Montecito Planning Commission - 09/30/26

The Montecito Planning Commission held a workshop on September 30, 2026, on proposed amendments to the Montecito Land Use and Development Code and Coastal Zoning Ordinance intended to streamline permitting. County staff described options to expand permit exemptions, simplify use tables, downshift some projects to zoning clearances or non-appealable permits, and adjust design-review and decision-making thresholds. Examples included increasing the exempt accessory-structure limit from 120 to 250 square feet, proposed design-review exemptions for certain small single-story homes and accessory structures, and revised permit thresholds for commercial development. Staff said the broader direction came from the Board of Supervisors, which sought faster, more predictable review while retaining standards and resource protections.

Commissioners raised concerns about reduced design review and public notice for residential projects, effects on smaller lots, and shifting some commercial development-plan decisions to the planning director, particularly in Montecito’s Upper Village. They discussed possible revisions—including administrative design review with design-professional involvement, retaining notice, and reconsidering size thresholds—and plan to provide recommendations at the next hearing; staff expects to take the package to the Board of Supervisors by year-end. The commission unanimously approved the staff’s three recommended actions for the workshop, including receiving the report and the stated CEQA determination. No procurement, contract award, or spending decision was identified.