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RESOLUTION NO.
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF SANTA MARIA, CALIFORNIA
APPROVING PERMIT AMENDMENT A2026-0004 GRANTING A
TWO-YEAR TIME EXTENSION FOR PLANNED DEVELOPMENT
PERMIT PD2022-0006 LOCATED AT 3170 SANTA MARIA WAY
WHEREAS, People’s Self -Help Housing applied for a Planned Development Permit (PD2022 -0006) on June 8, 2022, to construct 49 af fordable single -family residences with associated private streets and infrastructure improvements on a 8.89 - acre site; and
WHEREAS, the P lanning Commission of the City of Santa Maria held a public meeting on December 7, 2022, to review the Planned Development Permit; and
WHEREAS, on December 7, 2022, a 5-0 vote, the Planning Commission made its recommendation by motion that the City Council approve the proposed Planned Development permit as conditioned, with additional provisions regarding eucalyptus tree maintenance and the elimination of a proposed pedestrian access at Dian Drive, which have been included as conditions of the Planned Development Permit approval; and
WHEREAS, a duly noticed public hearing was held on the Planned Development Permit by the Santa Maria City Council on January 17, 2023; and
WHEREAS, the Santa Maria City Council made no modification of the proposed Planned Development Permit which had been previously considered by the Planning Commission; and
WHEREAS, the City Council adopted a Mitigated Negative Declaration for this proposed project, with the earlier approval of the General Plan Land Use Amendment and Rezoning of the property, on December 21, 2021, in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act of 1970 (CEQA), Public Resources Code Section 21000 et. seq., as amended; and
WHEREAS, at the January 17, 2023, public hearing, the City Council of the City of Santa Maria considered and relied on the Planning Commission's recommendations to approve the Planned Development Permit; and
WHEREAS, the City Council approved the Planned Development Permit findings in accordance with Section 12 -35.203 of the Municipal Code, through City Council Resolution 2023-11 as follows:
A. That the project meets the vision, intent, and requirements of the City's General Plan. The project would allow for the construction of a single-family residential development which would establish a residential use on a site zoned for Single Attachment A
Family Residential development (PD/R-1). The project site has been previously approved for a General Plan Amendment and Zone Change to allow for a housing development of the same design as this project.
B. That the site for the proposed use is adequate in size and topogr aphy to accommodate said use, and all yards, spaces, walls and fences, parking, loading, and landscaping are adequate to properly adapt such use with the land and uses in the vicinity because the project is designed to comply with the City of Santa Maria Municipal Code standards for the PD/R -1 zone, including but not limited to parking, landscaping, setbacks, building height, and vehicular access. The site is adequately sized to accommodate the proposed residential use, and the construction of the single -family residential development would adapt with the land and uses in the vicinity, which includes a similar land use pattern of lower density residential development.
C. That the site for the proposed use relates to streets and highways adequate in width and p avement type to carry the quality and kind of traffic generated by the proposed use because the proposed construction of the project would not lead to inadequate street and highway conditions. A traffic and circulation study was prepared by Associated Tran sportation Engineers (ATE) in 2020 for the General Plan Amendment and Zone Change associated with this project. The City of Santa Maria General Plan Circulation Element states that a Level of Service (LOS) Dor better is acceptable for roadway and intersection operations.
The traffic study determined that the existing area intersections operate within acceptable LOS ranges. The same determination was also made for the existing plus project conditions and cumulative project conditions with no changes to the L OS at the area intersections requiring mitigation to meet the City's acceptable LOS requirements.
Sight distances were reviewed by ATE at the proposed Santa Maria Way driveway entrance and include 550 feet looking north and 1,000 feet looking south, which are both adequate for the posted speeds of 45 Miles Per Hour (MPH) heading northbound and 50 MPH heading southbound on the secondary arterial project frontage. It was noted in the ATE study that the sight distance for drivers looking to the south from the roadway connection is somewhat obscured by a mailbox, signs, overhanging trees, and a row of oleander shrubs located along the Del Cielo Mobile Estates development south of the site. Staff has included in the Permit (Condition of Approval #2) a requiremen t that the sight distance visibility issue be cleaned up prior to issuance of a building permit. The City's Public Works Department reviewed this study and determined that no further analysis to traffic LOS, access, circulation, or sight distances are required.
The project is exempt from Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) analysis per the City of Santa Maria Environmental Procedures because the project is 100 percent affordable housing. Any affordable housing project where a minimum of 20 percent of the units are deed restricted for low or very low-income residents are Attachment A
presumed to have a less than significant VMT impact and are exempt from further review.
