COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Chenin Dow, Community Development Director
DATE: August 5, 2025
SUBJECT: Adoption of a Resolution Approving a Downtown Permit for the Construction of Perlman Apartments Located at 100 North Broadway
Description:
The City Council will consider approving a Downtown Permit (DT2025-0003) for the Vernon Group and Danco to construct a six-story building consisting of five stories of 150 affordable apartments above a 40,000 -square-foot podium with parking and residential amenities on a 1.12-acre site in the Gateway District of the Downtown Specific Plan.
Environmental Notice: The project was adequately covered in a previously certified Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Santa Mar ia Downtown Specific Plan (SCH 2007041105) pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act State Guidelines Section 15162.
RECOMMENDATION:
Adopt a Resolution approving a Downtown Permit (DT2025-0003) for the construction of Perlman Apartments located at 100 North Broadway.
BACKGROUND:
The proposed project would redevelop the 1.2-acre Perlman Park site located at the northeast corner of Main Street and Broadway with a new 197,000-square-foot, six-story affordable apartment project with 150 new affordable rental apartment units. The project site is in the SP/Gateway (Specific Plan/Gateway) zoning district within the Downtown Specific Plan and is identified as a “critical corner” of the downtown.
On June 1, 2021, the City Council a dopted Resolution No. 2021 -54 declaring several specific City-owned parcels as surplus land. This project parcel (identified as the Perlman Park site) was included as “Lot 2” in the 4.28 acres of declared surplus land. The proposed affordable housing proje ct satisfies the Surplus Lands Act (SLA) of California (Government Code Section 54221) provision requiring that at least 25 percent of the housing units proposed as part of a development be deed -restricted affordable to lower income households for a period of 55 years. The property is subject to the Sales and Disposition Agreement (SDA) that was approved by the City Council on September 17, 2024.
2 Prior Public Meetings
The project was reviewed conceptually by the City Council at the May 5, 2024, public meeting and the Downtown Revitalization Committee on May 29, 2025. The comments from both public meetings on the design concept were positive and no public comment was received regarding the project at those meetings. The Planning Commissi on reviewed the project on June 5, 2025, at a study session, and at a public hearing on July 16, 2025. There were concerns raised by the adjacent Union Plaza Apartments residents regarding the close proximity of the building, removal of the park and open s pace, and the effects the project will have on views from the units on the southern side of the building adjacent to the park which would be blocked by the new building.
At the July 16, 2025, public hearing, the Planning Commission made a recommendation to the City Council to approve the project. Included in the motion to recommend approval, the applicant is required to relocate an elevator from the lobby to the northeast corner of the building to allow tenants easier access to a proposed loading zone in the alley for move-ins (Condition No. 5). Additionally, to address concerns raised by the residents of Union Plaza Apartments, the property owner/developer is required to provide the tenants living in the adjacent Union Plaza Apartment building early noti fication and application assistance for rental opportunities in the Perman Apartments (Condition No. 4).
As both apartment buildings are to be deed -restricted affordable, the affected residents would have the option to move into the new Perlman building at an affordable housing cost not exceeding 30 percent of their gross household income according to California State Law.
DISCUSSION:
The proposed apartment building will include 150 residential units that would be 100 percent affordable (except for a market-rate manager’s unit), with an overall affordability of 60 percent Area Median Income (AMI). The ground floor of the building will contain a 1,000-square-foot leasing office, bike storage , and a mail roo m, along with 78 parking stalls. Access to the upper floors is provided by a stairwell and two elevators in the lobby, and two other stairwells on the opposite sides of the building. Vehicle access to the building will be provided via two driveways, one on the northwest side of the building fronting Broadway, and one on the northeast side of the building via the alley.
The second floor includes additional residential amenities including two open -to-the-sky resident courtyards with a mixture of planter boxes and potted plants to accent and soften the proposed multipurpose activity areas. Interior resident amenities include a small fitness center, a community room, and a bike storage room. Each floor also includes tall ceilings, a common laundry room, and a common trash disposal room.
Building Height
The building height is proposed at approximately 71 feet tall , with roof projections , and the tallest tower elements at 83 feet in height. The Gateway district allows a maximum height of 70 feet, measuring from the average finish grade to the highest point of the roof, including roof equipment and screening. Extra height may be considered for architectural 3 elements or features on a case -by-case basis through the Downtown Permit process if superior design is achie ved. Additionally, as this project is proposed to be 100 percent affordable, under California’s Density Bonus Law, the project would qualify for , and has requested, waived or reduced development standards such as modified building height limit requirements.
Setbacks
The Downtown Specific Plan requires a minimum zero front yard setback for buildings located along the Main Street and/or Broadway corridors, five-foot side yard setbacks and a ten-foot rear yard setback. The project has a minimum setback of at least seven feet around the entire building. The project complies with the minimum front and side yard setbacks, and the applicant is requesting a modification of the ten -foot rear building setback required by the Downtown Specific Plan. Setback reduction s may be granted through the Downtown Specific Plan on a case -by-case basis through the Downtown Permit process if superior design is achieved. As the project is proposed to be 100 - percent affordable, under California’s Density Bonus Law, the project quali fies for, and has requested, waived or reduced development standards, which may include reduced setback requirements.
