A local real estate firm is planning to develop some new commercial businesses and more than 80 apartments on a city-owned parcel in downtown Santa Maria.
The Vernon Group’s proposal to build a five-story mixed-use building on the site, known as Lot 3, was initially met with mixed feedback during the Santa Maria City Council’s Aug. 16 meeting. Some city officials voiced immediate support, while others expressed trepidation over the location choice, due to the site’s history.
Lot 3 is located on the southeast corner of Broadway and Main Street, where Santa Maria’s historic Bradley Hotel once stood, before it burned down in 1970. Police officer and reserve firefighter William Alvin Newton was killed while fighting the fire. A memorial plaque to honor Newton was erected at Lot 3 in 2013.
Chuen Ng, director of community development, said that the memorial will be rebuilt or relocated if the Vernon Group’s mixed-use project is approved.
“Have we spoken to the firefighters about this at all?” Mayor Alice Patino asked Ng during the Aug. 16 meeting.
“We have not,” Ng answered.
“You know, I don’t think you do that to our firefighters,” Patino said. “That really bothers me.”
Brad Vernon, CEO of the Vernon Group, clarified that the firm has had discussions with the Santa Maria Fire Department, without Ng, about plans to redesign the memorial if the project moves forward.
“They’re very excited to work with us to come up with a new design and something that’s more accessible,” Vernon said.
Councilmember Mike Cordero said he wouldn’t vote to approve the project without the Santa Maria Fire Department’s blessing.
“If they said no, I’d be inclined to vote no, because it means that much to me as a retired first responder,” Cordero said. “I’m not opposed to moving it. Perhaps we can do a better job of memorializing the situation and do a better job for our fire personnel. … I do think that the men and the women at the Fire Fepartment are certainly deserving of having that finalized. They should be here tonight.”
Ng explained that design decisions and other aspects of the Lot 3 project will be brought back before the Santa Maria City Council, as well as the Planning Commission and the Downtown Revitalization Committee, before anything is set in stone. The purpose of the Aug. 16 hearing was for the City Council to vote on entering a disposition and development agreement with the Vernon Group.
The agreement was ultimately approved in a 4-1 vote, with Councilmember Carlos Escobedo dissenting.
“Before I make my vote, … there’s a conflict that I’ve come across,” Escobedo said during roll call, after three of his peers had already cast their votes.
Escobedo said he felt conflicted about approving a project that could potentially cost the city up to $1.2 million in incentive fees, while “not allowing 75 percent of our community to have access to this information,” due to inadequate translation services for Spanish speakers during City Council meetings.
“It’s just not acceptable for my point of view,” Escobedo said. “Therefore, I say no.”
There was no follow-up discussion on Escobedo’s concern and about five seconds of silence before the last vote was cast.
“Aye,” Patino said.
