Open spaces, shopping centers and a golf course targeted in Santa Barbara County’s Draft Housing Element

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. - The Glen Annie Golf Course and an old box store parcel in Orcutt are among the sites included in the County's eight year plan for new housing.

The Draft Housing Element went live online Monday, opening a 30 day period for public comment.

The state-mandate is a requirement for increased housing in jurisdictions across California.

"They're really holding jurisdictions feet to the fire," said Lisa Plowman, Santa Barbara County Director of Planning and Development. "They want people to be able to work and live in the same region so they're not spending hours and hours on the freeway, generating emissions."

Plowman said Santa Barbara County is looking "everywhere" -- urban areas and open lands. That includes the open space on St. Vincent's property off of Highway 154, agricultural parcels off of Patterson Avenue and, in Carpinteria. The Magnolia Center near Goleta is also under consideration.

She added that Santa Barbara County has not had sufficient housing development to meet the needs of its workers in 30 years.

"It's better for our community and the fabric of our community to have our coaches and our teachers and our nurses and our firefighters and our postal workers and the people that are serving us at restaurants, to be able to live here. It creates a richness and a diversity that's really important."

The Draft Housing Element spans 2023 to 2031 and falls under the County's General Plan, as required by the State.

This particular cycle requires the County build a total of 5,664 units. 1,522 of those must be developed in the North County; a whopping 4,142 -- or roughly 73% -- are required to be built in the South County.

Click here to access the County's interactive map.