Planning commission delays Laurel Springs home approvals after wildfire, CEQA disputes

The Santa Barbara County Planning Commission on Dec. 3 continued appeals of two proposed single-family homes in the Painted Cave community, citing unresolved wildfire-safety questions and new information the commission said warrants further environmental review.

The applications by Laurel Springs Retreat LLC would build two houses on adjacent lots in Painted Cave. Planning staff recommended denying the appeals and approving the projects under CEQA Guidelines section 15183, saying the parcels are zoned for single-family dwellings and the Eastern Goleta Valley community-plan EIR covers project impacts. Staff planner Veronica King said the design includes a 3,185-square-foot home with a 463-square-foot garage, habitat restoration exceeding the 2:1 replacement ratio and fire-resistant materials.

But neighbors and experts disputed the staff's conclusion. Appellant attorney Mark Chotillo said the record now includes substantial new information and argued the commission should require a full initial study instead of relying on the community-plan streamlining provision. "We believe that this project needs a full initial study," he told commissioners, asking the board to consider updated wildfire science and evacuation impacts.

Retired county fire marshal Rob Hazard told the commission Painted Cave sits in a very high wildfire-hazard zone and that county roads in the area are often too narrow to meet modern clearance or evacuation standards. "Painted Cave has an extreme high level of wildfire risk," Hazard said, describing narrow stretches of Painted Cave Road that he measured at 15 to 17 feet wide and some switchbacks as narrow as 9.5 feet.

County Fire Captain Chris Olmstead, participating by Zoom, said his review focused on parcel-scale measures (access, defensible space and water) and that staff and the applicant revised plans in response to fire comments. "We looked at the water, we looked at the defensible space," he said, summarizing the department's multi-year review. Still, several commissioners said a community- or corridor-scale analysis was missing from the record.

Several commissioners said the hearing raised enough unresolved risk to justify more work. Commissioner McCooney moved to continue the items to Jan. 28 and directed staff to prepare findings for denial focused on wildfire safety and general-plan consistency; the motion passed 4-1. The commission asked staff to return with findings that explain whether the projects meet community-plan policies and whether any exception to CEQA's 15183 streamlining applies.

The applicants said they had worked for years with consultants to revise plans and that changes included removing ADUs, adjusting landscaping and specifying fire-resistant construction materials. Applicant attorney Amy Steinfeld emphasized the projects' compliance with County Fire standards and noted that the Painted Cave Mutual Water Company supplied "can-and-will-serve" letters for domestic use.

The commission also voted to continue a closely related appeal for a second lot to Jan. 28 and requested staff prepare denial findings for that case as well. Both continuances preserve opportunities for additional public comment and require staff to return with written findings before any final decision.

The hearing is scheduled to return to the planning commission on Jan. 28 for further deliberation and potential final action on the appeals.