After hearing from supporters and opponents, the Guadalupe City Council took the first step toward deciding the fate of the ambitious Royal Theater renovation project planned for a “valuable piece of downtown.”

The City Council voted 4-1 on Tuesday night for a resolution of necessity to place a bond measure on the Nov. 5 ballot for voters to consider approving funds for the theater project’s shortfall. Councilman Eugene Costa Jr. voted against it.

Councilman Gilbert Robles said he believed the matter should be settled by voters. 

“All we’re doing is asking it to be put on the ballot and let them decide. It’s a democratic process,” said Robles, who noted that the theater stands on a valuable piece of downtown. 

“It’s a tough one,” Mayor Ariston Julian said, adding that he agreed it should be up to voters. 

Voters will decide whether to approve a general obligation bond measure to help fund an approximately $3 million shortfall for the Royal Theater renovation project.

Guadalupe has received grants to cover nearly $10 million of the project, now estimated to cost at least $13 million.

Along with renovating the historic theater, the project would add a three-story performing arts center, amphitheater and community plaza to create the Guadalupe Visual and Performing Arts Center.

City leaders said the project faces a looming March deadline or risk losing a $4.8 million grant, saying pursuing other grants or conducting a capital campaign wouldn’t be feasible under the timeline. 

“The best option that staff has discovered that would guarantee the project could be constructed as proposed is this general obligation bond measure,” City Attorney Phil Sinco said. “It would allow us to complete the project on time.” 

If approved, the measure would add an average of $77 to property taxes each year for the more than 1,700 homeowners in Guadalupe. Specifically, it would range from adding $28 a year for a home with an assessed valuation of $100,000 to $112 for a single-family home with a $400,000 assessed value.

The measure would need approval from two-thirds of voters on Nov. 5 to pass.

During Tuesday’s meeting,Tom Brandeberry, the city’s Royal Theater project manager, said it would be hard to discuss details, and deferred to the council’s special meeting next week. 

“The difficulty we have is multiple and very complicated,” he said.

He vowed to continue seeking other funds, adding that the bid documents should be released by December to meet the March grant deadline.

Resident Jeannie Mello said too many uncertainties remain for the project, urging the city to restore the theater now while pursuing an expanded project in the future. 

“My husband and I can barely keep our heads above water now. Please don’t throw us an anchor,” Mello said.

An impromptu survey on social media resulted in all 29 participants over two days saying they opposed the bond measure, she said.

Jose Nichols, Guadalupe schools superintendent, spoke in favor of the project and its role in celebrating the community’s cultural traditions.

“It’s an investment in our future generation,” Nichols said. “We may not be around to enjoy it, but the students coming up will have access to it.”

 The council needed to take the first step Tuesday night to meet county deadlines for placing the item on the ballot for November. 

“If you do it tonight, it’s not irreversible,” Sinco said, adding that the council would make its final decision at the June 25 meeting. 

Both Tuesday’s actions and the June 25 action require four of the five council members to approve the item. 

“A no today, the process ends. A yes today, the process continues. But you can say no on the 25th and the item dies then,” said Steven Gortler, the city’s bond consultant. 

A community meeting to spell out project details is scheduled for 6 p.m. June 18 at City Hall, 918 Obispo St. 

A theater bond measure may not be the only one the city’s voters will see on the Nov. 5 ballot. 

The board for the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District, which includes Guadalupe, also is considering whether to place a bond measure on the ballot for building a new high school and other projects.