Mooncrest Lane resident Susan Bryant left a project hearing about a proposed development in her neighborhood unsettled and confused.
“Overall I think it’s fair to say that people were frustrated and angry,” the Orcutt resident said. “I think the frustration was not knowing about [the hearing]. The anger was there were questions that didn’t get answered when [the developers] were sitting there.”
The Richards Ranch Annexation Project—proposed by SLO-based real estate investment and development company MD3 investments—asks Santa Maria to annex 43 acres in unincorporated Santa Barbara County southeast of the city to develop 495 housing units and a retail commercial center. The Jan. 17 city hearing gave residents the chance to submit comments on the draft environmental impact report—which explores potential impacts the city could experience if it adds this property to city limits.
Traffic safety, overcrowding, parking, water use, and the property’s location were some of the main concerns residents shared about the project, but many residents were also frustrated by the lack of communication from the city regarding the project, Bryant said. Although the hearing was added to Santa Maria’s website calendar, residents wished they’d received an email when it was posted.
“I understand the process for notification, but it’s really outdated and limited. Just by posting it doesn’t mean people are notified. I was the only one in my neighborhood that got an email,” she said. “They can say they posted it, but it doesn’t mean anything because nobody knew about it. It’s pretty outdated and not the best way to communicate.”
In an audio recording of the Jan. 17 meeting, fellow Orcutt resident Maribel Lopez said that she believed she was supposed to be informed, per city regulations, since she lived within 300 feet of the proposed project, but she didn’t receive any notification or outreach, Lopez said.
“I live basically right there, and I’ve had no contact. We found out through social media, and it was really disappointing and it doesn’t show good faith in this project. [There’s] a lack of respect to the community in how this has been approached, and that’s reflected in the comments and the questions,” Lopez said during the meeting. “This land is most likely to be developed, but including the community’s input would be best.”
Santa Maria Community Development Department Planning Manager Dana Eady told the Sun via email that she provided her email for residents to submit their comments to. Those will be addressed in the final environmental impact report, and anyone who submits a comment or requests further information will receive updates on future meetings.
“While there were many concerns raised with the project, I felt that everyone was respectful overall. I appreciate their participation and the questions and comments we received are helpful in reviewing this proposal,” Eady said. “We answered the questions that we could at the time and took detailed notes of the comments mentioned.”
Area residents also expressed a desire for more time to review the project documents, she added. The city and developer agreed to extend the draft environmental impact report’s public comment period from Feb. 6 to March 7 at 5 p.m.
Once the period ends, the project will go to the Santa Maria Planning Commission, then City Council, and finally to the Santa Barbara County Local Agency Formation Commission. MD3 Investments founder Michael Stotley said in a statement that the company is also working to establish a community forum to address questions and openly discuss the project with residents. No date had been set as of Jan. 23.
“As a local developer and former Orcutt resident, my priority is to create a development that enhances the community,” Stotley said. “We look forward to further engaging with local residents as we move forward with this project.”
In the meantime, Mooncrest Lane resident Bryant is still searching for answers by emailing her supervisor, 4th District’s Bob Nelson; Santa Maria Mayor Alice Patino; and other city and county officials with her concerns regarding the project in hopes of getting perspective, but she hasn’t heard back from anyone, she said.
“The residents of Orcutt have no one to go to. I know that it’s hard, all over the place, and things are going on. I’ve tried to reach out, share information, and learn about the process, [but] it doesn’t seem to be helping,” Bryant said. “I have to speculate for all my answers; I think there are so many different pieces converging and I don’t think they all work together. There doesn’t seem to be a focal point for us.”
