PACIFIC CAPITAL BANCORP /CA/
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                            SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION

                PROXY STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 14(A) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


Filed by Registrant:                                        [X]
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant:                 [_]

Check the appropriate box:

[X]  Preliminary Proxy Statement
[_]  Definitive Proxy Statement
[_]  Definitive Additional Materials
[_]  Soliciting Materials Pursuant to ss. 240.14a-11(c) or ss.240.14a-12

                             PACIFIC CAPITAL BANCORP
            --------------------------------------------------------
                (Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

                             PACIFIC CAPITAL BANCORP
            --------------------------------------------------------
                   (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):

[X]  No fee required.

[_]  $125 per Exchange Act Rules  0-11(c)(1)(ii),  14a-6(i)(1),  14a-6(i)(2)  or
     Item 22(a)(2) of Schedule 14A.

[_]  Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(4) and 0-11.

     1)   Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies.

     2)   Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies.

     3)   Per unit  price  or other  underlying  value of  transaction  computed
          pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11:

     4)   Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:

     5)   Total fee paid:

[_]  Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.

[_]  Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule
     0-11(a)(2)  and identify the filing for which the  offsetting  fee was paid
     previously.  Identify the previous filing by registration statement number,
     or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing.

     1)   Amount  Previously Paid:

     2)   Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:

     3)   Filing Party:

     4)   Date Filed:





<PAGE>

                    NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
                                       OF
                            PACIFIC CAPITAL BANCORP
                            To Be Held May 18, 1999

TO THE SHAREHOLDERS OF PACIFIC CAPITAL BANCORP:

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, pursuant to the call of its Board of Directors,  an
annual  Meeting of  Shareholders  (the  "Meeting")  of Pacific  Capital  Bancorp
(formerly  Santa  Barbara  Bancorp) (the  "Company")  will be held at the Lobero
Theater, 33 East Canon Perdido, Santa Barbara,  California,  on Tuesday, May 18,
1999, at 2:00 P.M., for the purpose of  considering  and voting on the following
matters:

     1.   Election of  Directors.  Electing  twelve (12) persons to the Board of
          Directors  to serve  until  the 2000  Annual  Meeting  or until  their
          successors are elected and have  qualified.  The persons  nominated by
          the Board to serve as Directors  are:  Donald M.  Anderson,  Edward E.
          Birch,  Richard M. Davis,  Dale E. Hanst,  D. Vernon Horton,  Roger C.
          Knopf,  Clayton C. Larson,  Kathy J. Odell,  William H. Pope, Harry B.
          Powell,  David W. Spainhour and William S. Thomas,  Jr.;
     2.   Fair Price  protection.  Readoption of Article FOURTH of the Company's
          Articles of  Incorporation  which  provides that  shareholders  of the
          Company  will  receive  fair and  equitable  treatment in the event of
          certain business combinations;
     3.   Increase  Authorized  Common Stock.  Amendment of Article THIRD of the
          Company's  Articles of Incorporation to increase the authorized number
          of shares of Common Stock to sixty million (60,000,000) shares.
     4.   Authorize Preferred Stock. Amendment of Article THIRD of the Company's
          Articles of Incorporation to authorize one million  (1,000,000) shares
          of undesignated Preferred Stock;
     5.   Selection of Auditors.  To vote upon a recommendation  of the Board of
          Directors of the Company to approve the selection of Arthur  Andersen,
          LLP to serve  as  independent  certified  public  accountants  for the
          Company for the 1999 calendar year; and
     6.   Other Business.  Transacting  such other business as may properly come
          before the Meeting, and any adjournments thereof.

The Board of  Directors  has fixed the close of business on April 6, 1999 as the
record date for  determination  of  shareholders  entitled to notice of, and the
right to vote at, the Meeting.

     Section 3.6 of the  By-laws  sets forth the  procedure  for  nomination  of
Directors. That Section provides:

     "Section 3.6 Nomination of Directors.

          3.6.1 Authority to Make Nominations.  Nominations for Directors may be
     made  by  the  Board  of  Directors  or by  any  holder  of  record  of any
     outstanding class of capital stock of the Corporation  entitled to vote for
     the election of Directors.

          3.6.2 Nomination  Procedures.  At annual meetings and special meetings
     of the  shareholders  called by the  Board of  Directors,  nominations  for
     Directors,  other  than those  approved  by the Board of  Directors  of the
     Corporation,  shall be made in writing and shall be  delivered or mailed to
     the Secretary of the  Corporation  at its  principal  place of business not
     less  than  fourteen  (14)  days nor more than  fifty  (50)  days  prior to
     scheduled  date of the  meeting;  provided,  however,  that  if  less  than
     twenty-one  (21) days' notice of the meeting is given to the  shareholders,
     such  nominations  shall be mailed or  delivered  to the  Secretary  of the
     Corporation  not later than the close of business on the seventh  (7th) day
     following  the  day on  which  notice  of the  meeting  was  mailed  to the
     shareholders.  Any such notification  shall (a) be accompanied by a written
     statement signed and  acknowledged by the nominee  consenting to his or her
     nomination   and   agreeing   to  serve  as  Director  if  elected  by  the
     shareholders,  and (b) shall  contain  the  following  information,  to the
     extent known to the nominating shareholder:

                                       1



<PAGE>



                    A.   The name and address of each proposed nominee;
                    B.   The total  number of  shares  of  capital  stock of the
                         Corporation  expected  to be voted  for  each  proposed
                         nominee;
                    C.   The principal occupation of each proposed nominee;
                    D.   The name and residence address of the nominating share-
                         holder; and
                    E.   The number of shares  of capital stock  of the Corpora-
                         tion owned by the nominating shareholder.

          3.6.3 Defective  Nominations.  Nominations not made in accordance with
     this Section 3.6 may be disregarded by the  Chairperson of the meeting,  at
     his or her discretion,  and upon the instructions of the  Chairperson,  the
     inspectors  of the  election  may  disregard  any  votes  cast for any such
     nominee.

          3.6.4 Exceptions.  The provisions of this Section 3.6 shall apply only
     to nominations for Directors who are to be elected at the annual meeting or
     any special meeting of shareholders  called by the Board of Directors,  and
     this Section shall not apply to (a) nominations for Directors who are to be
     elected  at a  special  meeting  of  shareholders  properly  called  by the
     shareholders at which  Directors are to be elected  pursuant to Section 305
     of the  California  Corporations  Code to fill a  vacancy  on the  Board of
     Directors,  or (b) the election of Directors by the written  consent of the
     shareholders pursuant to Section 603 of the California Corporations Code."

You are urged to vote in favor of each of the  proposals by so indicating on the
enclosed  proxy and by signing and returning  the enclosed  proxy as promptly as
possible,  whether or not you plan to attend the Meeting in person. The enclosed
proxy is solicited by the Company's Board of Directors. Any shareholder giving a
proxy may revoke it prior to the time it is voted by notifying the Secretary, in
writing, to that effect, by filing with him a later dated proxy, or by voting in
person at the Meeting.

                                              By Order of the Board of Directors



                                              ----------------------------------
                                              Donald M. Anderson
                                              Chairman of the Board

Dated:  April ___, 1999



                                        2



<PAGE>






                                 PROXY STATEMENT



                         ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

                                       OF

                             PACIFIC CAPITAL BANCORP

                             200 E. Carrillo Street

                             Santa Barbara, CA 93101



                             To Be Held May 18, 1999



                                  INTRODUCTION

This proxy statement is furnished in connection with the solicitation of proxies
for use at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the "Meeting") of Pacific Capital
Bancorp  (formerly  Santa Barbara  Bancorp) (the  "Company"),  to be held at the
Lobero Theater, 33 E. Canon Perdido, Santa Barbara,  California,  93101, at 2:00
P.M. on Tuesday, May 18, 1999, and at all adjournments thereof.

It is expected  that this proxy  statement and  accompanying  Notice and form of
proxy will be mailed to shareholders on or about April ___, 1999.

     The matters to be considered and voted upon at the Meeting will include:

     1.   Election of  Directors.  Electing  twelve (12) persons to the Board of
          Directors  to serve  until  the 2000  Annual  Meeting  or until  their
          successors are elected and have  qualified.  The persons  nominated by
          the Board to serve as Directors  are:  Donald M.  Anderson,  Edward E.
          Birch,  Richard M. Davis,  Dale E. Hanst,  D. Vernon Horton,  Roger C.
          Knopf,  Clayton C. Larson,  Kathy J. Odell,  William H. Pope, Harry B.
          Powell, David W. Spainhour and William S. Thomas, Jr.;
     2.   Fair Price  protection.  Readoption of Article FOURTH of the Company's
          Articles of  Incorporation  which  provides that  shareholders  of the
          Company  will  receive  fair and  equitable  treatment in the event of
          certain business combinations;
     3.   Increase  Authorized  Common Stock.  Amendment of Article THIRD of the
          Company's  Articles of Incorporation to increase the authorized number
          of shares of Common Stock to sixty million (60,000,000) shares.
     4.   Authorize Preferred Stock. Amendment of Article THIRD of the Company's
          Articles of Incorporation to authorize one million  (1,000,000) shares
          of undesignated Preferred Stock;
     5.   Selection of Auditors.  To vote upon a recommendation  of the Board of
          Directors of the Company to approve the selection of Arthur  Andersen,
          LLP to serve  as  independent  certified  public  accountants  for the
          Company for the 1999 calendar year; and
     6.   Other Business.  Transacting  such other business as may properly come
          before the Meeting, and any adjournments thereof.


                             REVOCABILITY OF PROXIES

A proxy for use at the Meeting is  enclosed.  Any  shareholder  who executes and
delivers  such  proxy  has the  right  to  revoke  it at any time  before  it is
exercised,  (a) by  filing  with the  Secretary  of the  Company  an  instrument
revoking  it,  or (b) by  executing  a proxy  bearing  a later  date,  or (c) by
attending  the  Meeting  and voting in person.  Subject  to such  revocation  or
suspension, all shares represented by a properly executed proxy received in time
for the  Meeting  will be voted by the  proxy-holders,  in  accordance  with the
instructions on the proxy.

In addition,  a holder of the Company's  Common Stock who previously  signed and
returned  a proxy and who elects to attend  the  Meeting  and vote in person may
withdraw his or her proxy at any time before it is exercised by giving notice of

                                       1

<PAGE>
such  revocation  to the  Secretary of the Company at the Meeting.  Shareholders
whose shares of the Company's  Common Stock are not registered in their own name
will need additional documentation from the record holder of such shares to vote
personally  at  the  Meeting.  All  written  notices  of  revocation  and  other
communications  with respect to revocation of the  Company's  proxies  should be
addressed to Pacific Capital Bancorp, P.O. Box 1119, Santa Barbara,  California,
93102-1119, Attention:  Jay D. Smith, Corporate Secretary.



                         PERSONS MAKING THE SOLICITATION

This  solicitation  of proxies is being  made by the Board of  Directors  of the
Company. The expense of preparing,  assembling,  printing and mailing this proxy
statement and the material used in the  solicitation  of proxies for the Meeting
will be borne by the Company.  It is contemplated that proxies will be solicited
principally through the use of the mail, but officers,  directors, and employees
of the Company may solicit proxies personally or by telephone, without receiving
special compensation  therefor.  Although there is no formal agreement to do so,
the  Company  may  reimburse  banks,  brokerage  houses,  and other  custodians,
nominees and fiduciaries for their reasonable  expense in forwarding these proxy
materials to their  principals.  The proxy materials will first be sent or given
to shareholders on or about April ___, 1999.


                     QUORUM VOTING AND REVOCATION OF PROXIES

There were issued and  outstanding  __________  shares of the  Company's  common
stock on April 6,  1999.  April 6,  1999 has  been fixed  as the record date for
the purpose of determining the  shareholders  entitled to notice of, and to vote
at, the Meeting (the "Record Date").

Each share of the  Company's  Common Stock is entitled to one vote, in person or
by proxy, on each matter to be voted upon at the Meeting.  Since the affirmative
vote of the holders of a majority  of the  outstanding  shares of the  Company's
Common Stock is required to approve the matters to be  considered at the Meeting
(other  than  Proposal  1,  Election  of  Directors),   non-voting   shares  and
abstentions  will have the effect of a vote  "against"  such matters.  Directors
shall be elected by a plurality of the votes cast. In addition, brokers who hold
shares of the  Company's  Common Stock in street name for  customers who are the
beneficial  owners of such  shares are  prohibited  from  giving a proxy to vote
shares held for such  customers with respect to the matters to be considered and
voted upon at the Meeting without specific instructions from such customers. The
failure of such customers to provide specific instructions with respect to their
shares  of the  Company's  Common  Stock  to  their  broker  (so-called  "broker
non-votes") will have the effect of a vote "against" such matters.

The  presence  in  person  or by  proxy  of the  holders  of a  majority  of the
outstanding  shares of stock  entitled to vote at the Meeting will  constitute a
quorum for the purpose of transacting business at the meeting.

If the enclosed proxy is completed in the appropriate spaces,  signed, dated and
returned, the proxy will be voted as specified in the proxy. If no specification
is made on a  signed,  dated  and  returned  proxy,  it  will  be  voted  at the
discretion of the proxy holders on any matter described in this proxy statement.
The  proxy  also  grants  the  proxy  holders  authority  to vote  as they  deem
appropriate,  in their sole  discretion,  on such other business as may properly
come before the Meeting or any adjournments thereof.

                                       2
<PAGE>

IF NO  INSTRUCTION  IS SPECIFIED  WITH REGARD TO A MATTER TO BE ACTED UPON,  THE
SHARES   REPRESENTED  BY  THE  PROXY  WILL  BE  VOTED  IN  ACCORDANCE  WITH  THE
RECOMMENDATIONS OF MANAGEMENT.



                        ELECTION OF DIRECTORS OF COMPANY

                                  (Proposal 1)

The By-laws of the Company  provide  that the number of  Directors  shall not be
less than nine (9) nor more than seventeen (17) until changed by an amendment to
the  Articles of  Incorporation  or the By-laws  duly  adopted by the  Company's
shareholders.  The By-laws  further  provide  that the exact number of Directors
shall be fixed from  time-to-time  within the stated  range by a by-law,  by-law
amendment,  or  resolution  adopted by the  Company's  shareholders  or Board of
Directors.  At its February 26, 1999 meeting, the Board of Directors amended the
By-laws to decrease the exact  number of  Directors  from fifteen (15) to twelve
(12).  Under  California law, the existing  Directors remain in office until the
end of their term as Directors  and the  amendment  to decrease  the  authorized
number of Directors  is  effective  with respect to the election of Directors at
the Meeting. Therefore, the shareholders will elect twelve (12) Directors at the
Meeting.

