Solvang, like other Santa Ynez Valley towns, is small and built on strong community values — a place where people know their neighbors, where scenic views define the landscape, and where residents assume that, through their elected representatives, they have a voice in decisions affecting their future. But action by City Staff and inaction by City Council regarding the Wildwood development application has shaken that sense of community to its core.
Wildwood is a proposed 100-unit high density apartment complex covering a steep hill and scenic view-scape at Alamo Pintado and Old Mission Drive.
On January 13, 2025, residents gathered at the City Council meeting, demanding that Council follow the law and act to stop the Planning Department from pushing through a defective Wildwood application. Instead of action, residents were met with silence.