Housing Project in Isla Vista Heads to Fifth Hearing 

Imagine you must decide on an action that helps with one problem but makes another worse. This conundrum is what the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors contends with when it comes to a proposed housing development on Sueno Road in Isla Vista. 

The project, headed by developer Ed St. George and local Christian organization Mission Isla Vista (also called Isla Vista Church), would include a trio of three-story buildings, providing 16 units and 45 bedrooms. That includes four apartments marked as affordable units (two for very low-income tenants and two for moderate-income tenants). This would provide housing for 90 to 135 people with 24 parking spaces, but would likely add more cars to I.V.’s heavily impacted streets. 

Because the project has more than 20 percent of its apartments earmarked as affordable, legally the county can only reject it if it poses an unmitigable health or safety impact on a community. On Tuesday, the supervisors ultimately elected to pursue a fifth (and legally final) hearing on the project. 

The Parking Problem 

Parking, or lack thereof, is the crux of longtime locals Jon and Pegeen Soutar, who have appealed the project’s approval, arguing more cars to the roads will worsen already unsafe conditions.

“Safety is paramount,” Pegeen told the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday. 

A study completed by the Isla Vista Community Services District and its contractor, Dixon Resources Unlimited, found that throughout the year, many streets in Isla Vista often exceeded 100 percent capacity for street parking. Several locals have shared photos of cars parked in red zones and blocking driveways.

Attorney Marc Chytilo told the supervisors the project should not be exempt from environmental review because the project, along with other developments in Isla Vista, will lead to a significant cumulative impact on the parking problem. 

“That cumulative impact is the path for your board to exercise discretion and require CEQA to be employed,” he said. 

State Laws and What the Project Adds 

Under state law, the project doesn’t need to provide any parking because it is within a half-mile radius of a major transit stop.

Lonnie Roy, the project’s agent, said the project was providing not only more affordable units than other projects in town but also more parking.

“It seems a little misguided to go after this project when it is providing a disproportionate share of proposed parking.”

During public comment, Isla Vista Church leader and current resident of the property Holly Lomelino said that the parking problems in Isla Vista existed long before this project and that the project will help improve the neighborhood.

“It adds safe sidewalks, ADA ramps, lighting, storm water drainage, and fire safety improvements like sprinklers and hydrants,” she said.

Jason and Holly Lomelino, Isla Vista Church’s leaders, said they have a history of providing a safe space for students. They plan to stay as on-site managers for the apartments. Project Agent Lonnie Roy said the Lomelinos could help counsel the community and that they expect there will be many applicants that are part of the church, although it isn’t a requirement. 

Continued Public Comment 

Other public commenters said that many students had nowhere near their homes to safely park their cars, causing cars to be parked in red zones or blocking driveways. Some raised the question of how people could safely evacuate the area. 

“Lack of infrastructure creates ill will. It is detrimental, both socially and physically. Lack of infrastructure is a health and safety issue,” one commenter said.

One woman spoke of needing to drive her husband to the hospital at night but finding her driveway blocked. 

No Answer for Now 

At Tuesday’s meeting, supervisors discussed whether they have to evaluate each project independently or if they could look at the cumulative impacts of all developments.

Second District Supervisor Laura Capps asked county counsel this question in regard to public safety and said it was one she has wrestled with. 

“We’ve got to come up with a plan. We can’t piecemeal this through this way. It’s just not going to work,” said 5th District Supervisor Steve Lavagnino. 

Supervisor Capps said she wanted to discuss with St. George and Mission Isla Vista whether they could grant more concessions to address the parking problem.

“I believe there is more that can be given here,” Capps said, adding that the developer, who benefits financially, needs to be part of the solution to create a balanced project.

Third District Supervisor Joan Hartmann was more direct and said that unless the county could find a way to make projects less dense, “there is no way in Hell that I support this.”