Month: May 2025

Dave Alley

SANTA MARIA, Calif. – After years of preparation, Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District (APCD) recently opened its long-planned new North County headquarters in Santa Maria.

“This is a landmark for the Air Pollution Control District,” said Aeron Arlin Genet, APCD Executive Direction/Air Pollution Control Officer. “We’ve been working out of Santa Maria, but not in our own building and this establishes a strong foothold for us in the community, for our staff, for the sources that we regulate and for the general public that we serve.”

The sleek modern-looking two-story building is located on West McCoy Lane and replaces a much smaller office the agency occupied that was located in the downtown area close to the Santa Maria Town Center mall.

“We have great space to conduct meetings, workshops, organize with other non-profit organizations to hold functions here at our facility,” said Arlin Genet. “In addition to housing our staff and our office needs, we also have a lab so we can work with our monitoring and our enforcement equipment to ensure that they’re all in proper working functions, so we can then enable them out into the field.”

APCD purchased the building in 2021, and according to an agency release, remodeled with it sustainable concepts in mind that include, metal-insulated siding and roofing panels to provide a highly insulated building; dual-glazed windows that reflect heat and provide an improved weather seal, heat pumps for heating and cooling, Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) with Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) 13 filters for clean indoor air quality and Clean Air Center capability, thermostats in each room to minimize energy use, skylights to increase natural light; and high-efficiency LED lighting throughout.

“This building was a significant investment for the air district,” said Arlin Genet. “We were able to invest not only for the district itself, but for our staff, but more importantly for the community that we serve. We want to be local. We want to be present. We want to be top of the mind. When you have air quality questions or concerns, you know where we are and you can come in and talk to us in person or online. We have online resources available at ourair.org.”

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Jarrod Zinn

SANTA MARIA, Calif. – The oil industry has shaped Santa Barbara county’s history, but it’s not likely to be a big part of it’s future.

County supervisors voted to move away from fossil fuels. 

At the end of the day, the Board of Supervisors are adopting resolutions to phase out any remaining oil and gas production projects, and to ban applications for any future projects onshore.

It’s been estimated that a rapid, planned phasing out of oil and gas production can save Santa Barbara county 100 million dollars by the year 2045.

“Do we want to be investing in jobs related to clean economy or ones that in a dwindling oil and gas economy?” says Laura Capps, Santa Barbara County Supervisor.

A report from UCSB says a project to phase out current infrastructure would create jobs, as the lengthy process requires the same skill set as operation.

“People are very attached either trying to transition away from it or trying to make sure that it stays here. So I it’s a very hot topic. And we had a good debate on really the future of this county. And do we want to be investing in jobs related to clean economy or ones that in a dwindling oil and gas economy where there’s really just about 100 jobs in the oil and gas industry now?” says Capps.

County supervisors voted 3-1 in favor of the resolution phasing out oil production on Tuesday.

Supervisor Bob Nelson cast the sole “no” vote.

“Probably the most disappointing day that I’ve ever had at County Board of Supervisors. It was a complete snow job where a county staff member and department worked with environmental nonprofits to actively work on destroying an important industry in our county,” says Supervisor Nelson.

He says his district is composed of a significant number of families who depend on work from the fossil fuel industry, and that they want him to fight for their jobs.

“I see this as really political theater, just like the Sable Pipeline. Actions that have been advocated by those in the environmental nonprofits in our county. You know, they’ve tried to drag the county into lawsuits which have cost us time and money where we had really no say in whether the pipeline starts again. This is the same thing here,” says Nelson. 

Board chair Laura Capps says the transition away from outdated fossil fuel technology is fiscally prudent and essential, a step that will protect the well being of generations.

Supervisor Nelson acknowledges a future of clean energy does make sense, but that the fossil fuel industry can be part of the solution, not just seen as the problem.

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John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – That college degree earned a few years ago and the thought of making around $100,000 a year someday soon may not be enough in Santa Barbara County.

A new report says a single person making $98,850 in Santa Barbara County is still considered low income.

In the Bay area – Marin, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz and San Francisco counties that figure is $100,000.This comes at a time when social service and non-profit groups serving those living on the edge say their numbers are growing and the demand is not going down.

The data comes from the Department of Housing and Community Development.

Some of these figures are used to determine housing programs and funding plans to offset the costs, for example, for first time home buyers and certain loans or other financial assistance.

Both San Diego and Orange Counties have had changes similar to Santa Barbara County.

The high cost of housing is believed to be a key factor in the calculations.  A single person making six-figures could be above the median income of the area, but because of the lofty prices for housing, they fall into a low income range. Checking on several sites including Zillow, the average price of a home is around $1.8 million in Santa Barbara  and about $650 thousand in Santa Maria.

“This is one of the more expensive places on the planet. So in a way, it’s a choice that’s involved there,” said Jay McGrath in downtown Wednesday. “You’ve got to factor it in when you’re young, especially. You sort of figure it’s going to be hard going for a while? “

To get beyond the new level described as low income, it will take a higher paying  job  or multiple jobs at once.

Cristian Arambula said, “Yes. Two jobs and like five side quest and, some overtime. Yeah. Everyone’s kind of doing what they can. The side hustle is real. Yeah, absolutely. Uber, Lyft, DoorDash. You can do some production stuff. I work with livestock. I do massage now. I just came from a modeling gig.”

Connor Winship said,  “you know, prices of food have definitely increased .”  He also says he leaves his car behind to save some money.  “I am lucky to drive to work if I want to. I could bike to work if I want to.  I haven’t been too impacted personally”

The economics of living in these times have many residents stretching out their working years.

McGrath said, “I do, and I see more people who are retired who are not really retiring. They’re working past retirement. They’re getting both their benefits, and then they go out and get a side gig.”

More information can be found at: California Department of Housing and Community Development 

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