Santa Barbara County Fast-Tracks Rebuilding for Montecito
Supervisors Streamline Rules for Debris Flow Victims
The County Board of Supervisors this week cleared away the red tape for Montecito property owners who want to rebuild what they lost in the catastrophic debris flow of January 9.
Voting 5-0 on Tuesday, the board said that no design review or zoning permits would be required of Montecitans who propose to build back essentially the same house, garage, or guest home that they owned before the disaster. Such proposals, known as “like-for-like,” will need only building permits, which do not require notice to neighbors. Building permits cannot be appealed.
The “like-for like” exemptions for debris flow survivors will go into effect on June 14. They will apply even if replacement homes have to be elevated because of mud on the property, and even if they have to be relocated elsewhere on a lot because a nearby creek has changed course. The county requires a 50-foot creek setback for new homes.
