The nonprofit Center for Urban Agriculture is one step closer to giving Goleta Valley’s historic Fairview Gardens Farm a makeover.

While the renovation project divided residents during the Goleta Design Review Board meeting on Tuesday, the board was unanimous in its support. 

Fairview Gardens Farm at 598 N. Fairview Ave. temporarily closed in 2022 and launched a restoration project campaign.

The project includes restoring and repurposing the historic farmhouse into a café and teaching kitchen; building a 6,500-square-foot multifunctional barn; constructing a 2,500-square-foot farm stand; developing a teaching garden and kids garden; adding nine on-site staff housing units; and increasing sustainability and programming.

“All of it, every single detail (has) been carefully conceived of and designed solely and entirely for community benefit,” said Michael Ableman, founder and interim executive director. “It’s not perfect, we know that.”

After almost an hour of public commenters, the board recommended in a 6-0 vote that the project go to the Planning Commission but with suggestions that the project team look into revising certain project elements.

“Once the dust settles on this, it’s going to be a big boom for the community,” board member Scott Branch said.

Their recommendation to the Planning Commission also included approving the California Environmental Quality Act findings and the project’s conditional use permit.

The conditional use permit application also proposes the keeping of farm animals, using off-site parking at nearby facilities, implementing children and adult programs, and events and festivals.

Ableman also clarified that the conditional use permit requires that project staff imagine every possible future activity and its frequency and attendance to analyze potential impacts on traffic and noise in the area.

“How the staff report was written, it can be alarming and I understand it,” he said. “For some folks, it looks like we are planning to have the Rolling Stones perform every day.”

While the board’s purview is on aesthetics, Tuesday’s meeting brought forth criticism on various elements, including the location and size of staff housing, the barn and events.

“By the applicant’s own admission, the proposed multi-unit housing complex does not blend or provide architectural cohesion with the historic farmhouse,” longtime Goleta resident and farm neighbor Linda Cobb said. “To hide this mismatch, they want to inappropriately place this high-density complex directly against residential property lines.”

Eight of the staff housing units are proposed to be placed in the northeastern area of the property, close to homes on Stow Canyon Road, Connor Lane and Marstone Lane. 

Board member Branch found the staff housing location appropriate because “it is a neighborhood next to a neighborhood.”

Board member Martha Degasis, along with other board members, wished the original farmhouse was reflected in the homes.

“They are beautiful buildings,” she said, “but (they) are somehow quite different from the traditional farmhouse that is on the site.”

Residents also said the barn would be too big and the size would make way for the farm to host large events.

Board member Dennis Whalen asked about the planning behind having the barn being very visible and in the middle of the property and suggested shifting it lower in the landscape. 

“We think it really complements the identity of the farm and a place to come and see this urban farm in action,” Adam Sharkey, architect with Blackbird Architects, said.

However, Ableman said, “there’s no way they could possibly manage” the level of events outlined and they need to “throw everything” on the permit application.

Board member James van Order said that while he understands the public’s concerns, he feels confident the Stow House neighbors felt the same way about 20 years ago.

“I have seen neighbors to Stow House and go enjoy summer events there, and I have a feeling the same thing would happen here,” he said.

In support of the project, the board also suggested the project team design the staff housing similar to the farmhouse, find an alternative housing location and solutions for neighbor’s concerns, add exterior access to the farmhouse on design plans, reduce the barn’s visual impact, and outline pedestrian routes through and to the site.

Board member Tamesha Schumacher was absent.

Project critics also have launched a website, “Protect Fairview Gardens,” to amplify their concerns of the farm utilizing the land for private events and its subsequent impacts.

They want Fairview Gardens to use the farms for organic farming and on-site produce sales, education programming, tours, employee housing and restoring the farmhouse.

Ableman criticized some residents on Tuesday for creating flyers with inaccurate renderings using artificial intelligence to spread claims that the project is a threat to Goleta’s historical legacy.

“I need to call out those who are making blatantly false claims and producing AI-generated images to try to poison the well. This serves no one,” Ableman said.

While Fairview Garden Farms awaits a decision, 150 fruit and nut trees and 8,000 asparagus seedlings were planted in early spring, according to Ellen Stratton, administrative director.

The project also has the support of The Land Trust for Santa Barbara County after it deemed the project consistent with the conservation easement it has with the property owner, which dictates what can be done on the property and where, according to Heidi Jones with Meraki Land Use Consulting.

The project is set to go to the Goleta Planning Commission at a later date.