Cities Index.
Agenda packet, first session

Santa Barbara City Council
April 21, 2026

Document
Agenda packet, first session
Meeting
April 21, 2026
Body
Santa Barbara City Council
Pages
22
Original file
29.4 MB
Text extracted from the city's file for reading and search. Open the original on docs.santabarbaraca.gov. That file is the official record.

BUDGET/FINANCIAL INFORMATION:

Funding for the implementation period and ongoing annual service costs will be budgeted through the Airport Department, subject to City Council appropriation. The Agreement provides that the implementation cost shall not exceed $125,000 and the annual service cost shall not exceed $86,500, unless amended and approved by the City.

Reimbursement for additional requested site visits is limited to actual travel costs consistent with City guidelines. Continued performance is subject to annual budget appropriations.

SUSTAINABILITY IMPACT:

While the primary purpose of this Agreement is operational and administrative, use of a cloud-based lease management system may modestly reduce paper files and duplicative manual recordkeeping.

A copy of the Agreement may be requested from the Airport Department for public review by emailing [email protected].

PREPARED BY: John Feldhans, Airport Properties Manager
SUBMITTED BY: Chris Hastert, Airport Director
APPROVED BY: Kelly McAdoo, City Administrator
ORDINANCE NO. __________

AN ORDINANCE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF

SANTA BARBARA APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING THE

AIRPORT DIRECTOR TO EXECUTE A SERVICE AND
SUPPORT AGREEMENT WITH PRODIGIQ, INC.,

COMMENCING UPON THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE

ENABLING ORDINANCE

THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA BARBARA DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:

SECTION 1. In accordance with the provision of Section 521 of the Charter of the City of Santa Barbara, An Ordinance of the Council of the City of Santa Barbara approving and authorizing execution of a 6-year agreement and two, 24-month options to renew with Prodigiq, Inc., for MYKONOS Lease Management System, GASB 87 Module, Tenant Portal, and Finance Module, is hereby approved.

CITY OF SANTA BARBARA

COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
AGENDA DATE: April 21, 2026
TO: Mayor and Councilmembers
FROM: Parks and Recreation Department
SUBJECT: Introduction of Ordinance Approving First Amendment to Lease Agreement Number 25,583 with Mulligan’s Café Inc., at Santa Barbara Golf Club [Ordinance Introduction; Agreement]
RECOMMENDATION:

That Council introduce and subsequently adopt, by reading of title only, an Ordinance of the Council of the City of Santa Barbara Approving a First Amendment to Lease Agreement No. 25,583 with Mulligan’s Café Inc., a California Corporation, for the Restaurant Facility at Santa Barbara Golf Club, 3500 McCaw Avenue, Extending the Term through September 30, 2029, and Updating Operational Provisions.

DISCUSSION:

In July 2016, the City Council adopted an ordinance approving a ten-year lease agreement with Mulligan’s Café and Bar (Mulligan’s) to provide food and beverage services at the Santa Barbara Golf Club (Golf Club). Mulligan’s has operated under a concession lease at the Golf Club for more than 30 years, developing a loyal and growing customer base while providing consistent financial returns to the City. The current lease term expires on June 30, 2026.

Mulligan’s is considered a tenant in good standing, with no outstanding notices of default and a strong record of timely rent payments.

The proposed Amendment would extend the Agreement term through September 30, 2029, remove golf privileges previously included in the lease, continue the annual cash contribution to the Golf Club marketing program, and refine beverage cart operating hours.

During the extension period, the City will conduct a comprehensive building assessment to evaluate current facility conditions, identify maintenance needs and necessary upgrades, and develop a clear, long-term reinvestment strategy for the facility.

Agenda Item No. 5
Council Agenda Report
Introduction of Ordinance Approving First Amendment to Lease Agreement Number 25,583 with Mulligan’s Café Inc., at Santa Barbara Golf Club [Ordinance Introduction; Agreement]
April 21, 2026

Page 2 ends

BUDGET/FINANCIAL INFORMATION:

The Fiscal Year 2027 Budget includes Concession Revenue at $242,550, in line with the financial terms of the proposed Amendment.

SUSTAINABILITY IMPACT:

The proposed lease amendment does not introduce operational changes that would directly impact sustainability. Extending the Agreement term enables the City to assess current building conditions, identify deferred maintenance and system upgrade needs, and evaluate opportunities to incorporate energy efficiency, water conservation, and other sustainability improvements into future reinvestment plans for the facility.

A copy of the Agreement may be requested from the Parks and Recreation Department for public review by emailing [email protected].

PREPARED BY: Tina Nelson, Business Manager
SUBMITTED BY: Jill Zachary, Parks and Recreation Director APPROVED BY: Kelly McAdoo, City Administrator
ORDINANCE NO.____________

AN ORDINANCE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF

SANTA BARBARA APPROVING A FIRST AMENDMENT TO
LEASE AGREEMENT NO. 25,583 WITH MULLIGAN’S CAFÉ
INC., A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION, FOR THE

RESTAURANT FACILITY AT SANTA BARBARA GOLF
CLUB, 3500 MCCAW AVENUE, EXTENDING THE TERM
THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30, 2029, AND UPDATING
OPERATIONAL PROVISIONS.

THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA BARBARA DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:

SECTION 1. In accordance with the provisions of Section 521 of the Charter of the City of Santa Barbara, an Ordinance of the Council of the City of Santa Barbara Approving a First Amendment to Lease Agreement 25,583 With Mario and Elena Medina doing business as Mulligan’s Café Inc., commencing upon the effective date of the enabling Ordinance, a copy of which is on file with the City Clerk, is hereby approved.

CITY OF SANTA BARBARA

COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
AGENDA DATE: April 21, 2026
TO: Mayor and Councilmembers
FROM: Department of Water Resources
SUBJECT: Out-of-Agency Service Agreements for Sanitary Sewer System Connections [Resolution]
RECOMMENDATION:

That Council adopt, by reading of title only, a Resolution of the Council of the City of Santa Barbara Restating the City’s Policy Regarding Connection to the Sanitary Sewer System of Property Located Outside of the City’s Jurisdictional Boundaries and Authorizing the Water Resources Director to Execute Agreements for Such Connections Pursuant to Santa Barbara Municipal Code Section 14.44.035.

DISCUSSION:

Staff recommend updates to the City of Santa Barbara’s (City) policy regarding connection to the sanitary sewer system for property located outside of the City’s jurisdictional boundaries. These updates intend to streamline the approval process, reducing the administrative burden for both staff and property owners as described below.

Background
The City occasionally receives requests for properties outside of the City to connect to the City sanitary sewer system, typically in response to health and safety needs related to failing septic systems.

California Government Code Section 56133 requires approval by the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) before the City may provide new water or sewer service to property located outside of the City’s jurisdictional boundaries. Santa Barbara County LAFCO states that the annexation to a city is the preferred method for providing utility services, but LAFCO may approve out-of-agency service agreements when appropriate.

LAFCO is receptive to such agreements in the event of an emergency or health and safety related condition, or when annexation is infeasible given current boundaries, such as lack of contiguity to City limits.

Agenda Item No. 6
Council Agenda Report
Out-of-Agency Service Agreements for Sanitary Sewer System Connections [Resolution] April 21, 2026

Page 2 ends

Proposed Updates
Connection to the City sanitary sewer system outside of City boundaries is generally prohibited, except under certain circumstances as currently provided in City Resolution No. 94-143. Those restrictions include proximity to existing sewer facilities and execution of an agreement that is approved by the Public Works Director.

The proposed resolution continues the general prohibition of the provision of sewer service outside of City boundaries and would align the circumstances under which outside service could be provided under an agreement with the City to those that are contained in California Government Code Section 56133. The proposed resolution also delegates responsibilities to the Water Resources Director rather than the Public Works Director, consistent with the duties of the Department of Water Resources, which manages the City’s water resources and water and wastewater utilities.

The proposed resolution will help protect public health by streamlining the out-of-agency service agreement process.

BUDGET/FINANCIAL INFORMATION:

This resolution does not have material financial or budget implications for the City’s Water Fund.

ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:

Adopting a resolution delegating authority for execution of agreements under California Government Code Section 56133 for connection to the City’s Sanitary Sewer System does not have any direct or indirect physical changes in the environment; therefore, subsequent agreements falls outside the definition of a “Project” under California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15378 (b)(5), as administrative activities of governments that will not result in direct physical changes in the environment are not subject to CEQA environmental review.

WATER COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION:

This item was presented to the Water Commission at its meeting on March 19, 2026.

The Commission voted 5-0-0 in approval of staff’s recommendation.

PREPARED BY: Dakota Corey, Water Supply and Services Manager/KM/sjc SUBMITTED BY: Joshua Haggmark, P.E., Water Resources Director APPROVED BY: Kelly McAdoo, City Administrator
RESOLUTION NO. _______________

A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
SANTA BARBARA RESTATING THE CITY’S POLICY

REGARDING CONNECTION TO THE SANITARY SEWER

SYSTEM OF PROPERTY LOCATED OUTSIDE OF THE
CITY’S JURISDICTIONAL BOUNDARIES AND

AUTHORIZING THE WATER RESOURCES DIRECTOR TO

EXECUTE AGREEMENTS FOR SUCH CONNECTIONS

PURSUANT TO SANTA BARBARA MUNICIPAL CODE
SECTION 14.44.035
Whereas, Section 14.44.035 of the Santa Barbara Municipal Code establishes a requirement for a written agreement as a condition for approval of a connection of property located outside of the City’s jurisdictional boundaries.

Whereas, Resolution No. 94-143, adopted November 22, 1994, establishes the City’s policy regarding connection to the City’s sanitary sewer system of property located outside of the City’s jurisdictional boundaries.

Whereas, Resolution No. 94-143 delegates certain responsibilities to the Public Works Director that, following the creation of the Water Resources Director, should be delegated to the Water Resources Director.

Whereas, California Government Code Section 56133 establishes restrictions and requirements for agreements by which a City may provide new or extended services by contract or agreement outside a City’s jurisdictional boundaries, including a requirement for approval by the Local Agency Formation Commission.

Whereas, the City desires to restate, with amendments, its policy regarding connection to the City’s sanitary sewer system of property located outside of the City’s jurisdictional boundaries.

Therefore, be it resolved by the Council of the City of Santa Barbara that:

1. Connections to the City’s sanitary sewer system for the benefit of a parcel located outside of the City’s jurisdictional boundaries are prohibited except, A. Connections existing or authorized as of the effective date of this Resolution pursuant to a written agreement executed and recorded in compliance with Santa Barbara Municipal Code Section 14.44.035.

B. New connections under any of the following circumstances:
i. To provide new or extended services to a parcel within the City’s sphere of influence in connection with proceedings for annexation of the parcel to the City.
ii. To provide new services to any existing dwelling structure on a parcel within or outside of the City’s sphere of influence to respond to a documented existing or imminent threat to health or safety of the public or to the residents of the parcel to be served.
iii. When required to satisfy a continuing City sewer service commitment under an agreement or other legal obligation existing as of November 22, 1994 (the date of adoption of Resolution No. 94-143).

2. Service when authorized by Section 1 Subsection B of this Resolution may be provided only pursuant to a written agreement that complies with Santa Barbara Municipal Code Section 14.44.035 and has been approved by the Santa Barbara County LAFCO in accordance with Government Code Section 56133. The agreement must contain a provision stating that all of the laws applicable to use of the City’s sanitary sewer system within the City’s jurisdiction apply also to the owners and occupants of the parcel served under the agreement.

3. The Water Resources Director is authorized to execute on behalf of the City agreements required by this Resolution upon a determination by the Director that all of the conditions for provision of service have been satisfied.

4. The Water Resources Director is authorized to file on behalf of the City any request, application, or other document required by the Santa Barbara County LAFCO or its executive director under Government Code Section 56133 with respect to a new connection subject to this Resolution.

5. As used in this Resolution, the term “parcel” means (i) a legal lot created before January 1, 1983, or (ii) a group of contiguous lots held in common ownership before January 1, 1983.

6. Resolution No. 94-143 is rescinded.

RESOLUTION NO ^4-143

A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF

SANTA BARBARA ESTABLISHING AN AMENDED POLICY

OF THE CITY OF SANTA BARBARA RELATIVE TO

CONNECTIONS TO THE SANITARY SEWER SYSTEM OFPROPERTIES SITUATED OUTSIDE OF THE CORPORATELIMITS OF THE CITY WHEREAS, on July 9, 1985, the City Council adopted
Resolution 85-096 which contained a sewer connection policy; and WHEREAS, the City Council desires to amend said policy.NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA BARBARA THAT:

1. Except as provided herein, no connections to the
sanitary sewer system of the City for the benefit of a parcelsituated outside the corporate limits of the City will be permitted.

2. Pursuant to a written agreement as provided in Santa Barbara Municipal Code Section 14. 44. 035, by which a property owner, among other provisions, waives any right of protest toannexation, the Public Works Director may grant an exception tothe policy stated in Paragraph 1 for any of the following situations:

A. For a parcel on which either (i) there is an
existing single-family dwelling or (ii) it is proposed to buildonly one (1) single-family dwelling, provided that both of the following conditions are met:

1. The parcel either (i) is contiguous to or
traversed by an existing City sewer main, or (ii) has access byeasement or other valid instrument to an existing City sewer main; and

2. The Public Works Director finds that a
connection should be granted for reasons of health and safety.

B. For a parcel within an area recommended for
annexation in the Land Use Element of the City's General Plan, provided that the Public Works Director finds that the health, safety or welfare of the City, or certain of its residents, requires that City sewer service be provided.

C. Where necessary to satisfy existing City sewer
service commitments in effect on the date of adoption of this resolution.

Page 1 of 2 ends

EXHIBIT
3 As^ueed_herein, "parcel" means (i) a legal lot provided the lot_was legally created prior to January 1, 1983, or (ii) a group of contiguous lots held in common ownership prior to January 1, 1983.

4. This Resolution rescinds Resolution No. 85-096
Adopted: November 22, 1994
[EsBFSEWCON. RES]

Page 2 of 2 ends

CITY OF SANTA BARBARA
RESOLUTION NO. 94-143
STATE OF CALIFORNIA }
}
COUNTY OF SANTA BARBAfiA }
I, SANDRA E. LIZARRAGA, City Clerk in and for the City of Santa Barbara, California, do hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution No. 94-143 was adopted by the City Council at the meeting held November 22, 1994, 9:00 A. M., by the followingvote on roll call:

YEAS: COUNCILMEMBERS:

HELENE G. BEAVER ELINOR G. A. IANGERHAROLD P. FAIRLY HARRIET MILLER

GILBERT GARCIA TOM ROBERTS

MAYOR HAL CONKLIN
NAYS: COUNCILMEMBERS:

NONE
ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS:

NONE
ABSTAIN: COUNCILMEMBERS:

NONE
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereto set my hand and affixed the official seal of the City of Santa Barbara this 22nd day of November, 1994
^L^ fi^^i^
Chief^beputy City Clerk
I HEREBY APPROVE this Resolution this
,
of November, 1994
Mayoi?

CITY OF SANTA BARBARA

COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
AGENDA DATE: April 21, 2026
TO: Mayor and Councilmembers
FROM: Public Works Department
SUBJECT: Allocation of the City’s Share of Transportation Development Act Funds [Resolution]
RECOMMENDATION:

That Council adopt, by reading of title only, a Resolution of the Council of the City of Santa Barbara Authorizing the Filing of a Claim with the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments for an Allocation of $97,645 in Transportation Development Act Funds for Fiscal Year 2027.

DISCUSSION:

The Transportation Development Act (TDA), enacted by the California Legislature in 1971, provides funding to be allocated to transit and non-transit-related purposes that comply with regional transportation plans. The TDA funds a wide variety of transportation programs, including planning and program activities, pedestrian and bicycle facilities, community transit services, public transportation, and bus and rail projects.

The funds available to the City of Santa Barbara (City) are based on a formula previously agreed to by the County of Santa Barbara (County), the cities within the County, and the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG). Each year, the City is required to adopt a resolution authorizing the Public Works Director to file a claim for the City’s share of area-wide TDA Funds. The claim that will be submitted to SBCAG for Fiscal Year 2027 includes $97,645 for pedestrian and bicycle facilities. City staff will recommend using these funds towards bicycle improvements, and/or matching monies for Measure A Program and Active Transportation Program grant-awarded projects.

BUDGET/FINANCIAL INFORMATION:

By submitting a claim for allocation of TDA funds, the Public Works Department will increase revenue and expenditure appropriations by $97,645 in the Fiscal Year 2027 TDA Fund budget for bicycle and pedestrian projects. Appropriation of the TDA allocation will be included in the Fiscal Year 2027 Recommended Budget.

Agenda Item No. 7
Council Agenda Report
Allocation of the City’s Share of Transportation Development Act Funds [Resolution] April 21, 2026

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SUSTAINABILITY IMPACT:

TDA funds go towards projects that improve safety and accessibility for active transportation users. Projects are consistent with the City’s sustainability goals by encouraging more people to walk and bike, reducing energy consumption, and air pollution.

ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:

The allocation of the City’s share of TDA funds for bicycle and pedestrian projects falls outside of the definition of a “Project” under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15378 (b)(5) as administrative activities of governments that will not result in direct physical changes in the environment is not subject to CEQA environmental review. Future projects occurring as a result of these funds may be subject to CEQA environmental review.

PREPARED BY: Ashleigh A. Sizoo, P.E., City Engineer/JWG/nv SUBMITTED BY: Brian D’Amour, P.E., Public Works Director APPROVED BY: Kelly McAdoo, City Administrator
RESOLUTION NO. _____

A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF

SANTA BARBARA AUTHORIZING THE FILING OF A CLAIM

WITH THE SANTA BARBARA COUNTY ASSOCIATION OF
GOVERNMENTS FOR AN ALLOCATION OF $97,645 IN

TRANSPORTATION DEVELOPMENT ACT FUNDS FOR
FISCAL YEAR 2027
WHEREAS, the Transportation Development Act (TDA), as amended (Public Utilities Code Section 99200 et. seq.), provides for the allocation of funds from the Local Transportation Fund for use by eligible claimants for various transportation purposes; and WHEREAS, pursuant to the provisions of the TDA, as amended, and pursuant to the applicable rules and regulations thereunder (21 Ca. Admin, Code Sections 6600 et. seq.), a prospective claimant wishing to receive an allocation from the Local Transportation Fund shall file its claim with the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG).

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA BARBARA AS FOLLOWS:

SECTION 1. The City of Santa Barbara’s Public Works Director is authorized to execute and file an appropriate claim pursuant to the terms of the TDA, as amended, and pursuant to the applicable rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, together with all the necessary supporting documents with SBCAG, for an allocation of TDA funds in Fiscal Year 2027.

SECTION 2. The authorized claim includes $97,645 for pedestrian and bicycle facilities.

SECTION 3. A copy of this Resolution shall be transmitted to SBCAG in conjunction with the filing of this claim.

CITY OF SANTA BARBARA

COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
AGENDA DATE: April 21, 2026
TO: Mayor and Councilmembers
FROM: Sustainability & Resilience Department
SUBJECT: Agreement with Nimble Energy, Inc. for Energy Management Software Services [Agreement]
RECOMMENDATION:

That Council authorize the Sustainability and Resilience Director to execute a three-year Professional Services Agreement with Nimble Energy, Inc. for energy management software services in the amount of $126,594.

DISCUSSION:

The City of Santa Barbara operates hundreds of facilities and infrastructure assets that consume electricity and natural gas. Collectively, energy data for municipal facilities flow through several hundred service accounts across multiple providers and utilities.

Electricity is procured by Santa Barbara Clean Energy (SBCE) and delivered and billed by Southern California Edison (SCE). Natural gas is procured, delivered, and billed by Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas). The City also has over a dozen facilities with distributed renewable energy generation and/or battery energy storage, where various third-party providers monitor and bill for on-site electricity generation and storage.

Analyzing energy performance at City facilities using conventional tools such as Microsoft Excel is laborious and time-intensive, often involving downloads from multiple platforms, extensive data manipulation, and manual data transfer. As a result, City staff are sometimes limited in their capacity to immediately identify operational issues in need of attention, utility billing errors, and energy opportunities across the City’s portfolio.

Energy management service providers automatically sync energy data from diverse sources into a single platform designed for flexibility, customization, and intuitiveness, facilitating the user’s ability to understand and analyze data efficiently within the platform or export it for external reporting. These systems also leverage data automation and artificial intelligence to scan large volumes of data for anomalies indicative of malfunctioning equipment or billing errors.

Agenda Item No. 8
Council Agenda Report
Agreement with Nimble Energy, Inc. for Energy Management Software Services [Agreement]
April 21, 2026

Page 2 ends

Implementation of the Nimble platform would offer the following benefits to the City:
 Bill Reconciliation. Energy management systems automatically scan for common billing errors, including incorrect meter readings, improper rate or tariff classifications, duplicate charges, and missing credits for on-site photovoltaic generation.
 Operational and Rate Structure Savings Opportunities. Southern California Edison and Santa Barbara Clean Energy utilize rate structures in which costs depend on total energy consumption, times of use, and peak demand, among other factors. Minor operational modifications and rate structure changes can unlock cost savings equivalent to significant percentages of total utility bills – particularly at larger facilities with operational flexibility and/or on-site electricity generation or batteries. Identifying these opportunities at scale requires automated data analysis best provided by specialized energy management software.  Maintenance Support. Anomalies in energy data may indicate malfunctioning photovoltaic systems, battery storage systems, HVAC equipment, and other assets. Early detection by an energy management platform and rapid response by staff can prevent costly energy bills, damage to expensive and sensitive equipment, and lost productivity from equipment failures.  Data-driven Infrastructure Investment Decisions. The City Council adopted the aspirational climate goal of carbon neutrality by 2035. In its Climate Action Plan, the City commits to lead by example with continued investments in municipal distributed renewable electricity generation, battery energy storage, and conversion of natural gas appliances and building infrastructure to carbon-free electric alternatives. Energy management platforms can evaluate prospective projects for expected cost savings, energy savings, and emissions reductions, helping drive decision-making and leverage limited investment dollars for maximum benefit.
 Public Engagement. The secure client-facing platform interfaces with a public dashboard, offering transparency into the City’s progress towards climate action goals and facilitating stakeholder engagement.

City staff received proposals from four leading energy management service providers.

Following initial presentations, product demonstrations, and preliminary bids, staff shortlisted three providers whose platforms best aligned with the City’s needs. A refined scope of work was issued to these providers, and revised proposals were received.

Nimble Energy submitted the lowest-cost proposal and, in staff’s assessment, offers the highest overall value based on product quality, customer service, and ease of implementation.

Council Agenda Report
Agreement with Nimble Energy, Inc. for Energy Management Software Services [Agreement]
April 21, 2026

Page 3 ends

BUDGET/FINANCIAL INFORMATION:

The Agreement between the City of Santa Barbara and Nimble Energy includes a threeyear term for a total amount of $126,593.75. First year costs, including one-time setup and annual subscription fees will total $47,781.25. Annual subscription fees in years two and three will total $39,406.25 per year.

There are sufficient expenditure appropriations in the FY26 Clean Energy Fund budget to fund the first year cost of the Agreement. Appropriations to cover costs of this contract in future years will be included in staff’s recommended budget each year.

SUSTAINABILITY IMPACT:

Building energy use accounts for approximately 40% of community-wide emissions in Santa Barbara. This investment in energy management services will provide key insights into how the City can best lead the building decarbonization effort by example. As detailed in the discussion section above, this engagement will particularly support the City’s Climate Action Plan commitments to:
 Decarbonize 50% of municipal buildings and facilities by 2030 and all remaining municipal facilities by 2035 (Measure BE-1).
 Increase municipally owned distributed renewable energy generation throughout the City. (Measure BE-3).
 Facilitate Climate Action Planning Updates and supportive programming (Measure A-1).

ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:

This Agreement is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act because it does not constitute a project that may result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment.

A copy of the contract may be requested from the Sustainability & Resilience Department for public review by contacting [email protected].

PREPARED BY: Rachel Pelc, Energy Projects Coordinator
SUBMITTED BY: Alelia Parenteau, Sustainability & Resilience Director APPROVED BY: Kelly McAdoo, City Administrator

CITY OF SANTA BARBARA

COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
AGENDA DATE: April 21, 2026
TO: Mayor and Councilmembers
FROM: Department of Water Resources
SUBJECT: Request by Montecito Sanitary District for a Wastewater Treatment Services Agreement [Agreement]
RECOMMENDATION: That Council:

A. Direct Staff to evaluate the feasibility of and negotiate an Agreement for Provision of Wastewater Treatment Services to the Montecito Sanitary District; and B. Direct Staff to collect a $100,000 fee from the Montecito Sanitary District to offset City of Santa Barbara staff time and resources, which would be refunded to the District if an agreement is successfully negotiated.

DISCUSSION:

On March 4, 2026, the City of Santa Barbara (City) received a letter from the Montecito Sanitary District (MSD) requesting to discuss the potential conveyance and treatment of wastewater collected in the MSD service area. MSD is considering a major capital upgrade of its wastewater treatment facility to achieve regulatory compliance. MSD is also evaluating alternatives to wastewater treatment in their service area including the possibility of contracting with the City for the treatment of 0.6 million Gallons per Day (MGD) of wastewater (dry weather flow) at the City’s Wastewater Treatment Plant, El Estero Water Resource Center (EEWRC).

EEWRC is located at 520 East Yanonali Street and was designed to treat 11 MGD of domestic wastewater (dry weather flow). While EEWRC’s average daily flows have decreased to approximately 6 MGD in the last decade, the concentration of solids in the wastewater has remained equivalent to when flows were 8 MGD. Staff believe EEWRC has sufficient remaining capacity for the additional flows requested by MSD; however, this must be studied along with the reserved capacity to serve projected demands of new housing and other uses outlined by the City’s General Plan, which includes the Housing Element. Staff will also evaluate the impacts of wet weather Infiltration and Inflow (I&I), which can significantly impact treatment capacity. The City has been studying I&I impacts from the City’s existing service area and continues to invest in system improvements to reduce I&I in the collection system. Staff must also work with MSD to understand and mitigate the impacts of MSD’s wet weather I&I on EEWRC.

Agenda Item No. 9
Council Agenda Report
Request by Montecito Sanitary District for a Wastewater Treatment Services Agreement [Agreement]
April 21, 2026

Page 2 ends

If treatment of MSD wastewater at EEWRC is determined to be feasible, staff will submit a term sheet and request direction from Water Commission and City Council prior to drafting a formal agreement with MSD.

BUDGET/FINANCIAL INFORMATION:

Based on the history of negotiating agreements with outside agencies, staff recommend collecting a $100,000 fee from MSD for staff time and resources used to evaluate the feasibility of and negotiate an agreement. The fee would be refunded to MSD upon reaching an agreement. If MSD chooses not to pursue an agreement with the City, then the City would be entitled to keep the fee to offset City staff time and resources that were expended. Should contracted legal or technical services be needed to support negotiations or development of an agreement, those costs, and any cost sharing, would be determined under a separate agreement.

SUSTAINABILITY IMPACT:

Entering into an agreement with MSD would regionalize the City’s wastewater treatment, which typically offers economies of scale and results in energy, chemical, and cost savings. However, every wastewater system is unique, and local conditions need to be investigated to evaluate the success of regionalization. EEWRC produces over 50 percent of its power on-site through co-generation of biogas created at the treatment plant and is part of Santa Barbara Clean Energy to source the remaining power from renewable sources. Additional wastewater from MSD could result in increased gas production for cogeneration to offset a portion of the increased treatment energy needs. EEWRC also produces over one MGD of recycled water on average and has capacity to expand production if an agreement is met with MSD.

ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:

A request to evaluate the feasibility of and negotiate an agreement for the provision of wastewater treatment services with MSD for regionalized wastewater treatment falls outside of the definition of a “Project” under California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines section 15378 (b)(5) as administrative activities of governments that will not result in direct physical changes in the environment and are not subject to CEQA environmental review. The authorization to negotiate an agreement will not result in direct physical impacts to the environment. If MSD and the City reach agreement, the agreement will be subject to CEQA environmental review.

ATTACHMENT: Montecito Sanitary District Letter – March 4, 2026 PREPARED BY: Thomas Welche, Wastewater System Manager/sjc SUBMITTED BY: Joshua Haggmark, P.E., Water Resources Director APPROVED BY: Kelly McAdoo, City Administrator

ATTACHMENT

CITY OF SANTA BARBARA

COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
AGENDA DATE: April 21, 2026
TO: Mayor and Councilmembers
FROM: Parks and Recreation Department
Public Works Department
SUBJECT: Fifth Contract Amendment with RRM Design Group for Final Design and Construction Documents for the Dwight Murphy Field Renewal Project [Agreement]
RECOMMENDATION:

That Council authorize the Public Works Director to execute a fifth contract amendment with RRM Design Group in the amount of $86,240 for additional construction administration support, testing, land surveying, and inspections during construction of the Dwight Murphy Field Renewal Project for a new not-to-exceed dollar amount of $1,425,681 for all services.

