Policies and Standards

LAFCO's are charged with establishing policies and exercising their powers ""...In a manner that encourages and provides planned, well-ordered, efficient urban development patterns with appropriate consideration of preserving open-space lands within those patters"" and with ""...the discouragement of urban sprawl and the encouragement of the orderly formation and development of local agencies based upon local conditions and circumstances."" (Government Code Sections 56300 and 56301) In carrying out its responsibilities, each LAFCO must conduct various studies and review and make determinations on changes of organization, reorganizations and spheres of influence. The following policies and standards have been adopted by the Santa Barbara LAFCO to assist in the review of proposals and the preparation of studies as necessary.

• Policies Encouraging Orderly Formation and Development of Agencies
• Sphere of Influence Policies
• Policies Encouraging Consistency with Spheres of Influence
• Policies Encouraging Orderly Urban Development and Preservation of Open Space Patterns
• Policies Encouraging Conservation of Prime Agricultural Lands and Open Space Areas
• Standards for Annexations to Cities
• Standards for City Incorporation
• Standards for District Formation
• Standards for Out-of-Agency Service Agreements
• Reconsideration of LAFCO Decisions
• State Review of Comprehensive Fiscal Analysis (CFA)
• Extending Urban Utility Services to Agricultural Parcels