Why Do We Care?
Our neighborhood has been designated a VERY HIGH Fire Hazard Severity Zone by the State Fire Marshal — every blocked driveway or fire hydrant puts lives at risk.
Los Carneros Road is the primary evacuation route for both our neighborhood and the DP Ranch residents behind us.
The traffic circle at Calle Real gives northbound traffic the right-of-way, creating dangerous bottlenecks when rapid evacuation is critical.
Anthem’s facility is 22,038 square feet, which by professional standards (10–12 sq ft per person) can hold 1,800–2,200 people. With only 125 parking spaces, this means 300–500 additional vehicles would spill onto surrounding residential streets — a serious safety concern during emergencies.
City projections estimate 1,400 vehicles per hour on Los Carneros Road by 2030. Adding 290+ church-related vehicles would push traffic beyond safe capacity, especially during peak times or evacuations.
This would violate Goleta’s Level of Service C standard, compromising emergency access and response times — a critical issue when every minute counts during wildfires.
Questions that need answers
Parking & Traffic Concerns
Parking is already limited during events at the Stow House. How many additional vehicles can our neighborhood streets realistically handle — especially if existing parking is removed to make way for a 22,038 square foot development? Where will cars park if on-site parking is inadequate? How many more vehicles will end up on residential streets during large church events?
How does Anthem plan to prevent illegal parking, especially when these issues weren’t addressed in the past?
What impact will this have on my daily commute on Los Carneros Road, which the City projects will carry 1,400 vehicles per hour by 2030? Adding hundreds of cars during peak times will only make things worse.
Anthem has verbally stated interest in future expansion, including a school. How would school drop-offs and pick-ups further impact already congested roads like Los Carneros and Covington Way, particularly during morning rush hour?
I’m concerned about the increased risk of traffic accidents at the already busy Los Carneros and Covington Way intersection, which I rely on daily.
Lastly, what will happen to the Class II bike path I use regularly? Their proposed new curb cut would directly disrupt this path, putting cyclists at risk and reducing safe alternatives to driving.
Stow House Events
Could the historic venue lose its non-profit status or community support if events become too difficult to attend?
Will Stow House be forced to reduce or eliminate popular events due to parking and access problems?
How do we preserve the historic ranch atmosphere with 22,038 s/f mega-church activities compete for space?"
Will Stow House lose parking spaces due to Anthem overflow, hurting their beloved community events?
Where will 1,000-2,000 concert attendees park when the new building also has events?
Will families with children and elderly visitors struggle to attend Stow House events due to distant parking?
Could Stow House events be forced to downsize or cancel due to inadequate parking access?
How do we prevent Anthem members from using Stow House parking lots during church services?
Will the Old Time Fiddlers Festival be drowned out by contemporary church worship music?
Will amplified church music compete with or overpower Stow House's intimate acoustic events?
Will evening Stow House events clash with church youth activities?
If problems arise, who will enforce noise and parking restrictions?
What guarantee do we have that mitigation measures will actually work?
What recourse do we have if impacts exceed what was promised?
Growth & Future Expansion
Since Anthem Chapel plans to expand well beyond the current reported numbers, how do they intend to provide sufficient parking when their plan only includes parking for about 125 vehicles?
What impact will my neighborhood face as Anthem grows beyond its current attendance — potentially serving 1,800 to 2,200 people — as indicated by the size of their facility?
Will parking overflow and congestion on residential streets worsen as they exceed even the minimum parking requirements?
How will their plans to expand services, including adding preschool and school programs, affect my daily routine and neighborhood livability?
What disruptions can I expect from increased events, youth activities, and special programs beyond regular Sunday services?
Noise & Competing Events
How will Anthem mitigate the very loud noise during their events? Anthem is known for playing loud amplified music during events.
Will amplified music, kids summer camps, and large crowds disrupt my peaceful enjoyment of my home and yard? What times of day and what days of the week should I expect to hear them?
How can I trust Anthem's pastor to make good on his word about noise and parking concerns when he admitted that members "were disrespectful in the way they parked" when they held services here?
Since neighbors already filed formal complaints with the Sheriff's Department about Anthem's violations, and were never resolved, should I expect these problems to continue?
Environmental Protection
The lot proposed for development is designated as a local Monarch Butterfly and Raptor Roosting Habitat — critical species already under pressure. How will these sensitive habitats be protected from the impacts of increased traffic, lighting, noise, and daily activity associated with a high-occupancy assembly use?
The adjacent Lake Los Carneros and its surrounding woodlands are officially designated scenic resources. This area is not just visually significant — it's ecologically vital. How will this development safeguard the ecological integrity and scenic value of this protected zone?
Has a full Environmental Review been conducted, given the proximity to Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Areas (ESHAs) and the scale of the proposed use? If not, why is such a review being bypassed?
Given the cumulative impacts of this project — including increased traffic, paved surfaces, noise, light pollution, and year-round activity — how can the City responsibly approve this without a full environmental impact report (EIR)?
Emergency Safety & Fire Evacuation
Will emergency vehicles be able to reach my home if hundreds of overflow vehicles from church events flood our residential streets?
How will I safely evacuate in a wildfire emergency, especially now that our area is designated a CAL FIRE Local Responsibility Area (LRA) Fire Hazard Severity Zone, if 1,800–2,200 people are attending services or events and blocking escape routes?
What happens when school drop-offs, pick-ups, or large gatherings occur along Los Carneros Road, which is one of our primary evacuation routes? This creates a serious risk during emergencies.
Has the City conducted an independent impact assessment to evaluate how a high-occupancy assembly and potential school operations would affect emergency access, evacuation routes, and the already constrained traffic circle at Los Carneros and Calle Real?
Property Values & Residential Rights
Will a new 18,000 square foot building affect my property values by changing the residential neighborhood character?
Will this set a precedent for other commercial uses to move into my residential zone?
Don't I have the right to quiet enjoyment of my single-family residential property?
Shouldn't I be able to expect that my RS-zoned neighborhood will remain residential?
Why should I have to tolerate commercial-level traffic and noise in my residential area?
Didn't I buy my home with the expectation that the city would protect residential zoning?
Why should my investment and quality of life be sacrificed for a commercial venture?
Legal & Zoning Issues
How does a high-occupancy commercial use get approved in an RS (Single-Family Residential) zone?
How does this approval align with General Plan Policy LU 1.2, which is intended to protect neighborhoods from the intrusion of nonresidential uses?
Is the assembly seating fixed or movable? If it's movable, that changes the parking requirement to 1 space per 60 sq ft, which equates to at least 367 parking spaces — not the 125 they’re proposing.
How can the City ensure they can meet the 367-space parking requirement for a 22,038 sq ft assembly building with movable seating, as required by municipal code?