DISCUSSION:

Project Description
The Project includes a full-scale renovation of the 9-acre park first established in 1925 as the Municipal Soccer Field. Project elements include: a multi-sport turf field; natural informal activity area; all-abilities inclusive playground; expanded fitness area; family picnic area; trash enclosure; restroom; and the restoration of a portion of Sycamore Creek. Other amenities include trees, landscaping, accessible pathways, fencing, lighting, right-of-way and park access improvements for vehicular circulation, a bus loading zone, and the increase of onsite and perimeter parking from 196 to 242 spaces.

Project Design and Construction
On May 6, 2025, City Council awarded Ohno Construction a construction contract for the Dwight Murphy Field Renewal Project (Project) in the amount of $26,773,425. The contractor broke ground on June 5, 2025. The City previously contracted with RRM Design Group (RRM) in 2021 to prepare final design and construction documents, including specifications and estimates, for the Project. Since that time, the contract with RRM has been amended to address additional design, bidding, construction Agenda Item No. 10
Council Agenda Report
Fifth Contract Amendment with RRM Design Group for Final Design and Construction Documents for the Dwight Murphy Field Renewal Project [Agreement] April 21, 2026

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administration and testing services in support of project construction. During construction, different soils conditions were discovered requiring additional testing, land surveying, and construction administration. Additionally, the City requested RRM Design Group revise the Project design plans to address safety and project funding, including access to the playground and addition of an entry arch to recognize Mr. Ty Warner’s $5 Million gift in support of the Project.

Contract Amendment
On December 14, 2021, Council authorized the Public Works Director to execute a professional services agreement with RRM in the amount of $838,191 to prepare final design and construction documents, including specifications and estimates, for the Project. On April 18, 2023, Council approved the first contract amendment for $83,590 for supplemental field investigation work. On December 10, 2024, Council approved the second contract amendment for $18,700 to provide additional bid support for the project.

On May 6, 2025, Council approved the third contract amendment for $311,960 to provide construction administration support. On October 7, 2025, Council approved fourth contract amendment for $87,000 to provide soils testing and playground safety audits during construction. The purpose of the fifth contract amendment is to provide additional soils testing, land surveying, and construction administration for a new not-to-exceed dollar amount of $1,425,681.

BUDGET/FINANCIAL INFORMATION:

Funding for the contract amendment is appropriated in the Fiscal Year 2025 Measure C Capital Outlay Fund. The following outlines the total project cost, including the additional expenditure in this report:
*Cents have been rounded to the nearest dollar in this table.

Construction Contract (Ohno Construction) $26,773,425
Construction Change Order Allowance 2,677,342
Subtotal $29,450,767
City Procured Materials (turf, modular restroom, etc.) 1,126,346 Other Construction Costs (permits, etc.) 104,365
CWA Administration (by TSG Enterprises) 47,696
Construction Management/Inspection (by City Staff) 778,727 Construction Administration (by RRM) 485,200
Subtotal $2,542,334
Total Project Construction Cost to Completion $31,993,101 Project funding for construction includes $6 million from The Gwendolyn Strong Foundation, a $1.5 million Federal Government Community Priority Funding grant, $6 million in previously appropriated Measure C funds, the recent debt issuance of $13 million approved by the City Council, and a $5 million pledge from Ty Warner. Total Council Agenda Report
Fifth Contract Amendment with RRM Design Group for Final Design and Construction Documents for the Dwight Murphy Field Renewal Project [Agreement] April 21, 2026

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Project construction costs exceed the existing appropriations currently available ($26.5M). Staff is considering possible additional financing, donations, and future Measure C appropriations to close the approximately $400,000 budget gap.

SUSTAINABILITY IMPACT:

The Project will further the City’s sustainability goals through incorporating environmentally responsible design and construction techniques including, the specification of recycled content building materials, construction debris recycling, addition of electric vehicle chargers, and the use of native and drought tolerant landscaping.

A copy of the contract amendment may be requested from the Public Works Department for public review. Please contact [email protected] to request a copy.

PREPARED BY: Justin Van Mullem, Capital Projects Supervisor Jill Zachary, Parks and Recreation Director
SUBMITTED BY: Brian D’Amour, Public Works Director
APPROVED BY: Kelly McAdoo, City Administrator

CITY OF SANTA BARBARA

COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
AGENDA DATE: April 21, 2026
TO: Mayor and Councilmembers
FROM: Fire Department
SUBJECT: Approval of Standard Equipment for Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) for the Fire Department
RECOMMENDATION:

That Council waive formal bidding requirements and approve 3M/SCOTT SCBAs as Standard Equipment for the Fire Department for the next fifteen years, in accordance with Section 4.52.070 (L) of the Municipal Code.

DISCUSSION:

The Fire Department’s current SCBA equipment has reached the end of its service life.

Measure C funds in the amount of $1,500,000 have been appropriated for replacement.

The Department has identified 3M/SCOTT as its preferred brand and is requesting a best interest waiver. A formal competitive bid process will be conducted to ensure the City receives the best overall value as multiple vendors sell the brand 3M/SCOTT. 3M/SCOTT is the current SCBA system in use by the City of Santa Barbara. Existing air bottles are compatible with current packs and filling stations, and personnel are already trained and familiar with the equipment. The Fire Department’s Personal Protective Equipment Committee evaluated multiple manufacturers including those used by neighboring agencies.

Based on this evaluation, 3M/SCOTT was determined to be the most advantageous option due to its ease of use, compatibility with existing equipment (including packs, bottles, and compressors), and enhanced safety features. The SCOTT system also offers mask enhancements that improve firefighter safety and integrate seamlessly with current equipment. The City’s policies and procedures allow for an “or equal” on competitive awards. Standardized items that are not a Sole Source will be competitively awarded in accordance with the City’s policies and procedures based on value, but without allowing for an “or equal” alternative.

Agenda Item No. 11
Council Agenda Report
Approval of Standard Equipment for Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) for the Fire Department
April 21, 2026

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Section 4.52.070 (L) of the Municipal Code authorizes Council to purchase equipment, supplies, and general services without complying with Formal Bidding Procedures when, in the opinion of the Council, compliance with the procedure is not in the best interest of the City.

BUDGET/FINANCIAL INFORMATION:

There are no financial impacts for the approval of the Best Interest Waiver. Adequate expenditure appropriation exists in the Fire Department budget for the purchase of SCBAs.

PREPARED BY: Rich Ames, Battalion Chief
SUBMITTED BY: Chris Mailes, Fire Chief
APPROVED BY: Kelly McAdoo, City Administrator

CITY OF SANTA BARBARA

COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
AGENDA DATE: April 21, 2026
TO: Mayor and Councilmembers
FROM: Finance Department
SUBJECT: Fiscal Year 2026 Interim Financial Statements for the Eight Months Ended February 28, 2026
RECOMMENDATION:

That Council accept the Fiscal Year 2026 Interim Financial Statements for the eight months ended February 28, 2026.

DISCUSSION:

The interim financial statements for the eight months ended February 28, 2026 (67% of the fiscal year) are attached. The interim financial statements include budgetary activity in comparison to actual activity for the General Fund, Enterprise Funds, Internal Service Funds, and select Special Revenue Funds.

ATTACHMENT: Interim Financial Statements for the Eight Months Ended February 28, 2026
PREPARED BY: Nathalie Lecolley, Controller
SUBMITTED BY: Keith DeMartini, Finance Director
APPROVED BY: Kelly McAdoo, City Administrator
Agenda Item No. 12
ATTACHMENT 1
Remaining
Adopted Revised YTD Encum- Balance with %of Previous
Budget Budget Actual brances Revised budget Budget YTD
GENERAL FUND (pages 3-7)
Revenue 208,664,394 209,509,702 128,276,393 - 81,233,309 61.2% 135,389,253 Expenditures 210,270,440 218,911,999 136,456,105 5,996,661 76,459,234 65.1% 149,191,071 Addition to / (use of) reserves (9,402,298) (1,606,046) (8,179,712) (5,996,661) 4,774,075 (13,801,818) MEASURE C (pages 3-7)
Included in GF summary
Revenue 34,235,000 34,257,500 22,154,807 - 12,102,693 64.7% 21,750,318 Expenditures 35,119,802 79,250,477 17,202,027 - 62,048,450 21.7% 26,212,226 Addition to / (use of) reserves (44,992,977) (884,802) 4,952,781 - (49,945,758) (4,461,908) SOLID WASTE FUND (page 9)
Revenue 42,990,702 43,199,169 28,421,627 - 14,777,542 65.8% 26,865,278 Expenditures 42,373,212 42,940,718 26,491,292 7,777,088 8,672,339 79.8% 23,897,395 Addition to / (use of) reserves 258,451 617,491 1,930,335 (7,777,088) 6,105,204 2,967,883 WATER OPERATING FUND (page 10)
Revenue 86,755,946 86,755,946 58,149,600 - 28,606,346 67.0% 55,845,319 Expenditures 89,330,512 92,373,085 53,057,627 9,994,327 29,321,131 68.3% 48,571,871 Addition to / (use of) reserves (5,617,139) (2,574,566) 5,091,973 (9,994,327) (714,786) 7,273,448 WASTEWATER OPERATING FUND (page 11)
Revenue 34,492,415 34,492,415 22,484,598 - 12,007,817 65.2% 21,608,658 Expenditures 37,164,550 38,506,072 22,447,155 2,549,103 13,509,814 64.9% 20,292,533 Addition to / (use of) reserves (4,013,657) (2,672,135) 37,443 (2,549,103) (1,501,997) 1,316,125 DOWNTOWN PARKING FUND (page 12)
Revenue 10,239,915 10,292,475 6,840,175 - 3,452,300 66.5% 7,400,623 Expenditures 10,292,863 10,498,546 6,502,209 311,861 3,684,476 64.9% 7,434,359 Addition to / (use of) reserves (206,071) (52,948) 337,966 (311,861) (232,175) (33,736) AIRPORT OPERATING FUND (page 13)
Revenue 35,563,735 41,639,385 22,428,302 - 19,211,083 53.9% 22,084,143 Expenditures 41,945,246 55,771,253 26,468,764 5,461,168 23,841,320 57.3% 23,839,968 Addition to / (use of) reserves (14,131,868) (6,381,511) (4,040,462) (5,461,168) (4,630,238) (1,755,825) GOLF COURSE FUND (page 14)
Revenue 5,267,832 5,267,832 3,217,785 - 2,050,047 61.1% 3,156,316 Expenditures 5,741,937 6,344,110 3,901,180 - 2,442,930 61.5% 2,496,494 Addition to / (use of) reserves (1,076,278) (474,105) (683,395) - (392,883) 659,821 FACILITIES MANAGEMENT FUND (page 15)
Revenue 8,285,099 8,285,099 5,632,842 - 2,652,257 68.0% 4,621,319 Expenditures 7,844,685 8,024,773 4,804,246 407,650 2,812,878 64.9% 3,848,582 Addition to / (use of) reserves 260,325 440,414 828,596 (407,650) (160,621) 772,737

CITY OF SANTA BARBARA
Interim Statement of Revenues and Expenditures
Summary by Fund
For Seven Months Ended February 28, 2026 (66.6% of Fiscal Year)

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Remaining
Adopted Revised YTD Encum- Balance with %of Previous
Budget Budget Actual brances Revised budget Budget YTD

CITY OF SANTA BARBARA
Interim Statement of Revenues and Expenditures
Summary by Fund
For Seven Months Ended February 28, 2026 (66.6% of Fiscal Year) FLEET REPLACEMENT FUND (page 16)
Revenue 7,517,447 7,550,586 5,366,783 - 2,183,803 71.1% 4,669,206 Expenditures 5,225,193 10,503,607 1,551,829 835,354 8,116,424 22.7% 1,872,397 Addition to / (use of) reserves (2,953,021) 2,292,254 3,814,954 (835,354) (5,932,620) 2,796,809 FLEET MAINTENANCE FUND (page 17)
Revenue 4,174,813 4,176,813 2,777,755 - 1,399,058 66.5% 2,336,584 Expenditures 4,023,444 4,039,468 2,576,037 262,849 1,200,582 70.3% 2,473,410 Addition to / (use of) reserves 137,344 151,369 201,718 (262,849) 198,476 (136,826) SELF INSURANCE TRUST FUND (page 18)
Revenue 25,414,322 25,514,322 17,142,196 - 8,372,126 67.2% 13,581,339 Expenditures 24,784,085 24,999,880 13,521,940 518,929 10,959,012 56.2% 11,283,237 Addition to / (use of) reserves 514,442 630,237 3,620,256 (518,929) (2,586,886) 2,298,102 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY FUND (page 19)
Revenue 10,602,324 10,602,327 7,032,327 - 3,570,000 66.3% 6,316,700 Expenditures 9,936,222 10,073,494 6,892,328 174,126 3,007,040 70.1% 6,280,555 Addition to / (use of) reserves 528,833 666,102 139,999 (174,126) 562,960 36,144 WATERFRONT OPERATING FUND (page 20)
Revenue 20,788,855 20,788,855 13,809,910 - 6,978,945 66.4% 14,006,993 Expenditures 22,732,468 22,941,467 14,360,972 985,176 7,595,318 66.9% 13,358,535 Addition to / (use of) reserves (2,152,612) (1,943,613) (551,062) (985,176) (616,373) 648,457 SANTA BARBARA CLEAN ENERGY FUND (page 21)
Revenue 47,843,217 47,843,217 27,545,245 - 20,297,972 57.6% 28,230,521 Expenditures 50,573,418 52,623,178 28,294,678 5,119,699 19,208,801 63.5% 30,576,004 Addition to / (use of) reserves (4,779,960) (2,730,201) (749,433) (5,119,699) 1,089,172 (2,345,483) ENERGY AND CLIMATE MANAGEMENT FUND (page 22)
Revenue 2,288,786 2,288,786 1,514,976 - 773,810 66.2% 1,481,291 Expenditures 2,313,378 2,705,342 1,287,923 81,160 1,336,259 50.6% 1,243,404 Addition to / (use of) reserves (416,556) (24,592) 227,053 (81,160) (562,449) 237,887

TOTAL FOR ALL FUNDS
Revenue 550,889,802 558,206,928 350,640,513 - 207,566,415 62.8% 347,593,542 Expenditures 564,551,652 601,256,993 348,614,285 40,475,149 212,167,558 64.7% 346,659,816 Addition to / (use of) reserves (43,050,065) (13,661,850) 2,026,227 (40,475,149) (4,601,143) 933,726 ** It is City policy to adopt a balanced budget. In most cases, encumbrance balances exist at year-end. These encumbrance balances are obligations of each fund and must be reported at the beginning of each fiscal year. In addition, a corresponding appropriations entry must be made in order to accommodate the 'carried-over' encumbrance amount. Most differences between budgeted annual revenues and expenses are due to these encumbrance carryovers.

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Remaining
Adopted Revised YTD Balance with Percent Previous Change Over Budget Budget Actual Revised budget Received YTD Prior Year TAXES
Sales and Use 31,960,000 31,960,000 20,206,618 11,753,382 63.2% 20,802,745 -2.9% Measure C Sales Tax 34,235,000 34,257,500 22,154,807 12,102,693 64.7% 21,750,318 1.9% Measure I Sales Tax 15,100,000 15,100,000 8,021,813 7,078,187 53.1% - 0.0% Property Taxes 53,581,500 53,581,500 28,476,398 25,105,102 53.1% 27,207,266 0.0% Utility Users Tax 8,200,000 8,200,000 5,018,277 3,181,723 61.2% 5,616,997 -10.7% Transient Occupancy Tax 29,561,000 29,561,000 21,295,899 8,265,101 72.0% 20,725,180 2.8% Business License 2,958,000 2,958,000 2,234,100 723,900 75.5% 2,318,924 -3.7% Cannabis Excise Tax 1,000,000 1,000,000 690,527 309,473 69.1% 644,608 7.1% Real Property Transfer Tax 1,000,000 1,000,000 628,241 371,759 62.8% 509,616 23.3% Total Tax Revenues 177,618,000 177,595,500 108,726,681 68,891,319 61.2% 99,575,654 9.2%

LICENSES & PERMITS
Licenses & Permits 239,725 240,925 81,424 159,501 33.8% 101,028 -19.4% Total 240,925 239,725 81,424 159,501 33.8% 101,028 -19.4%

FINES & FORFEITURES
Police 2,900,252 2,900,252 2,169,052 731,200 74.8% 1,389,764 56.1% Other Fines & Forfeitures 505,400 505,400 313,213 192,187 62.0% 696,332 -55.0% Total 3,405,652 3,405,652 2,482,265 923,388 72.9% 2,086,096 19.0%

USE OF MONEY & PROPERTY
Investment Income 2,497,391 2,497,391 1,264,729 1,232,662 50.6% 996,562 26.9% Rents & Concessions 1,615,325 1,615,325 1,029,864 585,461 63.8% 852,192 20.8% Total 4,112,716 4,112,716 2,294,592 1,818,123 55.8% 1,848,754 24.1%

INTERGOVERNMENTAL
Library 919,983 919,983 37,402 882,582 4.1% 45,601 0.0% Fire 1,500,000 1,500,000 941,771 558,229 62.8% 1,103,866 0.0% Other Intergovernmental 497,078 497,078 583,164 (86,086) 117.3% 423,058 37.8% Total 2,917,061 2,917,061 1,562,336 1,354,724 53.6% 1,572,524 -0.6%

FEES & SERVICE CHARGES
Community Development 7,762,650 7,822,650 6,216,258 1,606,392 79.5% 5,316,765 16.9% Parks & Recreation 4,869,967 4,809,767 3,208,811 1,600,956 66.7% 2,901,650 10.6% Other Service Charges 3,262,558 3,782,479 1,970,345 1,812,134 52.1% 2,082,197 -5.4% Total 16,414,896 15,895,175 11,395,414 5,019,481 69.4% 10,300,613 10.6%

OTHER REVENUES
Interfund Charges & Reimbursement 17,339,859 17,339,859 10,541,503 6,798,356 60.8% 9,519,231 10.7% Overhead Indirect Allocations 12,953,367 12,921,424 8,587,490 4,333,934 66.5% 6,338,388 35.5% Interfund Transfers 637,407 893,737 634,960 258,777 71.0% 338,686 87.5% Interfund Loans 24,140 24,140 - 24,140 0.0% - 0.0%
Miscellaneous 1,201,292 1,301,292 233,586 1,067,706 18.0% 165,442 41.2% Donations 77,500 77,500 32,250 45,250 41.6% 32,877 -1.9% Franchise Fees 6,500,000 6,500,000 3,858,698 2,641,302 59.4% 3,509,960 9.9% Total 39,057,953 38,733,565 23,888,487 15,169,466 61.2% 19,904,584 20.0% Subtotal Non-Tax Revenues 66,149,202 65,303,894 41,704,519 24,444,683 63.0% 35,813,599 16.4% TOTAL REVENUES 243,767,202 242,899,394 150,431,200 93,336,002 61.7% 135,389,253 11.1%

CITY OF SANTA BARBARA
General Fund
Interim Statement of Budgeted and Actual Revenues
For Seven Months Ended February 28, 2026 (66.6% of Fiscal Year)

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YTD
Remaining Expended
Adopted Revised YTD Encum- Balance with and Previous
Budget Budget Actual brances Revised budget Encumbered YTD

GENERAL GOVERNMENT
Mayor & City Council
MAYOR & CITY COUNCIL 1,358,463 1,356,249 796,197 15,206 547,060 59.7% 795,884 ARTS & COMMUNITY PROMOTIONS 2,021,798 2,000,318 1,138,110 673,739 209,949 89.6% 1,643,514 Total 3,380,261 3,356,567 1,934,307 688,946 757,009 77.6% 2,439,398 City Attorney
CITY ATTORNEY-ADMINISTRATION 5,877,898 5,612,505 3,484,462 269,318 2,124,118 63.9% 833,670 CITY ATTORNEY-ADVISORY 16,000 - 27 16,000 (27) 100.2% 921,153 CITY ATTORNEY-CODE ENFORCEMENT - - (1,122) - 1,122 0.0% 604,092 Total 5,893,898 5,612,505 3,483,368 285,318 2,125,213 63.9% 3,237,291 Administration
CITY ADMINISTRATOR 3,452,710 3,268,068 2,227,224 325,684 899,803 73.9% 1,970,455 EMPLOYEE RELATIONS 83 - 55.13 - 28 66.7% 4,346
CITY TV 701,500 620,913 349,559 15,003 336,938 52.0% 370,028 DOWNTOWN PROGRAM 1,976,837 1,870,507 1,180,309 507,321 289,207 85.4% - HUMAN SVCS. 1,414,826 461,532 516,429 924,138 (25,741) 101.8% - HOUSING MEDIATION 548,306 547,928 343,812 190 204,303 62.7% - COMMUNITY VITALITY 850,723 850,162 277,018 253 573,451 32.6% - CITY CLERK 1,000,982 974,650 642,342 24,503 334,138 66.6% 526,419 Total 9,945,966 8,593,758 5,536,748 1,797,091 2,612,126 73.7% 2,871,249 Human Resources
HUMAN RESOURCES 2,506,311 2,455,968 1,368,127 113,201 1,024,984 59.1% 1,533,729 EMPLOYEE RELATIONS 494,135 384,894 216,959 129,345 147,831 70.1% 187,847 EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT 98,068 94,447 26,645 6,193 65,230 33.5% 41,366 Total 3,098,514 2,935,310 1,611,731 248,739 1,238,045 60.0% 1,762,942 Finance
ADMINISTRATION 440,384 342,626 286,591 53,146 100,648 77.1% 260,961 REVENUE & CASH MANAGEMENT 1,243,646 949,533 552,112 198,779 492,755 60.4% 521,972 CASHIERING & COLLECTION 1,872,193 1,684,907 990,027 27,842 854,324 54.4% 841,885 BUDGET MANAGEMENT 1,284,428 1,067,783 762,533 7,000 514,895 59.9% 715,684 ACCOUNTING 1,247,640 1,245,821 782,572 26,862 438,207 64.9% 764,605 MISCELLANEOUS 520,917 519,768 335,503 - 185,413 64.4% 325,126 ACCOUNTS PAYABLE 324,925 311,736 232,612 12,450 79,863 75.4% 235,376 CITY BILLING & CUSTOMER SERVICE 1,080,161 928,460 638,303 44,347 397,512 63.2% 488,667 PURCHASING 860,454 858,216 571,128 - 289,326 66.4% 503,030 CENTRAL WAREHOUSE 222,407 220,475 146,217 - 76,190 65.7% 136,429 MAIL SERVICES 190,819 185,000 116,065 11,933 62,822 67.1% 110,285 Total 9,287,975 8,314,325 5,413,663 382,359 3,491,953 62.4% 4,904,020 TOTAL GENERAL GOVERNMENT 31,606,614 28,812,465 17,979,816 3,402,452 10,224,346 67.7% 15,214,900 General Fund
Interim Statement of Appropriations, Expenditures and Encumbrances For Seven Months Ended February 28, 2026 (66.6% of Fiscal Year)

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YTD
Remaining Expended
Adopted Revised YTD Encum- Balance with and Previous
Budget Budget Actual brances Revised budget Encumbered YTD General Fund
Interim Statement of Appropriations, Expenditures and Encumbrances For Seven Months Ended February 28, 2026 (66.6% of Fiscal Year)

PUBLIC SAFETY
Police
CHIEF'S STAFF 2,741,936 2,711,702 2,546,793 83,441 111,702 95.9% 2,189,323 BUSINESS OFFICE 1,087,284 1,080,247 706,598 - 380,686 65.0% 635,382 RECORDS BUREAU 2,394,342 2,354,721 1,509,882 2,417 882,043 63.2% 1,379,843 STRATEGIC OPERATIONS 2,811,642 2,786,798 1,883,733 12,817 915,092 67.5% 1,727,809 PROPERTY ROOM 327,481 325,300 221,868 - 105,614 67.7% 172,645 TRAINING, RECRUITMENT/WELLNESS 3,981,067 3,898,322 2,058,911 63,546 1,858,610 53.3% 1,900,173 RANGE AND EQUIPMENT 2,169,291 2,103,076 1,339,056 73,378 756,857 65.1% 1,138,091 INF.TECHNOLOGY/CRIME ANALYSIS 2,131,461 2,074,900 1,640,709 71,676 419,077 80.3% 1,660,883 CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS & INTERNAL OP'S 7,133,433 7,046,070 4,779,396 19,955 2,334,083 67.3% 4,197,239 CRIME LAB 200,990 199,614 121,026 - 79,964 60.2% 116,908 FIELD OPERATIONS DIVISION 25,513,384 25,304,759 16,315,638 26,842 9,170,904 64.1% 15,272,225 TRAFFIC 1,415,159 1,406,459 1,111,521 - 303,637 78.5% 790,801 SPECIAL EVENTS 711,399 676,025 260,325 40,738 410,337 42.3% 254,054 STREET CRIMES UNIT 2,663,617 2,203,889 1,887,910 - 775,706 70.9% 1,525,740 SPECIAL ENFORCEMENT TEAM 108,194 108,194 - - 108,194 0.0% 37,427 PARKING AND STREET SWEEPING 409,637 406,848 219,918 - 189,719 53.7% 208,136 PARKING ENFORCEMENT 1,205,747 1,186,147 756,356 4,026 445,365 63.1% 614,404 COMBINED COMMUNICATIONS CTR. 4,301,134 4,277,707 2,540,961 - 1,760,173 59.1% 2,514,586 ANIMAL CONTROL 1,066,360 1,042,167 412,778 472,702 180,880 83.0% 465,901 Total 62,373,558 61,192,945 40,313,379 871,537 21,188,643 66.0% 36,801,572 Fire
ADMINISTRATION 1,626,701 1,620,294 1,508,755 - 117,945 92.7% 1,388,705 EMERGENCY SRVS / PUBLIC ED 544,545 543,168 331,758 - 212,786 60.9% 295,704 PREVENTION 1,623,253 1,516,456 969,491 - 653,762 59.7% 848,609 WILDLAND FIRE MITIGATION PROG. 435,245 397,918 227,872 - 207,374 52.4% 206,130 OPERATIONS 35,563,185 32,499,169 22,272,514 44,257 13,246,414 62.8% 20,153,858 TRAINING AND RECRUITMENT 1,850,530 1,713,641 649,022 4,543 1,196,965 35.3% 1,034,972 ARFF 4,420,055 4,090,031 2,975,854 - 1,444,201 67.3% 2,418,609 Total 46,063,514 42,380,676 28,935,266 48,800 17,079,448 62.9% 26,346,587 TOTAL PUBLIC SAFETY 108,437,073 103,573,620 69,248,645 920,337 38,268,091 64.7% 63,148,159

PUBLIC WORKS
Public Works
ADMINISTRATION 1,927,270 1,956,797 1,100,682 23,353 832,761 57.4% 1,389,227 ENGINEERING SVCS 10,831,773 10,845,794 6,543,292 1,463 4,301,039 60.3% 6,019,541 PUBLIC RT OF WAY MGMT 2,428,203 2,448,302 1,357,938 16,040 1,074,325 56.1% 1,368,881 Total 15,250,893 15,187,246 9,001,912 40,856 6,208,125 59.3% 8,777,650 TOTAL PUBLIC WORKS 15,250,893 15,187,246 9,001,912 40,856 6,208,125 59.3% 8,777,650

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YTD
Remaining Expended
Adopted Revised YTD Encum- Balance with and Previous
Budget Budget Actual brances Revised budget Encumbered YTD General Fund
Interim Statement of Appropriations, Expenditures and Encumbrances For Seven Months Ended February 28, 2026 (66.6% of Fiscal Year)

COMMUNITY SERVICES
Parks & Recreation
REC PROGRAM MGMT 898,708 883,128 671,231 7,244 220,233 75.5% 718,125 FACILITIES & SPECIAL EVENTS 2,423,941 2,450,750 1,459,585 131,648 832,708 65.6% 1,429,380 YOUTH ACTIVITIES 1,864,121 1,802,962 1,051,123 38,586 774,412 58.5% 990,996 ACTIVE ADULTS 1,176,905 1,175,653 747,528 2,917 426,460 63.8% 644,197 AQUATICS 2,621,355 2,711,087 1,909,724 55,626 656,005 75.0% 1,678,890 SPORTS 1,585,416 1,593,010 969,700 110,405 505,311 68.1% 831,007 NEIGHBORHOOD/OUTREACH SERV 1,692,130 1,679,472 940,806 10,463 740,861 56.2% 833,190 ADMINISTRATION 1,744,093 1,740,812 1,130,699 1,186 612,208 64.9% 994,190 PROJECT MANAGEMENT TEAM 1,166,872 1,141,579 671,985 15,851 479,037 58.9% 517,653 PARK OPERATIONS MNGMNT 1,516,441 1,510,344 931,598 53,121 531,722 64.9% 907,196 GROUNDS & FACILITIES MAINT. 8,349,876 8,243,319 4,648,561 156,984 3,544,331 57.6% 4,367,424 FORESTRY 2,274,448 2,139,374 1,535,085 28,756 710,608 68.8% 1,247,901 BEACH MAINTENANCE 363,327 363,025 222,771 12,981 127,575 64.9% 150,447 MEDIANS PARKWAYS&CONTRACTS 613,585 612,913 274,906 180,179 158,500 74.2% 269,735 Total 28,291,217 28,047,427 17,165,301 805,946 10,319,971 63.5% 15,580,333 Library
ADMINISTRATION 1,080,355 998,300 653,049 - 345,251 65.4% 732,110 CENTRAL LIBRARY 7,659,841 7,755,010 4,627,197 116,124 3,011,688 61.2% 3,578,547 EASTSIDE LIBRARY 661,165 661,504 429,706 1,678 230,121 65.2% 363,373 LIBRARY ON THE GO 461,718 461,913 294,197 - 167,716 63.7% 239,776 ADULT EDUCATION - - 21,225 - (21,225) 0.0% 266,329
Total 9,876,726 9,863,079 6,025,375 117,802 3,733,550 62.2% 5,180,135 TOTAL COMMUNITY SERVICES 38,167,944 37,910,506 23,190,675 923,748 14,053,521 63.2% 20,760,468

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Community Development
ADMINISTRATION 1,169,403 1,165,113 1,095,329 29,137 44,937 96.2% 1,431,175 HUMAN SERVICES 149,733 - - - 149,733 0.0% 348,522
LONG RANGE PLAN & SPEC STUDY 1,594,817 1,540,735 765,880 30,737 798,200 50.0% 827,416 DEVEL & ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW 2,981,378 2,089,169 1,420,196 66,585 1,494,597 49.9% 1,223,496 ZONING INFO & ENFORCEMENT 1,844,615 1,839,465 1,127,293 4,486 712,836 61.4% 1,017,319 DESIGN REV & HIST PRESERVATION 1,916,304 1,909,414 1,152,841 2,156 761,307 60.3% 1,068,499 BLDG INSP & CODE ENFORCEMENT 2,077,958 2,070,662 1,321,456 1,019 755,483 63.6% 1,051,070 RECORDS ARCHIVES & CLER SVCS 786,056 776,448 487,385 13,106 285,565 63.7% 456,600 BLDG COUNTER & PLAN REV SVCS 3,781,602 3,439,615 2,010,808 481,163 1,289,631 65.9% 1,836,345 CODE COMPLIANCE 1,143,763 1,138,778 720,656 2,730 420,376 63.2% 618,054 Total 17,445,629 15,969,397 10,101,845 631,120 6,712,665 61.5% 10,128,431 TOTAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT 17,445,629 15,969,397 10,101,845 631,120 6,712,665 61.5% 10,128,431

Page 6 ends

YTD
Remaining Expended
Adopted Revised YTD Encum- Balance with and Previous
Budget Budget Actual brances Revised budget Encumbered YTD General Fund
Interim Statement of Appropriations, Expenditures and Encumbrances For Seven Months Ended February 28, 2026 (66.6% of Fiscal Year)

SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE
Sustainability and Resilience
ABATEMENT 305,513 500,506 244,586 78,148 177,772 64.5% 244,591 Total 500,506 305,513 244,586 78,148 177,772 64.5% 262,984 TOTAL SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE 500,506 305,513 244,586 78,148 177,772 64.5% 262,984

NON-DEPARTMENTAL
Non-Departmental
TRANSFERS OUT 4,311,777 4,129,777 3,295,942 - 833,835 79.8% 3,482,919 CAPITAL OUTLAY TRANSFER 575,026 589,026 392,684 - 196,342 66.7% 1,203,333 APPROP. RESERVE 500,000 385,799 - - 385,799 0.0% -
MEASURE C SALES TAX 35,119,802 79,250,477 17,202,027 - 62, 21.7% 048,450 26,212,226 MEASURE I TRANSFER 3,726,150 3,000,000 3,000,000 - - 100.0% - Sub Total 87,355,079 44,232,755 23,890,652 - 63, 27.3% 464,427 30,898,478 ANTICIPATED SALARY SAVINGS (601,260) (601,260) - (601,260) - 0.0% - TOTAL NON-DEPARTMENTAL 86,753,819 43,631,495 23,890,652 - 62, 27.5% 863,167 30,898,478 TOTAL EXPENDITURES 298,162,477 245,390,243 153,658,131 5,996,661 138,507,686 53.5% 149,191,071 ** The legal level of budgetary control is at the department level for the General Fund. Therefore, as long as the department as a whole is within budget, budgetary compliance has been achieved. The City actively monitors the budget status of each department and takes measures to address potential over budget situations before they occur.

