CountyofSantaBarbara
County Planning Commission Schedules Rezone Hearings; Final Program Environmental Impact Report to be Released
The County Board of Supervisors has scheduled a workshop on Potential Rezone Sites for the County’s Housing Element for Tuesday, March 19, 2024, at 2 p.m. Owners and agents for some of the potential rezone sites will present the Board with their visions for the development of housing and community amenities on their sites. The Board will not take any action on this date. The workshop will be held in the Planning Commission Hearing Room (entrance at 105 E. Anacapa) and will be streamed live. Watch the workshop and participate virtually here. Public comment is encouraged.
Also, on Tuesday, March 19, 2024, the County will release the Final Program Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the 2023-2031 Housing Element Update (HEU). The Final Program EIR analyzes the potential impacts associated with the implementation of the HEU’s goals, policies, and programs, including the potential rezone program. The County received over 100 comments via email and during public hearings. The final document, comments received and the County’s responses will be available on the County Planning and Development website after March 19.
County Planning Commission hearings on the proposed rezones to comply with State Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) are scheduled for Wednesday, March 27, 2024, at the Santa Maria Betteravia Center and Monday, April 1, 2024, at the Planning Commission Hearing Room 123 E. Anacapa, Santa Barbara. The Planning Commission will make recommendations to the Board of Supervisors. Board of Supervisors hearings on the proposed rezones are expected in late April or early May 2024.
Additionally, County Planning and Development has launched a new video introducing their Balancing Act tool. “The tool puts the public in the decision-makers’ seat,” said County Planning and Development Director, Lisa Plowman. “The user reviews potential rezone sites and then selects sites until they have a plan that complies with State requirements. Then they can share their results. Staff will be sharing the results of plans submitted before March 20, 2024, with the Planning Commission at their rezone hearing on March 27, 2024.”
Visit the Planning and Development website to try the Balancing Act simulation or view the video.
The California Department of Housing and Community Development (State HCD) found the County’s adopted housing element in substantial compliance with State Housing Element Law as of January 22, 2024. For this cycle, State HCD requires that Santa Barbara County identify sites to accommodate 5,664 new housing units in unincorporated portions of Santa Barbara County between 2023 and 2031. This is an 8-fold increase from the last cycle. The Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA), is further broken down to require 4,142 units in the South Coast region and 1,522 units in the North County region. This breakdown attempts to address the current jobs-housing imbalance.
The State requires the County’s Housing Element to accommodate 2,818 very low, low- and moderate-income units. The Adopted HEU can be found at: https://www.countyofsb.org/3177/Housing-Element-Update.
The Housing Element Update is one of the mandated components of a General Plan. It directs local governments to plan for the existing and projected housing needs of all economic segments of the community. This is the 6th Housing Element cycle, covering 2023-2031.
