Thank you for the Independent's article on the “new” fire maps . While the Schwarzenegger-era maps were overinclusive, the new maps create even more significant problems for homeowners, because Santa Barbara County relies on these maps to justify otherwise illegal conditions, which burden individual homeowners with demands for improvements that the county itself should be making, and which are prohibited by the plain language of the law.
The county has been dismal at implementing ministerial lot splits under Senate Bill 9, which would enable individual homeowners to finance construction of ADUs [accessory dwelling units] that can be or have already been approved, not to mention, to attempt to hold on to their fire insurance. Few people even realize that in February of this year, the county adopted new local ordinances — including amendments to their subdivision ordinance — which, I will wager, will guarantee that no one will apply for, let alone receive approval of, an SB 9 lot split.
I get that no one likes the Builder’s Remedy — and I am no fan of how the Legislature has proceeded. But as of this week, California Housing and Community Development (HCD) has not even reviewed that ordinance for its consistency with the county’s Housing Element, or its Safety Element — which was conditionally approved to assure that the “standards” do not operate to prohibit small housing projects. I know, because I sent HCD's Housing Accountability Unit a specific request, on April 7, 2025, to investigate.