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Sywest Industrial Building
907 South Kellogg Avenue, Goleta
APN Number: 071-190-035
Case No. 17-121-DP-DRB

July 2025

Notice of City Council Hearing
Notice and Hearing

Notice of Public Hearing for Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) and City Council Hearing

Sywest Industrial Building and Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) Staff Report   

City Council Agenda for Tuesday, July 15, 2025 at 5:30pm with link to agenda materials - to be released no later than 72 hours prior to the Planning Commission Meeting.

 The City Council will be considering certification of the Final EIR, adoption of the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Project (MMRP), adoption of the Statement of Overriding Considerations (SOC) and the merits of the Sywest Industrial Warehouse Project on July 15, 2025 at 5:30 p.m. The Goleta City Council will be the City decision maker on the project. If the City Council certifies the Final EIR and approves the project, then review and action by the California Coastal Commission will be the next step.  

The agenda materials for this item will be available at least 72 hours in advance of the July 15, 2025, meeting at this link: https://www.cityofgoleta.org/meetings-agendas.  Electronic participation for the hearing will be available as outlined on the City Council Agenda. Please submit any written comments regarding the City Council item to cityclerkgroup@cityofgoleta.org  before 3 pm on the day of the hearing. The City Council may not have an opportunity to review comments received after 3 pm prior to the meeting.

Please see below regarding the project description, and links to the previously available documents including the Final EIR. 

The Goleta Planning Commission conducted a public hearing on Monday April 28, 2025 and recommended Council certification of the Final EIR, adoption of the MMRP, adoption of the SOC pursuant to 14 California Code of Regulations § 15090 and approval of  Final EIR Alternative 2 Design, for the project.

Sywest Industrial Building
907 South Kellogg Avenue, Goleta
APN Number: 071-190-035
Case No. 17-121-DP-DRB

April 2025

Sywest Industrial Building Project Notice of Availability of Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) and Notice of Planning Commission Hearing

The Final EIR for the above has been completed and now available for review.  The proposed Final EIR has been prepared pursuant to the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (Public Resources Code, §§ 21000 et seq.), the regulations promulgated thereunder (14 California Code of Regulations, §§ 15000 et seq.), and the City’s Environmental Review Guidelines. The City of Goleta is acting as the Lead Agency for this project. The Final EIR identifies and discusses potential impacts, mitigation measures, monitoring requirements, and residual impacts for identified subject areas.

The Final EIR analyzes the impacts of the Project on the topics of Aesthetics, Air Quality, Biological Resources, Cultural Resources, Energy, Geology and Soils, Greenhouse Gases, Hazards and Hazardous Materials, Hydrology and Water Quality, Land Use and Planning, Noise, Public Services, Transportation and Circulation, Tribal Cultural Resources, and Utilities and Service Systems and analyzes three alternatives to the Project.  The Final EIR is available in the links listed below

The Final EIR analyzes the impacts of the Project on the topics of Aesthetics, Air Quality, Biological Resources, Cultural Resources, Energy, Geology and Soils, Greenhouse Gases, Hazards and Hazardous Materials, Hydrology and Water Quality, Land Use and Planning, Noise, Public Services, Transportation and Circulation, Tribal Cultural Resources, and Utilities and Service Systems and analyzes three alternatives to the Project.  The Final EIR is available in the links listed below.

The Final EIR concludes that the Project will have significant and unavoidable project specific and cumulative impacts (Class I) in the areas of: Aesthetics (project-level impacts), Biological Resources (project-level impacts), Land Use (project-level impacts), and Utilities and Service Systems (solid waste) (project-level and cumulative impacts).

The Final EIR concludes that the Project will have potentially significant, but mitigable, impacts on the environment (Class II) in the areas of: Geology and Soils, Hazards and Hazardous Materials, Hydrology and Water Quality, and Noise. 

The request is also to certify the proposed Final EIR, adopt the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP), and adopt a Statement of Overriding Considerations (SOC), pursuant to 14 California Code of Regulations § 15090.

