Plan Santa Paula Workshop III: Evaluating the Proposed Housing Plans. Summary of Participant Comments

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Peter Horn
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1 Plan Santa Paula Workshop III: Evaluating the Proposed Housing Plans Summary of Participant Comments Following a presentation and panel discussion regarding potential impacts to water, fiscal resources, and traffic, the third workshop in the Plan Santa Paula series gave participants the opportunity to respond to ideas generated in the first two workshops. These ideas were used to generate various potential scenarios for new development in the three expansion areas of Adams Canyon, Fagan Canyon and East Area 1, as well as a list of ideas for infill or redevelopment. Through their reactions to the scenarios and ideas, the participants in attendance indicated the general direction that they thought development should take place in Santa Paula. A limited number of individuals participated in this exercise. Adams Canyon Scenario to 600 units Larger lot, rural, high-end housing Resort/hotel with potential golf course Walking and equestrian trails Scenario to 850 units Larger lot, rural, high-end housing in the north Resort/hotel with potential golf course Walking and equestrian trails Additional units (moderate priced) at mouth of canyon Scenario 3 0 units; preserve Preserve for next ten years Benefits & Drawbacks Post-It Note Exercise Description: Individually, participants were asked to list one benefit and one drawback for each scenario. Scenario 1 received the most favorable response, with participants stating that the city would see fiscal benefits through property taxes, job creation, and attracting higher income residents. Scenario 2 received a less favorable response; however, someone pointed out that current residents might be more likely to be able to afford the housing in this scenario. Some participants had concerns about traffic and the increased demand for services. Benefits & Drawbacks Summary Exercise The group pointed out three areas of agreement: If preserved as in Scenario 3, Adams Canyon would be a great natural preserve. In Scenarios 1 and 2, Adams could provide possible revenue for the city. Scenarios 1 and 2 may not serve the existing citizens of Santa Paula, because of the lack of affordability, lack of proximity, housing mix, and encouragement of sprawl. Description: Briefly, groups discussed the proposed scenarios. One group focused on the potential positive fiscal impact of the development scenarios, versus no income gain for Scenario 3. One group asked, Why do we need to develop everything at once what areas will we develop in the future? Another group was concerned that the city would not see the fiscal benefit for a long time. Description: At the end of the workshop, each person was given three dots to place on the development scenarios that he/she felt were the most important to the City of Santa Paula.

2 Scenario 1 received the most dots (14); the other scenarios each received 3 dots.

3 Fagan Canyon Scenario to 600 units High-end homes Minimal grading Scenario to 800 units Mix of housing types (moderate, high-end, some workforce) Senior housing focus Commercial development along Ojai Road Minimal grading Scenario units Mix of housing types (moderate, high-end, some workforce) Retail component in the canyon Minimal grading Scenario 4 0 units; preserve Benefits & Drawbacks Post-It Note Exercise Description: Individually, participants were asked to list one benefit and one drawback for each scenario. Participants did not clearly favor any particular scenario in this exercise, but expressed support for the mix of housing types suggested in Scenario 2 and Scenario 3, and also for senior housing. They did not seem to feel that these scenarios would result in as much revenue for the city as the development scenarios for Adams Canyon. Traffic was a key concern for Fagan Canyon. There was little agreement on the number of units that would be desirable, and participants expressed more concerns about traffic in the scenarios with higher numbers of units. Participants also suggested that developing retail might keep some of the traffic within the canyon, but mostly did not comment on the retail and commercial components of these scenarios. In considering Scenario 1, participants were less positive about building only high-end homes than they were about the Adams Canyon high-end housing scenario with units. In fact, the most commonly listed drawback in this scenario was the type of housing. Although several participants saw the housing mix in Scenario 2 as a benefit, there were just as many comments stating that the number of units was too big or too small. Traffic was a greater concern in this scenario and was cited even more as a drawback for the larger Scenario 3. Many still listed the mix of housing as a benefit in this scenario. Scenario 4 did not generate as many comments as the others, but the top benefit listed was the lack of additional traffic, and the top drawback was the lack of additional revenue. Benefits & Drawbacks Summary Exercise The group felt that other participants had agreed on senior housing as a benefit, wanted 450 or fewer houses, saw potential traffic problems and were worried about overcrowded schools. The group also wrote that the participants had not agreed on access/egress problems and the financial viability of the scenarios. Description: Briefly, groups discussed the proposed scenarios. One group wrote that senior housing might be preferable because of its limited traffic impact. Another group listed drawbacks for all scenarios: poor access and egress, drainage problems, land contamination, drain on local services, and the need for a bypass road. This group also listed benefits of Scenario 1 (senior housing, good for high end development, no workforce housing), 3 (more townhomes), and 4 (with Adams and East Area 1, Fagan is not needed for development). Another group echoed this last point, laying out a desired order of development: infill, then Fagan, then East Area 1, then Adams. Specifically, this group suggested that the Measure Y development should be carried out in Fagan Canyon instead of Adams Canyon. Description: At the end of the workshop, each person was given three dots to place on the development scenarios that he/she felt were the most important to the City of Santa Paula.