D. That the proposed use will have no adverse effect upon abutting property as the construction of the single -family residential development and the establishment of the residential use would be self -sustained by providing adequate on-site parking, including a two -car garage and driveway space for two vehicles in an area of the City that has established residential development of a similar density and scale.
E. That the establishment, maintenance, and/or conducting of the use for which the planned development permit review is sought will not, under the circumstances of the particular case, be detrimental to the health , safety, morals, or welfare of persons residing or working in the neighborhood of such project. In addition, it will not, under the circumstances of the particular case, be detrimental to the public welfare, injurious to property or improvements in said neighborhood or contrary to its orderly development. The construction of the residential project and the establishment of such use would adapt with the land and uses in the vicinity. The project would provide adequate space for setbacks, parking, and landscaping to ensure no nuisances would be created by the establishment of the project. The conditions of approval and development standards required for this project alleviate any potentially adverse impacts that could result from the proposed use. Therefore, the project would be compatible with the adjoining land uses and would not be more obnoxious or detrimental to the health of the public than any of the uses established at the project area, or any of the uses listed in the PD/R -1 section of the Municipal Code.
F. That the conditions stated in the decision are necessary to protect the public health, safety, and general welfare.
G. The proposed modification(s) are otherwise consistent with the General Plan, Municipal Code, and applicable Specific Plans. No modifi cations to development standards per Section 12 -35.202 of the Municipal Code are proposed.
H. The project includes superior design elements that mitigate or compensate for any potential impact of the proposed modification(s) on the surrounding area.
The project is consistent with all applicable development standards in the Municipal Code and no modifications to development standards per Section 12-35.202 of the Municipal Code are proposed.
I. The proposed modification(s) are essential to the design of the project. The project is consistent with all applicable development standards in the Municipal Code and no modifications to development standards per Section 12-35.202 of the Municipal Code are proposed.
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J. The proposed modification(s) have been minimized to the maximum extent possible consistent with Subsections (G) through (I) of the findings above. The project is consistent with all applicable development standards in the Municipal Code, and no modifications to development standards per Section 12 -35.202 of the Municipal Code are proposed.
K. That the environmental impacts of the project were adequately reviewed in the Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) for the People's Self Help Housing General Plan Land Use and Zone Amendment (GPZ2021 -0001 ), and there was no substantial evidence in the record that the project, as mitigated, may have a significant effect on the environment. There is no substantial evidence in the whole record before the City Council supporting a fair argument that the project as described i n the MND will produce the conditions as provided in Section 15162 of the CEQA Guidelines under which a subsequent Negative Declaration must be drafted and distributed for public review. No further environmental review is required.
WHEREAS, the applicant , Lauren Nichols , representing People’s Self -Help Housing, has applied for a Time Extension for the approved Planned Development Permit (A2026-0004); and
WHEREAS, the Planned Development Permit Amendment T ime Extension request was considered by the Santa Maria City Council on May 5, 2026; and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that competent evidence provided by the applicant and included in the project record substantiates that the applicant has demonstrated adequate due diligence to implement and complete the permit and that there are significant economic factors that justify the addition of time to the period of validity, per Santa Maria Municipal Code Section 12 -35.501(d)(1). The applicant cites insufficient financing at this time to construct the project. The applicant is actively pursuing local, state, federal and private funds to finance the construction and development of the project. They have secured $4.04 million fr om the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) and $150,000 from the County of Santa Barbara Permanent Local Housing Allocation Program (PLHA). Additional funding applications for New Market Tax Credits and private equity are currently underway. The applicant submitted building permit applications in December of 2025 and is currently working through the plan check process.
Lastly, the Final Map was recorded on April 8, 2025. This Amendment to Planned Development Permit PD2022-0011 extends the validity for the permit by two years to February 1, 2028.
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Santa Maria, California, as follows:
SECTION 1. The above recitals and true and correct and incorporated herein by reference.
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SECTION 2. The City Council hereby reaffirms the Planned Development Permit findings made for PD2022-0006 through Council Resolution 2023-11 and as stated above.
SECTION 3. The City Council hereby approves the Planned Development Permit Amendment (A2026-0004) to extend the Planned Development Permit expiration date of February 1, 2026, by two additional years to February 1, 2028, subject to the Planned Development Permit Amendment Conditions, which are each attached to the May 5 , 2026, City Council Agenda Report, incorporated by reference.
SECTION 4. 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 5th day of May 2026.
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