New Developments
In order to reduce the county’s involvement in its
problem-plagued subsidized home ownership program,
the Board of Supervisors agreed on 2/27 to purchase four
condominiums and rent them to low-income families instead of
continuing to seek eligible buyers for them. All the other
affordable units at the Providence Landing housing development in
Lompoc are already sold. Last week, county administrative staff
recommended that the county get out of the affordable
homeownership program to the extent possible under state law.
When the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden’s expansion
plans came before the South County’s Board of
Architectural Review (BAR) on 2/23, architect Doug Singletary
presented blueprints for 22 new buildings that would almost double
the square footage of garden structures. The BAR must now visit the
site to view story poles indicating the location and heights of the
new structures, including additional staff housing and maintenance
buildings, a new library, classrooms, and lab space.
Neighbors – including members of the Mission Canyon Association and
veteran environmental attorney Marc Chytilo – expressed concerns
about night lighting and appropriate fencing.