Meeting Summary
Present: 4-Nelson, 5-Lavagnino, 1-Lee, 3-Hartmann, Kaps
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
Resolutions and Commendations
- The board adopted resolutions honoring Yanaris Munoz for emergency management leadership.
- Celesta M. Bileci was recognized for 25 years of service to UC Santa Barbara's Arts and Lectures.
- Jody Thomas received a commendation upon her retirement as Carpinteria City Librarian.
Environmental Health Fees Ordinance
- The board approved the second reading of an ordinance amending solid waste environmental health fees.
- A roll call vote was conducted to finalize the fee adjustments.
Passed 3–1 · against: Nelson · abstained: Lavagnino
Fire Department Contractor Agreement
- An agreement with Southwest Strategies LLC was approved for the "ReadySBC" campaign and Genesis EVAC system.
- Staff noted no local firms submitted proposals for the community education and outreach work.
Environmentally Preferable Procurement Policy
- The board accepted staff recommendations to update the policy with double-sided printing requirements.
- Enforcement mechanisms were discussed prior to the final approval of the updated standards.
Health Department Consultant Waiver
- A waiver was granted to appoint retired Deputy Director Dana Gamble as a consultant at $100/hour.
- The appointment supports an HRSA site visit and facilitates a departmental transition period.
Transient Occupancy Tax Appeal
- The board upheld a tax determination of over $31,000 against Ida Abelohar for unreported short-term rentals.
- A request to waive penalties and interest was denied due to lack of statutory authority.
Solid Waste Tipping Fees and Collection Rates
- Staff recommendations for a 4% increase in facility tipping fees were adopted for FY 2025–2026.
- The board approved restructuring the Isla Vista fee schedule to address high-density operational challenges.
Santa Barbara Foothill Community Wildfire Protection Plan
- The updated plan covering 11,000 acres was adopted to address wildland fire risks and evacuation bottlenecks.
- A transportation study identifying specific evacuation issues was received as Appendix C.
Fire Hazard Severity Zones
- Local Responsibility Area Fire Hazard Severity Zones were adopted using updated State Fire Marshal maps.
- Specific South County areas were designated as "Very High" fire hazard zones to trigger state regulations.
Cannabis Business Licensing Fee Ordinance Amendments
- Staff presented recommendations to adjust fees and withdraw a data platform recovery measure.
- The item was set for a formal hearing on June 10, 2025, with no vote taken at this meeting.
Cannabis Control Program Adjustments
- The board approved discontinuing the subscription to the California Cannabis Authority's data analytics platform.
- Fee structures were adjusted to shift from hourly cost-recovery models back to flat fees.
Cannabis Chapter 50 Amendments
- Option One was adopted to align background checks with state standards and remove the obsolete API key requirement.
- Acreage caps were reduced based on issued, approved, and submitted applications while excluding processing facilities.
Cannabis Tax Revenue Budget Direction
- Staff presented a budget framework addressing a projected $1.2 million revenue gap with proposed cuts to enforcement.
- The board directed staff to adjust the budget while deferring decisions on Sheriff's enforcement costs for future hearings.
Closed Session
- Litigation involving Antoinette Whitting and the Flood Control District was discussed in closed session.
- The board authorized County Counsel to initiate civil litigation in one of the discussed cases.
Full summary
Call to Order and Administrative Matters
- The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors meeting on June 3, 2025, was called to order by Chair Kaps following a roll call confirming the presence of all supervisors and the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance. A motion was made and seconded to approve the minutes of the previous meeting; the motion passed with four votes in favor and one abstention. The CEO presented a report on the county's 175th anniversary, detailing its history and boundary evolution. The Clerk announced salary limits for three medical contractors under Government Code Section 54953(c)(3) and provided instructions for public comment. Regarding the Administrative Agenda, items A3, A19, A25, and A29 were pulled from bulk approval for separate consideration. A motion was made and seconded to approve the balance of the administrative agenda excluding those items; the motion passed.
Resolutions and Commendations
- Three resolutions were adopted:
- Employee of the Month: A resolution sponsored by Chair Kaps commended Yanaris Munoz for her service in the Behavioral Wellness Department and Office of Emergency Management, specifically recognizing her leadership during disasters and development of the "Genesis EVAC" system. The resolution was adopted.
