Daily Archives: July 16, 2018

Go Solar, Save Money

The Community Environmental Council’s (CEC) Solarize Santa Barbara program is underway and will be running through August 30th to help homeowners install quality solar energy systems at affordable prices. Over the past seven years, CEC has helped over 657 homeowners install solar energy systems. CEC has partnered with two local installers, Brighten Solar and California Solar Electric, who offer reduced prices for the Solarize program duration, assuring that homeowners get the best price for a quality solar system. New this year is an energy storage option – homeowners can add a battery system so that energy generated from solar panels can be discharged when electricity prices are higher in the evening. 

CEC is partners with the Cities of Goleta, Santa Barbara and Carpinteria and the County of Santa Barbara. To learn more about the Solarize Santa Barbara program, visit www.solarizesb.org, call (805) 963-0583 x 102 or attend the next workshop on July 19 at 6:00 p.m. at the Carpinteria Library Multipurpose Room (5141 Carpinteria Avenue, Carpinteria).

Ready, Set, Race to the Lemon Run Finish Line!

Save the date for this year’s Lemon Run on September 23, 2018 at Goleta Beach Park! The Lemon Run is put on by the Goleta Education Foundation (GEF) to support programs in the Goleta Union School District’s nine elementary schools serving 3,700 diverse students. Money raised this year will go to the new Innovation Grants, given to educators in Goleta Elementary Schools to support new and exciting learning opportunities for students. Learn more about GEF and the programs they support at www.goletaeducationfoundation.org.

Choose from competitive 5K (Jr. Grand Prix) and 10K (Grand Prix) races, or the popular 1K Family Fun Run. All races begin and end at Goleta Beach with an out-and-back course on the bike path. There will be fun and exciting prizes and goodies from the Lemon Festival and other local businesses, fabulous food from Wahoo’s Fish Taco, and family-friendly activities to keep even the littlest ones happy. Come out and support Goleta schools and the community! Click here to register today.

Apply for the Library Board of Trustees

Do you love the Goleta Valley Library? Then apply to serve as one of five members on the Library Board of Trustees. The role of the Board is to advise the City Council and increase citizen participation in library issues by analyzing current needs, considering goals, anticipating future needs and problems, acting as a liaison, acting as a sounding Board, and to help develop consensus for advisement to the City Council. The Board will meet at least once a month. There is a $50 stipend per month.

To apply and be considered, Board Members must be residents consisting of the following:

  • 2 Board Members – Goleta City Residents
  • 2 Board Members – Residents of the Unincorporated Service Area of the Goleta Library (Eastern Goleta Valley, Community Service Area 3, and Hope Ranch)
  • 1 Board Member – Isla Vista Community Services District

The deadline to apply is July 20, 2018, at 12:00 p.m. Applications may be submitted online at http://tinyurl.com/goletaboards-commissions. Additional information can be provided by contacting Deborah Lopez, City Clerk, at (805) 961-7505 or dlopez@cityofgoleta.org.

Goleta’s Next Bicycle Project – the San Jose Creek Bike Path

The City has a number of projects in the works, including the San Jose Creek Bike Path Project. When completed, the path will extend approximately three miles alongside San Jose Creek from Cathedral Oaks Road (in the County of Santa Barbara) to the Atascadero Creek Bikeway/Obern Trail near Goleta Beach. The bike path will provide an alternative means of transportation for commuters as well as a source of recreation.

The San Jose Creek Bike Path Project is being worked on in two portions, the middle extent and the southern extent. For the middle extent, a Class I Bike Path will be constructed along the west side of San Jose Creek extending from Calle Real to Hollister Avenue. The middle extent project has been broken into two segments identified as Segment 1 and Segment 2. Segment 1 is the portion of the bike path which extends from Armitos Avenue south to Hollister Avenue. This section is currently under construction with the City’s Hollister Kellogg Park project. Segment 2 is the portion of the bike which extends from Armitos Avenue north to Calle Real. This segment is in preliminary design. Learn more here.

The southern extent extends from Hollister Avenue south along the new Class II bike facility proposed along Kellogg Avenue (to be constructed with the Ekwill Street project) and then will cross San Jose Creek Channel via a pedestrian/bicycle bridge, to follow along the west side of State Highway 217 connecting to the existing Class I Atascadero Creek/ Obern Trail. This segment is currently in preliminary design. The City is coordinating with Santa Barbara County and Caltrans for the project. Click here for more information.

From Caterpillar to Butterfly – A New Educational Experience

The Goleta MOVES (Monarch Overwintering Visual Experience Simulation) program is a new educational opportunity for the community to learn about the lifecycle and migration cycle of the Western Monarch Butterfly. The program, currently under development, will feature an outdoor exhibit, education materials, activities and more. It is a collaborative effort of the City of Goleta, Nature Tracks, Department of Fish and Wildlife, Santa Barbara Natural History Museum, and many more. This unique educational alternative is made possible through the generosity of the Santa Barbara Foundation and will be available to the public later this year. If you are an educator and would like to find out more information or schedule a field trip, or if you are interested in volunteering to assist with construction or serving as a docent, please contact JoAnne Plummer at (805) 562-5505 or jplummer@cityofgoleta.org.

