The County of Santa Barbara Citizens Independent Redistricting Commission (CIRC) is hosting its first in-person hearing at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, July 7 in the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission Hearing Room located at 123 East Anapamu, Santa Barbara. The meeting will also be accessible over Zoom for those unable to attend in person.
The Commission launched its public engagement phase of the redistricting process with its first public hearing on Wednesday, June 16. Additional hearings will be held in each supervisory district throughout the summer and fall to provide residents with information regarding the redistricting process as well as to solicit resident feedback on communities of interest and where new county supervisorial district boundaries should be drawn.
Every 10 years, local governments use new data from the U.S. Census to redraw their district boundaries to reflect how local populations have changed. Members of the Santa Barbara County community can help shape the supervisorial districts by participating in the Commission’s hearings and workshops as well as submitting draft maps to the Commission. Please note that this Commission is separate from concurrent city and school district redistricting efforts.
At the July 7 meeting, the Commissioners will place a special focus on the county’s first supervisorial district, which encompasses the city of Carpinteria, parts of the city of Santa Barbara and the unincorporated areas of Carpinteria Valley, Summerland, Montecito, Mission Canyon and the Cuyama Valley.
“On behalf of the Commission, I encourage all residents of the county’s first district to attend this hearing and provide us with feedback on what communities of interest we should consider when evaluating supervisorial district boundaries,” said CIRC Chair Glenn Morris. “The Commission is meeting in the first district to make it easier for locals to see us in-person. Our Commission is committed to a transparent effort that reaches all corners of Santa Barbara County. I encourage interest groups, good government groups and all individuals to learn more and engage with us.”
All county supervisorial districts will host at least one Commission hearing to provide greater physical access for all community members and organizations to participate in and provide feedback on the redistricting process and input on the county’s supervisorial district boundaries. Meeting locations, agendas and presentations can be accessed on the Commission’s dedicated redistricting website at DrawSantaBarbaraCounty.org.
As the redistricting process moves forward, the Commission will continue to update the redistricting website to include additional details on future public hearings, mapping opportunities, new FAQs, and more. Community groups interested in learning more can visit the Commission website to request a presentation by Commissioners.
To sign up for updates and information about the redistricting process and future public meetings, please visit drawsantabarbaracounty.org or email redistricting@countyofsb.org.