Daily Archives: May 5, 2022

Beautify Goleta’s May 21 Event Spotlight Announced 

Beautify Goleta’s next event will highlight the Dos Pueblos and El Encanto neighborhood as the Spotlight! This event will focus on Cathedral Oaks Road and surrounding neighborhoods in northwest Goleta. On May 21st from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., residents in the area will have access to a FREE bulky item drop off event at Dos Pueblos High School’s Upper Parking Lot (7266 Alameda Ave). The Upper Lot is also the meeting place for a Community Cleanup from 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. that is open to anyone who wants to come help pick up litter (sign up here to join!).

On event day, Beautify Goleta Captains will also host additional cleanups. For our May event, Captains will help host a cleanup on S. Kellogg Avenue in East Old Town, as well as the Marketplace area around the Camino Real Shopping Center. We are excited to have so many cleanup opportunities for this upcoming Beautify Goleta event!

Our previous event on March 26th was a fun and productive day of cleaning up around the City. Volunteers cleaned up over 800 pounds of trash, and residents dropped off 4,580 pounds of bulky items – that means less litter in our neighborhoods, parks, creeks, and ocean. Of the 5,380 pounds of trash collected, 83% or 4,463 pounds was recycled and diverted from disposal in the landfill. Thank you to all the Volunteers and Captains that made the March Beautify Goleta event possible!

Mark your calendars and sign up today for our May 21st event. Thank you to Dos Pueblos High School for their support, our new and returning Neighborhood Captains, and to everyone who has helped #BeautifyGoleta! Learn more about the program at www.CityofGoleta.org/BeautifyGoleta.


Locations for our upcoming Beautify Goleta event on May 21st, 2022 from 9am-11am.

A breakdown of how effective our last Beautify Goleta event was – a lot can get done in just a few hours when you have great help!

 

City Launches First Adopt-A-Park Program

Learn More at a Park Clean-Up Event this Saturday, May 7 at 9:00 a.m. at Winchester II

The City of Goleta’s first ever Adopt-A-Park program is ready to launch and is looking for community members like you! We are lucky to have 28 parks and open spaces that need to be managed here in the Good Land. The Adopt-A-Park program welcomes community members to have a shared responsibility in helping to keep our local parks clean.

Join the City of Goleta this Saturday, May 7 at 9:00 a.m. to participate in the Adopt-A-Park for Winchester II located on Calle Real at Jenna Drive. This clean-up is geared toward neighbors of the park, but anyone is welcome to attend. It is also a great opportunity to speak with staff and learn more about the new Adopt-A-Park program and how you can get involved.

Here is how Adopt-A-Park works: Interested individuals, organizations, and/or businesses will select a City-owned park to “adopt.” Participants will perform park clean-ups with their volunteer groups on a designated day once every two months for a year or as desired. The City will provide the necessary equipment for the volunteer group such as maintenance supplies and gloves, all that is required from YOU is your time, energy, and commitment.

To sign up, go to https://cityofgoleta.org/adoptapark and fill out a pre-registration form stating which park(s) you are interested in, and a staff member will follow up within three business days to get you started. After confirming park availability, the program coordinator will schedule an initial walkthrough of the park in which logistics (e.g., equipment, volunteer dates) will be discussed and finalized.

JoAnne Plummer, Parks and Recreation Manager, said, “We have a very passionate community when it comes to our parks and open spaces. This program provides an opportunity for individuals, organizations, and/or businesses to give back to the parks and open spaces they love. The Adopt-a-Park program is designed to promote civic responsibility, community pride, and camaraderie.”

We are grateful to the Goleta Noontime Rotary Club who piloted the Adopt-A-Park program for us and have been helping to keep Jonny D. Wallis Neighborhood Park clean since December 2019. It has been a mutually beneficial experience for club members, the City, and park neighbors.

Scott Phillips, District Governor Elect and Past President of the Goleta Noontime Rotary Club, said, “This program opens the doors to getting people out to the parks and provides a chance to bond with the community. Since the Goleta Noontime Rotary Club adopted Jonny D. Wallis Neighborhood Park, it has been rewarding to see neighbors of the park become more involved in the upkeep and maintenance. Being thanked by neighbors for keeping the park safe and clean for children has been a highlight.”

Jonny D. Wallis Neighborhood Park has remained a popular destination over the years, which in turn has led to an increase in usage by the community. Having such a high rate of activity, the park continues to benefit from the extra support that is provided from the Adopt-A-Park program.

Get involved! For more information on the program and to sign up to adopt-a-park, go to https://cityofgoleta.org/adoptapark. For questions, please contact adoptapark@cityofgoleta.org or 805-961-7558.

