All Saints by-the-Sea Makes Case for Miramar Affordable Housing to be Adjacent to the Church

All Saints-by-the-Sea Episcopal Church has been a part of the fabric of Montecito since the cornerstone was set for our Sanctuary in January of 1900. We strive to love our neighbors as ourselves and respect the dignity of every person. We have a legacy of inclusion, aspiring to tell and exemplify God’s love for every human being. It’s now our goal to include the people who work at the Rosewood Miramar Beach hotel in this loving embrace. 

We are proposing that the affordable workforce housing being proposed by Mr. Caruso be located next to All Saints, what we are calling the “swap.” It entails putting affordable housing in two buildings next to All Saints at the corner of South Jameson and Eucalyptus Lane. Smaller than the retail stores and luxury apartments that are envisioned there now, the affordable housing’s scale would fit with the neighborhood. It would also preserve our view of the majestic Santa Ynez Mountain range.

The employees of the hotel would be welcomed into the residential neighborhood in which we are located. They would become part of the Parish School, the life of the parish, the Friendship Center, and the family atmosphere which permeates life along Eucalyptus Lane and in the surrounding area.

We have worked relentlessly and with integrity to present these ideas to Mr. Caruso and his team. The solution is truly a win-win-win for the hotel project, the church and the neighborhood. We are unsure why this was rejected by him, other than he feels prestigious retailers only want to be at the entrance corner of the property.

As most in the community know… and what is the source of significant consternation for many… is the placement of two large structures with luxury shops and apartments next to the All Saints Sanctuary parking lot, with a 30-foot roofline hemming in our Church entrance and sacred spaces. Eclipsing the mountain views that have nurtured churchgoers and neighbors for nearly 125 years, it is out of scale, scope, and size with the neighborhood.

What makes sense is that the luxury shops and apartments be constructed on the larger plot east of The Manor House, where they would be easily accessible from the Resort’s main restaurants, pools, and Great Lawn, moving the commercial aspects of the project out of the neighborhood and into the center of the Resort. This approach would maintain exactly the same rentable square feet as the original Caruso proposal and reduce construction costs by eliminating underground parking north of the Sanctuary.

Shoppers and those at the newly proposed café would be more inclined to use the hotel’s valet service and not park in spaces reserved for the public and beachgoers. It would even enable ocean views from the luxury apartments and open space for a more enjoyable hotel experience. It would keep resort activities within the resort and put hotel employee residences next to our residential neighborhood.

Since 1900, our church community has been formed and informed by our connection to the mountains. Our church building was designed with the altar facing east and our entrance door facing north to the mountains. For 125 years, this historic structure, by its placement, has created this important experience for all who come to our campus. It symbolizes Psalm 121 which says, “I lift up my eyes to the hills; from where is my help to come?” Our priority today is to preserve the sacred. It is the mission and gift of the church. It is a sacred element of the practice of our faith.

Our “swap” proposal will grow our neighborhood by placing affordable housing right next to the church and fits our mission. For us, the consequences are longstanding. It is about how we understand ourselves within the community for which we care.