For Enterprise and Internal Service Funds, the level of budgetary control is at the fund level. The City also monitors and addresses these fund types for potential over budget situations.

Page 7 ends

Remaining
Adopted Revised YTD Encum- Balance with Percent of Previous Budget Budget Actual brances Revised budget Budget YTD

TRAFFIC SAFETY FUND
Revenue 245,000 245,000 184,031 - 60,969 75.1% 124,364
Expenditures 245,000 245,000 184,031 - 60,969 75.1% 126,219 Revenue Less Expenditures - - - - - (1,855)

CREEK RESTORATION/WATER QUALITY IMPRVMT
Revenue 6,772,647 6,772,647 4,919,001 - 1,853,646 72.6% 4,719,888 Expenditures 7,136,975 7,648,891 4,118,356 1,232,996 2,297,539 70.0% 3,932,938 Revenue Less Expenditures (876,243) (364,328) 800,646 (1,232,996) (443,893) 786,950

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT
Revenue 1,147,812 2,066,275 219,224 - 1,847,051 10.6% 286,256 Expenditures 1,146,418 2,849,152 985,607 860,139 1,003,406 64.8% 168,666 Revenue Less Expenditures (782,877) 1,394 (766,383) (860,139) 843,645 117,590

COUNTY LIBRARY
Revenue 498,834 498,834 2,739 - 496,095 0.5% 1,582
Expenditures 487,876 490,058 292,579 5,308 192,172 60.8% 273,589 Revenue Less Expenditures 8,776 10,958 (289,840) (5,308) 303,923 (272,007)

STREETS FUND
Revenue 14,454,321 14,454,321 9,057,876 - 5,396,445 62.7% 10,236,923 Expenditures 14,583,350 14,735,691 9,274,974 204,903 5,255,814 64.3% 8,844,917 Revenue Less Expenditures (281,370) (129,029) (217,098) (204,903) 140,631 1,392,006

MEASURE A FUND
Revenue 5,211,328 5,211,328 2,796,564 - 2,414,764 53.7% 3,007,021 Expenditures 5,519,615 6,045,862 3,861,008 406,824 1,778,031 70.6% 5,292,851 Revenue Less Expenditures (834,534) (308,287) (1,064,444) (406,824) 636,733 (2,285,830)

CITY OF SANTA BARBARA
Interim Statement of Revenues and Expenditures
Special Revenue Funds
For Seven Months Ended February 28, 2026 (66.6% of Fiscal Year)

Page 8 ends

Remaining
Adopted Revised YTD Encum- Balance with Percent of Previous Budget Budget Actual brances Revised budget Budget YTD

REVENUES
Service charges 42,584,431 42,584,431 28,134,278 - 14,450,153 66.1% 26,682,788 Other Fees & Charges 30,000 30,000 16,914 - 13,086 56.4% 17,704 Investment Income 295,599 295,599 250,330 - 45,269 84.7% 162,084 Rents & Concessions 30,133 30,133 20,093 - 10,040 66.7% - Grants 21,651 230,118 - - 230,118 0.0% -
Miscellaneous 28,888 28,888 11 - 28,877 0.0% 2,702
TOTAL REVENUES 43,199,169 42,990,702 28,421,627 - 14,777,542 65.8% 26,865,278

EXPENSES
Salaries & Benefits 2,416,512 2,438,536 1,407,045 - 1,031,490 57.7% 1,275,036 Materials, Supplies & Services 38,686,000 38,932,089 24,513,364 7,713,485 6,705,239 82.8% 22,003,217 Special Projects 810,100 810,100 353,085 1,547 455,468 43.8% 348,212 Transfers-Out 200,000 230,000 133,333 - 96,667 58.0% 133,333 Equipment 220,600 489,994 84,464 62,055 343,475 29.9% 137,598 Other 40,000 40,000 - - 40,000 0.0% -
TOTAL EXPENSES 42,940,718 42,373,212 26,491,292 7,777,088 8,672,339 79.8% 23,897,395 Revenue Less Expense 258,451 617,491 1,930,335 (7,777,088) 6,105,204 2,967,883

CITY OF SANTA BARBARA
Interim Statement of Revenues and Expenditures
For Seven Months Ended February 28, 2026 (66.6% of Fiscal Year)

SOLID WASTE FUND

Page 9 ends

Remaining
Adopted Revised YTD Encum- Balance with Percent of Previous Budget Budget Actual brances Revised budget Budget YTD

REVENUES
Water Sales- Metered 73,480,000 73,480,000 47, - 293,537 26, 64.4% 47, 186,463 393,910 Service Charges 254,500 254,500 - 222,078 32,422 87.3% 219,410 Cater JPA Treatment 2,400,000 2, 1, 400,000 - 729,442 72.1% 1, 670,558 539,246 Investment Income 3, 3, 770,100 2, 770,100 - 808,381 74.5% 2, 961,719 112,056 Reimbursements 6,691,346 6, 5, 691,346 - 389,223 1, 80.5% 4, 302,123 045,436 Miscellaneous 160,000 160,000 - 706,939 ( 546,939) 441.8% 535,261 TOTAL REVENUES 86,755,946 86,755,946 58, - 149,600 28, 67.0% 55, 606,346 845,319

EXPENSES
Salaries & Benefits 17,350,630 17,387,644 10, - 938,062 6, 62.9% 10, 449,582 021,368 Materials, Supplies 26,341,590 29,188,433 12, 9,627,610 658,916 6, 76.4% 10, 901,907 745,317 Special Projects 1,000,535 1, 052,983 328,843 115,694 42.2% 608,445 159,059 Water Purchases 8,670,000 8, 6, 670,000 - 191,670 2, 71.4% 5, 478,330 520,535 Debt Service 8,531,662 8, 5, 531,662 - 047,718 3, 59.2% 5, 483,944 572,401 Transfer-Out 61,392 61,392 36,288 - 25,104 59.1% 34,603 Capital Outlay Transfers 26,247,004 26,247,004 17, - 498,003 8, 66.7% 16, 749,001 221,967 Equipment 248,899 63,165 258,428 47,469 42.8% 147,795 107,900 Capitalized Fixed Assets 695,000 788,739 247,209 202,053 57.0% 339,477 149,312 Other 33,800 36,800 47,754 1,500 (12, 454) 133.8% 39,408 Appropriated Reserve 150,000 - 150,000 - 0.0% - 150,000 TOTAL EXPENSES 92,373,085 89,330,512 53, 9,994,327 057,627 29, 68.3% 48, 321,131 571,871 Revenue Less Expense (5, (2,574,566) 5, 617,139) (9, 091,973 ( 994,327) 7, 714,786) 273,448

CITY OF SANTA BARBARA
Interim Statement of Revenues and Expenditures
For Seven Months Ended February 28, 2026 (66.6% of Fiscal Year)

WATER OPERATING FUND

Page 10 ends

Remaining
Adopted Revised YTD Encum- Balance with % of Previous
Budget Budget Actual brances Revised budget Budget YTD

REVENUES
Service Charges 33,022,315 33,022,315 21,724,327 - 11, 65.8% 20, 297,988 621,063 Fees 636,100 636,100 - 254,203 40.0% 381,897 481,744
Investment Income 788,000 788,000 - 445,772 56.6% 342,228 434,812 Rents & Concessions 41,000 41,000 36,042 - 4,958 87.9% 34,284 Miscellaneous 5,000 5,000 24,255 - (19, 255) 485.1% 36,756 TOTAL REVENUES 34,492,415 34,492,415 22,484,598 - 12, 65.2% 21, 007,817 608,658

EXPENSES
Salaries & Benefits 11,447,868 11,468,496 7,239,955 - 4, 63.1% 6, 228,541 496,254 Materials, Supplies&Servs. 14,932,590 13,786,691 7,608,497 2, 5,133,594 190,498 65.6% 6, 846,857 Special Projects 762,600 64,110 902,095 333,123 44.0% 504,862 109,616 Transfer-Out 61,392 61,392 36,288 - 25,104 59.1% 34,603 Debt Service 3,557,337 3, 2, 557,337 - 462,812 1, 69.2% 2, 094,525 487,062 Capital Outlay Transfers 7,230,962 7, 4, 230,962 - 820,641 2, 66.7% 4, 410,321 189,833 Equipment 137,900 23,076 154,400 21,481 28.9% 57,008 109,843 Capitalized Fixed Assets 177,000 192,000 - 191,776 224 99.9% 71,300 Other 2,800 6,800 - 4,000 2,800 58.8% -
TOTAL EXPENSES 38,506,072 37,164,550 22,447,155 2,549,103 13,509,814 64.9% 20, 292,533 Revenue Less Expense (4, (2,672,135) 37,443 013,657) (2, (1,501,997) 549,103) 1, 316,125 Miscellaneous

CITY OF SANTA BARBARA
Interim Statement of Revenues and Expenditures
For Seven Months Ended February 28, 2026 (66.6% of Fiscal Year)

WASTEWATER OPERATING FUND

Page 11 ends

Remaining
Adopted Revised YTD Encum- Balance with % of Previous
Budget Budget Actual brances Revised budget Budget YTD

REVENUES
Improvement Tax 1,000,000 1,000,000 619,953 - 380,047 62.0% 600,762 Parking Fees 8,671,008 8,671,008 5,911,066 - 2,759,942 68.2% 5,494,612 Other Fees & Charges 2,000 2,000 53.15 - 1,947 2.7% 2,002 Investment Income 151,000 151,000 88,997 - 62,004 58.9% 80,670 Rents & Concessions 148,399 200,959 103,007 - 97,952 51.3% 224,633 Miscellaneous 133,890 133,890 24,807 - 109,083 18.5% 62,678 Operating Transfers-In 133,618 133,618 92,292 - 41,326 69.1% 935,266 TOTAL REVENUES 10,292,475 10,239,915 6,840,175 - 3,452,300 66.5% 7,400,623

EXPENSES
Salaries & Benefits 5,456,925 5,469,406 3,544,306 - 1,925,099 64.8% 3,946,609 Materials, Supplies & Servs. 4,036,245 4,115,131 2,419,005 303,874 1,392,252 66.2% 3,090,193 Special Projects 130,093 138,080 (330) 7,987 130,423 5.5% 111,078 Transfer-Out 4,600 110,930 106,330 - 4,600 95.9% -
Capital Outlay Transfers 640,000 640,000 426,667 - 213,333 66.7% 283,333 Equipment 15,000 15,000 6,231 - 8,769 41.5% 3,146
Appropriated Reserve 10,000 10,000 - - 10,000 0.0% -
TOTAL EXPENSES 10,498,546 10,292,863 6,502,209 311,861 3,684,476 64.9% 7,434,359 Revenue Less Expense (206,071) (52,948) 337,966 (311,861) (232,175) (33,736) Miscellaneous

CITY OF SANTA BARBARA
Interim Statement of Revenues and Expenditures
For Seven Months Ended February 28, 2026 (66.6% of Fiscal Year)

DOWNTOWN PARKING FUND

Page 12 ends

Remaining
Adopted Revised YTD Encum- Balance with Percent of Previous Budget Budget Actual brances Revised budget Budget YTD

REVENUES
Leases-Commercial/Industrial 6,212,195 6,212,195 3,798,581 - 2,413,614 61.1% 3,721,299 Leases-Terminal 14,062,360 14,062,360 8,473,517 - 5,588,843 60.3% 8,251,821 Leases-Non-Commercial Aviation 5,621,893 5,621,893 3,920,907 - 1,700,987 69.7% 3,603,180 Leases-Commercial Aviation 7,863,830 7,863,830 4,906,890 - 2,956,940 62.4% 4,358,882 Investment Income 734,000 734,000 475,823 - 258,177 64.8% 395,601 Service Charges 1,719 1,719 - - 1,719 0.0% -
Miscellaneous 67,738 6,067,738 137,295 - 5,930,443 2.3% 22,181 Operating Transfers-In 1,000,000 1,075,650 715,290 - 360,360 66.5% 1,731,179 TOTAL REVENUES 41,639,385 35,563,735 22,428,302 - 19,211,083 53.9% 22,084,143

EXPENSES
Salaries & Benefits 13,500,118 13,520,528 8,507,358 - 5,013,169 62.9% 7,728,418 Materials, Supplies & Services 16,740,663 18,028,217 9,973,173 2,000,819 6,054,225 66.4% 9,284,350 Special Projects 954,200 13,284,153 1,030,407 3,409,326 8,844,419 33.4% 2,344,067 Transfer-Out 315,661 315,661 191,652 - 124,009 60.7% 345,362 Debt Service 1,556,263 1,556,263 1,037,509 - 518,754 66.7% 1,037,667 Capital Outlay Transfers 8,495,979 8,489,428 5,659,619 - 2,829,809 66.7% 3,040,460 Equipment 250,806 441,448 69,046 47,023 325,378 26.3% 59,644 Other - 4,000 - 4,000 - 100.0% -
Appropriated Reserve 131,556 131,556 - - 131,556 0.0% - TOTAL EXPENSES 55,771,253 41,945,246 26,468,764 5,461,168 23,841,320 57.3% 23,839,968 Revenue Less Expense (14,131,868) (6,381,511) (4,040,462) (5,461,168) (4,630,238) (1,755,825) Miscellaneous

CITY OF SANTA BARBARA
Interim Statement of Revenues and Expenditures
For Seven Months Ended February 28, 2026 (66.6% of Fiscal Year)

AIRPORT OPERATING FUND

Page 13 ends

Remaining
Adopted Revised YTD Encum- Balance with Percent of Previous Budget Budget Actual brances Revised budget Budget YTD

REVENUES
Fees & Card Sales 4,851,282 4,851,282 2,959,197 - 1,892,085 61.0% 2,907,693 Investment Income 174,000 174,000 128,024 - 45,976 73.6% 95,648 Rents & Concessions 242,550 242,550 130,085 - 112,465 53.6% 151,935 Miscellaneous - - 480 - (480) 0.0% 1,040
TOTAL REVENUES 5,267,832 5,267,832 3,217,785 - 2,050,047 61.1% 3,156,316

EXPENSES
Salaries & Benefits 119,176 119,389 88,269 - 31,120 73.9% 80,296 Materials, Supplies & Srvs. 3,952,760 3,954,721 2,099,677 - 1,855,044 53.1% 2,016,198 Special Projects - - (99) - 99 0.0% -
Capital Outlay Transfers 1,670,000 1,670,000 1,113,333 - 556,667 66.7% 400,000 TOTAL EXPENSES 6,344,110 5,741,937 3,901,180 - 2,442,930 61.5% 2,496,494 Revenue Less Expense (1,076,278) (474,105) (683,395) - (392,883) 659,821 Miscellaneous

CITY OF SANTA BARBARA
Interim Statement of Revenues and Expenditures
For Seven Months Ended February 28, 2026 (66.6% of Fiscal Year)

GOLF COURSE FUND

Page 14 ends

Remaining
Adopted Revised YTD Encum- Balance with Percent of Previous Budget Budget Actual brances Revised budget Budget YTD

REVENUES
Service Charges 3,211,405 3,211,405 2,140,937 - 1,070,468 66.7% 1,673,172 Work Orders - Bldg Maint. 5,068,194 5,068,194 3,328,867 - 1,739,327 65.7% 2,947,553 Miscellaneous 5,500 5,500 163,038 - (157,538) 2964.3% 594 TOTAL REVENUES 8,285,099 8,285,099 5,632,842 - 2,652,257 68.0% 4,621,319

EXPENSES
Salaries & Benefits 4,319,283 4,335,413 2,559,209 - 1,776,204 59.0% 2,368,570 Materials, Supplies & Svcs. 2,946,651 3,115,209 1,960,323 248,253 906,632 70.9% 1,253,752 Special Projects 534,750 489,781 241,534 159,396 88,850 81.9% 221,447 Equipment 5,000 45,370 43,179 - 2,191 95.2% 4,813
Appropriated Reserve 39,000 39,000 - - 39,000 0.0% -
TOTAL EXPENSES 8,024,773 7,844,685 4,804,246 407,650 2,812,878 64.9% 3,848,582 Revenue Less Expense 260,325 440,414 828,596 (407,650) (160,621) 772,737

CITY OF SANTA BARBARA
Interim Statement of Revenues and Expenditures
For Seven Months Ended February 28, 2026 (66.6% of Fiscal Year)

FACILITIES MANAGEMENT FUND

Page 15 ends

Remaining
Adopted Revised YTD Encum- Balance with Percent of Previous Budget Budget Actual brances Revised budget Budget YTD

REVENUES
Vehicle Rental Charges 6,462,197 6,456,407 4,312,225 - 2,144,182 66.8% 3,926,697 Investment Income 884,077 884,077 702,898 - 181,179 79.5% 484,290 Rents & Concessions 103,173 103,173 68,782 - 34,391 66.7% 68,782 Miscellaneous 68,000 68,000 256,925 - (188,925) 377.8% 184,330 Operating Transfers-In - 38,929 25,953 - 12,976 0.0% 5,107 TOTAL REVENUES 7,550,586 7,517,447 5,366,783 - 2,183,803 71.1% 4,669,206

EXPENSES
Salaries & Benefits 233,427 234,065 134,957 - 99,108 57.7% 144,365 Materials, Supplies & Svcs. 67,178 106,586 53,536 11,550 41,501 61.1% 26,892 Special Projects - 54,138 - - 54,138 0.0% -
Debt Service 624,562 606,371 303,186 303,186 (0) 100.0% 303,186 Capitalized Fixed Assets 4,300,026 9,502,446 1,060,150 520,618 7,921,678 16.6% 1,373,631 TOTAL EXPENSES 10,503,607 5,225,193 1,551,829 835,354 8,116,424 22.7% 1,872,397 Revenue Less Expense (2,953,021) 2,292,254 3,814,954 (835,354) (5,932,620) 2,796,809

CITY OF SANTA BARBARA
Interim Statement of Revenues and Expenditures
For Seven Months Ended February 28, 2026 (66.6% of Fiscal Year)

FLEET REPLACEMENT FUND

Page 16 ends

Remaining
Adopted Revised YTD Encum- Balance with Percent of Previous Budget Budget Actual brances Revised budget Budget YTD

REVENUES
Vehicle Maintenance Charges 4,042,561 4,044,561 2,689,280 - 1,355,281 66.5% 2,253,358 Reimbursements 5,000 5,000 3,333 - 1,667 66.7% 3,333
Miscellaneous 127,252 127,252 85,141 - 42,111 66.9% 79,893 TOTAL REVENUES 4,176,813 4,174,813 2,777,755 - 1,399,058 66.5% 2,336,584

EXPENSES
Salaries & Benefits 1,850,256 1,855,530 1,175,105 - 680,424 63.3% 1,146,120 Materials, Supplies & Svcs. 2,089,501 2,099,851 1,383,952 250,792 465,107 77.9% 1,288,856 Special Projects 56,804 57,204 16,868 11,860 28,476 50.2% 35,388 Equipment 7,884 7,884 112 198 7,575 3.9% 3,045
Appropriated Reserve 19,000 19,000 - - 19,000 0.0% -
TOTAL EXPENSES 4,039,468 4,023,444 2,576,037 262,849 1,200,582 70.3% 2,473,410 Revenue Less Expense 137,344 151,369 201,718 (262,849) 198,476 (136,826)

CITY OF SANTA BARBARA
Interim Statement of Revenues and Expenditures
For Seven Months Ended February 28, 2026 (66.6% of Fiscal Year)

FLEET MAINTENANCE FUND

Page 17 ends

Remaining
Adopted Revised YTD Encum- Balance with Percent of Previous Budget Budget Actual brances Revised budget Budget YTD

REVENUES
Insurance Premiums 16,263,468 16,263,468 10,842,312 - 5,421,156 66.7% 8,726,097 Workers' Compensation Premiums 8,369,373 8,369,373 5,696,593 - 2,672,780 68.1% 4,332,340 OSH Charges 361,744 361,744 241,874 - 119,870 66.9% 241,163 Unemployment Insurance Premiums 191,912 191,912 127,941 - 63,971 66.7% 127,941 Investment Income 152,000 152,000 182,926 - (30,926) 120.3% 103,248 Operating Transfers-In 75,825 75,825 50,550 - 25,275 66.7% 50,550 TOTAL REVENUES 25,514,322 25,414,322 17,142,196 - 8,372,126 67.2% 13,581,339

EXPENSES
Salaries & Benefits 1,081,011 1,082,058 690,234 - 391,823 63.8% 658,585 Materials, Supplies & Services 23,702,665 23,892,823 12,808,695 518,929 10,565,198 55.8% 10,622,595 Special Projects - 25,000 19,394 - 5,606 77.6% 2,057
Capital Outlay Transfers 409 - - - - 0.0% -
Equipment - - 3,616 - (3,616) 0.0% -
TOTAL EXPENSES 24,999,880 24,784,085 13,521,940 518,929 10,959,012 56.2% 11,283,237 Revenue Less Expense 514,442 630,237 3,620,256 (518,929) (2,586,886) 2,298,102 The Self Insurance Trust Fund is an internal service fund of the City, which accounts for the cost of providing workers' compensation, property and liability insurance as well as unemployment insurance and certain self-insured employee benefits on a city-wide basis. Internal Service Funds charge other funds for the cost of providing their specific services.

