What’s the Housing Development Under Construction Next to the Polo Fields?

A fairly large new housing development is being built near the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club. I would estimate a few dozen homes are under construction, with a sound wall to block freeway noise. Mature, old-wood olive trees were just planted by the entrance. Any news about these homes? —P.

I haven’t written about the project—directly west of the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club in Carpinteria—since 2021, when the project was in permitting; the plan was to divide the 11.48 acres into 31 lots, for 40 residences: 25 single family dwellings (from 0.15 acre to 0.65 acre) around a pond, and 15 condominiums on a 1.58-acre segment. 

The developer is 3250-3282 Via Real, LLC, with Neil Botts (of West Bluff Capital) as the named applicant, and the architect is Santa Barbara’s DesignARC. The style is the California cottage one that remains popular these days.

The name was slated to be Santa Barbara Polo Villas & Casitas, and for a while, there was a website with more info, but it’s no longer functional. I went over yesterday for a look, and despite the state holiday, workers were out in force. The olive trees are magnificent, and the sound wall is far taller than we tend to see around here. Many of the structures are being framed, with a couple farther along than that.

I’m surprised there isn’t any marketing signage yet, or simply a way to sign up for email updates—particularly because last time I wrote about the project, even though ground had yet to be broken, there was a lot of interest from potential buyers. Perhaps someone out there knows more…? [See the update below.]

P.S. Good news for locals: the plan includes “an eight-foot wide multi-use public trail easement consistent with the Toro Canyon Community Trails Plan […] along the east side of the project site. The trail would exit the property at the north end of the site where it may one day connect with future trail easements.”

UPDATE: The homes should be coming on the market next month, said the listing agent, Michael Calcagno of Berkshire Hathaway Homes Services. You can contact him for more info or to be kept in the loop at 805-896-0876 and michael@homesinsantabarbara.com.

Got a question you’d like investigated? Email sitelinesb@gmail.com or text 917-209-6473.

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