Understanding the Anthem Chapel Project at 6595 Covington Way
Quick Facts:
Anthem Chapel is proposing an 18,000-square-foot event space in a residential neighborhood. The proposed location cannot adequately support the scale of their activities, raising concerns about emergency evacuation routes, insufficient parking, increased traffic congestion, and noise from frequent events.
Location: 6595 Covington Way, Goleta (Parcel 077-160-022)
Proposed Use:
500-member church assembly
18,000 s/f building on 2 acres behind the Lutheran Church
Includes meeting spaces, classrooms, and office spaces
Most amplified noise would occur indoors, but outside events with amplified music and sound planned
Exterior areas include a parking lot and recreational and picnic spaces
Onsite workforce housing and/or a day care
The Bottom Line:
The current evidence shows Anthem Chapel already exceeds their proposed capacity at their current GVHS location and would face significant code compliance issues at the proposed Covington Way site.
Goleta Parking Requirements
Goleta Municipal Code Section 17.38.040(A) requires: "1 space for every 4 permanent seats in the main assembly area, OR 1 space for every 50 sq. ft. of assembly area where temporary or moveable seats are provided."
Critical Discrepancy: For the proposed 500-member congregation:
Permanent seating: Requires 125 parking spaces (500 ÷ 4 = 125)
Temporary seating: For 18,000 sq ft building requires 360 parking spaces (18,000 ÷ 50 = 360)
The more stringent requirement applies if both could be interpreted
Evidence of Current Overcapacity
We counted parking data from Anthem’s June 22, 2025 service at Goleta Valley Junior High, revealing significant violations:
290 cars counted at GVJS (630 capacity auditorium)
Using city's 4-people-per-car estimate: 1,160 attendees
Using 3-people-per-car estimate: 870 attendees
Both estimates exceed the proposed 500-capacity they claim
Additionally, Anthem rents Dos Pueblos High School's 750-capacity auditorium for special services like Christmas, proving their congregation significantly exceeds the 500 members claimed in their planning documentation.
Church Building Capacity:
What 18,000 Square Feet Really Means
Professional architectural standards
An 18,000 square foot church facility is designed to accommodate 900-1,500 worshippers, with 1,200 seats considered optimal capacity.
10-12 square feet per person is the industry standard for comfortable sanctuary seating (Lifeway Christian Resources)
Professional church architects recommend 70-80% of maximum occupancy for optimal worship experience (BGW Architects)
Rectangular buildings require less space per person than radial seating arrangements (FGM Architects)
Exposing Anthem’s actual plan
A properly designed 18,000 square foot facility should serve 1,200 people comfortably, more than double Anthem's claimed 500-person capacity.
Anthem's actual attendance (870-1,160 people based on parking counts) already exceeds their proposed capacity
Professional standards indicate their building could serve 1,200+ people, suggesting significant underreporting
Multiple service model could serve 2,000+ weekly attendance, contradicting their growth projections (ChurchPlaza Seating Calculator)
Why Do We Care?
Overflow parking from large venues is more than just annoying - it's a life safety issue in our high-fire-risk neighborhood.
Our neighborhood has been designated a VERY HIGH Fire Hazard Severity Zone by the State Fire Marshal - every blocked driveway and fire hydrant puts lives at risk
Los Carneros road is the primary evacuation route for our neighborhood and DP Ranch residents behind us.
The traffic circle gives northbound Calle Real traffic right-of-way - creating bottlenecks when we need to evacuate quickly
Anthem's 125 parking spots vs. 1,200+ actual capacity means 200+ extra cars flooding our residential streets during emergencies
City traffic projections show 1,400 vehicles/hour by 2030 on Los Carneros Road - adding 290+ church cars would exceed safe capacity
Goleta's Level of Service C standard would be violated, degrading emergency response times when every minute counts in fire evacuations
Questions that need answers
Emergency Safety & Fire Evacuation
Will emergency vehicles be able to reach my home if cars overflow onto my residential streets?