CITY OF SANTA BARBARA
Interim Statement of Revenues and Expenditures
For Seven Months Ended February 28, 2026 (66.6% of Fiscal Year)

SELF INSURANCE TRUST FUND

Page 18 ends

Remaining
Adopted Revised YTD Encum- Balance with Percent of Previous Budget Budget Actual brances Revised budget Budget YTD

REVENUES
Service charges 9,909,521 9,909,524 6,606,352 - 3,303,172 66.7% 5,839,717 Operating Transfers-In 692,803 692,803 423,775 - 269,028 61.2% 476,983 Miscellaneous - - 2,200 - (2,200) 0.0% -
TOTAL REVENUES 10,602,327 10,602,324 7,032,327 - 3,570,000 66.3% 6,316,700

EXPENSES
Salaries & Benefits 5,978,120 5,981,069 3,649,052 - 2,332,018 61.0% 3,551,919 Materials, Supplies & Services 3,503,075 3,637,398 3,004,935 115,818 516,645 85.8% 2,538,432 Capital Outlay Transfers 257,586 257,586 171,724 - 85,862 66.7% 161,873 Equipment 197,440 197,440 66,617 58,308 72,515 63.3% 28,331 TOTAL EXPENSES 10,073,494 9,936,222 6,892,328 174,126 3,007,040 70.1% 6,280,555 Revenue Less Expense 528,833 666,102 139,999 (174,126) 562,960 36,144

CITY OF SANTA BARBARA
Interim Statement of Revenues and Expenditures
For Seven Months Ended February 28, 2026 (66.6% of Fiscal Year)

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY FUND

Page 19 ends

Remaining
Adopted Revised YTD Encum- Balance with Percent of Previous Budget Budget Actual brances Revised budget Budget YTD

REVENUES
Leases - Commercial 2,350,000 2,350,000 1,556,103 - 793,897 66.2% 1,508,335 Leases - Food Service 3,150,000 3,150,000 2,349,674 - 800,326 74.6% 2,528,163 Slip Rental Fees 6,442,630 6,442,630 4,367,489 - 2,075,141 67.8% 4,145,595 Visitors Fees 861,900 861,900 532,369 - 329,531 61.8% 508,054 Slip Transfer Fees 1,000,000 1,000,000 545,850 - 454,150 54.6% 681,625 Parking Revenue 4,499,350 4,499,350 2,926,028 - 1,573,323 65.0% 3,113,972 Wharf Parking 414,580 414,580 242,162 - 172,418 58.4% 238,127 Other Fees & Charges 235,565 235,565 166,197 - 69,368 70.6% 173,352 Investment Income 556,000 556,000 356,668 - 199,332 64.1% 308,360 Rents & Concessions 466,000 466,000 318,038 - 147,962 68.2% 328,385 Miscellaneous 812,830 812,830 449,333 - 363,497 55.3% 473,025 TOTAL REVENUES 20,788,855 20,788,855 13,809,910 - 6,978,945 66.4% 14,006,993

EXPENSES
Salaries & Benefits 9,517,459 9,540,432 6,077,468 - 3,462,964 63.7% 5,606,357 Materials, Supplies & Svcs. 8,166,920 8,318,627 4,938,823 979,955 2,399,849 71.2% 4,528,061 Special Projects 212,720 243,039 120,642 - 122,397 49.6% 117,312 Debt Service 2,029,369 2,029,369 1,463,999 - 565,370 72.1% 1,465,887 Capital Outlay Transfers 2,595,000 2,595,000 1,730,000 - 865,000 66.7% 1,516,667 Equipment 101,000 101,000 28,363 1,222 71,416 29.3% 89,252 Other 10,000 14,000 1,678 4,000 8,323 40.6% -
Appropriated Reserve 100,000 100,000 - - 100,000 0.0% - TOTAL EXPENSES 22,941,467 22,732,468 14,360,972 985,176 7,595,318 66.9% 13,358,535 Revenue Less Expense (2,152,612) (1,943,613) (551,062) (985,176) (616,373) 648,457 Miscellaneous

CITY OF SANTA BARBARA
Interim Statement of Revenues and Expenditures
For Seven Months Ended February 28, 2026 (66.6% of Fiscal Year)

WATERFRONT OPERATING FUND

Page 20 ends

Remaining
Adopted Revised YTD Encum- Balance with Percent of Previous Budget Budget Actual brances Revised budget Budget YTD

REVENUES
Service Charges 47,370,084 47,370,084 27,115,442 - 20,254,642 57.2% 27,745,602 Investment Income 443,000 443,000 332,431 - 110,569 75.0% 484,794 Rents & Concessions 30,133 30,133 20,093 - 10,040 66.7% - Miscellaneous - - 77,278 - (77,278) 0.0% 125
TOTAL REVENUES 47,843,217 47,843,217 27,545,245 - 20,297,972 57.6% 28,230,521

EXPENSES
Salaries & Benefits 1,911,876 1,829,398 1,113,539 - 715,859 60.9% 984,709 Materials, Supplies & Svcs. 46,077,671 47,768,536 25,913,557 5,074,075 16,780,904 64.9% 28,710,006 Special Projects 2,104,671 2,542,511 1,258,476 45,624 1,238,411 51.3% 880,389 Equipment 5,500 9,032 9,107 - (75) 100.8% 900
Other 473,701 473,701 - - 473,701 0.0% -
TOTAL EXPENSES 52,623,178 50,573,418 28,294,678 5,119,699 19,208,801 63.5% 30,576,004 Revenue Less Expense (4,779,960) (2,730,201) (749,433) (5,119,699) 1,089,172 (2,345,483)

CITY OF SANTA BARBARA
Interim Statement of Revenues and Expenditures
For Seven Months Ended February 28, 2026 (66.6% of Fiscal Year)

SANTA BARBARA CLEAN ENERGY FUND

Page 21 ends

Remaining
Adopted Revised YTD Encum- Balance with Percent of Previous Budget Budget Actual brances Revised budget Budget YTD

REVENUES
Service charges 2,221,036 2,221,036 1,480,690 - 740,346 66.7% 1,434,673 Miscellaneous 67,750 67,750 34,285 - 33,465 50.6% 46,618 TOTAL REVENUES 2,288,786 2,288,786 1,514,976 - 773,810 66.2% 1,481,291

EXPENSES
Salaries & Benefits 92,493 92,537 33,623 - 58,914 36.3% 56,105 Materials, Supplies & Svcs. 2,097,385 2,287,044 1,192,965 45,216 1,048,863 54.1% 1,134,527 Special Projects 123,500 325,761 61,335 35,944 228,482 29.9% 52,772 TOTAL EXPENSES 2,705,342 2,313,378 1,287,923 81,160 1,336,259 50.6% 1,243,404 Revenue Less Expense (416,556) (24,592) 227,053 (81,160) (562,449) 237,887 Miscellaneous

CITY OF SANTA BARBARA
Interim Statement of Revenues and Expenditures
For Seven Months Ended February 28, 2026 (66.6% of Fiscal Year)

ENERGY AND CLIMATE MANAGEMENT FUND

Page 22 ends

CITY OF SANTA BARBARA

COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
AGENDA DATE: April 21, 2026
TO: Mayor and Councilmembers
FROM: Fire Department
SUBJECT: Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment District [Resolution] RECOMMENDATION: That Council:

A. Hear a presentation of survey results from a survey mailed to all property owners within the proposed Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment District; B. Adopt, by reading of title only, a Resolution of the Council of the City of Santa Barbara Declaring Intention to Initiate Assessment Proceedings, Preliminarily Approve the Engineer’s Report, and Set a Public Hearing For June 30, 2026; and C. Adopt, by reading of title only, a Resolution of the Council of the City of Santa Barbara Establishing Proposition 218 Assessment Balloting Procedures in Accordance with Article XIII D of the California Constitution.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

The City Council is being asked to consider initiating proceedings for the formation of the Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment District (WFSAD) to fund enhanced wildfire prevention, mitigation, and suppression services within the Coastal and Coastal Interior High Fire Hazard Area Zones. As described in the 2021 Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) and the attached Engineer’s Report, these areas face elevated wildfire risk due to a combination of vegetation, topography, weather, and wildland-urban interface conditions.

Because of these factors, enhanced fire prevention Services are being proposed to reduce fire risk and improve emergency response capabilities.

As part of the development of the proposed Assessment, a survey was distributed to property owners within the proposed District boundaries to gauge support for the program.

A total of 2,282 surveys were mailed and 492 responses were received. The survey results provide input from property owners and have informed the City’s consideration of the proposed Assessment and service program.

Agenda Item No. 13
Council Agenda Report
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment District [Resolution] April 21, 2026

Page 2 ends

DISCUSSION:

Background
Since 2006, the City has successfully implemented a Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment program in the Foothill and Extreme Foothill Fire Hazard Zones. This Assessment has allowed the City of Santa Barbara Fire Department to provide enhanced fire prevention services within these areas.

The Fire Department has identified the opportunity to establish a funding mechanism to support wildfire prevention and mitigation Services within the Coastal areas of the City.

The proposed Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment District is intended to fund enhanced Services that address wildfire risk and public safety, including vegetation management, defensible space, and vegetation road clearance.

As detailed in the Engineer’s Report prepared for the proposed Assessment District, the assessment is designed to equitably distribute costs based on the proportional special benefit received by each property. The Report outlines the methodology used to evaluate wildfire risk factors and determine the relative benefit to properties within the District.

The proposed Assessment would fund a defined set of services provided by the City of Santa Barbara Fire Department, including roadside vegetation clearance, defensible space inspection and chipping programs, and vegetation management activities. These services are intended to reduce wildfire risk, protect life and property, and improve the City’s ability to respond to wildfire events within the Coastal and Coastal Interior Wildfire Hazard Zones. The Engineer’s Report establishes that these services provide a direct and proportional special benefit to properties within the proposed Assessment District and are consistent with the requirements of Proposition 218.

Survey Results
A survey was distributed to property owners within the proposed Assessment District to gauge support for the establishment of the assessment. A total of 2,282 surveys were mailed, and 492 responses were received. Two rates were tested to gauge property owner support for potential balloting: $100 and $125 per single family equivalent (“SFE”), respectively. The survey results provide insight into property owner perspectives and have been considered as part of the overall evaluation of the proposed assessment. Both rates tested similarly, with approximately 58% support. For reference, Proposition 218 benefit assessments are approved unless a majority protest exists, meaning more than 50% of weighted ballots are submitted in opposition.

The survey also tested property owner perspective regarding specific aspects of proposed services. Most Service elements tested positively, with highlights including local use of funds, reduction of fuel loads, vegetation road clearance, and improved coordination of fire prevention efforts.

Council Agenda Report
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment District [Resolution] April 21, 2026

Page 3 ends

Assessment and Services
The proposed Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment would fund a defined set of wildfire prevention and mitigation support Services provided by the City of Santa Barbara Fire Department within the Coastal and Coastal Interior High Fire Hazard Area Zones. As described in the Engineer’s Report, these Zones are characterized by elevated wildfire risk due to fuel conditions, terrain, weather patterns, and the presence of development within the wildland-urban interface.

The proposed Assessment District has been developed in accordance with the requirements of Proposition 218. The Engineer’s Report identifies the special benefits provided to properties and establishes a methodology for apportioning the costs of services based on those benefits.

The Assessment would fund services that are above and beyond the City’s baseline level of fire protection services and are specifically designed to reduce wildfire risk and improve emergency response access within the identified zones. These services include, but are not limited to:
 Roadside vegetation management and clearance to maintain routes of travel and reduce fire spread along public corridors.
 Defensible space and home hardening evaluations to support property-level risk reduction.
 Vegetation management and fuel reduction activities, including chipping and related programs.
 Planning, coordination, and implementation of targeted wildfire mitigation efforts in high-risk areas.

These services are intended to reduce the likelihood and severity of wildfire events, support safe ingress and egress, and enhance the City’s ability to respond effectively to wildland fire incidents within the proposed Assessment District. The Engineer’s Report concludes that these activities provide a direct and special benefit to properties within the proposed Assessment District by reducing wildfire exposure and improving protection of structures.

The total cost of providing the enhanced services is allocated to properties within the Assessment District based on a methodology that reflects the proportional special benefit received. As detailed in the Engineer’s Report, the assessment methodology considers factors related to structure value (such as land use and parcel characteristics) as well as fire risk (such as vegetation, topography, and weather) to ensure that assessments are distributed in a manner consistent with Proposition 218 requirements.

The Engineer’s Report also calculates the general benefit provided by the proposed Services stemming from parcels proximate to the Assessment District and from the public at large. This general benefit is calculated to be 8.8% of the total benefit provided and is not assessed to properties within the District.

Council Agenda Report
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment District [Resolution] April 21, 2026

Page 4 ends

The services funded by the proposed assessment will be provided throughout the proposed District and are intended to reduce wildfire risk and enhance the City’s ability to respond to wildfire incidents. The analysis demonstrates that properties within the Coastal and Coastal Interior Zones receive a substantially similar level of special benefit, supporting the establishment of a single Zone of Benefit and a single rate across the entire proposed Assessment District.

If successful, the Assessment would generate approximately $261,500 in its first year. An optional inflationary mechanism (tied to the Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County Area Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers) would allow for annual increases, not to exceed 4% per year. A general benefit contribution equal to 8.8% of total program costs ($277,262) results in an annual contribution of approximately $25,000.

Based on this cost and an analysis identifying 2,127 SFEs within the proposed Assessment District, a rate of $122.95 per SFE is calculated ($261,515 / 2,127 = $122.95). This annual rate would apply to most single-family homes within the Assessment District, with variable rates for other property types (as shown below for FY 2026-27).

Council Agenda Report
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment District [Resolution] April 21, 2026

Page 5 ends

The proposed Assessment would establish a reliable, ongoing funding source to support these services, which are necessary to address current and future wildfire risk conditions within the Coastal and Coastal Interior Zones. Without this funding, the City’s ability to implement and sustain these enhanced wildfire mitigation and response activities would be severely limited.

Next Steps
The actions for consideration by the Council include adoption of a Resolution of Intention to initiate assessment proceedings, preliminarily approve the Engineer’s Report, and set a public hearing for June 30, 2026, as well as adoption of a Resolution establishing procedures for the assessment ballot proceeding in accordance with Article XIII D of the California Constitution. If approved, the City will proceed with the mailing of notices and assessment ballots to property owners, conduct a public hearing, and tabulate ballots to determine whether a majority protest exists.

BUDGET/FINANCIAL INFORMATION:

The proposed assessment will generate approximately $261,500 annually to fund wildfire prevention and mitigation Services within the Assessment District.

SUSTAINABILITY IMPACT:

The Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment District focused on vegetation removal, defensible space, and home hardening can provide meaningful environmental sustainability benefits alongside risk reduction. Vegetation management practices, including selective thinning and the on-site chipping of biomass, help prevent catastrophic wildfire while supporting waste prevention; chipped material is dispersed back onto landscapes as mulch where feasible, improving soil health, reducing erosion, conserving moisture, and minimizing the need for hauling and disposal. Home hardening measures often incorporate green building components such as fire-resistant, durable, and sometimes recycled materials, which can extend building lifespans and reduce resource consumption over time. These efforts also contribute to pollution prevention and hazardous vegetation reduction by lowering the likelihood of structure loss and the Council Agenda Report
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment District [Resolution] April 21, 2026

Page 6 ends

associated release of toxins during fires. In addition, maintaining defensible space can support targeted habitat restoration and water conservation by promoting droughttolerant, fire-resilient landscaping. Collectively, these strategies align with broader environmental goals by reducing greenhouse gas emissions from large-scale fires, conserving resources, and enhancing community resilience.

ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:

Consultant and staff have determined this falls under the final Program Environmental Impact Report.

ATTACHMENT: Engineer’s Report
PREPARED BY: Ryan DiGuilio, Fire Marshal
SUBMITTED BY: Chris Mailes, Fire Chief
APPROVED BY: Kelly McAdoo, City Administrator
FY 2026-27
City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
ENGINEER’S REPORT
March 2026
Pursuant to California Government Code Section 50078
et seq., and Article XIII D of the California Constitution

ATTACHMENT
City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
i
(This Page Intentionally Left Blank)
City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
ii
City of Santa Barbara
City Council
Randy Rowse, Mayor
Wendy Santamaria, Councilmember
Mike Jordan, Councilmember
Oscar Gutierrez, Councilmember
Kristen Sneddon, Councilmember
Eric Friedman, Councilmember
Meagan Harmon, Councilmember
Fire Prevention Bureau
Chris Mailes, Fire Chief
Ryan DiGuilio, Fire Marshal
City Attorney’s Office
John Doimas, City Attorney
Arielle Zamora, Assistant City Attorney
Engineer of Work
SCI Consulting Group
City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
iii
Table of Contents
Introduction ............................................................................................................... 1 Background ................................................................................................................................ 1 Coastal and Coastal Interior High Fire Hazard Zones ................................................................ 3 Assessment Process................................................................................................................... 4 Legislative and Legal Understanding ........................................................................... 7 Proposition 218 ......................................................................................................................... 7 Silicon Valley Taxpayers Association v Santa Clara County Open Space Authority .................. 7 Dahms v. Downtown Pomona Property .................................................................................... 8 Bonander v. Town of Tiburon .................................................................................................... 8 Beutz v. County of Riverside ...................................................................................................... 8 Golden Hill Neighborhood Association v. City of San Diego ..................................................... 8 Compliance with Current Law ................................................................................................... 9 Description of Services ............................................................................................. 10 Roadside Vegetation Clearance Supporting Main Evacuation Routes .................................... 11 Defensible Space ..................................................................................................................... 11 Vegetation Management ........................................................................................................ 12 Cost and Budget ....................................................................................................... 13 Method of Apportionment ....................................................................................... 14 Method of Apportionment ...................................................................................................... 14 Discussion of Benefit ............................................................................................................... 14 Benefit Factors ........................................................................................................................ 15 Benefit Finding ........................................................................................................................ 17 General Versus Special Benefit................................................................................................ 18 Calculating General Benefit ..................................................................................................... 20 Zones of Benefit ...................................................................................................................... 22 Assessment Apportionment .................................................................................................... 28 Method of Assessment ............................................................................................................ 28 Criteria and Policies ................................................................................................................. 33 Assessment .............................................................................................................. 35 Assessment Diagram ................................................................................................ 37 Appendices .............................................................................................................. 39 Appendix A – Assessment Roll, FY 2026-27 ............................................................................. 39 City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
iv
Appendix B – California Government Code Section 50078 et seq. ......................................... 40 Appendix C – Article XIIID of the California Constitution ........................................................ 43 City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
v
List of Figures
Figure 1 – Wildland Fire History in Santa Barbara County ............................................................... 1 Figure 2 - Cost and Budget FY 2026-27 .......................................................................................... 13 Figure 3 - Benefit to Property Outside the Assessment District Calculation ................................. 20 Figure 4 - General Benefit Calculation ........................................................................................... 22 Figure 5 - Combined Hazard Assessment Scoring .......................................................................... 23 Figure 6 - Other Fire Hazard Factor Scoring ................................................................................... 23 Figure 7 - Relative Hazard/Risk Scoring for High Fire Hazard Area Zones ..................................... 24 Figure 8 - Wildland Fire Risk Factors .............................................................................................. 24 Figure 9 - Structure Value Factors ................................................................................................. 30 Figure 10 - Coastal WFSAD Assessment Diagram .......................................................................... 38 City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
1 Introduction
Background
The City of Santa Barbara (referred to throughout as the “City”) is located about 100 miles northwest of Los Angeles, largely on the slopes between the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Ynez Mountains. The City of Santa Barbara Fire Department provides fire services throughout the City limits. Fire services include fire suppression, protection, prevention, evacuation planning, and education.

Due to topography, location, climate and infrastructure, the Santa Barbara community has a relatively high inherent risk of wildland fires. Listed below are some of the major wildland fires that have occurred in Santa Barbara County since 1970. Notably, the 2021 Loma Fire burned approximately nine acres above Loma Alta Drive on the eastern boundary of the Coastal Interior High Fire Hazard Zone.

Figure 1 – Wildland Fire History in Santa Barbara County Year Fire Name Acres Homes Lost
1971 Romero Canyon Fire 14,538 4
1977 Sycamore Canyon Fire 805 234
1977 Hondo Canyon Fire 10,000 0
1979 Eagle Canyon Fire 4,530 5
1990 Painted Cave Fire 4,900 524
1993 Marre Fire 43,864 0
2002 Sudden Fire 7,160 0
2004 Gaviota Fire 7,440 1
2007 Zaca Fire 240,207 0
2008 Gap Fire 9,443 0
City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
2 2008 Tea Fire 1,940 210
2009 Jesusita Fire 8,733 80
2016 Sherpa Fire 7,474 0
2016 Rey Fire 32,606 0
2016 Canyon Fire 12,518 0
2017 Thomas Fire 281,893 1,063
2019 Holiday Fire 113 24
2019 Cave Fire 3,126 0
2021 Loma Fire 9 0
2021 Alisal Fire 16,970 12
In response to the considerable wildland fire risk in the area, the City of Santa Barbara Fire Department (“SBFD” or “Fire Department”) prepared a Wildland Fire Plan in January 2004, which identified four High Fire Hazard Area Zones: The Coastal Zone, the Coastal Interior Zone, the Foothill Zone, and the Extreme Foothill Zone. In 2006, the City conducted an assessment balloting which successfully created a Wildfire Suppression Assessment District (“WFSAD”) made up of the Foothill and Extreme Foothill Zones (referred to as the “Foothill WFSAD”). This Assessment District has allowed the City to provide enhanced fire prevention services within the Assessment District’s boundaries each year since its formation.

In 2021, the Fire Department developed a comprehensive, coordinated Community Wildfire Protection Plan (“CWPP”) to support the protection of lives, property, and natural resources threatened by wildland fire within the City.1 This CWPP also updated the City’s 2004 Wildland Fire Plan, accounting for changes in the City’s fire environment. 1 https://santabarbaraca.gov/government/departments/fire-department/wildland-fire/communitywildfire-protection-plan-cwpp City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
3 Coastal and Coastal Interior High Fire Hazard Zones
This Engineer’s Report (“Report”) proposes the formation of a second WFSAD encompassing the Coastal and Coastal Interior High Fire Hazard Area Zones (the “Zones”). These Zones are at a high risk of wildland fires due to the following factors:
 Climate. The coastal climate consists of mild, moist winters and warm, dry summers.

Periods of low humidity, elevated temperatures, and seasonal drying of vegetation increase the likelihood that a spark will ignite a fire. During these conditions, fires can spread rapidly, particularly when combined with offshore wind events.  Topography and Wind Conditions. The Coastal and Coastal Interior Zones include a series of canyons, ridgelines, and slopes that influence wind behavior and fire spread.

Periodic offshore wind conditions, including “Sundowner” winds, can produce hot, dry, and gusty conditions that accelerate fire spread and carry embers into developed areas.

The alignment of certain canyon systems can further increase wind speeds and contribute to rapid fire movement.
 Vegetation and Fuels. The landscape within the Coastal and Coastal Interior Zones consists of a mix of coastal sage scrub, grasslands, landscaped vegetation, and areas of denser fuels including chaparral, oak woodland, and eucalyptus. These fuel types can dry during summer and fall conditions and contribute to fire intensity and spread.

Accumulation of dead and dry vegetation increases the likelihood of ignition and supports sustained wildfire activity.
 Road Systems. Roadway conditions within the Coastal and Coastal Interior Zones vary and include narrow roads, winding hillside streets, long driveways, and dead-end segments. In some areas, vegetation encroachment further reduces roadway width and clearance. These conditions can limit access for emergency response vehicles and complicate evacuation during wildfire events.
 Water Supply. The Coastal and Coastal Interior Zones are generally served by the City’s municipal water system; however, terrain, access, and system configuration can affect the ability to deliver water efficiently during wildfire incidents. These factors can influence firefighting operations and the ability to protect structures under emergency conditions.
 Fire Response Time. The Coastal and Coastal Interior areas are served by the City Fire Department; however, response conditions can be affected by roadway configuration, traffic, and terrain. These factors may influence the time required for fire suppression resources to access certain locations, particularly in hillside areas with constrained access.
 Wildland-Urban Interface Conditions. The Coastal and Coastal Interior Zones include developed neighborhoods located adjacent to or intermixed with wildland vegetation.

City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
4 These wildland-urban interface conditions increase the likelihood of structure ignition from wind-driven embers and create the potential for fire to spread between vegetation and structures. The proximity of development to vegetated areas increases the demand for wildfire prevention, defensible space, and suppression services.

Assessment Process
This Engineer’s Report was prepared to achieve the following:
1) Contain the information required by Government Code Section 50078.4, including a. A description of each lot or parcel of property to be subject to the assessment. b. The amount of the assessment for each lot or parcel for the initial fiscal year. c. The maximum amount of the assessment which may be levied for each lot or parcel during any fiscal year.
d. The duration of the assessment.
e. The basis of the assessment.
f. The schedule of the assessment.
g. A description specifying the requirements for protest and hearing procedures for the assessment pursuant to Section 50078.6;
2) Establish a budget to provide services to reduce the severity and damage from wildland fires (the "Services") that will be funded by the 2026-27 assessments. 3) Determine the benefits received from the Services by property within the City of Santa Barbara Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment District (the "Assessment District"). 4) Assign a method of assessment apportionment to lots and parcels within the Assessment District. This Report and the assessments have been made pursuant to the California Government Code Section 50078 et. seq. (the "Code") and Article XIII D of the California Constitution (the “Article”).

The Assessment District is narrowly drawn to include only properties that benefit from the enhanced Services that are provided by the assessment funds. The Assessment Diagram included in this Report shows the boundaries of the Assessment District.

Following submittal of this Report to the City for preliminary approval, the Santa Barbara City Council (the “Council”) may, by Resolution, call for an assessment ballot proceeding and public hearing on the proposed establishment of a Wildfire Suppression Assessment District encompassing the Coastal and Coastal Interior Zones.

City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
5 If the Council approves such a Resolution, a Notice of Assessment and Assessment Ballot will be mailed to each property owner within the proposed Assessment District boundaries who will be subject to the proposed Assessment. The Notice will include a description of the Services to be funded by the proposed Assessment, the total amount of the proposed Assessment and the amount chargeable to the owner’s parcel, the reasons for the proposed Assessment and the basis upon which it was calculated, and an explanation of the process for submitting a ballot. Each Notice will also include a postage prepaid return envelope and a ballot on which the property owner may mark his or her approval or disapproval of the proposed Assessment as well as affix his or her signature.

After the ballots are mailed to property owners in the proposed Assessment District, a minimum 45-day time period must be provided for the return of the assessment ballots. If utilizing the “exhaustion of remedies” procedure in accordance with California Government Code Section 53759.1, additional time may be applied to this balloting period to provide opportunity to respond to objections.

Following this balloting time period, a public hearing must be held for the purpose of allowing public testimony regarding the proposed assessments. Ballots will be received if previously mailed and received by the public agency before the public hearing, or if physically submitted at the public hearing. At the public hearing, the public will have the opportunity to speak on the issue.

The public hearing is currently scheduled to occur on June 30, 2026. After receiving ballots and public comment, the public input portion of the public hearing will be closed. The public hearing will then recess in order for the ballots to be tabulated.

If it is determined that the assessment ballots submitted in opposition to the proposed Assessment do not exceed the assessment ballots submitted in favor of the Assessment (weighted by the proportional financial obligation of the property for which ballots are submitted), the Council may approve the imposition of Assessment for fiscal year 2026-27 and each fiscal year thereafter. If the Assessment is confirmed and approved, the Council may order the levy of the Assessment to be submitted to the Santa Barbara County Auditor/Controller for inclusion on the property tax roll for fiscal year 2026-27. The levy and collection of the Assessment would continue year-to-year unless terminated by the Council.

The Assessment granted by the ballot proceeding would be for a maximum Assessment rate of $122.95 per single family home, increased each subsequent year by the consumer price index for All Urban Consumers in Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County Area as of December of each succeeding year, not to exceed 4% per year without a further vote or balloting process.

City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
6 In the event that the actual assessment rate for any given year is not increased by an amount equal to the maximum of 4% or the yearly CPI change plus any CPI change in previous years that was in excess of 4%, the maximum authorized assessment shall increase by this amount. In such event, the maximum authorized assessment shall be equal to the base year assessment as adjusted by the increase to the CPI, plus any and all CPI adjustments deferred in any and all prior years. The CPI change above 4% can be used in a future year when the CPI adjustment is below 4%.

In each subsequent year for which the Assessment will be continued, an updated proposed budget, assessment rate and an updated assessment roll listing all parcels and their proposed assessment for the upcoming fiscal year shall be prepared and considered by the City Council. At this meeting, the Council will also call for the publication in a local newspaper a legal notice of the intent to continue the Assessment for the next fiscal year and set the date for the noticed public hearing. At the annual public hearing, members of the public can provide input to the Council prior to the Council’s decision on continuing the Services and Assessment for the next fiscal year.

If the assessments are so confirmed and approved, the levies will be submitted to the Santa Barbara County Auditor/Controller for inclusion on the property tax roll for Fiscal Year 2026-27.

The levy and collection of the assessments will continue year-to-year until terminated by the City Council.

City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
7 Legislative and Legal Understanding
Proposition 218
This assessment was formed consistent with Proposition 218, The Right to Vote on Taxes Act, which was approved by the voters of California on November 6, 1996, and is now Article XIII C and XIII D of the California Constitution. Proposition 218 provides for benefit assessments to be levied to fund the cost of providing services, improvements, as well as maintenance and operation expenses to a public improvement which benefits the assessed property.

Proposition 218 describes a number of important requirements, including a property-owner balloting, for the formation and continuation of assessments, and these requirements will be satisfied by the process used to establish this proposed assessment.

Silicon Valley Taxpayers Association v Santa Clara County Open Space Authority
In July of 2008, the California Supreme Court issued its ruling on the Silicon Valley Taxpayers Association, Inc. v. Santa Clara County Open Space Authority (“SVTA vs. SCCOSA”) case. This ruling is the most significant legal decision clarifying Proposition 218. Several of the most important elements of the ruling included further emphasis that:
 Benefit assessments are for special, not general benefit  The services and/or improvements funded by assessments must be clearly defined  Special benefits are directly received by and provide a direct advantage to property in the Assessment District
This Engineer’s Report is consistent with the SVTA vs. SCCOSA decision and with the requirements of Article XIII C and XIII D of the California Constitution because the Services to be funded are clearly defined; the Services are available to all benefiting property in the Assessment District, the benefiting property in the Assessment District will directly and tangibly benefit from improved protection from fire damage, increased safety of property and other special benefits and such special benefits provide a direct advantage to property in the Assessment District that is not enjoyed by the public at large or other property. There have been a number of clarifications made to the analysis, findings and supporting text in this Report to ensure that this consistency is well communicated.

City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
8 Dahms v. Downtown Pomona Property
On June 8, 2009, the Court of Appeal for the Second District of California amended its original opinion upholding a benefit assessment district for property in the downtown area of the City of Pomona. On July 22, 2009, the California Supreme Court denied review and the court's decision in Dahms became binding precedent for assessments. In Dahms, the court upheld an assessment that conferred a 100% special benefit to the assessed parcels on the rationale that the services and improvements funded by the assessments were provided directly and only to property in the assessment district over and above those services or improvements provided by the city generally.

Bonander v. Town of Tiburon
On December 31, 2009, the 1st District Court of Appeal overturned a benefit assessment approved by property owners to pay for placing overhead utility lines underground in an area of the Town of Tiburon. The Court invalidated the assessments on the ground that the assessments had been apportioned to assessed property based, in part, on relative costs within sub-areas of the assessment district instead of proportional special benefits.

Beutz v. County of Riverside
On May 26, 2010 the 4th District Court of Appeals issued a decision on the Steven Beutz v. County of Riverside (“Beutz”) appeal. This decision overturned an assessment for park maintenance in Wildomar, California, primarily because the general benefits associated with improvements and services were not explicitly calculated, quantified and separated from the special benefits.

Golden Hill Neighborhood Association v. City of San Diego On September 22, 2011, the San Diego Court of Appeal issued a decision on the Golden Hill Neighborhood Association v. City of San Diego appeal. This decision overturned an assessment for street and landscaping maintenance in the Greater Golden Hill neighborhood of San Diego, California. The court described two primary reasons for its decision. First, like in Beutz, the court found the general benefits associated with services were not explicitly calculated, quantified and separated from the special benefits. Second, the court found that the City had failed to record the basis for the assessment on its own parcels.

City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
9 Compliance with Current Law
This Engineer’s Report is consistent with the requirements of Article XIII C and XIII D of the California Constitution and with the SVTA decision because the Services to be funded are clearly defined; the Services are available to and will be directly provided to all benefiting property in the Assessment District; and the Services provide a direct advantage to property in the Assessment District that would not be received in absence of the Assessments.

