Community Environmental Council |

Programs > Sustainable Land Use

CEC believes in Smart Growth — the idea that we can plan our communities strategically and carefully, rather than simply allowing haphazard "leap-frog" development to occur. However, shifting current development patterns will take a community-wide effort — not just within Santa Barbara or Goleta city limits, but South to Carpinteria, North to the Gaviota Coast, into the Santa Ynez Valley, and beyond. We believe strongly that regional problems will only be solved through regional cooperation.

To that end, CEC regularly holds public and private forums to encourage a community-wide dialogue about these topics. Read about the outcomes of one forum hosted by CEC with the Governor's Office of Planning and Research. To be alerted to upcoming events, email us.

Our vision is that one day the South Coast will adopt a firm urban growth limit that contains sprawl and protects open space and agriculture. To help visualize what that might look like, we are working closely with the Economic Community Project and UCSB's Geography Department to develop visual tools and computer models that simulate different land-use alternatives.

Read our Board's policy statement on land use issues, and learn more about our Corporate Council achievements on these and related topics. To find out more about our regional planning efforts or to get involved, call us at (805) 963-0583, ext. 109, or email us.


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