Plans for 44-Room Hotel in Santa Barbara Survive Appeal 

The Santa Barbara City Council unanimously agreed to deny the appeal of a proposed 44-room hotel near the Santa Barbara train station, upholding the previous approval of the project despite concerns raised over the potential flood impacts of the planned underground parking lot.

The hotel project would merge three parcels on West Montecito Street — one of which is currently home to a Ducati dealership — and demolish the existing structures to build a 26,500-square-foot, 45-foot-tall hotel with a rooftop lounge for guests and a 10,000-square-foot parking garage underneath.

In October, the city’s Planning Commission reviewed and approved the project as submitted by Craig Minus of CAM Land Use & Development on behalf of the ownership, the Paul Uyesaka Revocable Trust. An appeal was filed by resident Steven Johnson, who raised four issues with the commission’s findings.

These issues, according to Johnson, included inconsistencies with land-use policies regarding potential flood hazards; incomplete information regarding the mixed-use designation; problems with the subgrade parking lot; and a lack of “sound community planning.”

City Planner Megan Arciniega explained how city staff responded to each of the issues and assured the City Council that each of the issues were addressed and the project as proposed aligned with federal, state, and city guidelines.

One of the arguments raised in the appeal pointed to the designation of a hotel as a “mixed-use” development. In the appeal, Johnson cited an early planning document that did not properly mark the plans as “mixed use.”

According to city staff, this mix-up was likely a clerical error, and the hotel — with habitable areas, meeting rooms, a rooftop restaurant, and garage for parking — was by all applicable standards a mixed-use development.

Architect Clay Aurell of AB Design Studio spoke on behalf of the development team, which he said worked hard to make sure the project would meet all requirements. The underground parking lot, he said, is more expensive to build but was the best option to make the project work at that location.

“We’ve been working with staff for over three years on this project; we’ve vetted everything we possibly can,” Aurell said.

Councilmember Kristen Sneddon said she had complete confidence city staff had done due diligence with the project, but she asked that there be more clarity with mixed-use projects going forward. “My request for the future is that it be made very clear to us what it is specifically that defines something as mixed use,” Sneddon said.

The City Council unanimously denied the appeal and directed staff to return with a resolution reflecting the decision and findings.