The Santa Maria Planning Commission voted unanimously Wednesday night to send a project that could build more than 1,000 homes on the southwestern edge of town to the City Council with a positive recommendation.

Seven residents of the Tanglewood community - which is just south of the proposal, called Mahoney Ranch South - spoke against the project, citing concerns about losing privacy and views of the Santa Maria Valley.

However, commission members told the audience they believe there is enough time between now and the project's construction to work out details of how the southern end of Mahoney Ranch South would interface with the established community.

Currently, the city is deciding whether to alter an adopted specific plan to allow for changes in the development proposal that have since occurred to reflect environmental constraints.

The Specific Plan deals with general zoning and proposals, but more detailed plans are required at the Planned Development permit stage, which will occur in the future.

Commissioners Adrian Andrade and Michael Motes urged the developer to meet with Tanglewood residents so that when the detailed development permits are sought, the project design will have had input from the neighbors.

The plan proposes 1,405 residential units on the property located south of Betteravia Road between Black Road and the Santa Maria Public Airport property, and north of the Tanglewood community.

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Of the more than 1,000 residential units, 727 would be single-family homes on lots ranging from 5,000 to 7,000 square feet; 479 would be multiple-family units, such as duplexes and triplexes; and 199 would be high density residential, multifamily units, such as town house or apartments, according to the project's draft environmental impact report.

Medium density residential is planned to abut Tanglewood backyards.

“It's going to take away from my backyard, which I enjoy,” resident Anthony Gonzalez told the commission.

Ken Melvin, of Standard Pacific Homes, told the commission he felt the issue over the medium density housing could be solved when a detailed development plan is proposed. He also noted that project construction is at least three to five years away and would be a phased development as the market dictates.

Just more than five acres is also planned for a community-serving retail center.

Additionally, 106 acres is designated as conservation open space to address the presence of protected plants and animals on the site, such as the California tiger salamander and red-legged frog.

According to the draft environmental document, the project would have a population of about 5,100 people once completely built.

Malia Spencer can be reached at 739-2219 or mspencer@santamariatimes.com.

July 3, 2008