A proposal to build an extended-stay hotel and 60-unit apartment complex in Vandenberg Village received unanimous approval Wednesday from the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission.

Commissioners voted 4-0 to support the project, which was proposed by Constellation Land Development LLC and would divide a 5.16-acre site on Constellation Road into two parcels: one for an 87-room hotel and the other for rental housing.

Fifth District Commissioner Vincent Martinez was absent.

According to the applicant’s presentation, delivered by Laurie Tamura of Urban Planning Concepts, the hotel is expected to operate under a national brand and serve aerospace contractors, Vandenberg Space Force Base personnel, and other long-term visitors. The apartment complex would include 24 one-bedroom and 36 two-bedroom units.

The approved project includes a zoning change to allow the residential development, along with a minor height exception that commissioners described as insignificant and unlikely to cause adverse impacts.

Fourth District Commissioner Roy Reed said the development would help modernize an area that has seen little change in recent years. He acknowledged that earlier versions of the project had faced community resistance but said the current proposal was more responsive to local concerns.

“Communities must either accept change or decay,” Reed said. “Often that change, which you resist, turns out after a while to be a real benefit that you can accept.”

Reed described the project as “attractive infill” and said it could boost the local economy.

“The increased volume of business that could be generated by the hotel could actually improve that area by increasing revenue,” he said.

Third District Commissioner John Parke echoed Reed’s support, calling the project “well-designed” and “well thought out.”

He praised the moderate-income housing component.

“We really don’t have housing in this county for all the teachers, nurses, policemen, firemen and county planners. It has to come from private developers,” Parke said.

While most public commenters supported the project, one resident, Meg Mersereau, spoke in opposition on behalf of herself and Ramona Rogers, another longtime Vandenberg Village resident. She criticized what she described as a lack of public outreach by the county.

“It’s very sad that many of the Vandenberg Village residents don’t even know about the plans,” Mersereau said. “No notification has been given to most of the residents of the community.”

Mersereau also raised concerns about traffic, zoning, strain on public infrastructure, and the potential health effects of 24-hour hotel lighting on seniors living next to the site at Heritage Villas Senior Housing.

Commissioner Reed responded that any increase in light would be internal to the property and not expected to impact neighboring areas.

Phillip Tabyanan, general manager of PLUS Property Management, endorsed the project on behalf of himself and company owner Lawnae Hunter, who has operated in the local real estate and business community since 1983. Tabyanan said the design was modern and appealing, and that he believed the project would add value to the neighborhood.

Dennis Curran, vice president of finance and administration at Allan Hancock College, also spoke in support on behalf of the college and its president.

“The urgency of the housing crisis calls for bold and timely action,” he said.

Curran’s remarks reflected concerns raised at a March housing summit hosted by the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce, where speakers cited regulatory and financial hurdles as key barriers to development.

Commissioner C. Michael Cooney and Chair Laura M. Bridley also supported the project. Cooney deferred to colleagues representing the area but said he was ready to join them in backing the proposal.

Bridley praised the project’s design, calling the architectural presentation one of the best she had seen.

Community concerns were understandable, she said, but also emphasized that local jurisdictions are under increasing state pressure to approve new housing.

“This is something we have to get used to,” she said. “Housing is definitely a mandate from the state.”

The project now moves to the Board of Supervisors for final consideration.