garden street hotel
Here you see in yellow the current proposed hotels in and around The Funk Zone.
The 250 rooms is the Garden Street Hotel.
the history
101 Garden Street Hotel is a 250-room hotel project proposed for the Funk Zone neighborhood. The land has been owned for generations by the Wright family, who are now seeking a 100 year lease agreement with a Los Angeles hotel development group to build the maximum allowable hotel. The 235,690-square-foot hotel would uproot dozens of local businesses and local artists that have been on the site for decades. In 1983 the City approved a plan for the property that allowed housing or a hotel, but did not lock that approval in with a development agreement. The Project is proposed atop a bed of contaminated materials that were pushed into wetlands a hundred years ago. High groundwater and seawater (exacerbated by Sea Level Rise) saturate the contaminated fill and create significant new issues not considered in 1983. In order to accommodate the massive size and scale of this 250-room hotel, 238 vehicle parking spaces (of 267) total will be subterranean, or underground. The Funk Zone neighborhood and Garden Street freeway underpass have experienced extreme flooding events during recent storms, further proving this is not a suitable site for a large hotel or any amenities that are subterranean.
the challenge
the city of santa barbara in 1983, signed the specific plan agreement in 1983 that opened a path for bill wright to build desperately needed multi-family housing or a hotel in exchange for donating some land that connected the us 101 highway to east cabrillo blvd.
the opportunity
The Specific Plan authorizes multi-family housing on this site. We believe the Santa Barbara housing crisis far exceeds the community’s need for another large hotel, whose staff will be paid low-wages and forced to commute from out of town, worsening our housing crisis, and providing no community benefit to the neighborhood it will be heavily impacting. Our intent is to bring sustained public opposition to another unneeded hotel project to pressure the Santa Barbara city government to finally begin saying no to hotels and prioritizing affordable housing for community workers that are the backbone of our City’s vitality.
urgent call to action
The third Planning Commission review of 101 Garden Street Hotel project is Thursday, February 29th @ 1PM. Here is the agenda containing the location, the project description, how to submit public comment and how to attend both in person and via Zoom. Please join your community members in calling for denying the 101 Garden Street Hotel, and instead prioritizing housing for the 6 acre lot of suitable land.
previous planning commission meetings:
related articles to read:
proposed 250-room waterfront hotel hits snag with santa barbara planning commission
noozhawk - august 5, 2023
Summary: The article discusses a proposed waterfront hotel project in Santa Barbara that encountered obstacles with the Planning Commission. The commission expressed concerns about the project's size, scale, and potential impacts on traffic and neighborhood aesthetics. There were worries about the hotel's compatibility with the surrounding area and its potential to create shadows and obstruct views. Additionally, commissioners raised questions about the preservation of public access to the waterfront and the project's adherence to city regulations. As a result, the Planning Commission decided to further review the proposal before making a final decision.
funk zone hotel project hits wall at santa barbara planning commission
the sb independent - august 8, 2023
Summary: The article discusses a hotel project in the Funk Zone area of Santa Barbara that faced challenges at the Planning Commission. The commission raised concerns about the project's scale, design, and potential impacts on the neighborhood's character. There were also worries about the project's compliance with the city's General Plan and its potential to worsen traffic congestion in the area. Commissioners expressed skepticism about the proposed hotel's compatibility with the surrounding buildings and its potential to block views and sunlight. Additionally, there were concerns about the project's effects on nearby historic structures. As a result, the Planning Commission decided to postpone a decision on the project to allow for further review and revisions.
santa barbara planning commission expresses ‘real concerns’ about hotel proposed for garden street
noozhawk - april 7, 2023
Summary: The article discusses a proposed hotel project on Garden Street in Santa Barbara. The Santa Barbara Planning Commission expressed several concerns about the project, including its size, scale, and potential impacts on traffic and neighborhood character. Commissioners were worried that the proposed hotel might be too large for the area and could exacerbate existing traffic issues. They also raised questions about the project's compatibility with the surrounding neighborhood and its potential to create shadows and block views. Additionally, there were concerns about the preservation of historic trees on the site. The Planning Commission decided to continue discussions on the project to address these issues further.
many areas see flooding, road closures in santa barbara
fox26 news - december 21, 2023
Summary: The article reports on widespread flooding and road closures in Santa Barbara due to heavy rain. Many areas experienced flooding, including sections of Highway 101, Mission Street, and De La Vina Avenue. The flooding resulted in road closures and traffic disruptions as authorities worked to manage the situation. The Santa Barbara Fire Department and other agencies responded to numerous calls for assistance, including water rescues. The article highlights the challenges faced by residents and authorities as they dealt with the effects of the heavy rainfall on local infrastructure and transportation.