The California Coastal Commission rejected an appeal this week against the construction of a new 250-room hotel in the City of Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone neighborhood. The project, which faced opposition from local group Keep the Funk and Steven Johnson, is slated to proceed as planned.
The commission addressed concerns that the hotel development could worsen onsite soil and groundwater contamination. The issues brought forward included the exacerbation of these problems due to the site’s susceptibility to both flooding and sea level rise.
Nevertheless, the detailed report placed in front of the commissioners by the City showed they possessed “sufficient evidence to conclude that the project conformed with the flood and coastal hazard policies.”…