The perplexing planning problem known as the “Salentine Appeal” was heard by the Board of Supervisors for two hours on Tuesday afternoon, but the neighborhood squabble between the Salentines and the Browns over an equestrian arena on Franklin Ranch Road in the Goleta foothills only grew more convoluted as details about the history of the project were dragged out.
By meeting’s end, the majority of supervisors — save for Joni Gray and Salud Carbajal, who both abstained due to lingering confusion over the issue, which also involves the water agency known as the Cachuma Operations and Maintenance Board, or COMB — voted to uphold John Salentine’s appeal and deny the project, which has been going on for a decade, but waive fines and not force removal of structures until the Browns can reapply. It returns to the board on August 14.