On May 3, the city of Santa Barbara announced that the Glen Annie Golf Course, located across from Dos Pueblos High School, has been selected for rezoning. This decision sparked mixed opinions, with some people praising the decision and others saying that the area does not have sufficient infrastructure to support 1,000 new homes.
The plan to rezone the Glen Annie Golf Course was first proposed in early 2024, since Santa Barbara County was required by the State of California to identify possible housing sites. According to Gina Fischer, Chief of Staff under Third District Supervisor Joan Hartmann, the county is required to accomodate more than 4,100 housing units in the South County.
“For the first time, the state dictated not only the total number of housing units but also where they must be zoned,” Fischer said.
Fischer detailed the plan for the layout of the site, including the extensive amenities that will be present.
“The proposal for Glen Annie includes the following elements: 800-1,000 housing units, a mix of for-sale and rental properties,” Fischer said. “20 percent of the units will be designated as affordable, with some likely dedicated to the Housing Authority or a similar entity. The development would include numerous amenities open to the public, such as a swimming pool, walking and jogging tracks, a community center, pickleball courts, and other recreational opportunities.”
Many concerns were raised about the plan by community members. Some of the concerns are related to the traffic increase that will be caused by the construction of the housing. People believe that Glen Annie Road is too narrow for the volume of traffic that will occur.
“We recognize the concerns about the Glen Annie-Storke exit off Highway 101 and the narrowness of Glen Annie Road near Dos Pueblos High School,” Fischer said. “Because all of the streets around DPHS are under the City of Goleta’s jurisdiction, it’s essential for the City, the County, and developers to collaborate on solutions. County staff, including Public Works, have recently toured the roads around DPHS with Goleta officials and school district representatives to discuss potential improvements.”
Another concern is the fact that the large open space currently serves as a fire break. Without Glen Annie Golf Course, there will be no barrier between any fire in the hills and the homes at the base of the hill.
A further development occurred early in June of 2024 when Seaward International Company representing Glen Annie Organics sued Santa Barbara County. One of the main problems cited in the lawsuit is the potential contamination of agricultural land just north of the golf course site.
“Numerous impacts will result from the encroachment of high-density and single-family residential development on the border of an organic farming operation and rural ranch,” Seaward International Company said in the lawsuit filing. “These include … risk of the potential contamination of the organic fields by residential applications of herbicides and fertilizers.”
