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Planning staff briefs Design Review Committee on 88‑unit pre-application, construction resumptions and a stop‑work lawsuit
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Summary
Planning staff Rafael updated the Design Review Committee on current projects including re-start at 425 25th Street after utility undergrounding, a lawsuit and stop-work order at 1704 Mission Drive, and a pre-application for 88 units at Alisal/Juniper under SB 330; staff will provide guidance to the committee on its review scope.
Planning staff provided a multi-project update to the Solvang Design Review Committee on April 16, describing construction resumptions, ongoing reviews and a large pre-application for housing that raises SB 330 vesting issues.
Rafael (planning staff) told the committee a five-unit multifamily project at 425 25th Street (plus one ADU) has the green light to resume after PG&E completed undergrounding work; remaining communication lines require coordination with Frontier and Comcast before full construction resumes. He said the project team held a re-kickoff meeting and planned an additional infrastructure meeting to coordinate work.
Rafael also said the senior center at 1745 Mission Drive received its fourth revision and now has funding to restore previously proposed features, and that the Bella Vista three-lot subdivision has foundation inspections completed. By contrast, 1704 Mission Drive remains under a stop-work order and the applicant has filed a lawsuit; a court hearing is scheduled for the end of the month as staff and the applicant’s attorney pursue resolution.
Staff listed several active reviews: a mixed‑use redesign at 423 2nd Street (commercial frontage with two residential units), a hotel renovation at 409 1st Street (Mirabelle Inn) that includes three car lifts to meet parking requirements, office‑to‑residential conversions above Rossmann, and tenant improvements for a proposed tea shop on Mission Drive. Rafael noted a new state law requiring staff to process some permits within 60 days and said staff is meeting those timelines on average.
A large pre-application for 88 units at Alisal and Juniper (referred to as Site D in the housing element) was submitted earlier in the month. Rafael explained the applicant is using a SB 330 pre-application pathway that, in his words, "vests them into what our rules are today," meaning staff must provide a complete set of infrastructure and planning comments and the application’s development standards and fees are fixed as of the application date. He told the committee he and other planning staff will provide guidance about the scope of the DRC’s review and what objective comments the committee may offer.
Staff said the Allisal events barn (Alisal Barn) is in plan review and is likely to appear on next month’s DRC agenda; the Cottage Hospital and several conversions were noted as recently approved by the Planning Commission. Rafael told members several projects remain active or approaching DRC review and urged committee members to expect continued busyness in the coming months.
The committee requested more education on SB 330 implications for the DRC’s role in reviewing residential projects; Rafael and staff committed to provide that guidance ahead of future agenda items.
