Santa Barbara ABR continues review of 1611 Castillo Street housing project, asks for more traditional details and fuller landscape plan

The Architectural Board of Review continued consideration of a proposed five-unit residential project at 1611 Castillo Street on Aug. 4, 2025, directing the applicant to revise certain exterior details to better align with neighborhood compatibility guidelines and to return with a preliminary landscape plan for further review.

The board’s action came after a 15-minute presentation by the design team and roughly two hours of public comment and commissioner questions. Chair Anderson said the project’s massing and site plan were generally acceptable, but multiple board members and members of the public urged changes to materials and detailing so the development reads more “residential” and compatible with its surroundings.

The project, presented by Ellen Bilston and Scott Stankey of Bilston Architecture and Planning, would add five accessory-unit-density (AUD) residential units and five vehicle parking spaces (four covered in carports plus one accessible uncovered space) to a site that currently contains a three-unit apartment building proposed to remain. Building permits to address site improvements — including a new driveway, parking area, trash room and landscaping — are under review. The applicant asked the board to approve an alternative open-yard design to meet the city’s 15% open-yard requirement; staff confirmed that finding is on the table and that the project had been deemed complete for the ABR process.

Why it matters: the site sits at a visible corner near the Arriaga Street…