Bishop Ranch Pulls Application

This just in from Bishop Ranch LLC -- one less issue to talk about in November. -- Sara

Bishop Ranch Withdraws City of Goleta General Plan Amendment Initiation Application

July 11, 2008 - - An application to initiate the study of options for the future of Bishop Ranch scheduled to be heard by the Goleta City Council next Tuesday, July 15, 2008, has been withdrawn by the applicant following the release of a staff report recommending denial of the requested initiation. The project hearing will not take place.

Not wanting to waste valuable City of Goleta time or resources, the applicant stated there is no reason to move forward. “It is very clear that while there is substantial support in the community to fully study and review the future of Bishop Ranch that same support does not exist at the City, neither with the staff nor with the council,” stated Michael Keston, the applicant.

The subject Bishop Ranch property, first zoned for housing in 1951, is a 240-acre site along the 101 Freeway and neighbored on two sides by homes. According to public records it has not been farmed since the 1940s. The application was the result of model community collaboration, a four-month Community Working Group process undertaken from late 2007 through January 2008 involving hundreds of local residents.

“In withdrawing this plan, it is important that I publicly thank the hundreds of Goleta residents who worked with us for long hours to fully understand the challenges the City faces to fulfill State housing demands without having to build high density multi-family housing,” added Keston.

“A diversity of Goleta residents came forward and worked hard to create a consensus plan, I appreciate the effort and I regret this vision will not go forward.”

Without the plan there will be no project hearing on Tuesday. Keston requested all those who have indicated that they will attend the Goleta City Council meeting stay home and enjoy time with their families.

Community Post: Is the Goleta City Council Majority the Best an LA County Developer Can Buy?

I've been meaning to do a post on Goleta City Council and the majority's kissing up to the proposed Bishop Ranch development for some time -- that would be Onnen, Bennett and Blois teaming up for a tour de development force. Luckily an avid reader beat me to it -- which I appreciate as I've been pretty busy lately...thanks for the help!

Sara

=============Community Post====================

Is the Goleta City Council Majority the best an LA County Developer can buy?

Or, how will 1000 new market-rate housing units, with no water, help Goleta "meet its housing needs?"

The would-be developer of Bishop Ranch has filed an application with City of Goleta to build 1195 residential units on this 240 acres. The LA County Developer seeks a General Plan amendment to change the property’s land-use designation from agriculture to a Specific Plan “Mixed-Use: Bishop Ranch.”

The proposal, received by the City April 16, mainly argues that the property’s agricultural zoning is incorrect and inappropriate, and, instead, that building this project would help the city meet its housing needs.

Among the proposals for the property for this phased, 10-year project are:

• “approximately 1,195 residential units” consisting of high-density rentals, multi-family townhomes and condos, detached single-family homes, and “age-restricted” units for seniors; and
  
• "up to" 240 units of "affordable" housing.
  

The developer team and their relatives contributed substantially to new Goleta Council Members Bennett and Onnen during the weeks prior to the November 2006 election, but, as quoted in Goleta Valley Voice, "both have said the money would not influence their decision-making."

Read all about it in Goleta Valley Voice, an opinion essay in The Santa Barbara Independent, and another look from the Indie.