Caird Multi-Unit Housing Development

Summary

SCH Number
2026090148
Public Agency
Santa Barbara County
Document Title
Caird Multi-Unit Housing Development
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
9/2/2026
Document Description
The project is for a “use by right” approval of an 1,198-unit multi-family housing development pursuant to Government Code Section 65583.2(c). The project is also utilizing Senate Bill 330 and State Density Bonus Law. 300 units will be very low and low-income rental homes, and 898 units will be for-sale market-rate homes. The affordable rental homes will be constructed in conjunction with People’s Self-Help Housing. Additionally, the project applicant is partnering with a major local employer who will purchase approximately 160 of the market-rate homes to sell to their employees at below-market rates, subsidizing the differential. The homes will be designed in a variety of housing types and sizes, including single-family homes, townhomes, and condominiums. The proposed unit breakdown is as follows: Residential Dwelling Unit Type Number of Units Market Rate – For Sale 898 Very Low Income (30-50% of AMI) Rental 60 Low Income (50-80% of AMI) Rental 240 Total Number of Units 1,198 Total Number of Affordable Units 300 (25% of total units) The project includes seven different for-sale, market-rate product types and affordable rental homes with a range of bedroom count and size. Below is a summary of the housing types: Type Bedroom/Baths Size (net sq. ft.) Garage Parking No. of Units Product 1: 3-Story Carriage Units 1-3/1.5-3 1,120-1,862 1-2 162 Product 2: 4-Story Flats 3/2 1,718-1,935 2 120 Product 3: 3-Story Flats & Townhomes 3/3-3.5 1,803-1,917 2 158 Product 4: 3-Story Flats & Townhomes 1-4/1-3.5 1,080-2,389 1-2 162 Product 5: 3-Story Townhomes 2-3/2.5 1,546-2,060 2 162 Product 6: 2-Story Detached Single-Family Dwelling 3-4/2.5-3.5 2,405-2,586 2 39 Product 7: 3-Story Townhome 3-4/3.5 2,047-2,530 2 95 Affordable: 4-Story Flats/Parking Structure 1-3/1-2 695-1,268 1-3 300 The project will be constructed in phases anticipated over an approximate 10-year period, based on market demand for home purchase. Project construction is expected to commence on the east side of the project site and make its way westward over time. The affordable housing buildings are also planned to be constructed in phases starting with the east building and then moving to the west building. The project phases are proposed as follows: Phase I: • Units – 148 affordable apartments and 159 multi-family market-rate units. • Infrastructure – Construct South Patterson improvements, Ekwill improvements along northern property line of Ekwill property, and temporary road from South Patterson along northern property line of 905 South Patterson and western property line of Giorgi property connecting to Ekwill Street. Phase II: • Units – 133 multi-family market-rate units and 39 single-family dwellings. Phase III: • Units – 152 affordable apartments and 60 multi-family market-rate units. • Infrastructure – Park construction to commence no later than issuance of final certificate of occupancy for Phase III, and completed within 24 months. Phase IV: • Units – 507 multi-family market-rate units • Infrastructure – Prior to construction of Phase IV, permanent access road from South Patterson to Ekwill/Ward Drive to be constructed. The project includes an approximately eight-acre public park with a sports field, playground, bike path, picnic area, and space for a community farmer’s marketplace. Public parking, including 60 public parking spaces, is proposed along the southern boundary of the park. A common area pool, recreation center, and community gathering amenity building is provided for use by all on-site residents. Approximately 41% of the site is dedicated to public, common, and private open space including tot lots, common area picnic and barbecue areas, and the public park. Each of the affordable housing buildings also contain a community amenity program including multipurpose and classroom spaces, common area kitchen, storage, and administrative space. Bicycle and walking paths are provided throughout the project development and will connect the community to the Class I Atascadero Multi-Purpose bikeway (Obern Trail) as well as the Class I bike path along the east side of Maria Ygnacio Creek. On-site stormwater detention is provided throughout the site in bioswales and bio retention basins. Parking for the market-rate homes will be provided in private garages connected to the homes and on-street parking depending on the product type. Parking for the affordable homes will be provided in parking garages within the center of each of the affordable buildings. On-street visitor parking will also be provided throughout the project site. A total of 2,790 parking spaces are provided for the 1,198 units, common amenity area, and public park. 1,048 bicycle parking spaces will be provided throughout the project site. Pursuant to APCD’s recommendation, the Project will evaluate incorporation of additional exposure reduction measures, including high-efficiency mechanical ventilation systems, enhanced filtration, stand-alone HEPA air filtration units, and resident education regarding filter maintenance. Feasible measures will be incorporated in the final construction design and plans. The Project will also pursue opportunities to provide enhanced filtration and/or resident information materials regarding the importance of maintaining HVAC and air filtration systems to support indoor air quality. The following waivers are requested pursuant to State Density Bonus Law: • Waiver to exceed DR Zone District 35-foot height limit. Project will have a maximum height of 66 feet from existing grade (55’-2” from finished slab). • Waiver to reduce DR Zone District building setbacks, in compliance with the “Setback Modifications Requested for Caird Multi-Family Homes” table included in the project materials. • Waiver to reduce DR Zone District parking setbacks. • Waiver to reduce DR Zone District private open space requirement for each dwelling unit. Private open space will be provided for each unit as specified on Sheet Site-6 of approved plans. • Waiver to reduce required 50-foot creek buffer to approximately 25 feet for flatwork and minor improvements; all habitable structures are setback a minimum of 50 feet from creek top-of-bank. • Waiver to reduce DR Zone District Common Open Space requirement to allow for less than 40% of the net site area to be common open space. The project provides approximately 36% public and common open space. The project includes frontage improvements along both sides of South Patterson Ave., including landscaped medians, bike lanes, parking, sidewalks, lighting, curbs, and gutters. Grading will include approximately 50,300 cubic yards of cut and 289,100 cubic yards of fill. Native trees that will be removed for the project consist of two coast redwoods, 13 pacific willows, two arroyo willows, and two coast live oaks. Three additional coast live oak trees will be significantly disturbed. The parcel will be served by the Goleta Water District, the Goleta Sanitary District, and the Santa Barbara County Fire Department. Access will be provided off of South Patterson Ave, Ekwill Street, and Gwyne Ave to Rhodes Ave. The project site is 87.4 acres, zoned DR-20/25 and DR-30/40, and shown as Assessor's Parcel Numbers 071-190-036, 065-090-031, 065-230-012, and 071-140-048, located at 905 S Patterson Ave., 600 S Patterson Ave., and 620 S Patterson Ave., in the Eastern Goleta Valley Community Plan area, Second Supervisorial District.

