The Santa Barbara Historic Landmarks Commission granted project design approval on Dec. 17 to two downtown projects — a new restaurant building at 628 State Street and a plaza/restaurant/venue project at 330 State Street — and accepted a revised Phase 2 historic structures report for a Cliff Drive subdivision.

At 628 State Street the architect Kevin Moore described a compact restaurant with a deep recessed order window, bar and shaded courtyard. Staff advised that the project qualified for an environmental exemption under CEQA section 15303; after commissioner comments about rafter tails, plaster details and window muntins the commission voted to approve project design with compatibility findings.

For 330 State Street (the Andalusia/Seaside Oil Company site) the project team presented a plan to remove an existing parking lot, create a new plaza with landscape, a trellis, and screening for rooftop mechanical units. The applicant described revised trellis scale, rolling trash gates and proposed metal patterned screening for rooftop equipment; the commission approved project design, found the project consistent with Secretary of the Interior standards for minor alterations, and granted waivers (mechanical and waste/recycling) conditioned on EHS comments and required findings under CEQA section 15183.

Separately the commission reviewed a revised historic report and design for the Cliff Drive subdivision (four lots, with new houses on Lots 2 and 3) and voted to accept the Phase 2 report; the historian concluded the revised design meets the Secretary of the Interior standards and recommended keeping the original driveway piers in or near their historic location. The commission’s votes on the State Street items and Cliff Drive were recorded by roll call and carried.