4 Scenario 3 received 15 dots, Scenario 1 had 14 dots, Scenario 4 had 1 dot, and Scenario 2 had none.

5 East Area 1 Scenario to 1250 units Mixed housing types with more higherdensity housing College/higher education institution Inn/hotel Mitigate loss of agriculture/maintain green edge Scenario to 1500 units Mixed housing types with more higherdensity housing College/higher education institution Grocery store Mitigate loss of agriculture/maintain green edge Scenario 3 0 units; preserve Preserve for next ten years Benefits & Drawbacks Post-It Note Exercise Description: Individually, participants were asked to list one benefit and one drawback for each scenario. There were few areas of agreement on East Area 1, and no scenario emerged as a favorite. Participants listed more benefits for the no-build scenario here than they did for the no-build scenarios for the canyons, citing the preservation of agricultural land and the greenbelt. Increased traffic on 126 emerged as a drawback for the development scenarios, although freeway access was also listed as a benefit. The idea of a college in Scenario 1 received some positive comments, but others felt that it would not happen. Participants reacted positively to both the inn/hotel idea and the grocery store. Benefits & Drawbacks Summary Exercise The group writing this summary saw some places where participants had agreed: increased tax revenue, higher education and a second high school, loss of prime agricultural land, and good access to 126. The group wrote that participants had disagreed on urban sprawl, traffic, a negative gateway into Santa Paula, and too much density. Description: Briefly, groups discussed the proposed scenarios. One group suggested the potential for a Hwy 150 bypass in Scenario 1 and listed freeway access as a benefit, with the railroad crossing a potential problem. This group also suggested that there is poor soil quality in the area, listing that as an argument against Scenario 3. Another group wrote that there was not enough high-end housing in the development scenarios, and listed the loss of prime agricultural land as a drawback; this group also indicated that the number of housing units in Scenario 2 was too high. This group suggested building a high school and converting a packing house into the school gym. The next group felt that the affordable mix of housing in Scenarios 1 and 2 was a benefit but did not like that it would be so visible. This group considered Scenario 3 as well, writing that it would preserve the green valley but had no economic benefit. The fourth group considered benefits and drawbacks for each scenario in detail, finding tax revenue and education opportunities as benefits for development, with traffic a key drawback. They indicated that Scenario 1 would be a negative gateway into Santa Paula and that Scenario 2 had too much density. Description: At the end of the workshop, each person was given three dots to place on the development scenarios that he/she felt were the most important to the City of Santa Paula. Scenario 3 received 12 dots, Scenario 2 received 8 dots and Scenario 1 received 1 dot.

