Environmental Groups Win Legal Fight to Preserve Agricultural Heritage in Santa Ynez Valley
August 8, 2023
Superior Court upholds decision to deny subdivision of 4,000 acres of farmland
SANTA BARBARA, CA – The Environmental Defense Center (EDC) and Santa Barbara County Action Network (SBCAN) today celebrated a win in Superior Court that preserves agricultural heritage in the Santa Ynez Valley.
The Court’s decision stops a proposal to subdivide the 4,000-acre historic Rancho La Laguna into 13 parcels, which could allow for building of high-end residential estates. A nearby massive development by one of the same developers was listed for $21.5 million and marketed as a “plantation style manor house” with “endless manicured lawns,” an enormous swimming pool, a barn for eight horses, and other amenities.
“This was an important win in the effort to preserve the agricultural economy and spirit of the Santa Ynez Valley,” said EDC Senior Attorney Alicia Roessler. “Farming and ranching are not only part of our heritage of this area – it’s also a major part of our local economy. Approval of this project would have set a terrible precedent, paving the way for other large-scale subdivisions that would threaten critical agricultural land and biodiversity across Santa Barbara County.”
EDC and its partners have been working for over a decade to preserve this active agricultural land. After numerous hearings and years of advocacy by EDC and SBCAN, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors voted to deny the project in 2017. After the two owners immediately sued the County, the Court granted EDC’s motion to intervene in the lawsuit on behalf of SBCAN to defend the County’s action. Today, the Court ruled in the County’s and EDC’s favor to uphold the County’s denial of Rancho La Laguna’s proposal to subdivide, protecting agricultural land, open space, and critical wildlife habitat.
“Splitting this land into smaller lots for development would have undermined not only the agricultural integrity of Rancho La Laguna and the Santa Ynez Valley, but also would have eliminated much of the natural resources that make this area so beautiful,” said Carla Frisk, a member of SBCAN’s Board of Directors. “Farming and ranching are a key part of Santa Barbara County’s heritage. We are pleased that the Court has validated the County’s process that ultimately led the Supervisors to deny this project.”
Rancho La Laguna is an incredibly rich and scenic property located in the San Rafael Mountains, bordering the Los Padres National Forest, and overlooking the Santa Ynez Valley. The land – full of rolling hills, deep canyons, and oak forests – is home to amazing biodiversity. Fifty-seven rare wildlife and plant species, including the California Condor, occur within this landscape and many currently coexist side-by-side with cattle grazing and farming.
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The Environmental Defense Center, a non-profit law firm, protects and enhances the local environment through education, advocacy, and legal action and works primarily within Santa Barbara, Ventura, and San Luis Obispo counties. Since 1977, EDC has empowered community-based organizations to advance environmental protection. EDC’s focus areas include protection of the Santa Barbara Channel, ensuring clean water, preserving open space and wildlife, and addressing climate and energy.
Santa Barbara County Action Network works to promote social and economic justice, to preserve our environmental and agricultural resources, and to create sustainable communities. SBCAN advocates a holistic approach to community planning that integrates housing, open space, and transportation to meet the needs of all members of our community and future generations. Learn more at www.sbcan.org
