The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors approved a fee increase for the Flood Control Benefit Assessment Program, which charges residents based on where they are in the designated flood zones. The fees are used to fund projects such as Cold Springs Debris Basin Improvement Project.
The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors approved a fee increase for the Flood Control Benefit Assessment Program, which charges residents based on where they are in the designated flood zones. The fees are used to fund projects such as Cold Springs Debris Basin Improvement Project. Credit: Daniel Green / Noozhawk photo

Property owners who live in Santa Barbara County’s designated flood zones will see their annual fees jump by 3.02% for the next year.

The fees are part of the county’s Flood Control Benefit Assessment Program and are used to fund repairs and build infrastructure to stop flooding, landslides and other natural disasters.

The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 on Tuesday to approve the 3.02% increase.

The board was told that the increase would allow the county to keep funding those projects, as the county faces inflation and a lack of federal funding.

“The Benefit Assessment Program is a key source of funds that supports Flood Control’s mission and operations, and it’s important that the assessment is adjusted as proposed today in order to keep pace with inflation and rising costs,” said Andrew Raaf, an environmental manager with Flood Control.

The program was originally created in the aftermath of Proposition 13 in 1978, which limited the county’s ability to impose property taxes. The proposition lowered the county’s revenue by about 60%.

The assessment program was then approved by voters as a way to make up for lost revenue.

The proposed rate changes for next year for the Flood Control Benefit Assessment Program. The Board of Supervisors approved a rate change of 3.02%.
The proposed rate changes for next year for the Flood Control Benefit Assessment Program. The Board of Supervisors approved a rate change of 3.02%. Credit: Courtesy graphic

The fee will depend on the zone where the property is located. A property in Group C, such as in Orcutt, would pay $5.72 for the 2025-26 fiscal year, a 17-cent increase from last year. The assessment for a home in the South Coast zone would increase to $32.06, an increase of 94 cents.

Raaf explained that the increase is needed because of rising construction costs. He added that the agency is unsure of whether it will receive the $21 million in reimbursements from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

FEMA updated the flood zones in Santa Barbara County in 2024 to reflect changes from recent storms and the 2018 debris flow in Montecito.

The $21 million was used to repair damages from natural disasters in Santa Barbara County during the past few years, including heavy rains and landslides.

Santa Barbara County flood zones.
Santa Barbara County flood zones. Credit: Courtesy map

One of the projects highlighted by Roth was the completion of the Cold Springs Debris Basin Improvement Project, which was funded using revenue from the Benefit Assessment Program.

During comments from the board, Fourth District Supervisor Bob Nelson expressed his support for the program, saying it provides more value than what is paid in by his constituents, and the county may want to consider asking voters to consider raising the fee in the future.

“I think that we have seen throughout the last couple years the impacts of flooding in our areas,” Nelson said. “I think it’s very real and it’s someplace that needs additional investment.”

— Noozhawk staff writer Daniel Green can be reached at dgreen@noozhawk.com.