The proposed unique design for the Sandpiper Golf Club has moved closer to becoming reality.
Goleta’s Design Review Board agreed on Tuesday to move the proposed design plans for the demolition and renovation project to the Planning Commission. But, they required project staff to make edits to some of the project’s components.
Additionally, the board found the project’s addition of parking spaces and the building’s exceeded height limit to be acceptable.
Board member Tamesha Schumacher recused herself from the discussion.
The construction project, spearheaded by Beanie Babies CEO and hotelier Ty Warner, who owns the club, proposes above and below ground buildings to replace the more than 50-year-old clubhouse at 7925 Hollister Ave.
Other components of the project include: maintenance facility for staff, redesign of the 18-hole golf course, restroom and snack facilities, restoration of the Barnsdall Rio Grande Gas Station, increased parking and the addition of transit stops and crosswalks on Hollister Avenue.
The last time the Design Review Board discussed this project was nearly five years ago for a conceptual design review.
Project architects said on Tuesday the design’s goal is to create something that mirrored the site’s environment.
The proposed clubhouse design would demolish the existing 9,305-square-foot facility to build an almost quadruple 37,179-square-foot structure that boasts a restaurant and bar with ocean views.
“I don’t think Goleta has ever seen or will see something akin to this design,” board member Dennis Whelan said.
The proposed clubhouse has sloped roofs, mimicking a hill with turf covering the top of the above level buildings. The design also includes large glass walls.
Board member Martha Degasis said she worries the grand glass walls might lead to bird strikes.
Project staff said they had not thought about that possibility and would look into possible solutions.
Another key component of the design is the glass elevator sandwiched between the clubhouse structures.
But, board members took issue with the proposed design of the elevator saying it doesn’t fit with the general design.
“That elevator tower with the glass feels foreign to me,” board member James van Order said. “Maybe there’s an inspiration from nature that can be used.”
The underground level would be used for golf course operations, like shipping and receiving materials, according to the city staff report.
The 18-hole golf course is also proposed to be redesigned by architect Tom Doak to “be more consistent with the natural topography of the site” and provide more ocean views, according to the city staff report.
Additionally, the powerlines along Hollister Avenue are proposed to be moved underground to allow a full ocean view, said Steve Rodriguez, a consultant on the project the City of Goleta contracted.
Project architects say this change will address some resident concerns regarding the proposed design blocking ocean views.
Additionally, project staff say the renovation will extend the De Anza trail and plants monarch butterfly foraging.
The Barnsdall Rio Grande Gas Station, a beloved historical landmark, will also get major repairs.
It is proposed to be restored to its original design and materials and then used as the Rio Grande Coffee Shop, Rodriguez said.
Additionally, project architect Barry Winick said the former gas station will still have pumps but the new ones would provide electrical charge for bikes.
“That was our way of honoring its past,” said Steve Welton, planner for the project with SEPPS Land Use Consulting.
The Historical Preservation Commission is set to review the restoration plans for the Barnsdall Rio Grande Gas Station on Feb. 26.
The last time the proposed design of the gas station went in front of that commission was in 2024, where community members and the commission supported the plan.
When the proposed clubhouse design was presented at the Design Review Board this week, it left a good impression on most meeting attendees. Long-term Goleta resident Bob Craig called it an architectural masterpiece and many other public speakers supported the design plans.
But, one resident, Karen Lovelace, compared the design to a “Flintstones village.” She also said she is worried the club’s entrance by the Highway 101 overpass might cause traffic during large events.
If the Planning Commission decides to move the project along, it will then go in front of the Goleta City Council which will make the final decision on the project.
