ATTACHMENT D
CITY OF SANTA MARIA
PLANNED DEVELOPMENT PERMIT AMENDMENT
PLANNING DIVISION 110 SOUTH PINE STREET ROOM 101 SANTA MARIA, CA 93458 805.925.0951 X 2244
PERMIT NO. A2026-0004_____________________________________
APPROVAL DATE May 5, 2026_____________________________________________ _
PROJECT NAME Skylight Homes Time Extension
APPLICANT/OWNER Lauren Nichols, People’s Self-Help Housing_ _ __
ADDRESS/LOCATION 3170 Santa Maria Way ________ _
DESCRIPTION Review of a Permit Amendment (A2026 -0004) to Planned Development Permit (PD2022 -0006) to allow a two -year time extension for People’s Self -Help Housing to allow for the construction of 49 affordable single -family residences with associated private streets and infrastructure improvements in a PD/R-1 (Planned Development/ Single -Family Residential) district.
FINDINGS
The City Council hereby approves the following project in accordance with the application submitted and hereby makes the required findings in accordance with Sections 12-35.501 and 12-35.203 of the Santa Maria Municipal Code, including the following:
A. That 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 pri vate funds to finance the construction and development of the project. They have secured $4.04 million from the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) and $150,000 from the County of Santa Barbara Permanent Local Housing Allocatio n 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.
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B. That the City Council made the necessary Planned Development Permit Findings in accordance with Sections 12 -35.105 and 12 -35.203 on January 17, 2023, and approved PD2022-0011 (the project) finding the following:
i. 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 Family Residential development (PD/R-1). The project site has been previousl y approved for a General Plan Amendment and Zone Change to allow for a housing development of the same design as this project.
ii. That the site for the proposed use is adequate in size and topography 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.
iii. That the site for the proposed use relates to streets and highways adequate in width and pavement 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 Transportation Engineers (ATE) in 2020 for the General Plan Amendme nt 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 LOS 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, o verhanging 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 requirement that the sight distance visibility issue be cleaned up prior to A2026-0004 MAY 5, 2026
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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 presumed to have a less than significant VMT impact and are exempt from further review.
iv. 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.
v. 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.
vi. That the conditions stated in the decision are necessary to protect the public health, safety, and general welfare.
vii. The proposed modifications are otherwise consistent with the General Plan, Municipal Code, and applicable Specific Plans. No modifications to development standards per Section 12-35.202 of the Municipal Code are proposed.
viii. The project includes superior design elements that mitigate or compensate for any potential impact of the proposed modifications on the surrounding area. The project is consistent with all applicable development standards in A2026-0004 MAY 5, 2026
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the Municipal Code and no modifications to development standards per Section 12-35.202 of the Municipal Code are proposed.
ix. The proposed modifications 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.
x. The proposed modifications 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.
xi. 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 in 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.
C. That the City Council hereby reaffirms the above cited findings of City Council Resolution 2023-11.
D. That the conditions stated in this Permit Amendment (A2026-0004) modify and are in addition to the conditions of Planned Development Permit (PD2022-0006), and are necessary to protect the public health, safety and general welfare, so that the proposed use will have no adverse effect upon abutting property.
E. The project was adequately covered in a previously adopted Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) for People’s Self-Help Housing General Plan Land Use and Zone Amendment (GPZ2021-0001). No additional environmental review is required for the subject time extension request.
CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
The project is approved subject to the following Conditions of Approval:
Community Development Department
1. Project Description: The permittee shall comply with the project description, plan set entitled Skylight Homes consisting of 11 pages dated August 17, 2022, and Conditions of Approval of this permit. Any changes from the project description, Plan Set, or conditions may require a permit amendment. Contact the Planning A2026-0004 MAY 5, 2026
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Division prior to changing anything described on the Plan Set or in the project description.
2. Previous Permits . All conditions from PD20 22-0006 remain in effect and are included by reference. In the event of conflict between PD2022-0006 and the special conditions of this amendment, the special conditions from this amendment shall be enforced.
3. Permit Expiration. Based on the City Council extension, this Permit shall become null and void if the ministerial permits required under this permit have not been issued by February 1, 2028.
4. Agency Requirements. The applicant shall ascertain and comply with all Federal, State, County and City requirements as are applicable to this project.
5. Indemnification: The applicant shall agree to indemnify, defend (with counsel reasonably approved by the City), and hold harmless the City of Santa Maria and its officers, officials, employees, and agents from and against any and all claims, demands, actions, proceedings, lawsuits, losses, damages, judgments and/or liabilities by third parties arising out of, related to, or in connection with the project application or to attack, set aside, void, or annul, in whole or in part, an approval of the project application by the City and any related environmental approvals, development approvals or project conditions. The Applicant shal l reimburse the City, its agents, officers, officials, or employees, for any court costs and attorney’s fees that the City, its agents, officers, officials, or employees may be required by a court to pay as a result of such action. The City may, at its sol e discretion, participate at its own expense in the defense of any such action but such participation shall not relieve Applicant of his/her obligations under this provision.
NOTES:
In accordance with Section 12-35.109 of the Municipal Code, this permit is not valid until the 15th calendar day following the issuance of the permit, providing no appeal is filed; or if an appeal is filed, this permit is not valid until the effective date of the final action on the appeal.
In accordance with Section 12-35.504 of the Municipal Code, the City may modify conditions of approval of the permit, or may revoke the permit for non-compliance with any of the conditions of approval, or if any operations under the approved permit result in detriment to the public health, safety or welfare.
This permit will not be valid until the applicant and property owner have submitted signed acknowledgment of their consent to the conditions, in accordance with Section 12 -35.109 of the Santa Maria Municipal Code, to the Planning Division of the Community Development Department.
In accordance with Section 12-35.501 of the Municipal Code, this permit amendment shall become null and void if the permit is not established within two years of the permit amendment’s effective date or after establishment the use is discontinued or abandoned for a period of six months. However, the approval body may consider extensions of time for additional periods of up to two (2) years. A written request justifying the need and the appropriate filing fee filed with the Community Development Department shall be submitted prior to the expiration date.
Failure to comply with any of the conditions stated above may be cause for revocation or modification of this permit, in addition to any other penalties provided by law. All conditions of approval are to be completed prior to occupancy unless otherwise stated, and are to be maintained in perpetuity.