A proposed blueprint for the future of downtown Santa Maria that calls for a pedestrian- and destination-oriented area divided into five architecturally unique districts will be the focus of a public hearing Wednesday before the city Planning Commission.

The proposal, called the Downtown Specific Plan, covers some 50 square blocks and roughly 268 acres bordered by Fesler Street to the north, Miller Street to the east, Morrison Street to the south and Pine Street to the west.

The hearing will be at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall, 110 E. Cook St.

The panel will consider its recommendations to the City Council on adoption of the plan, certification of its environmental impact report and rezoning the entire project area as SP (Specific Plan.)

The Downtown Specific Plan area is broken into five districts - Bungalow, Garden, Gateway, Railroad Loft and Town Center - each with its own distinct architectural style, land-use designations and parking requirements.

Primary uses for each district are listed as:

n Bungalow: offices, mixed use (residential over office or commercial), lodging, service commercial uses and residential (single family and/or attached multi-family.)

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n Garden: civic uses, cultural uses, recreational uses, office uses and commercial retail (bakery, restaurant, coffee shop.)

n Gateway: retail commercial uses, service commercial uses, restaurants, lodging and mixed-use.

n Railroad Loft: live/work uses, artisan businesses, mixed-use and residential (multi-family only.)

n Town Center: retail commercial uses, service commercial uses, restaurants (excluding drive-thrus), entertainment uses, offices (above first floor only) and mixed-use.

Specific Plan revisions include changes to building heights and setbacks, eliminating minimum-height requirement and minor changes to land uses in each district. A bikeway plan has been taken out of the Specific Plan and will be part of a citywide bicycle plan.

Setbacks would be decreased to an average of 10 feet without a public sidewalk, and 5 feet with a public sidewalk. Building heights could vary from 40 to 60 feet in the Bungalow District (30 feet if adjacent to existing single-family homes). The Garden District and Town Center District would have a 70-foot maximum, while both the Railroad Loft District and Gateway District are proposed for 60 feet maximum.

The agenda report includes several letters from artists requesting consideration for a community art gallery in the plans.

Julian J. Ramos can be reached at 739-2219 or at jramos@santamariatimes.com.

September 16, 2008