SUPERVISORS RUBBER-STAMP DEVELOPMENT, DRIVE-BY RESIDENTS BE DAMNED!

The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors, bless their hearts, are gearing up to approve yet another massive development, because what this county truly needs is more 'extended-stay hotels' and '60-unit residential developments' crammed into every available corner. Our crack local 'journalists' at the Board of Supervisors merely reported the agenda item, failing to grasp the sheer audacity of changing zoning designations from 'General Commercial' to 'Residential - 30 units per acre maximum' at the drop of a hat. Clearly, the 'planning' in 'planning department' is just a suggestion when developers with deep pockets come calling.

Never mind the 'significant and unavoidable impacts' like 'Vehicle Miles Traveled' and 'Biological Resources' — those are just quaint little details the bureaucrats can gloss over with a 'Statement of Overriding Considerations.' It’s the same old song and dance: greenlight more traffic, destroy natural habitats, then pretend it's for the 'greater good' of housing affordability, which magically never actually gets more affordable. The only thing this 'development' guarantees is more concrete, more congestion, and more pressure on infrastructure that was already straining under the weight of previous 'brilliant' urban planning.

One has to wonder who benefits most from these last-minute rezonings and program EIRs that are 'adequate' despite all evidence to the contrary. Could it be the developers themselves? Or perhaps the supervisors eyeing campaign contributions for their next reelection bid? The idea that these projects address a genuine community need rather than fulfilling a carefully orchestrated land grab by special interests is, frankly, insulting to anyone who can still think for themselves. Santa Barbara County: where the 'environment' is for press releases, and 'planning' is for suckers.