Final Bicycle & Pedestrian Master Plan Community Workshop

Be a part of Goleta’s biking and walking future – your final opportunity to provide input is on July 19. Community members like you have been an important part of the Bicycle & Pedestrian Master Plan (BPMP) from the beginning – attend our final community workshop on Thursday, July 19, from 5:30 -7:00 p.m. at the Goleta Valley Community Center (5679 Hollister Avenue).

The workshop will review and allow for input one last time on the City’s Bicycle & Pedestrian Master Plan. Read the five draft chapters here. Following the workshop, the final plan will be presented to the Planning Commission and City Council for approval this fall.

The Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan is the future of biking and walking in Goleta. It aims to expand and improve the pedestrian and bicycle network in the City of Goleta making it easier to walk and bike around town. The BPMP also promotes public health by encouraging people to walk and bike, reduces automobile usage and fuel consumption, and promotes transportation equity. Learn more at http://tinyurl.com/GoletaBPMP.

July is Parks & Recreation Month

The City wants to help you celebrate National Parks & Recreation Month this July! We have put together a calendar of free or low-cost activities throughout the month that encourage residents to get out and enjoy all that Goleta has to offer. The calendar is available on our website. We have also created a coloring book for school aged children that helps them discover more about their community. The coloring book is available at City Hall, Goleta Valley Library, Goleta Valley Community Center or can be downloaded from our website. This month, please take the time to enjoy all the parks, trails and outside opportunities available in Goleta, and help us celebrate “July as National Parks & Recreation Month.”

Local November 2018 Election Update

This November, City of Goleta residents will be voting for a Mayor for the first time in the City’s 16-year history. Residents will also vote for two City Council members. Have you ever thought about running? To qualify as a candidate, one must be at least 18 years of age and a resident and registered voter of the City of Goleta. Nomination documents can be obtained and filed Monday, July 16, 2018, through Friday, August 10, 2018, at 12:00 p.m. The City will also have two measures on the ballot, W2018 (City Council compensation) and Z2018 (Cannabis Business Tax). Learn more about the 2018 election here. For more information, please contact Deborah Lopez, City Clerk, at (805) 961-7505 or dlopez@cityofgoleta.org.

In Case You Missed It…Goleta’s Emergency Communications

This weekend’s Holiday Fire was a reminder of the vulnerability of our community to wildfires.  It also highlighted the importance of timely information and we wanted to take this opportunity to share more about the City’s role in emergency communications.

Please note that if an evacuation order is implemented, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office’s (SBSO) attempts to make contact through phone calls (Reverse 911), emails and text messages, knocking on doors or and making direct, personal contact with residents in the affected area. 

While the City is not a first responder like Fire and Sheriff, we are committed to the following:

  • Providing timely and accurate information.
  • Providing Goleta-specific information.
  • Sharing information released by other agencies as appropriate.
  • Directing people to accurate resources.

Our notifications are not emergency alerts.  These are done for the City of Goleta through a partnership with the Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Management (SBCOEM), at no cost to the City.  Typically, we send notices via email/text after briefings from Incident Command (the agency or agencies coordinating the response). Sign up for City of Goleta email/text notifications here! We regularly post information to Facebook and Twitter (@goletapio) which also feed to our website.  In rare instances, we send recorded phone messages. 

Our practice is to notify people when we have information that can help people make decisions about how they should proceed without unduly alarming people.

We encourage you to:

  • Sign up for emergency alerts from the Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Management (SBCOEM) at www.ReadySBC.org.
  • Make an evacuation plan.  www.ready.gov/make-a-plan
  • Have a battery-powered radio ready to listen to local radio stations if the power goes out.
  • Be familiar with 211.  Santa Barbara County’s 2-1-1 Helpline is the first point-of-access to all community services, including emergency information.  A live person is available to answer questions 24 hours/day, 7 days/week, and in multiple languages.  www.211sbco.org
  • Finally, know your neighbors and look out for each other.  Share verified information from trusted resources.

It’s the #OhDam Time of Year

Get ready for the annual Goleta Dam Dinner on Saturday, August 18! Taking place from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. at the Lake Los Carneros Dam, this casual community event is a great way to spend the evening with family and friends. Share a meal together while enjoying music from the Salt Martians and the beautiful surroundings. Bring your dinner or purchase food from the on-site food truck (Neighbor Tim’s BBQ). If you’re feeling friendly, bring a dessert to share. Water, beer & wine will be sold along with our awesome t-shirts. Parking is available in the Stow House/Goleta Depot parking lot or along La Patera Lane.

Please register in advance so we can plan for enough tables and chairs. Keep in touch by liking us on Facebook (@DamDinner) and use #OhDam.