A 19th-century farmhouse on a Goleta Valley farm could get a second life.

The Goleta Historic Preservation Commission last week unanimously supported a proposal to turn the historic two-story farmhouse at Fairview Gardens into a café, a teaching kitchen with multi-level office spaces, and a studio on the second floor. 

“There are so many projects where the buildings just fall apart, and this building is going to be saved because of this project,” Commissioner Heather McDevitt said. “This is exciting. There’s not a lot of structures like that here in Goleta anymore.”

The farmhouse was historically used as a residence and a gathering space.

Restoring and reusing the structure is just one renovation component the nonprofit Center for Urban Agriculture at Fairview Gardens proposes at 598 N. Fairview Ave.

The larger renovation plans include constructing a multi-functional barn, staff housing, a retail farmstand and restroom facilities.

“The plan is an excellent one to preserve one of the last few historic farmhouses in Goleta Valley on one of the last continuously working farms in the valley,” said Michael Ableman, executive director of the nonprofit.

Farmhouse restoration plans propose adding a new foundation, repairing exterior walls, fenestration and brick fireplace, modifying the porch, and adding a shade canopy. 

McDevitt asked that a treatment plan be created to ensure the historic structure retains its characteristics as much as possible.  

A handful of the farm’s neighbors attended Tuesday’s meeting to oppose the proposal, arguing that it should remain as a farmhouse.

“While I support the physical restoration of the farmhouse, I am concerned that the proposed commercialization threatens its historic integrity,” said Linda Cobb, longtime Goleta resident and farm neighbor.

“Converting it into a commercial cafe is not compatible with the site’s history and its agricultural zoning.”

She also took issue with some of the restoration plans, such as changing out doors and windows, claiming they remove the original historic features.

Other neighbors asked that the entire property be treated as a historical site along with the farmhouse, claiming the project goes against the conservation easement. 

Fairview Gardens Farm is conserved for agriculture, education and climate resilience, according to The Land Trust for Santa Barbara County. 

Heidi Jones, the project’s land-use consultant, assured commissioners that the Land Trust, which granted the easement, supports the project and found all components consistent with the easement. 

Commissioner Luke Roberts agreed with the neighbors and said he felt the commission should consider the historical value of the whole property and not just the house. 

However, Darryl Mimick, supervising planner with the city, said only the farmhouse was identified as a historical landmark by the Goleta City Council in 2022.  

McDevitt said she sympathized with the group of neighbors, but the commission’s purview was over the farmhouse specifically, and she believes the project team and city staff have done a thorough analysis.

“I believe the applicant and professionals have done a great job at assessing the historic nature of the farmhouse,” McDevitt said. “There’s so many buildings that unfortunately have fallen into disrepair and have been demolished through neglect.”

She said restoring and renovating the farmhouse would not bring additional impacts to the site, as it has undergone alterations in the past.

City staff urged the neighbors to bring their concerns to a future Goleta Planning Commission meeting when the full project will be under review.