Some Santa Barbara residents will start paying a new fee to cover wildfire prevention work in their neighborhoods.
A wildfire suppression assessment district was approved this spring by 52% of voters, while 47.5% of voters voted against the assessment, Fire Marshal Ryan DiGuilio shared at Tuesday’s Santa Barbara City Council meeting.
The new assessment covers neighborhoods around open spaces such as Elings Park, the Douglas Family Preserve, Honda Valley Park and Hilda McIntyre Ray Park.
Property owners affected by the new assessment will pay a yearly rate of $122.95 per single-family home, which would increase each year based on the consumer price index (CPI), not to exceed 4%.
The funds will pay for homeowners to get three free home evaluations a year, roadside vegetation clearing, and free vegetation chipping from the Santa Barbara City Fire Department.
Councilman Eric Friedman thanked the residents who voted for the assessment.
“Not only will it benefit your own properties, but it supports your neighborhood and just fire suppression in general,” Friedman said, “because we are seeing more opportunities for fires to grow within the coastal zone, especially with patterns changing, climate change, so this is a way to protect not only your neighborhoods and your own homes, but the city at large.”
Ballots were due on Tuesday at City Hall during a public hearing on the assessment and were counted by city fire officials Tuesday afternoon.
Ballots were sent to 2,285 property owners in the assessment district on May 1, and 994 ballots were returned.
During public comment, Lee Heller said she hoped the assessment would pass as coastal neighborhoods are no longer immune from fire hazards.
“It’s time for us to step up as property owners that are affected, pay a small amount into the community pot that can be used to help reduce fire risk and will benefit the whole city,” Heller said.
These types of assessments already exist in foothill neighborhoods after being approved by property owners in 2006.
Councilwoman Kristen Sneddon said residents in the foothill neighborhoods are happy with the extra fire suppression help.
“I’ve heard the comment so many times that it’s relatively such a small expense for the return of safety,” Sneddon said. “For those who were not on the prevailing side of this vote, I just want to offer encouragement that the benefits really are far beyond what the fee is.”
Rates will vary depending on the property use and size. For example, a single-family home on a one-acre or smaller property would pay a rate of $122.95, and multi-family unit properties would pay $39.53 per unit.
The assessment is expected to generate $261,500 in its first year, which will be fiscal year 2026-27.
These types of benefit assessments stem from Proposition 218, which passed in 1996 and allows assessments to be created to fund the cost of providing services, improvements and maintenance for properties.
