Architectural board grants final approval for Ortega Park master plan with conditions

The Santa Barbara Architectural Board of Review on Oct. 27 granted final approval to the Ortega Park master plan, a multi-phase renovation project for the full city block at 604 East Ortega Street that includes a new swimming pool, wading pool and water slide, a skate park, splash pad, sports courts, synthetic turf playing field and new buildings for restrooms and maintenance.

Board members voted to approve final plans after presentations from city Parks and Recreation staff and the project design team. Justin Vanmullen, capital project supervisor for the Parks and Recreation Department, summarized the decade-long public process, saying the master plan was approved by city council in late 2019 and refined through multiple hearings and 17 community workshops. "This project has truly been designed by the community," Vanmullen said during the presentation.

The project team from RRM Design Group described revised architectural and landscape details since the project's prior review, including adjustments to welcome-house facades, revised tile and bracket details, and a mural plan that preserves and relocates existing artworks. Elijah Pierce of RRM highlighted the scale of art at the site, saying the team had identified about 27 murals to be preserved or relocated on the park campus.

Board discussion focused on building details, lighting and landscape choices. Members asked for confirmation that field lighting would meet dark-sky and local foot-candle standards and requested additional detail about window and gate materials and the finish of exposed metal flashings. Board member 6 recommended using wrought iron rather than tubular steel on certain entry gates to match the project's higher-quality finish, and Board member Black urged larger box-size trees in key locations for immediate shade and longevity.

The board approved final plans with conditions including that gates be wrought iron and that certain window/trim modifications be made as discussed during the hearing. The board also recommended — not as a condition of approval — that the designer favor 24-inch box trees in places where budget permitted to improve early canopy coverage.

The project team and Parks staff said the project still must return with structural documentation required for a patio cover and other permit-level details; the board's approval was for architectural final review, subject to standard building permit checks and a 10-day appeal period.

If built as proposed, Ortega Park will include the new aquatic complex, a multiuse athletic field open year-round, community building improvements and a suite of site work meant to preserve and add murals and public art.