How will I evacuate safely in our newly designated CAL FIRE’s LRA Fire Hazard Severity Zone (FHSZ) with 500+ additional weekly attendees blocking my escape routes?
How will a 500+ person assembly, or school drop-offs/pickups on my escape route on Los Carneros affect me during a fire emergency?
Has an impact report been conducted to assess how the church and its school will impact evacuation routes and emergency vehicles on Los Carneros and the traffic circle?
Parking & Traffic Concerns
Parking is already limited during events at the Stow House. How many more cars can neighborhood streets handle, especially if existing parking is removed for an 18,000 square foot development? Where will cars park if existing parking is taken away? How many additional cars parked in my neighborhood during church events?
How will Anthem mitigate illegally parked cars, when they weren't resolved before?
How will this affect my daily commute on Los Carneros Road, which is already projected to reach 1,400 vehicles per hour by 2030?
Anthem verbally proposed they wish to expand and have a school. How will school drop-offs and pick-ups affect my daily commute to work on Los Carneros and Covington Way?
I'm worried for the potential increased traffic accidents at the busy Los Carneros Road and Covington Way intersection that I use daily.
What happens to the Class II bike path I use that will be disrupted by their additional curb cut?
Legal & Zoning Issues
How does a high-occupancy commercial use get built in a RS Single-Family Residential zone?
How does approving this comply with the General Plan Policy LU 1.2 that's supposed to protect my neighborhood from 'intrusion of nonresidential uses'?
Is the seating in the assembly fixed or movable? This changes the parking requirements to 360 instead of their planned 125.
How can I be assured they can meet the 360 parking spaces required by code for an 18,000 sq ft assembly with movable seating?
Growth & Future Expansion
Since Anthem Chapel plans to expand beyond 500 members, how will they accommodate additional parking spots when their plan only accommodates 500?
What happens to my neighborhood when Anthem grows beyond its current 500+ members, as they've stated they plan to do?
Will I have to deal with even more parking problems when they outgrow even the minimum requirements?
How will the intent to grow services beyond 500 people AND include preschool and a school disrupt my daily life?
How will additional events, youth programs, and special activities beyond just Sunday services affect my daily life?
Noise & Quality of Life
How will Anthem mitigate the very loud noise during their events? Anthem is known for playing loud amplified music during events.
Will amplified music, kids summer camps, and large crowds disrupt my peaceful enjoyment of my home and yard? What times of day and what days of the week should I expect to hear them?
How can I trust Anthem's pastor to make good on his word about noise and parking concerns when he admitted that members "were disrespectful in the way they parked" when they held services here?
Since neighbors already filed formal complaints with the Sheriff's Department about Anthem's violations, and were never resolved, should I expect these problems to continue?
Environmental Protection
The lot they are on is designated a local Monarch Butterfly and Raptor Roosting Habitat–how will it be protected from this development?
Since Lake Los Carneros and the surrounding woodlands are designated scenic resources, how will that area be protected?
Has an Environmental Review been performed, given the proximity to Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Areas (ESHAs)?
Property Values & Residential Rights
Will a new 18,000 square foot building affect my property values by changing the residential neighborhood character?
Will this set a precedent for other commercial uses to move into my residential zone?
Don't I have the right to quiet enjoyment of my single-family residential property?
Shouldn't I be able to expect that my RS-zoned neighborhood will remain residential?
Why should I have to tolerate commercial-level traffic and noise in my residential area?
Didn't I buy my home with the expectation that the city would protect residential zoning?
Why should my investment and quality of life be sacrificed for a commercial venture?
Stow House
Could the historic venue lose its non-profit status or community support if events become too difficult to attend?
Will Stow House be forced to reduce or eliminate popular events due to parking and access problems?
How do we preserve the historic ranch atmosphere with 18,000 s/f mega-church activities compete for space?"
Will Stow House lose parking spaces due to Anthem overflow, hurting their beloved community events?
