As the supervisor representing two-thirds of Goleta, I am writing to address concerns about possible rezones in the county's Draft Housing Element. As a resident, as a county planning commissioner, and as the 3rd District Supervisor, I have always been committed to preserving agriculture from inappropriate development. I'm especially proud of having advised Goleta's Goodland Coalition in its successful Measure G2012 initiative to save Goleta's six largest agricultural parcels, including Bishop Ranch. I am resolute that we must protect this special area and minimize negative impacts of development.
Most people agree that the shortage of affordable housing harms our community — the difficulty hiring people who can afford to live here, the threats to our community diversity, the inability of our children to remain here, as well as the consequences of long commutes. While increasing housing that is more affordable, it is also critically important that this housing is built in a thoughtful manner that minimizes impacts and recognizes local constraints.
Unfortunately, the state has used a "cookie cutter, one-size fits all approach" to mandate that the county rezone for 5,664 units, with 4,142 units on the South Coast. The mandates don't consider our local challenges such as water supply, high cost of land, or in Santa Barbara County, areas bordered by ocean, mountains, and national forests — resulting in very limited buildable land.