Santa Barbara LAFCO adopts 2026 work plan, highlights $500,000 SALT grant

The Santa Barbara Local Agency Formation Commission unanimously adopted a work plan for 2026 on Jan. 8 after receiving a report on the agency’s 2025 activities.

Mike Prater, executive officer for Santa Barbara LAFCO, told commissioners the agency held 11 meetings last year and reviewed nine applications, and that staff expects to manage more than 20 potential applications this year. “And the big one is the $500,000 grant that we were awarded,” Prater said, describing the award as funding that will allow LAFCO to work with partners on service reviews and planning tasks.

The work plan prioritizes incoming applications and commits the agency to a fifth round of municipal service reviews, including deeper analysis of police, fire and emergency medical services, along with mental‑health dispatch and fuel management. Prater said staff will also begin a preliminary draft budget and examine the organizational chart, including a potential third staff position to handle increased workload.

Commissioners discussed the commission’s rotation for chair and vice chair positions and several near‑term agenda items the work plan identifies, including a February hearing on the dissolution of County Service Area (CSA) 32 and continued review of the Richards Ranch application. Prater noted staff will continue outreach to member agencies and communities to complete service reviews and to support the commission’s workload.

The motion to adopt the work plan carried on a roll‑call vote with all present commissioners voting yes. The commission will review budget and staffing items later in its spring schedule as part of the work‑plan implementation.

Next steps include returning in February with additional budget materials and bringing forward program launches described in the plan.