Planning Commission Selects Five Orcutt Areas for Affordable Housing
Recommendations Sent to Supervisors
 

              Several months ago, the Santa Barbara County Planning Department designated about 200 acres of vacant land in Orcutt for potential rezones for housing to satisfy the State’s Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA). 
On March 27, the five-person Planning Commission selected several of those properties to be rezoned. It also suggested densities to meet requirements to supply housing for lower-income housing, moderate and above moderate-income levels. 
               Recently appointed by County Supervisor Bob Nelson, Fourth District Planning Commissioner Roy Reed presented the Orcutt sites with the most potential of being rezoned. He said the commissioners struggled to determine which sites were the most appropriate for rezone. “I don’t want anyone to have any suspicion that we didn’t expend a lot of thought, grief, and sleepless nights wrestling with what would be good decisions for some people and produce disappointment for others.” 
Those Orcutt properties selected for rezoning include: 
               1.) Key Site 10: a 17-acre vacant parcel located west of South Bradley Road between Clark Avenue and Rice Ranch Road. It would be rezoned to allow 112 lower-income units, 43 moderate- income units, and 17 above-moderate- income units. 
               2.) Key Site 11: twenty-two acres located on the southside of the Splash and Dash Car Wash across from Delta High School. The development would be located north of Orcutt Creek with 157 apartments, divided into two sections, plus commercial. There would be a sports field with a picnic area and bridge over the creek. The apartments would be split between a commercial area and located about 25 feet below Clark Avenue. In the commercial area a grocery store and various retail outlets are planned. Most of the southern portion of the site is in a flood zone and significant grading will be needed to prepare the area for the project. The architecture theme would be Old Town Orcutt “boom town”. 
               3.) Hummel Cottages is a 4 1⁄2 acre site located east of Hummel Drive and north of Mooncrest Lane that could be rezoned to allow 30 lower income residences. The site is partially vacant. 
               4.) Mariposa Reale is located on the southside of Union Valley Parkway and west of Hummel Drive. It is a vacant five-acre parcel plus an 11 acre partially- vacant southern parcel, which could be rezoned to allow 90 lower-income units. 
               5.) Boys and Girls Club land is located on a 15-acre site south east side of Union Valley Parkway and Hummel Drive. A portion is proposed to be rezoned to allow 52 lower-income units, 20 moderate-income units and eight above moderate-income units. 
Proposed housing units totaled to satisfy RHNA requirements 
               To comply with the Regional Housing Needs Assessment, the North County needs zoning for 1522 units: lower income (807), moderate (229), and above moderate (485) units. The County is adding a 15% buffer. 
Totaling the units from the Orcutt projects suggested to the Planning Commission by Commissioner Roy Reed, there is a surplus of 227 units. Before sending recommendations to the Board of Supervisors, the Planning Commission will finalize its decision on the rezones later this month or early May. 
Steve Southwick reporting