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W E D N E S DAY, M A R C H 2 9, 2 0 2 3
NEWS-PRESS EXCLUSIVE
De la Guerra Plaza’s future
Defendant in threats case pleads not guilty Albert Varelas, 34, is accused of making threats against Santa Maria police and their families
Project planner responds to criticism of revitalization details
By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
When Brad Hess met with the Historic Landmarks Commission earlier this month to give an update on the proposed De la Guerra Revitalization project, the last thing he expected was to be met with criticism about features that had already been approved. He was just there to talk about two items that hadn’t yet been reviewed: a planned pavilion to be built between the Santa Barbara City Hall and the News-Press building and landscaping at the entrance to City Hall. Of course, there’s no way he could have predicted what speakers would say during the public comment period. He just never expected some HLC members to join in that criticism. Now, in an exclusive interview with the News-Press, Mr. Hess, the project’s principal planner, is responding for the first time to that criticism, which included harsh comments about one of the project’s proposed features: a bubbler fountain. “The bubbler — please spare me,” Rosanne Crawford said during the public comment period at the HLC meeting. “This is not a modern building. This is not a park. This is De la Guerra Plaza. “The bubbler is absolutely atrocious. It’s hideous.” Some HLC members agreed. “The water feature, I cannot support it,” Commissioner Ed Lenvik said. “It does not belong here. It does not fit the historic Please see PLAZA on A4
By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
KENNETH SONG/NEWS-PRESS
De la Guerra Plaza boasts a green lawn after the recent storms. Critics of the city of Santa Barbara’s revitalization plan, which includes replacing the lawn with a hardscape, have objected to changing the plaza’s historical nature.
A Santa Maria man pleaded not guilty Tuesday for the second time to felony charges that he made criminal threats against the lives of Santa Maria police officers and their families and stalked them. Albert Varelas, 34, already pleaded not guilty after his initial arraignment following his arrest on Feb. 18. Since then, a preliminary hearing judge found that prosecutors presented enough evidence against him that the case should proceed to trial. Defendants are given a second chance to enter a plea after their preliminary hearing. “Mr. Varelas was arraigned on the Information (called a complaint before a preliminary hearing) … and in California, a defendant has a right to a trial within 60 days of the arraignment on an Information unless the defendant waives time,” Senior Deputy District Attorney Scott E. Donahue said. “Mr. Varelas did not waive time, and consequently a trial will need to commence no longer than 60 days from today, and the judge wants to ensure we have enough time to set a trial date if needed.” Mr. Varelas is due back in court on April 6 to set a trial date. That might not be necessary — at least not yet — because
By NEIL HARTSTEIN
COURTESY IMAGES
Planner goes over details of a changed De la Guerra Plaza By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
The proposed revitalization of downtown’s De la Guerra Plaza involves several changes and additions, some of which have proven controversial, including the proposed bubbler fountain and the hard surface materials that will replace the existing grass. In an interview with the NewsPress, Principal Project Manager Brad Hess shared more about some of the project’s features. • The bubbler fountain: “This was previously supported by HLC and the Advisory Committee, and contrary to what we heard at the most recent meeting, we think this is a great idea for the plaza,” he said. He admitted there have been
concerns voiced in the past over the appropriateness of having a fountain because of the water shortage. “While that may not be a problem now with the storms this year, we live in a place where it will be a problem again. The fountain uses recirculated water that runs through a filter system and storage tank such that the water loss is only due to evaporation. It’s not much. This system also meets the Department of Health requirements for safety. “When it’s off, it will be challenging to see that there is a fountain present, and the space will just be a beautiful part of the plaza. The Chumash mosaic will be in that space as well, possibly a part of the bubbler fountain, but the space will be beautiful when
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the water is on or off. “Lastly, traditional above-ground fountains with pools of water are not supported by the city council, and they made it very clear they would not approve an exception for an above-ground fountain for the plaza.” • The surface materials: “The materials proposed were supported by HLC, and we are confident that they are in keeping with the historic feel of the plaza,” he said. There are four types of materials proposed. The “Street of Spain” that comes from El Paseo adjacent to Casa de la Guerra is grouted sandstone. “We are proposing to extend this very historic material and look all the way around the outside of the plaza toward the News-Press
building and then down Storke Placita to State Street. It will be stunning. If you go look at it, it appears to be random in the way it’s installed, but there’s actually an old pattern that is used. We intend to use the model as the template for the installation.” Inside the grouted sandstone is a brick band that mimics the road. It will not be the red brick of State Street, but “Pueblo Flash,” which is more brown and neutral. “The reason for the brick is that this is where the utilities are located underground,” Mr. Hess said. “The reason the plaza looks like it does is that over the years repairs have been made and then patched with concrete, asphalt or a combination and it looks terrible.