The  Directors  adopted the amendment in the interest of improving the operation
of the  Board of  Directors.  The  amendment  was  unanimously  approved  by all
Directors. Messrs. Barranco, Cox, Guntermann and Ms. Trescher have agreed not to
stand for re-election as Directors.  They will continue to serve as Directors of
Santa Barbara Bank & Trust.  Neither the amendment nor the decision of either of
Messrs.  Barranco,  Cox,  Guntermann or Ms. Trescher was prompted by any dispute
among any of the Directors  with respect to the management of the Company or any
other matter.

At the Meeting,  twelve (12) Directors (the entire Board of Directors) are to be
elected to serve until the next Annual  Meeting of  Shareholders  or until their
successors are elected and qualified. At the special meeting of the shareholders
held on December  15, 1998,  a majority of the  shareholders  voted to amend the
Articles of Incorporation of the Company to eliminate  cumulative voting for the
election of directors.

A  shareholder  may withhold  authority for the proxy holders to vote for any or
all of the nominees  identified  below by so indicating  on the enclosed  proxy.
Further,  a shareholder may withhold authority for the proxy holders to vote for
an  individual  nominee by  striking  through the  nominee's  name on the proxy.
Unless authority to vote for the nominees is so withheld, the proxy holders will
vote the proxies  received by them for the election of the  nominees  identified
below as Directors of the Company. Should any shareholder vote for a nominee not
identified  below and who was properly  nominated,  the proxy  holders will vote
such  shareholder's  shares in accordance with his or her wishes.  If any of the
nominees identified below should be unable or decline to serve, which is not now
anticipated,  the proxy holders shall have discretionary authority to vote for a
substitute at the Meeting (or any  adjournment  thereof),  or  alternatively,  a
substitute  may be  designated  by the present  Board of  Directors  to fill the
resulting  vacancy.  In the event that  additional  persons  are  nominated  for
election  as  Directors,  the proxy  holders  intend to vote all of the  proxies
received by them in such a manner as will assure the  election of as many of the
nominees  identified below as possible.  In such event, the specific nominees to
be voted for will be determined by the proxy holders.

                                       3
<PAGE>

None of the Directors or Executive  Officers of the Company or its subsidiaries,
Santa Barbara Bank & Trust ("SBBT") or First National Bank of Central California
("FNBCC"),  was selected  pursuant to any arrangement or  understanding  between
themselves and any other individual  (other than  arrangements or understandings
with Directors or officers acting solely in their capacities as such). There are
no family relationships between any of the Directors and Executive Officers, and
except as noted below,  none serve as Directors of any company which has a class
of  securities  registered  under or which is subject to the periodic  reporting
requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934 or any investment  company
registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940.


Directors and Nominees

The following table sets forth as to each of the persons  nominated for election
as a Director  of the  Company,  such  person's  age,  such  person's  principal
occupations  during the past five years, and the period during which such person
has served as a Director of the Company.  All of the  nominees  except D. Vernon
Horton,  Roger C. Knopf,  Clayton C. Larson, Kathy J. Odell and William H. Pope,
were  elected as  Directors  of the  Company at the 1998  Annual  Meeting of the
Company's  shareholders.  Messrs.  Horton, Knopf, Larson and Pope were appointed
Directors at the December 15, 1998 Special Meeting of the Board of Directors.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                Director                  Background, Business Experience, and
    Director               Age   Since                       Position with the Company/Bank                 
    --------               ---  --------                  ------------------------------------
<S>                        <C>   <C>      <C>

Donald M. Anderson         71    1971     Chairman of the Board of the Company and Vice Chairman of SBBT.
                                          Mr. Anderson joined SBBT in October, 1969, as Vice President and
                                          Commercial Lending Officer.  He was elected President, CEO and
                                          director in 1971 and served in those capacities until elected
                                          Chairman of the Board in February, 1989.  He has served on
                                          numerous charitable, civic and banking organizations.

Edward E. Birch            60    1983     Dr. Birch was Vice Chancellor of the University of California at Santa
                                          Barbara from 1976 until his retirement in 1993.  He is currently
                                          Executive Vice President for Westmont College in Santa Barbara,
                                          California.  He has been involved in a number of civic and community
                                          organizations, including the Cancer Foundation of Santa Barbara,
                                          Goleta Valley Community Hospital, the Santa Barbara Industry
                                          Education Council, and the Santa Barbara Chamber of Commerce.  Dr.
                                          Birch is Chairman of the Corporate
                                          Governance/Nominating/Compensation Committee of the Company.

Richard M. Davis           64    1984     Mr. Davis is a retired business executive.  He is a past Chairman of the
                                          Board of Directors of Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, a past Chairman
                                          of the Santa Barbara Chamber of Commerce, and a past Chairman of
                                          the Board of United Way of Santa Barbara.

Dale E. Hanst              67    1983     Mr. Hanst is a retired attorney.  He was of counsel to the law firm of
                                          Reicker, Clough, Pfau & Pyle, LLP and was formerly a senior partner
                                          in the law firm of Schramm & Raddue, having started with the firm in
                                          1960.  He was President of the State Bar of California in 1984 and
                                          served on the California Commission on Judicial Performance from
                                          1984 to 1988.  Mr. Hanst is a past President of the Santa Barbara
                                          Zoological Society.

                                       4
<PAGE>

D. Vernon Horton           59    1998     Mr. Horton is Vice Chairman of the Board of the Company and Chief
                                          Executive Officer and a director of First National Bank of Central
                                          California.  He was Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer
                                          of the former Pacific Capital Bancorp.  His banking career commenced
                                          in 1964 with Valley National Bank, Salinas.  He served that bank in
                                          various capacities including lending, operations, and business
                                          development and in 1979 was appointed Chief Executive Officer and
                                          a member of the Board of Directors.  In August of 1981, he was
                                          appointed President of Valley National Bank.  He resigned all positions
                                          with Valley National Bank on December 31, 1983, to join First
                                          National Bank of Central California.  He serves as a director of Cherry's
                                          Jubilee and the California Rodeo Association.  Mr. Horton was
                                          appointed to the Board of the Company in December, 1998 following
                                          the merger.

Roger C. Knopf             58    1998     Mr. Knopf is the President of Knopf Construction, Inc., a general
                                          building construction company located in Morgan Hill since 1976.  He
                                          was a director of the former Pacific Capital Bancorp and South Valley
                                          National Bank and is currently a director of First National Bank of
                                          Central California.  Mr. Knopf attended San Jose State University.  He
                                          is a past President of the Santa Clara County Landowners Association
                                          and the Morgan Hill Rotary Club.  He has served on many County of
                                          Santa Clara, City of Morgan Hill, and Morgan Hill Unified School
                                          District committees.  He is presently Chairman of the Board of San Jose
                                          Medical Center and is a director of San Benito Land Title Company and
                                          the Morgan Hill Rotary Endowment Fund.  Mr. Knopf was Morgan Hill
                                          Citizen of the Year in 1989.  Mr. Knopf was appointed to the Board of
                                          the Company in December, 1998 following the merger.

Clayton C. Larson          52   1998      Mr. Larson is Vice Chairman of the Board of the Company and
                                          President, Chief Administrative Officer and a director of First National
                                          Bank of Central California.  He was President and a director of the
                                          former Pacific Capital Bancorp. Mr. Larson's banking career
                                          commenced in 1972 when he joined Valley National Bank.  During his
                                          tenure with Valley National Bank, he attained the position of Senior
                                          Vice  President/Branch   Administrator and in 1981  became a director of that
                                          bank.   He  serves  on  the  Board  of Trustees of the Monterey  Institute of
                                          International    Studies,    Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula and
                                          the   California    State   University Monterey Bay Foundation  Board.  He is
                                          President   of   the   Coalition   for Research  in  Education  (CORE),   and
                                          serves  on  the  Advisory  Boards  for Leadership Monterey  Peninsula,  Legal
                                          Services  for Seniors and the Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce.

Kathy J. Odell             53             Ms. Odell is the Chief Operating Officer of Karl Storz Imaging, Inc.,
                                          which she co-founded in 1985 as Medical Concepts, Inc.  She is also
                                          President of Karl Storz Veterinary Endoscopy and a director of both
                                          corporations.  She is currently Chairman of the Santa Barbara Region
                                          Economic Community Project and serves on the boards of the Santa
                                          Barbara Chamber of Commerce, Santa Barbara Industrial Association.
                                          and is a member of the Advisory Council of the College of Engineering,
                                          University of California at Santa Barbara.  She was appointed to the
                                          Board of Santa Barbara Bank & Trust in June of 1998.

                                       5
<PAGE>

William H. Pope            71    1998     William H. Pope is a retired certified public accountant.  He was a
                                          director of the former Pacific Capital Bancorp and is currently a director
                                          of First National Bank of Central California.  In 1960, Mr. Pope was
                                          instrumental in the formation of the firm of Kasavan and Pope, of which
                                          he was the senior partner, which now has offices in Salinas and
                                          Monterey.  He holds memberships in the American Institute of Certified
                                          Public Accountants as well as the California Society of CPAs.  Mr.
                                          Pope was appointed to the Board of the Company in December, 1998
                                          following the merger.

Harry B. Powell            70   1989      Mr. Powell is a retired businessman residing in Carpinteria.  He is a
                                          past President of Rexall Clubs International, the Carpinteria Business
                                          Association and the Carpinteria Unified School District.

David W. Spainhour         67   1974      Mr. Spainhour is President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company
                                          and Chairman of the Board of SBBT.  Mr. Spainhour joined SBBT in 1966
                                          as Controller.  He became Cashier in 1969, Senior Vice President in 1972,
                                          was elected to the Board of Directors in 1974, was named Executive Vice 
                                          President in 1980, and elected President in February, 1989.  He served as
                                          President and CEO of SBBT until December, 1995.  Mr. Spainhour serves on
                                          the boards of the Santa Barbara Industry Education Council, Channel City Club,
                                          Covenant Benevolent Institutions, Westmont College, and United Way of Santa
                                          Barbara.

William S. Thomas, Jr.     55   1995      Mr. Thomas is the Vice Chairman and Chief Operating Officer of the
                                          Company and President and Chief Executive Officer of SBBT.  Mr. Thomas
                                          joined SBBT in 1994 as Manager of the Trust and Investment Services Division.
                                          Prior to coming to SBBT, Mr. Thomas was an Executive Vice President of Bank
                                          of America and Manager of the Financial Institutions Group from 1992 to 1994.
                                          Prior to that time he spent sixteen years with Security Pacific National Bank
                                          in various capacities until its merger with Bank of America.  His last position
                                          with Security Pacific was Executive Vice President and Manager, Financial
                                          Institutions.  He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Santa
                                          Barbara  Chamber  of  Commerce,  Santa Barbara Symphony, Santa Barbara Museum
                                          of Art,  C.A.L.M,  Los Padres Council, Boy  Scouts  of  America  and El Adobe
                                          Corporation.
</TABLE>

Committees of the Board of Directors

The Company had a standing Nominating Committee and Audit Committee during 1998.
During 1998 the Nominating Committee, which considers the qualifications and the
composition  of the Board of Directors  of the Company,  was composed of Messrs.
Birch, Hanst,  Guntermann,  and Powell. The Committee met six (6) times in 1998.
The  Committee  does  not  consider   shareholder   nominations  for  Director's
positions.

     Section 3.6 of the  By-laws  sets forth the  procedure  for  nomination  of
Directors. That Section provides:

     "Section 3.6 Nomination of Directors.

          3.6.1 Authority to Make Nominations.  Nominations for Directors may be
     made  by  the  Board  of  Directors  or by  any  holder  of  record  of any
     outstanding class of capital stock of the Corporation  entitled to vote for
     the election of Directors.

                                       6
<PAGE>

          3.6.2 Nomination  Procedures.  At annual meetings and special meetings
     of the  shareholders  called by the  Board of  Directors,  nominations  for
     Directors,  other  than those  approved  by the Board of  Directors  of the
     Corporation,  shall be made in writing and shall be  delivered or mailed to
     the Secretary of the  Corporation  at its  principal  place of business not
     less  than  fourteen  (14)  days nor more than  fifty  (50)  days  prior to
     scheduled  date of the  meeting;  provided,  however,  that  if  less  than
     twenty-one  (21) days' notice of the meeting is given to the  shareholders,
     such  nominations  shall be mailed or  delivered  to the  Secretary  of the
     Corporation  not later than the close of business on the seventh  (7th) day
     following  the  day on  which  notice  of the  meeting  was  mailed  to the
     shareholders.  Any such notification  shall (a) be accompanied by a written
     statement signed and  acknowledged by the nominee  consenting to his or her
     nomination   and   agreeing   to  serve  as  Director  if  elected  by  the
     shareholders,  and (b) shall  contain  the  following  information,  to the
     extent known to the nominating shareholder:

          A.   The name and address of each proposed nominee;

          B.   The total  number of shares of capital  stock of the  Corporation
               expected to be voted for each proposed nominee;

          C.   The principal occupation of each proposed nominee;

          D.   The name and residence address of the nominating shareholder; and

          E.   The number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation owned by
               the nominating shareholder.

          3.6.3 Defective  Nominations.  Nominations not made in accordance with
     this Section 3.6 may be disregarded by the  Chairperson of the meeting,  at
     his or her discretion,  and upon the instructions of the  Chairperson,  the
     inspectors  of the  election  may  disregard  any  votes  cast for any such
     nominee.

          3.6.4 Exceptions.  The provisions of this Section 3.6 shall apply only
     to nominations for Directors who are to be elected at the annual meeting or
     any special meeting of shareholders  called by the Board of Directors,  and
     this Section shall not apply to (a) nominations for Directors who are to be
     elected  at a  special  meeting  of  shareholders  properly  called  by the
     shareholders at which  Directors are to be elected  pursuant to Section 305
     of the  California  Corporations  Code to fill a  vacancy  on the  Board of
     Directors,  or (b) the election of Directors by the written  consent of the
     shareholders pursuant to Section 603 of the California Corporations Code."

The Audit Committees of the Company,  SBBT and FNBCC provide for suitable annual
examinations of each branch office and administrative division of the banks. The
Committees are responsible for reporting the results of the examinations and the
adequacy of internal  controls and procedures to the Board. The Audit Committees
are also responsible for recommending to the Board any changes in doing business
or corrective  actions necessary for the soundness of the banks and the Company.
The  members of the Audit  Committee  of the Company  during  1998 were  Anthony
Guntermann,  Chairman, Frank Barranco,  Edward Birch, Terrill F. Cox, Richard M.
Davis, Dale E. Hanst, Harry B. Powell and Susan Trescher. The Audit Committee of
the Company met nine (9) times during 1998.

The members of the Company's Compensation and Stock Option Committee during 1998
were Dale E. Hanst,  Anthony Guntermann,  Richard M. Davis, and Harry B. Powell.
They met seven (7) times  during 1998 to  determine  what the  Company's  salary
philosophy should be, set the objectives of the Company's Salary  Administration
Program,  approve exempt salary ranges,  determine Senior Officers' salaries and
perform the  function of  overseer to ensure that the  objectives  of the Salary
Administration  Program  were being met.  The  Committee  also  administers  the
Company's stock option plans.

