Citizens Planning Association

of Santa Barbara County

County-wide advocates for wise, sustainable land-use.

Our Mission Statement

Citizens Planning Association (CPA) is a nonprofit grassroots organization that focuses on countywide land use issues. We advocate for the best standards of design and natural resource protection in order to maintain sustainable communities and protect the heritage of Santa Barbara County.

To further this mission we inform, educate, and engage with residents and decision makers; encourage citizen involvement; and serve as a watchdog for our priority objectives.

Your Input Needed: Advance Questions for CPA Retreat

Dear Members and Friends of Citizens Planning Association,

I hope this email finds you well. I’m Eric Zimmerman, the Academic Coordinator and Student Services Manager for UCSB’s Environmental Studies department, as well as a former board member of CPA and the Citizens Planning Foundation (CPF).

The current CPA Board of Directors has extended an invitation to me to facilitate a crucial CPA retreat one day the weekend of January 27th, 2024 (exact time and location TBA). We are calling it CPA: Past, Present, and Future with the primary aim to assess the current goals and the long-term future of our esteemed organization.

For over six decades, CPA has successfully crafted and implemented community development plans and supported sustainable communities.  While the organization has evolved over its 63-year existence, it remains steadfast in its commitment to holding government officials accountable and educating citizens about their pivotal role in shaping and updating master plans and individual development projects.

As grassroots organizations evolve, CPA recognizes the need to stay relevant in this crowded community, vying for attention, community support, and funding. Consequently, the CPA board believes it’s time for us to collectively scrutinize our organization, and we want your assistance in identifying strengths and areas for improvement.

To facilitate this process, CPA will host a retreat welcoming any interested members to discuss and help shape the future of CPA (a separate invite will be sent out once the day and time has been set). In preparation for the meeting the board and I have prepared an advance questionnaire we are asking our members and supporters to complete.  Knowing your your thoughts on topics such as the present state of the organization, key areas of focus for our limited resources, and internal and external actions CPA should take for enduring success will help set the agenda for the meeting.

Your responses will be collected anonymously, but you have the option to include your name and email if you wish. We are asking that you submit your answers by no later than Friday, December 8, 2023.

Best regards,
Eric Zimmerman

About Us

We are a nonprofit grassroots organization focusing on countywide land use issues.

We advocate for the best standards of design and natural resource protection in order to maintain sustainable communities and protect the heritage of Santa Barbara County.

Events

Monday Speaker Series

January 28, 2024 
12:00 am

CPA Strategic Planning Session –  [Details]

Get Involved

As a grassroots organization, to be strong and effective we need membership involvement.

There are a variety of opportunities to help make a difference in our community through volunteering at CPA.

Latest Letter

Concept Review for 335 S. Milpas Street
To the Architectural Board of Review: Citizens Planning Association has worked within Santa Barbara City and County for good planning since 1960. The off-ramp area from the 101 to Milpas is truly the “entrada” to Santa Barbara for visitors and locals, alike. This massive proposal does not convey any...
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