- Arts and Lectures Commendation: A resolution sponsored by Chair Kaps recognized Celesta M. Bileci for 25 years of service as Executive Director of UC Santa Barbara's Arts and Lectures. The resolution was adopted.
- Librarian Commendation: A resolution sponsored by Supervisor Lee honored Jody Thomas upon her retirement as Carpinteria City Librarian, citing her role in transitioning the library to city management and advocating for digital equity. The resolution was adopted.
Administrative Item 19: Environmental Health Fees
- The board considered a second reading of an ordinance amending fees for environmental health services related to solid waste. Supervisor Nelson requested a roll call vote. A motion was made and seconded to approve the item. The motion passed via roll call vote (3-1-1).
Passed 3–1 · against: Nelson · abstained: Lavagnino
Administrative Item 25: Fire Department Contractor Agreement
- The board considered an independent contractor agreement with Southwest Strategies LLC for community education, outreach products, and public service announcements for the "ReadySBC" campaign and Genesis EVAC system. Staff explained that no local firms submitted proposals and detailed deliverables including listening sessions and multilingual messaging. Supervisors discussed inter-departmental coordination and vendor accessibility. A motion was made and seconded to support the staff recommendation. The motion passed.
Administrative Item 29: Environmentally Preferable Procurement (EPP) Policy
- The board considered updates to the county's EPP policy, including requirements for double-sided printing and recycled paper content. Chair Kaps pulled the item to discuss enforcement mechanisms. A motion was made and seconded to accept the staff recommendation. The motion passed.
General Public Comment
- Public comment was received on two topics:
- AmeriCorps Funding: Representatives from Northern Santa Barbara County United Way addressed federal funding cuts and emergency local support for AmeriCorps members serving vulnerable populations. Supervisors expressed support and discussed the potential creation of a localized "Service Corps."
- Legal and Zoning Dispute: A resident spoke regarding ongoing legal conflicts with a neighbor and alleged prosecutorial actions, including an Animal Services fine related to a rooster policy violation.
Departmental Item 1: Health Department Waiver
- The board considered a request for a waiver of retirement exclusion to appoint retired Deputy Director Dana Gamble as a consultant at $100/hour effective April 1, 2025, to support an HRSA site visit and transition period. A motion was made and seconded to approve the staff recommendation. The motion passed.
Departmental Item 2: Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) Appeal Hearing
- The board heard an appeal from Ida Abelohar regarding a TOT audit determination totaling $31,170.72 for unreported short-term rental activity between June 2021 and May 2024. The appellant requested a waiver of penalties and interest ($6,997.33), citing lack of awareness and insufficient notice. Staff recommended upholding the determination and denying the waiver, noting that County Code does not provide authority for waivers without demonstrated public benefit. Board members discussed the precedent of waiving penalties and the need for improved outreach but agreed ignorance of the law is generally not a defense. A motion was made to adopt the staff recommendation upholding the taxes, penalties, and interest. The motion was seconded and passed.
Agenda Item 3: Solid Waste Tipping Fees and Collection Rates (FY 2025–2026)
- Staff presented recommendations for a 4% increase in facility tipping fees, maintaining Cuyama parcel fees at $77, and adjusting franchise collection rates based on CPI and disposal costs. Proposed changes included rate decreases for manure services and recycling bins in specific zones, elimination of food-waste-only commercial rates, and restructuring of the Isla Vista fee schedule to address high-density operational challenges. A motion was made to adopt the staff recommendations, including the fee schedules and direction to pursue Isla Vista restructuring. The motion was seconded and passed.
Agenda Item 4: Santa Barbara Foothill Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP)
- Staff presented the updated CWPP for the Santa Barbara Foothills, covering approximately 11,000 acres, developed with a HUD grant. The plan addresses wildland fire risks through home hardening, fuel reduction, and defensible space strategies, incorporating a transportation study identifying evacuation bottlenecks. Staff recommended adopting the CWPP and filing the transportation study as Appendix C. A motion was made to adopt the plan and receive the study consistent with staff recommendations. The motion was seconded and passed.
Closed Session
- The board convened in closed session to discuss litigation involving Antoinette Whitting versus the County, litigation involving the Santa Barbara County Flood Control Water Conservation District versus Francisco and Hilda Gamma, and a decision on initiating civil litigation. The board authorized County Counsel to initiate litigation in one case. The vote outcome was zero votes against initiating litigation, with one supervisor abstaining.