This Engineer’s Report is consistent with Dahms because, similar to the Downtown Pomona assessment validated in Dahms, the Services will be directly provided to property in the Assessment District. Moreover, while Dahms could be used as the basis for a finding of 0% general benefits, this Engineer’s Report establishes a more conservative measure of general benefits.

The Engineer’s Report is consistent with Bonander because the Assessments have been apportioned based on the overall cost of the Services and proportional special benefit to each property. Finally, the Assessments are consistent with Buetz because the general benefits have been explicitly calculated and quantified and excluded from the Assessments.

City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
10 Description of Services
The City of Santa Barbara Fire Department provides a range of fire protection, prevention, and educational services to the City and its residents.

The following is a description of the proposed wildland fire suppression Services (the “Services”) that would be provided for the benefit of property within the Assessment District. With the passage of this proposed Assessment, the level of Service would be enhanced significantly. The formula below describes the relationship between the final level of improvements, the current baseline level of service, and the enhanced level of improvements funded by the assessment.

Equation 1 - Level of Service
The proposed Services to be undertaken by the City of Santa Barbara Fire Department and the cost thereof paid from the levy of the annual assessment provide special benefit to Assessor Parcels within the Assessment District as defined in the Method of Assessment herein. In addition to the definitions provided by the California Government Code Section 50078 et. seq., (the “Code”) the Services are generally described as follows:
 Implementation of the roadside vegetation clearance program to cover all public roads within the Coastal and Coastal Interior Zones. This program reduces fuel, supports evacuation route efficacy, and decreases fire response times.  Implementation of a defensible space and fire prevention inspection and chipping assistance program for all properties in the Coastal and Coastal Interior Zones.  Implementation of a vegetation management program in the Coastal and Coastal Interior Zones.

As applied herein, “roadside vegetation clearance” means the treatment, clearing, reduction, or modification of vegetation adjacent to public and private roadways within designated fire hazard areas where vegetation poses a fire hazard or impedes safe access for emergency response and evacuation. Such activities are conducted in accordance with Fire Department vegetation clearance standards and applicable provisions of the Santa Barbara Municipal Code, including the California Fire Code as adopted and amended by the City. “Defensible space” means the area surrounding a structure where vegetation is treated, cleared, or reduced to slow the spread of wildfire toward the structure, reduce the potential for structure ignition, and provide a safe working area for firefighters. Defensible space requirements are established pursuant to the California Fire Code, including applicable wildland-urban interface fire area provisions, as adopted and amended by the Santa Barbara Municipal Code.” City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
11 “Vegetation management” means the reduction of wildfire risk through public education, vegetation hazard reduction, and related activities designed to manage vegetation in areas with elevated fire risk. These activities may include treatment of heavy or flammable vegetation, fuel reduction in areas with limited access due to topography or roadway conditions, and actions necessary to improve firefighter safety and reduce wildfire intensity.” More detail on these programs and the benefit they provide is discussed below.

Roadside Vegetation Clearance Supporting Main Evacuation Routes Costs in this category fund activities necessary to maintain safe and effective evacuation routes and emergency access within the wildfire hazard area. Staffing costs include City Fire Department personnel time associated with planning, coordination, and implementation of roadway clearance and evacuation support activities.

Project costs include vegetation removal and clearance along designated evacuation corridors and roadways to maintain adequate horizontal and vertical clearance for emergency vehicles and evacuating residents. These activities include trimming, thinning, and removal of vegetation adjacent to roadways, as well as the utilization of contractors, equipment, and field crews required to perform clearance work.

Project costs also include traffic control signage and notification materials, including letters and door hangers, used to inform residents of project schedules and support safe implementation of roadway clearance activities. Additional costs include reflective curb marking and related visibility enhancements to assist in identifying roadways and access points during emergency response conditions, including reduced visibility due to smoke or nighttime operations.

Tools, supplies, and materials necessary to support evacuation planning and roadway clearance activities are also included.

Defensible Space
Costs in this category fund programs that support defensible space compliance and reduce structure vulnerability to wildfire. Staffing costs include City Fire Department personnel time associated with defensible space inspections, compliance monitoring, enforcement activities, and coordination of related programs, including documentation and data entry of defensible space evaluations into City systems.

Project costs include implementation of defensible space support services, including the annual chipping program for processing vegetation removed by property owners. These costs include coordination, communication, and direct support necessary to implement the program, including contractor services, chipper equipment, hauling trucks, and associated manpower.

City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
12 Project costs also include disposal services for green waste and vegetation debris generated through defensible space activities, including roll-off and hauling services. Notification materials, including traffic signage, letters, door hangers, and temporary signage, are also included to inform property owners of program schedules and requirements.

Additional costs include landscaper training and outreach to support proper vegetation management practices, as well as property-level risk assessments and home evaluations to identify wildfire vulnerabilities and recommend corrective actions.

Collectively, these activities support property owner compliance with defensible space requirements and reduce the likelihood of structure ignition and fire spread within developed areas.

Vegetation Management
Costs in this category fund fuel reduction and vegetation management activities conducted outside of individual parcels in areas that contribute to wildfire risk. Staffing costs include City Fire Department personnel time associated with planning, coordination, and implementation of vegetation management and fuel reduction projects, including coordination and communication with affected property owners.

Project costs include removal of hazardous vegetation, thinning of fuel loads, and maintenance of vegetation in open space areas, hillside environments, and other high-risk locations. These activities are supported through the use of contractors, equipment, and field crews, and are intended to reduce wildfire intensity and limit the spread of fire toward developed areas.

Project costs also include roll-off dumpsters for debris removal, temporary facilities such as portapotties for field crews, on-site project signage, and notification materials, including letters and door hangers, to inform property owners of project schedules.

This category also includes costs associated with dedicated vegetation management crews and wildfire resiliency projects that implement targeted fuel reduction treatments and improve overall landscape-level fire resistance, as well as community outreach and education efforts related to wildfire preparedness and fire-safe practices.

City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
13 Total
Budget
Services Costs
Roadside Vegetation Clearance Supporting Main Evacuation Routes Staffing $46,947
Project Costs $55,090
Defensible Space
Staffing $50,573
Project Costs $61,090
Vegetation Management
Staffing $29,182
Project Costs $34,380
Totals for Installation, Maintenance and Servicing $277,262 Less: District Contribution for General Benefits ($24,347) Net Cost of Installation, Maintenance and Servicing to Assessment District $252,915 Incidental Costs:

District Administration and Levy Management $6,100
Allowance for County Collection $2,500
Subtotals - Incidentals $8,600
Total Wildland Fire Suppression District Budget $261,515 (Net Amount to be Assessed)
Assessment District Budget Allocation to Parcels
Total Assessment Budget $261,515
Single Family Equivalent Benefit Units in District 2,127 Assessment per Single Family Equivalent Unit (SFE) $122.95

CITY OF SANTA BARBARA
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Estimate of Costs
Cost and Budget
Figure 2 - Cost and Budget FY 2026-27
City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
14 Method of Apportionment
Method of Apportionment
This section includes an explanation of the special benefits derived from the Services, the criteria for the expenditure of assessment funds and the methodology used to apportion the total assessments to properties within the Assessment District.

The Assessment District area consists of all Assessor Parcels within the Coastal and Coastal Interior High Fire Hazard Areas as defined by the 2021 Community Wildfire Protection Plan. The method used for apportioning the assessment is based upon the proportional special benefits from the Services derived by the properties in the assessment area over and above general benefits conferred on real property or to the public at large. Special benefit is calculated for each parcel in the Assessment District using the following process:

1. Identification of all benefit factors derived from the Improvements

2. Calculation of the proportion of these benefits that are general

3. Determination of the relative special benefit within different areas within the Assessment District

4. Determination of the relative special benefit per property type

5. Calculation of the specific assessment for each individual parcel based upon special vs. general benefit; location, property type, property characteristics, improvements on property and other supporting attributes
Discussion of Benefit
California Government Code Section 50078 et. seq. allows agencies which provide fire suppression services, such as the City of Santa Barbara Fire Department, to levy assessments for fire suppression services. Section 50078 states the following:
“Any local agency which provides fire suppression services directly or by contract with the state or a local agency may, by ordinance or by resolution adopted after notice and hearing, determine and levy an assessment for fire suppression services pursuant to this article.”
In addition, California Government Code Section 50078.1 defines the term “fire suppression” as follows:
“(c) "Fire suppression" includes firefighting and fire prevention, including, but not limited to, vegetation removal or management undertaken, in whole or in part, for the reduction of a fire hazard.”
City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
15 Therefore, the Services provided by the Assessment District fall within the scope of services that may be funded by assessments under the Code.

The assessments can only be levied based on the special benefit to property. This benefit is received by property over and above any general benefits. Moreover, such benefit is not based on any one property owner’s specific use of the Services or a property owner’s specific demographic status. With reference to the requirements for assessments, Section 50078.5 of the California Government Code states:
"(b) The benefit assessment shall be levied on a parcel, class of improvement to property, or use of property basis, or a combination thereof, within the boundaries of the local agency, zone, or area of benefit.”
“The assessment may be levied against any parcel, improvement, or use of property to which such services may be made available whether or not the service is actually used." Proposition 218, as codified in Article XIII D of the California Constitution, has confirmed that assessments must be based on the special benefit to property:
"No assessment shall be imposed on any parcel which exceeds the reasonable cost of the proportional special benefit conferred on that parcel." Since assessments are levied on the basis of special benefit, they are not a tax and are not governed by Article XIII A of the California Constitution.

The following section describes how and why the Services specially benefit properties. This benefit is particular and distinct from its effect on property in general or the public at large.

Benefit Factors
In order to allocate the assessments, the Engineer identified the types of special benefit arising from the Services that are provided to property in the Assessment District. These benefit factors confer a direct advantage to the assessed properties; otherwise they would be general benefit.

The following benefit categories have been established that represent the types of special benefit conferred to residential, commercial, industrial, institutional and other lots and parcels resulting from the services to reduce the severity and damage from wildland fires that are provided in the Assessment District. These categories of special benefit are derived from the statutes passed by the California Legislature and other studies, which describe the types of special benefit received by property from the Services of the Assessment District. These types of special benefit are summarized as follows:

City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
16 Increased safety and protection of real property assets for all property owners within the Assessment District.

As summarized previously, properties in the Assessment District are currently at higher risk for wildland fires. Uncontrolled fires would have a devastating impact on all properties within the proposed Assessment District. The assessments fund an increase in services to mitigate the wildland fire threat, and thereby can significantly reduce the risk of property damage associated with fires. Clearly, fire mitigation helps to protect and specifically benefits both improved properties and vacant properties in the Assessment District.

The City of Santa Barbara and surrounding landscape exhibits a complex wildfire environment that presents a significant risk to public and firefighter safety and the built and natural environment.2
The City recognizes the potential for significant loss of life, property, and natural resources from wildland fire and has a history of prioritizing development and implementation of a comprehensive wildland fire program.3
Wildland fire represents a growing significant threat to property owners throughout the State, as noted by Cal Fire in reference to the 2020 fire year:

Wildfire represents a significant and increasing threat to property in California. CAL FIRE reports that the 2020 wildfire season burned approximately 4.2 million acres and destroyed more than 10,000 structures statewide, and recent wildfire seasons have continued to result in thousands of structures destroyed each year.4 Protection of Views, Scenery and Other Resource Values, for Property in the Proposed Assessment District
The proposed Assessment District provides funding for the mitigation of the wildland fire threat to protect public and private resources in the Assessment District. This benefits even those properties that are not directly damaged by fire by maintaining and improving the aesthetics and attractiveness of public and private resources in the community, as well as ensuring that such resources remain safe and well maintained.
2 CWPP, 1.
3 CWPP, 2.
4 https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2020/
City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
17 Wildfire has the potential to significantly impact viewsheds, scenic resources, and other environmental and community assets within the Assessment District. The CWPP notes that the City’s economy and quality of life are closely tied to its natural and visual resources, and that wildfire events can result in degradation of these resources and disruption to the community.5 Large, high-intensity wildland fire can damage natural resources and lead to the loss of ecosystem services (for example, wildlife habitat, watershed conditions, recreational and aesthetic value).6
[T]he risk for loss or degradation of scenic views from high-intensity wildfire is also increased. Long term and indirect effects... could result in a decrease in the presence of valued scenic attributes.7
Enhanced Utility and Desirability of Properties in the Proposed Assessment District.

The proposed Assessment would fund Services to reduce the severity and damage from wildland fires in the Assessment District. Such Services enhance the overall utility of the properties in the Assessment District and contribute to the desirability of the properties.

Wildland fire affects air quality by producing smoke emissions that may exceed… standards for carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, methane and non-methane hydrocarbons, and particulate matter less than 10 and 2.5 microns in diameter (PM10 and PM2.5). The amount of chemicals and particulate matter produced in a wildland fire is directly related to the amount of fuel consumed.8
Benefit Finding
In summary, real property located within the boundaries of the Assessment District distinctly and directly benefits from increased safety and protection of real property, increased protection of scenery and views, and enhanced utility of properties in the Assessment District. These are special benefits to property in much the same way that sewer and water facilities, sidewalks and paved streets enhance the utility and desirability of property and make them more functional to use, safer and easier to access.
5 CWPP, 84.
6 https://www.usgs.gov/centers/fort-collins-science-center/science/economics-wildland-fire 7 U.S. Forest Service. South Shore Fuel Reduction and Healthy Forest Restoration Project, Final Environmental Impact Statement, xiii.
8 CWPP, 83.

City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
18 Total
Benefit
=
General
Benefit +
Special
Benefit
General Benefit =
Benefit to Real
Property
Outside of
Assessment
District
+
Benefit to Real
Property
Inside of
Assessment
District That is
Indirect and
Derivative
+
Benefit to Public
At Large
General Versus Special Benefit
Article XIII C of the California Constitution requires any local agency proposing to increase or impose a benefit assessment to “separate the general benefits from the special benefits conferred on a parcel.” The rationale for separating special and general benefits is to ensure that property owners subject to the benefit assessment are not paying for general benefits. The assessment can fund special benefits but cannot fund general benefits. Accordingly, a separate estimate of the special and general benefit is given in this section.

In other words:

Equation 2 - Total Benefit Formula

There is no widely-accepted or statutory formula for general benefit. General benefits are benefits from improvements or services that are not special in nature, are not “particular and distinct” and are not “over and above” benefits received by other properties. SVTA vs. SCCOSA provides some clarification by indicating that general benefits provide “an indirect, derivative advantage” and are not necessarily proximate to the improvements.

The starting point for evaluating general and special benefits is the current baseline level of service. The assessment will fund Services “over and above” this general, baseline level and the special benefits estimated in this section are over and above the baseline.

A formula to estimate the general benefit is listed below:

Equation 3 - General Benefit Formula
City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
19 Special benefit, on the other hand, is defined in the state constitution as “a particular and distinct benefit over and above general benefits conferred on real property located in the district or to the public at large.” The SVTA v. SCCOSA decision indicates that a special benefit is conferred to a property if it “receives a direct advantage from the improvement (e.g., proximity to a park).” In this assessment, as noted, the improved Services are available when needed to all properties in the Assessment District, so the overwhelming proportion of the benefits conferred to property is special, and are only minimally received by property outside the Assessment District or the public at large.

Proposition 218 twice uses the phrase “over and above” general benefits in describing special benefit. (Art. XIII D, sections 2(i) & 4(f).) Arguably, all of the Services being funded by the assessment would be a special benefit because the Services particularly and distinctly benefit the properties in the Assessment District over and above the baseline benefits.

Nevertheless, arguably some of the Services benefit the public at large and properties outside the Assessment District. In this report, the general benefit is conservatively estimated and described, and then budgeted so that it is funded by sources other than the assessment. (In the 2009 Dahms case, the court upheld an assessment that conferred a 100% special benefit to the assessed parcels on the rationale that the services and improvements funded by the assessments were provided directly and only to property in the assessment district over and above those services or improvements provided by the city generally. Similarly, the Assessments described in this Engineer’s Report fund wildland fire services directly and only to the assessed parcels located within the assessment area. Moreover, every property within the Assessment District will receive the Services. While the Dahms decision would permit an assessment based on 100% special benefit and zero or minimal general benefits, in this report, the general benefit is estimated and described and budgeted so that it is funded by sources other than the Assessment.) City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
20 Assumptions:
444 parcels outside the Assessment District but proximate to the District Boundaries. 2,409 parcels within the Assessment District.
50% relative benefit compared to property within the Assessment District.

Calculation:

General benefit to property outside the Assessment District =(444/(444+2409))*0.5 = 7.8%
Calculating General Benefit
This section provides a measure of the general benefits from the assessments Benefit to Property Outside the Assessment District
Properties within the Assessment District receive almost all of the special benefits from the Services because the Services will be provided solely in the Assessment District boundaries.

Properties proximate to, but outside of, the boundaries of the Assessment District receive some benefit from the Services due to some degree of indirectly reduced fire risk to their property.

These parcels that are proximate to the boundaries of the Assessment District are estimated to receive less than 50% of the benefits relative to parcels within the Assessment District because they do not directly receive the improved fire protection resulting from the Services funded by the Assessments.

Adjacent to the proposed Assessment District, there are approximately 444 of these “proximate” properties.

Figure 3 - Benefit to Property Outside the Assessment District Calculation Although it can reasonably be argued that properties protected inside, but near the Assessment District boundaries are offset by similar fire protection provided outside, but near the Assessment District’s boundaries, we use the more conservative approach of finding that 7.8% of the Services may be of general benefit to property outside the Assessment District.

City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
21 Benefit to Property Inside the District that is Indirect and Derivative The “indirect and derivative” benefit to property within the Assessment District is particularly difficult to calculate. A solid argument can be presented that all benefit within the Assessment District is special because the Services are clearly “over and above” and “particular and distinct” when compared with the current baseline level of Services.

In determining the Assessment District boundaries, the District has been careful to limit it to an area of parcels that will directly receive the benefit of the improved Services. All parcels will directly benefit from the use of the improved Services throughout the Assessment District in order to achieve the desired level of wildland fire suppression and protection throughout the Assessment District. Fire protection and suppression will be provided as needed throughout the area.

The SVTA vs. SCCOSA decision indicates that the fact that a benefit is conferred throughout the Assessment District area does not make the benefit general rather than special, so long as the Assessment District is narrowly drawn and limited to the parcels directly receiving shared special benefits from the service. This concept is particularly applicable in situations involving a landowner-approved assessment-funded extension of a local government service to benefit lands previously not receiving that particular service. The Fire Department therefore concludes that, other than the small general benefit to properties outside the Assessment District (discussed above) and to the public at large (discussed below), all of the benefits of the Services to the parcels within the Assessment District are special benefits and it is not possible or appropriate to separate any general benefits from the benefits conferred on parcels in the Assessment District.

Benefit To The Public At Large
With the type and scope of Services provided to the Assessment District, it is very difficult to calculate and quantify the scope of the general benefit conferred on the public at large. Because the Services directly serve and benefit all of the property in the Assessment District, any general benefit conferred on the public at large would be small. Nevertheless, there may be some indirect general benefit to the public at large.

The public at large uses the public highways and other regional facilities when traveling in and through the Assessment District and they may benefit from the services without contributing to the assessment. Although the protection of this critical infrastructure is certainly a benefit to all the property within the Assessment District, it is arguably “indirect and derivative” and possibly benefits people rather than property. A fair and appropriate measure of the general benefit to the public at large therefore is the amount of highway, and regional facilities within the Assessment District relative to the overall land area. An analysis of maps of the Assessment District shows that less than 1.0% of the land area in the Assessment District is covered by highways and regional facilities. This 1.0% therefore is a fair and appropriate measure of the general benefit to the public at large within the Assessment District City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
22 General Benefit Calculation

7.8% (Outside the Assessment District)
+ 0.0% (Inside the District - indirect and derivative)
+ 1.0% (Public at large)
= 8.8%
Summary of General Benefits
Using a sum of the measures of general benefit for the public at large and land outside the Assessment District, we find that approximately 7.7% of the benefits conferred by the Assessment District may be general in nature and should be funded by sources other than the assessment.

Figure 4 - General Benefit Calculation
The proposed Assessment District’s total budget for 2026-27 is $277,262. The Assessment District must obtain funding from sources other than the assessment in the amount of at least $24,347 ($277,262*8.8%) to pay for the cost of the general benefits. This is because the assessments levied by the Fire Department may not exceed the special benefits provided by the Services, and the Assessment Engineer concluded that a combined total of 8.8% of the cost of Services provide a general benefit to properties outside the proposed Assessment District and a benefit to the public at large.

Zones of Benefit
As noted previously, CWPP established four High Fire Hazard Area Zones within the City based on an analysis of vegetation (fuel), topography, weather, roof type, proximity of structures, road systems, water supply, fire response times, and other factors. This analysis identified and refined four High Fire Hazard Area Zones within the City. The proposed Assessment District includes the Coastal and Coastal Interior Zones.

The concept of "zones of benefit" refers to areas within an assessment district that receive variable levels of special benefit from the services provided. Because the Coastal and Coastal Interior Zones are two distinct areas as defined in the CWPP, they must be evaluated in terms of the relative benefit they receive under the proposed Assessment to determine whether zones of benefit should be established. To evaluate this relative benefit provided to the Coastal and Coastal Interior Zones, the Assessment Engineer utilized a scoring system based on characteristics described in the CWPP, which provides a recent analysis of wildland fire risk factors.

City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
23 Qualititative Score Numeric Score
Very High 15
High 10
Moderate 5
Low 1
Qualititative Score Numeric Score
Very High 4
High 3
Moderate 2
Low 1
Accordingly, these characteristics are used to equitably assign special benefit and form the basis of the "Fire Risk Factors." The Combined Hazard Assessment includes consideration of vegetation, topography, and weather. This score is the most significant and has been weighted accordingly, as shown in Figure 5.

Figure 5 - Combined Hazard Assessment Scoring
Other fire risk factors include Roof Type, Proximity of Structures, Road Systems, Water Supply, Fire Response, and Ignitions. These scores are assigned based on the values shown in Figure 6, below.

Figure 6 - Other Fire Hazard Factor Scoring
Each Zone has been assigned a score based upon evaluated risk criteria, as shown in Figure 7 below and followed by explanations of their scores. Note that while the Coastal and Coastal Interior Zones are distinct areas, their final scores are equal and indicate that there is no relative difference between the benefit they are provided under the proposed Assessment.

City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
24 Hazard/Risk Attribute Coastal Area
Coastal Interior
Area
Vegetation 8 10
Topography 8 8
Weather 10 8
Combined Hazard Assessment:

Vegetation (fuel), Topography,
Weather*
26 26
Roof Type 2 2
Proximity 2 2
Road 2 2
Water 1 1
Response 1 1
Ignitions 2 2
Total Score 36 36
Zone Raw Score Wildland Fire
Risk Factor
Coastal Zone 36 1.00
Coastal Interior Zone 36 1.00
Figure 7 - Relative Hazard/Risk Scoring for High Fire Hazard Area Zones Figure 8 shows the total relative scores for each zone tabulated and normalized.

Figure 8 - Wildland Fire Risk Factors
Combined Hazard Assessment
The Combined Hazard Assessment reflects the inherent wildfire risk associated with vegetation (fuel), topography, and weather conditions within each Zone, as identified in the CWPP. These factors influence the likelihood of ignition, fire behavior, and rate of spread.

Vegetation (Fuel)
The Coastal Zone is characterized by a mix of coastal sage scrub, grasslands, landscaped vegetation, and intermittent pockets of denser fuels. The CWPP notes that “the majority of fuels are coastal sage scrub, grassland, and ornamental plants intermixed with residential areas,” with “isolated areas of heavy fuel consisting of eucalyptus and oak vegetation” increasing hazard in specific locations.9 While these fuel types can support fire spread, the overall continuity and density of fuels are more limited compared to inland areas. 9 CWPP, 13.

City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
25 In contrast, the Coastal Interior Zone includes more continuous and diverse fuel types, including “dense chaparral, oak forests, coastal sage shrub, landscaped vegetation, agricultural lands, and eucalyptus groves.”10 The presence of denser and more continuous fuels increases the potential for sustained fire behavior and higher intensity fire conditions. The CWPP further notes that chaparral and coastal sage scrub “have the potential for a high rate of spread, rapid ignition, and extreme fire behavior.”11
Accordingly, the Coastal Interior Zone receives a slightly higher vegetation score (10) than the Coastal Zone (8).

Topography
Both the Coastal and Coastal Interior Zones exhibit similar topographic characteristics. The CWPP indicates that slopes in both areas “range from 10% to 35%.”12 These slope conditions can influence fire behavior by increasing the rate of fire spread and contributing to upslope fire movement.

Because topographic conditions are comparable between the two Zones, both are assigned the same score for this factor (8).

Weather
Weather conditions in both Zones are influenced by coastal marine effects as well as periodic offshore wind events. The CWPP notes that the Coastal Zone is “dominated by ocean influence for much of the year, resulting in lower temperatures and increased fuel moistures, which reduce fire hazard,” but also identifies that canyon alignments can produce “periodic hot, dry wind conditions… during late summer and fall months.”13
Similarly, the Coastal Interior Zone is “greatly affected by the ocean influence resulting in lower temperatures and increased fuel moistures,” but experiences elevated risk when “late summer and fall Sundowner winds surface.”14
While both Zones are subject to these wind-driven fire conditions, the Coastal Zone’s direct exposure to canyon-driven wind alignment and coastal interface results in slightly greater variability in fire weather conditions. Accordingly, the Coastal Zone is assigned a slightly higher weather-related hazard score (10) than the Coastal Interior Zone (8). 10 CWPP, 13.
11 CWPP, 25.
12 CWPP, 13.
13 CWPP, 13.
14 CWPP, 13.

City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
26 These scores combine for an equal total score of 26 across both Zones for the Combined Hazard Assessment.

Roof Type
The CWPP does not identify material differences in roof type between the Coastal and Coastal Interior Zones that would materially affect relative wildfire risk. As such, both Zones are assigned the same score for this factor (2).

Proximity of Structures
The arrangement and density of structures influence the potential for fire spread between vegetation and the built environment.

The CWPP indicates that the Coastal Zone has areas of lower building density, with “pockets of moderate to high” density development, while the Coastal Interior Zone exhibits more consistently moderate development patterns.”15
While the Coastal Interior Zone may have somewhat greater development intensity overall, the Coastal Zone includes areas of moderate to high density. Both Zones exhibit wildland-urban interface conditions where structures are located adjacent to or intermixed with vegetation. As a result, both Zones are assigned the same scores for this factor (2).

Road Systems
Roadway characteristics affect both fire response and evacuation. In the Coastal Zone, the CWPP notes that “roads in the zone are variable in width and the zone includes numerous long, deadend driveways” which can limit access and complicate evacuation16 .

In the Coastal Interior Zone, roadway conditions are also variable, including “wider, more heavily traveled roadways…and more steep and winding roadways.”17 These conditions similarly present constraints for emergency access in certain areas.

Because both Zones exhibit a mix of constrained and functional roadway conditions, they are assigned comparable scores for this factor (2).
15 CWPP, 13.
16 CWPP, 13.
17 CWPP, 13.

City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
27 Water Supply
The CWPP identifies water supply conditions in both Zones as generally available through the municipal system, but with limitations based on terrain and system configuration. As reflected in Table 11,18 both the Coastal and Coastal Interior Zones are characterized by relatively similar water supply conditions.

Accordingly, both Zones receive the same score for water supply (1).

Fire Response
The CWPP notes that fires in coastal areas of the City “have been relatively small due to quick response and suppression actions taken by the SBFD and Santa Barbara County Fire Department.”19 This applies to both the Coastal and Coastal Interior Zones.

Because response capabilities and historical performance are similar across both Zones, they are assigned the same score for this factor (1).

Ignitions
The likelihood of ignition is influenced by human activity near ignition sources. The CWPP describes both Zones as including intermixed residential and vegetation. Given the similar presence of ignition-prone fuels and human activity in both Zones, they are assigned equivalent scores for this factor (2).

Summary
While the Coastal and Coastal Interior Zones are identified in the CWPP as distinct geographic areas with differing physical characteristics, the evaluation of wildfire risk factors demonstrates that the overall level of hazard is comparable between the two Zones. As described above, certain factors, such as vegetation and weather, vary between the Zones; however, these differences are offset by similarities in other key factors, including topography, roadway conditions, water supply, fire response, and development patterns. When considered collectively, the resulting total scores for each Zone are equivalent, indicating that neither Zone experiences a meaningfully higher or lower overall level of wildfire risk.
18 CWPP, 78.
19 CWPP, 30.

City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
28 Under Proposition 218, the purpose of establishing Zones of Benefit is to reflect material differences in the level of special benefit received by properties. In this case, although the Coastal and Coastal Interior Zones are physically distinct, the analysis demonstrates that properties in both areas receive a substantially similar level of special benefit from the Services funded by the proposed Assessment. Because the Services are provided uniformly across both Zones and address comparable wildfire risk conditions, the formation of separate Zones of Benefit would not result in a more accurate or equitable allocation of assessments. Accordingly, a single Zone of Benefit is appropriate, as it reflects the proportional special benefit conferred to properties within the Assessment District and is consistent with the requirements of Article XIII D of the California Constitution.

