Meeting Summary
Present: 4-Nelson, Williams, Katz, 3-Hartmann, 5-Lavagnino
This summary was AI-generated to save you time. It may miss or misstate details, so verify against the official recording and the transcript.
At a glance
Women's History Month Resolution
- The Board considered a resolution designating March 2024 as Women's History Month and March 8th as International Women's Day.
- Speakers from Women's Economic Ventures presented on their efforts to empower women entrepreneurs.
- Following discussion, the Board adopted the resolution.
Auditor-Controller Contract Renewal
- The Board reviewed a recommendation to renew the annual financial audit contract with Brown Armstrong Accountancy Corporation.
- Public comment was received regarding environmental impacts of unrelated projects during the item's consideration.
- The motion to approve the contract renewal passed unanimously.
Board Meeting Schedule Amendment
- A resolution was proposed to add a housing element rezone workshop on March 19, 2024, to the meeting schedule.
- Discussion addressed whether the workshop should include North County projects and UCSB alongside South County items.
- The Board approved the amendment inviting UCSB and North County projects to present at their discretion.
Public Works Department Director Appointment
- The Board considered the appointment of Chris Sneddon as the new Public Works Department Director effective April 1, 2024.
- Clarification was provided that this administrative item is not subject to CEQA review.
- The motion to approve the appointment passed unanimously.
Santa Maria River Levee Bike Trail Project
- Staff presented a progress report on preliminary engineering and stakeholder meetings for the bike trail agreement.
- Discussion focused on the scope of the Environmental Impact Report, specifically regarding agricultural impacts and right-of-way acquisition.
- The Board approved the staff recommendation with one supervisor abstaining due to concerns over access and funding.
Public Works Agreements (Items 19 and 21)
- Supervisor Nelson recused himself from these items due to a conflict of interest involving campaign donations from the vendors.
- The Board considered agreements with Diani Building Corporation and Pacific Petroleum California, Inc. for waste liquid hauling.
- Both motions to approve the agreements passed unanimously with one recusal.
Verizon Wireless Appeal (Case No. 23 APL 40)
- The Board heard an appeal regarding a proposed small cell wireless facility on an existing utility pole in Isla Vista.
- Staff and the applicant demonstrated that alternative sites were rejected due to safety, space, or regulatory constraints.
- After deliberation on aesthetic concerns and federal regulations, the Board denied the appeal and approved the project.
Closed Session
- The Board met in closed session to discuss items involving significant exposure to civil litigation.
- One additional item regarding the potential initiation of civil litigation was also discussed.
- No reportable action was taken on these matters.
Full summary
Call to Order and Roll Call
- The March 5, 2024, meeting of the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors was called to order. A roll call confirmed the presence of all supervisors, followed by the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.
Approval of Minutes
- A motion was made and seconded to approve the minutes from the February 27, 2024, meeting. The motion passed following a roll call vote, with one supervisor abstaining.
Announcements and Agenda Changes
- The Clerk announced several administrative agenda changes:
- Administrative Item 1 (Resolution honoring Ted Sten) was continued to the April 2nd meeting at the request of the sponsoring supervisor.
- Administrative Item 8 included a verbal summary regarding salary information for Chris Sneddon, effective April 1, 2024.
- Administrative Item 25 (Appointment of David Ketelar to the Behavioral Wellness Commission) was withdrawn from the agenda at the department's request.
Administrative Agenda: Balance of Items
- Supervisors Hartman and Nelson requested to pull specific items for individual discussion. Public requests were made to speak on items 4, 7, 8, and 16. A motion was made and seconded to approve the balance of the administrative agenda, excluding items 4, 7, 8, 16, 19, and 21. The motion passed unanimously.
Administrative Item 2: Women's History Month Resolution
- The Board considered a resolution designating March 2024 as Women's History Month and March 8th as International Women's Day. Speakers from Women's Economic Ventures (WEAVE) addressed the Board regarding their work in empowering women entrepreneurs. Following discussion, the resolution was adopted.
Administrative Item 4: Auditor-Controller Contract Renewal
- The Board considered a recommendation to renew a contract with Brown Armstrong Accountancy Corporation for annual financial audits. Public comment was received regarding environmental impacts of specific projects, though the speaker noted this item was not directly related to those projects. A motion was made and seconded to approve the item. The motion passed unanimously.
Administrative Item 7: Board Meeting Schedule Amendment
- The Board considered a resolution to amend the 2024 meeting schedule to add a housing element rezone workshop on March 19, 2024. Discussion focused on whether the workshop should be limited to South County projects or include North County projects and the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). Concerns were raised regarding fairness and potential delays if North County projects were included without additional preparation time. Public comment requested inclusion for a specific North County project. A motion was made and seconded to approve the schedule amendment, inviting UCSB and any North County housing element projects to present at their discretion. The motion passed unanimously.
