Daily Archives: June 9, 2015

Ice in Paradise Facility

Community Skating Rink Scheduled to Open in September

Ice in Paradise ice skating arena is scheduled to open this September 2015! Following their November 2014 groundbreaking, construction has progressed at a rapid pace and they are still on schedule for a grand opening this fall. The ice skating arena will include two rinks: one NHL size (200’x85’) rink and a smaller (100’ x 60’) rink and a homework center. The programs they will provide include: daily public skating sessions, learn to skate classes, youth and adult hockey, figure skating, adaptive ice sports, birthday parties and more.

The non-profit group Greater Santa Barbara Ice Skating Association (GSBISA) is pleased to offer Goleta and the entire Santa Barbara area a state-of-the-art ice skating facility to allow the community to skate with friends and family. Ice in Paradise will provide safe and supervised recreation for our youth and will be open year-round with day and evening hours.

Ice in Paradise recently received a program grant from the City of Goleta to support their “Public Skating and Learn to Skate” program. According to GSBISA Board President, Kathy Mintzer, “We are thrilled with the continued support of the City of Goleta to help us get closer to completing our fundraising”.

For more information, please go to www.iceinparadise.org.

 

Stage 3 Water Restrictions Go Into Effect

On May 12, 2015, the Goleta Water District Board of Directors declared a Stage III Water Shortage, with mandatory water use restrictions and changes to watering times.  After four years of severe drought and an historic lack of rainfall, water conservation is critical to ensure adequate supplies for drinking, health and public safety.  As we enter another summer of drought, the District is targeting a 35% district-wide reduction in water usage.

NEW Stage III water use restrictions are now in effect:

  • No irrigation is allowed for 48 hours after it rains.
  • Manual watering (including sprinklers attached to a hose) is allowed before 8 a.m. or after 8 p.m., two days per week.

The following schedule applies to fixed irrigation (i.e. installed sprinkler systems):

  • Residential properties may water Wednesdays and Saturdays, before 6 a.m. or after 8 p.m.
  • Commercial and institutional properties may water Tuesdays and Fridays, before 6 a.m. or after 8 p.m.
  • Public parks, athletic fields, and golf courses may water no more than two days per week, before 6 a.m. or after 8 p.m.
  • Agricultural customers using overhead spray irrigation outdoors may water before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m.
  • Hoses must be equipped with a shut-off nozzle.  No watering sidewalks, pavement, or other hard surfaces.

Click here for the Stage III Water Shortage Emergency press release.

Exceptions to the water use restrictions may be granted under certain circumstances.

Enforcement and Penalties

Water use restrictions are in place at all times and actively enforced until such time that the District Board of Directors lifts the Stage III Water Shortage Declaration.  District enforcement always begins with education regarding the restrictions, and information about tools and resources available to assist customers in conserving water and complying with rules.

•    First Violation: Written warning
•    Second Violation: Notice of Violation
•    Third Violation: $100 fine
•    Fourth Violation: $250 fine
•    Subsequent Violations: $500 fine and possible installation of a meter flow restrictor or service termination

To report a possible leak, water runoff, or other water waste, please call (805) 964-6761 and press 2 to leave a message for District staff who will follow-up on the report, or send an email to conservation@goletawater.com.  Please include specifics such as the location or address, the nature of the problem, and the time and date the problem was observed.  Photos of the incidents are helpful and may be emailed to the above email address.

While a Stage III declaration establishes mandatory water use restrictions and prohibitions, the District is offering ways to help the community learn more about how they can conserve.  Click here for water conservation tips, resources and information.

The District has a number of conservation incentive and rebate programs, including rebates for water wise landscape installation, and other water efficient activities.  Customers are encouraged to consult the District for additional information on the programs. Please call (805) 964-6761 for more information.

Information provided by Goleta Water District.

City Welcomes Deputy City Manager

The City of Goleta welcomed new Deputy City Manager Kathleen Salguero Trepa to the City’s management team on June 8. Ms. Trepa previously served as the Director of Community Services for the City of Claremont in California.

Before her time in Claremont, Ms. Trepa worked for the City of San Marcos as the Public Works Manager and worked in the City Manager Departments in San Juan Capistrano and Alexandria, VA. She has had a great deal of experience in everything from maintenance operations to risk management to budgeting.