The full Board of  Directors  met twelve  (12) times  during  1998.  No Director
attended  fewer than 75 percent of the total number of meetings of the Board and
of the committees of which he or she is a member.

                                       7
<PAGE>

Executive Officers

Except for Messrs. Anderson, Horton, Larson, Spainhour and Thomas, the following
table sets forth as to each of the persons who currently  serves as an Executive
Officer of the Company or its  subsidiaries,  SBBT or FNBCC,  such person's age,
such person's  principal  occupations  during the past five years, such person's
current  position with the Company and the Bank, and the period during which the
person has served in such position.  Each of the Executive Officers named herein
serves at the  pleasure of the Board.  The  information  for  Messrs.  Anderson,
Horton,  Larson,  Spainhour  and Thomas is  provided on pages 4, 5 and 6 of this
proxy statement.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Officer                  Age   Position and Principal Occupations During the Past Five Years
- -------                  ---   -------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                      <C>   <C> 

David A. Abts            55    Currently serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer of the
                               Company and Executive Vice President of SBBT.  From March, 1997 to January,
                               1999 he was Executive Vice President of the Company and Executive Vice
                               President MIS/Operations and Retail Banking for SBBT.  From July, 1989 to
                               March, 1997 he was Senior Vice President of MIS/Operations for SBBT.

Donald E. Barry          59    Currently serves as Executive Vice President of the Company and Executive Vice
                               President and Manager of both Wholesale and Retail Banking of SBBT, which
                               includes the Trust & Investment Division.  From July, 1995 when Mr. Barry joined
                               the Bank, until January, 1999, he served as Executive Vice President of the
                               Company and Executive Vice President and Manager of the Wholesale Banking
                               Division.  Before joining the Company, he was a Regional Vice President of Chase
                               Manhattan Bank in charge of private banking from February, 1993 to July, 1995.

Donald E. Lafler          52   Currently serves as Senior Vice President  and  Chief  Financial  Officer  of the
                               Company and SBBT.  From 1987 to 1995 he served as Vice President and Principal  Accounting  Officer
                               of SBBT.

Perry N. Ritenour         54   Currently  serves as Director of Risk  Management  for the Company.  Mr.  Ritenour
                               joined   SBBT  in  May,   1995  as  Senior   Vice President, Senior Credit Administrator.  Prior to
                               that,  he worked  for City  National  Bank in Los Angeles for 3 years as a Senior Vice President in
                               credit and as the  General  Manager of the bank's international division.

Jay D. Smith             58    Currently serves as Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate
                               Secretary of the Company and SBBT.  He has served as Legal Counsel of the SBBT
                               since July, 1979.

Catherine R. Steinke     45    Currently  serves as a Senior Vice President  and  Director  of the Human  Resources
                               Division of SBBT. She has served in this position since March, 1993.

Kent M. Vining           51    Currently serves as Senior Vice President and Strategic Planning Officer of the
                               Company and the SBBT.  He served as Chief Financial Officer of SBBT from April
                               1980 until July 1, 1995.
</TABLE>


Common Stock Ownership of Directors,  Executive  Officers and Certain  Principal
Shareholders

The following table sets forth information  concerning the beneficial  ownership
of the Company's  common stock as of March 11, 1998, by each  Director,  by each
Named Officer (as defined on page 10), by the  Directors and Executive  Officers
as a group,  and by  beneficial  owners of more than 5 percent of the  Company's
outstanding common stock.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                                Number of
                                                                                Shares and
                                                                                Nature of                 Percent
                                                                                Beneficial                of
                                                                                Ownership (1)             Class (2)
<S>      <C>                                                                    <C>                      <C>

         Beneficial Owner
         Santa Barbara Bank & Trust, Trustee of the Pacific Capital Bancorp     1,505,109                 6.22%
         Employee Stock Ownership Trust
         820 State Street
         Santa Barbara, CA 93101

         Directors

         Donald M. Anderson                                                     537,960 (3)               2.22%

         Edward E. Birch                                                         48,190 (4)               0.20%

         Richard M. Davis                                                        46,711 (5)               0.19%

         Dale E. Hanst                                                          112,241 (6)               0.46%

         D. Vernon Horton                                                       192,423 (7)               0.79%

         Roger C. Knopf                                                         247,361 (8)               1.02%

         Clayton C. Larson                                                      212,588 (9)               0.88%

         Kathy J. Odell                                                               0 (10)              -0-

         William H. Pope                                                         59,518 (11)              0.25%

         Harry B. Powell                                                         36,247 (12)              0.15%

         David W. Spainhour                                                     461,998 (13)              1.91%

         William S. Thomas, Jr.                                                 113,714 (14)              0.47%

         Named Officers

         David A. Abts                                                           87,562 (15)              0.36%

         Donald E. Barry                                                         41,790 (16)              0.17%

         John J. McGrath (Retired on March 2, 1999)                             148,847 (17)              0.61%

         All Directors and Executive Officers as a Group (18 individuals)     2,686,873 (18)             11.10%
<FN>

(1)  Includes all shares  beneficially  owned,  whether  directly or indirectly,
     together with known  associates.  Also  includes any shares owned,  whether
     jointly or as  community  property,  with a spouse and shares  allocated to
     Named Officers under the Company's  Employee Stock Ownership Plan ("ESOP").
     Also includes any stock acquirable by exercise of stock options exercisable
     within 60 days  following  March 11, 1999.  All share data are stated as of
     March 11, 1999.
(2)  Percentages are stated to include  exercisable  stock options accounted for
     in  the  column  listing   "Number  of  Shares  and  Nature  of  Beneficial
     Ownership." See Footnote (1) above.

                                       9
<PAGE>

(3)  Includes 21,830 shares acquirable by exercise of exercisable stock options.
(4)  Includes 18,102 shares acquirable by exercise of exercisable stock options.
(5)  Includes 2,000 shares acquirable by exercise of exercisable stock options.
(6)  Includes 36,895 shares acquirable by exercise of exercisable stock options.
(7)  Includes 32,001 shares acquirable by exercise of exercisable stock options.
(8)  Includes 20,317 shares acquirable by exercise of exercisable stock options.
(9)  Includes 32,001 shares acquirable by exercise of exercisable stock options.
(10) Includes -0- shares acquirable by exercise of exercisable stock options.
(11) Includes -0- shares acquirable by exercise of exercisable stock options.
(12) Includes 7,050 shares acquirable by exercise of exercisable stock options.
(13) Includes 14,759 shares acquirable by exercise of exercisable stock options.
(14) Includes  103,600  shares  acquirable  by  exercise  of  exercisable  stock
     options.
(15) Includes 87,562 shares acquirable by exercise of exercisable stock options.
(16) Includes 41,790 shares acquirable by exercise of exercisable stock options.
(17) Includes  148,847  shares  acquirable  by  exercise  of  exercisable  stock
     options.
(18) Includes  447,246  shares  acquirable  by  exercise  of  exercisable  stock
     options. Actual share ownership as of March 11, 1999, by the Directors and
     Executive Officers was 2,209,627.
</FN>
</TABLE>

                                       EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

Executive  Officers of the Company  did not  receive any  compensation  from the
Company but derived all of their  compensation as executive  officers of SBBT in
1998.   Shown  below  is   information   concerning  the  annual  and  long-term
compensation  for services in all  capacities to SBBT for the fiscal years ended
December 31, 1998, 1997, and 1996, of those persons who were, as of December 31,
1998,  (i) the  Chief  Executive  Officer  and (ii) the other  four most  highly
compensated Executive Officers of SBBT (the "Named Officers").

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                  Summary Compensation Table
                                                      Annual Compensation                    Awards 
                                           -----------------------------------------         ------
                                                                               Other       Securities
                                                                              Annual       Underlying            All Other
                                                    Salary    Bonus (1)  Compensation (2) Options  (3)        Compensation (4)
Name and Principal Position                Year   (Dollars)   (Dollars)      (Dollars)      (Number)             (Dollars)
- ---------------------------                ----   ---------   ---------      ---------      --------             ---------
<S>                                        <C>       <C>        <C>          <C>             <C>                  <C>

David W. Spainhour                         1998      191,984    100,000      520,432         18,429               46,703
    President and CEO of the               1997      190,896     75,000      265,605         32,560               44,105
    Company and Chairman of                1996      190,182        -0-      344,725         45,670               41,101
    the Board of SBBT

                                       10
<PAGE>

William S. Thomas, Jr.                     1998      290,013    175,000       98,834           -0-                55,208
    Vice Chairman and Chief                1997      243,353    125,000       68,623         30,000               20,931
    Operating Officer of the               1996      247,469        -0-        2,938         60,000               20,769
    Company and President and
    Chief Executive Officer of
    SBBT

David A. Abts                              1998      149,172     90,000      322,347           -0-                21,892
    Executive Vice President of the        1997      144,704     75,000      264,828         27,918               25,917
    Company and SBBT                       1996      137,067      8,000      331,842         34,280               25,054


Donald E. Barry                            1998      148,339     90,000      402,322           -0-                15,173
    Executive Vice President of the        1997      138,338     83,000        2,250         20,000               20,723
    Company and SBBT                       1996      163,000        -0-       12,500         20,000               10,734


John J. McGrath                            1998      127,028     65,000      679,708         17,352               40,980
    Senior Vice President of the           1997      128,365     65,000      555,977         26,400               39,902
    Company and Director of the            1996      120,000        -0-      179,905         17,964               34,370
    Risk Management Division of
    SBBT
<FN>
(1)   Amounts  in  this  column  represent  bonuses  awarded  by  the  Company's
      Compensation  Committee upon evaluation of performance during fiscal years
      1997, 1996 and 1995, respectively, but paid during fiscal years 1998, 1997
      and 1996,  respectively.  Please  refer to the Report of the  Compensation
      Committee on page 17 for additional information.
(2)   Other Annual Compensation  consists of insurance premiums (other than term
      insurance) and dues and  memberships  paid on behalf of the Named Officers
      for  fiscal  year  1998,  1997 and 1996.  The  amount  stated for David W.
      Spainhour, William S. Thomas, Jr., David A. Abts, Donald E. Barry and John
      J. McGrath in 1998 includes 517,829, 96,000, 320,467, 399,874 and 677,088,
      respectively,  received  in the form of the  difference  between the price
      paid for stock of the Company  purchased  upon exercise of employee  stock
      options and the fair market value of such stock at the date of purchase.
(3)   Please see the table on pages __ and __ for a detailed explanation.
(4)  This column  includes the amount of ESOP cash  contributions  and dividends
     paid on ESOP shares  allocated to the Named  Officers,  term life insurance
     premiums,  amounts  contributed  by the  Company  on  behalf  of the  Named
     Officers to the Company's  Incentive & Investment  and Salary  Savings Plan
     which is a defined  contribution  profit  sharing  plan  including a 401(k)
     savings feature, and the 401(k) matching contribution. Under this Plan, the
     Company makes  discretionary  contributions  which are allocated among Plan
     participants ratably based on participants'  relative  compensation levels.
     During the Company's  last fiscal year,  discretionary  contributions  were
     made to the Plan on behalf of the Named  Officers in the amounts  stated in
     the following Table entitled "I & I Discretionary Contributions". Under the

                                       11
<PAGE>

     401(k) savings  feature of the Plan during 1998, the Company  matched $1.00
     for every $1.00 of voluntary  employee  contributions  up to 3% of employee
     compensation  and $.50 for every $1.00 of the next 3% of compensation up to
     a maximum of 4.5% of compensation. During the last fiscal year, the Company
     made  matching  contributions  on  behalf of the  Named  Officers  totaling
     $35,962,  in the  respective  amounts  set  forth  in the  following  Table
     entitled "401(k) Matching Contributions".
</FN>
</TABLE>

                        I & I Discretionary Contributions
       David W. Spainhour..........................................     $    -0-
       William S. Thomas, Jr.......................................     $    -0-
       David A. Abts...............................................     $    -0-
       Donald E. Barry.............................................     $    -0-
       John J. McGrath.............................................     $    -0-

                          401(k) Matching Contributions
       David W. Spainhour..........................................     $  7,200
       William S. Thomas, Jr.......................................     $  7,200
       David A. Abts...............................................     $  7,200
       Donald E. Barry ............................................     $  7,200
       John J. McGrath.............................................     $  7,162

     All Other  Compensation  also includes  contributions,  if any, made by the
     Company on behalf of the Named Officers under the Company's  Employee Stock
     Ownership  Plan  ("ESOP").  During the last fiscal  year,  the Company made
     contributions to the ESOP totaling $35,442 on behalf of the Named Officers.

                                   ESOP Cash Contributions and Dividends
      David W. Spainhour...........................................     $ 38,640
      William S. Thomas, Jr........................................     $  7,762
      David A. Abts................................................     $ 14,446
      Donald E. Barry .............................................     $  7,571
      John J. McGrath..............................................     $ 30,602

     The specific number of shares allocated to the participant accounts of each
     Named Officer for the last fiscal year of the Company from  forfeitures are
     as follows:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                           ESOP Share Allocations
                                                                             Number of                    Total
                                                                        Shares Allocated            Shares Allocated
                   Named Officers                                          During 1998               As of 12/31/98
                   --------------                                          -----------               --------------
<S>                                                                            <C>                     <C>

              David W. Spainhour..........................                     307                     52,027
              William S. Thomas, Jr.......................                     295                      1,399
              David A. Abts...............................                     298                     12,358
              Donald E. Barry ............................                     294                      1,085
              John J. McGrath.............................                     303                     38,847
</TABLE>

     The dollar value of these shares allocated to the Named Officers'  accounts
     during  1998 are  represented  in the table  "ESOP Cash  Contributions  and
     Dividends" above, and are included in the above Summary Compensation Table.

                                       12
<PAGE>
     All Other  Compensation also includes the dollar value of any premiums paid
     by the  Company  during  its last  fiscal  year with  respect  to term life
     insurance  for the  benefit of the Named  Officers.  During the last fiscal
     year,  the  dollar  value of such  premiums  paid on  behalf  of the  Named
     Officers was as follows:

                                        Term Life Insurance Premiums
              David W. Spainhour...................................     $    863
              William S. Thomas, Jr................................     $    246
              David A. Abts........................................     $    246
              Donald E. Barry .....................................     $    402
              John J. McGrath......................................     $  3,216

The Company also maintains for the benefit of the Named Officers and other "key"
employees,  its Key  Employee  Retiree  Health  Plan,  which was  adopted by the
Company effective  December 29, 1992. This Plan is an unfunded plan which pays a
portion of health insurance coverage for retired key employees and their spouses
(but not  dependents).  While the Named  Officers  may be eligible  for coverage
under this Plan when they retire, no amounts were paid by the Company during the
last  fiscal  year for  coverage  for any Named  Officers,  nor were any amounts
contributed  to the Plan during the last fiscal year. The Company also maintains
a similar program for all of its other employees.

