Buffer Area. An area of land, developed or undeveloped surrounding a historic resource, El Pueblo Viejo Landmark District or Historic District Overlay Zones, that serves to notice owners, planners and design review boards during the 37 planning and design review process of the necessity to plan to mitigate any negative impacts a new project may have to the historic resource. The distance requirements of the buffer area are the following: 250 feet from the outline of the structure of an original adobe, El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park and areas inclusive of the original footprint of the Presidio, or a Landmark; 100 feet from the outline of the structure around a Structure of Merit; and at least a radius of one-half block from the boundary line surrounding El Pueblo Viejo Landmark District or a historic district and shall include properties on the opposite side of the street from the district.

For the one-half block from outside EPV and other historic districts 300 feet was used as a typical block is at most 600 feet wide.