Administrative Item 8: Public Works Department Director Appointment
- The Board considered recommendations regarding the appointment of Chris Sneddon as Public Works Department Director. Public comment was received regarding a separate project involving a roundabout and CEQA concerns, though the speaker ultimately supported the candidate. Clarification was provided that this administrative item is not subject to CEQA. A motion was made and seconded to approve the appointment. The motion passed unanimously.
Administrative Item 16: Santa Maria River Levee Bike Trail Project
- The Board considered an agreement for services regarding the Santa Maria River levee bike trail project. Staff provided a progress report on preliminary engineering, surveys, and stakeholder meetings. Discussion centered on the scope of the Environmental Impact Report (EIR), specifically regarding agricultural resource impacts and right-of-way acquisition concerns. Public comment expressed concerns about the project's location and impact on agriculture, requesting coordination and consideration of alternative designs. A motion was made to approve the staff recommendation. One supervisor abstained due to concerns over access and funding allocation. The motion passed with four votes in favor and one abstention.
Administrative Items 19 and 21: Public Works Agreements
- Supervisor Nelson recused himself from these items due to a conflict of interest involving campaign donations from the vendors.
- Item 19: Consideration of an agreement with Diani Building Corporation.
- Item 21: Consideration of an agreement with Pacific Petroleum California, Inc. for hauling and storing waste liquids.
- A motion was made and seconded to approve both items. The motions passed unanimously with one recusal.
General Public Comment
- Twelve members of the public provided comments on matters not on the agenda. Topics included allegations regarding election integrity and voting machine security; statements from representatives of "New California State" regarding declarations of default and proposed statehood; concerns about voter registration databases and citizenship verification; and criticism of Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) on county construction projects, citing increased costs and discrimination against non-union contractors.
Departmental Item 1: Verizon Wireless Appeal (Case No. 23 APL 40)
- The Board heard an appeal regarding a small cell wireless facility proposed by Verizon Wireless at Camino Mallorca in Isla Vista. The project involves mounting an antenna, two radio units, and fiber line attachments on an existing 44-foot utility pole in the public right-of-way adjacent to 6897 Trigo Road.
- Staff Presentation: Staff presented findings that the project complies with ordinances and federal regulations. Staff addressed six appeal issues raised by the appellant, including claims of abuse of discretion, location selection, scale, visibility, ordinance compliance, and service necessity. Staff recommended denying the appeal and approving the development plan, coastal development permit, and design review subject to conditions. During Q&A, Supervisors inquired about future undergrounding possibilities, pole ownership (identified as SCE/Joint Pole Association), and right-of-way fees. Staff and the applicant explained that aerial mounting is required for functionality and that alternative sites were rejected due to safety separation requirements, lack of space, or ordinance violations.
- Appellant Presentation: The appellant argued the location is aesthetically intrusive, poses fire hazards due to nearby eucalyptus trees, and may decrease property values. They contended the Planning Commission had effectively denied this location in 2021 and requested the facility be placed on poles along Fortuna Road, which they argued are further from residences.
- Applicant Presentation: The applicant reiterated that 14 alternative sites were analyzed and rejected for technical or regulatory reasons. They emphasized the need for the facility to relieve network congestion in Isla Vista and provide emergency redundancy, noting that alternative sites would require taller poles or new construction contrary to ordinance preferences.
- Public Comment: Ten members of the public commented, expressing opposition based on aesthetics, fire risks, and health concerns regarding RF exposure. Some suggested alternative locations on UCSB property or Fortuna Road. One speaker testified that emissions are within safety standards set by the IEEE and FCC. Several speakers advocated for future undergrounding of utilities.
- Rebuttal: The appellant questioned the transparency of coverage gap data and the definition of "least intrusive." The applicant responded by emphasizing the necessity of the infrastructure for emergency communications and network capacity.
- Board Deliberation: Supervisors discussed the four-year duration of the process, the density of utility infrastructure in Isla Vista, and constraints imposed by federal regulations on local authority regarding telecommunications siting. While expressing sympathy for aesthetic concerns, Supervisors noted the project meets all requirements under current ordinances and federal law. Discussion also touched upon potential future updates to franchise agreements to encourage undergrounding.
- Motion and Vote: Supervisor Capps moved to deny the appeal. Supervisor Hartman seconded the motion. The Board voted on the motion to deny the appeal and approve the project as recommended by staff. The motion passed.
Closed Session Items
- The Board met in closed session to discuss three items involving significant exposure to civil litigation and one item regarding the potential initiation of civil litigation. No reportable action was taken on these matters.
Adjournment
- The meeting was adjourned, with the next session scheduled for Tuesday, March 12, 2024, in Santa Maria.