Anti-greenhouse movement fueling county split
Several weeks ago, the Coastal Commission approved the Carpinteria Valley Greenhouse Program. This planning effort initiated by the county is a serious defeat for those who are working to secure a place for agriculture in Santa Barbara County. For the first time in our county normal agricultural practices, such as raising ornamentals in a green house, have now been prohibited within an agricultural zone district.

Many citizens and planners think of agriculture exclusively as a land use. Yet, agriculture is also a business and as such economic viability is essential if it is to remain as the dominant land use in the county. Farmers and ranchers need flexibility to respond to changing market conditions. They need to be able to change crops on a moment’s notice and need the ability to change cultural and production practices without the delay and cost of having to first secure land use permits.

Twenty years ago our elected county leaders wisely recognized this when they adopted the Inland Zoning Ordinance. That ordinance defines agriculture in broad terms and allows all types of agricultural activities on lands zoned for agriculture without the need for a permit. Farmers under the Zoning Ordinance may rotate from vegetables, to strawberries, to ornamentals. Likewise changes in cultural practices involving land preparation, nutrient management, and irrigation practices are not subject to land use permitting.

The Carpinteria Greenhouse Plan has dramatically changed that premise. This new ordinance divides agricultural uses into two distinct overlay districts: greenhouses and open field. It favors crops grown in open field, but prohibits greenhouses on approximately two-thirds of the agricultural lands in the Carpinteria Valley.

For the first time, a group of urban interests have succeeded in restricting crops and agricultural practices in an agricultural zone district. The Carpinteria flower growers have lost the support of the people of Carpinteria, who pressured their elected leaders for these limitations. The irony of this effort is that greenhouses, because of the clean and controlled environment, generate fewer conflicts than do many open field operations on small parcels along the ag-urban edge. In all likelihood, the flower growers who are now locked out of most of the Carpinteria Valley, will explore moving to other areas where their efforts will be welcomed and valued. When these small agricultural parcels change ownership and the agricultural base for growing ornamentals diminishes, development pressures will intensify.

For us in agriculture, we see our elected leaders bending to the wishes of those seeking to restrict agricultural practices that they view as undesirable to their quality of life. The South Coast urban community controls the land use planning process in this county. It seems simply a matter of time before these people begin to identify those crops or farming practices considered not politically correct and lobby county government to use its land use controls to restrict their continuation.

Does it come as a surprise to anyone that many farmers and ranchers in the north county believe politically separating themselves from the south coast is necessary for their survival?

Richard Quandt
president, Grower-Shipper Vegetable Association

Subsidies influence transportation choices
Scott Wenz asserts that cars are not the cause of traffic, people and lack of road space are (CVN, Your Views, Jan 22).  I invite Mr. Wenz to the corner of Mark Avenue and Via Real during a.m. and p.m. rush hour to observe and ponder.

He is likely to notice one thing for sure—the bumper-to-bumper line of one-person-per-car traffic noisily and impatiently slogging along liberally wide streets.  During the morning, these cars roll off of a toll-free U.S. 101 and fill city and employer-subsidized free parking spots.  In the p.m. these same cars leave behind empty, oil-stained spaces, collectively forming a wasteland with no other real use.

I then invite Mr. Wenz to stick around and watch the buses arrive, VISTA from Ventura, and MTD and VISTA from Santa Barbara.  He likely will notice two things.

First, that disproportionately fewer numbers of people take the bus versus driving a car.  Let’s see: car parking is paid by the city and employers, the roads are toll free, the State’s Vehicle License Fee has been reduced, but bus fare recently increased 25 percent!  Could priorities in what we subsidize influence transportation choices? Hmm!

The second thing Mr. Wenz might notice is that after the riders trickle on or off the bus, and after the bus pulls away, little trace is left of either bus or rider.  The curbside and grassy spaces they momentarily occupied are returned to birds, squirrels, and yes, cars.

As long as public money is involved in transportation options, support for sensible modes like walking, bicycling and transit are far better uses of those funds than subsidies for car and driver—and “knee-jerk” reactions that seek traffic relief through more and more automobile accommodation.

Frank Nilsen
Oxnard

NOTE: Mr. Nilsen commutes to Carpinteria from Oxnard via bus and bicycle.
—Editor

I’m not at St. Joe’s, either
I was dismayed to read Oscar Loretto’s communication to you in last week’s paper (CVN, Jan. 29 “Your Views”).  Everyone who knows or who has had the privilege of working with him is impressed by his deep commitment to God and His people.

A respected member of the Carpinteria business community, Oscar has never failed to find the time to place his talents and his own personal funds at the disposal of the families who worship at St. Joseph’s Church.

The same words which were used to dismiss Oscar have, in the past year, been used to dismiss another teacher of religious education.  Every week, parishioners are leaving the parish voluntarily because they no longer feel welcome.

I am one.

I wish Oscar Loretto every blessing as he searches to serve God in another place.  I am certain he will succeed and that those to whom he ministers will be enriched a thousand fold.

And I wish the people of St. Joseph’s church peace and love.

Vivian Sherwood
Carpinteria