Santa Barbara County Planning Commission Unanimously Approves Los Alamos Mixed-Use Project

The Santa Barbara County Planning Commission unanimously approved the Meyer Mixed-Use Project in Los Alamos on November 5, 2025. 

Located at the intersection of Bell Street and Augusta Street, the project plan includes a two-story mixed-use building. The ground floor of the building will have commercial retail space, while the second floor will have residential apartments and a fitness studio.

The designated fitness center can also be used for after-school activities, like dance and karate, educational activities, or senior movement classes. 

The project will also have three short-term rental cottages and a standalone commercial building. 

The Planning Commission voted 4-0 to adopt staff recommendations for approval, determine the project’s exemption from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), under Section 15183, and approve the development plan along with some modification and exception requests.

Commissioners also appreciated the project for its community-driven development. 

Chair Kate Ford and Commissioner C. Michael Cooney praised it as a “family project” that includes spaces for both children and seniors.

Commissioner Roy Reed said that the project would be a “gateway into the old town of Los Alamos.”

The mixed-use development fully achieves, if not exceeds, the goals of Bell Street and Los Alamos community plans, Commissioner Reed said.

Appreciating the project’s contributions toward infrastructure, he noted that the project would be a “significant improvement in the area.” 

Applicant Britt Meyer, who is a third-generation resident of Santa Barbara County and lives in Los Alamos with her family, moved back to the area during the pandemic to be close to her family. 

Appearing before the Planning Commission with her husband Ian Meyer, she said that the family intends to keep and operate the property and the fitness studio, while the retail space on the first floor might be leased out. 

The smallest commercial building is only 318 sq ft. Britt Meyer explained that the building’s initial size was envisioned to be larger but had to be reduced due to code and other requirements. Despite the small size, the space still offers opportunities for small entrepreneurs, Britt Meyer said. 

“We’re not commercial developers, we’re a family. We’ve invested a lot of time, heart, and resources into this,” she said. 

Public response has been positive for the project. The Planning Commission noted that there was an “absence of complaints” and the community seemed to accept the project universally.