The county Planning Commission voted 5-0 that eastern Goleta
Valley’s undeveloped and agricultural parcels will be safe from
affordable-housing development at least until 2008. To comply with
a state housing mandate requiring the county to accommodate at
least 1,235 more low-income units, the county agreed to rezone 62
additional acres to residential, at a density of 20 units per acre.
This decision struck fear into many residents of eastern Goleta
Valley neighborhoods near potential low-income parcels, and became
the primary bone of contention in this year’s 2nd District
supervisorial race. At the May 24 meeting, however, North County
supervisors volunteered to absorb all 62 acres, removing Goleta
Valley from the discussion table until the next round of state
mandates.
