Santa Barbara County is taking steps to make its planning and zoning system more efficient, predictable, and user-friendly, officials have announced.

The Board of Supervisors, on Tuesday, Jan. 27, will consider a new set of ordinance amendments aimed at streamlining permit reviews while continuing to protect community character and environmental resources.

“The proposed Ordinance Streamlining and Housing Accommodation amendments are part of a larger effort to modernize the county’s zoning ordinances,” the county said. “The goal is to make the permitting process clearer and faster for residents, homeowners, and businesses, without compromising safety, environmental protections, or development quality.”

The streamlining initiative is being implemented in three phases, focusing on reducing unnecessary complexity, improving transparency, and creating more consistent outcomes.

Phase One, approved in 2025, updated and modernized the county’s lighting and sign regulations and removed the outdated shopping center zone district.

Phase Two, scheduled for consideration on Jan. 27, represents a step forward in simplifying permit reviews. Key improvements include:

  • Faster approvals for lower-impact projects such as time extensions, small modifications, minor conditional use permits and minor development plans by shifting them to streamlined staff-level reviews.
    • Limited appeals for minor projects where decision-making discretion is minimal.
    • Standardized procedures for notification requirements and permit expiration dates to make rules easier to understand and apply.
    • Cleaner zoning code with outdated provisions removed, redundancy reduced, and clearer explanations of when and how regulations apply.

“These changes are expected to shorten review times, reduce costs, and improve the user experience while maintaining environmental protections and design standards,” the county said.

Phase Two includes updates that support housing goals identified in the County’s Housing Element.

The changes modernize commercial zones to allow more mixed-use development and adjust standards in multifamily zones — such as height, setbacks, and open space — to better support housing at planned densities.

Phase Three, coming later this year, will include additional zoning updates that further reduce permitting requirements for certain projects and expand the use of objective, streamlined approvals.

“This effort, aimed at residential homeowners and businesses, will further reduce processing times and lead to greater certainty and predictability for applicants, whether it’s a homeowner requesting a small addition or a new business seeking to move into a commercial building,” the county said.

In addition to zoning ordinance updates, the county has taken steps to improve customer service and efficiency through expanded on-demand building permits.

Homeowners can now obtain immediate online permits for common improvements such as water heater replacements, electrical panel upgrades, re-roofs, solar panel installations, and gas, water, and sewer line upgrades, the county said.

Since starting the program, the county has issued some 3,500 on-demand building permits, providing faster service while maintaining safety through required inspections, according to the county.