Buellton council adopts Measure A five‑year program, approves routine consent items
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Summary
The City Council of Buellton unanimously approved a five‑year Measure A local program of projects allocating the city's share of county transportation sales tax revenue and approved the consent calendar including minutes and claims.
The Buellton City Council on a unanimous vote adopted Resolution No. 25‑06, approving the city's Measure A five‑year local program of projects for fiscal years 2025‑26 through 2029‑30 and also approved the consent calendar, which included the minutes of the Feb. 13, 2025 regular meeting and a list of claims to be ratified for the 2024‑25 fiscal year.
Public Works Director Rose Hess told the council the Measure A program lists road maintenance and alternative‑transportation projects and that the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments' estimate for Buellton's share for the coming fiscal year is about $442,156. Hess said the program is a rolling five‑year list and that Measure A funds are intended to supplement — not supplant — the city's general fund road maintenance spending. She also noted a Measure A maintenance‑of‑effort requirement that the city allocate at least 5% of its Measure A share to alternative transportation; Buellton's current plan dedicates about 14% to such uses, she said.
Council members asked whether the council could reallocate funds within the Measure A breakdown — including whether the multipurpose trail reserve (currently budgeted at roughly $10,000 per year) could receive more — and about the process for requesting expedited state maintenance work on Highway 246 (Caltrans handles that corridor). Hess replied reallocations could be made by council action and said Caltrans has a multi‑year schedule; she encouraged residents to submit service requests to Caltrans to help prioritize repairs.
On the consent calendar, the council approved the listed minutes and payments by voice vote. The council's recorded roll call on the Measure A resolution followed a motion to adopt and a second; Vice Mayor Hudson Lewis, Councilmember Alicia Hornick, Councilmember Casimir Sanchez and Mayor Michael Silva voted "Aye." The council did not modify the staff recommendation at the meeting.
Why it matters: Measure A is the county transportation sales tax program that directs local shares to cities for road, bicycle, pedestrian and transit projects; adopting a local program is a prerequisite for applying the city's allocation to specific projects and for seeking some grant and implementation funds.
What's next: Staff will file the adopted program with SBCAG and proceed with the listed projects and grant pursuits; council may revisit allocations in the annual budget process if it wishes to increase funding for trails or other priorities.
