UC Santa Barbara Housing Construction Upsets Neighbors
UC Santa Barbara’s development plans are rattling the nerves of some neighbors in Goleta, next to a growing off campus housing project.
Work is underway for the San Joaquin residential units next to the Santa Catalina dorms. (Formerly Francisco Torres.) The high rise project will include parking, a bike trail, a sand volleyball court, and a new dining facility. It is located on Storke Road at El Colegio.
Large dirt moving equipment is now reshaping the dirt right behind homes in the Storke Ranch housing community. One homeowner John Jamali says some of the equipment is so close to his back wall that the sound drowns out conversations and his house shakes. At times there are several large pieces of equipment moving in the same area. Jamani also says he has seen cracks on his property that did not exist before.
He says the meetings prior to this project next pointed out these impacts on neighbors. “As soon as we get up we need to leave the house. You’ve been in this noise for so long it drives you crazy, ” said Jamali. “I can not talk on the phone when I am in the house “
Jamali said he has called UCSB, the Coastal Commission, and many local government offices about the way the project has been reviewed and presented to the public. “The people who permitted this, they should know
they did not consider people living next to this project, ” said Jamali.
UCSB says there have been numerous meetings about the campus development plans and it has a web page with information. It is working to make sure the heavy equipment is not used outside of the permitted times, and neighbors are aware of the construction schedule.
Jamali even has a decibel meter to monitor the noise levels and says he has marked down many times when it is excessive.
The Storke Ranch housing was developed about 15 years ago, said Jamani. He fears the impacts of the neighboring project will hurt property values.
The UCSB project is on land owned by the school outside of the main campus site, and the housing complex is in the city of Goleta.
Information about the UCSB long range development plan can be found here:
http://lrdp.id.ucsb.edu/?q=about-long-range-development-plan
Updates on housing projects can also be found at:
http://www.housing.ucsb.edu/projects-blog
Neighbors with concerns can call 805-893-4128.
