The California Coastal Commission on Thursday approved the San Benito student housing project at UC Santa Barbara that will add 2,224 student beds in apartment-style units for its undergraduates.
The commission approved amendments to the university’s 2010 Long Range Development Plan by changing the maximum height of buildings from 65 feet to 81 feet. UCSB also got permission for construction near its Facilities Management Site, with a minimum 50 foot buffer from the adjacent on-site wetland and oak woodland habitat.
The San Benito project is the first part of a two-stage plan by the university to add housing for students. San Benito is expected to be finished by fall 2027, and the second phase, which will add 1,400 beds, is expected to be completed by 2029.
The project will consist of seven new residential and support buildings. UCSB also will build a new Central Utility Plant, change the roadways to the stadium, and add new bicycle parking and pedestrian and bicycle paths.
The construction will remove 167 trees, but the university is planning to plant new trees primarily at the West Campus Mesa, with the remainder distributed across the housing site and wetland site.
The San Benito project replaced UCSB’s previous student housing plan, Munger Hall. The controversial design had 3,500 students in a nine-story residence hall.
The building received backlash from students, staff and local officials, who raised concerns about overcrowding and safety because of the building’s size. Others criticized the building’s lack of windows and natural light.
San Benito Project Conditions
Because the development will be 50 feet away from the wetlands, California Coastal Commission approval came with conditions for environmental protections during and after construction. It also included biological monitoring and other protections for birds that migrate to the area for nesting season.
Commission staff said the development would not cause significant disruption to the habitats in the wetlands and oak woodland.
The university also has promised to do habitat restoration within both habitat areas and the 50-foot buffer area, including planting native vegetation, removing non-native species, and restorative grading to enhance wetland function.
During public comment, Susan Kirks said she worried about how the project would impact migratory birds.
“These tiny winged creatures fly thousands and thousands of miles to reach their preferred nesting locations,” Kirks said. “In the case of this particular development, there’s no doubt in my mind that there will be collisions with the building from birds planning to fly into a familiar territory that will no longer be familiar. And also there will be injuries and deaths from this, which is, of course, deeply concerning.”
Commission staff explained that another condition of the project is for buildings to have bird-safe glass and bird-safe building designs. There will also be bird surveys before construction to see if any are nesting nearby.
Proposed Legislation on University Housing
A proposed state bill would make housing projects at UCSB and other universities exempt from the Coastal Act, a prospect that concerns the California Coastal Commission.
Campuses within or partially within the Coastal Zone go through California Coastal Commission review for development projects.
Assembly Bill 357 would remove that requirement for university or college housing projects for students, faculty or staff, Sean Drake, the commission’s legislative manager, said during this week’s meeting in Santa Barbara.
The bill was introduced in January and is currently in the Natural Resources Committee.
Drake said the commission has approved thousands of units over the years and projects were made better and safer with the review process. The legislation would eliminate a tool that expedites housing in the coastal zone “while also making campuses livable, sustainable and resilient,” he said during his report.
Commissioners did not vote to take a position on the bill.
During the meeting, Susan Jordan, executive director of the California Coastal Protection Network, called the bill dangerous and said it would erase all collaboration between the university and the California Coastal Commission.
Executive Editor Giana Magnoli contributed to this report.
