A proposal to develop a 2.19-acre former lumber yard in Solvang, California, into a "glamping" resort has met with strong opposition from residents and city leaders. The plan, which would feature 31 Airstream trailers alongside a bar, lounge, hotel suites, and a military-style lookout tower, is under scrutiny due to its potential conflict with the town's historic Spanish Mission-style architectural requirements.
The project's pre-application review by the city's Design Review Committee revealed significant concerns. Committee members noted that the proposed resort would need to integrate the town's distinctive design elements. Critics, however, view the Airstream development as essentially a "glorified trailer park," regardless of its classification as lodging.
"If it looks like a trailer park and it gleams like a trailer park, in spite of the categorization of a lodging, it's a trailer park," said Dennis Beebe, president of the Santa Ynez Valley Citizens Council, adding that he finds the proposal "completely inappropriate for downtown Solvang."
Committee member Jennifer Johnson expressed reservations, stating, "Even if I was going to go camping, which I did all my life growing up, I would never go in an Airstream." Local resident Susan Belloni echoed these sentiments, questioning how "31 mid-century design Chinese aluminum airstream trailers have anything in common with Spanish colonial revival architecture." Belloni also noted that a rendering of the proposed lookout tower resembled an "old West military fortress."
Phil Stevens, representing the applicant, acknowledged the criticisms regarding the project's aesthetic and pledged to revise the plans to "strike a better balance."
This controversy is the latest in a series of local disputes in Solvang, a town often referred to as the "Danish capital of America." Previously, the town experienced division over a tourism app, "Solvang Passport," developed and owned by Solvang Mayor David Brown. Ethical concerns were raised by some City Council members regarding the mayor's involvement in an app promoting local businesses. Supporters argued the app was a tool to attract visitors and support local commerce. Mayor Brown has since removed city-related content from the app, added a disclaimer of non-affiliation, and is considering relinquishing management or licensing the platform to another entity.