Planning Commission approves Brophy Bros. Clambar expansion, grants coastal permit and parking modification for 119 Harbor Way

The Santa Barbara City Planning Commission approved a coastal development permit and a parking modification for Brophy Bros.' proposed expansion at 119 Harbor Way and confirmed staff's determination that the project is categorically exempt under CEQA Guideline §15301 (existing facilities). The vote was taken during the commission's regular meeting; the motion passed on a 5-0 roll call.

Assistant planner Will Russell, the project's case planner, told the commission the proposal would combine two existing lease spaces into a single 898-square-foot restaurant space within an existing two-story, 2,956-square-foot building that is one of five commercial structures on the Harbor property. No additional building area is proposed; the changes include minor door and window revisions, interior remodel work, new kitchen equipment, required accessibility upgrades and new outdoor dining areas. Russell said the building currently has four commercial lease spaces and shared restrooms and that the proposed use would not provide interior access to the building’s second floor.

Russell said the city's parking-demand study for the application used a high-turnover, sit-down-restaurant rate and that staff determined a net increase of six parking spaces would be required for the change from retail to restaurant. He told commissioners that the Harbor parking lots serve mixed uses and have seasonal and variable peak demand; staff concluded the six net new spaces could be handled within the existing Harbor parking supply without reducing coastal access opportunities.

Architect Lauren Ballentine of Sherry Associates Architects said the project would improve visibility to the restaurant, improve accessibility for customers with disabilities and support the Brophy Bros. business, which leases from the city. Ballentine characterized the proposal as an expansion of an existing restaurant use rather than a change of use.

Russell said the project was reviewed by the Architectural Board of Review (ABR), which provided positive design comments. Staff recommended the commission approve the coastal development permit in the appealable coastal jurisdiction, approve the parking modification (allowing fewer vehicle and bicycle spaces than the zoning standard) and confirm the environmental analyst's determination that the project is exempt from further environmental review under CEQA Guideline §15301 (existing facilities).

The commission debated no substantive changes after staff and the applicant presented. Commissioner DeLucio moved to approve the coastal development permit and the parking modification and to confirm the CEQA exemption; the motion was seconded and passed on a roll call vote: Commissioner DeLucio — yes; Commissioner Wisscomb — yes; Commissioner Boss — yes; Vice Chair Wardlow — yes; Chair Bauke — yes.

The planning staff record notes the parking calculation used a total occupant seat count of 53 (33 indoor seats plus an assumed 20 for associated standing/serving areas). The staff report also cited specific Santa Barbara Coastal Land Use Policies that encourage modest expansions of existing visitor-serving coastal facilities while preserving working-harbor functions. Written correspondence from Greg Gorga on behalf of the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum was received and distributed to the commission prior to the hearing; the correspondence is part of the project record.

The commission’s vote completes the planning-level entitlements listed at the hearing; subsequent permits (for example, building permits or ABC liquor licensing) will follow the normal city permitting processes and any separate agency approvals they require.

The commission discussion and staff presentation emphasized that the project involves no new floor area, that the parking demand study supports the requested modification, and that staff found no CEQA exceptions to the §15301 existing-facilities exemption.