Goleta’s Design Review Board (DRB) will be conducting a public hearing to review the design of the proposed Fairview Gardens Conditional Use Permit Project, 3 p.m. June 9 both in person and virtually.

The in-persn meeting will be at Goleta City Hall Council Chambers, 130 Cremona Drive, and via Zoom (link will be available in the agenda provided at least 72 hours before the meeting on the city’s website).

The public may also view the meeting on Goleta Channel 19 and/or online at www.CityofGoleta.org/GoletaMeetings.

The property owner, the Center for Urban Agriculture at Fairview Gardens, is requesting a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) to formalize historic activities and operational uses on the 12.23-acre Fairview Gardens farm, 598 N. Fairview Ave.

The project incorporates youth and adult educational programs, farm operations, staff housing, public events, and the proposed physical developments to support those uses.

The project includes rehabilitating the existing historic farmhouse. DRB’s review is limited to the design components (i.e., architectural design, landscaping, lighting, colors and materials etc.) associated with the project.
 
The DRB will review and make recommendations to the Planning Commission regarding the design components associated with the Fairview Gardens CUP, including:

• Nine new residential units on site. Eight two-bedroom farm employee dwellings units varying in size from 855-890 square feet are proposed in the northeastern portion of the site, and one unit is proposed within the existing farmhouse building.
• Renovation and adaptive re-use of the Fairview Gardens historic farmhouse building. The farmhouse would be used as a flexible use café/patron area, teaching/staging kitchen, first- and second-floor office space, and a second-floor studio dwelling unit.
• New 2,500-square-foot farmstand along Fairview Avenue.
• New multi-functional 6,500-square-foot barn for produce packing and processing etc. Approximately 1,000 square feet of this structure would be used as gathering space for educational programming and events.
• New 730-square-foot education pavilion (roofed trellis structure).
• New 370-square-foot restroom building.
• Provision of 46 vehicular parking spaces scattered throughout the site as follows:
◦ Nine parking spaces adjacent to the farmstand.
◦ Eight parking spaces adjacent to the farmworker housing units.
◦ 25 parking spaces adjacent to the multi-functional barn.
◦ Four parking spaces for farm support vehicles adjacent to the multi-functional barn.
• Provision of 24 bicycle parking spaces including eight adjacent to the farmworker housing site.
• Provision of one bus/van drop-off space adjacent to the multi-functional barn.  
 
Other components proposed as part of the CUP request that are outside DRB purview in general include:

• Keeping of 100 chickens and 26 goats, sheep, pigs and cattle per Section 17.41.060 (Animal Keeping).
• Use of off-site parking locations for special events and festivals that exceed the on-site parking capacity. The off-site parking areas are proposed at First Church of Christ, Scientist (58 parking spaces); Good Shepherd Lutheran Church (81 parking spaces); Goleta Union School District (58 parking spaces). Fairview Gardens has secured Memorandums of Understanding with each of these entities.
• Farm operations will include 24 (minimum) to 34 (maximum) staff members depending on the season and ongoing farming activities Monday-Saturday. 
• Three types/levels of programs and events are proposed to occur on site:
◦ Programs/Workshops – Children: These include field trips, spring break and summer camp programs, and after school program. The time period for these is between 9 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. all year long. Attendance at these programs is estimated to range from 25-100 people. Some of the programs would occur between 3-5 per week and others would be once a year (spring break camp).
◦ Programs/Workshops – Adults: These include culinary workshop, farming, and gardening workshops. The time period for these is 9 a.m.-9 p.m., a maximum of 100 people, and would occur 20 times per month.
◦ Events: These include fundraising events, farm-to-table meals, seasonal events, open house, lectures, etc. Estimated attendance is between 250-750 and could occur between 4-8 per year, excluding the farm-to-table meals. The farm-to-table meals are planned to occur five times per month. These events would occur in the evenings during the week and during the day on weekends. The use of amplified music is proposed for these events.
◦ Festivals: Five festivals are planned with an estimated attendance of between 800-1500 visitors. These events would occur on Saturdays between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. and Sundays between 1 and 10 p.m. The use of amplified music is proposed.
 
The restored historic farmhouse will be a multi-purpose building, with the following program/functions/areas:
 
• Flexible Use Café – Patron Area: 590-square-foot seating area that doubles for use for youth and adult educational programs. While the café will be available to the public, the primary audience for the café are people already on-site attending programs.
• Teaching/Staging Kitchen: 218 square feet of support space for the café and culinary educational program.
• First- and second-floor Office Space: 688 square feet consisting of a reception area, three offices, and two restroom space.
• Second Floor Studio Dwelling Unit: A 337-square-foot studio to provide for flexible staff housing needs.

The Historical Preservation Commission (HPC) reviewed the proposed restoration to the historic farmhouse on April 20, with a recommendation to the DRB for Preliminary Approval. Watch a recording of the meeting here.
 
Following DRB review, the project will be considered by the Planning Commission with recommendations from the DRB on the design elements of the project (Preliminary Design Review).

The Planning Commission will be the review authority for the various project components including the environmental analysis. Additional notice will be provided prior to the Planning Commission hearings.

Written comments regarding the Fairview Gardens Conditional Use Permit Project may be submitted to PERmeetings@cityofgoleta.gov for DRB consideration. Submit comments regarding the farmhouse by noon of the date of the hearing, June 9.

Communication received after that time may not be reviewed by the DRB prior to the meeting. Direct questions and/or comments regarding this project to Senior Planner Brian Hiefield at bhiefield@cityofgoleta.gov.

The project was filed by agent Heidi Jones, of Meraki Land Use Consulting, on behalf of Michael Ableman, Executive Director of the Center for Urban Agriculture at Fairview Gardens, the property owner.