CPC Unanimously Approves Miramar Plan
By Tiana Molony   |   November 12, 2024

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 […]

Board of Supervisors Hear Music Academy’s Call
By Tiana Molony   |   November 12, 2024

At a lengthy meeting on November 5th, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors voted 3-0-1 to deny the appeal of the Montecito Planning Commission’s approval of the Music Academy of the West’s Revised Conditional Use Permit (CUP).  District 1 Supervisor Das Williams moved the vote under the condition that staff recommend no more than […]

Biltmore at the MPC: Schedules, Palapas, and More Discussed at Meeting
By Tiana Molony   |   October 29, 2024

On Wednesday, October 16th, the Four Seasons Biltmore received preliminary approval from the Montecito Planning Commission (MPC) for its updated development plan. The plan includes adding private hot tubs for the bungalows, renovating the guest houses, building a new pool, and renovating the outdoor dining deck.  Ahead of the vote, the MPC requested that the […]

MPC Recusal: Miramar and the 18 Pages Heard Around the Room
By Tiana Molony   |   October 29, 2024

The October 18th Montecito Planning Commission (MPC) meeting, scheduled for the purposes of discussing the Rosewood Miramar’s proposed expansion for mixed-use housing, abruptly ended when Commissioner Sandy Stahl recused herself halfway through, causing the commission to lose its required quorum.  The mixed-use housing development plan being considered, in advance of next week’s scheduled County Planning […]

Miramar at the CPC: Caruso, the Community, and County Planning Commission Weigh in on Expansion Plans
By Tiana Molony   |   October 22, 2024

On October 9, the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission (CPC) heard the Rosewood Miramar’s Mixed-Use Housing Development plan, which includes affordable housing for Miramar staff, new retail shops, a cafe, and luxury housing split between the existing East and West parking lots. The hearing emerged after Caruso’s team sent a letter to the CPC citing […]

The Miramar Plan: Rosewood Expansion Plan Heads to County Commissioners
By Tiana Molony   |   October 1, 2024

In October 2023, five years after re-opening under the ownership of Rick Caruso, the Rosewood Miramar officially declared its expansion plans, first presenting to the Montecito Association Land Use Committee and later the Montecito Board of Architectural Review.  The proposed plans include new affordable housing units for staff, luxury apartments for long-term rent, and additional […]

Biltmore Faces the MBAR with Its Future Unknown
By Tiana Molony   |   August 27, 2024

When the Biltmore opened its doors in 1927, a stone’s throw from the Pacific Ocean, various hotel aficionados around California gathered for dinner there. According to a December 1927 issue of The Morning Press, many praised it as “a hotel in the most beautiful spot in California.” Its Spanish Revival charm, easily recognizable by the […]