Santa Barbara County is moving forward with early-stage planning for a large-scale residential development known as Solomon Hills.
Spanning 4,195 acres, the project site sits between the communities of Orcutt to the north and Los Alamos to the south in unincorporated Santa Barbara County, according to the project plan.
The proposed development includes plans for up to 4,000 single- and multi-family units, along with commercial, office, and public spaces to function as a self-contained community.
As part of the early review phase, the county has opened a public comment period to collect input on what issues should be addressed in the project’s environmental impact review. The comment period began on March 13, 2026, and will run through April 17, 2026.
The county has initiated the environmental review process, required under the California Environmental Quality Act, to assess a range of potential impacts, including effects on air quality, biological resources, land use, and water systems.
The project has reached an initial procedural milestone in the review process.
On March 8, 2023, the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission voted unanimously to support initiation of the Solomon Hills project, according to the Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce. This step allows the applicant to begin formal study and planning.
Proposed by Solstra Communities California LLC, Solomon Hills would repurpose former oil and gas land to create a sustainable community and help address housing needs in the county, according to the company’s website.
All oil and gas-related infrastructure has been removed in compliance with local, state, and federal regulations, the company said.
The land is currently designated for agricultural use, according to the project plan.
Mixed-Use Vision
In addition to the residential units, Solomon Hills would include a school, fire station, parks, streets, and a water reclamation facility, according to the county’s Planning & Development Department.
In addition to the residential units, Solomon Hills will accommodate a school, fire station, parks, streets, and a water reclamation facility, according to the county’s Planning & Development department.
The project would include up to 650,000 sq. ft. of commercial and office space, up to 104,800 sq. ft. of public institutional uses, 20,000 sq. ft. of park and recreation space, and approximately 950 acres of open space, according to the project plan.
The project would also include a 506-acre conservation easement, two conditional use permits, utility improvements, and local and regional transportation improvements.
Featuring a mix of single-family homes, duplexes, and townhomes, more than 70% of the residences are intended for working families and first-time homebuyers, according to the project’s website.
The homes will include 900 sq. ft. affordable apartments (400 units), 1,725 sq. ft. attached townhomes (616 units), and 2,100 sq. ft. detached single-family homes (1,841 units).
Around 65% of the land would be preserved for open space, nature, and recreation.
Solomon Hills would also include recreation amenities such as sports fields, picnic areas, a community center, playgrounds, outdoor dining areas, a farmers’ market, fitness centers, and a geothermal swimming pool.
Focus on Sustainability
Solomon Hills aims to become a carbon-neutral residential community by 2040.
The community plans to offset carbon emissions by using renewable energy sources, smart technologies, resource conservation, and sustainable building practices.
Promoting car-free living, the community would include a “Village Center” with shops intended to provide essential goods. Amenities, the work campus, and the Village Center would be located close to residential units.
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Zoned as agricultural land. Keep it that way.
California has the infrastructure for 10 million, not 50 million. California streets are already overwhelmed with too many cars and trucks causing more pollution, our quality of life is being deteriorated by greedy politicians. Newscum wants more people squeezed in every nook and cranny for votes.
Tell the Republicans to leave – they have no useful contributions to the state and whine a lot.
A continuous torrent of kevinous BS.
Agree
IQs of a feather flock together. Birdbrain.
Comments related to the scope of the environmental review may be submitted to Alia Vosburg and Tina Mitchell, senior planners, by sending email to PADSolomonHills@countyofsb.org
Many a family will be so happy to buy one of the 4,000 units in such an absolutely gorgeous area. I suppose they are saying 4,000 units now, but will “settle” for a few hundred less, which is exactly what they wanted in the first place. Like the high-rise proposed near the SB Old Mission…..8 stories, but peeps will be “happy” when it’s ONLY 5 or 6 stories. So many jobs and people are moving to the area north of Santa Barbara, quite a bit of it is driven by the SpaceX/Space Force folks coming to the area to live and work. Glad to hear that they plan to put in retail stores for this new development. It’s a good idea to shop as close to home as possible in order to cut down on traffic and pollution. Let’s see what happens, but I see this new development as a huge win for SB County.
Yeah! Gotta pave paradise!
Keep those knees bent and your head in the…sand.
Currently zoned for agriculture, but in short order it will be zoned for “….900 sq. ft. affordable apartments (400 units), 1,725 sq. ft. attached townhomes (616 units), and 2,100 sq. ft. detached single-family homes (1,841 units)”….
….and in addition to that, there will also be….
“…. recreation amenities such as sports fields, picnic areas, a community center, playgrounds, outdoor dining areas, a farmers’ market, fitness centers, and a geothermal swimming pool.”
I’d prefer the land not be built upon and turned into a public-access park, but that’s not going to happen. This project is well on its way to reality, so anyone who’s in the market for a home out in the country, this could be a great opportunity to score big.
“Proposed by Solstra Communities California LLC, Solomon Hills would repurpose former oil and gas land to create a sustainable community and help address housing needs in the county, according to the company’s website.”
Hardly paving over paradise when repurposing the former property run by greedy Big Oil companies who typically rule the roost. The lack of housing, especially in this area, needs to be addressed and the County of SB is doing just that. No one seems to be raising serious concerns about the 1,000 units going in at the Glen Annie Golf Course or 50 units or so directly adjacent at the Shelby project. Absolutely no locals will be happy when hundreds of Naples housing units are built just north of Goleta. The housing going in at Naples will surely be snapped up by wealthy folks who are not from here who are looking for 2nd/3rd homes or vacation housing. I would LOVE to watch sunrises and sunsets from a luxury home at Naples and be able to walk to a fully stocked private fishing pond.
What part of “according to the company’s website” didn’t seem self-serving to you, given that the land is currently zoned for agriculture.
Bend those Knees to the oligarchs.
A great spot for more houses. Already has a Trap field on the hill for shooting sports recreation
Just what we need. More redneck “sports”.
Not quite redneck. Trap has been an Olympic sport for well over half a century The range has also been there for years. For people that decide to move there, Accept the area is rural and appreciates and exercises the 2nd amendment.
Nobody who is unlucky enough to end up living near it will appreciate it.