Join us at SB Roundtable on Friday, SM Roundtable is cancelled this month
Our North County Roundtable this month is cancelled, but we hope you will join us for our South County Roundtable:
SBCAN South County Roundtable
Friday, April 13, 2018, Noon
Union Bank’s Board Room, 15 East Carrillo St., Santa Barbara
DRAFT AGENDA
(times are approximate, and feel free to bring your lunch)
- Call to Order by Chair Dick Flacks. Introductions; Agenda Review (5 min.)
- Update on Santa Barbara Housing Issues Including Average Unit Density Program and Renter’s Rights Ordinance. We will be joined by City Councilmember Eric Friedman for this discussion. We will also discuss other issues of concern to SBCAN that Eric might want to share with us. (30 min.)
- Proposition 68 and What It May Mean for Santa Barbara County. This measure is on the June 2018 ballot. It would authorize the issuance of up to $4 billion to finance the Drought, Water, Parks, Climate, Coastal Protection and Outdoor Access for All Act of 2018. Mary Rose will present this item; more information is below. (20 min.)
- Isla Vista Utility Tax. This tax measure, which is on the June ballot, would fund the newly formed Community Services District. (10 min.)
- Update on ERG Proposal for New Drilling in Cat Canyon. (5 min.)
- Brief updates from participants. (2 to 5 min. each)
- Open discussion about other items of interest. All (5 min.)
- Next meeting. Our next meeting is scheduled for May 11.
Black History Month
SBCAN will have a table at the Black History Month celebration on Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. at Pioneer Park in Santa Maria. We could use help at our table. We will have a free lunch for you. Please see the information below for more details.
If you'd like to volunteer, please contact me at ken@sbcan.org.
Thanks,
Ken Hough
SBCAN Executive Director
805.563.0463
Speak up for a levee trail from Santa Maria to Guadalupe
This is a late notice, but we only found out earlier today that a group of schoolchildren will go before the Board of Supervisors to ask them to consider extending the levee trail from Santa Maria to Guadalupe. During the Public Comment period, they will ask the supervisors to put this item on a future agenda. SBCAN will speak in favor of the extending the existing trail to Guadalupe. The trail currently only runs on the levee in the City of Santa Maria. Please read the message below from Alma Hernandez:
Tomorrow, February 13, 2018, Guadalupe Teacher of Mary Buren Elementary School, Jaime Cuello, will be bringing his 5th grade class to the Board of Supervisors meeting from 9-9:30 to share with the Board during the public comments, the Guadalupe communities interest in having a bike/walking trail constructed on the Santa Maria Levee that will connect Santa Maria to Guadalupe.
This is not an agendized item, but the students will be asking the Board to put it on an upcoming agenda as an item of discussion. There will be others who will join to support the students request such as the Guadalupe Wellness Committee Chair Dena Boortz, the Guadalupe Union School Board Director and County Trail Commissioner, David Hosking and potentially, Guadalupe City Councilman, Ariston Julian. We are hoping for anyone interested in supporting this request to also be present to show the numbers of those who would be in support and would use this trail. So please share with any community residents, leaders or groups that would like to see this happen.
The address of the location is 511 East Lakeside Parkway, Santa Maria, Ca.
In Kindness,
Alma Hernandez
North County District Representative
Office of Supervisor Joan Hartmann
105 E. Anapamu Street, 4th Floor, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Join us at our Roundtables in SM and SB
We hope you will join us at a roundtable meeting:
SBCAN North County Roundtable
Thursday, February 8, 2018, 6:00 PM
Rabobank Conference Room, Northeast Corner of South Broadway and Battles
Santa Maria
DRAFT AGENDA
(times are approximate)
- Call to Order; Introductions; Agenda Review (5 min.)
- Solvang: Proposed Expansion of Sphere of Influence and Annexation. Study reviewed by Planning Commission on Feb. 5 and to be heard by City Council on Feb. 26. Agricultural lands are at risk. (20 min.)
- Status of 750+ Unconventional Oil Wells Proposed for East Cat Canyon; ERG’s Foxen Canyon Road Pipeline. (10 min.)
- Cuyama Valley Water Issues. (10 min.)
- Open Streets Event in Santa Maria. (5 min.)
- Open discussion about other items of interest. All (5 min.)
-
Suggestions for next month’s agenda (March 8). (5 min.)
SBCAN South County Roundtable
Friday, February 9, 2018, Noon
Union Bank’s Board Room, 15 East Carrillo St., Santa Barbara
DRAFT AGENDA
(times are approximate, and feel free to bring your lunch)
- Call to Order by Chair Dick Flacks. Introductions; Agenda Review (5 min.)
- Mobile Home Issues. Sharon Rose. (5 min.)
- Santa Barbara Renter’s Rights Ordinance. (10 min.)
- Update on Santa Barbara’s Average Unit Density Program. (10 min.)
- Solvang: Proposed Expansion of Sphere of Influence and Annexation. Study reviewed by Planning Commission on Feb. 5 and to be heard by City Council on Feb. 26. Agricultural lands are at risk. (10 min.)
- Status of 750+ Unconventional Oil Wells Proposed for East Cat Canyon; ERG’s Foxen Canyon Road Pipeline. (10 min.)
- Cuyama Valley Water Issues. (5 min.)
- Open discussion about other items of interest. All (5 min.)
