Attachment A
RESOLUTION NO.
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF SANTA MARIA, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING DOWNTOWN
PERMIT (DT2023-0012) FOR THE REMODEL OF THE FORMER
SEARS BUILDING AT 226 EAST MAIN STREET
WHEREAS, the applicant, Mark Gabay on behalf of Shasta 2020, LP, has applied for a Downtown Permit to remodel an existing 114,000-square-foot former Sears Roebuck department store building to accommodate a full-service grocery store tenant (El Super), two secondary anchor tenants, and up to four smaller-scale retail spaces on a 5.39-acre site in the Town Center/Gateway District of the Downtown Specific Plan; and
Planning Commission Actions
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission of the City of Santa Maria held a duly noticed public hearing on April 2, 2025 , for the purpose of formulating and forwarding a recommendation to the City Council regarding said Downtown Permit; and
WHEREAS, on April 2, 2025, with a 5-0 vote, the Planning Commission continued the item to April 16, 2025, to allow the applicant time t o make architectural changes requested by the Planning Commission; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission of the City of Santa Maria held a duly noticed public hearing on April 16, 2025, for the purpose of formulating and forwarding a recommendation to the City Council regarding said Downtown Permit; and
WHEREAS, on a 5-0 vote, the Planning Commission made its recommendation by motion that the City Council approve a Downtown Permit for the Remodel of the Former Sears Building at 226 East Main Street; and
City Council Actions
WHEREAS, a duly noticed public hearing was held on the Former Sears Building Remodel Downtown Permit by the Santa Maria City Council on May 6, 2025; and WHEREAS, the City Council considered all written and oral testimony; and WHEREAS, the City Council finds as follows:
1. The project meets the vision and intent of the Downtown Plan and the Gateway/Town Center Districts in which it is located by providing:
a. A renovated commercial building with clear pedestrian access points from the street to the clearly defined building entrances. A public transit stop is to be provided by the project on Miller Street, and the project will provide an accessible pedestrian way to the building entrances. b. A culturally rich environment that reflects the charact er and community of Santa Maria through its events, public art, and design elements. The project’s refreshed building exterior orients tenant spaces to the exterior Attachment A
to activate the Miller Street frontage. The project purposefully creates new outdoor spaces for Santa Marians and visitors to enjoy. This design introduces opportunities for public art and small-scale community events along the Miller Street building frontage.
c. Entertainment opportunities through the creation of a second -floor promenade where ou tdoor dining, lawn games, acoustic music, public art, or other forms of outdoor entertainment could be held. A variety of landscaping is provided throughout the site in the form of planted landscape areas, planter boxes, and canopy trees.
d. The remodel of the large department store to divide the space into a variety of tenant spaces will invite new businesses downtown by providing space flexibility to future tenants.
e. The full -service grocery store will provide the surrounding community with fresh food and convenience amenities for the residents, workers, and visitors in the Downtown and surrounding neighborhoods.
2. The site for the proposed project is adequate in size to accommodate the project because the project is a reuse of an existing 114,000-square-foot former department store building with enough square footage, land area, and parking to accommodate the proposed full -service grocery store and minor tenant spaces on the ground floor, and commercial or service uses on the second floor. No expansion to the site layout is proposed.
3. The project will not have adverse effects on abutting properties, since the setbacks are consistent with adjacent development, and the proposed grocery store use will add to the mix of downtown land uses envisio ned by the Downtown Specific Plan. The grocery store will provide the necessary amenities for the surrounding land uses in the downtown core by offering fresh food, ready -made meals, and other daily necessities for the residents and workers downtown. The future commercial uses in the other tenant spaces will be required to comply with the performance standards applicable to commercial land uses and will be reviewed by the Zoning Administrator via subsequent administrative Downtown Permits prior to Business License issuance. The project will provide 237 parking spaces on -site. There are a total of 1,080 parking spaces within the adjacent parking structure to the west of the project, and additional parking in the structure to the south of the project. The proj ect includes and is conditioned to provide secured bicycle parking facilities on site, and a condition of approval requires the applicant to provide improvements to install a transit stop on Miller Street.
