Resident urges council to defend Lompoc’s exclusion from county wine district; asks for legal response

Kate Griffith, a Lompoc resident and business owner, used the public‑comment period to raise a legal challenge the city may face over a 2020 council resolution opposing the inclusion of Lompoc in a Santa Barbara County wine business improvement district (BID).

Griffith told the council that the Santa Barbara Vintners Association emailed an inquiry to the outgoing mayor and a council member about the validity of the city’s 2020 resolution opposing inclusion in the county wine BID. She said the resolution, passed unanimously on Nov. 20, 2020, contained no termination date and argued that the vintners’ inquiry seeks to force Lompoc’s participation.

"Has the city of Lompoc legal counsel had a chance to opine on the Vintners' legal inquiry of the resolution's validity? If so, where does the city's legal counsel stand?" Griffith asked, urging a written response from the city.

Griffith also urged the council to update the resolution if necessary, and she said the proposed wine BID would add 1% to purchases at Lompoc tasting rooms and could raise the local purchase tax rate. She said most of Lompoc's wineries are small and that BID proceeds would not necessarily be managed locally.

City staff did not provide a legal opinion during the meeting; Councilmembers acknowledged the inquiry and several council members later requested an agenda item to review the underlying resolution and the Vintners Association’s inquiry so the council can consider next steps.

Why it matters: The matter raises a potential legal or policy dispute over whether a county‑level business improvement district may include Lompoc businesses over the city’s expressed opposition. It could affect local tasting‑room economics and municipal positions on county efforts to organize tourism or promotional assessments.

Council directed staff to place the matter on a future meeting agenda for discussion and potential action.