It was industrial versus residential property at the Santa Maria City Council meeting on July 1, when council members voted 4-1, with Councilwoman Hilda Zacarias dissenting, against the construction of an affordable housing project in a vacant, 2.3-acre lot near Bradley Court in Santa Maria.
For two hours, the council reviewed a staff report on the development, called Villa Del Sol, and listened to testimonies from 13 people opposed to the project, who were mostly owners of businesses or industrial property near the site.
The project’s developers proposed the construction of 36 two- and three-bedroom units separated into six two-story buildings, as well as a one-story recreation facility and office building.
The staff report included seven letters of opposition to the project, citing the incompatibility of having homes next to industrial facilities, many of which operate 24 hours a day.
Eventually, the majority of council members decided not to go forward with the project in an attempt to discourage the establishment of residential developments on land designated for industrial purposes.
Sole dissenter Zacarias said that low-income families deserved the opportunity to live in a safe and affordable place.
This article appears in Jul 10-17, 2008.