Option Grants

Shown  below is  information  on grants of stock  options to the Named  Officers
pursuant to the Company's  various employee stock option plans during the fiscal
year ended  December 31, 1998,  which are reflected in the Summary  Compensation
Table on page __ as long-term compensation awards.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                   Option Grants in Last Fiscal Year
                                              --------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                 Number of
                                                Securities        Percent of
                                                Underlying       Total Options
                                                  Options         Granted to      Exercise                    Grant Date
                                                Granted in       Employees in       Price       Expiration      Present
     Name                                     Fiscal 1998(1)      Fiscal 1998    (per share)       Date        Value (2)
     ----                                     --------------     -------------   -----------      ------      ----------
<S>                                              <C>                 <C>          <C>               <C>

David W. Spainhour..........................     18,429 *            8.05%        $ 28.00         06/12/99    $   -0-
William S. Thomas, Jr.......................       None               -0-%        $   -0-           -         $   -0-
David A. Abts   ............................       None               -0-%        $   -0-           -         $   -0-
Donald E. Barry.............................       None               -0-%        $   -0-           -         $   -0-
John J. McGrath.............................     17,352 *            7.59%        $ 24.50         02/27/99    $   -0-


*reload grants
<FN>
(1)   Options granted under the Company's Stock Option Plan and Restricted Stock
      Option Plan are  administered by the Company's Stock Option  Committee and
      the Board of Directors.  All of the above options granted during 1998 were

                                       13

<PAGE>
      pursuant  to the  Restricted  Stock  Option  Plan and,  except  for reload
      options,  contained  the  following  terms in  addition to those terms set
      forth above:  (a) they vest over a period of five years at the rate of 20%
      per  year;  and (b)  until  March  24,  1998,  options  granted  under the
      Restricted  Stock  Option Plan were subject to the  restrictions  that the
      shares  issued  could  not be  transferred  without  the  approval  of the
      Committee for five years following the option grant or two years following
      the exercise of the option,  whichever was later.  The Plan was amended as
      of March 24, 1998 to remove this restriction. A "reload" option is granted
      when someone  exercises a stock option by tendering  stock already  owned.
      The number of shares granted is equal to the number of shares  tendered in
      payment of the option  exercise  price and the exercise  price is the fair
      market  value  of the  Company's  stock  as of the  date  the  shares  are
      tendered.  Reload options vest and first become  exercisable  one (1) year
      following  grant.  There are also certain  restrictions  on reload options
      which are  described  in the  Company's  stock  option  plans.  All of the
      options granted to the Named Officers in 1998 were reload options.

(2)   Values are based on a binomial  pricing  model  adapted for use in valuing
      executive  stock  options.  The actual value,  if any, a Named Officer may
      realize  will  depend on the excess of the stock  price over the  exercise
      price on the date the option is exercised,  and there is no assurance that
      the  value  realized  by a Named  Officer  will be at or  near  the  value
      estimated by the binomial model. The estimated values under this model are
      based on certain assumptions as to variables such as interest rates, stock
      price volatility and future dividend yield. The above calculations for the
      present value of the options are based on the expected term of 4 years,  a
      risk-free rate of return ranging from 4.35% to 5.64%,  an annual  dividend
      yield ranging from 2.09% to 3.00%, and stock price volatility of 18.22%.

</FN>
</TABLE>




Option Exercises and Fiscal Year-end Values

Shown below is information  with respect to the unexercised  options to purchase
the  Company's  common  stock  granted to the Named  Officers in fiscal 1998 and
prior years under the Company's  Stock Option Plan and  Restricted  Stock Option
Plan and held by them at December 31, 1998.


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

               Aggregate Option Exercises Last Fiscal Year and Fiscal Year-End Option Values

                                                                Number of Securities
                                                               Underlying Unexercised            Value of Unexercised
                                    Options Exercised              Options Held At             In-the-Money Options at
                                 During Fiscal Year 1998          December 31, 1998              December 31, 1998(1)
                                -------------------------        -------------------             --------------------
                                   Shares
                                  Acquired       Value
                                 on Exercise  Realized(1)

         Name                     (Number)     (Dollars)     Exercisable    Unexercisable     Exercisable     Unexercisable
         ----                     --------     ---------     -----------    -------------     -----------     -------------

<S>                                <C>        <C>               <C>             <C>        <C>                  <C>
David W. Spainhour..............   36,922     $517,829          14,759          34,429     $   72,301           $112,124
William S. Thomas, Jr...........    6,000     $ 96,000          91,600          48,000     $1,347,502           $554,705
David A. Abts...................   20,446     $320,467          25,225          20,000     $  230,612           $175,124
Donald E. Barry.................   25,000     $399,874           7,000          23,000     $   71,125           $225,874
John J. McGrath.................   45,974     $677,088          14,400          30,352     $   69,431           $124,533
<FN>

                                       14

<PAGE>
   (1) The value realized from options exercised during Fiscal Year 1998 and the
value of unexercised in-the-money options at December 31, 1998 are calculated by
determining the difference  between the estimated fair market value of the stock
underlying  the  options,  based on  third-party  transactions  reported  to the
Company ($25.75 per share at year end), and the exercise price of the options as
of the exercise date or as of year-end, respectively.
</FN>
</TABLE>


Executive Employment Contracts

The Company has adopted a Management Retention Plan (the "Retention Plan") which
provides for the payment of severance compensation to certain executive officers
of the  Company  and  the  Bank  if the  executive's  employment  is  terminated
following  a "Change in control"  (as defined  below).  the  Retention  Plan was
approved  by  disinterested  members of the Boards of  Directors  of the Company
during 1998.

In order for an executive to receive  benefits  under the  Retention  Plan,  the
executive must be terminated  involuntarily  without cause or be  constructively
terminated within 24 months following the Change in Control.

A "Change in Control"  will be deemed to have  occurred in any of the  following
circumstances:

         (1)      the acquisition of 35% or more of the outstanding voting stock
                  of  the  Company  by  any  person  or  entity,   with  certain
                  exceptions  for employee  benefit  plans of the Company or the
                  Bank;

         (2)      a change in the  composition of the Board during the following
                  24  months  such  that  those  persons  serving  as  directors
                  immediately prior to the event and those new directors elected
                  by a vote of at  least a  majority  of such  directors  do not
                  constitute  at  least  a  majority  of  the  directors  of the
                  Company;

         (3)      a merger  or  consolidation  of the  Company  with  any  other
                  corporation, other than a merger or consolidation in which (a)
                  the shareholders of the Company own immediately following such
                  an  event  at  least  51%  of  the  voting  securities  of the
                  surviving  corporation;  (b)  the  directors  of  the  Company
                  immediately  prior to the event constitute at least two-thirds
                  of the  directors  of the  surviving  corporation;  and (c) no
                  person  other than the Company,  any employee  benefit plan of
                  the Company and certain other existing shareholders, benefici-
                  ally owns 35% or more of the  outstanding voting securities of
                  the surviving corporation; or

         (4)      the complete liquidation of the Company, or the sale of all or
                  substantially all of the Company's or the Bank's assets.

A  constructive  termination  is deemed to have  occurred  if (a) the  executive
resigns  following  (i) a 25% or greater  reduction  in the  executive's  annual
compensation  (base  salary  plus  bonus),  (ii)  a  material  reduction  in the
executive's  responsibilities,  (iii) a relocation  by more than 35 miles of the
principal place at which the executive works,  (iv) a material  reduction in the
executive's  kind or level of employee  benefits,  (v)  without the  executive's
written  consent,  the termination of the executive's  status as a member of the
Senior  Leadership  Team of the Company,  (b) any purported  termination  of the
executive  by the Company  which is not effected for Cause or as a result of the
executive's death or disability, or (c) the failure of the surviving corporation
in any merger or reorganization with the Company to assume the Retention Plan.

                                       15
<PAGE>

The amount of severance benefits payable to an executive is an amount equal to a
specified  percentage  of  the  executive's  average  annual  compensation.  The
severance percentage varies from 200% of the average annual compensation for the
Chairman of the Board of the Company  and four other  executives  to 100% of the
average annual  compensation for executives in Grade 18, 19 or T6 of the Company
or the  Bank.  As of the  date of this  statement,  a total of  forty-four  (44)
executives  are eligible to  participate  in the Retention  Plan. An executive's
average annual  compensation  generally is an amount equal to the average of the
executive's  annual cash salary and bonuses and commissions  payable for each of
the three (3) full fiscal years ended  immediately  prior to the  termination of
the executive's employment.

If the severance  payments  otherwise  payable  under the  Retention  Plan would
trigger  "golden  parachute"  tax  treatment  pursuant to Section  280(g) and/or
Section 4999 of the Internal Revenue Code, the executive may elect to either (a)
have the  amount of the  severance  payment  reduced  to an amount  such that no
portion  of the  payment is subject to such tax  treatment  or (b)  receive  the
entire  amount of the  severance  payment  and pay the  applicable  tax.  If the
executive elects to receive the entire amount of the severance  payment and such
payment  triggers  golden  parachute  tax  treatment,  the  Company  will not be
entitled to deduct for  federal  income tax  purposes  the amount of the payment
which constitutes an excess parachute payment,  which amount generally three (3)
times the executive's average annual compensation.

In  addition,  the  Key  Employee  Retiree  Health  Plan  does  provide  for the
continuation  of  benefits  under  certain  circumstances  following a change in
control of the Company.

Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

The  Company's  Compensation  Committee  during 1998 was composed of four of the
Bank's "outside" Directors: Dale E. Hanst, Chairman, Anthony Guntermann, Richard
M. Davis and Harry B. Powell.  None of these Directors has ever been employed by
the Company in any position,  other than as a Director. Mr. Hanst was Of Counsel
to Reicker,  Clough,  Pfau & Pyle,  LLP which  serves as outside  corporate  and
litigation counsel to the Company and the Bank before his retirement.

No Executive  Officer of the Company had any interlocking  relationship with any
other  for-profit  entity during the last fiscal year,  including (a) serving on
the  compensation  committee  of any other  such  entity,  or (b)  serving  as a
Director of any other such entity.

Extent of Participation in the Company's Stock Plans

As of December 31, 1998,  the  following  number of  employees/directors  of the
Company and/or SBBT or FNBCC were eligible to participate and were participating
in each of the stock plans of the Company:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                  Number            Number
           Plan                                                  Eligible        Participating
           ----                                                  --------        -------------
<S>                                                                 <C>              <C>
       Employee Stock Ownership Plan........................        988              988
       1983 Stock Option Plan...............................          4                4
       1992 Restricted Stock Option Plan....................        247              126
       1985 Directors Stock Option Plan.....................          2                2
       1996 Directors Stock Option Plan.....................         11                7

           Old PCB Plan
           -------------

       1984 Employee Stock Option Plan......................         24               14
       1994 Employee Stock Option Plan......................         69               29
       1991 Directors Stock Option Plan.....................         17               17
</TABLE>

                                       16
<PAGE>

Securities Subject to Option Plans

The following tables set forth information, as of December 31, 1998 (as adjusted
to reflect subsequent stock splits and stock dividends), regarding options under
the various employee and Director stock option plans of the Company:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                              1983 Stock Option Plan

       Issuance           Number of Shares          Number of Shares
     (Exclusive of         Issued Pursuant             Subject to             Weighted Average         Range of
      Outstanding          to Exercises of             Outstanding             Exercise Price         Expiration
       Options)                Options                   Options                  Per Share              Dates 
     -------------        ----------------          ----------------          ----------------        ----------
<S>                            <C>                      <C>                       <C>                <C>
          -0-                  2,402,019                 13,196                   $   6.48             06/01/99
                                                                                                      to 07/01/99

                                              1984 Stock Option Plan

       Issuance           Number of Shares          Number of Shares
     (Exclusive of         Issued Pursuant             Subject to             Weighted Average         Range of
      Outstanding          to Exercises of             Outstanding             Exercise Price         Expiration
       Options)                Options                   Options                  Per Share              Dates 
      -----------         ----------------          ----------------          ----------------        ----------
          -0-                   463,229                  13,423                   $   7.20             12/19/99
                                                                                                      to 12/14/03

                                                 1991 Option Plan

       Issuance           Number of Shares          Number of Shares
     (Exclusive of         Issued Pursuant             Subject to             Weighted Average         Range of
      Outstanding          to Exercises of             Outstanding              Exercise Price        Expiration
       Options)                Options                   Options                  Per Share              Dates 
     -------------        ----------------          ----------------          ----------------        ----------
        231,542                 95,235                   81,630                   $   6.79            03/01/2002
                                                                                                     to 03/01/2002

                                         1992 Restricted Stock Option Plan

       Issuance           Number of Shares          Number of Shares
     (Exclusive of         Issued Pursuant             Subject to             Weighted Average         Range of
      Outstanding          to Exercises of             Outstanding              Exercise Price        Expiration
       Options)                Options                   Options                  Per Share              Dates 
     -------------        ----------------          ----------------          -----------------       ----------
        533,602               1,179,629                  886,769                  $  16.18             03/14/99
                                                                                                      to 07/01/07

                                         1985 Directors Stock Option Plan

       Issuance           Number of Shares          Number of Shares
     (Exclusive of         Issued Pursuant             Subject to             Weighted Average         Range of
      Outstanding          to Exercises of             Outstanding              Exercise Price        Expiration
       Options)                Options                   Options                  Per Share              Dates 
     -------------        ----------------          ----------------          ----------------        ----------
          -0-                   620,467                  20,592                   $   8.66             04/20/99
                                                                                                      to 07/03/00

                                       17
  
<PAGE>
                                         1994 Directors Stock Option Plan

       Issuance           Number of Shares          Number of Shares
     (Exclusive of         Issued Pursuant             Subject to             Weighted Average         Range of
      Outstanding          to Exercises of             Outstanding              Exercise Price        Expiration
       Options)                Options                   Options                  Per Share              Dates 
     -------------        ----------------          ----------------          ----------------        ----------
        342,354                352,687                   455,087                  $  13.75             09/27/04
                                                                                                      to 11/09/08

                                         1996 Directors Stock Option Plan

       Issuance           Number of Shares          Number of Shares
     (Exclusive of         Issued Pursuant             Subject to             Weighted Average         Range of
      Outstanding          to Exercises of             Outstanding              Exercise Price        Expiration
       Options)                Options                   Options                  Per Share              Dates 
     -------------        ----------------          ----------------          ----------------        ----------
        114,039                41,244                    144,717                  $  18.45             06/20/01
                                                                                                      to 09/11/03
</TABLE>

Compensation of Directors

The Company has a policy of paying non-employee  Directors an annual retainer of
$6,000  plus $500 per Board  meeting  attended  and $250 per  committee  meeting
attended,  except for the  Executive  Committee  and the Loan  Policy and Review
Committee.  Each outside Director who is a member of the Executive  Committee is
paid $1,000 per month and each member of the Loan Policy and Review Committee is
paid $400 per meeting. Total Directors' fees paid in 1998 were $216,400.00.

