Housing & Development · Santa Barbara County
Santa Barbara County Planning Commission to Vote Oct. 28 on Project Review Simplification
Santa Barbara County staff presented proposed amendments to the county's project review process at a County Planning Commission meeting Wednesday, aiming to create a faster, checklist-based path for smaller residential and commercial developments. The changes would exempt certain single-story, single-family projects from Design Review boards and expand the list of small structures—such as accessory buildings up to 250 square feet, some pools, and generators—that no longer require planning permits. The commission pushed its vote back to Oct. 28 at 9 a.m., with the Board of Supervisors expected to consider the recommendations by December. Some community members raised concerns about reduced neighbor input, while staff noted fewer than 10 single-family appeals were heard over five years.