The Solvang City Council voted 4-1 Monday night to deny developer Ed St. George’s appeal over design changes to his cottages project, agreeing with planning officials that the buildings don’t meet the city’s Danish-themed design standards.

The vote followed more than an hour of spirited public comment and council discussion, with several speakers urging flexibility and some calling for strict adherence to local design rules.

The project at 1704 Mission Drive, on the corner of Alisal Road, was approved as a nine-unit hotel of one-bedroom cottages and a meeting room designed to resemble a Danish chapel. The city issued a stop-work order earlier this year after construction strayed from approved plans. The city then approved some project amendments but required other fixes.

St. George had asked the city to reverse the decision requiring him to remove curved half-timber details and red-and-white roof tiles, arguing that the elements were authentic to Northern European architecture and part of a personal vision.

However, council members ultimately supported the process led by Community Development Director Rafael Castillo and the Design Review Committee. They cited concerns about precedent, architectural consistency and adherence to city guidelines.

During his presentation to the council, St. George framed the project as a deeply personal and community-minded effort.

“I thought it was very important that this corner would be something that Solvang could be proud of and would also emulate what Solvang was trying to emulate for many years,” St. George said. 

He said the design features being called for removal were found in other parts of Solvang.

He also criticized the city’s decision to issue a stop-work order earlier this year after staff determined that parts of the project had strayed from approved plans.

He said the red-and-white roof and the curved half-timber elements were part of a broader creative vision and claimed that the project was being judged before it was complete.

He argued that the changes were still in progress and would have been corrected before final inspection.

Despite his pushback, St. George suggested a willingness to compromise on at least one contested element.

“No one seems to care for the timbers. I don’t have a problem plastering over the timbers,” he said.

Public comment on the project was divided, with some speakers praising the project’s creativity.

“History is never static, nor is art,” said Jim Billington, co-founder of Hidden Wings. “Ed has poured his heart and pocketbook into this project.”

Others backed the city’s decision to intervene, saying the design veered too far from what was originally approved.

“I believe that the project as it stands now is a radical departure from what you had originally set out to do,” longtime resident David Gebauer said. “Solvang is fighting to keep its identity. If we are not careful, Solvang will go the way of Hawaii.”

Janice Zigler, daughter of late Solvang City Manager Leo William Mathiasen, said the development misrepresented the values of the city’s Danish roots.

“Ed St. George’s project is exploitative, disrespectful and devoid of context,” Zigler said. “Solvang is not based on a hovel from the 1600s somewhere in Europe.”

She added that the project’s presentation conflicted with the ethos of the Danes who founded the town.

“We dislike braggarts. Ohhh, we dislike braggarts,” she said.

Some council members expressed sympathy for the work St. George had done, but most said the city needed to respect the design review process.

“I frankly like the buildings, I like what’s going on … the colors, the half timbers. Whether I like that or not, I don’t think that matters,” Councilman Mark Infanti said. “Are we setting a precedent, overruling the DRC?”

Community Development’s Castillo also noted during the discussion that the project had received a red tag for accessibility issues and was not in compliance with stormwater standards.

Councilwoman Claudia Orona, responding to the broader discussion about design intent and process, emphasized the importance of evaluating projects holistically.

“When you are designing something, you cannot look at each individual element,” she said. “You have to look at the whole thing.”

She referenced the approach of seeking retroactive approval after deviating from approved plans.

“I wish I knew what it was like to gamble with time, resources and money, and then take a gamble if it’s going to be backtracked or approved,” Orona said.

Mayor David Brown, the only vote in support of the appeal, said the project added visual interest and questioned whether strict authenticity should always be the goal.

“Even if it may not be authentic, it’s fun,” Brown said, comparing the striped roof design to a pinstripe on a car.

Brown made a motion to grant the appeal, but it failed for lack of a second. Infanti then moved to uphold the Planning Commission’s decision, and the council voted 4-1 to deny the appeal. The mayor cast the lone vote against the project.