Assessment Apportionment
In the process of determining the appropriate method of assessment, the Assessment Engineer evaluated all parcels within the proposed Assessment District. Residential improved property makes up the majority of parcels within the District – but limited vacant, commercial, industrial and other properties also receive special benefits from the proposed Assessment.

Moreover, other parcel characteristics, such as size, also affect the level of special benefit provided. For two properties used for commercial purposes, there clearly is a higher benefit provided to the larger property in comparison to a smaller commercial property because the larger property generally supports a larger building and has higher numbers of employees, customers and guests that benefit from reduced wildland fire risk. This benefit ultimately flows to the property. Larger parcels, therefore, receive an increased benefit from the assessments in some cases.

The Assessment Engineer determined that the appropriate method of assessment should be based on the type of property, the relative size of the property and the potential use of property by residents and employees. This method is further described below.

Method of Assessment
The next step in apportioning assessments is to determine the relative special benefit for each property. This process involves determining the relative benefit received by each property in relation to a "benchmark" property, a single family detached dwelling on one parcel of one acre or less (one “Single Family Equivalent Benefit Unit” or “SFE”). This SFE methodology is commonly used to distribute assessments in proportion to estimated special benefits and is generally recognized as providing the basis for a fair and appropriate distribution of assessments. In this Engineer’s Report, all properties are assigned an SFE value, which is each property’s relative benefit in relation to a single family home on one parcel.

City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
29 Special Benefit = ∑(Fire Risk Factors) * ∑(Structure Value Factors) The relative benefit to properties from fire related Services is:

Equation 1 – Relative Benefit to Properties
That is, the benefit conferred to property is the “sum” the risk factors multiplied by the “sum” of the structure values factors.

Fire Risk Factors
Typical fire assessments (non-wildland) are evaluated based upon the fire risk of a certain property type. These evaluations consider factors such as use of structure (e.g. used for cooking), type of structure (centralized heating), etc.

Wildland fires, on the other hand, are initiated largely from external ignitions and are far less affected by structural, mechanical and electrical systems inherent to the building (except roof type). The principle Wildland fire risk factors are:
 Vegetation (fuel)
 Topography
 Weather
 Roof type
 Proximity of Structure
 Road Systems
 Water Supply
 Response
 Ignitions
These factors were fully evaluated in the CWPP and are manifested in the relative zone scores as shown in Figures 7 and 8, above. As noted previously, the Fire Risk Factor for all properties within the Coastal and Coastal Interior Zones is 1.0.

Structure Value Factors
The relative value of different property types was evaluated within the high fire hazard area to determine the Structure Value Factor according to the following formula:

City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
30 Property Type Structure Value Factor Unit
Single Family11.0000 per each
Multi-Family20.3215 per res. unit
Commercial/Industrial 0.6175 per acre
Office 0.5454 per acre
Institutional30.3705 per each
Storage40.0892 per acre
Agricultural & Parks50.0803 per acre
RangeLand60.0155 per acre
Vacant 0.0446 per each
Equation 2 - Structure Value Factors
∑ (Structure Value
Factors)
≈
(Structure Weighting
Factor
∗
Average Improved
Value)
∗
(Land Weighting
Factor
∗
Average Total
Value)
∗
(Unit Density
Factor)
Where:
“Structure Weight Factor” = 10 to “weight” relative importance of structure over land. “Average Improved Value” is average of value of all improvements (e.g. structures), per property type, as provide by County Assessor records.

Land Weighting Factor = 1
“Average Total Value” is average of value of all land + improvements (e.g. structures), per property type, as provide by County Assessor records. County Assessor land values were not used directly because experience has shown total values to be more comprehensive. “Unit Density Factor” corresponds values with units (i.e. “per residential unit” or “per acre”) based upon effective density of structure on parcel.

Figure 9 below is a tabulation of the Structure values for each property type as defined by Equation 2, above.

Figure 9 - Structure Value Factors
(1) For homes on an acre or less. For homes on more than one acre, the Structure Value Factor is increased by 0.0809 per acre
(2) Multi-family properties within the proposed Assessment District are limited in number and produce inaccurate values due to the small sample size. For this reason, these values were calculated by analyzing multi-family properties throughout the City of Santa Barbara. (3) Institutional properties within the proposed Assessment District are limited in number and contain no assigned value in County Assessor records. These values were calculated by assigning

0.6 times commercial parcel values.
(4) Storage properties within the proposed Assessment District are limited in number and contain no assigned value in County Assessor records. These values were calculated by assigning 2 times vacant parcel values.

City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
31 (5) Agricultural properties within the proposed Assessment District are limited in number and contain no assigned value in County Assessor records. These values were calculated by assigning

1.8 times vacant parcel values.
(6) Rangland properties within the proposed Assessment District are limited in number and contain no assigned value in County Assessor records. These values were calculated by assigning 0.1 times vacant parcel values.

Residential Properties
All improved residential properties with a single residential dwelling unit on one acre or less are assigned one Single Family Equivalent or 1.0 SFE. Residential properties on parcels that are larger than 1 acre receive additional benefit and are assigned additional SFEs (0.0809) on a “per acre” basis. Detached or attached houses, zero-lot line houses and town homes are included in this category.

Properties with more than one residential unit are designated as multi-family residential properties. These properties benefit from the Services in proportion to the number of dwelling units that occupy each property. The relative benefit for multi-family properties was determined as per Equation 1 to be 0.3215 SFEs per residential unit. This rate applies to condominiums as well.

Commercial/Industrial & Office Properties
Commercial and industrial properties are assigned benefit units per acre, since there is a relationship between parcel size, structure size and relative benefits. The relative benefit for commercial and industrial properties was determined as per Equation 1 to be 0.6175 SFEs per acre. The relative benefit for office properties was determined as per Equation 1 to be 0.5454 SFEs per acre.

Vacant/Undeveloped, Parks, Open Space and Agricultural Properties The relative benefit for vacant properties was determined as per Equation 1 to be 0.0446 SFEs per parcel. Rangeland or open space parcels have minimal improvements and few, if any; structures that require defensible space and are assigned benefit “per acre.” The relative benefit for rangeland properties was determined as per Equation 1 to be 0.0155 SFEs per acre. The relative benefit for parks and agricultural properties was determined as per Equation 1 to be 0.0803 SFEs per acre.

Other Properties
Institutional properties, such as publicly owned properties and those that are used as such (for example, churches) are assessed at 0.3705 per parcel. The relative benefit for storage properties was determined as per Equation 1 to be 0.0892 SFEs per acre.

City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
32 Article XIII D, Section 4 of the California Constitution states that publicly owned properties shall not be exempt from assessment unless there is clear and convincing evidence that those properties receive no special benefit.

All public properties that are specially benefited are assessed. Publicly owned property that is used for purposes similar to private residential, commercial, industrial or institutional uses is benefited and assessed at the same rate as such privately owned property.

Appeals of Assessments Levied to Property
Any property owner who feels that the assessment levied on the subject property is in error as a result of incorrect information being used to apply the foregoing method of assessment may file a written appeal with the Fire Chief of the City of Santa Barbara Fire Department or his or her designee. Any such appeal is limited to correction of an assessment during the then current fiscal year. Upon the filing of any such appeal, the Chief or his or her designee will promptly review the appeal and any information provided by the property owner. If the Chief or his or her designee finds that the assessment should be modified, the appropriate changes shall be made to the assessment roll. If any such changes are approved after the assessment roll has been filed with the County for collection, the Chief or his or her designee is authorized to refund to the property owner the amount of any approved reduction. Any dispute over the decision of the Chief or his or her designee shall be referred to the City Council and the decision of the Council shall be final.

Additional Background on Relative Benefit
In essence, when property owners are deciding how to cast their ballot for a proposed assessment, each property owner must weigh the perceived value of the Services proposed to them and their property with the proposed cost of the assessment to their property. If property owners of a certain type of property are either opposed or in support of the assessment in much greater percentages than owners of other property types, this is an indication that, as a group, these property owners perceive that the proposed assessment has relatively higher or lower “utility” or value to their property relative to owners of other property types. One can also infer from these hypothetical ballot results that the apportionment of benefit (and assessments) was too high or too low for that property type. In other words, property owners, by their balloting, ultimately indicate if they perceive the special benefits to their property to exceed the cost of the assessment, and, as a group, whether the determined level of benefit and proposed assessment (the benefit apportionment made by the Assessment Engineer) is consistent with the level of benefits perceived by the owners of their type of property relative to the owners of other types of property.

City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
33 Property Type
Benefit Factors
(SFEs)
Year 1 Rate
(Dollar Amount) Unit
Single Family 1.0000 $122.95 per each
Multi-Family 0.3215 $39.53 per unit
Commercial/Industrial 0.6175 $75.92 per acre
Office 0.5454 $67.05 per acre
Institutional 0.3705 $45.55 per each
Storage 0.0892 $10.97 per acre
Agricultural 0.0803 $9.87 per acre
RangeLand 0.0155 $1.91 per acre
Vacant 0.0446 $5.49 per each
Duration of the Assessment
The duration of the assessment is one year and it may be continued each year by a vote of the City Council. The assessment cannot be increased in future years without approval from property owners in another assessment ballot proceeding, except for an annual adjustment tied to the change in the Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County Area Consumer Price Index, not to exceed 4% per year.

Assessment Rates
The proposed rates for property types within the Assessment District are shown below in Figure 10, as informed by the structure value factors detailed above. The FY 2026-27 rate of $122.95 is applied based on the SFEs assigned to each parcel. This rate can only increase as provided by the Consumer Price Index for the Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County Area as of December of each succeeding year, with the maximum annual adjustment not to exceed 4%.

Figure 10 - SFE and Rate Summary
The single-family home rate applies to homes on an acre or less. For homes on more than one acre, the Benefit Factor is increased by 0.0809 per acre.

Criteria and Policies
This sub-section describes the criteria that shall govern the expenditure of assessment funds and ensures equal levels of benefit for properties of similar type. The criteria established in this Report, as finally confirmed, cannot be substantially modified; however, the Council may adopt additional criteria to further clarify certain criteria or policies established in this Report or to establish additional criteria or policies that do not conflict with this Report.

City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
34 Assessment Funds Must Be Expended Within the Coastal and Coastal Interior Zones
The net available assessment funds, after incidental, administrative, financing and other costs, shall be expended exclusively for Services within the boundaries of the Assessment District, namely, the Coastal and Coastal Interior Zones.

City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
35 Roadside Vegetation Clearance Supporting Main Evacuation Routes $102,037 Defensible Space $111,663
Vegetation Management $63,562
Total for Installation, Maintenance and Servicing $277,262 Less: Contribution for General Benefits ($24,347)
Incidental Costs:

District Administration and Levy Management $6,100
Allowance for County Collection $2,500
Subtotal – Incidentals $8,600
Total Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment Budget $261,515 Budget
Assessment
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Santa Barbara is proceeding with the proposed levy of assessments under California Government Code sections 50078 et seq. (the “Code”) and Article XIII D of the California Constitution (the “Article”);
WHEREAS, the undersigned Engineer of Work has prepared and filed a report presenting an estimate of costs, a diagram for the Assessment District and an assessment of the estimated costs of the Services upon all assessable parcels within the Assessment District; NOW, THEREFORE, the undersigned, by virtue of the power vested in me under said Code and Article and the order of the Council of said City, hereby make the following assessment to cover the portion of the estimated cost of said Services, and the costs and expenses incidental thereto to be paid by the Assessment District.

The amount to be paid for said Services and the expense incidental thereto, to be paid by the Assessment District for the fiscal year 2026-27 is generally as follows:

Summary Cost Estimate FY 2026-27
An Assessment Diagram is hereto attached and made a part hereof showing the exterior boundaries of said Assessment District. The distinctive number of each parcel or lot of land in said Assessment District is its Assessor Parcel Number appearing on the Assessment Roll.

I do hereby assess and apportion said net amount of the cost and expenses of said Services, including the costs and expenses incident thereto, upon the parcels and lots of land within said Assessment District, in accordance with the special benefits to be received by each parcel or lot, from the Services, and more particularly set forth in the Cost Estimate and Method of Assessment hereto attached and by reference made a part hereof.

City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
36 The assessment is subject to an annual adjustment tied to the annual change in the Consumer Price Index for the Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County Area as of December of each succeeding year, with the maximum annual adjustment not to exceed 4%.

In the event that the actual assessment rate for any given year is not increased by an amount equal to the maximum of 4% or the yearly CPI change plus any CPI change in previous years that was in excess of 4%, the maximum authorized assessment shall increase by this amount. In such event, the maximum authorized assessment shall be equal to the base year assessment as adjusted by the increase to the CPI, plus any and all CPI adjustments deferred in any and all prior years. The CPI change above 4% can be used in a future year when the CPI adjustment is below 4%.

Each parcel or lot of land is described in the Assessment Roll by reference to its parcel number as shown on the Assessor's Maps of the City of Santa Barbara for the fiscal year 2026-27. For a more particular description of said property, reference is hereby made to the deeds and maps on file and of record in the office of the County Recorder of Santa Barbara County.

I hereby place opposite the Assessor Parcel Number for each parcel or lot within the Assessment Roll, the amount of the assessment for the fiscal year 2026-27 for each parcel or lot of land within the said Assessment District.

Dated: March 26, 2026
Engineer of Work

By John W. Bliss, License No. C052091
City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
37 Assessment Diagram
The Assessment District includes all properties within the boundaries of the Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression District. The boundaries of the Assessment District are displayed on the following Assessment Diagram. The lines and dimensions of each lot or parcel within the Assessment District are those lines and dimensions as shown on the maps of the Assessor of the County of Santa Barbara, for fiscal year 2026-27, and are incorporated herein by reference, and made a part of this Diagram and this Report.

City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
38 Figure 11 - Coastal WFSAD Assessment Diagram
City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
39 Appendices
Appendix A – Assessment Roll, FY 2026-27
The Assessment Roll is made part of this report and is available for public inspection during normal office hours. Each lot or parcel listed on the Assessment Roll is shown and illustrated on the latest County Assessor records and these records are, by reference, made part of this report. These records shall govern for all details concerning the description of the lots of parcels.

City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
40 Appendix B – California Government Code Section 50078 et seq. 50078. Any local agency which provides fire suppression services directly or by contract with the state or a local agency may, by ordinance or by resolution adopted after notice and hearing, determine and levy an assessment for fire suppression services pursuant to this article. The assessment may be made for the purpose of obtaining, furnishing, operating, and maintaining fire suppression equipment or apparatus or for the purpose of paying the salaries and benefits of firefighting personnel, or both, whether or not fire suppression services are actually used by or upon a parcel, improvement, or property.
50078.1. As used in this article:
(a) "Legislative body" means the board of directors, trustees, governors, or any other governing body of a local agency specified in subdivision (b).
(b) "Local agency" means any city, county, or city and county, whether general law or chartered, or special district, including a county service area created pursuant to the County Service Area Law, Chapter 2.2 (commencing with Section 25210.1) of Part 2 of Division 2 of Title 3. (c) "Fire suppression" includes firefighting and fire prevention, including, but not limited to, vegetation removal or management undertaken, in whole or in part, for the reduction of a fire hazard.
50078.2. (a) The ordinance or resolution shall establish uniform schedules and rates based upon the type of use of property and the risk classification of the structures or other improvements on, or the use of, the property. The risk classification may include, but need not be limited to, the amount of water required for fire suppression on that property, the structure size, type of construction, structure use, and other factors relating to potential fire and panic hazards and the costs of providing the fire suppression by the district to that property. The assessment shall be related to the benefits to the property assessed.
(b) The benefit assessment levies on land devoted primarily to agricultural, timber, or livestock uses, and being used for the commercial production of agricultural, timber, or livestock products, shall be related to the relative risk to the land and its products. The amount of the assessment shall recognize normal husbandry practices that serve to mitigate risk, onsite or proximate water availability, response time, capability of the fire suppression service, and any other factors which reflect the benefit to the land resulting from the fire suppression service provided. A benefit assessment shall not be levied for wildland or watershed fire suppression on land located in a state responsibility area as defined in Section 4102 of the Public Resources Code. This subdivision is not applicable to any benefit assessment levied prior to January 1, 1984, on land devoted primarily to agricultural, timber, or livestock uses.

City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
41 50078.3. Any ordinance or resolution adopted by a local agency pursuant to this article establishing uniform schedules and rates for assessments for fire suppression services which substantially conforms with the model ordinance which the State Fire Marshal is authorized to adopt pursuant to Section 13111 of the Health and Safety Code shall be presumed to be in compliance with the requirements of Section 50078.2.
50078.4. The legislative body of the local agency shall cause to be prepared and filed with the clerk of the local agency a written report which shall contain all of the following:
(a) A description of each lot or parcel of property proposed to be subject to the assessment. (b) The amount of the assessment for each lot or parcel for the initial fiscal year. (c) The maximum amount of the assessment which may be levied for each lot or parcel during any fiscal year.
(d) The duration of the assessment.
(e) The basis of the assessment.
(f) The schedule of the assessment.
(g) A description specifying the requirements for protest and hearing procedures for the proposed assessment pursuant to Section 50078.6.
50078.5. (a) The legislative body may establish zones or areas of benefit within the local agency and may restrict the imposition of assessments to areas lying within one or more of the zones or areas of benefit established within the local agency.
(b) The benefit assessment shall be levied on a parcel, class of improvement to property, or use of property basis, or a combination thereof, within the boundaries of the local agency, zone, or area of benefit. The assessment may be levied against any parcel, improvement, or use of property to which such services may be made available whether or not the service is actually used. 50078.6. The clerk of the local agency shall cause the notice, protest, and hearing procedures to comply with Section 53753. The mailed notice shall also contain the name and telephone number of the person designated by the legislative body to answer inquiries regarding the protest proceedings.
50078.13. The local agency shall pay the county for costs, if any, incurred by the county in conducting the election. An election called by a legislative body pursuant to this article is subject to all provisions of the Elections Code applicable to elections called by the local agency. The local agency may recover the costs of the election and any other costs of preparing and levying the assessment from the proceeds of the assessment.

City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
42 50078.16. The legislative body may provide for the collection of the assessment in the same manner, and subject to the same penalties as other fees, charges, and taxes fixed and collected by, or on behalf of the local agency. If the assessments are collected by the county, the county may deduct its reasonable costs incurred for that service before remittal of the balance to the local agency's treasury.
50078.17. Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 860) of Title 10 of Part 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure applies to any judicial action or proceeding to validate, attack, review, set aside, void, or annul an ordinance or resolution levying an assessment or modifying or amending an existing ordinance or resolution. If an ordinance or resolution provides for an automatic adjustment in an assessment, and the automatic adjustment results in an increase in the amount of an assessment, any action or proceeding to attack, review, set aside, void, or annul the increase shall be commenced within 90 days of the effective date of the increase. Any appeal from a final judgment in the action or proceeding brought pursuant to this section shall be filed within 30 days after entry of the judgment.
50078.19. This article does not limit or prohibit the levy or collection of any other fee, charge, assessment, or tax for fire suppression services authorized by any other provisions of law. 50078.20. Any fire protection district may specifically allocate a portion of the revenue generated pursuant to this article to pay the interest and that portion of the principal as will become due on an annual basis on indebtedness incurred pursuant to Section 8589.13 of this code and Section 13906 of the Health and Safety Code.

City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
43 Appendix C – Article XIII D of the California Constitution Proposition 218 was approved by voters as a Constitutional Amendment on November 6, 1996. It became Article XIII C and Article XIII D of the California State Constitution and has imposed additional requirements for assessment districts. Following is a summary of the Article.

SEC.1. Application. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the provisions of this article shall apply to all assessments, fees and charges, whether imposed pursuant to state statute or local government charter authority. Nothing in this article or Article XIII C shall be construed to:
(a) Provide any new authority to any agency to impose a tax, assessment, fee, or charge. (b) Affect existing laws relating to the imposition of fees or charges as a condition of property development.
(c) Affect existing laws relating to the imposition of timber yield taxes.

SEC. 2. Definitions. As used in this article:
(a) "Agency" means any local government as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 1 of Article XIII C.
(b) "Assessment" means any levy or charge upon real property by an agency for a special benefit conferred upon the real property. "Assessment" includes, but is not limited to, "special assessment," "benefit assessment," "maintenance assessment" and "special assessment tax." (c) "Capital cost" means the cost of acquisition, installation, construction, reconstruction, or replacement of a permanent public improvement by an agency. (d) "District" means an area determined by an agency to contain all parcels which will receive a special benefit from a proposed public improvement or property-related service. (e) "Fee" or "charge" means any levy other than an ad valorem tax, a special tax, or an assessment, imposed by an agency upon a parcel or upon a person as an incident of property ownership, including a user fee or charge for a property related service. (f) "Maintenance and operation expenses" means the cost of rent, repair, replacement, rehabilitation, fuel, power, electrical current, care, and supervision necessary to properly operate and maintain a permanent public improvement.
(g) "Property ownership" shall be deemed to include tenancies of real property where tenants are directly liable to pay the assessment, fee, or charge in question. (h) "Property-related service" means a public service having a direct relationship to property ownership.

City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
44 (i) "Special benefit" means a particular and distinct benefit over and above general benefits conferred on real property located in the district or to the public at large. General enhancement of property value does not constitute "special benefit." SEC. 3. Property Taxes, Assessments, Fees and Charges Limited. (a) No tax, assessment, fee, or charge shall be assessed by any agency upon any parcel of property or upon any person as an incident of property ownership except: (1) The ad valorem property tax imposed pursuant to Article XIII and Article XIII A. (2) Any special tax receiving a two-thirds vote pursuant to Section 4 of Article XIII A. (3) Assessments as provided by this article. (4) Fees or charges for property related services as provided by this article. (b) For purposes of this article, fees for the provision of electrical or gas service shall not be deemed charges or fees imposed as an incident of property ownership.

SEC. 4. Procedures and Requirements for All Assessments. (a) An agency which proposes to levy an assessment shall identify all parcels which will have a special benefit conferred upon them and upon which an assessment will be imposed. The proportionate special benefit derived by each identified parcel shall be determined in relationship to the entirety of the capital cost of a public improvement, the maintenance and operation expenses of a public improvement, or the cost of the property related service being provided. No assessment shall be imposed on any parcel which exceeds the reasonable cost of the proportional special benefit conferred on that parcel. Only special benefits are assessable, and an agency shall separate the general benefits from the special benefits conferred on a parcel. Parcels within a district that are owned or used by any agency, the State of California or the United States shall not be exempt from assessment unless the agency can demonstrate by clear and convincing evidence that those publicly owned parcels in fact receive no special benefit. (b) All assessments shall be supported by a detailed engineer's report prepared by a registered professional engineer certified by the State of California. (c) The amount of the proposed assessment for each identified parcel shall be calculated and the record owner of each parcel shall be given written notice by mail of the proposed assessment, the total amount thereof chargeable to the entire district, the amount chargeable to the owner's particular parcel, the duration of the payments, the reason for the assessment and the basis upon which the amount of the proposed assessment was calculated, together with the date, time, and location of a public hearing on the proposed assessment. Each notice shall also include, in a conspicuous place thereon, a summary of the procedures applicable to the completion, return, and tabulation of the ballots required pursuant to subdivision (d), including a disclosure statement that the existence of a majority protest, as defined in subdivision (e), will result in the assessment not being imposed.

City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
45 (d) Each notice mailed to owners of identified parcels within the district pursuant to subdivision (c) shall contain a ballot which includes the agency's address for receipt of the ballot once completed by any owner receiving the notice whereby the owner may indicate his or her name, reasonable identification of the parcel, and his or her support or opposition to the proposed assessment.
(e) The agency shall conduct a public hearing upon the proposed assessment not less than 45 days after mailing the notice of the proposed assessment to record owners of each identified parcel.

At the public hearing, the agency shall consider all protests against the proposed assessment and tabulate the ballots. The agency shall not impose an assessment if there is a majority protest. A majority protest exists if, upon the conclusion of the hearing, ballots submitted in opposition to the assessment exceed the ballots submitted in favor of the assessment. In tabulating the ballots, the ballots shall be weighted according to the proportional financial obligation of the affected property.
(f) In any legal action contesting the validity of any assessment, the burden shall be on the agency to demonstrate that the property or properties in question receive a special benefit over and above the benefits conferred on the public at large and that the amount of any contested assessment is proportional to, and no greater than, the benefits conferred on the property or properties in question.
(g) Because only special benefits are assessable, electors residing within the district who do not own property within the district shall not be deemed under this Constitution to have been deprived of the right to vote for any assessment. If a court determines that the Constitution of the United States or other federal law requires otherwise, the assessment shall not be imposed unless approved by a two-thirds vote of the electorate in the district in addition to being approved by the property owners as required by subdivision (e).

SEC. 5. Effective Date.

Pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 10 of Article II, the provisions of this article shall become effective the day after the election unless otherwise provided. Beginning July 1, 1997, all existing, new, or increased assessments shall comply with this article. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the following assessments existing on the effective date of this article shall be exempt from the procedures and approval process set forth in Section 4:
(a) Any assessment imposed exclusively to finance the capital costs or maintenance and operation expenses for sidewalks, streets, sewers, water, flood control, drainage systems or vector control.

Subsequent increases in such assessments shall be subject to the procedures and approval process set forth in Section 4.

City of Santa Barbara
Coastal Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment
Engineer’s Report, FY 2026-27
46 (b) Any assessment imposed pursuant to a petition signed by the persons owning all of the parcels subject to the assessment at the time the assessment is initially imposed. Subsequent increases in such assessments shall be subject to the procedures and approval process set forth in Section

4. (c) Any assessment the proceeds of which are exclusively used to repay bonded indebtedness of which the failure to pay would violate the Contract Impairment Clause of the Constitution of the United States.
(d) Any assessment which previously received majority voter approval from the voters voting in an election on the issue of the assessment. Subsequent increases in those assessments shall be subject to the procedures and approval process set forth in Section 4.

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RESOLUTION NO. _____

A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF

SANTA BARBARA DECLARING INTENTION TO INITIATE

ASSESSMENT PROCEEDINGS, PRELIMINARILY
APPROVE THE ENGINEER’S REPORT, AND SET A
PUBLIC HEARING FOR JUNE 30, 2026
WHEREAS, the City of Santa Barbara (the “City”) provides fire suppression services within its jurisdiction; and
WHEREAS, the City adopted a Community Wildfire Protection Plan on February 9, 2021 to support the protection of lives, property, and natural resources threatened by wildland fire within the City, which also updated the City’s 2004 Wildland Fire Plan, accounting for changes in the City’s fire environment; and
WHEREAS, The City desires to initiate the proceedings for the formation of a Coastal Wildfire Suppression Assessment District (“District”) intended to provide for the financing of fire suppression services pursuant to Government Code sections 50078—50078.20 and Cal. Const. art. XIII D for all the properties within the boundaries of the District; and WHEREAS, Proposition 218 was adopted on November 6, 1996, adding Articles XIII C and XIII D to the California Constitution; and
WHEREAS, Article XIIID of the California Constitution and implementing statutes impose certain procedural and substantive requirements relating to assessments (as defined); and
WHEREAS, an Engineer’s Report (the “Report”) has been prepared by SCI Consulting Group (the “Assessment Engineer”) and submitted to the City Council (the “Council”), in which a new assessment is proposed to fund the cost of providing fire suppression services and improvements within the District boundaries. This proposed assessment shall be described as the “Coastal Wildfire Suppression Assessment District” (hereinafter the “Assessment District”) of the City of Santa Barbara.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, BY THE SANTA BARBARA CITY COUNCIL AS FOLLOWS:

1. Reference to Initiation. Pursuant to the District and direction from the Council, SCI Consulting Group, (the “Engineer of Work”), prepared an Engineer's Report pursuant to Title 5, Division 1, Part 1, Chapter 1, Article 3.6 of the California Government Code, “Fire Suppression Assessments”, beginning with Section 50078 and Article XIII D of the California Constitution. The Report has been made, filed with the City Clerk and duly considered by the Council and is hereby deemed sufficient and preliminarily approved. The Report shall stand as the Engineer's Report for all subsequent proceedings under and pursuant to this resolution.

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2. Description of the Services. Within the Assessment District, the proposed services and equipment to be funded by the assessments (“Services”) are generally described as including, but not limited to, roadside vegetation clearance to reduce fuel, support evacuation route efficacy, and decreased fire response times; defensible space assistance and fire prevention inspection; and vegetation management to reduce fuel, treat heavy of flammable vegetation, and reduce wildfire intensity.

3. Reference to Engineer’s Report. Reference is hereby made to the Report for a full and detailed description of the Services, the boundaries of the Assessment District and the proposed assessments upon assessable lots and parcels of land within the Assessment District.

