This article was underwritten in part by the Mickey Flacks Journalism Fund for Social Justice, a proud, innovative supporter of local news. To make a contribution go to sbcan.org/journalism_fund.
Generally, state legislators make laws that apply to counties and cities across California. But if passed, a budget trailer bill introduced on Monday will impact a single project in the City of Santa Barbara — the controversial eight-story apartment building behind the Santa Barbara Mission.
Specifically, the bill will require that this project, which proposes 270 apartments, including 54 affordable units, undergo environmental review. These amendments come after state lawmakers exempted many urban residential projects from review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) in June…