The trio seeking the Third District seat on the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors aired their opinions Tuesday night on several key Santa Ynez Valley issues, including whether to allow additional activities on land used for agriculture.
Incumbent Joan Hartmann has been challenged by Lompoc Mayor Jenelle Osborne and political newcomer Frank Troise in the bid to become one of the five members of the Board of Supervisors.
About 100 people attended the two-hour forum hosted by the Santa Ynez Valley Association of Realtors and held at St. Mark’s-in-the-Valley Episcopal Church. Along with prepared questions, candidates also were asked about topics submitted by audience members.
Santa Barbara County has wrestled with crafting an agriculture enterprise ordinance to allow serving food, hosting overnight guests and conducting other activities indirectly related to existing farming, growing or ranching operations.
Troise said he supports the proposal, noting that climate change has affected the already challenging business of agriculture.
“We need to help create a bridge because all of the issues that are in this ordinance are a function of giving them the ability to bridge their income from one point to another. None of it is harmful,” Troise said. “I think guard rails need to be around it.”
Hartmann quoted the Santa Ynez Valley Community Plan’s pledge to protect the rural character by preserving and enhancing the viability of agriculture, adding that it guides her decisions.
Some have proposed camping and other events on ag land, adding that she adamantly believes anything allowed should be tied to agriculture activities on the land.
“This ordinance is not, will not and was never intended to open the Santa Ynez Valley to exploitation by wealthy out-of-town resort developers,” Hartmann said.
Osborne also offered support, with caution.
“We have to be really careful that we don’t create a Silverado Trail like Napa has or Disneyland because we don’t want that additional traffic,” she said.
Supporting vintners, farmers and ranchers would be key to helping during droughts or other tough times. To really help them any ordinance must avoid burdensome regulations or restrictions, she added.
Another question focused on balancing the area’s water and wastewater service needs with potential growth, a question arising from efforts to end septic tanks in Los Olivos.
In addition to possibly creating its own wastewater treatment plant, the relatively new Los Olivos Community Services District and Solvang will explore whether the city’s facility could provide the service.
Efforts to create the system for Los Olivos, designated a special problems area by the state, have been “amazingly time intensive,” Hartmann said.
“I believe they’re going to get there and they’re going to solve this problem, and we won’t have to defy the community plan by extending sewer to Solvang,” Hartmann added.
Osborne noted that Lompoc’s wastewater treatment facility can service the unincorporated areas.
“I have experience understanding the infrastructure, understanding the state mandates and managing it,” Osborne said, adding that the future will need to assess modern measures.
Troise said he talked to water district representatives, but didn’t name the agencies only saying they don’t want the Board of Supervisors involved.
“They know exactly what they need to do. They don’t need permission to do what they need to do,” Troise said, referring to “an overreach by the Board of Supervisors” but not mentioning specifics.
Other topics included those related to the Santa Ynez Valley, the county and beyond. In addition to homelessness, housing, the budget, urban infill development, oil drilling and ambulance services contract, the candidates aired their thoughts on the Diablo Canyon Power Plant’s future.
The Third District now includes Lompoc along with the Santa Ynez Valley and smaller area of the Goleta Valley. Noticeably absent after redistricting is Isla Vista, home to UCSB students.
Showing the political importance of the three-way contest, it was the third of five planned forums for the Third District race, with the first in Lompoc earlier this month involving only Osborne and Troise, and the second on Jan. 24 in Goleta.
Next up for the Third District candidates will be a forum starting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Lompoc City Council chambers, 100 Civic Center Plaza.
Immediately following that session will be a forum for the Fourth District supervisor candidates: incumbent Bob Nelson and challenger Krishna Flores. The Fourth District candidates forum is set to start at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, also in the council chambers.
Another Third District event is set for 6 p.m. Monday at the Corque Hotel, 400 Alisal Road in Solvang.
Meanwhile, a forum for the First District candidates — incumbent Das Williams and challenger Roy Lee — is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday at the Santa Barbara Woman’s Club, 670 Mission Canyon Road.
If no candidate receives more than 50% of the votes in the March 5 primary, the Third District race will head to a Nov. 5 runoff.
With only two candidates, the races for the First and Fourth districts will be decided in March, but the new four-year terms for all three seats don’t start until January.