Proposed Mixed-Use “Courtyard” Developer Meets Neighborhood Pushback Ahead of Santa Maria City Council Vote
SANTA MARIA, Calif. (KEYT) – An empty lot next to Tommie Kunst Junior High in Santa Maria is at the center of a growing controversy.
The developer refined his 'Courtyard At Hidden Pines' project, but neighbors are voicing concerns about it.
The empty lot at the corner of Railroad and Hidden Pines, originally owned by a church organization, was purchased a few years ago by Dan Patin, a private developer consulting with Urban Planning Concepts.
“If you take a look at the entire project, it's just an open space area that I would just like to, you know, build and have the amenities that neighborhoods should have,” says Patin.
Long-term residents of the North Preisker Ranch neighborhood say the proposed development has undergone several revisions already, but the latest permutation still doesn’t seem to address their core concerns.
“I think it's hard for people, as this developer who is coming up from Orange County, to understand what our neighborhood is already experiencing daily and nightly,” says Preisker Ranch Neighborhood resident Monica Lopez.
Neighbors are concerned the development as currently proposed would escalate school-time traffic clogs out of control.
“Although some of the houses will have garages we already see in the neighborhood how people aren't using their garages. And even if they are, they still have 5 or 6 cars on a property,” says Lopez.
They also say the neighborhood is already plagued with street parking problems 24/7 due to household overflow.
“I think the best case would just be single family houses and leave out the commercial part of it that he's trying to add in our single family neighborhood,” says Lopez.
Patin specifies the retail and recreational facilities will be small, specifically designed to fit into this corner of the neighborhood and enhance community engagement.
“It’s not a mall, it's not anything but a community center area where people can get together and relax and enjoy their home,” says Patin. “We have the Planning Commission meeting on September 16th. I encourage everybody to show up, you know, whether you're with or without, you know, opinion. I think the majority of people will enjoy it when it's done.
The city council is expected to vote on the proposed development next month.
The Latest Breaking News, Weather Alerts, Sports and More Anytime On Our Mobile Apps. Keep Up With The Latest Articles by Signing Up for the News Channel 3-12 Newsletter.
