As Fourth District Supervisor Bob Nelson enters his seventh year on the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors, he takes the gavel as chairperson of the Board.  In his opening remarks at the January 8 board meeting, the Orcutt resident and former teacher at Righetti High School lamented that many constituents in the fourth district he represents, “often feel neglected by the County, unheard, underrepresented, overtaxed and frustrated.”  
               Nelson was interviewed by the Orcutt Pioneer. He offered wide ranging views on his 2026 County objectives.  His recurring theme is to continue fighting, “for more services, more resources in the infrastructure and investment potential for Orcutt.”  The following comments are from that interview and his opening comments to the Board January 8th. 
OP: In what ways could you as chairman influence County services to Orcutt? 
Supervisor Nelson: As chairman you don’t get an extra vote.  However, you control the meetings, the agenda. The chairman works hand in hand with the staff on topics that come to the Board. This gives me an opportunity to accent things in the North County. As chairperson I will have a driver’s seat opportunity to manage the agenda.  In addition, the County Executive Officer Mona Miyasato is retiring in July.  As chairman, I will be leading the search for her replacement.  I will be making sure we hire somebody who understands issues and challenges we have here.       
OP: What is the status of funding for the new library?
Nelson: I have a commitment from outgoing CEO Miyasato that she will have a funding plan in place for the new Orcutt library.  We have aside six to seven million dollars. We hope to complete the project by March of 2028.   
OP: What are County plans for the proposed OASIS Center which will be located next to the library?
Nelson: The acquisition of the Knight property adjacent to the OASIS property allows the best opportunity to move ahead. The library and OASIS will then become a county complex with a leaseback arrangement with OASIS.  
OP:  I understand coming are parking changes and resurfacing of Clark Avenue in Old Town Orcutt are coming.  
Nelson: Yes. This year the County Public Works department will be resurfacing Clark Avenue in Old Town. A couple of inches will be taken off the top of Clark to level the roadway.  The recycled material will be used for the resurface.  The suicide lane will be gone; there will be angular parking on both sides. This will provide more parking and will slow down traffic.
          County Public Works has completed landscaping at the medians at Clark Ave. and Foxenwood Drive. A roundabout at Norris Street is in the design phase.  
OP: Regarding the annexation proposal for the 44 acres at UVP and State Highway 135, how are City and County tax exchange negotiations proceeding?    
Nelson: We should have a status report later this spring. If the City and County do not have a resolution, the applicant may re-apply to the County. Getting water for commercial use will continue to be a problem. 
OP: When do you expect the traffic signal at UVP and Hummel Drive to be operational?
Nelson:   Within a few weeks.
OP:   Last week on a three-two vote with you and Supervisor Lavagnino opposing, there will not be a 1% increase in the sale tax proposal on the June ballot.
Nelson:    Many Orcutt folks would ask, “Tell us what you have done first before we could support an increase.” The proposed tax increase would have only applied to unincorporated areas in the County. Orcutt residents would be paying for the tax increase with the money spent countywide. I could not support that. I represent a district that often feels neglected by the County.   
        I think we have done a good job the last five years, but we have to keep pushing for more for Orcutt; we are looking at 30 to 40 years of neglect. Unheard, underrepresented, overtaxed, frustrated. I believe if you put a county split on the ballot tomorrow, it would pass two to one easily.  Several questions could be asked: Is there an opportunity for self-governance in Orcutt? Does a Community Services District for making decisions locally make any sense?” 
OP:   How are plans for Fire Station 25 on UVP coming along?  
Nelson: It is fully funded. We should have design plans within a few months.  
OP: We understand this year's County budget hearings will be held in the North County. 
Nelson: Yes, for the first time. Technically that doesn’t change anything. However, it changes the mentality of county organizations with the understanding of the North County as a significant population and economic center.  
OP: In your opening message after being sworn in as chairperson of the Board you mentioned you would like a pilot project on affordable housing in the fourth district.   
Nelson: I am convinced homes may need to be smaller. They may need fewer frills.  The housing element process may increase supply and soften rents, but it risks creating a generation of permanent renters with no realistic path to homeownership.  My primary focus will be affordability. People need to make more money, and things need to cost less.
OP: There are always concerns about County regulation and permitting costs as being slow and onerous.   
Nelson: Our regulatory and permitting process is too slow, too complicated and too expensive. We need quicker ‘yeses’ and fewer ‘nos.’ By the way, we are seeing a slight dip in rental costs, particularly in the North County. This is due to the increase in Accessible Dwelling Units (ADUs). 
OP: Any concluding thoughts?
Nelson:  What is important is that we have north county voices in Santa Barbara. At the end of the day, we need to make sure our taxpayer dollars end back up in our community. A lot of us are concerned this hasn’t happened and as chair I am able to have the loudest voice in the room and the last word on a lot of those discussions.  

Supervisor Nelson and his wife Jamie live in Orcutt with their three children: Andrew, Avery and Zeke. Nelson was raised in Orcutt and is a graduate of Righetti High School where he met his wife. He earned a Business Administration degree from Vanguard University in Costa Mesa and a teaching credential through Chapman University. As an educator, he taught at Righetti and Pioneer High Schools. He served as chief of staff for Fourth District Supervisor Peter Adam and is in his second term on the Board of Supervisors. Nelson served as chairperson in 2021.