Riviera Homes currently for sale, Birnam Wood MLS search, Birnam Wood Real Estate Search NEW search | Click on blue address links for property details | Site is updated daily with new listings	Santa Barbara Neighborhoods
	Montecito Bel Air Knolls Hope Ranch Summerland Carpinteria Birnam Wood Riviera Eucalyptus Hills Mission Canyon San Roque Mesa Goleta More Neighborhoods Use advanced search to search for homes in other Santa Barbara Neighborhoods Contact a Realtor See Map The Riviera bridges the two mile (3 km) span which separates Mission and Sycamore Canyons, has for the past 65 years been known as “the Riviera” due to its resemblance to slopes along the Mediterranean coasts of France and Italy. Most of the area has curving streets with mature trees and foliage, the topography of the Riviera is relatively steep. See Photos of Santa Barbara and Riviera Areas This is one of the most popular residential sections as it affords sweeping views of the City, harbor, ocean, Channel Islands, and the Mesa Hills. The General Plan protects this single-family neighborhood with densities of one and three dwelling units to the acre, and current zoning conforms with these designations. Approximately 25 percent of the land in the Riviera is undeveloped, and although it is often steep, there is potential growth, especially in the eastern portions. Care must be exercised in the future to encourage the use of special development techniques. Most of the Riviera is primarily in single-family use. Notable exceptions to this are the remaining portion of the old college campus on Alameda Padre Serra, now in instructional and office uses, the adjacent garden apartments, and the El Encanto Hotel. The El Encanto Hotel, if continued at its existing level of activity, does not present an inordinate burden to the existing street facilities. However, should the remaining old college campus be sold for use as a medium-density residential development, the traffic needs of the area would be difficult to serve. The campus may represent a very difficult problem in developing in a low-density residential standard. If proven so, then the General Plan would suggest that the best use for such a parcel would be as a place of employment in the research or administrative field. The access problem, due to the limited possibilities of improving Alameda Padre Serra as a high-volume traffic carrier, indicates how important it is to maintain the low- density character of the area. This contention is supported by topographical features, the existing development, and the stated attitude of the people who live there. Link

Riviera Location Map, Santa Barbara CA

The Lower Riviera is primarily given over to residential uses, with single-family home development predominating, but with significant pockets of more intensive duplex and multiple-unit development. Generally, the area contains many attractive homes with views overlooking the City. The General Plan designates this neighborhood primarily for a density of three dwelling units to the acre with small portions to the west and south at higher densities of twelve dwelling units to the acre. Any growth that may occur will take place in the areas now designated for higher-density development. Lot sizes, in general are rather small, considering the steep topography of the Lower Riviera neighborhood. The major problem exists in the western portion in the Grand Avenue area where the development is more complete. The lots here are small and the street pattern is characterized by very steep grades and inadequate cross sections. To complicate this basic difficulty where land is subdivided into a pattern unsuited to the topography, the area has been zoned R- 2 since the very first zoning ordinance of the City went into effect in 1930. It is surmised that this zoning was placed on the land because of its location adjacent to the State Teachers College above Alameda Padre Serra. The campus later became the University of California Branch at Santa Barbara. No longer occupied by the University, the facility is now being used for private educational purposes and for administrative offices. As a consequence of its proximity to the campus, the single family houses in the Grand Avenue area were converted into small apartments for student housing. These apartments have continued in use as regular rental units. The effects are overcrowding of the land and automobile congestion. The latter problem is intensified by the lack of off-street parking and the narrowness of the streets.

The solution to the problem in the Grand Avenue lies not in the reduction of density, for this would call for massive redevelopment, including complete re-subdivision. It would be wiser to accept the basic development of the area as it is and to devise unique and special solutions to the particular problems presented. For example, special community off-street parking facilities might be provided in each block rather than attempting to widen any of the streets in order to provide on-street parking. Special zoning regulations might be applied to this particular area to allow greater flexibility in the design and location of off-street parking spaces so that all available and workable space might be put to use.