Chair Robert Dickerson
Commissioner Esau Blanco
Commissioner Tom Lopez
Commissioner Yasameen Mohajer
Commissioner Tim Seifert

PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDA
CITY OF SANTA MARIA, CALIFORNIA

Wednesday, April 02, 2025 at 5:30 P.m. - 6:30 P.m.

City Hall Council Chambers

110 East Cook Street

Santa Maria

REGULAR SESSION - 5:30 P.M.

 

HOW TO ACCESS MEETINGS

1.    Meetings can be viewed in video format alongside the online interactive agenda at https://www.cityofsantamaria.org/services/departments/city-clerk-records/agendas-reports-meeting-videos. 

2.    The City of Santa Maria Broadcasts Planning Commission Meetings Live on local Comcast Cable Channel 23, at cityofsantamaria.org/tv and on YouTube.com/@CityofSantaMariaCalifornia. 

3.    Closed Captioning is available in English and Spanish during City Council meetings on Comcast Cable Channel 23 and at cityofsantamaria.org/tv.

4.    Meetings are replayed on local Comcast Cable Channel 23 and cityofsantamaria.org/tv on Fridays at 9:00 a.m. and the second and third Wednesdays of each month at 5:30 p.m. Meetings are available on demand at YouTube.com/@CityofSantaMariaCalifornia.

Attendance at public meetings may result in the streaming and recording of your image and/or voice. 

 

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, if you require a disability-related modification or accommodation to attend or participate in this meeting, including auxiliary aids or services, please call the City Clerk’s Office at [phone] extension 2306, or by email at [email protected] at least 48 hours before the meeting. Assisted Listening devices are available for those who attend in Council Chambers. Closed Captioning is available during meetings in English and Spanish on Comcast Channel 23 and at CityofSantaMaria.org/tv.

PUBLIC COMMENT (letters/emails)
(Must be received by 2:00 p.m. in advance of the meeting) 

Members of the public wishing to submit a public comment or a comment on an agenda item, can email [email protected] or mail to the Planning Commission, Attn.: Dana Eady, Planning Manager, 110 South Pine Street, Suite 101, Santa Maria, CA 93458. Letters/emails will not be read aloud during the meeting. All correspondence will be distributed to Councilmembers, submissions received after the deadline will not be processed until the following day but will become a part of the official record.

MEETINGS 

The Planning Commission holds regular meetings on the first and third Wednesday of every month. Regular meetings start at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 110 East Cook Street, Santa Maria, California. Special and Adjourned Regular meetings start time are to be determined. 

POSTING LOCATIONS OF AGENDA AND/OR CANCELLATION NOTICES 

Regular meeting agendas will be posted at least 72 hours before the meeting (GC§ 54954(a)(1)). Agenda and Cancellation Notices can be viewed online and are also posted at the following two locations: Santa Maria City Hall located at 110 East Cook Street, Santa Maria, California, and Santa Maria Public Library located at 421 South McClelland Street, Santa Maria, California. 

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1.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

2.

CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL

Commissioners Esau Blanco, Tom Lopez, Yasameen Mohajer, Tim Seifert and Commission Chair Robert Dickerson.

3.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

• RECOMMENDATION:

  Approve the minutes of the Planning Commission for the meeting of March 19, 2025.

4.

PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD

Each member of the audience may address the Commission on any subject within the Commission's business that is not on the agenda. Each member of the audience is limited to discussion of three minutes or as otherwise directed by the Commission Chair.

5.

PUBLIC HEARINGS

ORDER OF PROCEEDINGS FOR PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS:

Staff presentation.
Disclose any Commissioner communications.
Applicant presentation.
Questions from the Commission.
Open meeting to the public:
      Written communications
      Public comment 
      Any rebuttals to be heard
Questions of the public or applicant the from Commission.
Public hearing to be closed.
Discussion and decision on the item.

5.a

FORMER SEARS BUILDING REMODEL DOWNTOWN PERMIT

Property Location: 226 EAST MAIN STREET

Review of a Downtown Permit (DT2023-0012) for Shasta 2020, LP to remodel a former 114,000-square-foot Sears Roebuck department store building to: 1) relocate the existing outdoor loading dock, 2) divide the store building for multiple tenants, 3) construct a separate entrance for upper level tenants, 4) interior and exterior construction for a proposed 49,000-square-foot full service grocery store on the lower level, and 5) parking, landscaping, and common area improvements on a 5.39-acre project site in the town center district of the Downtown Specific Plan.

Environmental: The project was adequately covered in a previously certified Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Santa Maria Downtown Specific Plan (SCH 2007041105) pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act State Guidelines Section 15162.

Planner Contact: Carol Ziesenhenne, 805-925-0951 ext. 1607;

• RECOMMENDATION:

  By motion, recommend the City Council approve Downtown Permit (DT2023-0012).

5.b

RESIDENTIAL OBJECTIVE DESIGN STANDARDS

The City of Santa Maria Planning Commission will conduct a public hearing to consider a resolution recommending to the City Council adoption of the Residential Objective Design Standards (SP2023-0003), applicable to future single-family developments of two or more units, multi-family projects, and residential mixed-use development projects throughout the City, and which are established to provide more certainty to developers and members of the public regarding the expectations for the design of housing development projects within Santa Maria. The project qualifies for an Exemption pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) (common sense exemption) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) State Guidelines. Additionally, or alternatively, this Resolution is exempt from CEQA under CEQA Guidelines Section 15060(c)(2). 

RECOMMENDATION:

By Resolution, recommend that the City Council adopt the Objective Residential Design Standards (SP2023-0003)

 

STAFF: Frank Albro, [phone], ext. 2379

6.

OTHER BUSINESS

Oral Reports from the Planning Commission and staff.

7.

ADJOURNMENT

Next Study Session: April 17, 2025 
Next Public Hearing: April 16, 2025

8.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

DISCLOSURE:

This agenda is prepared and posted pursuant to the requirements of Government Code Section 54954.2. By listing a topic on this agenda, the Planning Commission has expressed its intent to discuss and act on each item. In addition to any action identified in the brief general description of each item, the action that may be taken shall include: a referral to staff with specific requests for information; continuance; specific direction to staff concerning the policy or mission of the item; discontinuance of consideration; adoption, approval or disapproval or recommendation thereof. If you challenge a determination made on a matter on this agenda in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described on this agenda, or in written correspondence to the Planning Commission at, or prior to, the public hearing. Materials related to an item on this agenda submitted after posting the agenda online will be available for public inspection during normal business hours in the Community Development Department Office, 110 South Pine Street, Room 101, Santa Maria or by calling the Community Development Department at 805-925-0951 ext. 2244.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION:

To receive reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act during the meeting, please notify the Community Development Department of what you need during business hours at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting. The Community Development Department office is at 110 South Pine Street, Santa Maria; 805-925-0951, ext. 2244. The City will give primary consideration to your request in providing assistance. Examples of assistance may include exhibits in large-sized format, use of assisted listening equipment, use of the California Relay Service, texting by cellular phone, or the services of a live interpreter. Assisted listening equipment can also be used for interpretation by Spanish-only speaking persons. To allow the City to coordinate and request a Spanish interpreter from the volunteer corps, contact the Office of the City Clerk at [phone] x2307 by 1:00 p.m. on Monday before the meeting. Equipo también puede ser utilizado para la asistencia de interpretación para esas personas que solamente hablan español. Para permitirle a la Ciudad que coordine y solicite un interprete de un grupo de voluntarios, llame al [phone] extensión 2307 a la 1:00 de la tarde el lunes antes de la junta.