Santa Barbara County Supervisors deny all appeals to Miramar mixed-use project in Montecito
MONTECITO, Calif. – After a lengthy hearing, Santa Barbara County Supervisors voted unanimously to deny all of the appeals of the Miramar's mixed-use development project in Montecito.
The vote recognized the Miramar's modifications including electrifying the building by moving away from fossil fuels and making the 26 affordable units affordable for the life of the project.
Developer Rick Caruso was in attendance said they have tried to be a good neighbor.
The Miramar found a way to reduce the height of the project near the All Saints By the Sea Church where the late Leslie Ridley-Tree helped the church build a Columbarium that holds urns containing remains.
"We are going to contribute some stained glass windows which are important to them for the columbarian," said Caruso.
Caruso's son Justin has been working with the community on other compromises as well, including eliminating a driveway, reducing the number of market rate apartments from 15 to 8, reducing the space for new shops and a cafe and maintaining beach parking.
"We are building something is going to be beautiful and that is going to look just like the hotel," said Justin Caruso, " and its going to part of the community and the employees that work at the Miramar are unbelievable people and those are going to be the people who will live in their community and their kids will be in their schools and we think that is great."
But Heal the Ocean's Hillary Hauser would still like to see more changes and plans to take the environmental fight to the California Coastal Commission.
"Hotel as is is great but what we don't like is digging big underground garages in the coastal zone and we brought a flooding issue expert to testify today," said Hauser.
When Chair Steve Lavagnino said he was exciting about the shopping he got a laugh, but then he explained he didn't plan to shop at the hotel stores but looks forward to the county receiving the extra sales tax revenue along with the Transient Occupancy Tax.
"It is the gem of the Central Coast," said Lavagnino.
Second District Supervisor Laura Capps talked about the importance of families being able to work where they live.
Third District Supervisor Joan Hartmann said the affordable housing won't be hidden in the back.
"Many of us would love to live there," got a laugh when she said how many people would love to live there.
She hopes the project leads to more affordable housing throughout the county.
"This is a really great model and I hope others hotels in the area will do it and I hope that Mr. Caruso, we have already got an appointment he is going to come back and see about developing some of our in-fill underdeveloped commercial sites --take on a tour and get him to work," said Hartmann.
The luxury hotel opened in 2019 and Caruso's staff said adding retail will help funding the affordable housing units.
