Live oaks, vineyards, rolling hills and condors define the Santa Ynez Valley, north of Santa Barbara between the San Rafael and Santa Ynez mountains, near Los Padres National Forest.

The valley was the backdrop for the movie “Sideways,” and it remains one of California’s gems. For 10 agonizing years, the valley’s residents, merchants and Santa Barbara County officials labored to craft a community plan protecting the area’s pastoral character. They set goals for development, infrastructure, agriculture and open space.