Santa Barbara planning commission approves study to rezone airport parcel for long‑term parking

The Santa Barbara City Planning Commission voted unanimously Oct. 16 to initiate a zoning map amendment and a local coastal program (LCP) study for part of the Santa Barbara Airport parcel at 3404 Moffett Place to evaluate creation of a new long‑term surface parking lot and related coastal permitting.

Jessica Metzger, airport planner for the City of Santa Barbara, told the commission the parcel under consideration is currently zoned “airport approach operations,” a designation intended for aircraft‑related apron and operational areas that generally does not allow customer parking. Metzger said staff is requesting initiation of a rezone to “airport facility,” a zoning designation that would allow terminal‑related uses such as surface parking, rental car lots and customer access. “This is simply an information collection according to CEQA section 15,306,” Metzger said, describing the initiation step as the start of project‑level study, with environmental review to follow when a formal rezone application and coastal development permit are submitted.

The parcel sits adjacent to the Goleta Slough and contains vacant land,…