Hearing officer grants one-year extension for three-unit condominium tentative map near Mission Creek

The Santa Barbara Staff Hearing Officer on March 19, 2025 approved a one-year time extension for a tentative subdivision map that would create three two-bedroom condominium units on a 9,040-square-foot lot adjacent to Mission Creek. The extension moves the map expiration to Feb. 13, 2026 and was granted under California Government Code section 66452.6.

The project, originally approved by the Planning Commission on Feb. 13, 2020, had previously received two time extensions that moved the approval to Feb. 13, 2025. The applicant requested a third one-year extension; staff reported there is an active building permit application for the site and that circumstances justifying the original approval have not materially changed.

Staff described the approved project as three two-bedroom condominium units, seven on-grade parking spaces and a density of approximately 14.57 dwelling units per acre, consistent with the RM zoning and the general plan designation of medium-high-density residential. The city’s environmental analyst determined the project is exempt from further environmental review under CEQA Guidelines section 15305 as a minor alteration to land use limitations for which the city allows extensions of time when conditions have not changed.

City staff noted the City is considering changes to creek setbacks and inclusionary housing requirements, but those changes have not taken effect and were not applied to this extension. No members of the public registered comments on the extension during the meeting.

The hearing officer approved the one-year extension and stated no changes to the conditions of approval were necessary at this time. “So the 1 year time extension is, approved,” the hearing officer said.