Board grants project design approval for 12-unit duplex project at 308 West Montecito with conditions

The Santa Barbara Architectural Board of Review granted project design approval on Jan. 21 for a new development at 308 West Montecito Street that proposes six two-story duplex buildings for a total of 12 residential units. The project is proposed under the city’s average unit density incentive program and the state density bonus law; the applicant proposes no automobile parking per AB 2097 and 12 bicycle parking spaces.

Agent Lonnie Roy presented revisions requested at the project’s Jan. 6 hearing. Changes included an easement on the neighboring property (302 West Montecito) to shift a central walkway, additional bike parking along the northerly property line, relocated trash enclosures integrated into a building to create a central gathering courtyard, permeable concrete pavers to meet stormwater/tier requirements, and a revised landscape plan with mitigation trees after an arborist report. Roy said the average unit size is 737 square feet and the scheme includes two low-income and one moderate-income restricted units.

One in-person commenter, identified only as Bonnie, objected to the size, bulk and scale and asked that new trees not overhang nearby cottages. Board members asked technical questions about bike-rack layouts, the ability to jog the walkway by changing rack orientation, heat pump placement and privacy impacts from adjacent building windows. The applicant agreed to study parallel bike-rack configurations that would reduce width and permit the walkway to meander and to explore moving one pair of heat pumps away from a patio area. The arborist recommendation called for one 48-inch box tree (Chinese pistache) and two 24-inch box gingko trees for mitigation.

Following comments and discussion, the board moved and voted to grant project design approval with the following actions/conditions: study the arrangement of exterior open bike racks to attempt a meandered sidewalk; relocate one pair of heat pumps away from the newly developed patio; study a hardscape connection between the trash enclosures and Bath Street so trash bins are not dragged through landscaped areas; and identify an alternate to the Brisbane box (Brisbane box / Tristania) given the very tight planting area. The motion language in the record also references an “indefinite continuance” to return to the full board for additional review; the board’s stated outcome was to grant project design approval while directing the applicant to study and report back on the listed items. The board voted unanimously in favor.

Why it matters: The project converts an existing parking lot into 12 residential units under state and local density programs and includes affordable-restricted units; the board’s conditions address livability concerns raised by neighbors and by board members.

Next steps: The applicant must study the bike rack configuration, heat pump relocation, trash hardscape access and alternate tree species and return with responses per the board’s direction.