The Santa Barbara City Council deadlocked 3-to-3 over an appeal of a boxy two-story, four-unit condo project proposed for San Andres Street next to Bohnett Park, meaning that the Architectural Board of Review’s approval of the project stands and the project can proceed. The project had been appealed on the grounds that it occupied too much of the site, sat too close to nearby Old Mission Creek, and was just plain ugly.

While Mayor Marty Blum and concilmembers Dale Francisco and Das Williams praised the architecture, they opined the development was too much housing for the site. But their votes were evenly offset by councilmembers Grant House, Iya Falcone, and Roger Horton, who argued they couldn’t oppose the project after the developers – John and Hazel Blankenship – made all the changes the council had demanded during a prior appeal earlier this year. Williams and Francisco opposed the project back then and Blum was out of the country at the time. Although councilmember House argued Blum should not vote if she hadn’t viewed the tape of the prior council deliberation, she voted anyway.

Login

Please note this login is to submit events or press releases. Use this page here to login for your Independent subscription

Not a member? Sign up here.