3rd District Supervisor... Looks like Farr vs. Pappas in November

With none of the runners for the County Board of Supervisors 3rd District seat securing at least 50% of the vote, it looks like it will be Doreen Farr (35.98% of the vote) vs. Steve Pappas (25.08% of the vote) in a November run-off. (A little over 96% of precincts reporting as of this writing.)

For complete election results: www.sbcvote.com/elect/resources/results06_2008/results-1.htm

Eric Onnen opens up at SB County Board of Supervisors Meeting

Did anyone else happen to catch Goleta Councilmember Eric Onnen at Tuesday's SB County Board of Supervisors Meeting, during the Public Comment period?

Onnen, who showed up not as a representative of Goleta, but as a concerned citizen, spoke in regards to the Revenue Neutrality Agreement between Goleta and the County of SB.

Chair Carbajal didn't appreciate Onnen showing up with 'threats', and cited a miscommunication between the governing body of Goleta, as Supervisor mentioned he had met with Mayor Bennett just the day before in an impromptu meeting, and discussed the revenue neutrality agreement at length.

If you missed it, here is a link to the archived meeting: February 12, 2008 County BOS Meeting

Thoughts? Comments?

Doreen Farr Opposing Brooks Firestone

SB Independent/Barney Brantingham

Doreen Running: Doreen Farr, former co-publisher of the Goleta Valley Voice newspaper and former 2nd District representative on the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission, says she’s opposing 3rd District incumbent supervisor Brooks Firestone.

Farr, a former Goleta resident and 25-year area resident, now lives in the Santa Ynez Valley following her divorce from Jim Farr, with whom she shared ownership of the Voice.

Farr said she’s filed papers to allow her to raise funds, is gathering endorsements, and plans to start walking the district door-to-door; and it’s a huge area, stretching from the SY Valley over the mountains to Goleta.

“It’s a critical election,” she told me, citing such as issues as planning and the Gaviota Coast. Farr, who served on the Planning Commission after being appointed by then-Supervisor Susan Rose, has been president of the Santa Ynez Valley Alliance, which she described as “dedicated to protecting the rural character” of the Valley. She said she left the commission to do consultant work for the city of Goleta.

Dr. David Bearman says he also plans to challenge Firestone in the June, 2008 election. If no one receives over 50 percent of the vote, the top two candidates will face off in the November general election.

Firestone faces a tough fight because of the number of residents unhappy with his positions on development and other issues.

Supervisor Bearman?

SB Independent/Barney Brantingham:

Supervisor Bearman?: Dr. Bearman, by the way, says he’s thinking of running for the 3rd District county supervisorial seat now held by Brooks Firestone of the Santa Ynez Valley. Other names are being mentioned in Goleta to oppose Firestone, who gives every impression of seeking re-election next year. This will be a hot one.

[Hmm, wonder who else is thinking of opposing Brooks Firestone next year. –Goleta Observer]

Goleta goes back for more - City to seek less money from county in second bid

Santa Barbara Daily Sound
By Colby Frazier
July 9, 2007

Nearly two months after being denied $350,000 in Coastal Resource Enhancement Funds by the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors, the city of Goleta is set to ask for a slightly less amount at Tuesday's board meeting in Santa Maria.

If the money is approved by the board, Goleta plans to purchase a one acre parcel of land on the Ellwood Mesa known as the Doty property, which city officials say is integral to complete the Ellwood Mesa Preserve.

"I feel very confident that on Tuesday they will approve most of the money we're asking for to purchase this property, which is the last of the parcels needed to complete the reserve," said Goleta City Councilman Roger Aceves.

The city's original request for CREF money was based on a $475,000 purchase agreement with the city negotiated with the property owner. Third District Supervisor Brooks Firestone argued this total was too high because the property was appraised at $400,000.

The board voted 4-1 at that meeting to temporarily deny the allocation until further information was available.

Aceves said the city has worked closely with the county since then in order to come to a suitable compromise.

