Cities & Districts

This Directory of Local Agencies is prepared as a public service by the Santa Barbara Local Agency Formation Commission, or LAFCO. The Legislature created a LAFCO in each county to discourage urban sprawl and encourage orderly governmental boundaries.

This inventory is in keeping with LAFCO's mission, specifically Government Code §56301 which states that:

One of the objects of the commission is to make studies and to obtain and furnish information which will contribute to the logical and reasonable development of local agencies in each county and to shape the development of local agencies so as to advantageously provide for the present and future needs of each county and its communities.

Section 56378 specifically directs LAFCO to inventory governmental agencies:

In addition to its other powers, the commission shall initiate and make studies of existing governmental agencies. Those studies shall include, but not be limited to, inventorying those agencies and determining their maximum service area and service capabilities.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The Commission gratefully acknowledges County, City and Special District personnel who provided information to assist in preparing this inventory, giving freely of their time and expertise to serve the public.

Special appreciation is extended to the Santa Barbara County Surveyor staff for preparing the maps that are an essential part of this report.

County of Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara is situated along the Pacific Ocean, between Ventura and San Luis Obispo Counties. It is 19th in population among the 58 counties in California. A significant portion of the County is owned by the Federal Government including Vandenberg Air Force Base and the Los Padres National Forest.

Cities

There are eight cities in Santa Barbara County. As of January 1, 2020 they have an estimated combined population of 309,369 or 68 percent of the countywide population of 451,840. The remaining 142,471 residents, or 32% of the total, reside outside of cities.

Special Districts

There are 54 special districts within LAFCO jurisdiction, of which 38 are governed by locally independently elected or appointed boards, 14 dependent governed by the Board of Supervisors, one by a city council and one board is composed of city and county officials.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

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