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Lompoc mayor says city is "good and getting better," urges Measure B to fix streets and support growth
Summary
Mayor Mosby told a Chamber audience that Lompoc is "turning the corner," highlighted a 92% cut to development impact fees that he said is drawing builders back, warned the city must plan for about 2,400 housing units under the state housing element, and urged support for Measure B, a proposed half-cent sales tax to pay for deferred street and sidewalk repairs.
Mayor Mosby said the "state of the city of Lompoc is good and getting better" at a Chamber of Commerce State of the City event, and urged residents to back Measure B, a proposed half-cent local sales tax to pay for street, sidewalk and stormwater maintenance.
The mayor framed the pitch around long-term economic data and recent local policy choices. He said the city reduced construction impact fees by roughly 92%, a change he credited with bringing two major developers back to town and helping to line up more than 300 housing units now in development. "We're turning the corner and we're moving forward fast," he said.
Why it matters: the state-assigned housing element requires the city to plan for about 2,400 housing units in the next allocation period, Mosby said; he warned that if the city does not show adequate productive steps the state could intervene. He also said Lompoc faces an estimated $70 million in deferred street and sidewalk maintenance that Measure B would target. Mosby estimated the measure would cost about $100 per household per year and that roughly 50–60% of receipts could come from nonresident shoppers who use Lompoc streets.
Details and finances: Mosby cited recent improvements in unemployment (citing Lompoc at about 7% vs. a county rate he placed near 6.4%) and reported that enterprise funds—water, wastewater, electric and solid waste—have multi‑million dollar cash balances. He said councilors held off on new utility rate increases this cycle. On water and wastewater capacity, Mosby described the city as positioned for growth, estimating roughly 10 million gallons per day of water capacity with current use near 3.5–4 million; transcript phrasing about wastewater capacity was unclear and is reported as stated by the mayor.
Public engagement and next steps: Mosby urged residents to review the 2050 general plan and other land‑use documents and to weigh in on Measure B. He invited questions from the audience and did not announce any formal council vote at the event.
