Before a project that proposes buildings up to 55 feet tall at the city's southwestern edge can move forward, the Santa Maria City Council will first decide Tuesday whether to allow buildings up to 70 feet tall in certain parts of the city - including the project site.

Although the items are not tied together, a change in the height ordinance is necessary for possible approval of the proposed Lakeview Promenade project at the northwest corner of South Broadway (Highway 135) and Skyway Drive. The meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall, 110 E. Cook St.

The proposed city code amendment - as introduced to the council on Sept. 16 - would allow a maximum height of 70 feet, from the current limit of 35 feet, for high density residential (R-3) zoning districts on lots 1 acre or larger. A limit of 45 feet would apply for lots less than an acre in size. New setback standards also are included.

However, the council continued the separate public hearings on Sept. 16 to allow city staff time to develop more options on allowable heights and areas where the height limit could be applied.

Councilwoman Alice Patino said she favored the proposed height in the Downtown Specific Plan area only rather than other parts of the city.

The proposed Downtown Specific Plan includes building heights varying 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 are 70 feet maximum, both the Railroad Loft District and Gateway District are 60 feet maximum.

Feeling “blindsided” by the proposal, Councilwoman Hilda Zacarias said the request was unreasonable because the zoning would impact areas throughout the city.

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Deborah Brasket, executive director of the Santa Barbara County Action Network, opposed the zoning change in public comment. She said heights taller than 35 feet should be kept inside the city's inner core.

Laurie Tamura, principal planner for Urban Planning Concepts, supported the new heights as an asset for planning in the Downtown Specific Plan area and outlying R-3 zones.

City staff has prepared six options for the council to consider. They are:

n Option A - Allow exceptions up to

55 feet for mixed-use projects of at least

5 acres in size.

n Option B - Allow exceptions up to

70 feet for mixed-use projects of at least

5 acres in size.

n Option C - Allow exceptions up to 55 feet for building sites larger than 1 acre.

n Option D - Require re-zoning to R-3 for up to 70 feet.

n Option E - Require a development agreement between the city and applicant before a building permit is issued and not change the current code

n Option F - Leave the current code the same.

Developer Greg Nester's Lakeview Promenade proposal for the former Renfrow Airport Auto Center site includes 263 condominiums, 39,447 square feet of retail space, 13,933 square feet of restaurant space, a 250-seat movie theater and 13,799 square feet of spa/fitness/physical healthcare space. There would be up to 966 residents.

The residential portion is proposed for six buildings, and 78 of the 263 units are proposed as senior units. The buildings, which would include some residences above retail space, would have a maximum building height of 55 feet. The proposed height was lowered from 57 feet in response to the public hearing discussions on Sept. 16.

For comparison, the seven-story Union Plaza Senior Apartments building, built in 1975, is 69 feet tall on a 2.3-acre site.

Adoption of the Mahoney Ranch South project is scheduled on the consent calendar - a number of items considered as a group and typically without discussion. The project proposes 1,405 residential units on 191 acres of the 319-acre property south of Betteravia Road between Black Road and the Santa Maria Public Airport property, and north of the Tanglewood community.

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

October 4, 2008