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One of the richest, if not the richest, neighborhood in the county. Montecito is located in gentle hills on east side of City of Santa Barbara. By most recent estimates, Montecito has about 12,000 residents but this may be understated by a few thousand. In recent years, many homes, predictably upscale, have been built on the east side and from maps it is obvious that Montecito is blending into Summerland, the coastal hamlet to the east, near Highway 101. Many local residents would disagree with this assessment. Montecito has a strong sense of place. Summerland is an old town with some history. But both are unincorporated, meaning they lack clearly defined boundaries. New homes appears to be marching down Valley Road and into Summerland.
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Montecito Culture
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Montecito has an active social life. People throw parties and charity bashes, they join clubs and they work for the beauty of Santa Barbara. As Americans we snicker at "society," but Montecito has one. Several movie and television stars live in town.
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Montecito Education
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Younger children attend Cold Spring Elementary School, enrollment about 235, or Montecito Elementary, 530 students. The schools are in separate districts. Check with schools for attendance boundaries. Scores at Montecito Elementary are among the tops in the state. The other school is not far behind. From there, students generally move up to Santa Barbara High, which draws students from mixed demographics, or to private schools. Through fundraisers and donations from parents, the schools raise money to enrich their programs. Montecito Elementary intends to make all students proficient in English and Spanish. Montecito district in 1998 passed a $4.5 bond to add 17 classrooms and renovate buildings. Cold Spring also passed a bond, $2.9 million. The money was used to add five classrooms and an auditorium.
Montecito Union School District (K-6)
385 San Ysidro Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93108
(805) 969-3249
FAX: (805) 969-9714
Superintendent: Richard R. Douglas
Enrollment: 535 Montecito Union School, (K-6)
385 San Ysidro Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93108
(805) 969-3249
FAX: (805) 969-9714
Principal: Kris Bergstrom
Community college districts
Allan Hancock Joint Community College District
800 South College Drive, Santa Maria, CA 93454
(805) 922-6966
FAX - (805) 928-7905
Superintendent: Dr. Ann Foxworthy
Enrollment: 10,209 Santa Barbara Community College District
721 Cliff Drive, Santa Barbara, CA 93109
(805) 965-0581
FAX: (805) 963-7222
Superintendent: John B. Romo
Enrollment: 12,341
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Montecito History
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In the late 1800s, the wealthy began to settle in the town, attracted by the hot springs and beauty of region. According to one story, a man doomed by his failing constitution to an early death came upon an Indian. Although he looked about 60, he had lived 110 years, the story goes. The secret? A magic hot springs that cured the sick and made the old young. The man bathed in the spring. His health was restored. He later opened the Montecito Hot prings, a spa. Still later, Charles Nordhoff, who co-authored "Mutiny on the Bounty," was hired to publicize the miraculous hot springs, which brought in more of the rich "to take the waters." The town continued in this vein. It has many old and large homes but like almost every place else, Montecito boomed after World War II. Many of the homes follow standard designs but they have been spruced up with imaginative landscaping and with such touches as sun rooms and stone facing. Many trees and flowers. Residents seem to compete with one another to make their homes, however modest, pleasing to the eye. On the outskirts, citrus orchards are still being worked. Also on the outskirts, corrals and equestrian buildings. Ocean views from some hill homes but many homes don't have sweeping views.
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Montecito Housing
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Mansions and large estate homes (on estate-size lots) Montecito has, but it also has many smaller homes, two, three and four bedrooms. Almost everything has been tastefully done and lavished with care and attention. Tall hedges or walls surround many homes. Narrow roads, bowered with trees, run through the neighborhood. Some homes sell for well over $3 million. Not a town for the faint of wallet but if you can afford it, Montecito has been delighting people a long time.
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Montecito Lifestyle
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Patrolled by sheriff's deputies, also by special security, Montecito Police Patrol. Small shopping center at Valley and Ysidro Road, the location of the post office and library. This intersection wins the title, Town Center. Summerland students attend Summerland Elementary, scores in the high 90s, in the Carpinteria district. The Miramar, a dowager hotel, is being renovated at a cost of $22 million. To the east of town, near Carpinteria, is one of the few polo fields on the West Coast.
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Montecito News
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Search for "Montecito CA" - FEMA Allots Federal Support for CA Fires - The Daily Nexus
| In response to three devastating wildfires that ravaged Southern California this weekend, a Federal Disaster Declaration was issued yesterday for the affected counties, including Santa Barbara County. |
- Fund Set-Up For Tea Fire Burn Victims - KEYT
| Santa Barbara, CA-- Two severely burned victims of the Tea Fire are stable and recovering Wednesday evening. |
- Farmers Insurance Claims Personnel Continue Helping California Wildfire Victims - WebWire
| Claims Personnel Staff Evacuation Centers Throughout Southern California LOS ANGELES, Nov 16, 2008 -- Claims personnel from Farmers Insurance Group of Companies helping all of its customers affected by the ... |
- Tragedy on Mountain Drive - Santa Barbara Independent
| Treavor and Erica Ortiz stand amid the remains of their home. Tragedy on Mountain Drive Wednesday, November 19, 2008 Lost It All: Their homes were reduced to cinders, but the Mountain Drive residents I met ... |
- Firefighters work to contain all fires - Disaster News Network
| One by one, the names were called, amid a backdrop of noise and confusion Monday afternoon in the Sylmar High School gymnasium, where survivors sought shelter following four weekend wildfires, which blackened ... |
- Tea Fire Update: 10:20 This Morning - Santa Barbara Independent
| At 10:20 this morning, fire officials released an update to basic Tea Fire information, noting first that the cause of the blaze is still being investigated and that anyone with information about how it may ... |
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Montecito Recreation
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Two golf courses. Many homes have their own tennis courts and pools. Horse trails. Close to the ocean and to downtown Santa Barbara. Library.
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Montecito Transportation
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From Highway 101 , take the Ysidro Road exit and go north. Most of town is located east and west of this road.
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Montecito Weather
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Montecito's climate is mild Mediterranean. It's beautiful and inviting year-round here with average summer temperatures of 70 degrees F and winters in the mid 50s.
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