Project Description

Original Project Design: The Project’s primary components include the following:

  • Demolition of the existing drive-in theater, including the freestanding movie screen, concessions stand, projector building, two drive-through ticket booths, one walk-in ticket booth, and an agricultural box, and removal of one of the dewatering wells.
  • Construction of a 70,594 square foot industrial warehouse building with 60,939 square feet of landscaping, 101 parking spaces, six loading zones, and 10 bicycle parking spaces. The maximum building height would be 35 feet measured from the finished grade with the site being raised 4-6 feet to elevate the finished floor of the building out of the floodplain. The industrial warehouse building could be divided into up to four sections and would be available for use by up to four tenants. Additionally, the original design request includes a 75-foot streamside protection area (SPA) buffer reduction (from 100’ to 25’).
  • Access to and from the project site would continue to be provided from South Kellogg Avenue via an existing access road that runs along the northeast project boundary. The east curb of the existing driveway would be widened in order to provide an adequate maneuvering area for delivery trucks to enter and exit the project site.
  • Stormwater runoff from the majority of the project site would be directed to a detention basin constructed at the southern border of the development area with a new 18-inch outfall to be constructed in the existing San Jose Creek concrete channel wall. Stormwater runoff from the northeastern portion of the project site would be directed to a vegetated drainage swale located along the eastern side of the entry driveway prior to discharge to the existing storm drain outlet located approximately 115 feet south of the intersection of South Kellogg Avenue and the entry driveway.
  • The project site is within a mapped 100-year floodplain. Between 4 to 6 feet of fill would be used to elevate the proposed building above the 100-year floodplain elevation. Development of the proposed project would require approximately 600 cubic yards (CY) of soil cut and approximately 38,000 CY of soil fill.

Final EIR Alternative 2 Design: The Final EIR analyzes an alternative to the project that observes the 100’ streamside protection area buffer.  Alternative 2 design does not include a SPA buffer reduction request.  The general parameters of development remain the same as the original project described above.  This includes overall building square footage, building height, elevation of the building out of the floodplain, number of parking spaces, access and driveway location, landscaping, stormwater improvements, demolition of the existing on-site improvement etc.  This Alternative design will be considered for recommendation by the Planning Commission. 

The project was filed by Ginger Andersen of Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP on behalf of Sycal Properties Inc., property owner. 

The requested approvals include:

  1. Certification of the Final EIR, adoption of the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP), and adoption of a Statement of Overriding Considerations (SOC).
  2. Approval of a Development Plan associated with Alternative  

Location:  

The 11.77-acre project site is located at 907 South Kellogg Avenue (APN 071-190-035) in Goleta California.  The project site is within the Coastal Zone.  The site is bordered by San Jose Creek and State Route 217 to the southeast.  Tidal wetland and stormwater infrastructure is located to the south of the project site. 

Notice and Hearing

Notice of Availability of Final EIR and Planning Commission Hearing

Planning Commission Agenda for Monday April 28, 2025 at 6 pm with link to agenda materials - to be released no later than 72 hours prior to the Planning Commission Meeting.

The Planning Commission is serving in an advisory capacity and will make a recommendation to the City Council regarding the Sywest Project.  The City Council will be the decision maker on the project at a future meeting.  Notice of the City Council meeting will be given at a later date.

The Goleta Planning Commission will be conducting a hybrid public hearing (in person and via Zoom) on Monday April 28, 2025, at 6 pm in the Goleta Council Chambers, 130 Cremona Drive, Goleta, to consider the adequacy of the analysis within the Final EIR and the merits of the project.  In addition to making a recommendation regarding the Project, the Planning Commission will be making a recommendation to the City Council regarding certifying the proposed Final EIR, adopting the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP), and adopting a Statement of Overriding Considerations (SOC), pursuant to 14 California Code of Regulations § 15090.  Please submit any written comments regarding the Planning Commission item to PERmeetings@cityofgoleta.org before 3 pm of the day of the hearing.  The Planning Commission may not have an opportunity to review comments received after 3 pm prior to the meeting. 

