The Isla Vista Master Plan has been “in the making” for longer than most local residents can remember, and the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission has decided to hold off on sending the final version to the county for just a little longer.

At their meeting on Monday, the Planning Commission postponed approving the final plan and decided to delay sending it to the County Board of Supervisors because two of the five members of the commission were out sick. The two-hour meeting, which was slated to last a hefty six hours, ended with the plan to revisit finalizing the Master Plan on May 23.

Some opponents and supporters of the plan were on hand to discuss the eventual consequences of the Master Plan. The low turnout at the meeting was a disappointment to many, including Commission Chair C. Michael Cooney. With the postponement of the final decision, the public has one last chance to comment on the all-important plan.

However, Dianne Conn, Isla Vista Recreation and Parks District board member and longtime I.V. resident, did show up and addressed the parking plan. Conn said with the current congested parking situation, she thinks UCSB should prohibit freshmen and sophomores from bringing cars to school.

Janet Stitch, an I.V. resident since 1999, brought up another problem with the glut of cars in I.V. and on campus. Stitch said she did not think it would be a good idea to revamp only a section of El Colegio Road by changing about 100 yards of road from two lanes to four lanes, citing the many traffic jams that already exist on the road.

I.V. Master Plan Deputy Director Jamie Goldstein said the brief bottleneck was a result of funding restraints.

– Staff Report