The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors approved the Agricultural Enterprise Ordinance (AEO) on December 10, introducing new opportunities for local farmers and ranchers to diversify revenue streams while maintaining agricultural use of the land.
The ordinance applies to Agricultural II (AG-II) zoned rural areas, including the Coastal Zone, and aims to support economic sustainability and productivity in the county’s unincorporated regions.
The AEO permits a broader range of activities to supplement agricultural operations. These include small-scale processing, aquaponics, composting, farm stands, and agritourism initiatives such as campgrounds, farm stays, educational experiences, horseback riding, and small-scale events.
The ordinance includes standards and limitations to ensure environmental impacts are minimized and compatibility with existing agricultural operations and surrounding communities is maintained.
Before adoption, the Board of Supervisors made several amendments to the Planning Commission’s recommendations, according to a press release.
For small-scale campgrounds near Agricultural I and residential zones, the board required more stringent permits, reduced allowable campsite numbers, prohibited amplified sound, and increased owner-provided accommodations to 70% of campsites.
Campgrounds with such facilities will also be subject to transient occupancy tax. Quiet hours for agritourism activities, including farm stays and events, were revised to begin at 9:00 p.m.
Farmstays with 7 to 15 guest rooms now require a minor conditional use permit, and all small-scale events require zoning clearance.
Other changes included reducing the Limited Agricultural Enterprise Overlay near Garey and modifying rules for compatibility with agricultural preserve contracts.
The ordinance is the product of extensive public engagement, including mailings, workshops, and multiple hearings. The County Planning Commission unanimously recommended the ordinance on August 28, 2024, after 10 months of deliberation.
The Board considered the proposal in hearings on November 5 and December 10.
The ordinance will take effect in inland areas on January 10, 2025, while proposed Coastal Zoning Ordinance amendments await review by the California Coastal Commission. Further details, including hearing materials, are available on the Board of Supervisors’ website.