Where will 1,000-2,000 concert attendees park when the new building also has events?
Will families with children and elderly visitors struggle to attend Stow House events due to distant parking?
Could Stow House events be forced to downsize or cancel due to inadequate parking access?
How do we prevent Anthem members from using Stow House parking lots during church services?
Will the Old Time Fiddlers Festival be drowned out by contemporary church worship music?
Will amplified church music compete with or overpower Stow House's intimate acoustic events?
Will evening Stow House events clash with church youth activities?
If problems arise, who will enforce noise and parking restrictions?
What guarantee do we have that mitigation measures will actually work?
What recourse do we have if impacts exceed what was promised?
Key Community Concerns
The proposed Anthem Chapel development at 6595 Covington Way raises significant concerns for our residential community. As neighbors and residents, we believe this large-scale assembly use is incompatible with our quiet residential area and violates key principles of responsible community development.
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Our neighborhood is zoned for single-family residential use to maintain low-density living and preserve the natural character that makes this area special. Large assembly facilities fundamentally conflict with residential zoning intentions.
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The scale and frequency of proposed activities would disrupt the peaceful character of our neighborhood. Weekly services, evening events, and related gatherings generate significant noise that affects residents' ability to enjoy their homes and outdoor spaces.
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The proposed development lacks adequate parking, forcing overflow into neighborhood streets. This creates safety hazards for pedestrians, cyclists, and emergency vehicle access while burdening residents with congestion and blocked driveways.
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The Lake Los Carneros area is designated as a protected scenic resource in the Goleta General Plan. The proposed development threatens the visual integrity and environmental sensitivity of this cherished community asset.
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Fire safety and evacuation concerns arise from the proposed high-occupancy use in a residential setting.
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Large-scale commercial assembly use in a residential zone threatens property values and undermines residents' investments in their homes and community.
Have questions? Need more information? Ready to sign the petition?
Contact us
In order to sign the petition, you must meet these requirements.
Who can sign:
Registered voter in California
Must be in a directly affected Los Carneros neighborhood
Information we will collect:
Full printed name
Signature (must match voter registration)
Residence address (must match voter registration)
Date signed
Other Ways to Get Involved
Attend Public Hearings
Most Critical Action: Show up to Planning Commission and City Council meetings when this project is discussed. Your physical presence demonstrates community concern and allows you to speak during public comment periods.
What to Do:
Monitor the City of Goleta website for hearing dates
Arrive early to sign up for public comment (usually 2-3 minutes per speaker)
Prepare concise, fact-based comments focusing on traffic, safety, parking, or zoning concerns
Submit Individual Written Comments
Direct Impact: Each separate comment letter becomes part of the official record and must be considered by decision-makers.
How to Submit:
Email: planning@cityofgoleta.org
Mail: Goleta Planning & Environmental Review, 130 Cremona Drive, Suite B, Goleta, CA 93117
Reference the specific project address: 6595 Covington Way
Contact Your City Council Members Directly
Personal Influence: Direct constituent contact carries significant weight with elected officials.
Contact Information:
Find your council member at: www.cityofgoleta.org/your-city/city-council
Email or call their offices
Request in-person meetings during office hours
Be specific about your concerns and ask for their position
Template Email
Subject: Concerns About Proposed High-Occupancy Assembly Use at 6595 Covington Way
Dear [Official Name],
I am writing to express my concerns about the proposed 18,000 square foot, 500-member assembly use at 6595 Covington Way. This project raises serious questions about:
• Traffic safety and parking adequacy on narrow residential streets
• Impacts on nearby school safety and pedestrian access
• Noise impacts on residential neighborhood character
• Environmental impacts including septic system capacity and wildlife corridors
• Fire safety and emergency evacuation in a Very High Fire Hazard Zone
I urge you to require a thorough environmental review and ensure all County safety and compatibility standards are met before any approvals.
Thank you for your consideration.
[Your Name]