The Goleta Design Review Board on Tuesday granted final approval to developers of the Old Town Village mixed-use project, agreeing with most changes but requiring plans to come back before a building permit is submitted.
The board took a fourth look at a few design tweaks for the already-approved development, which calls for 175 units to be built on a 12-acre agricultural parcel commonly called the Page Site, west of South Kellogg Avenue and Kellogg Way.
Goleta City Council voted 3-2 last October to approve the project, but developer City Ventures re-imagined aspects of the design earlier this year to come up with something more “timeless,” according to vice president of development Ben Besley.
He had hoped to begin site grading in June, but it wasn’t clear this week if that timeframe would hold up.
The design review board voted 7-1 to approve the development with the understanding that Besley would return May 10 with designs and maps with clearer colors for live/work unit buildings, elevations for all building types, clarification for reclaimed water pipe installation and other minor lighting and landscaping recommendations.
At-large board member Aaron Swaney said he couldn’t approve a project when all the details hadn’t been presented.
“I think you’ve come a long way,” said Carl Schneider, board chair and local architect.
“I appreciate you willing to work with us. I think it’s going to be a much nicer project than what we started with.”
As approved, Old Town Village consisted mainly of three-story buildings of 113 traditional town homes, 34 live-work units and 28 shopkeeper units.
Developers recently decided to lower the height of six three-story units to two, increase the distance between two buildings and to consider increasing the size of the community center.
Pedestrian and bike paths and other green-space amenities are also planned, along with 489 vehicle parking spaces and 56 bicycle parking spots.
City planner Mary Chang said all changes stay within parameters of the previously-approved project.
Although a modified tree plan could’ve fallen outside original approval, Besley said city staff understood that enhanced paving and other improvements could cancel changes out.
Developers will increase the height of its Village Center by 3-4 feet, enhance paving on Ekwill Street and put in pipes to be able to use reclaimed water in the future, Besley said.
Board members liked a new green hue added to make live/work buildings more interesting but said the colors printed on paper weren’t clear enough to make a decision.
Besley called the coloring an important part of the project, saying he would come back with that and more, even though he was anxious to get construction going.
— Noozhawk staff writer Gina Potthoff can be reached at gpotthoff@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.