Members of the Church of Scientology on State Street better enjoy the fresh air from their windows while they can, because pretty soon the ones facing south will be sealed shut.
That’s because the Santa Barbara City Council on Tuesday denied the church’s appeal of the Planning Commission’s approval of a project that would put rental units up alongside the 100-year-old building at 524 State St.
The decision all but clears the way for the property owner of the neighboring lot at 518 State St. to go forward with the two-story development, which will put commercial space on the bottom and two small apartment dwellings on the top. The lot is currently used as an open-air market.
The decision also means the church — known for its celebrity devotees and its colorful founder, science-fiction author L. Ron Hubbard — must seal its nine windows facing south to prevent the possibility that a fire could spread from one building to the other.
In making their case, two church representatives — a minister and an attorney — argued that the city should deny the project on the grounds it would unfairly cut off the natural lighting and ventilation provided to the church’s congregation by the windows.
“I have to tell you it gets pretty sweltering,” the Rev. Lee Holzinger said. “You’ve got lots of bodies in there.”
In his presentation, Holzinger tried to appeal to the city’s affinity for historic preservation and sustainable development. The building, he said, was erected in the 1880s and once housed a Vaudeville theater. Sealing the windows, he added, would detract from the historic character of the façade, and force the church to install air-conditioning, which goes against the sensibilities of the green-design inclined.
Holzinger said he would like for the proposed building to be set back 10 feet so the church can retain its ability to use natural ventilation.
“I think it’s a great idea,” he said of the development. “But environmentally speaking, we are about to make a serious blunder.”
Ultimately, his arguments failed to persuade the City Council, which denied the appeal unanimously.
City historian Jake Jacobus disputed the church’s version of history, noting that his records show the structure was built in 1901 — not in the 1880s — and was used variously as a hotel, naval-academy armory and bed-and-breakfast lodge, but not a theater.
City officials also pointed out that the church has sky lighting that could be slightly altered to allow for natural ventilation.
The council praised the property owner and applicant of the proposed project, Jim Craviotto, for the development’s small size, as well as its aim to serve renters.
Mayor Marty Blum pointed out that 58 percent of the city’s residents are renters.
“I think it’s really important for them to be able to live downtown, especially if they are working down there,” she said. “They are really going to be nice little units. I think it’s quite sensitive to that whole block.”
The proposed development, which still needs one more nod of approval from the Historic Landmarks Commission, would be unusual in that it would not require the developer to provide parking.