- Brief updates from participants. (2 to 5 min. each)
- Next meeting. Our next meeting is scheduled for March 9.
SBCAN Green Team - Grow in Your Own Backyard (Fun Day at the Edible Landscaping Demonstration Garden in SM)

Martin Luther King Jr Day Events
Friend --
Here are some Martin Luther King Jr. Day events you might be interested in:
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration
1 p.m. ~ Saturday, January 13, 2018 at UDW, 402 S. Miller St in Santa Maria
Read more
Join us at our Roundtables Thursday in SM and Friday in SB
We hope you will join us at a roundtable meeting:
SBCAN North County Roundtable
Thursday, January 11, 2018, 6:00 PM
Rabobank Conference Room, 1554 S. Broadway, Santa Maria, CA
AGENDA
(times are approximate)
- Call to Order; Introductions; Agenda Review (5 min.)
- Open Discussion on Issues for 2018, Including How Recent Fires and Floods Might Influence Our Work. (50 min.)
- Status of 750+ Unconventional Oil Wells Proposed for East Cat Canyon. (5 min.)
- The Neighborhoods: Proposed New Housing Near Rancho Maria Golf Club. (5 min.)
- Solvang: Proposed Expansion of Sphere of Influence and Annexation. (5 min.)
- Open Streets Event in Santa Maria. (5 min.)
- Stormwater Management Plan. (5 min.)
- Open discussion about other items of interest. All (5 min.)
- Suggestions for next month’s agenda (February 8). (5 min.)
SBCAN South County Roundtable
Friday, January 12, 2017, Noon
Union Bank’s Board Room, 15 East Carrillo St., Santa Barbara, CA
AGENDA
(times are approximate, and feel free to bring your lunch)
- Call to Order by Chair Dick Flacks. Introductions; Agenda Review (5 min.)
- Mobile Home Issues. Sharon Rose. (5min.)
- Open Discussion on Issues for 2018, Including How Recent Fires and Floods Might Influence Our Work. (50 min.)
- Brief updates from participants. (2 to 5 min. each)
- Next meeting. Our next meeting is scheduled for February 9.
2018 SBCAN Dues are Due!
If you already responded to our last notice, thank you and sorry for the duplicate message.
Executive Director
SBCAN
(805) 563-0463
Time to renew SBCAN membership
Executive Director
SBCAN
(805) 563-0463
Message from SBCAN President Margaret Connell:
Dear Friend --
We at Santa Barbara County Action Network appreciate the support you have shown us over the years that has made it possible for us to continue nurturing our strong local network of progressive folks and creating bridges between environmental and social justice activism.
For sixteen years Santa Barbara County Action Network (SBCAN) has been the preeminent non-profit organization working on both sustainability and social justice issues throughout the county. We have many partner organizations, to be sure, but we always strive to be countywide and working on a wide range of progressive issues—especially looking for issues that might fall through the cracks otherwise.
In January 2018 we will again convene our annual Membership Meeting in Los Olivos and I urge you to participate. We are still determining the date and guest speakers. We will discuss recent issues and actions for 2018 (see below). The social hour will be a great chance to renew friendships and build support for SBCAN’s future.
With increasing competition for foundation support, we are all the more reliant on our members, major donors, and fundraisers. Therefore, we hope that you will make a membership donation that suits your budget and helps SBCAN continue its educational and advocacy role.
This year The Fund for Santa Barbara and The Santa Barbara Independent invited us to participate in a new fundraising program. We urge you to make your donations before the end of 2017 at this site:https://www.sbgives.org/nonprofit/santa-barbara-county-action-network/ By doing this, you will increase our chances of winning a share of matching funds raised to reward those non-profits who generate sizable donations.
If you prefer, it is easy—as always—to contribute at: https://sbcan.nationbuilder.com/membership_annual_dues. There is also an option for automatic monthly payments at https://sbcan.nationbuilder.com/membership_monthly_dues. You can also mail a check to P.O. Box 6174, Santa Maria, CA 93456.
We look forward to hearing from you and seeing you in January at our annual membership meeting.
Sincerely,
Margaret Connell, President
Meetings Dec 5, 2017 - SB County oil report, Goleta clean energy and bike plan, SM housing
SBCAN ACTION ALERT
The County Board of Supervisors will be hearing a wide-ranging informational report from the County's Energy Division. The report includes information about the three proposed East Cat Canyon oil projects, data on violations over the last three years (the vast majority of citations issued by the County Petroleum office, the Fire Department, and the Air District are to one company...Greka, of course. The meeting is in Santa Barbara, but can be watched on cable or at Santa Maria's Betteravia Government Center. The agenda item is #4 and the link to the meeting agenda and staff reports is:
https://santabarbara.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=528352&GUID=4008C6D1-6A69-4AB4-B896-8CC0E7FCA91C&Options=info&Search=
During its afternoon session, around 2 PM, Goleta's City Council will consider adopting a 100% renewable energy goal by 2030.
During its evening session (same agenda listed above) the City Council will hear a report on the status of the Bicycle Master Plan.
4. Santa Maria's Consideration of Auxiliary Dwelling Unit Regulations.
State law now requires that local jurisdictions allow second units on single-family properties, but--within certain limits--cities and counties can regulate ADUs. SBCAN's Board of Directors recently voted to oppose restrictions that would run counter to the intent of the state law.