Coast Village Road Condos Get Planning Panel’s OK

» a guest on 03.21.08 @ 05:28 AM

We are losing our beloved community, one out-of-scale development at a time.

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» a guest on 03.21.08 @ 08:08 AM

This is a well planned project. Underground parking is expensive but at least the project privides it’s own parking unlike most businessness on Coast Village Rd. However, I’m disappointed with George Myers and his vote. It looks like the crowd got to him.

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» a guest on 03.21.08 @ 11:47 PM

I think this was a reasonable development for this site. The zoning change was appropriate because this particular project protects the immediate neighbor from incompatible uses, including a much more intensively used gasoline station. I hope the developer will be considerate of the northside landscaping and correct the neighbors sunlight and maintenance issues. I think the article’s comments atriibuted to commisioner Stella Larson were unnecessary and insensitive to the neighbors and out of touch with most people I know. If the neighbors want to eliminate viewing the new condo and reversely the condo dwellers looking into their yards perhaps an appropriately growing bamboo or tree can screen the backyard visibility. Try a native tree. Jason J. Smith

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» a guest on 03.22.08 @ 06:14 AM

This project has been in the planning process for over two years now, long before the driving force of the opposition John Wallace came down from San Luis Obispo and purchased his property as a vacation rental. He knew what was being proposed and so did Jeff Ferrell, the realtor who sold him the house. Mr. Wallace even had meetings with John Price to address his concerns and initially approved of the development. Now the project has been approved by the Planning Commission and those opposed have resorted to accusations that anyone who spoke in favor of the project was paid off to speak or an employee of Mr. Price and that the planning commission has somehow been bought. The opponents didn’t get their way, so this is a taste of how low they are willing to stoop. I imagine we can expect more of the same and worse in the future. That’s the dangerous thing about people with this mentality; they can’t fathom someone having an opinion different than their own. In addition you have the Santa Barbara News Press’ editor waging a one sided campaign railing against the project without even a pretense of being fair and balanced- yellow journalism at its finest. Sadly, this is all too common in our community. There are a number of projects past and present that have been held up, denied or just plain run out of money due to a small self righteous minority standing in the way. Projects such as the Coral Casino, Camino Real Marketplace, Paseo Nuevo and even Fess Parker’s Doubletree Resort. All were routinely vilified in the press and objected to by an outspoken minority during the entire process but I doubt there is anyone now that does not believe that each one of these properties is a benefit to our community. These are also many of the same people who are resisting the widening of the 101 through Montecito and the re-development of the Miramar. It seems they find partially demolished buildings and horrendous traffic preferable. The simple fact of the matter is this: The existing service station is at the end of its service life and will either need to be rebuilt or replaced. The current 76 image guidelines would dictate a building much different in appearance from the current one and would not fit in at all well with the image of Coast Village Road. Instead, a beautiful mixed use building has been proposed and approved for the site. This project offers pleasing aesthetics, more on-site parking than required with minimal asphalt runoff as it is mostly underground or covered; 3 additional public parking spaces on Coast Village and beautiful landscaping. The building is only 8 feet higher at three stories than the 2 story building next door- who’s owner approves of the project- and 3rd story setbacks better than 20 feet. One would also assume that not only the retail tenants but the condo owners would be very involved in the CVR community. Pride of ownership is a powerful force. The project will also reduce traffic trips, and has been designed with the possibility of a roundabout at the intersection of Coast Village, Olive Mill and Jameson in mind. As for the arguments that the building will obstruct line of sight for those coming down Olive Mill, the building is set back quite far at the corner and this is a mandatory 5-way stop as well, not a blind merge into traffic. This is a non-issue. This is not the “canyonization� of Coast village road. There are setbacks in place to mitigate that from the street level and there are no other viable properties for upward growth within sight of the project. I am an employee of John Price, but I was also born at Goleta Valley Hospital in 1968 and have lived in Santa Barbara my entire life. I am raising my children here and am proud of what we have built and will continue to build as a community. This project is the right thing to do for the property and the community. Darren Wilson Santa Barbara

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» a guest on 03.26.08 @ 07:52 AM

It’s one thing to say I’m inaccurate, quite another to back it up. Let’s see what you have. Possibly you could use the time spent waiting in traffic on the 101 through Montecito. Having access to all of the information in this matter I can stand confidently behind my statements and sign my name. Are you able to? Darren Wilson Lifelong Santa Barbara Resident

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» a guest on 03.26.08 @ 01:16 PM

Actually, my letter was completely factual. you have yet to offer any specifics to the contrary. Acting like a child saying nuh uh doesn’t work. And you still don’t identify yourself. The 101 widening project was brought up by several opponents at the planning commission meeting who claimed that the construction traffic from that project would somehow be added to by this one. I assume you also wore that sticker on your shirt. Feel free to respond when you have something worthwhile to say. Darren Wilson

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» a guest on 03.28.08 @ 12:56 AM

I was born March 25 1968 at Goleta Valley Hospital. My father owned a house at Bass Lake in the late 90’s, but that was never my residence, only a place for vacations. Who are you? give me a way to contact you and I’ll take you on a tour of every house I have ever lived in. It won’t take long as they’re all in Santa Barbara. Looks like you’ve spent a lot of time investigating someone you "don’t have time to waste" on. It seems you have proven out my statements. you can’t refute my words, so all you have left is to attack with vehemence and no substance- that is no more and no less than expected. Life long, never lived anywhere else (not even for college) Santa Barbara resident, Darren Wilson

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» a guest on 04.10.08 @ 12:07 PM

Sorry to burst your bubble. Although both John Wallace’s are well respected and highly regarded, the John Wallace that lives in Montecito is NOT the engineer from San Luis Obispo. Sorry. Very little of what’s been in the comments/blogs about the neighbors next door to the 76 station have been accurate. This is just another one of those inaccurancies. However, this would be an example of a FACT- the proposed building is too tall. Another FACT- anyone who loves the building at the proposed current height, would certainly love it more if it were shorter.

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