Fire Hazard Severity Zones (LRAFHSC)
- Staff presented a hearing on adopting Local Responsibility Area Fire Hazard Severity Zones using updated State Fire Marshal maps and designating specific South County areas as "Very High" fire hazard zones. This designation would trigger Title 14 state minimum fire safe regulations. Board members questioned the process for amending designations regarding agricultural lands. Staff clarified that local amendments can add restrictive zones but cannot be less restrictive than state minimums. A motion was made to adopt the proposed zones, including State LRA maps and additional local designations. The motion was seconded and passed.
Cannabis Business Licensing Fee Ordinance Amendments
- Staff presented recommendations to amend the Cannabis Business License Fee Ordinance to reflect current labor costs and withdraw a fee recovery measure for an external data platform no longer required. Proposed changes included increasing initial applicant deposits, adjusting annual compliance fees, and updating renewal fees, with a transition to a three-year review schedule. The board discussed the impact of terminating the external data platform on audits. No motion or vote was taken during this segment; the item was set for a hearing on June 10, 2025.
Agenda Item 6: Cannabis Control Program Adjustments (Data Platform and Fee Structure)
- Staff recommended discontinuing the subscription to the California Cannabis Authority's data analytics platform, as the state now provides "Metric Viewer" free of charge. Discussion focused on the timeline of availability and the shift from hourly cost-recovery models back to flat fees due to administrative burdens. A motion was made to approve items A through C regarding these adjustments. The motion was seconded and passed.
Agenda Item 7: Amendments to Chapter 50 (Criminal History Checks, API Requirements, and Acreage Caps)
- Staff presented options for revising criminal history checks, removing the Metric API key requirement, and reducing acreage caps.
- Background Checks: Two options were discussed: Option 1 (CEO recommendation) aligns with state standards requiring LiveScan only for owners/20%+ interest holders; Option 2 (Sheriff's recommendation) retains LiveScan for those accessing sensitive areas or in supervisory roles.
- API Key: Staff proposed removing the Metric API key requirement from Chapter 50 as it is obsolete.
- Acreage Caps: Three options were presented regarding reducing cultivation acreage caps in Carpinteria and unincorporated areas, ranging from maintaining status quo to reducing caps based on issued/approved/submitted applications.
- Following public comment and deliberation, the board separated the items for distinct votes: 1. Background Checks and API Key: A motion was made to adopt Option One (CEO recommendation) regarding background checks and removing the API key requirement. The motion was seconded and passed. 2. Acreage Caps: A motion was made to adopt Option Three, implementing a reduction in the cap based on issued, approved, and submitted acreage while excluding processing facilities. The motion was seconded and passed.
Agenda Item 8: Cannabis Tax Revenue Uses and Budget Direction
- Staff presented recommendations for the FY 2025-26 cannabis tax revenue budget, noting a projected $1.2 million gap between expenditures and revenue. Proposed reductions of approximately $1.38 million included cuts to enforcement staffing (District Attorney and Sheriff), education allocations, administrative auditing contracts, and appeals funding. Public comment urged reallocating funds from law enforcement to youth development and mental health. Supervisors agreed on the need to shift focus toward education and prevention but determined that specific reallocation of law enforcement funds required further discussion at future budget hearings. No formal motion or vote was taken on the final budget direction in this segment.
Budget Adjustments and Cannabis Revenue Allocation (Continuation)
- Discussion continued regarding the FY 2025-26 budget adjustments to reduce ongoing cannabis revenue. A proposal was made to accept the overall framework while excluding Sheriff's enforcement costs and deferred maintenance items for further discussion. A motion was made to direct staff to adjust the recommended budget to reduce ongoing cannabis revenue, with exceptions for Sheriff's enforcement and deferred maintenance items designated for future hearings. The motion was seconded and passed.
Tributes
- The meeting concluded with tributes to Allison Wales, honored by Supervisors Leveneau and Hartman for her community service, and Barney Branningham, honored by Chair Kaps for his journalism career. No formal motions or votes were taken.
Adjournment
- The meeting was adjourned with a scheduled reconvening in Santa Maria the following week.