Electronic Participation: Please register for the Planning Commission hearing on Monday April 28, 2025, at 6 pm via the link below:

Webinar Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_-Q4G5dOITVSbYWL1LOVBOw

Webinar ID:    895 5603 4021

Passcode:      415896

Phone one-tap:+16699006833, 89556034021#,*415896# US (San Jose);
+14086380968,89556034021#*415896# US (San Jose)

Join via audio:+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose);+1 408 638 0968 US (San Jose); +1 669 444 9171 US; +1 719 359 4580 US; +1 253 205 0468 US; +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma); +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston); +1 646 876 9923 US (New York); +1 646 931 3860 US; +1 689 278 1000 US; +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC); +1 305 224 1968 US; +1 309 205 3325 US; +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago); +1 360 209 5623 US; +1 386 347 5053 US; +1 507 473 4847 US; +1 564 217 2000 US

International numbers available: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kqCnwIfAy

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.  You will be connected to audio using your computer’s microphone and speakers (VoIP).  A headset is recommended.  You can also select the option to use your telephone, but you must use the  Zoom software to interact with the meeting.  Select “Use Telephone” after joining the webinar to use your telephone.  Oral comments during a meeting may be made by electronic participation only.

Staff Contact:

Comments on the Final EIR and questions regarding the project and/or review process can be directed to Brian Hiefield, Associate Planner, at bhiefield@cityofgoleta.org, or by phone at 805-961-7559.

Documents

Final EIR

Volume I – Sywest Industrial Building Project (includes Draft EIR)
Volume II – Appendices (see below for individual appendices listings)
Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP)

Final EIR by Chapter (Volume I)

_Cover Title - Table of Contents
0 Executive Summary
1 Introduction
2.0 Project Description
3 Environmental Setting
4 Environmental Impact Analysis
4.1 Aesthetics
 4.2 Air Quality
4.3 Biological Resources
4.4 Cultural Resources
4.5 Energy
4.6 Geology and Soils
4.7 Greenhouse Gases
4.8 Hazards and Hazardous Material
4.9 Hydrology and Water Quality
4.10 Land Use and Planning
4.11 Noise
4.12 Public Services
4.13 Transportation and Circulation
4.14 Tribal Cultural Resources
4.15 Utilities and Service Systems
4.16 Effects Found Not to Be Significant
5 Other CEQA Required Sections
6 Alternatives
7 Response to Comments
8 References

Final EIR by Chapter (Volume II

October 2024

Sywest Industrial Building Project Notice of Availability of Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) & Notice of Environmental Hearing Officer Meeting.

The Draft EIR is available for a 45-day public review period from October 10, 2024, to November 25, 2024. The Draft EIR analyzes the impacts of the Project on the topics of Aesthetics, Air Quality, Biological Resources, Cultural Resources, Energy, Geology and Soils, Greenhouse Gases, Hazards and Hazardous Materials, Hydrology and Water Quality, Land Use and Planning, Noise, Public Services, Transportation and Circulation, Tribal Cultural Resources, and Utilities and Service Systems and analyzes three alternatives to the Project.  CEQA checklist topics not listed were issue areas that were determined through the Notice of Preparation and EIR scoping process that the Project would not have a significant effect on. 

The Draft EIR concludes that the Project will have significant and unavoidable project specific and cumulative impacts (Class I) in the areas of; Aesthetics (project-level impacts), Biological Resources (project-level impacts), Land Use (project-level impacts), and Utilities and Service Systems (solid waste) (project-level and cumulative impacts).

The Draft EIR concludes that the Project will have potentially significant, but mitigatable, impacts on the environment (Class II) in the areas of: Geology and Soils, Hazards and Hazardous Materials, Hydrology and Water Quality, and Noise.

On Tuesday, October 29, 2024 at 5:00p.m. the Environmental Hearing Officer will conduct an in hybrid meeting to solicit comments on the adequacy of the Analysis of the issue areas studied within the DEIR and the alternatives. The in person meeting will held in the Goleta City Council Chambers located at 130 Cremona Drive, Goleta, CA.  Please refer to the Notice and Hearing section below regarding how to participate virtually.

