The Santa Barbara Historic Landmarks Commission on Nov. 5 continued consideration of a proposed detached accessory dwelling unit (ADU), two-car garage, pool and site work at 2321 East Islay, directing the applicant to return with revised options focused on driveway treatment, gate detailing and exterior color.

Architect Paul Zink presented the ADU design, materials and site plan: a detached 1,600-square-foot ADU with attached two-car garage, a proposed pool and spa, new hardscape and landscape, a 6-foot wood fence and wrought-iron frontage, and removal of 11 trees. The project was previously granted project design approval July 16, 2025 and requested final approval on Nov. 5.

Commissioners spent considerable time on the driveway, front gate and visible materials. Several commissioners said the proposed full two-strip permeable paving and a 12-foot-wide motor court diminished a historic driveway character that historically read as a narrow "ribbon" of paving. "I feel that the loss of the ribbon drive and the white addition versus the same color of the main house ... take away from the historic nature of the property," Commissioner Butler said, asking that at least the front portion retain a ribbon-like treatment. Commissioners also raised the visual prominence of the proposed bright-white ADU color; multiple commissioners said the lighter, brighter finish drew the eye forward and reduced the visual primacy of the 1914 main house.

The commission also questioned retaining-wall heights near the proposed pool and asked the applicant to clarify pool construction logistics and access, and to show how stormwater would be managed downhill toward a rock-level spreader. The applicant said much of the back-of-property access could use a driveway on a neighboring parcel owned by the same owner; the team also described reuse of existing on-site boulders for an organic rubble wall around the pool area and a stone cut wall with wrought-iron fence toward the sidewalk.

After deliberation the commission unanimously voted to continue the item to the commission's Nov. 19 consent calendar and gave the applicant three directives: (1) return with at least one design option that reinstates a ribbon-drive cue up to the existing gate (or proposes an historically sympathetic alternative), (2) restudy and detail the rollaway gate to be more compatible with the main house (including study of gate piers/columns or other historically sympathetic posts), and (3) present alternative exterior color(s) or commit to matching the main house palette; the commission said the bright white shown in the current submission was visually dominant and not acceptable as presented. Staff told the applicant that revised plans must be submitted by the upcoming Monday to be eligible for the Nov. 19 consent calendar review.

The motion to continue was recorded as carried on a consent return; staff noted the applicant may be able to finalize other construction elements while the driveway, gate and color are resolved on a short timeline for consent review on Nov. 19.