In order to quell concerns that the purchase agreement was too high, the city renegotiated it with the property owner, who agreed to lower the price to $400,000.

As a result of the lower asking price, the city lowered its CREF request to $300,000. The remaining $100,000 will have to be funded by the city.

First [sic] District Supervisor Janet Wolf was the lone dissenting vote in May, and made a motion at that time to give Goleta $250,000, but it failed with a 3-2 vote.

Wolf said she was happy to see the issue back on the agenda.

"I'm glad that they've been working on it and let's hope it passes," Wolf said.

CREF funds are paid out by oil and gas companies as a condition of being issued offshore oil and gas permits. The money is offered as a mitigation effort for impacts to coastal resources.

At the May meeting, the board approved funding for Rincon Park, Franklin Trail, Lookout Park, the Surf Exhibit at the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum, the Sea Center, Walter Capps Park, the Tide & Seek and Belly of the Whale exhibits at the Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum and the Seabird Care Compound. The money allocated to these projects totaled $405,305.

Aceves said the Doty property is the missing link of the Ellwood Mesa, at which most of the trails and pathways meet.

"It's a really beautiful area," Aceves said. "It's really used a lot."

The Board of Supervisors meeting will begin at 9 a.m. in the Betteravia Government Center in Santa Maria.

County Lines: Supervisors Clash Over Large Home On Gaviota Coast

Santa Barbara Newsroom
By Melinda Burns
June 20, 2007


Plans for one of the largest homes ever proposed on the rural Gaviota coast — a 13,000 square-foot house as long as a football field —stalled Tuesday as North County supervisors reluctantly asked for more information on whether it would mar the view of the mountains.

Supervisor Joe Centeno of Santa Maria said he would have liked to vote Tuesday in favor of the home on Farren Road, but had been advised by County Counsel that further review was needed. Centeno said he didn’t know whether the county’s longstanding policy on views was meant to appease residents of Santa Barbara or drivers on Highway 101.


“I can’t imagine why people get so concerned,” he said. “Let’s let these people build their home and get on with their lives.”


The Farren Road proposal by Randall Welty and Lynn Ballantyne is the most contentious of several recent plans for large homes to be reviewed by the county for the Gaviota coast.


In all, there would be nearly 16,000 square feet of buildings at 500 Farren Road, including the barn, guest house and two garages. The main house, 300 feet long, would be located on a prominent ridgeline that can be plainly seen from Highway 101.


The plan was turned down by the county Planning and Development staff, then approved 3-2 on appeal by the county Planning Commission with some changes — most notably, a 300-foot-long berm, or earthen wall, that is designed to hide the home from the highway.


On Tuesday, county Board of Supervisors Chairman Brooks Firestone, who represents the Gaviota coast, abruptly cut short a presentation by Allen Bell, a county staff planner who was explaining that even with the berm, the home on Farren Road would violate county policy.


“How can this be an accurate description of the project?” Firestone asked.


Bell responded that according to county policy, new homes must be located “so as not to intrude into the skyline as seen from public viewing places.” There is nothing in the policy about berms, he said.


Clearly irritated, Firestone called a break, conferred with County Counsel Shane Stark, and, on reconvening, led the board into a closed session.


When the supervisors returned to the hearing room, Marc Chytilo, an attorney for the Gaviota Coast Conservancy, urged them to listen to their staff planners and overturn the commission’s decision. The staff, he said, had done its job by flagging the problems early on, giving the developers a chance to make changes.


It would be wrong to issue a permit for such a large home in a rural area of the coast, a home four times the average size in the neighborhood, Chytilo said.


“We’re not trying to penalize these applicants,” he said. “They can have their dream house by moving it.”


Chytilo warned the supervisors that the county policy on views meant what it said.


“Your interpretation of the ordinance is an invitation to developers to ‘game’ this process,” he said. “Do them the favor of showing them they have to make some compromises.”


