City of Santa Maria · Member & Partner Briefing · October 13, 2026
State of the City
From Vision to Action — Summary of Key Updates
"Our goal is growth with purpose, creating opportunities, strengthening neighborhoods and preserving the quality of life that makes Santa Maria home."
Mayor Alice PatinoGrowth & General Plan 2045
Mayor Patino · Chenin Dow- On track for state housing goals: about one-third through the RHNA cycle, with about one-third of the goal met. ADUs are the most consistent growth type; single-family growth is minimal.
- Why annex: infill and vacant land are running out, and what remains is largely conservation land. 985 acres east of Highway 101 are proposed for annexation.
- Land math: of 985 proposed acres, approximately 605 go to roads, utilities, public safety, homes and jobs — plus 2 high schools, 2 junior highs, and 6 elementaries.
- Parks today: about 3 acres per 1,000 residents, against a masterplan target of 5. The sports complex at Depot/Stowell started at $6.5M and is now expected near $20M.
"We cannot wait until homes are built to figure out where schools, parks and public safety facilities go. We have to plan for those now and from the beginning."
Mayor Alice Patino"These are not just plans, these are turning into action."
Chenin Dow Director of Community Development, on the housing pipelineHousing Projects Underway or Recently Completed
Downtown Revitalization
Mayor Patino · Chenin Dow- Former Sears: becoming an El Super grocery store with added commercial space; opening expected later this year.
- Former Mervyn's building: Heritage Walk Lofts — 100+ loft-style apartments, now under construction.
- Next up: Perlman Apartments (150 affordable units at Broadway and Main), then Alvin Newton Apartments (market-rate with ground-floor commercial next to Bank of America).
- $2.1M state REAP grant funds the downtown sewer line — essential for any new residential or commercial building downtown.
"Having plans on a shelf isn't enough. We wanted to create real opportunities for development and turn those plans into projects that would benefit the community."
Mayor Alice Patino"I can look out my office window every day and see the progress on that."
Chenin Dow Director of Community Development, on Heritage Walk LoftsDowntown Milestones — From Plan to Projects
New Business & Economic Development
Chenin Dow"This is the first time we can say publicly that it is an Amazon facility. It represents 800 jobs for residents of our community."
— CHENIN DOW
- New and coming businesses: Sprouts Farmers Market, El Super, Men's Wearhouse, Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, 5 Cities Swim School, Hyundai of Santa Maria showroom.
- Vandenberg effect: Supporting companies are looking at Santa Maria as a place to locate, and existing businesses are growing. Santa Maria is about 25% of the Central Coast's population.
- Opportunity Zones: New federal designations proposed, with submission to the IRS expected October 28.
- Auto sales matter: A key part of City revenue — the new Hyundai of Santa Maria showroom is notable for that reason.
Financing Tools Now Available to Developers
Streets & Transportation
Brett FulgoniPaving Pace — Share of City Paved Per Year
Road AI Street Survey — Cost Comparison
- About 80 lane miles resurfaced last year. A new in-house crew handles local streets; contractors take major arterials.
- ~$10M in contracted work next: West Taylor; Miller (Main to Donovan); College (Chapel to Donovan); Donovan (College to Carlotti); Industrial Parkway.
- In-house paving expected to cost $800K–$1M/year in materials.
- Smart signal pilot on Cook Street: adaptive signals time lights to traffic and help late buses and emergency vehicles. If successful, goes citywide.
- Highway 135 interchange ($90M), construction expected 2029. Highway 101 project follows in 2032.
"Our focus is and remains our arterials and collectors. The roads that handle the most traffic, they handle the most commerce."
Brett Fulgoni Director of Public WorksWater, Wastewater & Solid Waste
Shad Springer- Water supply: Groundwater wells and State Water meet demand of ~12,000–13,000 acre-feet a year. The new well reaches deep for quantity and drinking-water quality.
- Basin levels are lower in drought but not at historic lows. Twitchell Reservoir recharges the basin through the Santa Maria River.
- Wastewater plant: Master plan goes to Council by year-end. City is pursuing outside funding so the cost doesn't fall only on ratepayers.
- Landfill: Cell expansion adds ~8 years of capacity. Gas is captured to generate renewable electricity.
A Lean Utility
"The city has adequate water supplies to meet the planning needs for the next 35 years."
Shad Springer Director of UtilitiesPublic Safety
Chief Williams · Chief DandridgePolice — The Trend Is Down
- Gang unit reinstated in early 2025; credited with the drop in shootings alongside a focus on removing illegal guns.
- 100 license plate readers — data shared only within Santa Barbara County; every search logged and audited.
- Coming in 2027: red-light camera pilot, drone first-responder program (to Council in November), narcotics task force.
Fire — By the Numbers (2025)
"This improvement doesn't just reflect better fire protection, it also lowers insurance costs for residents and businesses across the city."
Chief Brad Dandridge On the improved ISO rating — among top performers in the stateBudget & Measure C
City Manager RowlandsStructural Deficit — This Fiscal Year
General Fund Reserves ($42M projected vs. $53.9M target)
Exempt: groceries, hygiene products, prescriptions.
Non-residents who shop here also pay.
Where Measure C Would Go (Intended Priorities)
10 of 22 playgrounds need replacement.
"Measure C is not a substitute for sound fiscal management. It does not mean giving the City a blank check."
David Rowlands City Manager- Accountability: An annual spending plan, public expenditure reports, an oversight committee appointed by the Mayor and Council, and independent audits. Revenue stays local and can't be taken by the state.
- Timing: If approved, partial revenue arrives June–August 2027, then monthly.
- Track record: In 2012, voters approved a quarter-cent tax for police, fire, youth and the library with 74% of the vote. The Mayor said the City delivered on what it promised.
What's Ahead: Key Dates
What It Means for Business
The Chamber's ReadJobs are outpacing workers
800 Amazon jobs and a 24,000-job target put workforce pipelines with Allan Hancock College and the Santa Barbara County Workforce Development Board front and center.
Capital tools are on the table
SCIP, BOLD, Open PACE, HERO and proposed Opportunity Zones can close financing gaps for development and building upgrades.
Watch the cost of growth
Updated development impact fees and a $500M+ wastewater upgrade will shape project budgets and utility rates for years.
Safety trends help recruitment
Falling crime and an improved fire ISO rating strengthen the case for locating here and can help lower insurance costs.
Healthcare needs a convener
The City named the Chamber as a partner on physician recruitment — a natural convening role for the business community.
Measure C is on the Nov. 3 ballot
It would raise about $13M a year for City services and facilities. If it passes, first revenue would arrive in mid-2027.
"Santa Maria has a plan. We have challenges. We have opportunities. Most important, we have a community capable of meeting the moment."
Mayor Alice PatinoThe Santa Maria Valley Chamber is committed to fostering a thriving, inclusive, and resilient community by leveraging resources, strengthening partnerships, and promoting economic vitality. santamaria.com