The County Board of Supervisors has adopted the Agricultural Enterprise Ordinance (AEO), which provides new opportunities for local farmers and ranchers to increase revenues and enhance the economic productivity of their agricultural operations provided the primary use of the land remains agriculture including row crops, orchards, vineyards, and ranching/grazing.
The AEO will help sustain the economic viability and diversity of agricultural operations in the unincorporated areas of Santa Barbara County by expanding the range and diversity of allowable uses on all rural unincorporated lands zoned Agricultural II (AG-II), including in the Coastal Zone, the county reports.
The AEO allows land uses that support agricultural activities such as small-scale agricultural processing, aquaponics, composting, farm stands, firewood processing/sales, lumber processing/milling, and tree nut hulling, as well as rural recreational/agritourism uses such as small-scale campgrounds, farmstays, educational experiences and opportunities, fishing/hunting operations, horseback riding, incidental food service, and small-scale special events.
The Board of Supervisors made several changes to the Planning Commission’s recommended ordinance prior to final adoption. The key changes include the following:
• Small Scale Campgrounds –
◦ For sites abutting Agricultural I and Residential Zones:
▪ Required higher level permits
▪ Reduced number of allowable campground sites
▪ Prohibited amplified sound
◦ Increased the percentage of owner-provided accommodations (e.g. trailer, tent cabin, yurt) at campgrounds from 60% to 70% of campsites
◦ Requiring Transient Occupancy Tax to be paid for owner-provided facilities
• Reduced the quiet hour for Educational Experiences, Small-scale Special Events, and Farmstays from 10 p.m. to 9 p.m., consistent with campgrounds
• Allowed Farmstays with seven to 15 guest rooms with a minor conditional use permit
• Required a zoning clearance for all small-scale special events
• Minor reduction of the Limited Agricultural Enterprise Overlay near Garey
• Amended the Uniform Rules to address the compatibility of proposed AEO uses on lands under agricultural preserve contracts.
Standards and limitations are proposed on these uses and activities to ensure impacts to the environment are minimized and they remain compatible with surrounding agricultural operations and the community.
The County Planning Commission (CPC) held eight public hearings on the project over the course of 10 months. The CPC voted unanimously on Aug. 28 to recommend the Board of Supervisors approve the draft Agricultural Enterprise Ordinance amendments.
A summary table of the Planning Commission’s recommendations to the Board of Supervisors is available here.
The Board of Supervisors considered the Agricultural Enterprise Ordinance at its Nov 5 and Dec. 10 hearings.
Written materials for the Board of Supervisors hearings are available on the Board of Supervisors website, link available here.
The program and related ordinances take effect Jan. 10 in the inland areas, and the proposed amendments to the Coastal Zoning Ordinance will be submitted to the California Coastal Commission for review and approval.
For more information, visit the Planning and Development Agricultural Enterprise Ordinance website.