Drinkers visiting Los Olivos’ many wine tasting rooms may finally enjoy an important feature that some county residents say has long been missing from the area—public restrooms. But first, the unincorporated area needs a regulated way to deal with wastewater.
Los Olivos residents have until Jan. 30 to cast a vote on Measure P2018, which, if approved, would form the area’s first community services district and board of directors to oversee the handling of its notorious wastewater issues. If passed, the measure would also impose a property tax to fund the new agency.
Unlike in most elections, there appears to be a general consensus among locals.
While several residents filed arguments supporting the formation of the Los Olivos Community Services District, a dissenting opinion was not filed or included on the sample ballot provided by the Santa Barbara County Elections Office. And while residents are able to elect officials to serve on the board of directors, a five-seat board, only five individuals are running.
One candidate, longtime Los Olivos resident and Vice President of the Santa Ynez Valley Community Aquatics Foundation board of directors, Lisa Palmer, said the argument for the formation of a community services district is simple: It allows local control.
“Right now we’re not talking about what treatment system is best,” Palmer said. “We’re talking about who is most qualified to talk about what our system should be. I, as a board member and resident, will be paying for whatever the decision is.”
The ongoing election is only one of the first steps toward solving a decades-long struggle with wastewater in Los Olivos, Palmer said. County officials designated the town a “special problems area” in the 1970s after discovering that overflowing septic tanks, which almost all residents use, could leak oxygen-starving nitrates into the shallow groundwater table below, resulting in contamination.
Then in 2012, the State Water Resources Control Board adopted a Local Agency Management Plan (LAMP), putting into effect stricter regulations for onsite sewage systems. LAMP’s implementation left Los Olivos residents with a choice—they could work together to implement a wastewater system in compliance with state water quality standards or allow the county to do it for them.
Palmer said an informal group of residents called the Los Olivos Water Reclamation Steering Committee, which Palmer joined, immediately formed in search of a solution. The group wanted to find the cheapest and best entity to lead the coming wastewater process in Los Olivos. After studying three options-—what it would look like to form a new community services district, to become a part of the Santa Ynez Valley’s district, or to allow the county to take over—the answer seemed clear to valley residents like Palmer.
“After several years of discussion, the group came to the conclusion that forming a community services district would be the best way to have some local control over the costs and the system,” she said. “So that’s why I’m a strong proponent of forming a district.”
The Los Olivos Community Services District, which was already adopted by the conty’s Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) in April 2017, would encompass 441 acres and a population of roughly 1,100, including most of Los Olivos but excluding land zoned inner rural and agricultural. The district and its five elected board members, according to the voter information packet, would be responsible for collecting, treating, and disposing of sewage, wastewater, stormwater, and recycled water in ways that comply with LAMP.
If passed, which would take two-thirds of the vote, Measure P would also authorize an annual special property tax, not to exceed $200,000, which would fund the new district.
The costs of the process are unavoidable, according to board candidate Tom Fayram, but they’re bound to be lower with locals representing Los Olivos.
“Whatever happens in terms of the wastewater systems and costs, I’ll be paying,” Fayram said. “So as a board member, my decisions will affect me as well. And if we were annexed by another board those people wouldn’t be paying the cost.”
Fayram, who is a registered civil engineer and director of the Santa Barbara County Public Works Department, said despite widespread support for the new community services district, there has been some concern that a new district would duplicate already existing and nearby entities. But if that were true, Fayram said LAFCO would have denied the Los Olivos Community Services District.
Santa Barbara County 3rd District Supervisor Joan Hartmann, who represents Los Olivos, said the formation of a new district in a small area can bring challenges, including finding people qualified enough and willing to work on the board of directors.
That hasn’t been an issue in Los Olivos, she said.
Palmer and Fayram are just two of the five Los Olivos residents hoping to sit on the board of directors. The ballot also includes Michael Arme, a general engineering contractor; Brian O’Neill, an engineer; and Julie Kennedy, a bookkeeper.
“As a county supervisor, I see in the 3rd District that we do have a number of community services districts in unincorporated areas, and it’s really valuable in those communities to have locally elected people to contact about issues,” Hartmann said. “Even if it is very limited to certain powers.”
Staff Writer Kasey Bubnash can be reached by email at kbubnash@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Jan 18-25, 2018.