6 Downtown Area & Packing Houses/Industrial Areas Ideas Post-It Note Exercise Description: Individually, participants were asked to list additional ideas for infill or redevelopment. Downtown Most participants did not suggest areas for redevelopment in downtown, which, combined with comments in Workshop II, indicates a general satisfaction with the way it looks. However, several participants indicated a desire for additional shopping or more upscale shopping. At least partly motivated by the desire to support downtown businesses, participants also suggested creating more opportunities for people to live downtown senior housing, apartments, condos, town houses, and mixed use. Some participants suggested that these downtown residences should be moderate to high end in price. Packing Houses/Industrial Areas Participants suggested various new uses for the packing houses: higher education, events, skating, bowling, theater, restaurants, art exhibits and a youth center. A couple of participants suggested re-using the packing houses for housing and two others suggested that they should be used as packing houses again. A few participants suggested tearing down the packing houses and rebuilding. Infill development ideas included housing, retail, and industrial uses. Participants identified particular areas for redevelopment--main from 10 th to eastern city limit, 12 th to Hallock, 10 th from Harvard to Main--and suggested zoning Santa Paula Street east of 12 th for residential uses. Ideas Summary Exercise The group writing this summary focused on these suggestions for downtown: mixed use with senior housing, no dime stores, grocery store, move City Hall to R.R. corridor, upscale townhouses, and better retail. The group also saw these suggestions for re-use of the packing houses: redevelop/tear down, loft use, artist, no low income, work force housing. Description: Briefly, groups discussed ideas for infill or redevelopment. Group notes reiterated some of the individual suggestions. One group wanted a higher education building (most likely as a packing house re-use) and high tech industry in town. Another group suggested that form based codes and professional planners could help with infill or redevelopment efforts. A third group suggested redevelopment from Main to Harvard, and Mill to 11 th, as well as the Harvard Blvd entry to downtown. Another group wrote that all city gateways should be enhanced and suggested multiple, possibly simultaneous, uses for the packing houses: entertainment, theatre, restaurants, art exhibits and/or youth center as well as a cultural art center. This group also proposed creating a pedestrian mall for shopping on Santa Barbara between Mill and 8 th. Description: At the end of the workshop, each person was given five dots to place on the ideas for infill or redevelopment that he/she felt were the most important to the City of Santa Paula. Downtown The most popular ideas were senior housing near downtown, with 10 dots, and preserve downtown core as is (height, architecture), with 9 dots. Move City Hall to Railroad Plaza/Mill received 6 dots and redevelop City Hall with housing/gateway project received 4 dots. Other ideas receiving at least 1 dot: market-rate housing near downtown (3 dots), townhouses/row houses near downtown (2 dots), upscale housing near downtown (1 dot), live-work in downtown (1 dot), and redevelop/rehab Railroad Plaza/Mill (1 dot). Packing Houses/Industrial Areas Enhance 10 th Street as gateway received 8 dots, with other ideas receiving fewer dots: develop packing houses at 10th, Palm & Main into live/work or artist spaces (3.5 dots), redevelop light industrial on Santa Paula into higher density housing (3 dots), develop

7 packing houses at 10th, Palm & Main w/other commercial/housing uses (1.5 dots), and 10th Street with mixed use shopping (1 dot). Telegraph Road Area and Other Corridors Ideas Post-It Note Exercise Description: Individually, participants were asked to list additional ideas for infill or redevelopment. Telegraph Road Area - Many suggestions for Telegraph Road centered on cleanup and improving the appearance through landscaping, medians, public areas and entry monuments (e.g. at Adams Barranca). Participants did not suggest new housing, nor new commercial development, with the exception of suggestions for mixed use (e.g. NE corner of Telegraph & Calavo) and a restaurant. A few expressed that the area should remain industrial and commercial, and others suggested adding recreational uses: drive-in theater, motocross track, and go-car track. Specific areas mentioned: south side of Telegraph from the city limit to Peck, and the area west of Vons. Other Corridors Participants expressed a desire for all corridors to be cleaned up and improved but did not suggest development. A few gave specific ideas for physical improvement: green medians, trees in medians, or citrus trees along the corridors. Other Infill Ideas A participant suggested retail infill on Calavo Rd and others repeated suggestions made in other exercises. Ideas Summary Exercise The group writing this summary expressed that infill provides much needed housing but doubted that it has a positive fiscal impact. This group saw these areas of agreement for Telegraph Road: clean industrial & commercial uses, need to clean up visual aspects of area, housing not recommended. For Harvard (10 th to Peck), the group wrote: needs major redevelopment, improve visual aspects, more commercial rather than residential. Description: Briefly, groups discussed ideas for infill or redevelopment. One group discussed the railroad as a corridor needing cleanup and fencing, and suggested a new railroad crossing on Telegraph. Another group stated that all gateways need improvement and made two suggestions for alternative transportation, possibly to reduce traffic: Metrolink service to Ventura, and a bike path along the river. Other comments reiterated the individual suggestions above. Description: At the end of the workshop, each person was given five dots to place on the ideas for infill or redevelopment that he/she felt were the most important to the City of Santa Paula. Telegraph Road Area Revitalize/redevelop Telegraph Road area as corridor/gateway from the west received 12 dots. Other Corridors & Gateways Create/enhance gateways and entries to the City received 15 dots. Other ideas with at least 1 dot: enhance Palm as gateway (3 dots), redevelop Harvard with mixed use (2 dots), enhance Peck Road corridor (2 dots), redevelop Harvard with landscaping & median (2 dots), and enhance Ojai Road corridor (1 dot). Other Infill Ideas Live-work development at airport received 12 dots, and higher density housing south of Santa Barbara received 2 dots.

4.0 CUMULATIVE SCENARIO

4.0 CUMULATIVE SCENARIO Cumulative impacts are the combined effects of project impacts with the impacts of other past, present, and reasonably foreseeable future projects. Both the California Environmental