[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6464276,"mediaKeyId","5784084-555a695c7bee3a04dd70e0dcc386f231","parentId",5784084,"title","Officer approves accessory building floor-area modification for church-to-house conversion at 2310 Chapala Street","audioSeconds",1285,"startMs",1288000,"endMs",2503,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5784084-555a695c7bee3a04dd70e0dcc386f231&start=1288&end=2","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5784084-555a695c7bee3a04dd70e0dcc386f231/thumbnail_1288000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6464276/Santa-Barbara-City/Santa-Barbara-County/California/Officer-approves-accessory-building-floor-area-modification-for-church-to-house-conversion-at-2310-Chapala-Street","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6464276-031e71d8acc88a7882f610399accb8bc/orig.mp4?Expires=1771174565&Signature=nOIBKmHf3ApJBNTukjc9Ye5TZRsl9uHTzB20p7qJULGMAJK4pA6zrtM96OynDSkBK9lPi0AfmMix8DiVVqVpmlIhGsp7vpVbtK2ORsseaSdYgEqq5XpcV3apUmcsTtz7uk4RD-wuufWDs4SJzuMqldCEvOFcGda6uRndy1ek15ZuLQOiiZGbaR3mwU3bgljJLcQsHjw4WSGuXr3ATecNWnxUYttVMkT3mkdqkOLA4bEjUzvl8IkFmgUg7k802wjCOR6OxCuWaSMEgV7tkjkQMjCk7WiL7YFJ0tqWpKdnr0kKUjLTen7r0vI1eJqjSCE8FsUfC1ueRt2UyR7uMMSmiA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Santa Barbara","date","2025-09-18T04:24:45.597Z","article","Tess Harris, the staff hearing officer for the City of Santa Barbara, on Sept. 17, 2025 approved an accessory building floor-area modification and associated coastal-development determinations for a project at 2310 Chapala Street in the Oak Park neighborhood. The proposal converts a former church building to a single-family residence and includes demolition of the existing church parking lot, landscape work, and a new detached two-car garage with a 194-square-foot workshop and an 800-square-foot two-bedroom accessory dwelling unit above.

Case planner Carly Ernest presented the proposal and explained that the property is a 17,012-square-foot corner lot currently developed with a single-story nonresidential structure formerly used as a church. Ernest said the proposed detached garage (609 sq ft), workshop (194 sq ft) and the ADU above (800 sq ft) combine to 1,603 square feet, exceeding the single-detached-accessory-building allowance of 1,250 square feet and therefore requiring the modification under the municipal code. Ernest told the hearing the Single Family Design Board had reviewed the design and provided supportive comments and that the Street Tree Advisory Committee had approved removal of one 14-inch liquid-amber street tree.

Applicant agent Heidi Jones told the hearing the project has been under review since 2023 and that the team has communicated with nearby neighbors during the process. “We’ve been in this process since 2023 and gone through slight fluctuations over time to result in the project that we're looking at today,” Jones said. Architect Anthony Grumbine and Ching Shue of Harrison Design described the ADU as modest and said the accessory building location and low-profile massing aim to preserve an adjacent large oak tree.

Ernest and Harris noted the project originally included a lot split that has since been omitted from the current application; the existing parking lot area will be hydro-mulched as a temporary condition while future development of that parcel remains possible. The staff report cites CEQA Guidelines section 15303 for the environmental exemption. Harris said the accessory building modification is appropriate because the garage, workshop and ADU are sized and sited to be compatible with the surrounding residential neighborhood; she approved the staff findings and the modification.

Harris also explained that this approval is appealable to the Planning Commission and that a member of the public has 10 calendar days from the hearing date (Sept. 17, 2025) to file an appeal to suspend or review the decision. The hearing closed with the officer’s approval and standard instructions about the building-permit process.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Staff Hearing Officer - September 17, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Tess Harris, the staff hearing officer for the City of Santa Barbara, on Sept. 17, 2025 approved an accessory building floor-area modification and associated coastal-development determinations for a church-to-residence conversion at 2310 Chapala Street in the Oak Park neighborhood.","taxTitle","Santa Barbara City, Santa Barbara County, California","taxId",4209,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6464279,"Officer approves two special ADUs at 125 West Yananali Street; owner to provide on-street parking permits",362,943000,1305000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5784084-555a695c7bee3a04dd70e0dcc386f231&start=943&end=1305","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5784084-555a695c7bee3a04dd70e0dcc386f231/thumbnail_943000.jpg","/articles/6464279/Santa-Barbara-City/Santa-Barbara-County/California/Officer-approves-two-special-ADUs-at-125-West-Yananali-Street-owner-to-provide-on-street-parking-permits","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6464279-3ce8977842a9f07b609ba92471a4dd16/orig.mp4?Expires=1771174565&Signature=SbSBO~iG~3NinVEJxBFcQiVJEP3Pkv6IV0NR1w1S7wCp39hwsWvGNi04oUYlb43cLZF7IE0fH9r9LA2olgz1TrJX5bf3UOzAgX~6LCEKy6NMN7FNylptkoX1KkG4NDRljQFJzl5bV0pf-Bs14QFFqOyvIwUHxX1VJXJkcxRPNSifXLt6yMGVPTjA6gzCMgQdMaVB8V~9p5A0W8IAexg~sJboE~H2oTY7hhAbSj7K7SebCkQJvv-uO8CPsaP~0DCZdiCtUBzYrz2aIkaPjx~8YL4EyQz2uvwYQUySE1UecDqI11riXn77EMVBiwD8Tw0AEwmOrP3dolqyvDEEosxKYQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Tess Harris, the City of Santa Barbara staff hearing officer, on Sept. 17, 2025 announced approval of a coastal development permit to convert a detached accessory building at 125 West Yananali Street into two special accessory dwelling units, sized about 220 and 276 square feet. Harris noted the site is associated with an existing six-unit apartment building and that the project includes eight long-term covered bicycle parking spaces and a new trash enclosure.

