North Board of Architectural Review
http://sbcountyplanning.org/boards/rbar/nbar.cfm
Contact:
Leticia I. Miguel
Board Assistant Specialist, Planning and Development
Mailing Address:
624 West Foster Road- Suite B
Santa Maria, CA
Phone Number: (805) 934-6289
Email Address: lmiguel@countyofsb.org
Legal Authority:
The BAR, originally known as the Architectural Review Board, was established by the County Board of Supervisors in April of 1947. In 1979, the Board of Supervisors adopted Ordinance No. 2188 that added the Board of Architectural Review Administrative Regulations to the Santa Barbara County Code(Chapter 2, Article V, §§ 2-33.1 through 2-33.16), thus codifying the BAR’s purpose, jurisdiction, and duties.
On November 22, 2005, the County Board of Supervisors adopted Ordinance #4584 creating area boards of architectural review for the South County (SBAR), Central County (CBAR) and North County (NBAR), in addition to the Montecito BAR originally created in 2002, in order to improve access of applicants and architects to conveniently located boards of review.
Membership:
The NBAR consists of five members with the following makeup:
• Three members are required to be either licensed architects or licensed landscape architects. These members must reside in the county but need not live within the district of the appointing supervisor or within the boundaries of the NBAR. An exception to the county residence rule may be made for licensed architects or licensed landscape architects who may live outside the county if their “professional business is located within the boundaries of the NBAR.”
• The two remaining members must reside within the boundaries of the NBAR and must be “skilled in reading and interpreting architectural drawings and able to judge the effects of a proposed building, structure, or sign upon the desirability, property values, and development of the surrounding area.” One of these members may be either the 4th or 5th district Planning Commissioner.
• The NBAR may also have up to two alternates. The alternates may be licensed architects or landscape architects or community members skilled at reading plans.
Term:
NBAR members are appointed to four- year terms that coincide with their appointing supervisor’s term. Members serve until the Board of Supervisors appoints their successors. The members are appointed by the 4th and 5th district supervisors. NBAR members appointed as of January 2006 will have terms shorter than four years in order to align the member appointments with those of the appointing district supervisor. Those appointments will be as follows:
January 2006: Three members who will serve three year terms and two members who will serve one year terms. Two alternates may be appointed, one by the 4th district to a three year term and one by the 5th district to a one year term.
January 2007: Two members by the 5th district with the mutual agreement of the 4th district, [at this point the terms for the 5th district are aligned];
January 2009: Three members by the 4th district with the mutual agreement of the 5th district; [at this point the terms 4th district are aligned].
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 NBAR may be removed or a term may be changed by a three-fifths vote of the Board of Supervisors.
Duties:
The NBAR is guided by a set of general goals that define the major concerns and objectives of its review process. These goals are:
• To ensure good quality architecture compatible with community standards.
• To ensure that development and building design is consistent with adopted community design standards;
• To promote high standards in architectural design and the construction of aesthetically pleasing structures so that new development does not detract from existing neighborhood characteristics;
• To encourage the most appropriate and efficient use of land;
• To promote visual interest throughout the county through the preservation of public scenic, ocean and mountain vistas, creation of open space areas, and providing for a variety of architectural styles; and
• To preserve creek areas through restoration and enhancement, and discourage the removal of significant trees and foliage.
• To review all projects as expeditiously as possible.
NBAR Jurisdiction and Exceptions:
(1) (i) Zoning clearance, sign certificates of conformance, land use permits, or coastal development permits for any development or use located north of and including the City of Lompoc, requiring BAR approval under Articles I through III of Chapter 35 of this Code shall not be issued by the planning and development department until final BAR approvals, or recommendations pursuant to subsection (3) below, have been obtained from the NBAR. The powers and duties shall also include those given to the BAR in Articles I, II and III for projects located outside of the Montecito planning area as designated by the Montecito community plan.
(ii) Development Plans within the jurisdiction of the Planning Commission, previously approved subdivision maps requiring BAR approval and previously approved ministerial and discretionary permits requiring BAR approval in order to mitigate visual impacts or provide for consistency with the general plan shall obtain final approval and shall not be subject to subsection (3) below.
(2) 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 north of the southern boundary of the City of Lompoc that exceed fifty thousand dollars in estimated construction costs may be reviewed by the NBAR and a recommendation must be made. The decision-maker for county projects may require NBAR approval.
(3) Individual single family dwellings, not subject to (1)(ii) above, shall be reviewed by the NBAR no more than three times or for no longer than three months from the date of filing an application, whichever occurs first unless project changes or requests for a continuance initiated by the applicant require further review; the project would then go the decision-maker. For such projects, the NBAR is advisory and is therefore not an appealable decision. The NBAR shall seek to complete its review of all projects within its purview as expeditiously as possible.
Final approval by the NBAR is required prior to the approval of a development permit for the following and under the following conditions:
• All new structures, additions to structures and signs located on property subject to the D-Design Control Overlay District;
• Individual single family dwellings that result from a previously approved Development Plan;
• All new structures, additions to structures and signs on lots zoned Old Town (OT) within the Old Town Orcutt Planning Area;
• All new structures and additions to structures that are subject to the Ridgeline and Hillside Development Guidelines;
• All projects that require a Modification (absent a Development Plan or Conditional Use Permit);
• All projects that require a Development Plan;
• Any structure where BAR review is required as specifically provided under the applicable zoning district regulations;
• Any projects where BAR review is specified by action of the Board of Supervisors, Planning Commission, or the Zoning Administrator;
• Signs covered by the Article I Sign Regulations or as specified by action of the Board of Supervisors, Planning Commission, or the Zoning Administrator;
• All new walls of any height when the design is integral to new structures, remodels or additions to structures requiring architectural review; and,
• Any development proposed by the County of Santa Barbara where construction costs exceed $50,000.00.
The following developments are exempt from NBAR review:
• Individual single family dwellings and commercial/industrial projects, other than those in section 3.1(1)(ii) above, not open to the public which cannot be viewed from public roadways or other areas of public use are exempt from review by the NBAR. Landscape screening shall not be taken into consideration when determining the view from public roadways.
• 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);
• Solar panels located on roofs or on the ground, except those proposed in association with structures requiring BAR review; and,
• Any other change to an existing structure determined to be minor by the Director of Planning & Development.
Meeting Date and Location:
The NBAR normally meets on the fourth Friday of each month. Meetings are typically held in the Betteravia Government Center Hearing Room at 511 East Lakeside Parkway, Santa Maria.