt.php

Orcutt's Income Key To Success

According to the 2006 California Economic Forecast Orcutt's population was 40,559. The average income per Orcutt's 14,376 households was $75,085.00, the average income per Santa Maria's 26,072 households was $52,443. Orcutt has 36% of the households in the Orcutt/Santa Maria area but 44% of the income ($1,079,421,960.00). That means that Orcutt citizens have significantly more expendable income than Santa Maria's citizens.

American Recovery & Reinvestment Act 0f 2009 - Old Town Orcutt Streetscape Project

The Old Town Orcutt Streetscape Project located at Clark Avenue & Gray Street is scheduled to start construction in May of 2010. This project is being funded by the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009.  The amount funded by the Recovery Act is $300,000.00.

This intersection will become a model for Clark Avenue located in Old Town Orcutt starting from California State Highway 135 going west to Markum Street near California State Highway 1.

Project Description - Pedestrian and vehicle circulation improvements including sidewalks, curb ramps, parking improvements, planter construction, street trees, stamped concrete crosswalks and brick details, etc...

see link below for more information
https://www.recoverysbc.org/ARRA_Project.aspx?id=106

Caltrans Park & Ride Improved

This Parking Lot Was Unsafe & Overfull Until Caltrans Installed Lighting and Added Spaces

Orcutt Union Plaza...Most Likely the Finest Commercial Project on the Central Coast of California

In the heart of Old Town Orcutt the Wills family in currently constructing "Orcutt Union Plaza" one of the finest commercial shopping centers on the Central Coast of California.

This Mixed Use project consisting of 95,000 square feet of office, retail, restaurant, and residential apartments is located on Broadway near Clark Avenue at the old Union Oil Headquarters site. The first phase in nearing completion.
 
http://www.studio-2g.com/commercial-orcuttunionplaza.htm
 
See "Building Boom In Old Town Orcutt"
http://orcutt.kcoy.com/content/building-boom-old-town-orcutt



Orcutt Library Relocating to Old Town Orcutt

In line with Old Town Orcutt becoming the cultural center for the greater Orcutt area the Orcutt Library will soon be moved to Orcutt Union Plaza.

Chuck Tinch Recently Finished His Building

Built according to the County of Santa Barbra's Design Guidelines for Old Town Orcutt.

Orcutt Would Be the 3rd Largest City in Santa Barbara County

If Orcutt were a City it would be the 3rd largest city in Santa Barbara County. Orcutt was established in 1904 and is one of the largest unincorporated areas in the State of California. Six out of the eight cities in S.B. County have a smaller population than the unincorporated area of Orcutt, California.

City of Buellton (Incorporated 1992) Population 4,552
City of Solvang (Incorporated 1985) Population 5,446
City of Guadalupe (Incorporated 1946) Population 5,659
City of Carpinteria (Incorporated 1965) Population 14,394
City of Goleta (Incorporated 2002) Population 30,000
City of Lompoc (Incorporated 1888) Population 41,103
City of Orcutt (Incorporated ?) Population 43,912 est