The purpose of these regulations is to regulate the removal of native brush, shrubs,
trees and roots thereof within the southeasterly coastal area of the unincorporated
territory of the County of Santa Barbara in order to prevent erosion damage, flood
hazards and soil loss to lands in that area. The area of the county covered by these
regulations as described therein is different from other areas of the County of Santa
Barbara in that it consists largely of steep terrain where brush is often removed
in areas adjacent to urban areas, in many cases upstream from residences and other
urban uses, so that unless removal of the native brush, shrubs, trees and roots thereof
is carefully controlled, the rapid runoff from torrential winter rainfalls is very
likely to do substantial damage to the lands from which such vegetation is removed
and other lands downstream therefrom because of severe erosion, flooding and soil
loss. This has occurred previously on a number of occasions when extensive and uncontrolled
wildfires in the foothill and mountain areas have burned off the native vegetation
and have been followed by intensive rainfalls, all of which have caused great and
severe erosion, flooding and soil loss with substantial damage to property.
