Planning commission reviews 23‑unit Milpas Street housing proposal, tells applicant to address parking, view lines and affordability

The Santa Barbara Planning Commission on March 6 reviewed a concept plan for a 23‑unit, three‑story rental project at 518–524 North Milpas Street and voted to forward advisory comments to the Historic Landmarks Commission (HLC) and the project team.

Associate planner Pilar Plummer of the City of Santa Barbara Planning and Zoning Division told commissioners the proposal would merge two parcels to create a 22,935‑square‑foot lot, demolish existing buildings except for a historically significant facade, and build a 23‑unit complex under the city’s AUD program and state density‑bonus law. "The project...is for a new 3 story 23 unit residential apartment complex under the AUD program and state density bonus law," Plummer said during the staff presentation.

The commission’s comments focused on three recurring issues: neighborhood parking and access to three off‑site spaces reported at 907 East Haley Street; the visual effect of the project’s massing and the HLC’s request for story poles; and whether the project could increase on‑site or deed‑restricted affordable housing or otherwise prioritize local residents.

Why it matters: The project would add rental housing in a commercially zoned portion of the Memphis neighborhood but would also demolish a small number of existing low‑rent rooms on the site. Neighbors and business owners told commissioners they are concerned about sightlines, the scale of the new building and street parking impacts.

Key project details from staff and the applicant

- Address and lot: 518 and 524 North Milpas Street (two parcels to be merged into one 22,935 sq. ft. lot). - Unit plan and sizes: 23 rental units total — 4 studios, 2 one‑bedrooms, 14 two‑bedrooms and 3 three‑bedroom townhome units; unit sizes range from about 487 to 2,080 sq. ft., with an average unit size of 924 sq. ft., per staff. - Affordability: The applicant proposes 2 units deed‑restricted to very low income households and 2 units reserved to meet the AUD program’s moderate‑income inclusionary requirement. Staff said the project is using 11% of units as very low…