Santa Barbara County First District Supervisor Das Williams — Housing Element Update Adds New Sites in Montecito, Santa Barbara, and Summerland

by Community Contributor • April 4, 2023 • Comments Off

Housing Element Update

At today’s April 4th Board of Supervisors Meeting, the Board will receive an update on the Housing Element Update. Thanks to the cooperation of property owners and public comment from community members, the County has added 19 new sites, including 60 units of housing for workers at The Miramar Hotel and the Biltmore Hotel in Montecito.

The Housing Element Process takes place every 8 years. This year, due to the failure of counties and cities across California to meet affordable housing goals in previous cycles, the State is scrutinizing our plans more closely. Being out of compliance means we could lose most discretionary authority over zoning and land use.

I have appreciated the many comments from the public I have received about this process. I share the reverence for open space and agriculture and want to preserve it for future generations. It has been especially moving to hear from firefighters and teachers who are being pushed out of our community due to unprecedented increases in the cost of housing. As our core workforce, young people, and people of color are pushed out of town, our environment is poisoned by the heavy commuter traffic we are becoming more accustomed too.

These are important decisions about our shared future that cannot be taken lightly. If we are serious about keeping our community a place where our kids, grandkids, and seniors can live, we need to find the right places for housing.

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Improving Emergency Response

Supporting our local medical and safety workers is a top priority of mine. The Board of Supervisors is considering improvements to the Ambulance Services contract to promote efficient and timely service that protects our community’s health and safety. Last year, the Board took action for the first time in 50 years to allow all interested parties to make bids for the contract, and 2 were received. Those interested can join the Board of Supervisors meeting today and provide public comment. This item is expected to be heard around 11:00 am.

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Butterfly Beach Reopens

The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department has lifted the water contact closure for Butterfly Beach within one-quarter (¼) mile of the storm drain outfall. Recent ocean water quality testing conducted by Environmental Health Services has confirmed the ocean water is now safe for recreational use in this area following recent sewage impacts.

The Public Health Department also wants to remind residents about potential health risks associated with storm water runoff at countywide beaches with the potential for more rain this season. Storm water is untreated rain water that flows through the drain system into creeks, the ocean, and other waterways. Contact with storm water while swimming or surfing may increase the risk for certain types of illnesses such as rashes, fever, chills, ear infections, vomiting, and diarrhea. To minimize potential health risks, it is recommended that people do not swim, play or surf in the ocean and creeks for at least three days following a rain event. Beachgoers should also avoid areas near the outfall from drainpipes and creeks that enter the ocean following a rain event as storm water runoff may carry high levels of bacteria and pollutants.

The County of Santa Barbara implements a variety of programs to protect public health and enhance environmental quality of County watersheds and beaches. Working to improve water quality by reducing or treating sources of pollution is a multi-faceted task. To find out what is being done to improve water quality and how you can help, visit www.sbprojectcleanwater.org

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Supporting our Community In Washington, D.C.

Last week, myself, Supervisor Steve Lavagnino, and Lompoc Mayor Janelle Osborne were in Washington, D.C. meeting with Congress and the Biden Administration on behalf of the SB County Association of Governments. Because of historic investments made by the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Santa Barbara County has a number of big projects planned, including modernizing our broadband structure, installing more electric vehicle chargers, making our communities more bike and pedestrian-friendly, and finishing the 101 improvement project. The biggest item on our agenda was seeking funding for the Cabrillo Boulevard Project, to replace aging railroad undercrossings and construct pedestrian and bicycle improvements. I want to give a big shout-out to Congressman Salud Carbajal for hosting our delegation, and for fighting for our community in Washington, D.C.