Richard Adam, an attorney representing Welty and Ballantyne, disagreed, saying there was no reason to go through further review after more than eight months of appeals. He said the plans represented “the epitome of what is desired in Santa Barbara County,” including solar heating, solar electricity and green waste recycling. The entire south-facing side of the house is proposed to be a wall of glass.


“This is a good project that has gone through the public process and has been made better,” Adam said. “It’s taken enormous time, effort and money. I find it to be appalling.”


During his turn at the podium, Welty told the board that he and his wife had been “scandalized” by coverage of the project in the press.


“We feel we’ve been dealt with like the Duke lacrosse team,” he said, referring to the college players who were falsely accused of rape.


Joe Armendariz, executive director of the Santa Barbara County Taxpayers Association, said he supported the Farren Road proposal because it would generate $100,000 yearly in property taxes for the county.


Opponents of the project on Tuesday included members of the Sierra Club, Audubon Society and Citizens Planning Association and residents of the neighboring Rancho Embarcadero housing tract. They said the proposed house was too big and would be clearly visible above the berm from a number of vantage points.


“What’s the point of ordinances if you’re not disposed to enforce them?” asked Edward Easton of the Sierra Club.


Joan Bolton of Rancho Embarcadero told the board she had helped collect 132 signatures in her canyon against the project.


With 17 acres available for the proposed house, Bolton said, "Surely there's room to build something that conforms to the county's rules. Allowing Ms. Ballantyne to bend or break the rules sets a dangerous precedent.”


The board voted 3-2 to postpone a decision, pending further review. South Coast supervisors Salud Carbajal and Janet Wolf voted against more delays, saying they had enough information to turn down the project.


“I felt the original staff report was well thought out,” Wolf said. “The issues were stated plainly.”

Donate to the Santa Barbara Newsroom to help cover operating expenses and help make ends meet.

S.B. County puts most unbudgeted requests on hold

Santa Maria Times: After debating among themselves whether or not Santa Barbara County's financial future is bleak, county supervisors listened Monday to departments ask for more funding than proposed in a 2007-08 budget -- pleas that ranged from hiring extra sheriff's deputies to providing a social worker for inmates needing treatment programs after jail.

Housing slump may dampen budget outlook

Lompoc Record: Three days of hearings on Santa Barbara County's proposed $800-million budget for 2007-08 begin Monday, with the financial picture strong for the coming year but shakier in the future, as a slumping housing market and construction slowdown affect property-tax revenues.

...

The two-inch thick, 413-page document has a wealth of financial and demographic information, about not only county government but the entire Santa Barbara County region. It is available for viewing or copying online at www.countyofsb.org/cao/budgetresearch/budget0708.asp.

Board of Supervisors Meetings Now Online

SB Independent: The County of Santa Barbara now offers live video streaming and webcasting, allowing anyone with Internet access to watch the Board of Supervisors meetings online. Visitors can watch both current and archived meetings, and have access the meeting agendas and minutes. The update will also allow residents to bypass the need to wait for ordered video of meetings.

The service is being provided by Granicus Inc. , a San Francisco company which specializes in providing similar services to local governments, including the city. Eventual plans call for video streaming of all of the county’s public meetings which are normally broadcast on government access channel 20.

Supes Balk at Goleta Land Buy Near Ellwood Mesa

Santa Barbara Newsroom
By Barney McManigal
May 16, 2007

County supervisors put the brakes on a land acquisition near Ellwood Mesa Tuesday, saying officials need to determine the true value of the one-acre Doty property before allotting funds to buy it.

Their rejection of the proposal means a key gateway to the coastal hiking haven could potentially be unprotected from future residential development.

Voting 4-1, the Board of Supervisors halted the proposal to give $350,000 to a broader fund-raising push to acquire the property. The land, they said, needs further appraising. Janet Wolf, who supported earmarking the funds, voted no.

While Brooks Firestone, the area’s supervisor, described himself as “extremely interested” in the deal, he raised concern about conflicting reports of the land’s value. Among other things, he cited a report indicating that the property could contain sensitive habitat that may limit building opportunities.