4. Report of the Engineer of Work. The Report, which is available for public review at the City of Santa Barbara Fire Department located at 925 Chapala Street, Santa Barbara CA 93101, is hereby incorporated by reference. This Engineer’s Report includes:

A. A description of the Services to be funded with assessment proceeds; B. An estimate of the annual cost of such Services;
C. A description of the assessable parcels of land within the District and proposed to be subject to the new assessment;
D. A description of the proportionate special and general benefits conferred on property by the proposed assessment;
E. A description of the boundaries of the proposed Assessment District, and F. A specification of the amount to be assessed upon various types of assessable land to fund the cost of the Services.

5. Description of Assessment District. The Assessment District consists of the lots and parcels shown on the boundary map of the Assessment District on file with the City Clerk, and reference is hereby made to such map for further particulars.

6. Proposed Assessment Rate. It is the intention of this Council to levy and collect assessments within the Assessment District. The estimated fiscal year 2026-27 cost of providing the Services is $277,262. This cost results in a proposed assessment rate of ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-TWO DOLLARS AND NINETYFIVE CENTS ($122.95) per single-family equivalent benefit unit for fiscal year 2026-27.

7. Public Hearing. The public hearing on the proposed assessment shall be held before the City Council at Santa Barbara City Hall, 735 Anacapa St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, at the hour of 2 p.m. for the

Page 3 of 4 ends

purpose of the Council’s determination of whether the public interest, convenience and necessity require the Services and this Council’s final action upon the Report and the assessments therein.

8. Notice and Ballot. The Council is hereby authorized and directed to cause Notice of the hearing ordered under Section 7 hereof to be given in accordance with law by mailing, postage prepaid, in the United States mail, and such Notice shall be deemed to have been given when so deposited in the mail. The envelope or cover of the mailing shall include the name of the City. The mailed Notice shall be given by such mailing by name to those persons whose names and addresses appear on the last equalized secured property tax assessment roll of the County of Santa Barbara, or in the case of any public entity, the representative of such public entity at the address thereof known to the City Clerk. The Notice shall include, but not be limited to, the total amount of assessment proposed to be levied in the Assessment District for fiscal year 2026-27, the assessment proposed for the owner's particular parcel(s) and the duration thereof and the reason for the assessment. Each Notice shall also contain the proposed assessment and the basis upon which the amount of the assessment was calculated. Each Notice shall also contain an assessment ballot, a summary of the procedures applicable to the completion, return and tabulation of assessment ballots, the date, time, and location of the public hearing and a statement that the existence of a majority protest will result in the assessment not being imposed. The Notice herein provided shall be mailed not less than forty-five (45) days before the date of the public hearing.

9. Additional Information. To get additional information about the City of Santa Barbara Fire Department and its proposed services under this Assessment District, contact: Alex Vand, Fire Services Specialist, City of Santa Barbara Fire Department, 925 Chapala Street, Santa Barbara CA 93101, phone number (805) 564-5737. For questions about rate calculations and methodology contact the Engineer of Work: SCI Consulting Group, Ryan Aston, at 707-430-4300. The Engineer’s Report and other written material about the Assessment District may also be reviewed at City of Santa Barbara Fire Department located at 925 Chapala Street, Santa Barbara CA 93101 during regular business hours.

10.Annual Assessments. The assessments are proposed to be levied annually. If the proposed assessments are approved and confirmed by the City Council, the assessments may increase in future years by an amount equal to the annual change in the Consumer Price Index (“CPI”) for All Urban Consumers in the Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County Area not to exceed 4% (four percent) per year without a further vote or balloting process. In each subsequent year in which the assessments will be levied, an updated proposed budget and assessment rate shall be prepared and considered by the City Council at a noticed public hearing.

The updated budget and assessment rate shall serve as the basis for the continuation of the assessments.

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PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Santa Barbara City Council, this 21st day of April 2026 by the following vote:

AYES ____
NAYES ____
ABSENT ____
ABSTAIN ____
_____________________________________
City Clerk, City of Santa Barbara
ATTEST:
_____________________________________
Mayor, City of Santa Barbara

Page 1 of 8 ends

RESOLUTION NO. ______

A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF

SANTA BARBARA ESTABLISHING PROPOSITION
218 ASSESSMENT BALLOTING PROCEDURES IN

ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE XIII D OF THE
CALIFORNIA CONSTITUTION.

WHEREAS, Proposition 218 was adopted on November 6, 1996, adding Articles XIIIC and XIIID to the California Constitution; and
WHEREAS, Article XIIID of the California Constitution imposes certain procedural and substantive requirements relating to assessments (as defined); and WHEREAS, the City of Santa Barbara (the “City”) City Council (the “Council”) passed Resolution XX-XXX on April 21, 2026 initiating proceedings for the formation of a Coastal Wildfire Suppression Assessment District (“District”), preliminary approving the Engineer’s Report, and providing for notice of hearing and mailing of Assessment ballots.

WHEREAS, The Council believes it to be in the best interest of the City and its property owners to confirm and memorialize the City’s procedures and guidelines regarding implementation of the provisions of Proposition 218 and pertinent statutes relating to assessments.

NOW, THEREFORE, the Council does hereby resolve as follows:

SECTION 1. Statement of Legislative Intent. In adopting this resolution, it is the Council’s intent to adopt assessment ballot proceedings, which are consistent and in compliance with Articles XIIIC and XIIID of the California Constitution and with Government Code Sections 53750 through 53754. It is not the intent of the Council to vary in any way from the requirements of either the California Constitution or the laws of the State of California. If there is any inconsistency of each between a provision of this resolution and state law, state law will govern.

SECTION 2. General Authorization. The members of the Council, the City Fire Department Chief and the other officers of the City (the “Authorized Officers”) are hereby authorized and directed, individually and collectively, to do any and all things, to execute, deliver, and perform any and all agreements and documents they deem necessary or advisable in order to effectuate the purposes of this resolution. All actions heretofore taken by the officers and agents of the City that are in conformity with the purposes and intent of this resolution are hereby ratified, confirmed, and approved in all respects.

SECTION 3. Definition of Assessment. Proposition 218 defines “assessment” as “any levy or charge by an agency upon real property that is based upon the special benefit conferred upon the real property by a public improvement or services, that is imposed to pay the capital cost of the public improvement, the maintenance and operation expenses of the public improvement or the cost of the

Page 2 of 8 ends

service being provided.” “Assessment” includes, but is not limited to, “special assessment,” “benefit assessment,” “maintenance assessment,” and “special assessment tax.”
SECTION 4. Assessment Ballot Proceeding. The following procedures shall be used in an assessment ballot proceeding that follows the requirements of Cal.

Const. art. XIIID, section 4:

A. Amount of Assessment. Only special benefits are assessable. The amount assessment shall be each identified parcel’s proportionate share of the cost of the additional fire protection services based upon that parcel’s special benefit from the Service. The amount shall be proportional to and no greater than the special benefits conferred on the property.

B. Engineer’s Report. The Council shall direct the filing of an engineer’s report that shall comply with the applicable state statute authorizing the assessment and with Cal. Const. art. XIII D, Section 4. The engineer’s report shall explain the special benefits conferred by the improvements and/or services funded by the assessments. The engineer’s report shall also provide the evidence upon which the Council may find that a special benefit exists. If the improvement or service confers a general benefit, the engineer’s report shall describe the general benefit and an alternative funding source for any general benefits. The engineer’s report shall be prepared by a registered professional engineer certified by the State of California, (the “Assessment Engineer”). The cost of preparing the engineer’s report may be included as a cost of the assessment.

C. Notice. The following guidelines shall apply to giving notice of an assessment:

1. The record owner(s) of each parcel to be assessed shall be determined from the last equalized property tax roll. If the property tax roll indicates more than one owner, each owner shall receive notice. Only property owners shall receive notice;

2. The notice shall be sent at least forty-five (45) days prior to the date set for the public hearing on the assessment;

3. The notice provided by this section shall contain the following information:
a. The total amount to be assessed for the entire assessment district; b. The amount to be assessed to the owner’s particular parcel; c. The duration of the payments;
d. The reason for the assessment;
e. The basis upon which the amount of the proposed assessment was calculated;

Page 3 of 8 ends

f. The date, time and location of the public hearing on the proposed assessment;
g. A summary of the procedures for the completion, return and tabulation of the assessment ballots;
h. A disclosure statement that the existence of a majority protest will result in the assessment not being imposed; and
i. A ballot to be completed by the owner, as further described in section D of this resolution.

4. The notice provided by this section and in accordance with Government Code Sections 53753(b) and (c) shall supersede and be in lieu of any other statutes requiring notice to levy or increase an assessment, including but not limited to the notice required by the state statute authorizing the assessment and Government Code section 54954.6;

5. Failure of any person to receive notice shall not invalidate the proceedings;

6. The cost of providing notice may be included as a cost of the assessment.

D. Assessment Ballot. The following guidelines shall apply to the assessment ballot:

1. The ballot required by Article XIIID, section 4(d), of the California Constitution shall be mailed to all property owners of record subject to the proposed assessment at least forty-five (45) days prior to the date of the public hearing on the proposed assessment. This ballot shall comply with Government Code Sections 53753(b) and (c). The ballot shall be designed in such a way that, once sealed, its contents are concealed.

2. All ballots must be returned either by mail or by hand delivery not later than the date for return of ballots stated on the notice and ballot described in this section. Mailed ballots must be returned to the City of Santa Barbara, C/O City Clerk, 735 Anacapa Street, Santa Barbara California 93102, or, if delivered at the time and location of the public hearing, to be held at Santa Barbara City Hall, 735 Anacapa St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101, and handed to the City Clerk. Ballots must be returned either by mail or by hand delivery prior to the conclusion of the public input portion of the public hearing. The Tabulator shall tabulate the ballots (the “Tabulator”) at a time and location which will be accessible to the public.

3. Each ballot must be signed under penalty of perjury. In the event that more than one of the record owners of a parcel submits an assessment ballot, the amount of the proposed assessment to be imposed upon the parcel shall be allocated to each ballot submitted in proportion to the respective record ownership interests or, if the ownership interests are not shown on the

Page 4 of 8 ends

record, as established to the satisfaction of the Council or Assessment Engineer by documentation provided by the record owners. If two or more persons own a parcel subject to the assessment, any one owner may cast an assessment ballot for all owners.

4. If a parcel has multiple owners, any owner may request a proportional assessment ballot. If the ownership interest of the owner is not shown on the last equalized secured property tax assessment roll, such request must include evidence, satisfactory to the District, of the owner's proportional rights in the parcel. The Assessment Engineer will provide the proportional ballot to the owner at the address shown on the assessment roll. Any request for a ballot to be mailed to another location must include evidence, satisfactory to the District, of the identity of the person requesting the ballot.

Each proportional ballot will be marked to identify it as a proportional ballot and to indicate the owner's proportional rights in the parcel. The Assessment Engineer will keep a record of each proportional ballot provided to an owner.

5. The District will only accept official ballots mailed or otherwise provided to owners by the Assessment Engineer.

6. If an assessment ballot is lost, withdrawn, destroyed or never received, the Assessment Engineer will mail or otherwise provide a replacement ballot to the owner upon receipt of a request delivered to the District or the Assessment Engineer. The replacement ballot will be marked to identify it as a replacement ballot or a replacement proportional ballot. Any request for a replacement or replacement proportional ballot to be mailed to another location must include evidence, satisfactory to the District or the Assessment Engineer, of the identity of the person requesting the ballot.

The same procedure applies to replacement ballots or replacement proportional ballots, which are lost, withdrawn, destroyed, or never received.

7. If an assessment ballot is returned by the United States Post Office as undeliverable, the Assessment Engineer may mail a redelivered ballot to the current property owner, if updated ownership or owner mailing address can be determined. The redelivered ballot will be marked to identify it as a redelivered ballot.

8. An assessment ballot proceeding is not an election.

9. An assessment ballot is a disclosable “public record” as that phrase is defined by Government Code section 6252 during and after tabulation of the ballots.

10. The California Government Code requires that assessment ballots be signed by property owners. However, property owner names and corresponding votes will remain strictly confidential, except as necessary to count the votes or as disclosure is required by California law.

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11. To complete an assessment ballot, the owner of the parcel or his authorized representative must (1) mark the appropriate box (or circle) supporting or opposing the proposed assessment, and (2) sign, under penalty of perjury, the statement on the ballot that the person completing the ballot is the owner of the parcel or the owner's authorized representative. Only one box (or circle) may be stamped or marked on each ballot. All incomplete or improperly marked ballots shall be disqualified from balloting. The Tabulator will retain all such invalid ballots.

12. After returning an assessment ballot to the District, or the Tabulator on behalf of the District, the person who signed the ballot may withdraw the ballot by submitting a written statement to the District directing the District to withdraw the ballot. Such statement must be received by the District or the Tabulator prior to the close of the public input portion of the public hearing on the proposed assessment. When ballots for the assessment are tabulated, the Tabulator will segregate withdrawn ballots from all other returned ballots. The Tabulator will retain all withdrawn ballots and will indicate on the face of such withdrawn ballots that they have been withdrawn.

13. In order to change the contents of a ballot that has been submitted, the person who has signed that ballot may (1) request that such ballot be withdrawn, (2) request that a replacement ballot be issued, and (3) return the replacement ballot fully completed. Each of these steps must be completed according to the procedures set forth above.

14. In accordance with Government Code sections 53759.1 and 53759.2 (known as “AB 2257”), the City may establish supplemental procedures for objecting property owners to exhaust administrative remedies, also described in this resolution, by which the City will take specified actions in response to any “timely written objection.” Under this process, only an owner who submits a timely written objection will have a right to challenge a proposed assessment through a legal proceeding. (These supplemental processes were authorized by Assembly Bill No. 2257, Chapter 561, Statutes of 2024, effective January 1, 2025.). The City intends to utilize this exhaustion of remedies procedure and will mail ballots on a date that provides opportunity to submit written objections prior to the public hearing, which may necessitate mailing ballots up to sixty (60) days prior to the public hearing. The City will consider each timely written objection and provide a substantive written response prior to the close of the public hearing described in section F.

E. Tabulating Ballots. The following guidelines shall apply to tabulating assessment ballots:

1. Assessment ballots shall remain sealed until tabulation commences.

Page 6 of 8 ends

2. An independent third party shall tabulate the assessment ballots. The Tabulator shall follow the rules and procedures of the laws of the State of California, this resolution and any other rules and procedures of the Council.

If the Tabulator needs clarification, then they shall inquire of the Council, who is the final arbiter. All ballots shall be accepted as valid except those in the following categories:
a. A photocopy of a ballot, a letter or other form of a ballot that is not an official ballot provided by the District or the Assessment Engineer on behalf of the District;
b. An unsigned ballot, or ballot signed by an unauthorized individual; c. A ballot which lacks an identifiable mark in the box for a “yes” or “no” vote or with more than one box marked, will not be counted; d. A ballot which appears tampered with or otherwise invalid based upon its appearance or method of delivery or other circumstances; e. A ballot for which the barcode representing the parcel number is damaged or obstructed, unless the parcel number or property ownership information is legible and allows the Tabulator to clearly determine the property(s) identified on the ballot.
f. A ballot received after the close of the balloting time period.

The Tabulator’s decision, after consultation with the City’s legal counsel that a ballot is invalid shall be final and may not be appealed to the Council.

3. If more than one of the record owners of a parcel submits an assessment ballot, the amount of the proposed assessment to be imposed upon the parcel shall be allocated to each ballot in proportion to the respective record ownership interests, as shown on the record or as established to the District’s satisfaction by documentation provided by the record owners.

4. In the event of a dispute regarding whether the signer of a ballot is the owner of the parcel to which the ballot applies, the Council will make such determination from the official County Assessor records and any evidence of ownership submitted to the Council prior to the conclusion of the public hearing. The Council will be under no duty to obtain or consider any other evidence as to ownership of property and its determination of ownership will be final and conclusive.

5. In the event of a dispute regarding whether the signer of a ballot is an authorized representative of the owner of the parcel, the Council may rely on the statement on the ballot signed under penalty of perjury that the person completing the ballot is the owner's authorized representative and any evidence submitted to the Council prior to the conclusion of the public hearing. The Council will be under no duty to obtain or consider any other

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evidence as to whether the signer of the ballot is an authorized representative of the owner and its determination will be final and conclusive.

6. A property owner who has submitted an assessment ballot may withdraw the ballot and submit a new or changed ballot up until the conclusion of the public input portion of the public hearing on the assessment.

7. A property owner’s failure to receive an assessment ballot shall not invalidate the proceedings conducted under this section and Cal. Const. art.

XIIID, section 4.

8. The District shall retain all ballots for a period of two (2) years from the date of the public hearing.

F. Public Hearing.

1. At the public hearing, the Council shall hear and consider all public testimony, objections and protests regarding the proposed assessment and accept ballots until the close of the public input portion of the public hearing.

2. Reasonable time limits may be imposed on both the length of the entire hearing and the length of each speaker’s testimony.

3. At the conclusion of the public input portion of the hearing, but prior to the conclusion of the public hearing, the Tabulator shall begin tabulation of the ballots at the direction of the Council, including those received during the public hearing.

4. If it is not possible to tabulate the ballots on the day of the public hearing, or if additional time is necessary for public testimony, the Council may continue the public hearing to a later date to receive additional testimony, information, or to finish tabulating the ballots.

5. If according to the final tabulation of the ballots, ballots submitted against the assessment exceed the ballots submitted in favor of the assessment, weighted according to the proportional financial obligation of the affected property, a “majority protest” exists and the Council shall not impose the assessment.

G. Severability. If any section, subsection, phrase or clause of this resolution, or its application to any person or circumstance, is for any reason held to be invalid, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this resolution, or their application to any other person or circumstance. The Council declares that it would have adopted this resolution and each section, subsection, phrase or clause thereof irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, subsections, sentences, phrases or clauses, or their application to any person or circumstance, shall be declared invalid.

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PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Santa Barbara City Council, this 21st day of April 2026 by the following vote:

AYES ____
NAYES ____
ABSENT ____
ABSTAIN ____
_____________________________________
City Clerk, City of Santa Barbara
ATTEST:
_____________________________________
Mayor, City of Santa Barbara

CITY OF SANTA BARBARA

COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
AGENDA DATE: April 21, 2026
TO: Mayor and Councilmembers
FROM: Finance Department
SUBJECT: City Administrator’s Recommended Mid-Cycle Budget for Fiscal Year 2027
RECOMMENDATION: That Council:

A. Receive the City Administrator’s Recommended Operating and Capital Budget for Fiscal Year 2027;
B. Hear a report from staff in connection with the filing of the Fiscal Year 2027 budget; and
C. Approve the Proposed Schedule of Council Budget Review Meetings and Public Hearings related to the City Administrator’s Recommended Mid-Cycle Budget for Fiscal Year 2027.

DISCUSSION:

In accordance with City Charter, the City Administrator’s Recommended Budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 has been filed with the City Clerk’s Office and is being submitted to Council today.

Last year, the City Council approved the financial plan covering a two-year planning horizon for FY2026 and FY2027. This budget represents the mid-cycle update to the operating and capital budgets for FY2027 only.

As part of the public hearing process, City staff will present and discuss details of the recommended budget during regularly scheduled Council meetings in May 2026. Over the course of the public hearings, staff will present each department’s recommended budget, including their operating budget and capital program, if applicable, as well as proposed performance measures and objectives for their programs.

Agenda Item No. 14
Council Agenda Report
City Administrator’s Recommended Mid-Cycle Budget for Fiscal Year 2027 April 21, 2026

Page 2 ends

The first of these work sessions will be held on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. The proposed schedule for the budget work sessions, during which the public hearings on the budget will be held, is included as an attachment to this report for Council approval.

In addition to the public review by Council, staff recommends that the Finance Committee review certain elements of the Recommended Budget in more detail. An overview of department budgets will be presented to the Finance Committee on May 5, 2026.

The City Administrator’s Recommended Budget for FY2027 can be accessed using the online budget tool as of today on the City’s website at SantaBarbaraCA.gov/Budget.

BUDGET/FINANCIAL INFORMATION:

There is no direct financial or budget impact by the City Council taking action on staff’s recommendations. The City Administrator’s Recommended Budget for FY2027 includes many budget, financial, and operational recommendations that impact the City as well as considerations for the long-term fiscal sustainability of the organization.

SUSTAINABILITY IMPACT:

Producing and making the City’s budget publicly available using the online budget tool is in line with the greater sustainability and resilience goals of the City through leveraging technology to disseminate information to a broad audience and minimizing the use of paper and other materials.

ATTACHMENT: Proposed Schedule of Council Budget Review Meetings and Public Hearings
PREPARED BY: Natalija Glusac, Budget Manager
SUBMITTED BY: Keith DeMartini, Finance Director
APPROVED BY: Kelly McAdoo, City Administrator

CITY OF SANTA BARBARA
Budget Hearing Schedule – Fiscal Year 2027
PROPOSED Schedule of ALL Budget Review Meetings & Public Hearings Please Note: Meeting dates and times are subject to change on short notice.

MEETING DATE BUDGET AGENDA ITEM(S)

SPECIAL BUDGET

WORK SESSION
Tuesday, April 9, 2026
9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Faulkner Gallery
• FY2027 Mid-Cycle Budget Update
• Measure C Update
• Budget Balancing Solutions

REGULAR CITY
COUNCIL MEETING:

PUBLIC HEARING
Tuesday, April 21, 2026
Afternoon Session
Council Chambers
• Filing of the Recommended Operating & Capital
Budget for Fiscal Year 2027
• Schedule of Budget Work Sessions & Public
Hearings Approved
• Overview of Recommended Budget

FINANCE

COMMITTEE

MEETING
Tuesday, May 5, 2026
12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Council Chambers
• Overview of Recommended Operating & Capital
Budget for Fiscal Year 2027

REGULAR CITY
COUNCIL MEETING:

BUDGET WORK

SESSION &

PUBLIC HEARING
Tuesday, May 12, 2026
Afternoon session
Council Chambers
General Fund & related Capital Budget
Presentation
• City Administrator
• City Attorney
• Community Development
• Finance
• Fire Department
• Human Resources
• Library
• Parks & Recreation
• Police Department
• Public Works (Admin. & General Services)
• Sustainability & Resilience
• General Fund Capital & Measure C Capital

REGULAR CITY
COUNCIL MEETING:

BUDGET WORK

SESSION &

PUBLIC HEARING
Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Afternoon session
Council Chambers
Enterprise Fund, Internal Service Funds, Special
Funds & related Capital Budget Presentation
• Airport
• City Administrator (City Affordable Housing,
Community Development Block Grant, Federal
Home Loan Program, Permanent Local Housing
Allocation, Local Housing Trust Fund)
• Finance (Self Insurance)
• Information Technology
• Parks & Recreation (Golf Fund)
• Public Works (Engineering, Fleet, Facilities,
Streets, Measure A)
• Sustainability & Resilience (Santa Barbara Clean
Energy, Creeks, Solid Waste, Street Sweeping)
• Water Resources (Water, Wastewater)
• Waterfront

REGULAR CITY
COUNCIL MEETING:

PUBLIC HEARING
Tuesday, June 9, 2026
Afternoon session
Council Chambers
• Budget Deliberations

REGULAR CITY
COUNCIL MEETING:

PUBLIC HEARING
Tuesday, June 16, 2026
Afternoon session
Council Chambers
• Budget Adoption

ATTACHMENT

CITY OF SANTA BARBARA

COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
AGENDA DATE: April 21, 2026
TO: Mayor and Councilmembers
FROM: City Administrator’s Office
SUBJECT: Updated Resolution to Re-Affirm the City’s Response to Federal Immigration Enforcement Activities and Commitment to Community Policing [Resolution]
RECOMMENDATION:

That Council adopt, by reading of title only, a Resolution of the Council of the City of Santa Barbara Promoting Community Safety, Diversity, and Public Trust Through Locally Guided Practices in Response to Federal Immigration Enforcement.

DISCUSSION:

On March 10, 2026, Council considered a Resolution Promoting Community Safety, Diversity, and Public Trust through Locally Guided Practices in Response to Federal Immigration Enforcement. At that meeting, staff shared the feedback received from community members and received additional direction from Council on revising the draft Resolution.

The Resolution was edited to include additional detail regarding the following components:
 References to the California Values Act and Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution;
 Data Privacy and Non-Cooperation (Section 1);
 Use of City Facilities (Section 2);
 Public Safety Responsibilities (Section 5a); and
 Preservation of Peace (Section 5b).

It was also edited to include the following new sections:
 Community Events and Public Gatherings (Section 5c);
 City Response on City Property (Section 6);
Agenda Item No. 15
Council Agenda Report
Updated Resolution to Re-Affirm the City’s Response to Federal Immigration Enforcement Activities and Commitment to Community Policing [Resolution] April 21, 2026

Page 2 ends

 Public Information on Complaint Processes (Section 7);  Public Facility Signage (Section 8);
 Public Information and Outreach (Section 9a);
 Transparency and Reporting (Section 9b);
 City Council Notification Protocol (Section 9c); and
 Election Safety and Interference (Section 10).

The revised Resolution was presented to the Fire and Police Commission during its regularly scheduled meeting on March 26, 2026. No additional feedback was given on the revised draft by Commissioners and public comment was received.

During this meeting, the Commission also adopted an Annual Work Plan that incorporated direction from Council to include reporting by the Santa Barbara Police Department on federal immigration enforcement operations that occur within the City of Santa Barbara.

BUDGET/FINANCIAL INFORMATION:

There is no direct financial impact from the recommended actions. City leadership and staff are continuing to meeting with local organizations to address misinformation, concerns and fears as well as responding to resource requests through in-kind contributions and/or public-private partnerships.

ATTACHMENT: Proposed Resolution noting changes from March 10, 2026 version

PREPARED AND
SUBMITTED BY: Barbara Andersen, Sr. Assistant to the City Administrator Kelly Gordon, Chief of Police
Arielle Zamora, Deputy City Attorney
APPROVED BY: Kelly R. McAdoo, City Administrator
Draft as of 04.14.2026
Changes underlined or struck through
1 RESOLUTION NO. ______

A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF

SANTA BARBARA PROMOTING COMMUNITY SAFETY,

DIVERSITY, AND PUBLIC TRUST THROUGH LOCALLY

GUIDED PRACTICES IN RESPONSE TO FEDERAL

IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT
WHEREAS, The City of Santa Barbara has long prided itself on a legacy of diversity, inclusion, and community, and the City’s vibrance, culture, and economic vitality have been enriched by the contributions of immigrant residents and workers who call the City home; and
WHEREAS, The City of Santa Barbara seeks to affirm that all residents, regardless of immigration status, should feel safe in their interactions with City institutions and be able to report crimes, seek services, and engage with local government and exercise Constitutional rights without fear of discrimination or unnecessary immigration enforcement consequences; and
WHEREAS, The City operates under the United States Constitution, federal law, California Constitution, and laws of the State of California, which provide statutory and constitutional frameworks protecting civil rights and limiting the use of local public resources for federal civil immigration enforcement purposes; and WHEREAS, The California Values Act (California Government Code Section 7284 et seq.) establishes that California law enforcement agencies shall not use public resources to investigate, interrogate, detain, detect, or arrest individuals for immigration enforcement purposes except as required by federal law; and WHEREAS, while the California Values Act restricts the ability of state and local law enforcement agencies to share personal data with federal immigration authorities, the provisions of this Act do not apply to other agencies of the City; and WHEREAS, California Government Code Section 7284.6 further limits the ability of local law enforcement agencies to provide access to nonpublic areas of government facilities or personal information for immigration enforcement purposes without proper legal authorization; and
WHEREAS, The United States Supreme Court has recognized that the federal government may not compel state or local officials to administer or enforce federal regulatory programs under the Tenth Amendment, as articulated in Printz v. United States and reaffirmed in Murphy v. NCAA; and

ATTACHMENT
Draft as of 04.14.2026
Changes underlined or struck through
2 WHEREAS, The United States Supreme Court in Arizona v. United States recognized that immigration enforcement is primarily a federal responsibility and that state and local participation must be carefully limited to avoid constitutional conflicts and preemption; and
WHEREAS, the United States Supreme Court in In re Neagle recognized the authority of the federal government under the Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution to protect federal officers acting within the scope of their duties from state criminal prosecution when their actions are authorized by federal law and necessary to carry out federal responsibilities; and
WHEREAS, The Santa Barbara Police Department maintains policies consistent with California law stating that officers shall not inquire into or enforce civil immigration status except where required by law, and shall provide fair, dignified, and humane treatment to all persons; and
WHEREAS, The City Council finds that maintaining trust between the community and local law enforcement is essential to public safety and that clear guidance regarding the role of local law enforcement during federal civil immigration enforcement operations promotes transparency, safety, and respect for constitutional rights.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA BARBARA AS FOLLOWS:

Section 1. Data Privacy and Non-Cooperation
No City department, officer, employee, or contractor acting on behalf of the City shall voluntarily disclose personal information obtained through City operations about an individual, including but not limited to an individual’s address, employment information, or identifying data, to federal immigration authorities for purposes of civil immigration enforcement except as required by federal or state law or pursuant to a lawfully issued judicial warrant, subpoena, or court order.

No City department, officer, employee, or contractor acting on behalf of the City shall enter into any contractual agreement or arrangement with a federal agency or federal contractor to provide access to any data, database, or dataset where the purpose of such access includes assisting or supporting immigration enforcement operations, unless otherwise required by state or federal law or court order.