“We are delighted Ms. Trepa has agreed to join our team. Her extensive experience in municipal management is a great match for our young City,” said City Manager Michelle Greene. “She will be tremendously helpful in process improvements and personnel management as well as a number of other tasks.”

Ms. Trepa holds a BA in History from Boston University, and the City of Goleta happily awaits her arrival.

Public Works Week Celebration a Big Hit

Residents from the Goleta community filed in on May 21st for family-oriented festivities and to hear what exciting improvements Goleta has in its future from the professionals at the City of Goleta’s Public Works Department. The event was put on by the city in collaboration with the Goleta Water and Sanitary District, MarBorg, and Girl Scouts.

During the event, residents were able to learn about the newly renovated Los Carneros Bridge, roundabouts, and even had the opportunity to look behind the scenes at how some huge machines seen around Goleta actually work. The Public Works staff and the event’s visitors worked together to discuss major upcoming City projects and their benefits.

Public Works Week has been celebrated and sponsored by the American Public Works Association since 1960. Across North America, over 28,000 members within the United States and Canada use this week to energize and educate the public on the importance of the contribution Public Works make to their daily lives. This year’s theme of “Building for Today, Planning for Tomorrow” represents the dedication public works departments and professionals have toward maintaining city structures and safety for present and future generations.

Goleta Makes List of Top Safest Cities Again

Once again, Goleta has received the honor of being named a safe city to live in California! According to a study conducted by SafeWise, Goleta is number 50 on a list of thesafest cities to live in the state. SafeWise uses recent FBI crime data and takes into account security initiatives and programs to compile this list.

“The City of Goleta has always placed a high priority on public safety and it is rewarding to see our efforts acknowledged once again,” said Mayor Paula Perotte.  “I believe the close connections between law enforcement and the community are a significant contributing factor in creating the safe community we enjoy.  I would also like to recognize the efforts of our Goleta Police Department.  Their dedication and vigilance is commendable.”

This is only one of numerous times that Goleta has been commended for its safety efforts. In 2013, it was ranked as number 95 on a list of the safest cities in the entire United States and number 22 on a list of California safe cities.

Since Goleta’s incorporation in 2002, the City has contracted with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office for law enforcement services.

To take a closer look at the list, explore http://www.safewise.com/blog/safest-cities-California-2015/.

Oil Spill Clean Up

Goleta Responds to the Refugio Oil Spill

The Refugio Oil Spill hit our community a little over three weeks ago and the City of Goleta has been actively involved in the Emergency Operations Center and Incident Command. Over 1,000 individuals and 85 agencies are working on this incident in a variety of capacities from clean up to monitoring to communications and much more. A website on the oil spill response by Incident Command can be found at www.refugioresponse.com. There you can find the latest information and sign up for updates.

A community meeting was held at the Elks Lodge to offer individuals the opportunity to speak directly with responders on a variety of issues — environmental impacts, oil technology, claims information, impacts on wildlife and volunteering. 　Over 180 people took advantage of the opportunity to speak to the various agency representatives and the City was pleased to be a part of this event. Several short video interviews with responders at the event can be found here.

As the community grapples with the impacts of this incident many questions are being raised. How and why did this happen? Were the appropriate monitoring measures in place? Could and should the response have been faster? These questions and many others will be answered as part of the on-going investigation. At this time, the City’s role is in working on the incident response in incident command. 　We do not, at this time, have a role in the investigation. A different team of individuals and agencies outside of the incident command is conducting the investigation. The City is very interested in the results of the investigation and will share information as it is public.

BUSINESS IMPACTS: Businesses and individuals that have experienced　a loss because of this incident can file a claim at 866-753-3619. Information on the process and Small Business Loans are available at www.refugioresponse.com.

OILED WILDLIFE REPORTING: To report oiled wildlife, call 877-823-6926.

VOLUNTEERS: Thank you to all those who have volunteered and signed up to take the trainings. 　It’s been wonderful to see the hundreds of people who are interested in helping out. More information on volunteer opportunities can be found at www.calspillwatch.com.

We’d also like to recognize our Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) volunteers who have put in hours at the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and on beach clean ups. 　We plan and prepare for emergencies and it’s great to call upon these pre-trained individuals in our time of need. 　For more information about becoming a CERT volunteer, contact Luz Reyes-Martin at mailto: lreyesmartin@cityofgoleta.org.

Comments on the oil spill can be sent to mailto: oilspill@cityofgoleta.org.