Biltmore and More at October’s Land Use Meeting

The Montecito Association Land Use September meeting was held in person at the Montecito Library community room, and on Zoom.

The meeting was led by its Chair, Dorinne Lee Johnson. Attendees were the Land Use Committee members, Montecito Association Executive Director Houghton Hyatt, MA President Doug Black, Supervisor Williams’ Chief of Staff Darcel Elliott, and Fire Chief David Neels.

The main agenda item was the presentation updates on the Four Seasons Biltmore project by Vice President P. Sean Lavelle, President of L&P Consultants Mark Lloyd, land use Attorney Chip Wullbrandt, and Community Relations Manager Erin Lynch. Lavelle’s project updates were supported with the PowerPoint presentation by Lynch, and large-scale architectural color drawings. 

Lavelle outlined the history of the hotel as a point of reference to the new plan’s alignment with it in the context of historic preservation. He pointed out that there have been two peer reviews of the plans by historic preservation architects to fact check each other, and two additional historic preservation architects that worked on it. His presentation’s salient points are as follows:

– Ty Warner’s goal is for the resort to be the best resort in the U.S.

– Following its closure during COVID to date, Warner researched the current trends in travel and found that the current hotel needed to meet those needs; to provide for multi-generational family units traveling together who want larger rooms, luxury dining and longer stays.

– To accommodate multi-generational families, the plans will reduce the number of rooms from 230 to 136, by combining rooms to make them larger.

– The two cottages slated to be moved were built in 1976 and are not historic. They will be moved elsewhere on the property and eventually be combined into one residential house on Hill Road.

– The Four Seasons Group, who owned the hotel prior to Warner and will continue to do so, said the hotel will not open without adequate recreational pools for the guests.

– A number of false rumors about the renovations have surfaced, the main one being that the pool will go in the front lawn across from the ocean. This is not true. The new pools are going where the eucalyptus grove was, where the two cottage are being lifted and moved to the adjacent property. The grove was taken down for reasons to do with fire safety a while ago. The lawn known as the “wedding lawn” which is in the middle of the hotel will not be reduced in size.

– The existing pool suffices for a 50-room hotel. It will be used as an adult / quiet pool. Two additional pools will be built for children and families. One of those pools is approximately 3’ deep with the same warmed sand entrance to it that was in the historic original pool. The second pool is a series of smaller inlets sectioned for families connected by the “lazy river” feature. For filtration reasons, the river will flow, but it is not intended for rafts, etc. These pools are for hotel guests only. The Conditional Use Permit allows for pools. The pools are in the area of the property that was flooded during the mudslides.

– The high-profile guests who patronize the hotel do not want paparazzi interference. Every aspect of the hotel was reviewed so the guests and the common areas, like the pools, will not be seen from the sidewalk, street, etc.

– The restaurant will be upgraded to a luxury resort standard and will include outdoor dining on the patio. The dining patio/deck is already approved.

– The hotel will not be catering to large corporate events as in the past. That change alone reduces the traffic along the road and reduces the water and sewage use of the property.

– The hotel once updated will provide $15.7 million TOT and Sales Tax, bringing increased revenue to SBC.

– For the 11 bungalows, there will be 41 spas. 6’ high fencing is required with a spa, which they will hide in the landscaping and hedges, which also increases privacy. These spas are similar to the ones they have at the San Ysidro Ranch.

– Changes since our September meeting with MBAR include the patio for dining, the fitness center doors, and the palapa on the pool island. No pool can be constructed in the “wedding garden.”

– Fire Chief Neels stated that Montecito Fire Protection District reviewed the plans for the Four Seasons Biltmore regarding defensible space, scrubs, and related fire prevention issues for compliance.

– Their deadline for approval is this October, and to have a MPC meeting October 16. From there they can start work to be finished in 2025. Waiting for the project to start, and expected to be present at the MPC meeting, are the 172 employees [out of the 350] who said they want to return to work at the Biltmore.

Following the presentation, a Q&A ensued by the Land Committee Board, Douglas and Lee, and the attending public. The majority expressed their support for the plans and thanked the Ty Warner team. The Land Use Committee moved to a vote to support the Biltmore project and refer it to the Montecito Association, and to write a letter of support to the Montecito Planning Commission to approve it and also to approve the move of the two cottages.

The next agenda item was Doug Black who presented the letter from the Montecito Association to the SBC Board of Supervisors, regarding their position on the proposed Miramar Housing Mixed Use project, in relation to its affordable housing component and the associated retail and commercial development. (See letter below)

Dear Supervisors and Commissioners:

On behalf of the Montecito Association, I am writing to express our position on the proposed Miramar Housing Mixed Use project, particularly in relation to its affordable housing component and the associated retail and commercial development.

First, we want to emphasize our support for affordable housing in our community, especially housing that benefits the local workforce. The inclusion of 26 affordable units for resort employees is a positive step toward addressing the housing needs in the Santa Barbara area and helps the County meet its RHNA allocation for affordable housing. We recognize that affordable housing can fall within the jurisdiction of the County Planning Commission, as outlined in County Code Section 2-25.2(b)(3), and we appreciate the Planning Department’s efforts to ensure compliance with the County’s Housing Element and the Housing Accountability Act.

However, because this is a mixed-use project with significant commercial/retail square footage, impacting commercial activities in Montecito as well as adjacent residential neighborhoods, we believe the Board of Supervisors should, under Santa Barbara County Code section 2-25.2(b), direct that the Montecito Planning Commission have jurisdiction for review of this project. The Montecito Planning Commission was created to authorize a cohort of decision-makers intimately familiar with Montecito to review, condition, and approve projects to be that are compatible with the Montecito Community Plan.

It is our view that the project should not bypass the appropriate local oversight and review channels. This is in line with the powers and duties set forth in County Code Section 2-25.2, which governs the respective roles of the County and Montecito Planning Commissions. We believe this will provide a thorough and transparent review of all elements of the development, consistent with the expectations of our community.

Thank you for considering the Montecito Association’s input on this important project. We look forward to continued collaboration with the County and the Planning Commission to ensure the best outcomes for our community.

Sincerely, 

Doug Black President