Council approves design review for 13-unit 8th Street apartment project; owner pledges not to displace current tenants

The Guadalupe City Council on Jan. 28 approved a design review permit for a project that will add seven new apartments to an existing six-unit complex at 4646 8th Street, bringing the site total to 13 units.

Planning staff described the project as a small-scale infill development on a 0.75‑acre parcel in the R‑3 high-density residential zone. The proposal calls for three ground-floor units and four upper-floor units over parking, for a net increase of seven units. The project provides 29 parking spaces (nine covered), exceeding the 26 spaces required by municipal code for the new and existing units.

Staff said the project would provide common outdoor areas, picnic tables, landscaping (about 20% landscape coverage versus the 10% requirement), new lighting, new fence/wall, and trash enclosure. Staff acknowledged the private yards for three ground-floor units are slightly under the code minimum (about 72 square feet vs. the 100 square-foot standard), but found the deficiency acceptable because the project provides additional common open space.

The property owner and the project architect told the council they do not intend to displace existing residents and that the first phase of work will emphasize exterior upgrades, paving, parking, new landscaping and site amenities to improve living conditions for current tenants. The architect said interior upgrades could come later but noted displacement avoidance as a priority.

Staff recommended a Class 32 CEQA exemption for infill development and asked the council to adopt the design review resolution with conditions requiring site maintenance and exterior improvements for the existing building.

Council voted to adopt the resolution approving the design review permit and CEQA finding. Roll-call votes recorded four ayes; one member was absent.