QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
What is the proposed Charter amendment?
Section 1506 of the Charter of the City of Santa Barbara shall be amended to read as follows (the changed language is in italics).
“Section 1506. Building Heights. Limitations.
It is hereby declared the policy of the City that high buildings are inimical
to the basic residential and historical character of the City. Therefore,
building heights are limited to 30 feet in areas zoned for single family
and two family residences, and building heights in areas zoned for
residences for three (3) or more families and all other building heights
shall be limited to 45 feet except in the El Pueblo Viejo Landmark District
where building heights shall be limited to 40 feet. The Council
may, by ordinance, set limits of heights less than these maximums. The
Council may, by ordinance, set up reasonable methods of measuring the
heights set forth in this section.”
What will this initiative do?
• It will amend the City of Santa Barbara Charter to lower building heights
in El Pueblo Viejo (the historic core) to 40 feet and to 45 feet in all
other areas in the city which currently allow 60 feet such as Milpas
Street and manufacturing zones.
Why do we need lower building heights?
• Lower building heights will protect our important historic and cultural
resources in the El Pueblo Viejo from being over-shadowed and dwarfed
by new development.
• The lower height limits will protect public views and the small scale
atmosphere of the city.
• The existing height of 60 feet has increased land values thus making
it harder to preserve or develop lower buildings and other needed community
benefits such as affordable housing.
How did the 60-foot height limit come about?
Back in the late 1960's and early 1970's there was then — as now! — a move
to build up in downtown Santa Barbara. Civic-minded citizens of Santa Barbara,
with no financial axes to grind, worked together to have a height limit
sentence in the city Charter. This Web site intends to detail that effort
and also the efforts to save Alice Keck Park from development - what connotations
that one word, "development", has!
Please click here for a drawing of 9-story condos
proposed.
Why do we need this change now?
• In addition to the two very large buildings on Chapala, there are two
more in construction and ten more in the pipeline.
• Historic buildings are getting dwarfed by proposed developments. For
example, visit the Brinkerhoff neighborhood behind the Chapala buildings.
• Santa Barbara is losing its sense of openness.
What is the impact on affordable housing?
• By potentially lowering land values costs would go down.
• Construction costs are less for lower buildings, making affordable housing
more achievable.
• Four stories are readily available in 40-ft buildings. Click
here for
a diagrammatic building height study in El Pueblo Viejo, an illustration
of possibilities. NB: Keep in mind that although structurally possible,
4-story buildings an inherently more expensive to build and, figuring in
the price of SB land, would not be "affordable" if built in the very expensive
downtown.
What is the El Pueblo Viejo Landmark District?
The El Pueblo Viejo Landmark District includes the downtown central business
district, Cabrillo Boulevard and nearby areas where historic buildings
are concentrated. Click
here for the Santa Barbara City Guidelines, a
pdf on the SB City Web site (scroll down). It's part of the City Charter
and its boundaries can be changed only by a vote of the city electorate.
Why can’t the current design review boards deal with this problem?
• Developers naturally present projects that maximize their return. The
review boards need lowered height limits to give them a tool that assures
projects are appropriate for Santa Barbara.
Why are lower buildings more sustainable?
• Lower buildings protect solar access which is an important factor in
sustainability.
• They require less materials to build and less energy to heat and cool.
When will this Initiative be on the Ballot?
This Initiative will be on the Santa Barbara city, November, 2009 ballot.
Signatures were gathered in 2008; why was not it on the Ballot
in 2008?
There are various State requirments of dates allowed to gather signatures,
and so forth. We decided in May that it makes more sense to have it on
the regular Santa Barbara City ballot which the voters preferred to hold
in odd-numbered years, rather than holding an expensive special election.
So, 2009 it will be, on the same ballot that will have Santa Barbara
city Mayoral and Council contests.
What are some examples of building heights in the city?
- Downtown public library: 33’
- Telephone building (Chapala & Canon Perdido): 67’
- City Hall: 38’
- County courthouse: 44’, Courthouse jail wing, 56’, Courthouse tower,
100’
- Granada Theatre: 116’
- Arlington Theatre and the Lobero, each 80'
- County Administration building: 67’
- Canary Hotel: 62’ (not including roof garden elements)
- Chapala One: 58’ (Chapala & Gutierrez — does not include towers
or dome), shown above, photo: April 13, 2008.
- Casa de las Fuentes: 34’ (Carrillo & Castillo) affordable housing
project
- Paseo Chapala: 52’ (Chapala & de la Guerra)
—If destroyed by fire or earthquake existing buildings in the city, legal non-conforming uses, can be rebuilt if, according to assistant city attorney, Scott Vincent, quoted here, such a building retains at least 25% of its value. The County Administration building and the Courthouse, however, are County property and could be rebuilt exactly as they are.—
(Chapala One from Gutierrez Street,
Sheila Lodge photo. )