Contact Information

Name
Willow Brown
Agency Name
County of Santa Barbara
Job Title
Planner
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency

Name
Charles Lande
Agency Name
Chadmar Patterson LLC
Job Title
Applicant
Contact Types
Project Applicant

Location

Cities
Unincorporated area (Eastern Goleta Valley)
Counties
Santa Barbara
Regions
Southern California, Unincorporated
Cross Streets
S. Patterson Avenue
Zip
93111
Total Acres
87.4
Parcel #
065-090-031, 065-230-012, 071-140-048, 071-190-036
State Highways
101
Other Location Info
600, 620, & 905 S Patterson Ave., Goleta, CA

Notice of Exemption

Exempt Status
Ministerial
Type, Section or Code
Sec. 21080(b)(1); 15268
Reasons for Exemption
CEQA Guidelines Section 15268 exempts ministerial projects from the requirements of CEQA. The determination of what is “ministerial” can most appropriately be made by the particular public agency involved based upon its analysis of its own laws, and each public agency should make such determination either as a part of its implementing regulations or on a case-by-case basis. Each public agency should, in its implementing regulations or ordinances, provide an identification or itemization of its projects and actions which are deemed ministerial under the applicable laws and ordinances. Pursuant to Santa Barbara County Land Use and Development Code Section 35.39, housing developments located on sites that were rezoned under the 2023-2031 Housing Element Update and meet certain standards are allowed as a “use by right” and are subject to ministerial review and approval. The project is exempt from CEQA as it is allowed as a use by right pursuant to Government Code Section 65583.2(i) and Government Code Section 65589.5 for multifamily residential housing. The subject properties were rezoned to accommodate the County’s 2023-2031 Regional Housing Needs Allocation for very low- and/or low-income households. Housing developments on sites that were rezoned and include at least 20% very low- and/or low-income units are allowed as a use by right and are not subject to any discretionary reviews or approvals, or environmental review under CEQA. 25% of the units qualify as very low- or low-income units, and therefore the project qualifies as a use by right and is ministerial.
County Clerk
Santa Barbara

Attachments

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