How much power does a local government have to change existing uses?
Turns out, local governments think they have a lot of power. They seem to have the power to kick people out of their homes, the power to force property owners to change the use of their properties, the power to kill people’s livelihoods, and the power to outlaw future use of practices that currently exist.
That’s a lot of power.
And most people don’t care about those on the losing side, unless it’s them.
Buellton is aiming for the commercial revitalization of Avenue of Flags, nixing long-term motel stays in the process. After months of waiting to hear about the legality of a proposed policy, the City Council passed an ordinance in March that forces certain motels to eventually kick out their long-term tenants and revert back to hosting overnight visitors. City Manager Scott Wolfe is hoping that motel owners will realize that their property has value beyond the motel.
“That they would either say: ‘Hey, I’m going to be sitting in the middle of a vibrant commercial location here, I want to fix up my motel,’ or maybe they say: ‘You know what, I’m done being in the motel business,’” Wolfe said. “‘I want to tear this down and build some other kind of commercial use that will be more lucrative from a financial standpoint.’”
The mandate is meant to get motel owners to step up, so that other properties will finally invest in their development dreams. It’s crazy to think that a city can come in and tell an existing property owner that the way they’ve been legally operating for decades is no longer allowed: Change it, redevelop it, or get out. Wild.
“I’ve not heard of any other city that’s taken this approach,” Wolfe said.
There has to be a reason, right?
Kerry Moriarity feels like his Farmhouse Motel is being singled out and is planning to sue. His property has the most long-term tenants of any of the motels in question, most of whom are low income. His attorney said the city’s approach amounts to “gentrification by policy.”
And the policy does seem to be exactly that. Revamp, revitalize, make it attractive to out-of-towners, get rid of the in-towners.
Meanwhile, at the county level, North County’s oil industry is firmly in South County’s environmental crosshairs. I’m not even sure you can call it NIMBYism because most of the folks pushing for a ban on new oil and gas drilling don’t even live where it’s happening.
On April 8, the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission pushed forward the first phase of the South County supervisors’ ambitious plan to get oil out, reduce local greenhouse gas emissions, and rip property rights out of the hands of those who depend on mineral extraction to keep their ranches and farms alive, among other things.
As multiple someones pointed out, whether greenhouse gases from oil and gas extraction are emitted in Santa Barbara County or elsewhere, they still contribute to overall global warming. And until we completely revamp our society from the ground up, everyone is dependent on oil.
So, we’re just exporting the local impacts to other places and importing the oil. I guess “buy local” only applies to everything else.
The Canary wants an oil free cellphone. Send tips to canary@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in April 16 – April 23, 2026.