The Shelby Residential Development Project, a housing proposal that has been pending for more than 20 years, is on track to actually getting built in Goleta.

The Goleta Design Review Board supported the project’s architecture and design on Tuesday, as it reportedly did about 13 years ago when the project first came before the board. 

The project, proposed for 7400 Cathedral Oaks Road, would tear down the current single-family residence, garage and barn to build 56 single-family homes with 11 of them designated as affordable housing units.

The units, near Glen Annie Golf Club, would range in size and be single- or two-story homes.

The project also proposes a private street to serve the housing development to be maintained by a future homeowners association.

“We are presenting in front of you an extremely similar project as we did 10 (13) years ago — the site is the same and the architecture is virtually untouched,” said Ryan Mills, principal designer with architecture company DMHA. 

The board found the project design and landscape to be compatible with the neighborhood.

Mills said the design of the neighborhood is a nod to California and agriculture style architecture in the simplicity of materials proposed. 

He pointed out the porch feature on the homes as an important aspect to the project team, as they hope to make the neighborhood feel like a community.

“We wanted to try to bring some of that design element of putting people on the street saying hi to neighbors, getting to know neighbors,” Mills said. 

However, board member Dennis Whelan said those nods weren’t coming across to him. Instead, it appeared to him as a more mid-century modern style. He suggested adding a flash of color at the front door.

Board member James van Order also suggested that the applicants look at the nearby El Encanto Creek to see if there is a possibility to enhance wildlife access to it. 

The board members’ suggestions, however, are nonbinding because of the development’s builder’s remedy status.

Through state housing laws, it overrides the Goleta City Municipal standard design review process. This means the board is restricted in its discretion over the proposed design, according to the city staff report.

The review board’s recommendations and support moved the project along after facing delays, most notably a lawsuit about three years ago.

The developers submitted an application to revise the proposed number of homes from 60 to 56. At the time, however, the city disagreed with the applicant editing the pending application under Senate Bill 330, and returned the application, according to the city staff report.

The Shelby Family Partnership then sued the City of Goleta for not processing the application. The lawsuit reached a settlement when Santa Barbara County Superior Court Judge Thomas Anderle ruled in the project’s favor and required the application to be processed.

While the feedback on Tuesday was mostly in support of the project, one Goleta resident who lives across the street from the project site asked the applicants to consider how some of the homes would block neighbors’ views.

“You are really blocking our view corridors of those lovely mountains,” Brian Bailey said. “I want to support your project. I think it is a wonderful project.”

The next stop for the project is in front of the Planning Commission. The commission will give recommendations to the Goleta City Council on the accuracy of the environmental impact report on a tentative date of March 2.

Board member Cecilia Brown was not present for Tuesday’s meeting. 

The meetings are held in the Goleta City Hall Council Chambers at 130 Cremona Drive. Meetings are also livestreamed and can be found here.