The Lompoc City Council has approved a one-year extension to the development timeline for the proposed Space Base California project, a Central Coast space-themed destination designed to inspire families and encourage interest in science and space exploration.
The extension was granted through a first amendment to the long-term ground lease and development agreement between the city and Pale Blue Dot Ventures Inc. The amendment was approved Nov. 18 as part of the consent calendar without discussion.
Pale Blue Dot Ventures is the investor group behind the educational and recreational center planned for approximately 82 acres of city-owned land near Ken Adam Park, located south of Hancock Drive and west of Highway 1.
The Space Base California project has been in development since July 2019, when Pale Blue Dot entered into a memorandum of understanding with the City of Lompoc. The original lease and development agreement was executed in September 2024 and became official Dec. 5, 2024.
Under the newly approved amendment, all performance deadlines outlined in Section 4.1 of the agreement have been extended by one year. City staff recommended approval after Pale Blue Dot formally requested additional time in an Oct. 13 letter, citing a combination of financial, political, and economic factors that slowed fundraising efforts.
In that request, Pale Blue Dot founder and CEO Steve Franck said the November 2024 election delayed the agreement’s effective date and created uncertainty among potential investors until the lease was officially recorded. He also pointed to broader economic instability following the election, including capital market volatility, tax and economic uncertainty during the passage of federal legislation in 2025, and concerns over inflation, tariffs, and unemployment.
“Our intention is that the next round of equity stock sales will fund the project contractors for the entitlement process, which is essentially a nine-month effort,” Franck wrote, adding that the fall holiday period traditionally presents challenges for investment activity.
With the council’s approval, the first major project deadline — submission of a project description sufficient for California Environmental Quality Act review, along with draft applications for any required general plan and zoning amendments — has been extended to Dec. 5, 2026.
All subsequent milestones tied to entitlements, permitting, and construction have also been shifted back by one year. Pale Blue Dot must now secure land use entitlements by Dec. 5, 2028, apply for building permits by Dec. 5, 2030, begin construction by Dec. 5, 2031, and complete construction by Dec. 5, 2035.
City Attorney Jeff Malawy noted that extensions are common for large-scale development projects and confirmed that this amendment represents the first and only extension granted under the lease and development agreement executed in September 2024.
City officials emphasized that all other terms of the agreement remain in full force, including provisions requiring Pale Blue Dot to reimburse the city for staff, legal, and consultant costs under a previously executed deposit and reimbursement agreement.
Space Base California is envisioned as a large-scale space-themed education and entertainment destination. Preliminary plans include a space center, a visitors center, an amphitheater and theater for viewing rocket launches from nearby Vandenberg Space Force Base, as well as a hotel, restaurants, and retail spaces.
The project follows voter approval of Measure R2024 in November 2024, which authorized the privatization of the 82-acre site for development. Pale Blue Dot has reported raising $1.3 million through a “friends and family” fundraising round, with total project costs estimated at $121.5 million.
Further updates are expected as the project progresses through environmental review, entitlement approvals, and future financing stages.
Originally reported by Lisa Andre in Santa Maria Times.
