‘Seniors-Only’ Rule at Santa Maria Mobile Home Parks Approved at City Council Meeting
SANTA MARIA, Calif. (KEYT) - The Santa Maria City Council held a public hearing tonight regarding the new Senior Mobile Home Park Overlay District.
There was some discussion but the council ended up approving the ordinance.
The proposed overlay district will establish rules to prevent senior-only facilities from being converted into all-age communities within Santa Maria boundaries.
“We're trying to make the steps more difficult and give you more discretion on whether or not you think it's a good idea for the community to change a zone later,” said Santa Maria city attorney Thomas Watson at the meeting.
Under the new ordinance, affected parks will be required to maintain an 80% occupancy standard for seniors, and submit reports to the city every two years to ensure compliance.
“Say you've got two people that are over 55, and for some reason they have to take in a grandchild or something,” Santa Maria mayor Alice Patino asked from the dais. “That's permissible?”
“Yes,” was the response from Community Development director Chenin Dow.
The zoning protection plan identifies five specific age-restricted communities located within Santa Maria city limits.
Together, these parks represent 1,137 individual housing units.
“That's not to say that they could never be converted,” says Dow. “There is a process for that, but it would require a public hearing, and it would allow those residents who are affected to have their voices heard.”
Other senior parks in the immediate area, such as Knollwood Village and Del Cielo, are not included in the proposed city overlay.
They are located in unincorporated Santa Barbara County jurisdiction, which maintains separate regulations.
“Based on this happening throughout the region with different parks looking to convert, it was seeking to kind of get ahead of the game before there was a desire to convert here,” Dow said in her presentation to the City Council Tuesday evening.
The move to establish the overlay district follows years of requests from local mobile home park residents for increased protections.
“Getting old isn't for sissies,” said La Maria Senior Mobile Home Park resident Esther Jensen. “We chose when we came to Santa Maria to pick a senior park. It's been a good investment.”
While dwellers have frequently asked the city for rent control measures, this current proposal focuses on preserving the 55-plus status of the parks rather than regulating space rents.
“Often, because those appointees are appointed to the Planning Commission by the City Council, that often can reflect their philosophies and does indicate some good likelihood that this will be adopted,” says Dow.
The City Council voted unanimously to approve the overlay district ordinance.
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