Architecture
The proposed project meets the intent of the Downtown Specific Plan by creating a multi- storied residential building with in tegrated ground-floor leasing office space. The project also provides design components encouraged by the Plan, such as sidewalks that provide direct access to building entrances, b uilding materials and finishes that are true to the structure’s architectural style, landscaped areas, and building massing that steps back upper floors to create open areas such as the second-floor courtyard. The exterior colors and stucco and tile materials of the building are consistent with a Mission/Spanish Revival vernacular architecture, complementary to the Gateway Mixed -Use building and the proposed Alvin Newton Apartments on the two adjacent corners of Main Street and Broadway.
Landscape
The design provides approximately 6,737 square feet of irrigated landscape area, and 1,855 square feet of non-irrigated (artificial turf), equating to approximately 17.5 percent of the site. The Downtown Specific Plan allows features such as the rooftop patio with planters and seating to be credited toward meeting the landscape area requirements. Site amenities include two large deck courtyards for the residents, planter boxes, seating and trees. Indoor amenities include a common room, fitness center, mailroom, multiple bike storage rooms and a leasing office. The project would require removal of 18 large mature trees from the site; however, the project will be required to replace the trees on site or pay an in-lieu fee for the City to plant the trees elsewhere in the landscape maintenance district. The trees would be required to be rep laced at up to a 6 to 1 ratio for every tree removed for the project.
4 Parking
According to the Downtown Specific Plan, the project is required to provide 133 parking spaces, and the project is proposing 78 parking spaces onsite. Per the historical Reciprocal Easement (REA) for Town Center and the SDA, the City will provide the applicant use of the City -owned parking garage located south of Main Street for the remaining required parking spaces (55 spaces) that cannot be accommodated on the project site. Several conditions of approval have been incorporated to require the project applicant to enter into a contractual agreement with the City for the use, refurbishment, security and ongoing maintenance of a portion of the existing City-owned parking lots that are to be used by the project. Although parking will be permitted on the City lots, the parking spaces will be non-exclusive; therefore, parking will not be on a reserved or permit basis.
Incentives
The project qualifies for incentives based on the new development requirements of the Downtown Specific Plan and outlined in the special findings for Downtown Permits. The incentives for reuse projects are based on how much the project conforms to the development standards and design guidelines of the Downtown Specific Plan. In keeping with these guidelines and the City’s downtown revitalization goals, certain incentives were authorized in the SDA. These include partial fee waivers for such items as Planning application fees, Building plan check fees, and spe cified growth mitigation fees, contingent upon meeting specific timelines as outlined in the SDA attachments. The Downtown Specific Plan also allows the applicant to request a payment plan for the project’s AB 1600/Growth Mitigation fees, with a maximum pe riod of ten years, through an agreement processed with the City Attorney.
Housing
As this is an affordable housing project, California’s Housing and Accountability Act applies. The Act limits the City’s discretion to reduce the number of units proposed, or to deny the project. If the City Council were to consider recommending the denial of this project, specific findings must be developed based on documented evidence that the project will cause specific, adverse impacts upon the public health or safety, a nd that there are no feasible methods to satisfactorily mitigate or avoid the adverse impacts.
Alternative(s)
The City Council may continue the item to direct the applicant to work with staff on any areas of concern or develop written findings that the project will cause specific, adverse impacts upon the public health or safety, and that there are no feasible methods to satisfactorily mitigate or avoid the adverse impacts and deny the project.
5 Environmental Review
The project was adequately covered in a previously certified program Environmental Impact Report prepared for the Downtown Specific Plan (SCH# 20077041105) pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) State Guidelines Section 15162. None of the conditions specified in CEQA Section 15162 requiring the preparation of a subsequent EIR have occurred with the proposed project. No further environmental review is required.
Fiscal Considerations
As discussed in the Incentives section above, the costs a ssociated with construction of the project would be the responsibility of the applicant. Certain incentives for the project were authorized in the previously approved SDA. These include partial fee waivers for such items as Planning application fees, Build ing plan check fees, and specified growth mitigation fees, contingent upon meeting specific timelines as outlined in the SDA attachments.
Impact to the Community
The project is part of the implementation of the SDA with the Vernon Group to revitalize Downtown Santa Maria . The completion of this project would add more housing , specifically affordable housing, in the Downtown area, helping to meet Santa Maria’s housing needs. It would also continue the momentum of redevelopment in the Downtown.
The project meets the vision, intent, goals, and development standards of the Downtown Specific Plan.
ATTACHMENT(S)
A. Resolution Approving Downtown Permit DT2025-0003
B. Vicinity Map
C. Downtown Permit
D. Plan Set