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Commission schedules more public review as Recreation Master Plan and incentive program draw broad input
Summary
After a long workshop presenting the Recreation Master Plan and a proposed Recreation Benefit Program to leverage private development for public recreation, commissioners asked staff to gather more input from advisory groups and the public and continued the item to Jan. 14, 2026.
Santa Barbara County planning staff and Parks briefed the Planning Commission on Dec. 3 on the draft Recreation Master Plan (RMP) and proposed implementing zoning changes, including a new Recreation Benefit Project (RBP) program intended to encourage private partners to build public recreation in exchange for limited incentives.
Parks and planning staff outlined levels-of-service metrics, an interactive county trails map, public outreach (more than 8,000 survey responses and dozens of events) and a set of four goals and 32 proposed policies to guide implementation. The RBP concept would allow eligible private projects to offer a substantial in-kind public recreation contribution—such as a trail dedication, park, or sports field—and receive incentives including simplified permitting (a single land-use…
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