Report of Compensation Committee on Executive Compensation

The  Compensation   Committee  of  the  Bank  is  composed  of  the  undersigned
independent outside Directors. The Committee meets after the end of each year to
review the  performance  of the Bank's  Chief  Executive  Officer  and its other
Executive Officers,  including those named in the Summary Compensation Table set
forth above, during the just-completed calendar year and to make recommendations
to the Board on executive salaries for the ensuing year and bonuses for the past
year.   The   Committee   met  in  January,   1998  to  make  its   compensation
recommendations  for calendar year 1998 and to recommend  bonuses for the Bank's
Executive Officers based on performance in 1997. The Committee makes this report
to the  Shareholders  so that  they  may be  fully  informed  as to the  factors
utilized  by the  Committee  in  making  its  recommendations  to the  Board  of
Directors  concerning  compensation  levels for the Bank's senior executives for
calendar year 1998 and bonus awards for 1997.  The  discretionary  components of
executive  compensation  (excluding those benefits which are generally available
to all employees, such as ESOP contributions, insurance, etc.) are salary, bonus
and stock options.

In considering  salary levels of the Chief Executive Officer and other Executive
Officers, the Committee's recommendations,  while subjective, are intended to be
competitive  within the industry to ensure  retention of the Bank's high quality
Executive  Officers,  and to maintain the "team  approach" to  management of the
Bank. In making these recommendations,  the Committee considers the compensation
levels of peer group companies (which are other California independent community
banks) through  reference to  information  available in the industry such as the
State  Department  of Financial  Institutions'  Executive  Officer  Compensation
Survey, the Survey of Executive Compensation of California Independent Banks and
other relevant  surveys  prepared by industry  consultants.

Other components of executive  compensation are the bonuses which are awarded to
the Bank's Executive  Officers.  The bonus  recommendations of the Committee are
based upon  performance  against  individual goals as well as the Bank's overall
performance for the period in question as measured by its  profitability and its

                                       18
<PAGE>
capital levels. In addition,  the Bank's performance relative to the industry in
terms of returns on assets and equity is an important factor. The Committee also
considers the Bank's problem asset levels,  its loan production,  the quality of
its asset-liability  management and its regulatory compliance. The overall value
of the Bank and shareholder  equity levels are also important factors considered
by the  Committee in making its  recommendations.  The  importance of the Bank's
performance  in the setting of bonus and  compensation  levels is highlighted by
considering the Bank's performance and executive officers' bonuses paid over the
last three years.  In 1996,  net income was  $21,704,000  or $0.90 per share and
executive  officers'  bonuses were $1,115,000 of which $465,000 was paid in 1996
and the  remainder in 1997.  In 1997,  net income was  $30,303,000  or $1.25 per
share and executive officers' bonuses were $1,435,000 of which $630,000 was paid
in 1997 and the remainder in 1998. In 1998 net income was  $29,567,000  or $1.21
per share and executive  officers'  bonuses were $1,600,000 of which  $1,470,000
was paid in 1999. A final  component of executive  compensation is stock options
which are granted from  time-to-time  to members of the executive  group.  Stock
options  are  primarily  utilized  to provide  longer  range  incentives  to the
executives to insure their  long-range  commitment to the Bank.  Grants of stock
options are  determined  by the  Compensation  Committee  which also acts as the
Stock Option  Committee  under the Company's  stock option plans.

                                        SANTA BARBARA BANK & TRUST
                                        COMPENSATION COMMITTEE

Dale E. Hanst, Committee Chairman
Richard M. Davis, Committee Member
Anthony Guntermann, Committee Member
Harry B. Powell, Committee Member






                    BALANCE OF PAGE LEFT BLANK INTENTIONALLY





                                       19

<PAGE>


                                Performance Graph

The  following  graph  compares the yearly  percentage  change in the  Company's
cumulative total shareholder return on its outstanding  common stock,  stated as
if a $100  initial  investment  had been made at the  beginning  of the  period,
including reinvestment of dividends, utilizing a measurement period beginning on
December 31, 1993 through December 31, 1998, measured against (i) the Standard &
Poor's 500 Stock Index and (ii) SNL Banks  (Western)  Index as obtained from SNL
Securities LC.



[Graph Omitted]

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                  Period Ending
                              ----------------------------------------------------------
<S>                           <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>
Index                         12/31/93  12/31/94  12/31/95  12/31/96  12/31/97  12/31/98
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific Capital Bancorp         100.00    118.49    145.14    210.20    362.68    405.53
S&P 500                         100.00    101.32    139.39    171.26    228.42    293.69
SNL Western Bank Index          100.00     99.01    166.03    236.05    347.97    356.54

*Pacific Capital Total Return calculated using dividends and prices supplied in part by the company.

</TABLE>



                                       20

<PAGE>

                          READOPTION OF ARTICLE FOURTH
                                       OF
                          THE ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
                        CONCERNING FAIR PRICE PROTECTION

                                (Proposal No. 2)

GENERAL

         Shareholders  are being asked to readopt Article FOURTH of the Articles
of  Incorporation  (the "Fair Price  Provision").  Article FOURTH is designed to
ensure that  shareholders  will  receive  equitable  treatment in the event of a
business combination or other significant  transaction between the Company and a
shareholder of the Company (or an affiliate of such shareholder) who holds a 10%
or  greater  stock  interest  in  the  Company  at  the  time  of  the  proposed
transaction.  The most significant  aspects of the Fair Price Provision are: (a)
the Provision  requires that certain  mergers,  acquisitions  and other business
combinations be approved by a supermajority shareholder vote or by disinterested
directors  unless  specified  minimum  price  and  procedural  requirements  are
satisfied in the  transaction;  and (b) The  Provision  may be amended only by a
supermajority shareholder vote.

         California  law requires the renewal every two years of all  provisions
in the Articles of Incorporation  which contain  supermajority vote requirements
and  provides  that  a  supermajority   vote  requirement   cannot  require  the
affirmative  vote of more than 66-2/3% of the outstanding  shares.  The Board of
Directors  has  unanimously   approved  and  unanimously   recommends  that  the
shareholders  readopt the Fair Price Provision.  All shareholders are encouraged
to vote in favor of this proposal to maximize the supermajority vote required by
the Fair Price Provision.1

         The Board of  Directors  expects  that the Fair  Price  Provision  will
protect the  shareholders  by making it more difficult to acquire control of the
Company in an unsolicited transaction.  The Provision is designed to encourage a
potential  acquiror to present any  takeover  proposal to the Board of Directors
and to  negotiate  the  terms of such  proposal  with the  Board.  The  Board of
Directors believes that this will increase the probability that all shareholders
will be treated fairly in any such control transaction.

         The Fair Price  Provision may be  characterized  as an  "anti-takeover"
proposal as the overall  effect of the Provision may be to discourage an attempt
to  acquire  control  of the  Company.  If the  Provision  is  readopted  by the
shareholders,  it will be more difficult for the holders of a large block of the
Company's  Common Stock to acquire the Company in a merger or other  transaction
which  has not been  approved  by the  Board of  Directors.  The  effect  of the
Provision may be to deprive  shareholders of an opportunity to sell their shares
at a premium over the market price as takeover bids frequently involve purchases
of stock directly from shareholders at such a premium.

- --------
         1  The  Proposal  states  that  the  supermajority  vote  will  be  the
percentage of the  shareholders  who approve the Provision up to a maximum of 66
2/3%.   If  58%  of  the   shareholders   approve  the  Provision  the  required
supermajority vote a Business Combination will be 58%.

                                       21




<PAGE>

REASONS FOR THE FAIR PRICE PROVISION

         A  principal  reason  for the Fair  Price  Provision  is to reduce  the
potential  for  unsolicited  proposals for business  combinations  involving the
Company in which all of the  shareholders do not receive  consideration of equal
value  or the  shareholders  would  receive  consideration  which  the  Board of
Directors considers to be less than the fair value of the Company.

         In recent years, third parties have increasingly  acquired  substantial
stock positions in public corporations,  including financial institutions,  as a
first step in forcing a  transaction  in which they  receive a  disproportionate
share of the  consideration.  This could be  accomplished  by using  their stock
position (a) to force a two-step  merger or other business  combination in which
certain of the  shareholders  receive  less  valuable  consideration  than other
shareholders, (b) to force the corporation to repurchase the third party's stock
position at a premium,  or (c) to force the  restructuring of the corporation or
the sale of all or a portion of its assets for less than fair value. Often, such
third parties seek  representation  on the  corporation's  board of directors in
order to increase the likelihood that their proposal will be implemented.

         Unsolicited  attempts to acquire  control of a  corporation  and effect
such a transaction may deprive the  shareholders  of an adequate  opportunity to
evaluate the merits of the proposed  transaction.  In view of the time pressures
generally involved in such acquisition  attempts,  shareholders may not have the
opportunity to fully evaluate the proposed  transaction or to consider  possible
alternative transactions which would provide greater value. Forming a considered
judgment with respect to an acquisition  proposal  requires an assessment of its
fairness,  an  analysis  of its tax  implications  to the  shareholders  and the
corporation,  and  consideration  of  the  impact  of  the  transaction  on  the
short-term and long-term prospects of the corporation.  It is most important for
the  shareholders  to have the  opportunity to thoroughly  evaluate the proposed
transaction  and any  alternative  transactions  when the third  party would not
acquire all of the stock of the  corporation  in the initial  transaction.  In a
two-step acquisition,  the third party would control the corporation as a result
of the  first  step  and it  would  be  substantially  more  difficult  for  the
shareholders to protect themselves in the second step of the acquisition.

         The Fair  Price  Provision  is  intended  to  prevent  certain of these
potential  inequities  in two-step  business  combinations  and to encourage any
person who seeks to acquire  control of the Company to consult with the Board of
Directors and to negotiate the terms of the business  combination.  The Board of
Directors believes that any proposed business combination  involving the Company
should be  thoroughly  studied  by the  Board to  assure  that it is in the best
interests  of the  Company  and  all of its  shareholders  and  that  all of the
shareholders are treated fairly.

         The Fair Price  Provision  presently  requires  that  certain  business
combinations  be approved by 66-2/3% of the  shareholders,  unless the  proposed
business  combination:  (a) was approved by the Board of Directors prior to such
party becoming a Ten Percent  Stockholder (as that term is defined  below);  (b)
was  approved  by the  Board of  Directors  at a  meeting  at  which  Interested
Directors (as that term is defined  below) did not vote; (c) was approved by the
unanimous vote of the Board of Directors;  or (d) complies with certain  minimum
price and procedural requirements specified in Article FOURTH. If readopted, the
supermajority  shareholder  vote requirement will be the percentage equal to the
percentage of shareholders  voting in favor of readoption,  but not greater than
66-2/3%.

                                       22
<PAGE>

         The Fair Price Provision  should not prevent or discourage any business
combination  in which the acquiring  person is prepared to pay the same price to
all of the shareholders.

         On the other hand, the Fair Price Provision would  discourage  business
combination in which the acquiring  party pays a premium price in the first step
and a lesser  price  in the  second  step.  Some  shareholders  may  prefer  the
opportunity to receive such a premium price, even if it is for only a portion of
their shares, and therefore  consider the Fair Price Provision  disadvantageous.
However,  because of the substantial risk associated with the second step of the
business combination,  the Board of Directors has determined that the Fair Price
Provision is in the best interests of the Company and all of its shareholders.

         Readoption  of the Fair  Price  Provision  might be deemed to provide a
veto power to substantial  shareholders  with respect to a business  combination
which does not meet the price and procedural requirements and is not approved by
the Board of Directors.  The Fair Price Provision  requires that such a business
combination  must be approved by 66-2/3 of the  outstanding  voting shares,  not
merely 66-2/3 of the shares  voting at any  shareholder  meeting.  If the voting
shares represented and voting at the shareholders' meeting is significantly less
than all of the outstanding  voting shares,  the percentage of the voting shares
that must approve the business combination will be effectively increased and the
ability of a significant  minority of the  shareholders to block the combination
also will be  increased.  As of the Record Date,  the Company's  Employee  Stock
Ownership Plan ("ESOP") owned _____% of the outstanding stock of the Company and
was the only  shareholder  that owned of record more than 5% of the  outstanding
stock of the Company.

         Shareholders  should note that the Fair Price Provision might be deemed
to discourage  certain corporate  transactions which would result in a change of
the  Company's  Management,  as  the  Provision  has  the  effect  of  enhancing
Management's  bargaining  power in  negotiations  with an entity  attempting  to
acquire control of the Company.  Management  might use such bargaining power not
only to negotiate a favorable price for an acquisition of the Company,  but also
to negotiate their retention and more favorable terms for their services.

         The Fair Price  Provision  is not being  proposed  in  response  to any
present  attempt,  known to the Board of  Directors,  to acquire  control of the
Company,  to  obtain  representation  on  the  Board  of  Directors  or to  take
significant  corporate action.  Rather, the Board of Directors believes that the
Fair Price Provision is prudent and in the best interests of the Company and its
shareholders and should be readopted for their continued protection.

         Except as described in this Proposal and in Proposal Four in this Proxy
Statement,  the Board of  Directors  does not have any current  plans to propose
amendments to the Company's  charter  documents or take other action which might
be  deemed  to have an  "anti-takeover"  effect.  Proposal  Four  discusses  the
potential  "anti-takeover"  effect  of the  authorization  of  the  undesignated
Preferred Stock and the Board of Directors'  consideration  of the adoption of a
Shareholders  Rights  Plan.  A  Shareholders  Rights Plan is an  "anti-takeover"
device designed to deter an unsolicited tender offer or proposal for acquisition
of the Company.  Shareholders  are  encouraged  to review the  discussion of the
effect  of the  authorization  of the  Preferred  Stock  and the  adoption  of a
Shareholders Rights Plan contained in Proposal Four.

                                       23
<PAGE>
         The  following  description  is a summary of the Fair Price  Provision,
which constitutes  Article FOURTH of the Articles of Incorporation.  The text of
Article  FOURTH is  included  in  Exhibit  "A"  hereto and should be read in its
entirety by shareholders.

ANALYSIS OF THE FAIR PRICE PROVISION

     a.  Definitions.  Set forth below are definitions of certain terms included
in the Fair Price Provision.

                  "Acquiring Party" means any Ten Percent Stockholder  proposing
         to engage in a  Business  Combination  with the  Company  or any of its
         subsidiaries.

                  "Business  Combinations"  covered by the Fair Price  Provision
         include the following transactions:  (a) any merger or consolidation of
         the Company  with or into (i) any Ten Percent  Stockholder  or (ii) any
         other  corporation  (whether or not itself a Ten  Percent  Stockholder)
         which,  after such merger of consolidation,  would be an Affiliate of a
         Ten  Percent  Stockholder;  (b) any sale,  lease,  transfer,  mortgage,
         pledge  or  other   disposition   (in  one  or  a  series  of   related
         transactions),  whether or not in partial or complete  liquidation,  of
         all of any substantial part of the assets of the Company, or any of its
         subsidiaries,  to or with any Ten Percent  Stockholder or any Affiliate
         of a Ten Percent  Stockholder;  and (c) the issuance or transfer by the
         Company,  or any of its  subsidiaries,  of any  securities  to any  Ten
         Percent  Stockholder  or any Affiliate of a Ten Percent  Stockholder in
         exchange for cash,  securities,  or other  property  (or a  combination
         thereof).