Staff planner Burkhardt told the hearing the property is within the area covered by AB 2097 and is approximately 0.2 miles from the Amtrak station, which triggers the state law parking exemption for new ADUs near transit. “No auto parking is required for the proposed ADUs,” Burkhardt said on the record. A tenant had filed a public comment noting their existing lease allowed an on-site parking space; Burkhardt said the applicant and property owner have committed to working with those tenants to obtain and pay for on-street parking permits and to amend leases accordingly.

Burkhardt and Harris also noted that staff recommended providing eight long-term covered bike parking spaces to help offset the loss of on-site automobile parking and to support coastal policy objectives; the applicant included those spaces on site. The staff report cited CEQA Guidelines section 15303 for the environmental exemption.

Harris formally announced approval and reminded the public that, for ADU coastal-development announcements in the city’s non-appealable coastal jurisdiction, the staff hearing officer’s decision is final and not subject to appeal. She wished the applicant and property owner well as they proceed to the building-permit stage.

No additional public comment was raised at the hearing for this item; staff will finalize conditions of approval and the project description in the building-permit files.","Tess Harris, the City of Santa Barbara staff hearing officer, on Sept. 17, 2025 announced approval of a coastal development permit to convert a detached accessory building at 125 West Yananali Street into two special accessory dwelling units, sized about 220 and 276 square feet.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6464284,"Staff hearing officer approves ADU conversion at 1391 Santa Rita Circle",514,444000,958000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5784084-555a695c7bee3a04dd70e0dcc386f231&start=444&end=958","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5784084-555a695c7bee3a04dd70e0dcc386f231/thumbnail_444000.jpg","/articles/6464284/Santa-Barbara-City/Santa-Barbara-County/California/Staff-hearing-officer-approves-ADU-conversion-at-1391-Santa-Rita-Circle","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6464284-e89024d300a20a04c1312edb922555d8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771174565&Signature=EQQnZvnmsZjkH7-4Ufh8fTVEn0EKsk9BBybi2ZkeQtwHMxvWvU5aKgzr8-aNvNiv0CZbxlXVzdiNylriI0~cdxL0iY2osygDEd31wGC5E-GhAqQfwL5Q8xt4LIGixLc~MeiRiuK10opBXwdi9hs-drq98OClfO8Nh~mSqNaM~0ESHHbiycaL6q-4Kyfhu3dY~CSnJHmvZNXiAVzw9WD79XkCgJZZKY8vRcoTlQM1oT2c~XyWwH4J3gIFijqqIfIc~i7awiwL1xA9pKT9gDiKGpEbv0zOCqy0qLbhOHxSZnUlO6YCcdtzvXhHf41YPb~h5XIxSN2hYTlrwDML9-5o6A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Tess Harris, the staff hearing officer for the City of Santa Barbara, on Sept. 17, 2025 approved a coastal development permit allowing the conversion of an existing 372-square-foot attached garage at 1391 Santa Rita Circle into a single-story accessory dwelling unit. Harris said the decision is final and cannot be appealed.

Harris said the ADU is intended to allow an elderly property owner to have family move in to assist with care, and she urged neighbors to speak directly with the owner. “The property owner is an individual that is aging and is bringing her family moving in so that they can assist her as she ages,” Harris said during the announcement.

The project site is a 7,000-square-foot parcel now developed with a single-unit residence. The staff report described the project as an in-place conversion that does not expand the building footprint; the project is exempt from further environmental review under California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines section 15303, the new-construction/conversion exemption cited in the staff report. Harris said she visited the site and reviewed public comments raising concerns about density and parking but found no physical development impacts that would preclude approval.

Harris noted one item for record keeping: the staff report initially misstated the primary residence square footage. During the hearing she said the house size and aggregate numbers in the staff report should be corrected and that staff will confirm the accurate figures in the minutes and the building-permit submittal. She also asked staff to confirm whether the project’s stormwater requirement is listed as Tier 1 or Tier 2 in the conditions of approval; the hearing officer said staff would verify that detail.

Authorities and approvals cited on the record included the Santa Barbara Municipal Code provision referenced during the announcement and CEQA section 15303 as the environmental exemption. Harris closed the announcement by formally approving the coastal-development permit for 1391 Santa Rita Circle and wished the property owner well; she reminded the public that ADUs in single-family zones are allowed by state law and that this approval in the city’s non-appealable coastal jurisdiction is a final action.

The staff hearing officer read standard conditions of approval into the record and invited the applicant to raise any questions; no further public comment was received for this item.

Harris’s decision is final and not subject to appeal under the procedures stated at the hearing.","Staff Hearing Officer Tess Harris approved a coastal development permit to convert a 372-square-foot garage to an accessory dwelling unit at 1391 Santa Rita Circle. The decision is final and not appealable; staff will correct minor project-description and stormwater-tier details in the record.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Officer approves accessory building floor-area modification for church-to-house conversion at 2310 Chapala Street

Officer approves two special ADUs at 125 West Yananali Street; owner to provide on-street parking permits

Staff hearing officer approves ADU conversion at 1391 Santa Rita Circle