Housing Plan Program EIR

The City of Santa Barbara is advancing its 6th Cycle Housing Element through a comprehensive programmatic environmental review process under CEQA, aimed at facilitating the approval of up to 8,010 new housing units by 2035. This initiative includes a suite of regulatory and policy reforms such as the adoption of an Adaptive Reuse Ordinance, amendments to the Average Unit-Size Density Incentive Program, updates to the Accessory Dwelling Unit ordinance, and the establishment of Objective Design and Development Standards to align with state housing laws. The plan also involves revising the General Plan, Municipal Code, and Local Coastal Program to ensure consistency with state mandates and climate goals, while implementing procedural improvements to streamline permitting processes. The environmental analysis, conducted as a Program Environmental Impact Report, evaluates cumulative impacts across resource areas including air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, noise, hazardous materials, and biological resources, using CEQA Guidelines and the City’s Climate Action Plan as foundational standards. The analysis employs qualitative greenhouse gas assessments due to the programmatic nature of the initiative and does not authorize specific developments but establishes the regulatory framework within which they may proceed. The effort is led by the City of Santa Barbara, with environmental oversight and compliance responsibilities vested in government agencies, including the California Coastal Commission, State Lands Commission, and California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Key points of contact include Julia Pujo, Environmental Analyst, and Chris Bersbach, Director of Environmental Planning for Rincon Consultants. The initiative’s timeline is bounded by a public review period from January 30, 2026, to March 17, 2026, with prior comment deadlines established for the Draft EIR in 2022. While the document references accounting codes and transportation regulations for hazardous materials, no formal contract pricing, payment instructions, invoicing methods, or procurement evaluation criteria are present, indicating this is a planning and environmental compliance action rather than a contracted procurement. Attachments include supporting documents such as the Community Wildfire Protection Plan and Storm Water BMP Guidance Manual, and submissions are accepted electronically or in hard copy, with PDF being the implied standard format. No representations, certifications, or clauses typical of federal contracting are included, as the focus remains squarely on regulatory alignment, environmental analysis, and policy implementation under state housing and environmental law.