The Santa Maria City Council cleared the way Tuesday night for 443 market-rate rental units to be built at the Betteravia Place development after airing concerns about traffic and other issues. 

Council members voted 3-1 to approve several items, including planned development permits for the MBK Rental Living residential project at the corner of South Blosser Road and the new Dan Blough Drive, south of Carmen Lane.

“I think this is a well-planned development. It’s something that we need on that side of town,” said Mayor Alice Patino, who was joined by colleagues Mike Cordero and Gloria Soto in voting for the project.

Regarding opposition among her colleagues, Patino said the city is under pressure from the state to approve housing projects. 

“If we don’t take this opportunity to build some good housing, the state is going to come out and do it,” Patino added. 

Councilman Carlos Escobedo cast the lone vote against the project, while Councilwoman Maribel Aguilera-Hernandez abstained from the discussion and vote because of a conflict of interest. 

Betteravia Plaza, with commercial and office spaces, sits north of West Betteravia Road where grading of the site and other work have been underway for several months. When approved in 2016, the project proposed 242 apartments.

Betteravia Place 1 would add 340 apartments in three building types with a Mission-style design — two-story, carriage-house duplexes, a three-story 10-plex and a three-story 20-plex. It also would have 356 single-car garages and 324 uncovered parking spaces.

The complex also would have a 6,913-square-foot community clubhouse with leasing offices and a pool.

Betteravia Place 2 would bring 103 townhomes with two-bedroom to four-bedroom units also using Mission-style design. They would have private two-car garages with 34 uncovered spaces. 

In total, the parking plan meets or exceeds the standards. city planning staff said.

Discussions centered on traffic, including impacts to the nearby Jimenez Elementary School and Santa Maria Police Department. 

Councilman Cordero, a retired police lieutenant, expressed concern about officers responding to emergency incidents from the station on West Betteravia Road.

“I’m very, very concerned about traffic,” Cordero said. 

Due to the development, a traffic signal will be added at the new intersection of Western Avenue and Betteravia Road. 

The extension of Western Avenue will provide a beneficial alternative other than Blosser Road, Chief Marc Schneider said.

“All in all, we’re looking at a much better situation for police access at least in terms of our engineering department,” Public Works Director Brett Fulgoni said.

Comments also centered on the Carmen Lane fire station. Because of railroad tracks, Carmen Lane can’t be easily extended, requiring firefighters to take a less direct route. 

“There’s a need for additional services for fire protection on the west side of the city, and there are some conversations that are being had with regard to another proposed development that could address that issue,” Community Development Director Chuen Ng said, adding that they look to ensure sufficient public services to address the needs of any new development.

City Manager Jason Stilwell said the project still meets the standards for response to the project site. 

The developer will be required to pay fees that will go toward construction of a new fire station north of the project site, planning consultant Laurie Tamura said.

Escobedo said traffic concerns and a lack of affordable units led to his opposition vote against the project.

Councilwoman Soto noted that an affordable housing project is under construction on Battles Road, west of Depot Street. Centennial Gardens will add 160 affordable apartment units.

“There is significant affordable housing coming into this neighborhood already,” Soto added.

“We need more,” Escobedo said. 

The mayor said the Regional Housing Needs Allocation requirement from the state also calls for a significant number of moderate- and above-moderate-income units. 

The council’s action also approved changing light manufacturing to general commercial for nearby lots, including the Community Health Centers administration office to reflect existing uses.