Santa Barbara's popular State Street was designated Wednesday as one of the ten best streets in the nation by the American Planning Association (APA).
Each October the APA names 30 streets worthy of recognition for their superior planning.
Santa Barbara Mayor Helene Schneider says she's very proud of the designation and realizes it took generations of leaders to make it happen.
"You have to think about the bold planning and the political will of councils over decades because State Street did not always look like the way it does now," said Schneider. "And, we're still continuing to look at those long-term planning goals."
The APA chose State Street based on a number of factors including its pedestrian-friendly design and sense of community atmosphere.
State Street was the only California street to make the top ten list this year. The last time a California street was chosen for this designation was in 2011 with West Hollywood's Santa Monica Boulevard.