The Santa Barbara City Council on Tuesday will consider a revised term sheet for a development agreement for a multi-unit housing project at 711 N. Milpas St.
The original proposed housing project was approved by the council in March 2019. The proposal was described as a “highly controversial and unusual project,” and included 76 residential units.
In June, council members Alejandra Gutierrez and Eric Friedman wrote in a staff report that they had been approached by the project’s new ownership group with a proposed redesign to include a Spanish Mediterranean-style architecture.
The new ownership group is seeking to add six rental-housing units, to bring the total number of units to 82. They are also seeking to increase the building height from 45 feet to 48 feet for the majority of the structure, with some portions reaching 52 feet. The project would add 22 mechanical parking lift spaces for the two-bedroom units.
In addition, the new ownership group is proposing that 16 of the units will be deed-restricted for moderate-income households. The revised project includes 1,365 square feet of non-residential space, which is about half of the 2,737 square footage in the original project.
In other business Tuesday, the council will discuss a community oversight formation commission to make recommendations to the council on the creation of a civilian police review system.
On July 21, the council voted unanimously to direct Meagan Harmon and Ms. Gutierrez to work with the city administrator and city attorney to develop a framework for the commission, which will feature 13 members who will serve for a one-year term.
The group would meet monthly and commit up to 20 hours per month. Successful applicants will receive ethics training and extensive training in police practices and community policing needs.
According to the staff report, “members should have a demonstrated interest in community affairs, social justice, criminal justice, and equal rights issues.”
U.S. citizenship would not be required for the committee, and applications for which would be due by Sept. 30.
“This Commission will conduct extensive and highly visible public outreach, and will make what may be controversial recommendations. It is not legally possible to conceal the identity of participants,” the staff report reads.
Forming the committee is expected to take at least one year. A professional facilitator may be sought following the selection process.
“Improved relations between public safety and the community will facilitate the provision of new and better services to the community,” the staff report reads. “Cross-cultural communications between public safety and the many communities of Santa Barbara will improve community resiliency by assuring the needs of all Santa Barbarans are considered during disaster planning and other public safety service contexts.”
Also on Tuesday, the council will receive a presentation from UCSB Gervitz Graduate School of Education to discuss plans for a community resource center located adjacent to the campus of Harding University Partnership School.
The proposed center would provide space for expanded family and community support services, as well as new opportunities for university-level teaching and research, according to the staff report.
The center would aim to provide services and programming for children 5 and under, including nutritional services, health and social services, legal and immigration support, adult education, and more. It would also provide space for UCSB researchers and students to expand site-based mentoring and teaching.
Tuesday’s meeting, scheduled for 2 p.m., will be broadcast live on channel 18. The meeting will also be streamed live at www.santabarbaraca.gov/cap.
email: mwhite@newspress.com
