Planning Commission recommends rezoning 2020 Chapala Street to allow funeral services

On April 17, 2025, the Santa Barbara Planning Commission voted 6-0 to recommend that City Council rezone the property at 2020 Chapala Street from Office Restricted (OR) to Commercial General (CG), a change staff said would align the parcel’s zoning with the city’s general plan and allow the existing funeral parlor to continue operating.

Planning staffer Miss Buckhart told the commission the site, located north of Mission Street in the Oak Park neighborhood, is currently occupied by McDermott and Crockett Associates Mortuary and an accessory building. She said the mortuary has held business licenses at the address since February 2011 and that the rezone request is intended to correct a longstanding mismatch between the parcel’s zoning and the city’s land-use designation. "The CG zone is the most appropriate for the commercial medium high density residential land use designation," Buckhart said during her presentation.

Buckhart reviewed the parcel’s zoning history, saying the site was split-zoned for commercial and residential uses in 1957, rezoned to Restricted Office in 1972, and has since been affected by subsequent citywide zoning changes. She said the requested rezoning would not alter existing buildings, driveways, or curb cuts and that the city’s 2017 zoning ordinance renamed several zones (for example, C-2 became CG). She also said staff concluded the rezone is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act under Guideline §15305, which covers minor land use reclassifications that do not change planned uses in the area.

Commissioners and staff discussed parking. Buckhart said parking requirements are set by land use and not the zoning label, and that the site appears to be about seven automobile spaces short of the requirement; any parking issues will be reviewed when the applicant applies to Building & Safety for a change of occupancy. Applicant agent Heidi Jones told the commission the applicant’s post-initiation study had double-counted some square footage and that the project now shows a deficit of six spaces against the requirement and seven spaces on projected demand. "We are 6 spaces short on the requirement and 7 on the demand, and we are actively looking and talking to other adjacent properties that have spaces," Jones said, adding the mortuary typically sees low daily visits with occasional larger services.

Commissioners said the rezoning would preserve the site’s existing character and increase zoning consistency with adjacent parcels. Commissioner Wisscomb moved the resolution recommending approval of the zoning map amendment and the staff-recommended CEQA exemption; Commissioner Peterson seconded. A roll-call vote recorded six yes votes (Commissioner Peterson; Commissioner Whiskin; Commissioner Balke; Commissioner DeLucio; Vice Chair Boss; Chair Wardlow) and no no votes. The motion passed 6-0.

The Planning Commission’s action is a recommendation to City Council; council will hold its own public hearing to approve, revise or deny the zoning map amendment. If Council approves the rezone, the applicant must apply to Building & Safety for a change of occupancy, at which time planning and building staff will confirm parking compliance or the need for a modification or an off-site parking agreement.

The commission scheduled no further action at the meeting on the matter; the item will proceed to the City Council public hearing process.