4. The project will not be detrimental to the healt h, safety, or public welfare of persons residing or working in the vicinity of the project, injurious to property or improvements in the vicinity of the project, or its orderly development. The project will not result in any significant environmental impac ts, including cumulative impacts. The project includes commercial uses that are consistent with the Downtown Specific Plan and the Gateway and Town Center Districts, and the project is not of a scale or intensity that will cause significant impacts.
The site and project layout has been designed to meet safety requirements Attachment A
including visibility at intersections and emergency access, and the development of the project is subject to Building, Fire, and other applicable codes. The project will not create a noise impact as any construction -related noise would be temporary, and the promenade for commercial tenants would be subject to the Noise Ordinance, and commercial/Industrial performance standards (Santa Maria Municipal Code Chapter 12-33) as well.
5. The intensity of the project and/or the intensity of the structures is not detrimental to the public welfare, adjoining properties, and the orderly development of the area because the size, scale and aesthetics of the building is consistent with the intens ity of development anticipated by the Downtown Specific Plan and the Gateway District. The building is existing and is not planned to expand or enlarge beyond the existing footprint, which includes the existing exterior loading bay on the northeast corner of the building. The building height is not proposed to increase significantly beyond the existing 40- foot height, and the building would be well below the 70 -foot height maximum allowed in the Gateway District of the Downtown Specific Plan.
6. The project was adequately covered in a previously certified Final Environmental Impact Report for the Santa Maria Downtown Specific Plan (SCH 2007041105) pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act State Guidelines Section 15162. None of the conditions specified in Section 15162 requiring the preparation of a subsequent EIR have occurred. No further environmental review is required.
WHEREAS, the project adheres to the applicable Special Downtown Permit findings which include:
1. The project will have an inviting, pedestrian-friendly entrance from the street with large storefront windows. New large storefront openings are proposed on Miller Street.
2. The project will have abundant landscaping in the form of raised planter boxes, street trees, and in -ground landscape planters with irrigation. The project proposes refreshed existing parking lot landscaping with drought -tolerant plantings of trees, shrubs and groundcovers, and new potted plants at the building storefront entrances. Street trees are proposed where there are gaps in the existing street tree canopy.
3. The project will have newly painted buildings with a cohesive color theme and architectural style. The building will be painted and the building elevations updated so the architectural style connects smoothly w ith the existing Town Center building.
4. The project will have pedestrian amenities such as outdoor dining, benches, and seating. Pedestrian amenities proposed include outdoor seating and dining opportunities, bicycle racks, and pedestrian paths from the street to the building entrances. New pedestrian walkways wrap around the outside of the building.
5. The project has incorporated two or more architectural features in keeping with the architectural style of the buildings. Additional architectural features such as awnings, crown molding, and use of additional building materials such as tile.
Attachment A
WHEREAS, the reuse project qualifies for the following incentive established by the Downtown Specific Plan because the project substantially meets five Special Downtown Permit Findings:
1. For new tenants on the second floor with a gross floor area of 10,000 square feet or greater, the Planning Commission is au thorized to act as the final decision-maker for future Downtown Permits.
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Santa Maria, California, as follows:
SECTION 1. The above recitals are true and correct and incorporated herein by reference.
SECTION 2. Approve Former Sears Building Remodel Downtown Permit DT2023- 0012, incorporated by reference with all findings of fact and conditions of approval.
SECTION 3. The Chief Deputy City Clerk is hereby authorized to make m inor changes herein to address clerical errors, so long as substantial conformance of the intent of this document is maintained. In doing so, the Chief Deputy City Clerk shall consult with the City Manager and City Attorney concerning any changes deemed necessary.
PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Santa Maria, California, held this 6th day of May 2025.
ATTEST:
Chief Deputy City Clerk
Mayor
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
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City Attorney
APPROVED AS TO CONTENT:
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Department Director
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City Manager