Santa Barbara New Growth Management Program Adopted

On March 12, 2013, the City Council unanimously adopted the ordinance and resolution to implement the City’s Nonresidential Growth Management Program.

Effective as of April 11, new commercial additions will be reviewed under the newNonresidential Growth Management Ordinance, SBMC 28.85, and Resolution 13-010which include how and where in the City 1.35 million square feet of non-resi dential floor area allowed under the City’s General Plan can be allocated.

Much of the ordinance is similar to what has been known as the City’s Development Plan Ordinance (Measure E – 1989), however, key changes include a new Traffic Management Strategy with limitations on additions for properties located outside of the Downtown area.  Summary information on this program can be found on the City’s website – Nonresidential Growth Management Process Information.

Many of the operational details of the Development Plan Ordinance remain the same; however, other key changes include the following:

1. The required Development Plan is dependent on the size of the project being reviewed, not on the cumulative allocations on the real property over time.
2. A new City Traffic Management Strategy serves as the basis for permitting Development Plan traffic findings under CEQA, with cumulative traffic impacts no longer precluding project approval as was the case with Measure E.
3. Traffic Development Areas are established with certain allocation categories not allowed in Outlying Development Areas (e.g., Small Additions and Economic Development).
4. Transfers of Existing Development Rights would be limited to only their own traffic Development Area or to the Downtown consistent with the new procedures for future Transfers of Existing Development Rights.
5. A onetime, 1,000 square foot Transfer of Existing Development Rights from another site within the same area is allowed without a Development Plan.
6. The request for a Community Benefit designation has been streamlined to require only one Council review early in the review process.