A new apartment complex designated as affordable housing received lukewarm approval from the Santa Maria Planning Commission, which expressed concerns focused on traffic and aesthetic features.
Centennial Square Apartments would have 184 units on a currently vacant lot on the corner of South Miller Street and Plaza Drive, a block south of East Stowell Road. A clubhouse and playground also are planned.
Two commissioners, chairman Robert Dickerson and Tim Seifert, voted in favor of the project and commissioner Tom Lopez abstained Wednesday night.
Two other commissioners, Esau Blanco and Maribel Hernandez, said they had potential conflicts of interest and did not participate in the discussion or vote.
Commissioners noted they had to follow state mandates since the project aims to add to the affordable housing availability.
California laws to encourage more housing allows developers to seek concessions, such as additional units or reduced open space, when designating projects for lower-income residents.
“We would probably do things slightly differently if we had the option, but we’re forced to not have the option,” Dickerson said.
“It’s a nice enough project, but it does have a bit of concern about traffic flow and traffic pattern. I just hope that the studies hash out to the reality of life down the road once this thing goes up.”
Seifert also focused on traffic.
“It seems like we’ve done everything we can do to mitigate the effects of the traffic at that corner,” he said.
Lopez said he remained concerned about traffic at nearby intersections.
“It’s a tough one for me but I understand we need housing,” he said.
The applicant’s representative, Brian Schwartz of Urban Planning Concepts in Santa Maria, said that after hearing commissioners’ previous comments optional enhancements had been prepared, including decorative ironwork over tile accents and fabric awnings above some larger windows.
“I’m very happy the applicant’s willing to spruce it up a little bit and make Miller Street and Plaza Drive a little bit more attractive for us,” Seifert said.
The eight buildings with a Spanish-style theme will house one-, two- and three-story apartments.
Access would be from Plaza Drive. To boost parking in the area, plans call for designating diagonal parking spaces on Plaza, which currently has parallel parking.
The project has been modeled after an earlier version that was approved in 2013 with a proposal for 138 units.
“But it will be available to workforce individuals and families within the community who struggled to afford market-rate housing,” Schwartz said.
The developer has applied for the project under a state law that requires granting density bonus, or more additional units than allowed under city regulations. For this project, the developer sought 46 more units, pushing the total to 184.
The developer also sought two other concessions — different setback requirements plus a reduction in open space requirements.
“This is a very good location for this type of project,” Schwartz said, noting the proximity of shopping, medical offices and public transportation.
Traffic on busy Miller Street and the nearby intersection of Miller and Stowell Road also prompted discussion.
To accommodate the traffic, left and right turn lanes will be added on Plaza.
New studies reportedly claim affordable housing projects generate less traffic than standard apartment complexes, commissioners were told Wednesday.
One residents of a nearby neighborhood expressed concerns about parking since the homeowners already deal with overflow from the nearby Cassia and Arbor Ridge apartment complexes.
The city has gained a number of new apartment complexes in recent years.
Already opened are the 268-unit Hancock Terrace, 211-unit Siena Apartments, 193-unit Villa Del Sol and Sierra Madre Cottages with 40 units.
Projects pending construction include 160 units at Battles Road and Depot Street plus 80 units for senior citizens on Barcellus Street.
— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.