The Goleta Design Review Board has given preliminary approval to a renovation plan for the Sandpiper Golf Club and the historic Barnsdall Rio Grande filling station.
Board members unanimously approved the project’s conceptual design, describing it as creative, inspiring, and potentially transformative for Goleta.
The Board noted that several design issues must be addressed before final approval. Concerns included a glass-paneled elevator tower that did not appear consistent with the rest of the design, the potential for bird strikes from large glass surfaces, and safety issues related to public access on the turf-covered roof.
In addition, the project will require a coastal development permit and approval from the Goleta City Council. Before that, it will undergo further review by the Goleta Planning Commission.
The Barnsdall filling station will be considered separately by the Historic Preservation Commission on February 26. The proposal will also return to the Design Review Board for final approval, Santa Barbara News-Press reported.
Historic Barnsdall Rio Grande filling station. Image Source: City of Goleta website.
The project proposes replacing the existing Sandpiper Golf Club clubhouse, a brown, block-style structure built in the early 1970s, with a new two-level clubhouse spanning about 37,000 square feet.
The new design includes a sweeping, turf-covered roof and a large glass facade facing the golf course and ocean. The clubhouse would also include a restaurant and lounge open to the public, in addition to golfers.
Parking and utilities would be largely placed underground, and the project will have around 116 new trees planted across the property.
Rendering of the proposed development at the Sandpiper Golf Course in Goleta (courtesy)
Environmental improvements are a key component of the project, including the conversion of 63 acres of maintained turf into drought-tolerant native vegetation to reduce water use and improve sustainability.
The project would also include a public sewer connection, which is expected to improve water quality. Other elements include a monarch butterfly foraging habitat, naturalization of portions of Devereaux Creek, preservation of five acres in Bell Canyon, underground utility lines along Hollister Avenue, and expanded bike and hiking trail connections.
The project also calls for the full restoration of the Barnsdall Rio Grande filling station, a landmark structure built in 1929 that has long been associated with Goleta’s history.
The building will be restored to its original Spanish Colonial Revival design, preserving its iconic tower in the city.
Additionally, the plan includes a historic exhibit inside the building, a new café, a public seating area, and e-bike charging stations.
Historic preservation advocates have voiced strong support for the restoration.
Rendering of the proposed restoration and addition to the historic Barnsdall Rio Grande filling station in Goleta (courtesy)
The Sandpiper site has a long history, having once been part of the Ellwood Oil Field, which operated from 1927 to 1965 and was attacked by a Japanese submarine in 1942 during World War II.
The property later became a golf course in 1972 and was purchased by Ty Warner in 2003.
An environmental review released in October 2025 identified several impacts associated with the project, all of which were deemed mitigable. A smaller clubhouse renovation was considered as an environmentally preferable alternative but was found unable to meet the project’s objectives.
The renovation is estimated to cost $130 million and will require multiple layers of city, coastal, and historic review. While the proposal remains in its early stages, the Design Review Board’s preliminary approval marks a step toward additional public hearings and final decisions.