All City actions under this section shall be implemented consistent with applicable provisions of California law, including Government Code Section 7284 et seq.

Section 2. Use of City Facilities
Draft as of 04.14.2026
Changes underlined or struck through
3 Non-public areas within City-owned or City-leased facilities, including law enforcement buildings and administrative offices, shall not be used by federal immigration enforcement agencies for the purposes of staging, conducting, supporting or assisting federal investigative, detention, or operational activities related to civil immigration enforcement activities except where required by law or pursuant to a valid judicial warrant or court order. Nothing in this section shall prohibit City personnel from responding to emergencies or providing services otherwise required by law. Nothing in this section shall be interpreted or implemented to prohibit any individual, including federal officers, from entering areas of City facilities that are open to the public or otherwise generally accessible to members of the public.

The City shall identify each City-owned or City-leased facility that it believes might reasonably be used by or on behalf of federal immigration enforcement, and shall deploy signage clearly visible at the entrance to the nonpublic areas of these facilities stating:
“This property is controlled by the City of Santa Barbara, and may not be used for civil immigration enforcement staging, operations or assistance.” Section 3. Regional Cooperation
The City may collaborate with other California municipalities and public agencies to share information and best practices regarding lawful approaches to maintaining public safety, protecting civil rights, and ensuring compliance with state law governing local participation in federal immigration enforcement activities.

Section 4. Community Values
The City reaffirms its commitment to fostering a welcoming and inclusive community and recognizes the important contributions immigrants make to the cultural, social, and economic vitality of Santa Barbara. The City further affirms that all individuals should be able to access City services, report crimes, and interact with local government without fear that such interactions will be used for civil immigration enforcement purposes.

Section 5. Conduct of the Santa Barbara Police Department during Federal Civil Immigration Enforcement Operations
When federal immigration authorities conduct civil immigration enforcement activities within the City of Santa Barbara, the role of the Santa Barbara Police Department (“SBPD”) shall be limited to protecting public safety and maintaining peace. (a) Public Safety Responsibilities
SBPD officers responding to incidents involving federal immigration enforcement personnel shall prioritize the protection of life and property and may take reasonable actions necessary to maintain public safety, including traffic control, Draft as of 04.14.2026
Changes underlined or struck through
4 establishing safety perimeters, responding to emergencies, and providing medical or emergency assistance and intaking reports or documenting incidents related to public safety matters arising from the situation. This may include attempts to verify the name and badge numbers of on-scene federal officers, use of bodyworn cameras to document incidents, and summoning of emergency medical personnel to provide aid to any injured person on the scene of an incident, consistent with SBPD policies.
(b) Preservation of Peace
SBPD officers shall take reasonable and lawful actions to maintain order, prevent violence, and reduce the risk of escalation between federal officers and members of the public. SBPD personnel shall make clear, when appropriate, that their presence during such operations is solely for the purpose of ensuring public safety and maintaining peace and that SBPD does not enforce federal civil immigration law except as required by law. Nothing in this section shall be construed to require or authorize SBPD officers to intervene in, obstruct, delay, or otherwise interfere with lawful federal immigration enforcement operations, consistent with the authority of the United States under the Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution.
(c) Community Events and Planned Gatherings
In the event federal immigration enforcement activity occurs during a permitted event, festival, or other planned public gathering, officers of the Santa Barbara Police Department shall maintain a neutral role focused on the protection of life and property, crowd safety, and the orderly conduct of the event, and shall not participate in or assist such enforcement activity except as otherwise required by law.
(d) Prohibition on Voluntary Assistance
Consistent with the California Values Act, SBPD shall not participate in joint operations, investigations, or enforcement activities whose primary purpose is civil immigration enforcement, nor shall SBPD voluntarily provide information, equipment, or personnel for such purposes except where required by federal or state law or pursuant to a valid judicial warrant or court order. Participation in a joint law enforcement task force is permissible only where the primary purpose of such task force is not immigration enforcement, SBPD’s duties within the task force are primarily related to a violation of state or federal law unrelated to immigration enforcement, and participation does not otherwise violate applicable law or City policy, consistent with Government Code § 7284.6.

Draft as of 04.14.2026
Changes underlined or struck through
5 (e) Reaffirmation of Not Acting as Agents for Immigration Enforcement SBPD shall not act as agents or liaisons for federal immigration authorities. SBPD officers shall not be placed under the supervision of federal immigration agencies, nor shall any officer be deputized as a special federal officer or deputy for immigration enforcement purposes. SBPD shall limit any interaction with federal immigration authorities to actions necessary to protect life, property, and public safety, consistent with all applicable state and federal laws, including the California Values Act. (Cal. Gov’t Code § 7284 et seq.). (f) Collective Bargaining Rights
Nothing in this Resolution shall alter or impair any rights or obligations established under existing collective bargaining agreements between the City and employee organizations representing SBPD personnel. The City will identify any conflict between the provisions of this Resolution and any existing collective bargaining agreement, notify the City Council of any such conflict, and seek the modification of such agreement to eliminate such conflict.

Section 6. City Response on City Property
The City shall provide training and informational guidance to City employees regarding the applicable legal standards, employee rights and responsibilities, and best practices when federal immigration enforcement authorities seek access to City facilities or Citycontrolled spaces. Such training shall be intended to ensure that employees understand how to respond in a manner that is consistent with applicable law, City policy, and the protection of public safety and employee rights.

Section 7. Public Information on Complaint Processes
The City shall provide general information regarding how members of the public may submit complaints related to federal law enforcement personnel to appropriate oversight agencies, including the United States Department of Justice.

Section 8. Public Facility Signage
The City Administrator shall evaluate and implement, where appropriate, signage at City facilities that provides general information regarding access to public services and applicable legal protections. Any such signage shall be consistent with state and federal law and shall not impede lawful access by authorized entities that are otherwise permitted under this Resolution.

Section 9. Implementation and Public Communication
Draft as of 04.14.2026
Changes underlined or struck through
6 The City Administrator, in coordination with the Police Chief, shall issue public guidance summarizing this Resolution and clarifying SBPD’s role during federal civil immigration enforcement activities in order to promote transparency and maintain community trust. (a) Public Information and Outreach
The City Administrator, in coordination with the Chief of Police, shall ensure the development and dissemination of multi-lingual public information materials consistent with Department policy, describing the role of the Police Department, applicable legal standards, and general information regarding interactions with federal immigration authorities.
(b) Transparency and Reporting
The Police Department shall provide periodic reports to the Fire and Police Commission, consistent with Department policy, summarizing Department interactions with federal immigration authorities, including general categories of activity and public safety responses. The City shall also maintain publicly accessible information regarding reporting through its transparency platforms. (c) City Council Notification Protocol
The City Administrator shall establish an internal protocol for informing the City Council of significant public safety incidents involving federal immigration enforcement activity, consistent with applicable law and confidentiality requirements.

Section 10. Election Safety and Interference
City staff shall coordinate, as appropriate, with the Santa Barbara County Elections Office, which administers elections under the authority of the State of California, to support applicable guidance and protocols intended to protect the electoral process from intimidation and to promote the safety of voters, election workers, and polling locations.

Such coordination may include the provision of municipal public safety services, traffic control, and other lawful assistance within the City’s authority, consistent with state law and the jurisdiction of county and state election officials. 1 RESOLUTION NO. ______

A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF

SANTA BARBARA PROMOTING COMMUNITY SAFETY,

DIVERSITY, AND PUBLIC TRUST THROUGH LOCALLY

GUIDED PRACTICES IN RESPONSE TO FEDERAL

IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT
WHEREAS, The City of Santa Barbara has long prided itself on a legacy of diversity, inclusion, and community, and the City’s vibrance, culture, and economic vitality have been enriched by the contributions of immigrant residents and workers who call the City home; and
WHEREAS, The City of Santa Barbara seeks to affirm that all residents, regardless of immigration status, should feel safe in their interactions with City institutions and be able to report crimes, seek services, engage with local government and exercise Constitutional rights without fear of discrimination or unnecessary immigration enforcement consequences; and
WHEREAS, The City operates under the United States Constitution, federal law, California Constitution, and laws of the State of California, which provide statutory and constitutional frameworks protecting civil rights and limiting the use of local public resources for federal civil immigration enforcement purposes; and WHEREAS, The California Values Act (California Government Code Section 7284 et seq.) establishes that California law enforcement agencies shall not use public resources to investigate, interrogate, detain, detect, or arrest individuals for immigration enforcement purposes except as required by federal law; and WHEREAS, while the California Values Act restricts the ability of state and local law enforcement agencies to share personal data with federal immigration authorities, the provisions of this Act do not apply to other agencies of the City; and WHEREAS, California Government Code Section 7284.6 further limits the ability of local law enforcement agencies to provide access to nonpublic areas of government facilities or personal information for immigration enforcement purposes without proper legal authorization; and
WHEREAS, The United States Supreme Court has recognized that the federal government may not compel state or local officials to administer or enforce federal regulatory programs under the Tenth Amendment, as articulated in Printz v. United States and reaffirmed in Murphy v. NCAA; and
2 WHEREAS, The United States Supreme Court in Arizona v. United States recognized that immigration enforcement is primarily a federal responsibility and that state and local participation must be carefully limited to avoid constitutional conflicts and preemption; and
WHEREAS, the United States Supreme Court in In re Neagle recognized the authority of the federal government under the Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution to protect federal officers acting within the scope of their duties from state criminal prosecution when their actions are authorized by federal law and necessary to carry out federal responsibilities; and
WHEREAS, The Santa Barbara Police Department maintains policies consistent with California law stating that officers shall not inquire into or enforce civil immigration status except where required by law, and shall provide fair, dignified, and humane treatment to all persons; and
WHEREAS, The City Council finds that maintaining trust between the community and local law enforcement is essential to public safety and that clear guidance regarding the role of local law enforcement during federal civil immigration enforcement operations promotes transparency, safety, and respect for constitutional rights.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA BARBARA AS FOLLOWS:

Section 1. Data Privacy and Non-Cooperation
No City department, officer, employee, or contractor acting on behalf of the City shall disclose personal information about an individual, including but not limited to an individual’s address, employment information, or identifying data, to federal immigration authorities for purposes of civil immigration enforcement except as required by federal or state law or pursuant to a lawfully issued judicial warrant, subpoena, or court order.

No City department, officer, employee, or contractor acting on behalf of the City shall enter into any contractual agreement or arrangement with a federal agency or federal contractor to provide access to any data, database, or dataset where the purpose of such access includes assisting or supporting immigration enforcement operations, unless otherwise required by state or federal law or court order.

All City actions under this section shall be implemented consistent with applicable provisions of California law, including Government Code Section 7284 et seq.

Section 2. Use of City Facilities
Non-public areas within City-owned or City-leased facilities, including law enforcement buildings and administrative offices, shall not be used by federal immigration 3 enforcement agencies for the purposes of staging, conducting, supporting or assisting federal civil immigration enforcement activities except where required by law or pursuant to a valid judicial warrant or court order. Nothing in this section shall prohibit City personnel from responding to emergencies or providing services otherwise required by law. Nothing in this section shall be interpreted or implemented to prohibit any individual, including federal officers, from entering areas of City facilities that are open to the public or otherwise generally accessible to members of the public.

The City shall identify each City-owned or City-leased facility that it believes might reasonably be used by or on behalf of federal immigration enforcement, and shall deploy signage clearly visible at the entrance to the nonpublic areas of these facilities stating:
“This property is controlled by the City of Santa Barbara, and may not be used for civil immigration enforcement staging, operations or assistance.” Section 3. Regional Cooperation
The City may collaborate with other California municipalities and public agencies to share information and best practices regarding lawful approaches to maintaining public safety, protecting civil rights, and ensuring compliance with state law governing local participation in federal immigration enforcement activities.

Section 4. Community Values
The City reaffirms its commitment to fostering a welcoming and inclusive community and recognizes the important contributions immigrants make to the cultural, social, and economic vitality of Santa Barbara. The City further affirms that all individuals should be able to access City services, report crimes, and interact with local government without fear that such interactions will be used for civil immigration enforcement purposes.

Section 5. Conduct of the Santa Barbara Police Department during Federal Civil Immigration Enforcement Operations
When federal immigration authorities conduct civil immigration enforcement activities within the City of Santa Barbara, the role of the Santa Barbara Police Department (“SBPD”) shall be limited to protecting public safety and maintaining peace. (a) Public Safety Responsibilities
SBPD officers responding to incidents involving federal immigration enforcement personnel shall prioritize the protection of life and property and may take reasonable actions necessary to maintain public safety, including traffic control, establishing safety perimeters, responding to emergencies, and providing medical or emergency assistance and intaking reports or documenting incidents related to public safety matters arising from the situation. This may include attempts to verify the name and badge numbers of on-scene federal officers, use of body- 4 worn cameras to document incidents, and summoning of emergency medical personnel to provide aid to any injured person on the scene of an incident, consistent with SBPD policies.
(b) Preservation of Peace
SBPD officers shall take reasonable and lawful actions to maintain order, prevent violence, and reduce the risk of escalation between federal officers and members of the public. SBPD personnel shall make clear, when appropriate, that their presence during such operations is solely for the purpose of ensuring public safety and maintaining peace and that SBPD does not enforce federal civil immigration law except as required by law. Nothing in this section shall be construed to require or authorize SBPD officers to intervene in, obstruct, delay, or otherwise interfere with lawful federal immigration enforcement operations, consistent with the authority of the United States under the Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution.
(c) Community Events and Planned Gatherings
In the event federal immigration enforcement activity occurs during a permitted event, festival, or other planned public gathering, officers of the Santa Barbara Police Department shall maintain a neutral role focused on the protection of life and property, crowd safety, and the orderly conduct of the event, and shall not participate in or assist such enforcement activity except as otherwise required by law.
(d) Prohibition on Voluntary Assistance
Consistent with the California Values Act, SBPD shall not participate in joint operations, investigations, or enforcement activities whose primary purpose is civil immigration enforcement, nor shall SBPD voluntarily provide information, equipment, or personnel for such purposes except where required by federal or state law or pursuant to a valid judicial warrant or court order. Participation in a joint law enforcement task force is permissible only where the primary purpose of such task force is not immigration enforcement, SBPD’s duties within the task force are primarily related to a violation of state or federal law unrelated to immigration enforcement, and participation does not otherwise violate applicable law or City policy, consistent with Government Code § 7284.6. (e) Reaffirmation of Not Acting as Agents for Immigration Enforcement SBPD shall not act as agents or liaisons for federal immigration authorities. SBPD officers shall not be placed under the supervision of federal immigration agencies, 5 nor shall any officer be deputized as a special federal officer or deputy for immigration enforcement purposes.
(f) Collective Bargaining Rights
Nothing in this Resolution shall alter or impair any rights or obligations established under existing collective bargaining agreements between the City and employee organizations representing SBPD personnel. The City will identify any conflict between the provisions of this Resolution and any existing collective bargaining agreement, notify the City Council of any such conflict, and seek the modification of such agreement to eliminate such conflict.

Section 6. City Response on City Property
The City shall provide training and informational guidance to City employees regarding the applicable legal standards, employee rights and responsibilities, and best practices when federal immigration enforcement authorities seek access to City facilities or Citycontrolled spaces. Such training shall be intended to ensure that employees understand how to respond in a manner that is consistent with applicable law, City policy, and the protection of public safety and employee rights.

Section 7. Public Information on Complaint Processes
The City shall provide general information regarding how members of the public may submit complaints related to federal law enforcement personnel to appropriate oversight agencies, including the United States Department of Justice.

Section 8. Public Facility Signage
The City Administrator shall evaluate and implement, where appropriate, signage at City facilities that provides general information regarding access to public services and applicable legal protections. Any such signage shall be consistent with state and federal law and shall not impede lawful access by authorized entities that are otherwise permitted under this Resolution.

Section 9. Implementation and Public Communication
The City Administrator, in coordination with the Police Chief, shall issue public guidance summarizing this Resolution and clarifying SBPD’s role during federal civil immigration enforcement activities in order to promote transparency and maintain community trust. (a) Public Information and Outreach
The City Administrator, in coordination with the Chief of Police, shall ensure the development and dissemination of multi-lingual public information materials consistent with Department policy, describing the role of the Police Department, 6 applicable legal standards, and general information regarding interactions with federal immigration authorities.
(b) Transparency and Reporting
The Police Department shall provide periodic reports to the Fire and Police Commission, consistent with Department policy, summarizing Department interactions with federal immigration authorities, including general categories of activity and public safety responses. The City shall also maintain publicly accessible information regarding reporting through its transparency platforms. (c) City Council Notification Protocol
The City Administrator shall establish an internal protocol for informing the City Council of significant public safety incidents involving federal immigration enforcement activity, consistent with applicable law and confidentiality requirements.

Section 10. Election Safety and Interference
City staff shall coordinate, as appropriate, with the Santa Barbara County Elections Office, which administers elections under the authority of the State of California, to support applicable guidance and protocols intended to protect the electoral process from intimidation and to promote the safety of voters, election workers, and polling locations.

Such coordination may include the provision of municipal public safety services, traffic control, and other lawful assistance within the City’s authority, consistent with state law and the jurisdiction of county and state election officials.

CITY OF SANTA BARBARA

COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
AGENDA DATE: April 21, 2026
TO: Mayor and Councilmembers
FROM: City Administrator’s Office
SUBJECT: Update of State and Federal Legislative Platform RECOMMENDATION: That Council:

A. Adopt the revised Legislative Platform that guides the City’s support or opposition to regional, state and federal legislative issues; and
B. Authorize the Mayor, Councilmembers, and staff, on behalf of the City of Santa Barbara, to contact regional, state and federal representatives to advocate for legislation and actions consistent with the goals of the legislative platform.

DISCUSSION:

The City’s Legislative Platform serves as the foundation for the City to support, remain neutral, or oppose regional initiatives and/or state and federal legislation. The platform enables the City to act quickly when advocacy is needed. Periodically, staff reviews the platform to ensure it reflects current policy issues and positions of the City Council. Given the anticipated adoption of the citywide Strategic Plan, staff held off on updating the platform until that planning process was completed.

City staff worked with our lobbyist, Townsend Public Affairs, Inc. to update the platform to closely align it with the Strategic Plan, and to also consolidate it for ease of use and reference for our elected officials and their staff as well as the broader public. The Council Committee on Legislation met on March 3, 2026 to review the new, consolidated legislative platform, provide feedback and advance it for consideration and adoption by City Council.

BUDGET/FINANCIAL INFORMATION:

Since 2023, the City has retained Townsend Public Affairs, Inc. (TPA) as the lobbyist to represent our interests on the State level. This contract expanded in 2025 to include Agenda Item No. 16
Council Agenda Report
Update of State and Federal Legislative Platform
April 21, 2026

Page 2 ends

advocacy efforts on the Federal level. The total cost of the contract for Fiscal Year 2026 is $102,000 and it was appropriated in the City Administrator’s Office budget.

ATTACHMENT: Updated Legislative Platform

PREPARED AND
SUBMITTED BY: Barbara Andersen, Senior Assistant to the City Administrator APPROVED BY: Kelly R. McAdoo, City Administrator
Attachment
2026 State and Federal Legislative Platform
The Legislative Platform establishes a clear and efficient framework that enables the City Council, City Administrator, City staff, and the City’s legislative advocates to act promptly and strategically on state and federal legislative proposals. The Platform is organized around the City’s adopted Mission Statement as a welcoming coastal community that protects our natural beauty, leads in sustainability and innovation, celebrates our diversity, and fosters a safe and healthy environment for all. The Strategic Plan Goals are intended to guide advocacy that advance economic and community vitality, resiliency and safety, housing and community services, and a high-performing City organization.

Legislative positions that are consistent with the Legislative Platform may be reviewed, approved, and signed by the Mayor or City Administrator. When time-sensitive action is required, and the Mayor is unavailable, the Mayor Pro Tem and City Administrator are authorized to approve and sign position letters consistent with the Platform. Once approved, position letters are transmitted to the bill’s author, the City’s legislative advocate, and other relevant stakeholders, with copies provided to the City Council.

To ensure the City remains responsive throughout the Legislative Session and able to address amendments or rapidly evolving proposals, the City Administrator or designee may also approve and submit position letters that align with the City’s Strategic Plan Goals and the intent of the Legislative Platform, including positions consistent with those taken by Cal Cities, CalCCA, and other City-affiliated organizations, even if the specific issue area is not expressly enumerated in the Platform.

1. Stimulate Economic and Community Vitality
Strengthen Santa Barbara’s economic base, downtown and neighborhood vitality, and long-term fiscal health by supporting local businesses, tourism, innovation, and place-based investment while preserving community character and local control.

Legislative Priorities:
 Downtown and Neighborhood Revitalization, Waterfront Revitalization, and Airport Improvements
o Support adoption and implementation of the State Street Master Plan and related downtown improvements.
o Advocate for state and federal funding for placemaking, public realm investments, adaptive reuse, and infrastructure that support economic corridors, neighborhood centers, aviation operations, and the waterfront.

Page 2 of 6 ends

o Support harbor investments that strengthen tourism, fisheries, maritime industries, and the blue economy while preserving public access as well as coastal and environmental protections.
o Support efforts to maintain or increase support for aviation operations and projects relating to safety, security, capacity, and noise abatement.  Business Climate and Permitting Efficiency
o Support streamlining of permitting and development review processes while preserving local control, including California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) reforms that reduce duplicative review, limit abusive litigation, and accelerate delivery of housing, infrastructure, and community-serving commercial projects. o Advocate for customer-focused regulatory systems that improve predictability and reduce time and cost burdens for small businesses and local employers.  Local Revenue Authority and Fiscal Tools
o Protect local authority over sales tax, transient occupancy tax, utility user tax, franchise fees, and voter-approved revenue measures.
o Oppose state actions that preempt, pause, divert, or otherwise interfere with locally adopted fiscal policies.
o Support financing tools that allow cities to invest in infrastructure, housing, cultural assets, and economic development.
 Tourism, Arts, and Cultural Economy
o Support policies that sustain Santa Barbara’s visitor economy, hospitality sector, arts institutions, and cultural programming.
o Advocate for workforce development and education partnerships tied to tourism, arts, and creative industries.
 Innovation and Workforce Development
o Support partnerships with higher education institutions to advance workforce development, innovation, and economic growth.
o Advocate for state and federal investments in broadband, digital infrastructure and technologies that support residents, businesses, and visitors.

2. Enhance Community Resiliency and Safety
Protect residents, businesses, and natural assets by strengthening emergency preparedness, public safety, climate resilience, and infrastructure reliability in the face of increasing environmental and fiscal risks.

Legislative Priorities:
 Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Response
o Support investments in evacuation infrastructure, emergency communications, mutual aid systems, and regional disaster coordination. o Advocate for streamlined permitting, expanded pre- and post-disaster mitigation funding, improved hazard mapping, and resources that enable local governments to proactively reduce risk to people, property, and critical infrastructure while prioritizing nature-based solutions to wildfire risk reduction, flood control measures, seismic retrofits, and coastal adaptation.

Page 3 of 6 ends

 Climate Adaptation and Environmental Protection
o Support funding, policies, and resources for climate adaptation and resilience. o Support practical climate preparedness efforts, including statewide monitoring of changing conditions, use of higher probability climate projections, regulatory streamlining, and phased implementation.
o Advocate for clean air, clean water, and climate-friendly energy and transportation policies and funding mechanisms that protect public health while maintaining and strengthening flexibility and feasibility for local implementation. o Advocate for regulatory accountability and local government participation in resource (energy, solid waste, wastewater, water, etc.) regulation and ratemaking policies.
o Support state legislation and regulatory reforms that ensure Community Choice Aggregators (CCAs) can operate on a fair and level playing field with investorowned utilities, including equitable cost allocation, transparent and stable ratesetting, and protection from discriminatory charges or policies that undermine CCA financial viability.
 Water Resources
o Support comprehensive solutions for water quality and water use efficiency as part of a solution that includes local resource development and infrastructure improvements, including storage and conveyance, as part of a statewide system that promotes economic and environmental sustainability. o Advocate for Local Water Resources Autonomy and Infrastructure through legislation and funding that support a diverse water supply portfolio, streamlining the use of drought-proof supplies—specifically desalination, potable reuse, and groundwater storage—while protecting the City's right to manage these local resources without restrictive state or federal oversight. o Support for Regulatory Flexibility and Local Control through policies that provide agencies with local control over water and wastewater rate structures (such as lowincome subsidies and conservation-based rates). o Advocate for State and Federal funding support (grants, loans, etc.) for water resources infrastructure and planning.
 Public Safety Services and Infrastructure
o Preserve local control over law enforcement, fire, emergency medical services, and harbor patrol operations.
o Support funding for public safety staffing, training, facilities, and technology. o Support reasonable bicycle, e-bike, and micro-mobility safety standards, education, infrastructure, and enforcement approaches that protect public safety and meet local climate goals while preserving local authority over street design, speed management, and operational rules.
o Promote infrastructure and design solutions that prioritize bodily safety, accessibility, and comfort for all modes of transportation, all ages and abilities, particularly in high-use corridors, school zones, commercial districts, and coastal areas.
 Insurance and Risk Management
o Support reforms that stabilize municipal insurance markets and reduce unreasonable liability exposure for coastal and wildfire-prone communities.

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o Advocate for improved access to affordable insurance and risk-pooling options for local governments.

3. Strengthen Housing and Community Services
Increase housing stability and access to essential services while respecting Santa Barbara’s coastal constraints, infrastructure capacity, and community-driven planning framework.

Legislative Priorities:
 Housing Affordability, Supply, and Tenant Protections o Support policies that promote the development and preservation of affordable housing as well as expand and protect local authority to implement inclusionary housing requirements.
o Support sustained state and federal funding for affordable, workforce, and supportive housing tailored to high-cost coastal communities, including flexible programs that address land constraints, construction costs, and infrastructure limitations.
o Advocate for housing element and Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) reforms that prioritize housing affordability, certainty, feasibility, and timely implementation, including clearer standards for compliance, realistic production assumptions, and alignment with infrastructure capacity and environmental constraints.
o Support reforms that better align RHNA obligations with available funding, infrastructure readiness, and demonstrated regional housing need, while avoiding punitive approaches that undermine local planning and project delivery. o Support tenant protection policies that address housing affordability and prevent harassment, retaliation, and unlawful displacement, consistent with Santa Barbara’s adopted tenant protection ordinances, while preserving local enforcement authority and maintaining incentives for housing maintenance and production.
 Local Land Use Authority, Infrastructure, and Safety
o Preserve local control over zoning, development standards, coastal management, and infrastructure capacity determinations.
o Advocate for housing and infrastructure policies that ensure adequate water, wastewater, transportation, evacuation, and emergency response capacity before or concurrent with new development.
o Support development standards and environmental review frameworks that prioritize life-safety, wildfire resilience, evacuation capacity, transportation connectivity, and climate change mitigation and adaptation in housing and mixeduse projects. o Oppose mandates that require housing development in areas with severe environmental constraints or elevated public safety risks, including Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones, without appropriate mitigation, infrastructure investment, and emergency planning.
o Oppose one-size-fits-all mandates that fail to account for local environmental and geographic constraints.
 Homelessness and Supportive Services

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o Support funding for shelter, homelessness prevention, permanent supportive housing, and behavioral health services.
o Advocate for coordinated regional service delivery models and data-driven response strategies.
 Community Services and Equity
o Support investments in parks, recreation, libraries, public health, youth services, senior services, and social services.
o Promote equitable access to community amenities, public facilities, broadband equity, and essential services, particularly for vulnerable populations and neighborhoods disproportionately impacted by housing instability and environmental risk.
o Support efforts that acknowledge the vital contributions of immigrants to the social, economic and cultural fabric of our communities.
o Oppose actions that separate families, erode civil liberties, or foster fear in immigrant communities.
o Support legislation that protects the public’s right to read and access information. o Advocate on legislation affecting digital content licensing and support reforms that ensure libraries can acquire electronic materials under reasonable terms.

4. Ensure a Thriving City Organization
Maintain a high-performing, financially stable City organization that earns public trust, supports its workforce, and delivers results efficiently and transparently.

Legislative Priorities:
 Fiscal Stability and Mandate Reimbursement
o Oppose unfunded or underfunded state and federal mandates. o Support full reimbursement for mandated programs and timely disaster recovery funding.
 Local Authority and Governance
o Preserve local authority over labor relations, workforce management, compensation, and organizational structure.
o Support open meeting and governance reforms that expand transparency while maintaining practical decision-making tools.
 Workforce and Organizational Capacity
o Support policies that attract, retain, and develop a skilled municipal workforce. o Advocate for pension and retiree health sustainability while honoring commitments to employees.
 Technology, Cybersecurity, and Service Delivery
o Support investments in cybersecurity, broadband, digital infrastructure, public safety technology, and open data platforms.
o Promote technologies that improve efficiency, transparency, and customer service.
o Support parking policy and technology that improve efficiency and customer service while protecting users’ privacy.

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o Endorse an AI governance framework requiring transparency (model purpose/limitations), equity/bias testing, human-in-the-loop for consequential decisions, and auditability, along with considerations for environmental impacts and competing value uses.

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