Architectural Board of Review Special

Program Type:

Architectural Board of Review, Boards & Commissions
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The Architectural Board of Review meets alternate Mondays at 3:00 p.m.

History

As Santa Barbara grew from a presidio to a city, little thought was given to architectural continuity. During the rapid growth of the 1880's, most of the new buildings were brick or wood "main street" type structures. In 1922, the Community Arts Association formed a group called the Plans and Planting Committee, which campaigned to increase public awareness of and appreciation for architectural quality and integrity.

In 1925, a major earthquake badly damaged a majority of Santa Barbara's original brick and wooden commercial buildings. This catastrophe provided the Plans and Planting Committee with an opportunity to guide the necessary rebuilding according to its own uniform architectural and stylistic program.

The original Architectural Board of Review (ABR), formed in 1925, operated for only nine months. Discontinued for over two decades, the ABR was re-established in 1947 by ordinance, and in 1967 as a Charter Board.