Board approves North Branch Jail design‑build award after extensive questions on flexibility and services

The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously July 7 to approve a design‑build award for the Northern Branch Jail expansion, approving staff’s recommendation to move the project into the design phase while continuing stakeholder engagement.

Assistant Director for Capital Projects JD Patton told the board the design‑build approach will allow the county to collaborate closely with a contractor and stakeholders as the project moves into final design and construction. Patton said staff anticipate hosting community engagement sessions in late August after contract award and intend to establish governance to oversee decisions during project execution.

Multiple supervisors pressed staff and the sheriff’s office for assurances that the design will include confidential meeting space for attorneys, behavioral‑health treatment capacity and flexibility to scale beds if jail populations fall. “Are we absolutely committed to outfitting that half pod or can that retain some flexibility over time?” Supervisor Hartman asked, noting earlier board direction to limit long‑term operating costs and to plan for decommissioning of the main jail once consolidation is possible. Patton and other staff repeated that the design retains flexibility and that a transition plan to consolidate operations would be developed.

Public commenters urged the board to require substantial behavioral health spaces and to plan for reduced capacity if policy and legal trends continue to lower jail populations. Larry Severance of the League of Women Voters’ Criminal Justice Work Group noted the cost per bed in the design estimate and asked the board to require milestone reports during the design phase. Gail Ocharenko and Nancy Evos also urged planning for future reduced demand and transparency during the design process.

Supervisor Capps moved to adopt staff recommendations, Hartman seconded the motion, and the board approved the action unanimously. Patton said the project team will return with a refined community‑engagement schedule and governance details, and staff said they will include milestone reviews during design and coordinate with criminal justice partners on space needs.

What’s next: staff will finalize contract award paperwork and schedule community engagement sessions in coming weeks; the board asked for periodic milestone reports during the design phase and a transition plan for decommissioning the main jail once consolidation timelines are clearer.