The Santa Barbara City Council voted 4-2 this week to reject an appeal challenging plans for a two-story cliffside mansion and associated structures in the city's Mesa neighborhood, allowing the project to move forward despite vocal opposition from neighbors. The decision means the development can proceed despite objections regarding its size, potential impact on emergency access and utility connections, privacy, and the stability of the bluff, which experienced a partial collapse in winter 2023.
Councilwomen Kristen Sneddon and Wendy Santamaria voted in favor of the appeal, while Councilman Mike Jordan abstained due to his proximity to the property. Several council members expressed unease about the increasing prevalence of oversized homes along Santa Barbara's bluffs, with Sneddon questioning the Single Family Design Board's approval. "The whole reason (the Single Family Design Board was) formed was to prevent McMansionization, and these, to me, are the example of what should not be on the bluff," she stated.
Alexandra Hack, a neighbor who filed the appeal, raised concerns that the mansion's scale could impede emergency access to her property and disrupt existing utility services. Santa Barbara Fire Marshal Ryan DiGuilio addressed these points, assuring the council that emergency access would be maintained, noting the planned 16-foot driveway would accommodate fire engine hoses. Jarret Gorin of Vanguard Planning, representing the property owners, committed to coordinating with neighbors to prevent power interruptions during utility work.
The property's location on a bluff that partially collapsed in winter 2023 added to the scrutiny. Gorin informed the council that the owners had completed a stabilization project and that the home would be situated approximately 38 feet from the bluff's edge. Other residents also voiced opposition, with one neighbor calling the consideration of such a large construction and pool on a compromised bluff "mind-boggling." Kelly Boker described the project as "vastly out of proportion and out of character" for the neighborhood, citing potential privacy issues due to the removal of foliage.
Councilman Eric Friedman acknowledged the neighbors' concerns but indicated that the council lacked sufficient technical evidence to overturn the Planning Commission's initial approval. Councilwoman Meagan Harmon, while sharing concerns about bluff development, suggested that such issues should be addressed through broader policy rather than individual appeals, warning that a piecemeal approach could lead to further problems.