Goleta’s Unwanted Stepchild
Isla Vista Deserves a Community Service District
Some folks at LAFCO (Santa Barbara County’s Local Area Formation Commission) are said to be a little upset because the State Legislature has provided a path for an Isla Vista Community Service District (CSD). The state would not have had to step in had the county’s LAFCO not left an obvious urban island when they approved incorporation of one-third of Goleta. This is clearly contrary to the intent of the original LAFCO legislation.
LAFCO was originated by the State Legislature to prevent the plethora of governmental entities that attempt to govern metropolitan areas. It came about specifically because of concern regarding the multiplicity of overlapping governmental jurisdictions in the Los Angeles area.
A reasonable person would likely conclude that an urban area should have an urban government. Currently there are three urban islands that are under the jurisdiction of the Santa Barbara County. The county governments are designed to administer county-wide services and rural areas, not highly populated urban areas like Orcutt, Noleta, and Isla Vista.
