Santa Barbara City Council directed staff to make a few changes to the proposed Adaptive Reuse Ordinance, with the majority of councilmembers supporting the plan to lighten up restrictions for developers looking to convert underused commercial, office, or retail spaces in the downtown area. During Tuesday’s meeting, the council made a last-minute change to also direct staff to remove the inclusionary requirement in the Central Business District, which would allow developers to move forward with projects without the usual requirement of at least 10 percent of units set aside for affordable housing.
There is no specific pathway for developers to easily convert old buildings to residential units, and more than a year ago, the city began drafting a new “Adaptive Reuse Ordinance” to encourage developers to pursue reuse projects.
The new ordinance promises a streamlined path to receiving permits, offering no limits on density (units must meet the city’s minimum size requirements), fewer fees, and breaks on parking requirements. As long as residential units fit within the existing building and no exterior modifications are needed, the project can get a fast-pass through the planning process…