By a 5-2 vote, the Santa Barbara City Council chose to reject three separate objections to the much-discussed 250-room Garden Street hotel, upholding the planning commission’s approval that it would be the city’s second-largest hotel.

The decision comes after intense debate over environmental concerns, impacts on the Funk Zone neighborhood and whether the city needs another hotel amid the housing crisis.

The hotel, part of original owner Bill Wright’s 40-year plan to redevelop six parcels at Garden and Yanonali streets about a block from the beach, has been met with resistance at nearly every step since Wright’s family leased Newport Beach-based Dauntless. Development to guide the project through city review.

When is the project? Planning commission hits wall in 2023developers were told to come back with a better plan on how to mitigate impacts on the city’s housing stock. Then in May 2024, after much debate and with the project facing a wave of public backlash, the planning commission updated plans approved 4-2It included six affordable housing units and the developer’s promise of a $500,000 donation to the city’s Local Housing Trust Fund.

Three separate appeals were filed to challenge the planning commission’s approval; Concerns were expressed about environmental impacts, plans for a 238-space underground car park and that the project was part of an agreement signed in 1983. in October, City Council heard all three objectionshe listened to staff recommendations and heard a lengthy public comment before closing the hearing and resuming it until November 19.

Tuesday’s hearing got off to a rocky start, with community members unable to offer any public comments, written or otherwise. The city attorney and the council agreed not to take further testimony before deliberating on a final decision.

Attorney Marc Chytilo representing the appellants Keep the funk SBHe attempted to speak during general public comment about the “lack of due process” but his comments were cut short and he was told he could not specifically reference the project itself.

When negotiations began, Council Member Kristen Sneddon was the most vocal about the risks that could arise from approving a project based on a plan signed to 1983 environmental standards.

“To take us back to 1983,” he said, “it was a time when it was still cool to turn on your thermometer and play with the mercury.”

His biggest concern was the soil and contaminants that might be lurking beneath the project; these would only come to light when developers began digging for underground parking.

“For a project of this size in our sensitive coastal area,” he said. “I don’t see how we can rely on the early ’80s for these findings about environmental impacts.”

Sneddon and Councilman Oscar Gutierrez supported a motion requiring an updated environmental impact report, but it was rejected by the remaining five council members.

Councilman Eric Friedman said it was a tough decision, but argued that even if the project returns to housing, developers could take advantage of state law and build up to 140 market-rate apartments with only seven affordable units.

Councilwoman Meagan Harmon said she was also conflicted, and while her heart was with community members, she knew it was crucial for the city to keep its word on development agreements.

The 5-2 decision upheld the earlier approval, granting immunity from further environmental reviews. As part of the conditional approval, Dauntless Development agreed to double its contribution to the Local Housing Trust Fund to a total of $1 million.

Keep the Funk SB, which filed an appeal following the decision, responded on social media: “We are disappointed that our representatives did not address our concerns, but we are extremely grateful to this community and our continued support.”