Our Mission
Santa Barbara Coalition for Responsible Cannabis is a community-based advocacy and education organization whose objective is to create and promote sustainable communities. We work progressively for the health and well-being of residents, children, traditional agriculture and businesses of Santa Barbara County who have been negatively affected by large scale commercial cannabis cultivation. The Coalition is not a prohibitionist organization and encourages cooperative and neighbor-friendly cannabis businesses.
The Santa Barbara Coalition for Responsible Cannabis is an advocacy and community education organization whose objectives and purposes are to promote the well-being and interests of neighborhoods, communities, industries, businesses and individuals affected by commercial cannabis cultivation. The Coalition is not a prohibitionist organization and encourages cooperative and neighbor-friendly cannabis businesses. We came together in 2017 in response to the lack of community outreach from Santa Barbara County.
We your friends, neighbors, farmers and business owners. We hail from both North and South County and simply want to develop a plan whereby no single industry dominates the unique and diverse tapestry that has come to define SB County. We want to see the same reasonable standards put on Cannabis (as exist in other counties) where Cannabis has been legalized, including: sealed greenhouses, carbon air filtration and reasonable—neighbor friendly--density. We are residents concerned with our water, our clean air, our quiet enjoyment, our home values, our local businesses and our world class wines and tasting rooms.
SBCRC's goals are:
to represent and advance the interests of neighborhoods, individuals, residents, schools, businesses and others that are impacted by commercial cannabis cultivation;
to advance community plan standards and policies and to encourage and promote compatibility between existing urban and rural land uses;
to promote the protection of both the natural environment and developed communities in and around Santa Barbara County from the adverse impacts of the commercial cannabis cultivation industry;
to protect and enhance public and individuals' health as impacted by industrial cannabis cultivation;
to engage in public outreach and education activities to advance the above goals and enhance public participation in and knowledge of actions concerning cannabis in Santa Barbara County and the State of California;
to amend the current cannabis regulatory process to enable the public to effectively participate in the introduction and evolution of reasonable cannabis operations in Santa Barbara County.
Our Coalition Spans Santa Barbara County
District 1
The First District includes Montecito, Summerland, Toro Canyon, Carpinteria and its Valley, and downtown Santa Barbara, from the Pacific Ocean to the Santa Ynez mountains. Its economy is predicated upon tourism and centuries-old agriculture, primarily avocados, citrus and flowers. To access the Concerned Carpinterians website, click here.
District 2
Second District is nestled between the cities of Santa Barbara and Goleta, and between the Santa Ynez mountains and the Pacific Ocean; it includes suburban and mountainous communities, and longstanding agricultural operations such as citrus, avocados, berries and flowers.
District 3
The Third District includes Buellton, Solvang and Vandenberg Air Force Base and has a diverse population and economic base, grounded in agriculture, tourism, and wine country. This area is horse country, including bucolic small towns, mountain trails and residential neighborhoods.
District 4
The unincorporated Fourth District includes Lompoc and Santa Maria, residential semi-rural and rural neighborhoods and economies ranging from agriculture to the oil industry, as well as the newer and thriving wine industry.
District 5
The unincorporated Fifth District includes the mountainous community of Tepusquet, charming small towns, agricultural fields and some oil exploration, as well as portions of the Santa Maria.
Our County
All districts share very similar concerns and must band together to effect long-term change and protection of our county.
First, Let’s Understand
We seek to educate county residents about cannabis growing practices, the county's current regulatory framework, and where things fail to safeguard our schools, residents, the environment and existing businesses.
Then We Must Protect
We advocate for compatibility between existing urban and rural land use and reasonable and carefully monitored cannabis activity. We are committed to protect our lifestyle and environment from adverse cannabis impacts.
It’s Up To Us to Fight Back
We safeguard Santa Barbara County's unique character and charm from the many threats posed by industrial commercial cannabis cultivation and processing. This includes supporting strategic legal, appeals and lawsuits when necessary.