“This is far from complete,” Firestone said of the deal.

Goleta officials have sought to obtain the parcel for years, due to its location as a key gateway to Ellwood Mesa.

The city recently paid $47,000 for a one-year option to purchase the parcel from the owners, who reportedly received multiple offers, for prices as high as $500,000.

On Tuesday, Goleta officials, residents and environmentalists looked to supervisors to kick in a chunk of the cost, using money the county receives from oil companies to offset extraction activities.

Numerous speakers urged supervisors to act before the owner could sell the property to someone at a higher price.

“It is a matter of not being penny wise and pound foolish,” said Goleta City Council Member Johnny Wallis, explaining why the property was a good investment.

Supervisor Janet Wolf, the sole dissenter, encouraged colleagues to support the disbursement, noting the value of open space to future generations. She even proposed allotting $250,000 immediately toward the proposal, but that measure failed 3-2.

In the end, North County supervisors, who called for doing more homework before sealing the deal, prevailed. Supervisor Joni Gray, an Orcutt native, referenced her roots in saying she needed to know the true value of the property before voting yes.

“Right now it makes zero sense to this country girl,” Gray said.

Donate to the Santa Barbara Newsroom to help cover operating expenses and help make ends meet.

Supervisors Approve Contested Homes on North Patterson

Santa Barbara Newsroom
By Barney McManigal
April 18, 2007

County supervisors on Tuesday unanimously cleared a six-home project on North Patterson Avenue that divided neighbors and revealed the strong resistance builders face in the Goleta Valley -- even with smaller-scale projects.

The Board of Supervisors approved landowner Terri Hourigan’s plan to build homes ranging from 4,200- to 4,800-square-feet on a six-acre plot that some residents call the street’s “crown jewel.”

While the project slated for 1118 Patterson Ave. would come in well under the maximum housing density -- of about three homes per acre -- allowed under the law -- neighbors voiced concerns about traffic, safety and the long-term impacts of growth. Until supervisors cast their votes Tuesday, the Hourigan property was restricted to agricultural uses.

A hodge-podge of housing tracts, mini-malls and scattered farm plots, the unincorporated area between Santa Barbara and Goleta has generated some of the most bitter debates over land-use in a region suffering from intense growing pains.

Describing the project as “piece-meal” planning, several residents requested delays that would allow planners and the community to gauge the impact of all future growth.

Jack Armstrong, a member of the Coalition for Sensible Planning, said officials should wait until the county updates the area’s growth blueprint, which fell out of date when Goleta became a city in 2002. The county plans to finish the update later this year or next.

“You should postpone this project until a comprehensive Goleta Valley Community Plan is completed,” Armstrong said.

But at least one supervisor publicly resisted that idea, saying it could lead to legal troubles down the road.

“That would be tantamount to suggesting a moratorium on building,” said Supervisor Joe Centeno, who has generally voiced strong support for community plan efforts.

Several neighbors praised the project and lamented the red tape Hourigan has faced since she unveiled it in 2001. Overall, she has spent about $600,000 in preparation costs, said Laura Bridley, the land-use consultant representing Hourigan.

Budget hawk Andy Caldwell blasted officials for taking six years to approve a project that he said should have received a permit over-the-counter.

The Coalition of Labor, Agriculture and Business spokesman also took aim at supervisors for not maximizing housing densities on the property to help the county comply with a state mandate for new growth.

“They could have built double -- and probably should have built double -- the number of houses here,” Caldwell said. “The people in the South County need to get a life and get real.”

Besides issues involving the development itself, a major concern of project critics was the need for a stop sign at the corner of Patterson and Camino Meleno. After hearing from several speakers, supervisors agreed to direct the Public Works Department to install the traffic stop.

Supervisor Janet Wolf, the area's representative, called the project a good compromise between diverse interests on both sides.

“One of the reasons it worked out is the response from the neighbors,” said Wolf, who described the property as “very beautiful.”

“When you have that, it’s beneficial.”