The public review and comment period begins for the DEIR from October 10, 2024 through November 25, 2024 at 5:00p.m. All letters should be addressed to Brian Hiefield, Associate Planner, City of Goleta, 130 Cremona Drive, Goleta, CA 93117 or bhiefield@cityofgoleta.org.   All comments must be received no later than 5:00 P.M. on November 25, 2024.  Please limit comments to environmental issues only. When possible, please use email to submit public comment.

Project Description:

 The Project’s primary components include the following:

  •  Demolition of the existing drive-in theater, including the freestanding movie screen, concessions stand, projector building, two drive-through ticket booths, one walk-in ticket booth, and an agricultural box, and removal of one of the dewatering wells. 
     
  • Construction of a 70,594 square foot industrial warehouse building with 60,939 square feet of landscaping, 101 parking spaces, six loading zones, and 10 bicycle parking spaces. The maximum building height would be 35 feet measured from finished grade with the site being raised 4-6 feet to elevate the finished floor of the building out of the floodplain. The industrial warehouse building could be divided into up to four sections and would be available for use by up to four tenants. Additionally, the request includes a 75-foot streamside protection area buffer reduction (from 100’ to 25).

Access to and from the project site would continue to be provided from South Kellogg Avenue via an existing access road that runs along the northeast project boundary. The east curb of the existing driveway would be widened in order to provide adequate maneuvering area for delivery trucks to enter and exit the project site.

Stormwater runoff from the majority of the project site would be directed to a detention basin constructed at the southern border of the development area with a new 18-inch outfall to be constructed in the existing San Jose Creek concrete channel wall. Stormwater runoff from the northeastern portion of the project site would be directed to a vegetated drainage swale located along the eastern side of the entry driveway prior to discharge to the existing storm drain outlet located approximately 115 feet south of the intersection of South Kellogg Avenue and the entry driveway. 

The project site is within a mapped 100-year floodplain. Between 4 to 6 feet of fill would be used to elevate the proposed building above the 100-year floodplain elevation. Development of the proposed project would require approximately 600 cubic yards (CY) of soil cut and approximately 38,000 CY of soil fill.

The project was filed by Sywest Development, property owner.

Location:
The 11.77-acre project site is located at 907 South Kellogg Avenue (Assessor’s Parcel Number [APN] 071-190-035) in Goleta, California. The project site is within the Coastal Zone. The project site is bordered by San Jose Creek and State Route (SR) 217 to the southeast. Tidal wetland and stormwater infrastructure is located to the south of the project site.


Notice and Hearing:

Notice of Availability of Draft Environmental Report (DEIR) and Notice of Environmental Hearing Office Hearing.

ELECTRONIC PARTICIPATION: Please register for the EHO hearing on Tuesday October 29, 2024, at 5:00 pm via the link below: 

Virtual/Webinar Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_jV1sQEsrRc6JZwZMByJ8Zg  

Webinar ID: 840 1143 9753
Passcode: 689786

Join via audio: US: +14086380968,,84011439753#,,,,*689786# or +16694449171,,84011439753#,,,,*689786# 

Or, dial:    US: +1 408 638 0968 or +1 669 444 9171 or +1 669 900 6833 or +1 719 359 4580
or +1 253 205 0468 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 305 224 1968 or +1 309 205 3325 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 360 209 5623 or +1 386 347 5053 or +1 507 473 4847 or +1 564 217 2000 or +1 646 876 9923 or +1 646 931 3860 or +1 689 278 1000 or +1 301 715 8592

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.  You will be connected to audio using your computer’s microphone and speakers (VoIP). A headset is recommended. You can also select the option to use your telephone, but you must use the Zoom software to interact with the meeting. Select “Use Telephone” after joining the webinar to use your telephone.  Oral comments during a meeting may be made by electronic participation only.

Staff Contact:

Comments on the Draft EIR and questions regarding the project and/or review process can be directed to Brian Hiefield, Associate Planner, at bhiefield@cityofgoleta.org, or by phone at 805-961-7559.