Please see VARELAS on A3
Juvenile suspect appears in court for Stearns Wharf murder case NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
At left, De la Guerra Plaza would get a new look, including a bubbler fountain, under the city of Santa Barbara’s plan. The current lawn would be removed, and a hardscape with landscaping would be emphasized.
the defendant is challenging the preliminary hearing judge’s ruling that he should stand trial. He filed a motion for a different judge than the one who presided at his preliminary hearing to review the hearing transcripts “and make a determination whether there was sufficient evidence presented …” Prosecutor Donahue said. A hearing on that motion was set for April 19. “Once the judge hears that motion and if that judge also feels enough evidence (was) presented at the preliminary examination, then the case would proceed to trial if the parties do not reach an agreement,” the prosecutor said. On the other hand, the reviewing judge could grant the defense motion as to some or all of the charges. “We would then proceed with prosecution on the remaining charges, if any, or we could dismiss the entire case and refile it,” according to Supervising Deputy District Attorney Lara Clinton. “Either side could request the Court of Appeal review the decision on the … motion by filing a writ of mandate,” she said. The complaint filed against Mr. Varelas alleges that between Jan. 24 and Feb. 17, he threatened to commit a crime against police officers “which would result in
One of the Ventura County 15-year-olds charged with murder in the Dec. 9 fatal shooting death of an innocent bystander on Stearns Wharf appeared in court Tuesday for further proceedings in his case, prosecutors said. “One juvenile murder defendant was in court today,” Senior Deputy District Attorney Tate McAllister confirmed. “That case was continued to 4/20 for further proceedings.” The other 15-year-old from Ventura County who is charged with murder in the death of Robert Dion Gutierrez, 52, of Camarillo, is due back in court on April 4, also for further proceedings, the prosecutor said. “Further proceedings,” Senior Deputy District Attorney McAllister said, “just means that the court and the parties will appear to address any issues that need to be addressed and check on the status of the case.” The District Attorney’s Office has identified the teens as
Matthew Lopez and Adan de la Cruz. The two minor defendants have alleged ties to Ventura County gangs. Both have denied the murder charges filed against them. Prosecutors will not seek to try them as adults in Superior Court, where their sentences would be a lot stiffer if they were convicted. “The law was recently changed to prohibit the transfer of 14- and 15-year olds to adult court, so the juveniles must be tried as juveniles,” Prosecutor McAllister said. Prosecutors allege the two teens engaged in a firefight with four young adults from Santa Barbara with alleged ties to a Santa Barbara gang, and that Mr. Gutierrez got trapped in between the two groups. Mr. Gutierrez was walking on the Santa Barbara wharf with his wife when the shooting erupted. According to police, he “was struck and killed by one of the rounds fired” during the altercation. Please see MURDER on A2
Please see PLANNER on A4
INSIDE
L O T T E RY RESULTS
Classified................. B4 Life.................... AB1-2 Obituaries............... A4
Saturday’s SUPER LOTTO: 4-12-13-42-47 Meganumber: 1
Tuesday’s DAILY 4: 8-6-2-9
Tuesday’s MEGA MILLIONS: N/A Meganumber: N/A
Tuesday’s FANTASY 5: 1-14-18-22-35
Tuesday’s DAILY DERBY: 10-03-08 Time: 1:42.80
Monday’s POWERBALL: 19-26-36-43-58 Meganumber: 14
Sudoku................... B3 Weather................. A4
Tuesday’s DAILY 3: 8-0-5 / Wednesday’s Midday 3-6-3