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Council staff: Concept application filed for 93-unit townhome project at 6380 Via Real
Summary
City staff said a concept application from City Ventures Homebuilding LLC proposes a 93-unit townhouse development at the former Lagunitas office park; the applicant seeks state density bonus concessions in exchange for 12 income-restricted units. Staff said a joint concept review with design review (ARB), planning and council is being scheduled.
A concept application has been submitted for a proposed multifamily townhome project at 6380 Via Real, the site of the former Lagunitas office park, City of Carpinteria staff reported Monday.
Nick Bobroff, Community Development Director, told the City Council that the applicant, City Ventures Homebuilding LLC, is proposing a 93-unit development made up of two- and three-story townhomes with three- and four-bedroom configurations. The applicant plans to seek relief under state density bonus law in exchange for setting aside 12 income-restricted units, Bobroff said: 10 units at a moderate-income level and 2 units at an above-moderate level.
The nut of the proposal, Bobroff said, is that the project team is early in the review process and staff is coordinating a date for a joint concept-review hearing that would include the ARB, planning staff and the City Council. "This application just came in in the past few days, so we're still getting acquainted with it and reviewing the materials," Bobroff said.
Council members asked clarifying questions. Vice Mayor Celeste Snow asked whether the project would be for sale or rental; Bobroff replied it is currently proposed as townhomes for sale. Snow and other council members also asked how the density compares with the prior proposal for the site; Bobroff said the earlier apartment rental proposal was larger (about 159 units initially) and that the current 93-unit proposal is somewhat less dense.
Bobroff said concept plans and pre-application materials are available at City Hall's front counter and that staff will announce the date for the concept-review hearing once it is scheduled.
Why it matters: City staff framed this as an early-stage proposal that seeks state density bonus concessions in exchange for affordable units, a common mechanism for adding housing while preserving some units at below-market rates. The project would reuse a former office-park site and, if advanced, would require subsequent hearings and entitlements before construction could proceed.
Next steps: Staff will work with the applicant to schedule a joint concept review with the ARB, planning staff and council; additional project details and formal environmental and entitlement steps will be set out at that hearing.
