The Joint Meeting of the Architectural Board of Review & Staff Hearing Officer - November 9, 2026

The City of Santa Barbara’s joint special meeting of the Staff Hearing Officer and Architectural Board of Review on November 9, 2026, considered the proposed 3805 State Street/110 South Hope Avenue mixed-use redevelopment at La Cumbre Plaza. The project would replace the existing Macy’s building and surrounding parking with six buildings containing 680 rental units, approximately 27,947 square feet of commercial space, parking, open space, and pedestrian and bicycle connections. The units include 39 very-low-income and 15 moderate-income units. The Staff Hearing Officer approved the tentative subdivision map, made the required no-net-loss findings, and determined the project statutorily exempt from CEQA, subject to conditions including parking and access adjustments, public-right-of-way and circulation easements, and utility, fire, and stormwater requirements. The approval also included a condition for a dedicated project manager to respond to project concerns. The officer noted the decision is appealable.

The Architectural Board of Review discussed the project’s scale, compatibility, architectural character, materials, landscaping, lighting, and circulation. Members offered design suggestions and debated whether some compatibility findings could be made; the motion for project design approval passed. The project is subject to state housing laws and density-bonus provisions, including requested waivers for height, setbacks, open-yard area, and story poles. No procurement, contract award, vendor selection, or purchasing activity was identified.