                  "Disinterested Director" means  any director  who  is  not  an
         Interested Director.

                  "Interested  Director"  means any director who is an Affiliate
         or  Associate  of the  Acquiring  Party,  or is  nominated,  elected or
         appointed by or to represent the Acquiring  Party.  A director shall be
         deemed to have been  elected  by an  Acquiring  Party if fifty  percent
         (50%) or more of the votes cast for such director are  attributable  to
         Voting Shares of which the Acquiring Party is the beneficial owner.

                  "Substantial  Part" as used in  reference to the assets of the
         Company, or any of its subsidiaries,  means assets having a value equal
         to or greater than one-third (1/3) of the total consolidated  assets of
         the Company or the  subsidiaries  as  reflected on the  Company's  most
         recent balance sheet.

                  "Ten Percent  Stockholder" means in general as a person who is
         the beneficial owner of 10% or more of the outstanding Voting Shares of
         the Company.  A person will be deemed to own beneficially  those shares
         held  by such  person's  "Affiliates"  and  "Associates."  These  terms
         include  such  person's  spouse and other close  relatives,  as well as
         business  entities in which the person has a  significant  ownership or
         controlling  interest.  To the  Company's  best  knowledge,  no current
         shareholder of the Company is a Ten Percent Stockholder.

                                       24

<PAGE>
                  "Voting Shares" means stock or other securities of the Company
         entitled to vote in the election of directors.

         b. Approval of Business Combinations. Under the Fair Price Provision, a
Business  Combination  may be  effected  only if, in  addition  to any Board and
shareholder  approval  otherwise  required by law,  it complies  with one of the
following requirements.

                  (i) Certain Minimum Price and Procedural Requirements.  If the
         Business  Combination  satisfies  certain  minimum price and procedural
         requirements  described  below,  then  it must  be  approved  only by a
         majority of the outstanding Voting Shares.

                  (ii) Board of Directors Approval. The Business Combination was
         approved  either (1) by the Board of Directors  prior to the  Acquiring
         Party becoming a Ten Percent Shareholder; (2) by the Board of Directors
         at a  meeting  at  which  Interested  Directors  did not  vote;  or (3)
         unanimously by the Board of Directors.

                  (iii)  Supermajority  Shareholder  Approval.  If the  proposed
         Business  Combination  does not satisfy the  conditions of (i) or (ii),
         above, then the Business  Combination must be approved by supermajority
         shareholder  vote.  Presently,  the Fair  Price  Provision  requires  a
         supermajority  vote of 66-2/3% of the Voting Shares. If readopted,  the
         required  supermajority  vote will be the lesser of the  percentage  of
         shareholders voting in favor of readoption or 66-2/3%.

         c.  Minimum  Price and  Procedural  Requirements.  Under the Fair Price
Provision,  the Acquiring Person may effect the Business Combination without the
approval by the Board of Directors or by the supermajority  vote of shareholders
described  above, if the Acquiring Person has complied with all of the following
requirements.

          (i)  Minimum  Price.  The  aggregate  amount  of the cash and the fair
     market value of other  consideration to be received per share by holders of
     the Common Stock in such proposed Business Combination:

               (1) Is not  less  than the  highest  per-share  price  (including
          brokerage  commissions  and/or  soliciting  dealers' fees) paid by the
          Acquiring Party in acquiring any of its holdings or Common Stock; and

               (2) Is not less than the  earnings  per share of the Common Stock
          for the four full consecutive  fiscal quarters  immediately  preceding
          the  record  date  for the  solicitation  of  votes  on such  proposed
          Business  Combination  multiplied by the then price/earnings  multiple
          (if any) of the Acquiring Party.

          (ii)  Relationship to Market Price.  The cash and fair market value of
     other consideration to be received per share by holders of the Common Stock
     in the proposed Business Combination bears the same or a greater percentage
     relationship to the market price of the Common Stock  immediately  prior to
     the announcement of the proposed Business  Combination,  as the highest per
     share price (including  brokerage  commissions  and/or soliciting  dealers'
     fees)  which  the  Acquiring  Party  paid  for  any  shares of Common Stock

                                       25
<PAGE>

         acquired  by it  within  eighteen  (18)  months  prior to the  proposed
         Business  Combination  bears to the market  price of the  Common  Stock
         immediately prior to the initial acquisition of any Common Stock by the
         Acquiring Party.

                  (iii) Form of Consideration.  The consideration to be received
         by holders of Common Stock in the proposed  Business  Combination shall
         be in the same form and of the same kind as the  consideration  paid by
         the  Acquiring  Party in acquiring  the shares of Common Stock  already
         acquired by it.

                  (iv)  Corporate  Structure.  After  the  Acquiring  Party  has
         acquired  ownership  of ten  percent  (10%) of the  outstanding  Voting
         Shares ("10%  Interest") and prior to the  consummation of the proposed
         Business Combination:

                           (1) The  Acquiring  Party  shall have taken  steps to
                  ensure  that the  Board of  Directors  includes  at all  times
                  representation by Disinterested Directors proportionate to the
                  ratio that the Voting Shares which from time to time are owned
                  by persons who are not Ten Percent  Stockholders  bears to all
                  outstanding  Voting Shares (with a  Disinterested  Director to
                  occupy any resulting fractional board position);

                           (2) There shall have been no reduction in the rate of
                  dividends  payable on the Common Stock except as may have been
                  unanimously approved by the Board of Directors;

                           (3) The  Acquiring  Party shall not have acquired any
                  newly issued shares of stock, directly or indirectly, from the
                  Company  (except upon  conversion  of  convertible  securities
                  acquired by it prior to becoming a Ten Percent  Stockholder or
                  as the result of a pro rata stock  dividend  or stock  split);
                  and

                           (4) The  Acquiring  Party shall not have acquired any
                  additional shares of the Company's outstanding Common Stock or
                  securities  convertible  into or exchangeable for Common Stock
                  except  as  part  of the  transaction  which  resulted  in the
                  Acquiring Party acquiring its 10% Interest.

                  (v) No  Special  Benefits.  Prior to the  consummation  of the
         proposed  Business  Combination,  the  Acquiring  Party  shall not have
         received any benefit, directly or indirectly (except proportionately as
         a stockholder),  of any loans, advances,  guarantees,  pledges or other
         financial assistance or tax credits provided by the Company or made any
         major  change in the  Company's  business or equity  capital  structure
         without the unanimous approval of the Board of Directors.

                  (vi) Proxy  Statement.  A proxy  statement  conforming  to the
         requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934 shall have been
         mailed to all holders of Voting  Shares for the  purpose of  soliciting
         stockholder approval of the proposed Business  Combination.  Such proxy
         statement shall contain at the front thereof, in a prominent place, any
         recommendation  as to  the  advisability  (or  inadvisability)  of  the
         Business  Combination which any director may have furnished in writing,
         and an opinion  of a  reputable  investment  banking  firm  selected by

                                       26
<PAGE>
         the Disinterested Directors as to the fairness (or lack of fairness) of
         the terms of the proposed Business Combination,  from the point of view
         of the holders of Voting Shares other than any Ten Percent Stockholder.

PROCEDURE FOR AMENDING THE FAIR PRICE PROVISION

         Any  amendment,  change or repeal of the Fair  Price  Provision  or any
other amendment of the Company's Articles of Incorporation  which would have the
effect of  modifying or  permitting  circumvention  of the Fair Price  Provision
requires approval by a supermajority shareholder vote equal to the supermajority
vote  required  to approve a  Business  Combination.  Presently,  the Fair Price
Provision  requires  approval  by at least  66-2/3% of the Voting  Shares of the
Company.  If readopted,  the supermajority  vote required to amend the Provision
will be the  lesser  of the  percentage  of  shareholders  voting  in  favor  of
readoption, or 66-2/3%.

         Under  California  law, the Fair Price Provision will be effective only
for a  period  of  two  years  and  must  be  reapproved  or  readopted  by  the
shareholders. It has been more than two years since the Fair Price Provision was
adopted. If the Provision is not readopted,  the Provision will not be effective
and any Business Combination  otherwise subject to the Provision generally would
have to be approved  only by a majority of the Board of Directors and a majority
of the outstanding Voting Shares.

VOTE REQUIRED; BOARD RECOMMENDATION

         A  favorable  vote  by the  holders  of a  majority  of  the  Company's
outstanding  Common Stock entitled to vote is required to readopt the Fair Price
Provision.  If shareholders  reapprove the Fair Price Provision,  Article FOURTH
will be effective for a period of two (2) years from the date a  Certificate  of
Amendment  is filed with the  Secretary  of State.  The Board of  Directors  has
instructed  Management  to  refile  Article  FOURTH to be  effective  as soon as
possible.  Shareholder  approval  of this  Proposal is deemed to  authorize  any
changes to the text of Article FOURTH as may be required by regulatory agencies.

         THE  BOARD  OF  DIRECTORS  HAS  UNANIMOUSLY  APPROVED  THE  FAIR  PRICE
PROVISION AND  UNANIMOUSLY  RECOMMENDS  THAT YOU VOTE FOR THE PROPOSAL.  PROXIES
SOLICITED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS WILL BE VOTED FOR THE PROPOSAL UNLESS A VOTE
AGAINST THE PROPOSAL OR AN ABSTENTION IS SPECIFICALLY INDICATED.


                                       27
<PAGE>
                     AMENDMENT OF ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
                                       TO
                        INCREASE AUTHORIZED COMMON STOCK

                                (Proposal No. 3)


General

         The Company's  Articles of  Incorporation  (the  "Articles")  currently
authorize  40,000,000 shares of Common Stock ("Common Stock"), no par value, and
no shares of Preferred Stock (the "Preferred  Stock"). On February 26, 1999, the
Board of Directors  approved an amendment to Article  THIRD of the Articles (the
"Amendment")  to increase  the  authorized  number of shares of Common  Stock by
20,000,000  shares, to a total of 60,000,000  shares and to authorize  1,000,000
shares of Preferred Stock. This proposed  Amendment relates only to the increase
in  authorized  number of shares of Common  Stock.  Proposal  Four in this Proxy
Statement relates to the authorization of the Preferred Stock.

Reasons for the Proposed Amendment

         On April 6, 1999,  the record date for voting at the Annual  Meeting of
Shareholders, an aggregate of _______________ shares of Common Stock were issued
and outstanding  and reserved for issuance upon exercise of options  outstanding
under the  Company's  stock option  plans.  The number of shares of Common Stock
remaining available is not considered adequate for the Company's future possible
requirements.

         The Board of  Directors  believes  that it is prudent to  increase  the
number of  authorized  shares of Common Stock to the proposed  level in order to
provide a reserve of shares  available for issuance in connection  with possible
future actions.  Such actions may include,  but are not limited to, stock splits
or stock  dividends,  financings  through  the  issuance  of equity  securities,
acquisitions  of  property  or  companies  for  stock,   establishing  strategic
relationships  with  corporate  partners,  distributions  of Common  Stock under
employee benefit and stock incentive plans and other general corporate purposes.
Currently  there  are no plans  to use the  additional  shares  for any of these
purposes.  If the additional  authorized Common Stock is available for issuance,
the Company  would avoid the delays and expense that would be  occasioned by the
necessity of obtaining  shareholder approval at the time of the action and would
be better able to engage in these actions.

Possible Effects of the Amendment

         If the  Amendment  is approved,  the Board of  Directors  may cause the
issuance  of  additional  shares of Common  Stock  without  further  vote of the
shareholders,  except as provided under California law or under the rules of any
securities  exchange on which shares of Common  Stock are then  listed.  Current
holders of Common Stock have no preemptive or similar  rights,  which means that
current  shareholders do not have a right to purchase any new issue of shares of
Common Stock in order to maintain their proportionate ownership interests in the
Company.  The  issuance of any  additional  shares of Common  Stock likely would
dilute the voting power of the outstanding shares of Common Stock and reduce the

                                       28

<PAGE>

portion of the dividends and liquidation  proceeds payable to the holders of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock.

         It is unlikely that the Board of Directors could use the authorized but
unissued  shares  of  Common  Stock  as  an  "anti-takeover"  device  to  create
impediments to a takeover or transfer of control of the Company.  However, it is
possible  for the Board of  Directors  to use such  additional  shares of Common
Stock  to  establish  a  limited   Shareholders   Rights   Plan,   which  is  an
"anti-takeover"  device.  Also  Proposals  Two and Four  describe the  potential
"anti-takeover" effect of authorization of the shares of Preferred Stock and the
readoption  of the  "fair  price"  provision.  Shareholders  are  encouraged  to
consider  both of such  proposals  in approving  the increase in the  authorized
number of shares of Common Stock.

Required Vote

         The affirmative vote of holders of a majority of the outstanding shares
of Common  Stock is  required  to  approve  the  Amendment  to the  Articles  of
Incorporation to increase the authorized number of shares of Common Stock.

                  The Company's Board of Directors unanimously
              recommends a vote "FOR" the Amendment to the Articles
                                of Incorporation.

                                       29

<PAGE>
                     AMENDMENT OF ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
                                       TO
                            AUTHORIZE PREFERRED STOCK

                                (Proposal No. 4)


General

         The Company's  Articles of  Incorporation  (the  "Articles")  currently
authorize  40,000,000 shares of Common Stock ("Common Stock"), no par value, and
no shares of Preferred Stock (the "Preferred  Stock"). On February 26, 1999, the
Board of Directors  unanimously  approved an  amendment to Article  THIRD of the
Articles (the "Amendment") to increase the authorized number of shares of Common
Stock by 20,000,000  shares,  to a total of  60,000,000  shares and to authorize
1,000,000  shares  of  Preferred  Stock.  This  proposal  relates  only  to  the
authorization  of  shares  of  Preferred  Stock.  Proposal  Three in this  Proxy
Statement  relates to the authorization of the increase in the authorized number
of shares of Common Stock.

         The  Amendment  would  authorize   1,000,000   shares  of  undesignated
Preferred  Stock and would  authorize  the Board of Directors,  without  further
shareholder  approval,  to designate one or more series of Preferred Stock to be
issued from time-to-time and to establish the rights, preferences and privileges
of each such series of Preferred  Stock.  Such a series of Preferred Stock could
have  dividend,  voting,  liquidation  and other  rights  that are senior to the
rights of the Common Stock.  In addition,  the Board of Directors  might use the
issuance of shares of Preferred Stock as an "anti-takeover"  measure to deter an
unsolicited  offer or proposal for acquisition of the Company or its stock.  The
Company  is not  aware  of any  pending  or  potential  offer  or  proposal  for
acquisition  of the Company or its stock.  The  Company has no present  plans to
issue  any  series of  Preferred  Stock,  although  the  Board of  Directors  is
investigating the adoption of a Shareholders  Rights Plan as a defensive measure
to an unsolicited tender offer or acquisition proposal.  (See the description of
the general terms of a Shareholders Rights Plan set forth below.)

