Building Heights (con't)

Noozhawk: Building Heights Initiative in the Clear for November

... [Das]Williams... thinks it’s possible to maintain the charm while rewarding developers who go above and beyond the call of duty on affordable housing. He says the height initiative as proposed would exacerbate the city’s middle-class exodus because developers thus far have tended to build a higher percentage of affordable units than is required by city law only when they can maximize the amount of units in the given space provided.

“The real danger is (the group’s initiative) prevents us from having a future of another generation of working people in Santa Barbara,” he said. “If Santa Barbarans want to see affordable units downtown that working people can afford, then they should vote against this initiative.”

He added that by lowering the height limit so unequivocally, the initiative would have another unintended consequence: promoting buildings that are fatter, and lacking in open space.

Williams is working on a draft of an ordinance that, if approved by the City Council, could be placed on the ballot. Williams said such a measure could call for a similar height initiative, but with exceptions granting extra height to affordable-housing-friendly developers. It also could address other related architectural matters, such as setbacks.

He said on Wednesday that he plans to make the attempt, but it could be a challenge: At least two of the seven council members — Mayor Marty Blum and Dale Francisco — support Save El Pueblo Viejo’s height initiative...