Pictured: Goleta Noontime Rotary Club at Jonny D. Wallis Neighborhood Park

Public Input Requested on Renovation of Stow Grove Park

Take Survey by May 22 and Tell Us What You Want to See

The City of Goleta is working on a Stow Grove Park Master Plan, and we need your input! Stow Grove Park, located at 580 N. La Patera Lane, is a beloved destination for local residents and visitors to Goleta. Take the survey now at www.surveymonkey.com/r/StowGroveMP. The survey will remain open through Sunday, May 22. The survey is also available to take in Spanish here.

A Stow Grove Park survey may sound familiar to you. That is because back in 2019 the City had a survey about the park to gather input on what residents enjoyed and would like to see at the park. We heard your feedback and have hired a designer to put your ideas in motion. KTUA was chosen as the consultant for this project, and they have compiled the results from the previous survey, reviewed historical documents, evaluated current conditions, and are looking for additional community input. The next phase of the project is to confirm some of the information from the first survey and fine tune additional information through this new survey.

Parks and Recreation Manager JoAnne Plummer said, “We received such a great response to the first survey, which is a true testament to how much this community treasures this historic park location. Now it is time to take what we have learned, build upon it and provide our consultants with the necessary community input to design a location to be enjoyed for many decades.”

In addition to the survey, the City is also hosting workshops on Stow Grove Park. The first one was held on April 23rd at La Patera School and we received excellent feedback from all in attendance.

Thank you in advance for providing your feedback and we look forward to working with you to design and create a “new and improved” Stow Grove Park. If you have questions about the project, please contact the Project Manager, JoAnne Plummer, at 805-562-5505 or jplummer@cityofgoleta.org. Learn more about the project here. For regular updates on this project, and other parks and open space related projects, please sign up for email and/or text updates from City of Goleta at https://tinyurl.com/GoletaRecreation.

Park Background

Stow Grove Park was developed when Edgar Stow first planted trees for a beautiful, shaded picnic area to share with his family, friends and neighbors. This space has remained a public picnic ground since 1920. In 1964, the Sherman P. Stow Company deeded Stow Grove to the County of Santa Barbara as a public park. When Goleta became a City in 2002, the ownership of Stow Grove Park was transferred to the City of Goleta. This location continues to be a popular destination for sports, family gatherings, fitness, bird watching and more.

In 2015, the City of Goleta conducted a Recreation Needs Assessment. During this evaluation of City facilities, parks and services, Stow Grove Park’s Multi-Purpose field was identified as an area that needed improvement and the project was approved within the City’s Capital Improvement Project Budget. 

In 2021, the City of Goleta approved altering the Stow Grove Capital Improvement Field Renovation Project to instead create a Master Plan for Stow Grove Park. This change allows the City of Goleta the opportunity to create a design for improvements to the parks’ infrastructure, amenities, and more. KTUA was chosen as the consultant to develop a design that could be constructed all at once or phased based on funding availability. The final design is anticipated to be approved by the end of the calendar year.

Pictured below: photos from the April 23 Community Workshop

 

Supportive Housing Project Receives Almost $19 Million Dollars in State Funding

The Housing Authority of the County of Santa Barbara will receive almost $19 million to acquire and rehabilitate the 60-unit Super 8 Motel in Old Town Goleta into permanent supportive housing for people experiencing homelessness, chronic homelessness and homeless youth or youth at risk of homelessness. The project located at 6021 Hollister Avenue will provide on-site wrap-around supportive services and ample space for indoor and outdoor community services.

The funding, announced on April 13, 2022, by Governor Gavin Newsom, is a part of $70 million in State awards for six new Homekey projects throughout California. When fully operational, the projects will provide 232 housing units for people experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, homelessness.

City of Goleta Mayor Paula Perotte said, “We are thrilled and grateful to hear the great news! This is the culmination of what has been a massive effort on the part of the Housing Authority of the County of Santa Barbara to secure this much needed State funding with assistance from the County and the City of Goleta. We are pleased to serve as a financial contributor and supporter of this exemplary project. This proposed development will play a big part locally to help address the human and societal problem of people experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness.”

John Polanskey, the Director of Housing Development for the Housing Authority of the County of Santa Barbara said, “The Housing Authority of the County of Santa Barbara values its partnership with the City of Goleta and County of Santa Barbara in our joint efforts to increase the availability of permanent supportive housing for our most vulnerable residents.  The proposed conversion of the Super 8 in Goleta to serve this purpose is our latest effort.  The $18,958,701 from the State of California, in addition to the funding committed by the City of Goleta and County of Santa Barbara, will help make the Super 8 conversion a reality.”

