On average, Buellton allows food trucks to set up shop within city limits between three to five times a year, according to Planning Director Andrea Keefer. It’s no coincidence, she told the City Council, that those rare sightings align with Buellton’s Fall Festival, Wine and Chili Festival, and other annual gatherings. “The city does not […]
historic
Historic ruling: Santa Maria judge says prosecutor violated Racial Justice Act
For the first time in Santa Barbara County’s history, a Superior Court judge concluded that the District Attorney’s Office broke a state mandate designed to root out racial discrimination in judicial settings. In mid-August, a hearing to determine former Santa Maria resident and convicted felon Kevin Wayne Burgess’ sentence in a domestic violence case ended […]
Demolition pending: Pea Soup Andersen’s loses its historic building status as it crumbles
A former Buellton hot spot for fans of split pea soup, bread bowls, and quirky memorabilia began attracting a different kind of crowd once the 100-year-old venue shut off its stoves for good in 2024. Trespassers of the shuttered Pea Soup Andersen’s—with some walls and patio spaces now enveloped in thick, green overgrowth—range from long-term […]
Historical landmark policy complicates Pea Soup Andersen’s demolition
Pea Soup Andersen’s future demolition hinges on how Buellton decides to preserve parts of the more than 100-year-old building. Designated by elected leaders as an official city landmark in 2020, the restaurant has been closed since early 2024. That year also marked its centennial. For Buellton to approve the shuttered eatery’s demolition, staff told the […]

