March 3, 2025
Mayor Alice Patino
Santa Maria City Council
Sent via email
Honorable Mayor Patino and City Council:
The HBA of the Central Coast respectfully suggests the following Land Use Strategies and Opportunities to expand housing development in Santa Maria. By implementing these strategies in ordinance updates, the City can significantly increase its housing supply as prescribed in the current RHNA cycle numbers while maintaining open space preservation goals. Additionally, these recommendations aim to reduce development risk, lower costs, and shorten project timelines to attract more investment and facilitate much-needed housing production.
1. Rezoning, Land Use Adjustments, and Smart Growth
o Rezone Underutilized Land: Identify areas currently zoned for low-density or commercial use that could be converted to mixed-use or higher-density residential zoning. Consider annexations where necessary to accommodate future growth. o Encourage Higher-Density Development: Allow for increased building heights and prescribe density rather than housing type to enable market-driven solutions and flexibility during the entitlement process.
o Revitalize Underused Properties: Convert vacant or underutilized commercial properties into mixed-use or residential developments. Encourage the use of underutilized or vacant parcels within existing urban areas for new housing projects.
2. Infrastructure and Incentives for Housing Development o Invest in Infrastructure: Ensure that water, sewer, and transportation systems are adequately planned and funded to support new residential development. o Fee Reductions and Deferrals for Affordable Housing: Offer impact fee reductions or deferrals for projects that include affordable or workforce housing to improve financial feasibility and cash flow.
o Density Bonuses: Provide incentives such as height increases, reduced parking requirements, or expedited approvals for developers who include affordable units to help offset their expense.
3. Programmatic EIRs for Housing Development in Designated Areas o City-Led Environmental Review: Conduct programmatic Environmental Impact Reports (EIRs) in advance for clustered housing development in designated areas and for land identified for annexation.
o Reduce CEQA Uncertainty: Pre-approved environmental clearances will minimize project-level CEQA risk, lower entitlement costs, and shorten approval timelines.
4. Streamlined Permitting and Policy Adjustments
o Expedite Housing Approvals: Simplify the permitting process for projects that align with the City’s housing goals to eliminate unnecessary delays. o Simplify the Permitting Process: Develop design standards to allow for ministerial review and approval.
o Expand By-Right Development: Reduce discretionary reviews for housing projects in targeted growth areas to increase predictability for builders. o Pre-Approved Housing Plans: Establish a catalog of pre-approved housing designs that meet zoning and building code requirements, allowing for faster permitting and lower costs.
5. Enhance Public-Private Collaboration
o Development Working Group: Establish an ongoing working group with City staff, developers, and the HBA to regularly review and refine implementation strategies that accelerate housing production.
With expanding growth, the City will also need to annex land, as there is no feasible means to incorporate all RHNA growth into infill alone. These strategies will provide a balanced approach to increasing housing supply while preserving open space and maintaining community character.
Thank you for considering our suggestions. We welcome a meeting to discuss these recommendations further.
Sincerely,
Lindy Hatcher
Executive Director
HBA of the Central Coast