Released to the public July 12, 2007

County Initiates Greater Santa Ynez Valley Baseline Report:
Public Participation Encouraged

The Santa Barbara County Office of Long Range Planning today has initiated work on the “Greater Santa Ynez Valley Baseline Report.” The report, once completed, will provide a key snapshot of the area’s existing social, demographic, economic and environmental characteristics.

The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors directed the development of the Greater Santa Ynez Valley Baseline Report in response to calls from the community to help address potential changes facing the region. Planning officials estimate the report will take about a year to complete and will include ample opportunity for the public to participate in its formation.

This is a topic that merits examination and thorough documentation and by commissioning this report, it’s clear that the Board of Supervisors is proactively responding to the public’s concerns.

The report will be a journal of facts that can aid policy makers and the community in making informed decisions affecting future land use proposals. The goal is to profile the distinctive features of the Greater Santa Ynez Valley region.

This baseline report will provide a comprehensive overview of the region’s current conditions. It is distinctly different from the Santa Ynez Community Plan which shapes the community’s land-use policy vision for the future.

To provide data for the Greater Santa Ynez Valley Baseline Report, or to learn more about the report, the public is encouraged to go online to:

www.countyofsb.org/plandev/comp/programs/GreaterSYVBaselineReport/