••• “The county Board of Supervisors tinkered with its cannabis ordinance this week, promising immediate relief to 500 residents of North County canyons—but angering Carpinterians and Buellton-area vintners who said the proposals would do little to restrain an industry they view as running rampant and unchecked. […] On the table was a sweeping recommendation by the commission to require stricter zoning permits, called conditional use permits, or CUPs, for all future cannabis projects, with more than 170 applications in the pipeline. These permits would require the projects to be ‘compatible with’ and ‘not detrimental to’ the surrounding neighborhoods. But the board majority, led by Supervisors Das Williams and Steve Lavagnino, the chief architects of the cannabis ordinance, supported conditional use permits only for some cannabis, and only in the North County. In recent years, the board has repeatedly voted to overturn or weaken the commission’s efforts to rein in the burgeoning cannabis industry.” —Newsmakers
••• “Changes May Be Coming as Turmoil Engulfs Santa Barbara City Hall […] City Administrator Paul Casey is under heavy pressure on multiple fronts, most notably the operations of the Community Development Department. […] According to multiple City Hall sources, Casey is crafting multiple plans, one of which could result in Community Development Director George Buell announcing his retirement soon, giving Casey cover and possibly some political protection. […] For the first time in decades, however, [city] council members are looking inside of City Hall and raising questions—and demanding answers—in ways that have not happened previously during Casey’s tenure.” —Noozhawk
••• “California to allow nail salons, tattoo parlors, massage services and more to reopen starting next Friday.” Barring a rise in Covid-19 diagnoses, Santa Barbara County will likely follow suit. —KEYT
••• “The county’s unemployment rate was 13.7 percent in April, up from nearly 6 percent in March, according to the California Employment Development Department.” —Noozhawk
••• “Santa Barbara Zoo to Reopen on June 23 […] Visits will be by online reservation only and will include a number of ‘safety enhancements and modifications’ to keep guests and staff safe, according to a release from the zoo on Friday. Those steps include limited daily attendance, hand sanitizer stations, social-distancing reminders, and the continued closure of some high-touch areas, such as the Ewwwww! exhibit.” —Noozhawk
••• “Steve Cass of Cass Winery in Paso Robles wanted ‘a really killer, unique’ design for a bed and breakfast lodging [….] At the end of May, he and partner Ted Plemons celebrated the opening of the Geneseo Inn, a truly original take on wine country lodging. The eight units nestled at the edge of the 150-acre estate vineyard are made of recycled steel shipping containers, propped eight feet up in the air to offer views of the bucolic scenery. The 400-square-foot units are compact, but roomier than you might expect thanks to the way the containers are configured.” —Pacific Coast Business Times
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