News
Hazardous Materials Banned on Highway 154
by Kevin Zambrano, Santa Barbara Independent
Authorities announced Monday that trucks carrying hazardous materials are no longer allowed to travel Highway 154. With Supervisors Doreen Farr and Janet Wolf at his side, along with the mayors of Goleta and Solvang, Assistant Chief Scott Howland of the California Highway Patrol’s Coastal Division Office said that this marked the completion of a process put in motion in December 2010. In August of that year, a truck careened off of the 154 — commonly known as the San Marcos Pass — and crashed into a home on State Street, killing three residents. Since then Santa Barbara County officials have been stepping up efforts to improve safety along the highway
Hazardous waste was already not allowed on route 154, but now all hazardous materials fall under the ban. Trucks delivering HazMats to locations along the route will be exempt from the new restrictions, but all other trucks marked as carrying dangerous materials will have to use Highway 101 or else face hefty penalties: $500 and up to 60 days in prison.
“This is really a great day for Santa Barbara County,” Farr said. “Now the volume of large trucks will be reduced, and drinking water from Lake Cachuma will be ensured.” Farr also noted that the CHP was “fantastic to work with” and thanked her colleagues for support. “I live in the Santa Ynez Valley. I travel the pass all the time,” she said, adding a personal touch to her remarks.
New County-wide Homelessness Collaboration Wins Federal Deadline Extension
Santa Barbara Independent
On Friday January 14, local government, non-profit, business and faith communities won an eleventh hour battle for a 30-day federal deadline extension that will allow for the first step in an ambitious campaign to house the most vulnerable of those living on the streets in Santa Barbara County.
Supervisor Doreen Farr and Congresswoman Lois Capps were instrumental in advocating for the waiver requested by the County’s Housing and Community Development Department when it appeared that HUD was likely to decline the request.
“Our elected leaders are representing a truly community-driven goal, through their efforts to ensure this urgent change at the highest level of housing policy,” said Rob Fredericks, volunteer co-leader of the Common Ground Santa Barbara South County team and Deputy Executive Director of the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara.
This prioritization will target limited existing housing resources to those most in need, thereby saving lives and impacting the community through an immediate visible reduction in street homelessness and use of high cost emergency services.
Supervisor Farr discusses local issues at regular office hours in Isla Vista
by Sam Chung, UCSB Daily Nexus
Doreen Farr, supervisor of Santa Barbara County’s 3rd District, hosted an open forum on Thursday afternoon at Coffee Collaborative to hear concerns from Isla Vista community members and give feedback on recent political decisions and the upcoming election.
Sitting at an outdoor table overlooking Pardall Road from 1 to 3 p.m., Farr listened to community input about her work on the Board of Supervisors and spoke with students, I.V. residents and business owners about local issues
Erik Anciaux, president of the Campus Democrats, said Farr has consistently been a strong proponent of I.V. residents’ liberties.
“I was riding my bike down the street and saw Doreen and just wanted to say hi. I’m a big fan of her work for I.V., especially student voting rights,” Anciaux said. “Elsewhere in the county, especially with Mr. Pappas, we’ve seen disinclination of people to work with I.V., but Supervisor Farr has done a great job representing I.V. and being open to the concerns of our residents.”
Farr will continue to hold open forums on the second Thursday of every month at Coffee Collaborative, located at 6560 Pardall Rd.
Papas enters third district race after three years of unsuccessful lawsuits
by Jack Crosbie and Megan Meyer, UCSB Daily Nexus
After losing to Farr in 2008 by a slim margin, Pappas challenged the legitimacy of Farr’s election in Santa Barbara Superior Court, claiming improper voter registration proceedings in 18 Isla Vista and UCSB precincts. Though the Superior Court dismissed the case, Pappas continued to pursue a string of appeals until last month when the California Secretary of State’s Office announced that it found insufficient evidence to recommend filing criminal charges.
In August, the Santa Barbara County Superior Court ordered Pappas to pay Farr $700,000 in compensation for legal fees incurred by his series of unsuccessful suits and appeals, which continued for much of the past three years.
“He’s lost every step of the way,” Farr said. “We’ve had at least five different entities look at this and all come to the same conclusion, that there was no fraud.
According to Farr, Pappas’ inquiries into the legitimacy of the UCSB and Isla Vista ballots indicated his view of the voting blocs in question.
“No matter what Mr. Pappas may have said in the first campaign, I think that when he tried to invalidate the value, the worth of all of the ballots at UCSB and Isla Vista, he was making a statement there that the students really need to understand,” Farr said.
Fracking Takes Flak as Santa Barbara County Supervisors Explore Oil, Gas Drilling Regulations
By Lara Cooper and Daniel Langhorne, Noozhawk.com
Opponents raise concerns over extraction process known as hydraulic fracturing
The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors took a long look at the oil and gas industry’s practice of hydraulic fracturing Tuesday. While the process may not be a household term, there was plenty of opinion about the matter — for and against.
Santa Barbara County regulations don’t specifically address hydraulic fracturing, but a discretionary Oil Drilling and Production Plan is required for any oil or gas drilled in an inland area within a state field that uses groundwater as a means of flooding a subsurface formation.
Third District Supervisor Doreen Farr said she brought the item before the board because she’s received letters of concern from constituents, primarily addressing water quality. The supervisors received a report on the topic Tuesday and will revisit the issue at their Aug. 2 meeting.
