Montecito Board of Architectural Review
http://sbcountyplanning.org/boards/rbar/mbar.cfm
Contact:
Sharon Foster
Board Assistant Specialist, Planning & Development
Mailing Address:
Engineering Building
123 E. Anapamu Street
Santa Barbara CA 93101
Phone Number: (805) 568-2026
Email Address: sfoster@co.santa-barbara.ca.us
Legal Authority:
On June 18, 2002, the County of Santa Barbara Board of Supervisors adopted Ordinance #4468 creating an area board of architectural review for the Montecito Planning area as designated in the Montecito Community Plan as part of a pilot project.
Membership:
The MBAR consists of seven members, residents of the county, who are appointed by the Supervisor of the First Supervisorial District with approval by the Board of Supervisors. Five of the members shall be licensed architects or licensed landscape architects (no more than two). The remaining two members shall reside within the Montecito Planning Area as designated in the Montecito Community Plan, and shall be skilled in reading and interpreting architectural drawings and be able to judge the effects of a proposed building, structure or sign upon the desirability, property values, and development of surrounding areas.
Term:
MBAR members are appointed to four-year terms and serve until the Board of Supervisors appoints their successors. Each four-year term will commence at 12:00 noon. on the first Monday after the first day in January (except for the first appointments as provided for under Ordinance 4468).
Vacancies, other than by expiration of terms, shall be filled by appointment for the remainder of the term by the same method as for the original appointment.
A member of the MBAR may be removed or a term may be changed by a three-fifths vote of the Board of Supervisors.
Duties:
The MBAR is guided by goals in the Montecito Architectural Guidelines and Design Standards. These goals are:
• To preserve, protect and enhance the existing semi-rural environment of Montecito.
• To enhance the quality of the built environment by encouraging high standards in architectural and landscape design.
• To ensure neighborhood compatibility of all projects.
• To respect public views of the hillsides and the ocean and to be considerate of private views.
• To ensure that architecture and landscaping respect the privacy of immediate neighbors.
• To ensure that grading and development are appropriate to the site and that long term visible scarring of the landscape is avoided where possible.
• To maintain the semi-rural character of the roads and lanes.
• To preserve and protect native and biologically and aesthetically valuable nonnative vegetation or to ensure adequate and appropriate replacement for vegetation loss.
MBAR JURISDICTION AND EXCEPTIONS:
Zoning clearance, sign certificates of conformance, land use permits, or coastal development permits for any development or use located within the Montecito Planning Area “as designated by the Montecito Community Plan” requiring MBAR approval under Articles I, II and IV of Chapter 35 of this Code shall not be issued by the Planning and Development Department until final MBAR approvals have been obtained. In addition, the MBAR shall assume the powers and duties given to the BAR in Articles I, II and IV of Chapter 35 of this Code for projects located within the Montecito Planning Area “as designated in the Montecito Community Plan”.
County projects (projects proposed by any entity governed by the Board of Supervisors or by an entity whose governing body is appointed by the Board of Supervisors) located within the Montecito Planning Area “as designated by the Montecito Community Plan” which exceed fifty thousand dollars in estimated construction costs may be reviewed by the MBAR and a recommendation must be made. Decision-makers may also require MBAR approval.
The following developments are exempt from MBAR review:
• Interior alterations;
• Decks;
• Swimming pools, hot tubs, and spas;
• Fences or walls six feet or less in height and gateposts of eight feet or less in height, that are not considered integral to the design of a structure (e.g., perimeter fences);
• Any other change to an existing structure determined to be minor by the Director of Planning & Development.
Meeting Date and Location:
The MBAR shall hold a minimum of two regular meetings each month. A special meeting may be called at any time by the Chairperson of the MBAR or by a majority of the members of the MBAR. A Master Agenda shall be prepared by Planning and Development at the beginning of each calendar year, noting all pre-scheduled MBAR meetings. MBAR will generally meet on Mondays. Occasionally there is a need to cancel a regular meeting or to hold a special meeting. Dates, times and locations of such meetings shall be posted in the usual manner in accordance with Government Code §54950 et seq. (the Ralph M. Brown Act). Meetings are typically held at The Montecito Library, 1469 E. Valley Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93108, in the Montecito Association Meeting Hall.