The Super 8 housing development project is proposed to include 59 permanent supportive housing units for people experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness.  One unit will house an onsite property manager, plus five existing units will be converted to community space in which a robust offering of services will be provided.

This state funding includes rental subsidy and operating costs. Generous additional funding has been reserved for this development by the County of Santa Barbara and City of Goleta. Under recent State law (AB 140 and AB 2162), supportive housing projects funded through the Homekey program are automatically deemed consistent and in conformity with local General Plan and zoning requirements and allowed by right as a permitted use.

Draft Housing Element Available for Review

Planning Commission to Consider Housing Element on May 9

As part of the City’s Housing Element Update project, the City of Goleta has released the Draft Housing Element (2023-2031) for public review. The Housing Element includes the following major components: an evaluation of housing needs in Goleta, with emphasis on the needs of lower-income households and persons with special needs; analysis of resources and constraints related to addressing housing needs; assessment of fair housing; review of the City’s progress related to the programs and objectives set forth in the previous (2015-2023) Housing Element; and updated policies, programs and objectives for the next 8 years. The document, including the accompanying Technical Appendix, can be viewed here: https://tinyurl.com/39v7wu2h.

The City’s Planning Commission will consider the Draft Housing Element at the upcoming Planning Commission meeting on Monday, May 9, 2022, at 6:00 p.m. This meeting will be held in a hybrid format both in-person in Council Chambers at City Hall (130 Cremona Drive) and virtually. Spanish interpretation will be available through the virtual meeting link.

The primary purposes of this public meeting are to allow the Planning Commission and members of the public to review the Draft Housing Element and provide additional comments to staff regarding any changes to the document that may be appropriate and to recommend to City Council submittal of the Draft Housing Element to the State for a 90-day review. A second Planning Commission meeting is tentatively scheduled for May 23, 2022, to continue review of the Draft Housing Element in the event Commissioners require additional time for review.

The agenda for this meeting will be posted at least 72 hours prior to the meeting at www.CityofGoleta.org/GoletaMeetings. A link to participate will be available in the agenda.

For more information on the City’s Housing Element Update, go to https://cityofgoleta.org/HousingElement. If you have any questions or concerns, please email HousingElement@cityofgoleta.org.

Community Forum on May 16 to Discuss Goleta’s Internet Needs

Hear from a Cross-Section of Community Members and Provide Your Input

The City of Goleta invites the community to an important discussion regarding a county-wide effort to ensure affordable and reliable internet for all. Join us on May 16, at 5:30 p.m. at Goleta City Council Chambers (130 Cremona, Ste. B) and hear a presentation on a countywide Broadband Strategic Plan. You, along with a panel made up of a cross-section of stakeholders, will have the opportunity to provide input on the broadband needs of residents and businesses in Goleta. Spanish interpretation will be available.

Santa Barbara County Third District Supervisor Joan Hartmann will moderate the discussion and Mayor Paula Perotte will provide the opening remarks. Panelists are being confirmed and will be announced soon – stay tuned.

Mayor Paula Perotte said, “The COVID-19 pandemic really highlighted how many people do not have access to fast, reliable and affordable internet. I applaud the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments and allied agencies who are trying to change this. We are following the example of other communities that have instituted community wide broadband, resulting in high speed reliable and affordable internet access. This will help students, individuals, businesses and start-ups, even local government become more effective and productive.”

Santa Barbara County Association of Governments, working with the Broadband Consortium Pacific Coast, EconAlliance, REACH, regional economic development organizations, cities, the County and others, is producing the countywide broadband strategic plan in 2022 to help cities better understand the broadband internet needs such as speed and affordability for residents and businesses. Public meetings are being held across the county to share information about the project, foster participation in the broadband survey and speed test and to gather input from local communities.

Those unable to attend an in-person forum are encouraged to self-report their internet needs and take a speed test on a personal computer or laptop at home, work, or wherever they connect by May 31 at www.sbcag.org/broadband. The Broadband survey and speed test is available in English and Spanish.

Individuals can also identify areas with low or no service, or where access to the internet is unaffordable within this test. Those without internet access can call SBCAG at 1-805-961-8902 to report why they do not have internet access.

The information will be used to help understand internet availability and affordability countywide which will inform funding decisions for projects that can increase affordable access to high-performing internet with a goal to work toward digital inclusion. 

We hope to see you on May 16. Learn more at http://www.sbcag.org/broadband.html.

