Goleta to Consider Pros and Cons of Village at Los Carneros

Santa Barbara Newsroom
By Tom Schultz
May 7, 2007

A plan for 275 homes in Goleta would reduce views and put people near the railroad tracks, creating a potential hazard, according to the city.

The Village at Los Carneros also would bring a much-needed mix of residential units including 63 affordable rental apartments close to jobs, while providing a public bike path and open space, backers of the Bermant Homes proposal say.

The City Council at 6 p.m. Monday will consider a draft environmental impact report (EIR) describing consequences of the housing proposed for an area of undeveloped Goleta south of Highway 101 and the Union Pacific Railroad, east of Castillian Drive and northwest of Los Carneros Road.

"We believe that creating a passive recreation along Tecolito Creek is the highest and best public use for the northwest corner (of the project)," Andrew Bermant, executive vice president of the company, recently wrote to city officials.

The homes would rise on 16 acres of that 66 acre property. In addition, the project would add two business park buildings to two others constructed at the site in 1990 and currently occupied by Allergan Medical and Santa Barbara Bank & Trust.

Unavoidable impacts of the project include dimished views from the Los Carneros Road overpass at Highway 101 looking southwest, according to the draft EIR.

In addition, "the proposed project would result in a significant unavoidable contribution to cumulative impacts associated with the introduction of additional population in close proximity to the Union Pacific railroad tracks, given the potential for hazards to occur as a result of a rail accident and subsequent release of hazardous materials," according to the report.

Noise standards also would be exceeded, the report states.

In past hearings, members of the public have raised specific concerns, among them: reduced wildlife and wetlands habitats, railroad-related air pollution and traffic and air quality impacts at nearby intersections.

Backers of the project, including the Coastal Housing Partnership, see it as a way to increase the region's affordable housing stock.

If it approves the draft EIR, the council must by law also approve alternatives to the project as proposed.

Among these, the city has analyzed 22 acres on the 7100 block of Hollister Avenue, one block west of the Glen Annie/Storke Road Highway 101 Freeway exit.

At this alternative site, "biological impacts associated with improvements (the bridge) over Tecolotito Creek would be avoided, but potential impacts to wildlife would be greater," according to the draft. "Potential impacts to cultural resources would also be greater. The existence of an onsite fault would add potentially significant fault impacts, otherwise not found on the project site. Potentially significant impacts of the project from tsunamis and compressed soils would be avoided. Land use and planning and noise impacts would be reduced."

Monday's hearing at City Hall is surely not the last on the project. If the council approves the draft report, it would later consider a final version and then take a vote on the project. Officials say this could occur later this year.