Documents:
Draft EIR:

Volume I - Sywest Industrial Building Project
Volume II - Appendices (see below individual listings)

Draft EIR by chapter (Volume 1):

_Cover Title
0_Executive Summary
1_Introduction
2.0_Project Description
3.0_Environmental Setting
4.0_Environmental Impact Analysis
4.1_Aesthetics
4.2_Air Quality
4.3_Biological Resources
4.4_Cultural Resources
4.5_Energy
4.6_Geology and Soils
4.7_Greenhouse Cases
4.8_Hazards and Hazardous Materials
4.9_Hydrology & Water Quality
4.10_Land Use & Planning
4.11_Noise
4.12_Public Services
4.13_Transportation and Circulation
4.14_Tribal Cultural Resources
4.15_Utilities and Service Systems
4.16_Effects Found Not to be Significant
5.0_Other CEQA Required Sections
6.0_Alternatives
7.0_References

Draft EIR Appendices (Volume II):

 

Posted Date: April 28, 2023

Sywest Industrial Building Project Notice of Preparation for Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR):

Robert Atkinson of Sywest Development, property owner, has requested approval of a Development Plan (17-121-DP) to construct an approximately 71,000 square-foot industrial warehouse. The project description and location are provided below. The City of Goleta will be the Lead Agency under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and will prepare an EIR for this project. A Public Scoping Meeting is scheduled for May 17, 2023, to obtain agency and public comment on the adequacy of the scope and content of the environmental information and analysis, including significant environmental issues, reasonable alternatives, and mitigation measures that should be included in the DEIR.

The public comment period for the DEIR scoping begins on April 28, 2023 and will end on May 30, 2023 (32 days). All letters should be addressed to Brian Hiefield, Associate Planner, City of Goleta, 130 Cremona Drive, Goleta, CA 93117 or bhiefield@cityofgoleta.org. All comments must be received no later than Tuesday, May 30, 2023, at 4:00 P.M. Please limit comments to environmental issues. When possible, please use email to submit public comment.

Project Description:

The proposed project involves the demolition of existing structures including an approximately 3,663 square foot concessions building, freestanding movie screen, three ticket booths, an approximately 200 square foot projector building, pad-mounted transformer, storm drain, and two dewatering wells. The project also involves the construction of a 70,594 square foot industrial warehouse building with 60,939 square feet of landscaping, 102 parking spaces, and six loading zones. The building height will be 35 feet from finished grade. Development of the proposed project would require approximately 600 cubic yards (CY) of soil cut and approximately 38,000 CY of soil fill. Between four to six feet of fill would be used to elevate the proposed building above the 100-year floodplain elevation. In order to elevate the building on fill, the project would require 37,400 CY feet of soil to be imported to the site.

 In addition, the proposed project includes a request to reduce the 100-foot Streamside Protection Area buffer at San Jose Creek to 25 feet along the entire project site boundary adjacent to San Jose Creek, as measured from top of bank or the outer limit of wetlands and/or riparian vegetation, (whichever is greater). General Plan/Coastal Land Use Plan Policy CE 2.2, Streamside Protection Areas, in the City’s General Plan Conservation Element requires a 100-foot buffer from San Jose Creek. However, the City can approve a buffer reduction on a site-specific basis, but not less than 25 feet wide. As part of the project, the applicant will grant the City an easement on the project site for access to San Jose Creek.

Location:

The project site is located at 907 South Kellogg Avenue, in the City of Goleta (City) approximately 500 feet south of the intersection of Thornwood Drive and South Kellogg Avenue, adjacent to SR 217 on the east side of the property. The Assessor’s Parcel Number is 071-190-035.

Notice and Hearing:

Notice of Preparation (NOP) for Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR)/Environmental Officer Hearing for May 17, 2023. 

 All interested parties are encouraged to provide public comments during the public hearing in person or virtually through the Zoom teleconference, by following the instructions listed below.

Virtual Link:

 https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_z-E45D_ZTEy0eOlSGv2dTg#/registration

Staff Contact:

Comments or questions regarding the project and/or review process can be directed to the Case Manager, Brian Hiefield, Associate Planner at bhiefield@cityofgoleta.org, or via telephone at 805-961-7559.

Documents: