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A builder’s remedy housing project in Solvang is moving forward despite legal pushback. The project, called Wildwood, would add 100 apartments to Solvang.
A group of locals, organized as the S.Y. Valley Residents Association of California, took legal action against Solvang and project developer Josh Richman in March, claiming that the city had improperly deemed the project’s application complete. It also alleged that Richman had failed to complete the preliminary application for the Wildwood project, because he had not included the signatures from the owners of an easement on the property — the HOA from a nearby gated community.
But on August 5, the court tentatively ruled that S.Y. Valley Residents Association had filed its complaint prematurely, and challenges would need to be raised when the project had final approval from the city.
Developer Richman said he is pleased with the judge’s ruling.
“The decision implicitly acknowledges the legislature’s goal of getting housing projects in the pipeline and to a vote,” he said, and added that the development team looked forward to continuing collaboration with Solvang and the community to make the project a success.
The S.Y. Valley Residents Association said that they thought there was good reasoning the project’s preliminary application was void, but that the challenges will occur when the city has made a final decision on the project.
All told, Solvang needs to add 191 units of housing, according to the city’s housing element, including 94 units of extremely low-, very low- and low-income housing. The city is also aiming to add 75 units of market-rate housing.
Association member Stephen Martin said that the association wants more affordable housing in Solvang. But, he said, the Wildwood development adds only 13 affordable units out of the 100 total that will impact the city’s limited resources, like water.
For now, the project will continue, with environmental review and public hearings before the Planning Commission.
