At the end of Tuesday’s long Board of Supervisors meeting, the supervisors decided to continue the discussion on the Agricultural Enterprise Ordinance to Dec. 10.
The board discussed how to ensure compliance and add more allowances for landowners.
The ordinance would allow farms and agricultural properties to get into the agritourism business by adding campgrounds, farmstays, special events and tours.
Small-scale events could include cooking classes, farm-to-table dinners, weddings, writing and yoga workshops, bike races and equestrian rides.
Additionally, the ordinance would allow vineyards to serve food in wine tasting rooms.
The Santa Barbara County Planning Commission had several meetings over the past 10 months to discuss the ordinance and make recommendations before it went to the Board of Supervisors.
The Agricultural Preserve Advisory Committee (APAC), an advisory committee to the Board of Supervisors, also made recommendations. In general, the APAC suggested the county allow ordinance uses that are more restrictive than the Planning Commission recommendations.
The APAC recommended one campground development area per property while the Planning Commission recommended up to four if the site is greater than 320 acres, and two if the site is less than 320 acres.
Third District Supervisor Joan Hartmann asked how the county will enforce the ordinance conditions and staff said they will monitor complaints from neighbors to see if violations are happening.
Mary Hayden, a rancher from the North County, encouraged the board to approve the ordinance and to trust landowners by not adding numerous exceptions and regulations.
“I think this is a really incredible ordinance that can really help a lot of people,” Hayden said during public comment.
Fourth District Supervisor Bob Nelson recommended several changes to the ordinance including more small campsites on properties, more guest bedrooms on guest ranches, add a 1,000-foot setback between compost and row crops, and reduce setback between neighbors through neighbor agreements.
Fifth District Supervisor Steve Lavagnino agreed with Nelson’s ideas and said it was important to focus on the details of the ordinance.
“We all agree on what we want to do, we’re just trying to get all the details ironed out properly,” Lavagnino said.
Hartmann advocated for going forward with the Planning Commission’s recommendations and reviewing the ordinance in a year or so to see how it’s doing.
“This is new for us, this is new for the state, they’ve tried to pass legislation, it didn’t quite get through, to allow more camping on agricultural land statewide,” Hartmann said. “We’re kind of getting our feet wet and again the issues of environmental health are real ones. I’d rather tiptoe than jump in.”
Nelson argued that they shouldn’t make allowed uses so small that it’s not worth it to landowners to take on these new initiatives in the first place.
The board will discuss the ordinance again at its Dec. 10 meeting.