Reasons for the Proposed Amendment

         On April 6, 1999,  the record date for voting at the Annual  Meeting of
Shareholders an aggregate of _______________  shares of Common Stock were issued
and outstanding  and reserved for issuance upon exercise of options  outstanding
under the  Company's  stock option  plans.  The number of shares of Common Stock
remaining available is not considered adequate for the Company's future possible
requirements.

         The Board of Directors  believes  that it is prudent to  authorize  the
shares of Preferred Stock in order to provide a reserve of shares  available for
issuance in connection with possible  future actions.  Such actions may include,
but are not limited to, stock splits or stock dividends,  financings through the
issuance of equity securities,  acquisitions of property or companies for stock,
establishing strategic  relationships with corporate partners,  distributions of
stock for general  corporate  purposes.  In addition,  the Preferred  Stock will
enhance the Company's  ability to accomplish  any of these actions by giving the
Board of Directors the authority to vary the rights,  preferences and privileges


                                       30

<PAGE>
of the  security  issued  by  the  Company  so as to  respond  to or  accomplish
particular concerns. Currently there are no plans to use the Preferred Stock for
any of any  particular  purposes.  If  the  Preferred  Stock  is  available  for
issuance,  the  Company  would  avoid  the  delays  and  expense  that  would be
occasioned  by having to obtain  shareholder  approval at the time of the action
and would be better able to engage in these actions.

Possible Effects of the Amendment

         If the  Amendment  is approved,  the Board of  Directors  may cause the
issuance of shares of Preferred Stock without further vote of the  shareholders,
except as provided  under  California  law or under the rules of any  securities
exchange on which shares of Common Stock are then  listed.  It is unlikely  that
the Preferred Stock will be listed on any securities  exchange.  Current holders
of Common Stock have no preemptive or similar  rights,  which means that current
shareholders  do not  have a right  to  purchase  any new  issue  of  shares  of
Preferred Stock in order to maintain their proportionate  ownership interests in
the Company.  The issuance of any shares of Preferred  Stock likely would dilute
the  voting  power of the  outstanding  shares of Common  Stock and  reduce  the
portion of the dividends and liquidation  proceeds payable to the holders of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock.

         The Board of Directors  could use the authorized but unissued shares of
Preferred Stock as an "anti-takeover" device to create impediments to a takeover
or  acquisition  of  control  of the  Company  or its  stock.  Accordingly,  the
authorization  of the Preferred Stock may deter a future takeover  attempt which
holders of the Common  Stock may deem to be in their best  interests or in which
holders of Common  Stock may be offered a premium for their shares over the then
market price for the Common  Stock.  While the  Amendment  may be deemed to have
potential  anti-takeover  effects,  the Board of  Directors  is not aware of any
attempt to  take-over  or acquire the Company or its stock and the  Amendment is
not prompted by any specific take-over or acquisition effort or threat.

         The authorization of the Preferred Stock could facilitate the Company's
adoption of a Shareholders  Rights Plan, which would constitute an anti-takeover
device.  While the Board of  Directors  has not taken any action to adopt such a
Plan, it is  investigating  the adoption of such a Plan as a reasonable  step to
protect  the  Company  and its  shareholders  against  the  threat of a possible
unsolicited  tender offer or proposal for the  acquisition of the Company or its
stock.  Any  Shareholders  Rights  Plan that  might be  adopted  by the Board of
Directors  likely would  include the  following  provisions.  On adoption of the
Plan, all  shareholders  would receive,  for each share of Common Stock owned by
them,  one  Right to  purchase  from  the  Company  a  fraction  (typically  one
one-thousandth)  of a share of  Preferred  Stock.  Each  fraction  of a share of
Preferred  Stock  issuable  upon exercise of a Right would be designed to have a
value equal to the value of one share of Common Stock.  The exercise  price of a
Right would be greater  than the market price of the Common Stock on the date of
the adoption of the Plan. The Rights would not be exercisable  until the date on
which a person (the "Acquiring  Person") acquires ownership of stock exceeding a
specified level (typically  between 10% and 20%) of the outstanding voting stock
of the Company  (the "Shares  Acquisition  Date") or commences a tender offer to
acquire such a stock  interest.  Until the Shares  Acquisition  Date, each Right
would be  exercisable  for a fraction of a share of Preferred  Stock.  After the
Shares  Acquisition Date, each Right would be exercisable for a number of shares
of  Common  Stock of the  Company  that has a market  value  equal to twice  the
exercise price of  the Right.  In  addition, the  Plan would provide that if the

                                       31
<PAGE>
Company  merged  with  another  company  or sold its  assets  after  the  Shares
Acquisition  Date,  each Right  would be  exercisable  for a number of shares of
Common  Stock of the  entity  that  merged  with or  acquired  the assets of the
Company that has a market value equal to twice the exercise  price of the Right.
Generally,  any Rights  beneficially  owned by an Acquiring  Person would not be
exercisable for stock of either the Company or the acquiring entity. The Company
would have the right to redeem  the Rights at a nominal  price at any time prior
to the Shares  Acquisition Date or a subsequent date established by the Board of
Directors.

         Any Shareholders Rights Plan adopted by the Board of Directors would be
an  "anti-takeover"  measure,  as  it  would  have  the  effect  of  potentially
significantly  increasing  the cost to the  acquiring  party  of an  unsolicited
tender offer for or acquisition  of the Company or its stock.  While such a Plan
would  have  an  anti-takeover  effect,  it  would  operate,  similarly  to  the
"fair-price" provision discussed in Proposal Two in this Proxy Statement,  as an
incentive for the acquiring  party to negotiate an acceptable  proposal with the
Board of Directors.

         While  the  Board of  Directors  is  investigating  the  adoption  of a
Shareholders  Rights Plan, the Board has not decided to adopt such a Plan or the
terms of such a Plan.

         If Proposal Two is approved,  the Articles  will contain a "fair price"
provision  that may be  viewed  as  having  anti-takeover  effects.  Under  this
provision the affirmative  vote of the holders of up to 66-2/3% of the Company's
outstanding  voting power is required to approve certain  business  transactions
(such as mergers or sales of assets)  involving  another  person or entity  that
beneficially owns 10% or more of the voting power of the Company. The Company is
submitting the "fair price"  provision for reapproval by the shareholders at the
Meeting.  A more  detailed  description  of the "fair price"  provision  and its
possible  anti-takeover  effects is set forth  under  Proposal  Two in the Proxy
Statement. The approval of the proposed amendment of Article FOURTH to authorize
the  Preferred  Stock  will not  effect  the  application  of the  "fair  price"
provision.

Required Vote

         The affirmative vote of holders of a majority of the outstanding shares
of Common  Stock is  required  to  approve  the  Amendment  to the  Articles  of
Incorporation to authorize the Preferred Stock.

                  The Company's Board of Directors unanimously
              recommends a vote "FOR" the Amendment to the Articles
                                of Incorporation.



                                       32
<PAGE>

                      SELECTION OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS

                                (Proposal No. 5)

The  firm of  Arthur  Andersen,  LLP  served  as  independent  certified  public
accountants for the Company and the Bank with respect to the calendar year 1998,
and has  been  recommended  by the  Board  to be the  Company's  and the  Bank's
accountants   for  calendar   year  1999.  It  is  expected  that  one  or  more
representatives of Arthur Andersen, LLP will be present at the meeting, and will
be given the opportunity to make a statement,  if desired, and to respond to all
appropriate questions.

Audit services performed by Arthur Andersen, LLP for the year ended December 31,
1998 consisted of examination  of the financial  statements of the Company,  the
Bank and its employee  benefit plans,  certain  services related to filings with
the Securities and Exchange  Commission,  and consultation on matters related to
accounting  and  financial  reporting.  In  addition to these  services,  Arthur
Andersen,  LLP performed  certain  non-audit  services  consisting  primarily of
consultation on matters  relating to the preparation of tax returns,  assistance
with  regulatory  compliance,  and assistance with the merger with "old" Pacific
Capital Bancorp, the total fees for which amounted to approximately 72.4% of the
total fees for services paid to Arthur Andersen, LLP for the year ended December
31, 1998.  All such services were  approved by the  Company's  Audit  Committee,
which has determined the firm of Arthur Andersen, LLP to be fully independent of
the operations of the Company.

Recommendation of the Board of Directors

The Company's Board of Directors recommends that the shareholders approve Arthur
Andersen,  LLP to serve as  independent  certified  public  accountants  for the
Company for the calendar year 1999.  The  affirmative  vote of a majority of the
shares  present or  represented  and  entitled  to vote at the  meeting  will be
required to approve this action.


                              CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS

Some of the  Directors  of the  Company  and the  companies  with which they are
associated are customers of, and have had banking  transactions with the Bank in
the ordinary course of the Bank's business, and the Bank expects to have banking
transactions with such persons in the future. In Management's opinion, all loans
and commitments to lend included in such  transactions were made in the ordinary
course of the  Company's  business and in  compliance  with  applicable  laws on
substantially the same terms, including interest rates and collateral,  as those
prevailing   for   comparable   transactions   with  other  persons  of  similar
creditworthiness and, in the opinion of Management,  did not involve more than a
normal  risk of  collectability  or  present  other  unfavorable  features.  The
aggregate  amount of all such  loans and  credit  extensions  outstanding  as of
December 31, 1998, to all Directors and Executive Officers,  together with their
associates and members of their immediate family, was approximately  $3,381,374,
constituting  approximately .169% of Company's stockholders' equity. The Company
has a very strong  policy  regarding  review of the adequacy and fairness to the
Bank of loans to its Directors and officers.

Donald M.  Anderson,  Chairman of the Board and  Director of the  Company,  is a
general  partner in Pueblo  Associates,  from which the Company  leases space at
1021  Anacapa  Street  for  its  executive   headquarters  and  the  housing  of
administrative  functions of the Bank. The lease, covering 28,957 square feet of
space,  was restated in 1994 for a term of five (5) years with four (4) five (5)
year options to renew. The lease payments to Pueblo Associates  totaled $512,467
during  1998.  In the  Company's  opinion  the lease is  comparable  to an "arms
length" negotiated lease.  On February 20, 1999  a fire occurred at 1021 Anacapa

                                       33

<PAGE>
Street which  required the Company to vacate the premises.  Rent is abated under
the terms of the lease.  The Company  plans to reoccupy the building when it has
been restored.

                       SECTION 16(a) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP
                              REPORTING COMPLIANCE

Section 16(a) of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,  requires the
Company's  Directors and Executive  Officers,  and persons who own more than ten
percent of a registered class of the Company's equity  securities,  to file with
the Securities and Exchange  Commission initial reports of ownership and reports
of changes in ownership of common stock of the Company. Officers,  Directors and
greater than  ten-percent  stockholders  are required by Securities and Exchange
Commission  regulation  to furnish the Company with copies of all Section  16(a)
forms they file.

To the  Company's  knowledge,  based on  review of the  copies  of such  reports
furnished to the Company,  written  representations  that no other  reports were
required  during the fiscal year ended  December 31, 1998 and other  information
available to the Company,  all Section 16(a) filing  requirements  applicable to
its officers,  Directors  and greater than  ten-percent  beneficial  owners were
timely filed.

                              SHAREHOLDER PROPOSALS

The deadline for shareholders to submit proposals to be considered for inclusion
in the  Company's  proxy  statement  for the  Company's  2000 Annual  Meeting of
Shareholders is November 15, 1999. No such proposals were submitted with respect
to the 1999 Annual Meeting.

                                  OTHER MATTERS

Management  does not know of any matters to be presented  at the Meeting,  other
than those set forth above.  However,  if other matters come before the Meeting,
it is the intention of the persons named in the accompanying  proxy to vote said
proxy in accordance  with the  recommendations  of the Board of Directors of the
Company on such matters, and discretionary authority to do so is included in the
proxy.

                       FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF THE COMPANY

Shareholders  of the Company are advised that they may, upon request made to the
Company's Head Office located at P.O. Box 1119, Santa Barbara, California 93102,
obtain  copies  (free  of  charge)  of the  Company's  Financial  Statements  or
additional  copies of the Company's  Annual  Report for 1998 by requesting  them
from the Secretary of the Company. Pursuant to regulations of the Securities and
Exchange  Commission,  shareholders  of the Company will receive the 1998 Annual
Report of the Company together with this proxy statement.  If for any reason any
shareholder  does not  receive a copy of the 1998  Annual  Report of the Company
together with this proxy statement,  please advise the Company,  and a copy will
be provided promptly.

                       NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF MATERIAL
THE BANK WILL PROVIDE  WITHOUT CHARGE TO THE  SHAREHOLDERS OF RECORD ON APRIL 6,
1999 (THE RECORD DATE FOR  ELIGIBILITY TO VOTE AT THE ANNUAL  MEETING) A COPY OF
THE COMPANY'S  1998 FORM 10-K AND ANNUAL  REPORT,  WHICH WILL BE FILED UNDER THE
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934.

     All written requests for this report should be addressed to:

                                       34

<PAGE>
                               Dr. Clare McGivney
                                 Vice President
                           Santa Barbara Bank & Trust
                              Post Office Box 1119
                         Santa Barbara, California 93102


SHAREHOLDERS  ARE REQUESTED TO VOTE, DATE, SIGN AND RETURN PROMPTLY THE ENCLOSED
PROXY WHETHER OR NOT YOU EXPECT TO ATTEND THE MEETING. A RETURN,  SELF-ADDRESSED
ENVELOPE  IS  ENCLOSED  FOR YOUR  CONVENIENCE.  NO POSTAGE IS REQUIRED IF MAILED
WITHIN THE UNITED STATES.  PROMPT RESPONSE IS HELPFUL AND YOUR  COOPERATION WILL
BE APPRECIATED.  YOU MAY, WITHOUT  AFFECTING ANY VOTE PREVIOUSLY  TAKEN,  REVOKE
YOUR PROXY BY A LATER PROXY FILED WITH THE SECRETARY OF THE COMPANY OR BY FILING
WRITTEN  NOTICE OF REVOCATION  WITH THE SECRETARY OF THE COMPANY.  ATTENDANCE AT
THE MEETING WILL NOT IN AND OF ITSELF REVOKE A PROXY. IF YOU ATTEND THE MEETING,
YOU MAY REVOKE THE PROXY BY ADVISING THE  INSPECTOR OF ELECTIONS  THAT YOU ELECT
TO VOTE IN PERSON.

