Noozhawk
As various jurisdictions in Santa Barbara County consider gaping budget holes, planning departments follow one of two schools of thought: raise fees to close the gap, or cut fees to provide an incentive to developers. Santa Barbara County has been facing a multimillion-dollar budget hole, and the next fiscal year isn’t likely to be any better. The Planning Department’s increased salary and benefit costs prompted the Board of Supervisors last Tuesday to approve a $30-an-hour increase in planning processing fees. The public — and advisory committee — did not react favorably.