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Board pauses decision in Dare to Dream Farm TOT appeal, asks staff to seek funding options
Summary
The Board heard an appeal from Dare to Dream Farm challenging a short‑term‑rental tax assessment. After hearing community testimony about the farm's public‑service role, supervisors asked staff to explore defensible funding offsets and continued the matter to allow staff to return with options.
The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors on July 7 heard an appeal from operators of Dare to Dream Farm, who disputed an auditor’s finding that the operation owed short‑term‑rental taxes (TOT) covering April 2022–March 2025. The Tax Collector’s audit had calculated a liability including penalties and interest; the farm said its work is community‑oriented, providing food access, education and youth programs.
During the hearing Megan Raf, who with her husband Jeremy operates the farm, described eight years of community service — CSA boxes, youth education, and emergency food distribution during COVID — and asked the board for a "transition‑fair" approach rather than full penalties. Supporters described the farm as an essential community resource.
Tax collector staff noted the audit methodology and said the county’s ordinance does not provide for a payment‑plan option and that penalties and interest continue to accrue while an appeal is pending. Several supervisors expressed sympathy for the farm’s mission and called for creative solutions.
Outcome: The board directed county staff to: 1) return with defensible funding options or offsets that could reasonably be used to preserve the farm’s services while ensuring tax obligations are addressed, and 2) continue the item to a near date to allow staff and the farm to pursue those options. The board emphasized any continuation would not stop interest from accruing under current rules but asked staff to explore potential avenues, including coordination with departments that oversee nutrition and community programs.
Quote: "You’re providing vital community services; we need to look for practical solutions," Supervisor Lavanino said during deliberations.
The board did not grant full relief from the assessment at the hearing; instead it sought options that could be presented with legal defensibility and policy rationale.
