Supporters Get a Chance to Speak

May 17th, 2006

Twenty-seven people spoke in favor of Westmont’s approved campus Master Plan at the Montecito Planning Commission hearing, May 11.

After more than four hours of public comment , Westmont officials presented the commission with details to a proposal that would cap the number of cars heading to the college campus. The proposal would replace the current parking permit program at Westmont. Right now, the college is allowed to have no more than 600 employee and student cars with parking permits on campus at a time, which is usually about 400 for students and 200 for faculty and staff. The change would allow no more than 3,500 trips each day on Cold Spring Road during non-construction periods .

Scott Schell of Associate Traffic Engineers told commissioners that traffic on Cold Spring Road had increased just 1.9 % since 1976, far below other Montecito roads. In fact, the percentage of vehicles on Cold Spring Road heading to Westmont has gone down over the last 30 years.

The approved Master Plan also calls for several traffic improvement measures such as shifting the college’s southern entrance, improving pedestrian circulation on campus and a keeping construction vehicles on campus during peak traffic times at Cold Spring School.

The next scheduled hearing is for Wednesday, May 17, at 9 a.m. at 123 E. Anapamu Street. There are two agenda items before Westmont. The hearing is expected to explore ideas of phasing between construction periods and other project provisions. The commission is not expected to take public comment during the hearing.

Continue to check the Master Plan hearing hotline at 565-7038 for updates.