                                                     SANTA BARBARA BANCORP


Dated:  April __, 1999                               By:  
                                                          ----------------------
                                                          Donald M. Anderson,
                                                          Chairman of the Board

                                       35
<PAGE>

                                    Exhibit A

                              FAIR PRICE PROVISION


FOURTH:           BUSINESS COMBINATIONS
                  ---------------------

         4.1  Definitions.  For purposes of this Section 4, the following  terms
shall have the meanings set forth below:

                  4.1.1  "Acquiring  Party"  shall  mean any Ten  Percent  (10%)
Stockholder  (as  defined in Section  4.1.11,  below)  proposing  to engage in a
Business Combination with this corporation or a Subsidiary of this Corporation,

                  4.1.2  "Affiliate" and  "Associate"  shall have the respective
meanings  given those terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and  Regulations,
or any successor  Rule,  under the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, as then in
effect.

                  4.1.3    "Beneficial Owner" shall mean:

                           A.    A person or any of its Affiliates or Associates
who directly or indirectly beneficially owns Voting Shares; and

                           B.    A person or any of its Affiliates or Associates
who has the right (1) to acquire (whether such right is exercisable  immediately
or only after the passage of time)  Voting  Shares  pursuant  to any  agreement,
arrangement or understanding or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange
rights,  warrants,  or  options,  or  otherwise,  or (2) to vote  Voting  Shares
pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding; and

                           C.    A person or any of its Affiliates or Associates
with which a person described in subparagraphs A or B, above, has any agreement,
arrangement or understanding  for the purpose of acquiring,  holding,  voting or
disposing or any Voting Shares of this Corporation.

                  4.1.4 "Business  Combination"  shall mean any of the following
transactions:

                           A.    Any merger or consolidation of this Corporation
or of any Subsidiary of this Corporation, with or into (1) any Ten Percent (10%)
Stockholder  or (2) any other  corporation  (whether or not itself a Ten Percent
(10%)  Stockholder)  which,  after  such  merger of  consolidation,  would be an
Affiliate of a Ten Percent (10%) Stockholder; or

                           B.    Any sale, lease,  transfer, mortgage, pledge or
other disposition (in one or a series of related  transactions),  whether or not
in partial or complete liquidation, of all of any substantial part of the assets
of this  Corporation  or any  Subsidiary,  to or  with  any  Ten  Percent  (10%)
Stockholder; or

                           C.    The issuance or transfer by this Corporation or
by any Subsidiary or any securities of this Corporation of any Subsidiary to any
Ten  Percent  (10%)  Stockholder  or  the  Affiliate  of  a  Ten  Percent  (10%)
Stockholder  in  exchange  for  cash,  securities,   or  other  property  (or  a
combination thereof).

                  4.1.5  "Common  Stock"  shall  mean the  Common  Stock of this
Corporation  or of any  Subsidiary  of this  Corporation  involved in a Business
Combination.

                  4.1.6  Disinterested  Director"  shall mean any director other
than an Interested Director.

                  4.1.7 "Interested  Director" shall mean any director who is an
Affiliate or Associate  of the  Acquiring  Party,  or is  nominated,  elected or
appointed by or to represent the Acquiring Party;  a director shall be deemed to

                                       36



<PAGE>

have been elected by an Acquiring  Party if fifty  percent  (50%) or more of the
votes cast for such  director  are  attributable  to Voting  Shares of which the
Acquiring Party is held to be the Beneficial Owner.

                  4.1.8 "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation or
other entity.

                  4.1.9  "Subsidiary"  shall  mean  any  corporation  of which a
majority of any class of equity  security is owned,  directly or indirectly,  by
this Corporation;  provided,  however,  that for purposes of the definition of a
Ten Percent  (10%)  Stockholder  set forth in Section  4.1.11,  below,  the term
"Subsidiary  shall mean only a corporation  of which a majority of each class of
equity security is owned, directly or indirectly, by this Corporation.

                  4.1.11  "Ten  Percent  (10%)  Stockholder"  shall  mean,  with
respect to any Business Combination,  any person (other than this Corporation or
any  Subsidiary)  which,  as  of  the  record  date  for  the  determination  of
stockholders  entitled to notice and to vote on such  Business  Combination,  or
immediately prior to the consummation of any such transaction:

                           A.   Is the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly,
of not less than ten percent (10% of the Voting Shares; or

                           B.   Is an Affiliate of  this Corporation  and at any
time  within  eighteen  (18) months  prior  thereto  was the  Beneficial  Owner,
directly  or  indirectly,  of not  less  than  ten  percent  (10%)  of  the  ten
outstanding Voting Shares.

                  4.1.12  "Unratified  Business   Combination"  shall  mean  any
Business Combination other than a Business Combination which either:

                           A.   Was set forth  in a memorandum of  understanding
or other written instrument approved by the Board of Directors prior to the time
the Acquiring  Party of an Affiliate of the Acquiring Party became a Ten Percent
(10%) Stockholder;

                           B.   Was approved by the Board of Directors at a duly
held meeting at which Interested Directors were disqualified from voting; or

                           C.   Was approved by the unanimous vote of the entire
Board of Directors.

                  4.1.13  "Voting  Shares"  shall  mean  any of the  outstanding
shares of the capital stock of this  Corporation  entitled to vote  generally in
the election of directors.  The  outstanding  Voting Shares shall include shares
deemed to be beneficially owned within the meaning of Section 4.1.3,  above, but
shall not include any other Voting Shares which may be issuable  pursuant to any
agreement,  or upon the exercise of conversion rights,  warrants or options,  or
otherwise.

         4.2  Approval by  Shareholders.  Any  Unratified  Business  Combination
involving this Corporation or a Subsidiary of this Corporation shall require the
affirmative  vote  of  the  holders  of at  least  two-thirds  (66.67%)  of  the
outstanding  Voting Shares of this  Corporation,  considered  for the purpose of
this Article FOURTH as one class,  notwithstanding  that,  under applicable law,
some lesser percentage may be specified or no vote may be required,

         4.3 Exceptions to Approval Requirements. The provisions of Section 4.2,
above, shall not apply to a proposed Business  Combination and any such proposed
Business; Combination shall require only such affirmative vote as is required by
law and any other  provision of these Articles of  Incorporation,  if all of the
following conditions shall have been satisfied:

                  4.3.1 The  aggregate  amount  of the cash and the fair  market
value of other  consideration  to be received per share by holders of the Common
Stock in such proposed Business Combination:


                                       37
<PAGE>
                           A.   is not less  than the  highest  per-share  price
(including  brokerage  commissions and/or soliciting  dealers' fees) paid by the
Acquiring Party in acquiring any of its holdings or Common Stock; and

                           B.   Is not less than  the earnings per  share of the
Common Stock for the four full consecutive fiscal quarters immediately preceding
the  record  date  for the  solicitation  of  votes  on such  proposed  Business
Combination  multiplied  by the  then  price/earnings  multiple  (if any) of the
Acquiring Party as customarily computed and reported in the financial community.

                  4.3.2 The cash and fair market value of other consideration to
be received per share by holders of the Common Stock in such  proposed  Business
Combination  bears the same or a greater  percentage  relationship to the market
price of the Common Stock  immediately prior to the announcement of the proposed
Business  Combination,  as the  highest  per share  price  (including  brokerage
commissions and/or soliciting  dealers' fees) which the Acquiring Party paid for
any shares of Common Stock  acquired by it within  eighteen(18)  months prior to
the proposed Business  Combination bears to the market price of the Common Stock
immediately  prior  to the  initial  acquisition  of  any  Common  Stock  by the
Acquiring Party.

                  4.3.3 The  consideration  to be  received by holders of Common
Stock in the proposed Business  Combination shall be in the same form and of the
same kind as the  consideration  paid by the  Acquiring  Party in acquiring  the
shares of Common Stock already acquired by it.

                  4.3.4 After the Acquiring Party has acquired  ownership of not
less  than ten  percent  (10%)  of the  then  outstanding  Voting  Shares  ("10%
Interest") and prior to the consummation of the proposed Business Combination:

                           A.   The Acquiring  Party shall  have taken  steps to
ensure  that  this  Corporation's  Board  of  Directors  included  at all  times
representation  by  Disinterested  Directors (as defined in Section 4.1.6 above)
proportionate  to the ratio that the Voting  Shares  which from time to time are
owned by persons who are not Ten Percent (10%)  Stockholders bears to all Voting
Shares  outstanding at such respective  times (with a Disinterested  Director to
occupy any resulting fractional board position);

                           B.   There shall have  been no reduction  in the rate
of dividends payable on the Common Stock except as may have been approved by the
unanimous vote of the Board of Directors;

                           C.   The Acquiring Party shall  not have acquired any
newly  issued  shares of stock,  directly or  indirectly,  from the  Corporation
(except  upon  conversion  of  convertible  securities  acquired  by it prior to
becoming a Ten  Percent  (10%  Stockholder  or as the result of a pro rata stock
dividend or stock split); and

                           D.   The Acquiring Party shall  not have acquired any
additional shares of this  Corporation's  outstanding Common Stock or securities
convertible  into or  exchangeable  for  Common  Stock  except  as a part of the
transaction which resulted in the Acquiring Party acquiring its 10% Interest.

                  4.3.5  Prior  to the  consummation  of the  proposed  Business
Combination,  the Acquiring Party shall not have received a benefit, directly or
indirectly ) except  proportionately  as a stockholder) of any loans,  advances,
guarantees,  pledges or other  financial  assistance or tax credits  provided by
this  Corporation  or made any major  change in this  Corporation's  business or
equity  capital  structure  without  the  unanimous  approval  of the  Board  of
Directors.

                  4.3.6  A proxy statement conforming to the requirements of the
Securities  Exchange Act of 1934 shall have been mailed to all holders of Voting
Shares for the  purpose  of  soliciting  stockholder  approval  of the  proposed
Business  Combination.  Such proxy statement shall contain at the front thereof,
in  a  prominent   place,  any   recommendation   as  to  the  advisability  (or
inadvisability)  of  the  Business  Combination  which  any  director  may  have
furnished in writing,  and an opinion of a reputable  investment banking firm as
to the  fairness  (or lack of  fairness  of the terms of the  proposed  Business
Combination, from the point  of view of the holders  of Voting Shares other than

                                       38

<PAGE>

any Ten  Percent  (10%)  Stockholder  (such  investment  banking  firm to be (a)
selected by a majority of the  directors  present at a duly held  meeting of the
Board of Directors at which Interested Directors are disqualified from voting on
the selection of the investing  banking firm, (b) furnished with all information
it reasonable  requests,  and (c) a reasonable fee for its services upon receipt
of this Corporation of such opinion).

         4.4  Determination  by Board. A majority of the directors  present at a
duly held meeting of the Board of Directors at which  Interested  Directors  are
disqualified  from  voting  shall have the power and duty to  determine  for the
purposes of this Article FOURTH on the basis of  information  known to them, the
following facts:

                  4.4.1    The number of Voting Shares beneficially owned by any
person;

                  4.4.2    Whether a  person  is an  Affiliate  or Associate  of
another person; and

                  4.4.3    Whether a person  has an  agreement,  arrangement  or
understanding  with  another as to the  matters  referred  to in  Paragraph B of
section 4.1.3, above.

         4.5 Amendment. The provision of this Article FOURTH may not be altered,
amended or repealed  except  upon the  approval  of  two-thirds  (66.67%) of the
outstanding Voting Shares of this Corporation.


                                       39



<PAGE>


                                   APPENDIX A

                                   PROXY CARD

                            PACIFIC CAPITAL BANCORP
                            -----------------------

      This Proxy is Solicited on Behalf of the Board of Directors for use
                     at the Annual Meeting on May 18, 1999.

     By signing this proxy,  you revoke all prior proxies and appoint  Donald M.
Anderson,  David W.  Spainhour and Jay Donald Smith,  and each of them, as Proxy
Holders,  each with the power to act separately  and to appoint his  substitute,
and hereby authorize them to represent and to vote, as designated on the reverse
side, all the shares of common stock of Pacific  Capital  Bancorp held of record
by the  undersigned  on April 6, 1999,  on the matters shown on the reverse side
and any  other  matters  which  may  come  before  the  Annual  Meeting  and all
adjournments.

                  (CONTINUED AND TO BE SIGNED ON REVERSE SIDE)

<PAGE>

                              +Please detach here+


Please mark your vote as indicated in [X] this example.

1.   ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

     [ ] FOR all nominees listed below            [ ] WITHHOLD AUTHORITY
     (except as marked to the contrary below)     to vote for all nominees
                                                  listed below
     INSTRUCTION:  To  withhold  authority  to vote for any  individual  nominee
     strike through that nominee's name below.
          Nominees:  Donald M. Anderson, Edward E. Birch, Richard M. Davis, Dale
          E. Hanst, D. Vernon Horton,  Roger C. Knopf,  Clayton C. Larson, Kathy
          J.  Odell,  William  H. Pope,  Harry B.  Powell,  David W.  Spainhour,
          William S. Thomas Jr.
2.   FAIR PRICE PROVISION.  To readopt Article FOURTH of the Company's  Articles
     of  Incorporation  which  require  compliance  with  certain  "Fair  Price"
     provisions in the event of certain business combinations.
          [ ] FOR        [ ]  AGAINST        [ ]  ABSTAIN
3.   INCREASE  AUTHORIZED  COMMON STOCK. To amend Article THIRD of the Company's
     Articles of  Incorporation  to increase the authorized  number of shares of
     Common Stock to 60,000,000 shares:
          [ ] FOR        [ ]  AGAINST        [ ]  ABSTAIN
4.   AUTHORIZE PREFERRED STOCK. To amend Article THIRD of the Company's Articles
     of  Incorporation to authorize  1,000,000 shares of undesignated  Preferred
     Stock:
          [ ] FOR        [ ]  AGAINST        [ ]  ABSTAIN
5.   SELECTION OF AUDITORS. To approve the selection of Arthur Andersen,  LLP to
     serve as Independent  certified public  accountants for the Company for the
     1999 calendar year.
          [ ] FOR        [ ]  AGAINST        [ ]  ABSTAIN
6.   OTHER BUSINESS.  In their  discretion,  the proxy holders are authorized to
     vote upon such other business as may properly come before the meeting.

This proxy  when  properly  executed  and  returned  will be voted in the manner
directed hereby by the undersigned  stockholder.  (If no direction is made, this
proxy will be voted FOR  Proposals  1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.) If any other  business is
presented at the meeting,  this Proxy confers authority to and shall be voted in
accordance with the recommendation of the Board of Directors.

Please Mark,  Sign,  Date and Return this Proxy Card promptly using the Enclosed
Envelope.


                    -------------  ---------------------------------------------
                    Date           Signature


                    -------------  ---------------------------------------------
                    Date           Signature

                    Please date this Proxy and sign  exactly as the name appears
                    on this card.  When shares are held by joint  tenants,  both
                    should   sign.   When   signing   as   attorney,   executor,
                    administrator,  trustee, or guardian, please give full title
                    as such.  If a  corporation,  please sign in full  corporate
                    name  by  President  or  other  authorized   officer.  If  a
                    partnership,  please sign in partnership  name by authorized
                    person.




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