CPC Unanimously Approves Miramar Plan

On November 1st, the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission unanimously approved Rosewood Miramar’s mixed-used housing development plan. 

Initially a vocal opponent of the plan, All Saints-by-the-Sea Episcopal Church ultimately reached a compromise with the Miramar, which involved reducing the scope of the project. “I stand before you today to say that All Saints withdraws any opposition,” said All Saints Reverend Channing Smith during public comment. 

Commissioner John Parke shared that he played a part in the agreement between the church and the Miramar. “I suggested to all the parties that I would feel a lot more comfortable if a building on that western half was lowered to one story,” he said. 

Katie Mangin, senior director of development for Caruso, presented Miramar’s alternate plan, which includes a 40-foot pushback of the second floor of building B, the building closest to the church. “There will be no other changes to the plan,” she said. 

Rick Caruso issued a public statement after the meeting: “We are delighted by today’s unanimous approval of our plan for the Miramar by the County Planning Commission, and deeply grateful to the hundreds of neighbors and community members who helped shape our plan over the past two years.”

Padric Davis, former Director of All Saints’ Parish School, showed up in support of the Miramar project. She shared that Miramar accommodated the preschool when the hotel was being built. “It was a wonderful experience,” she told the Montecito Journal. “And so that’s what I was hoping we could do this time around, and I was sorry to see it have to go through so much angst.” She had hoped that the church and Caruso would settle their dispute. “I am so glad that the church now has come to a negotiation.”

However, some Miramar neighbors and other members of the public continue to express concerns about the project; particularly parking, increased traffic, and evacuation issues. Miramar neighbor Page Robinson spoke about parking concerns at the meeting. She indicated that she had twice reported instances of vehicles obstructing the egress of the Eastern Valley lot, even after notifying the relevant county authorities. “It’s on us, the neighbors, to run around like the vigilante paparazzi doing the county’s job,” she said. “Not my first choice.”

Robinson and other Miramar neighbors fear the new Miramar will exacerbate parking problems. As she says, the hotel already struggles to provide adequate parking. “While my husband and I support the church’s resolution, we and other neighbors still have concerns about the Miramar being under-parked and their spillover parking impacting coastal access,” Robinson told the Montecito Journal after the hearing.

Chris Robertson, a member of the Caruso team, addressed some of the parking concerns, particularly the issue of employees allegedly parking in neighborhoods. She said that employees are aware of the parking rules, and those who do not comply “are at risk for termination.” Robertson also said that resort guests are debriefed about Miramar’s strict parking guidelines. “Guests understand that the resort is valet only,” she said.

Other neighbors raised concerns about increased traffic. Montecito resident Cliff Gherson, who lives on Humphrey Road, was concerned with the project’s impact on public safety. “I feel that this project will have an adverse impact on our public health and safety due mostly to overflowing street parking and much more traffic.” 

Various Miramar supporters were present at the hearing and held blue “I support the Miramar” signs. 

Ahead of the vote, the commissioners addressed safety-related questions to the Montecito Fire Department and Public Works. Commissioner C. Michael Cooney sought clarification regarding the potential impact of the development on Montecito’s evacuation procedures. Fire Chief David Neels referenced two studies conducted in 2022 and 2023 that evaluated the comprehensive evacuation plan for the community. “We have not included the Miramar envelope in those evacuation studies, nor do we include just one element in our community in our evacuation study; we have to look at everything.”

Commissioner Cooney then asked if there had ever been a situation where the fire crew had issues getting their trucks through San Ysidro and into Humphrey Lane. “Are you able to get to all the calls that you’ve had?” he asked. Neels assured Commissioner Cooney that he could not recall a situation where they hadn’t made it to an emergency due to a blocked roadway. 

Commissioner Parke inquired if there was traffic data that showed what traffic looked like at the former Miramar. William Robertson with Santa Barbara County Public Works said he couldn’t definitively say whether the traffic was worse or better back then because “the road was different at the time.” Nevertheless, Commissioner Parke shared that he believes traffic was worse back then. 

Some speakers requested that the project be moved to when Roy Lee replaces First District Supervisor Das Williams next year. Others spoke about waiting until the improvements to the 101 freeway were completed. However, Chris Robertson warned Commissioners that this move would be a “direct violation of the housing accountability act and SB330.” Commissioner Parke noted that this hearing is number three of the allotted five. “If we continue it, we are eating into the supervisor’s hearing,” he said. 

The project will likely be appealed to the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors.