To: County of Santa Barbara Legislative Committee
Re: 2025 Legislative Priorities
Dear Committee Members:
Citizens Planning Association has reviewed this year’s proposed Legislative platform and would like to make the following comments:
Overall, we support the following:
Linking housing development to necessary infrastructure development (p2).
Greater inter-agency collaboration between cities/regions for infrastructure and large projects (p3). We need to avoid if possible problems like the City of Goleta/State/County infrastructure issues in Old Town Goleta; We need to plan for state/county/Golete/UCSB infrastructure like Storke/Glenn Annie (p3)
Local Control of land use (p.3). This would probably be the most important issue for CPA. During the Housing Element update, CPA repeatedly asked what the County lobbyists were doing in Sacramento to convey the residents’ desire to keep local control in planning and development issues. Our local agencies are well able to work for the necessary affordable housing while honoring our local policies.
Transition to clean energy. CPA agrees we need to move away from oil (p.4)
Extending timeframe for housing elements, support state funding so they can review local housing elements timely, requirements for HCD & COG’s related to housing elements, grants for implementing programs called for by HCD (p.8) Again, CPA asked for this approach during the recent Housing Element update which we found to be working from the top down. Public input and transparency were sorely lacking.
Parks, Recreation Open Space (p9)
Funding for emergency response/recovery (p9)
Infrastructure resilience (p12)
All the Gas & Oil infrastructure safety issues listed on p13. CPA would like to see stronger enforcement, increased regulatory authority, emphasis on best available technologies.
Sea Level Rise & Coastal Commission – p 13: CPA members have participated in local studies in the Santa Barbara area. We actually sponsored a series of workshops throughout the County to bring experts in to discuss Sea Level rise, climate change, etc.
We are available to discuss our support of these policies if necessary.
Marell Brooks, President
Citizens Planning Association