First Historic Preservation and Cultural Resources Ordinance

Council Also Approves Historic Resources Inventory and Goleta Historic Landmark Designations

After more than five years of planning, meetings and workshops, the City of Goleta finally has its Historic Preservation and Archaeological and Tribal Cultural Regulations and its first Historic Resources Inventory (HRI) and Goleta Landmark Designated Sites and Structures. The Goleta City Council unanimously approved the HPO following a public hearing at the April 5, 2022, City Council meeting; its first in-person/virtual hybrid meeting since July of 2021. The decision to approve the Historic Preservation and Archaeological and Tribal Cultural Ordinance is an important milestone for the City celebrating its 20th year.

City of Goleta Mayor Paula Perotte said, “In adopting this ordinance, we are celebrating and recognizing Goleta’s history and prehistory, some of the things that make our city so special. We are very excited to get these protections in place!”

City of Goleta Planning and Environmental Review Director Peter Imhof said, “A big thank you to all who have been involved in or contributed to the process of developing this ordinance over the last several years. The adoption of this ordinance recognizes Goleta’s important historical and cultural resources, their unique contribution to the identity of the city and the importance of protecting them.”

Current Planning Manager Lisa Prasse added, “I am very grateful to all of the community members and the Chumash Tribal community members who gave of their time, talents, insights, and stories to shape the regulations. The newly adopted Regulations and the HRI reflect the values of the community and the importance of preservation of both historical structures, sites, objects and precious Archaeological and Tribal Cultural resources; the latter which have often been overlooked and disregarded. Working on this project for the last six years has been one of the highlights in my career.”

The goal of the Historic Preservation Ordinance is to preserve and protect resources that, once lost, cannot be replaced or replicated. Late last year (November 8, 2021), the Planning Commission reviewed the Historic Preservation Ordinance and the designation Resolution and recommended adoption of both the Ordinance and the Resolution. In recommending adoption, the Planning Commission sought to balance the need to protect sensitive, buried archaeological and cultural resources with the burden on property owners. It considered this issue carefully with input from a range of stakeholders, including Goleta residents, archaeologists and historians, and Chumash Tribal representatives. 

The ordinance:

  • Creates a Historic Preservation Commission.
  • Creates historic designation categories and establish a process to designate properties as a historic resource based on eligibility criteria.
  • Establishes regulations and processes regarding alterations to designated properties, recission of designations, demolition, maintenance requirements, and Mills Act incentives to maintain designated historic resources.
  • Establishes processes and criteria when any earth-disturbing activities in native soils (i.e., previous not graded or disturbed soils) are proposed. The purpose is to check for subsurface archaeological or tribal cultural resources in order to preserve and protect these resources. A list of project types and circumstances that would be exempt from the requirements is included.
  • Establishes development standards that would apply to earth-disturbing activities in case subsurface archaeological or tribal cultural resources are found during construction.
  • Adds thirty-four definitions related to Historic Preservation and Archaeological and Tribal Cultural Resources to the Goleta Municipal Code.
  • Makes other changes to various portions of the Goleta Municipal Code to reflect the requirements of Chapters 17.33 and 17.43 for consistency in City regulations.

The Resolution adopts the Historic Context Statement and designates seven (7) structures as Goleta Landmarks and place a total of 29 structures (including the 7 proposed to be Goleta Landmarks) on the inaugural Historic Resources Inventory (HRI). It is expected that the HRI will be expanded over time.

The Historic Preservation Ordinance includes regulations that may affect some property owners, especially property owners of designated Historic Resources. The regulations regarding Archaeological and/or Tribal Cultural Resources could potentially affect any property owners who are contemplating work involving earth-disturbing activities (i.e., trenching for utilities, digging for new foundations, etc.). The goal of the proposed regulations is to foster preservation while allowing development to occur.

The second reading was held April 19, 2022.

To learn more about this project please visit www.HistoricGoleta.org.

Goleta City staff present to City Council at Historic Preservation Ordinance public hearing on April 5, 2022.

Thanks to Our Fabulous City Clerk Team

The City of Goleta wants to take this opportunity to commend our wonderful Goleta City Clerk Division during the 53rd Anniversary of Municipal Clerks Week which runs from May 1st through May 7th. At the May 3, 2022, City Council meeting, the Goleta City Council issued a Proclamation to honor the City’s flexible, resilient, and dedicated City Clerk Division.

Mayor Paula Perotte said, “We are so incredibly grateful for our talented City Clerks team. Their attention to detail is outstanding, and the work they do is truly exceptional. We could not function without this team.”

The City of Goleta is fortunate to have a veteran City Clerk. Deborah Lopez has been with the City almost since the beginning, she celebrated her 19th anniversary on May 5. Deputy City Clerks include Liana Campos and David Cutaia. If you want to brighten their day and let them know what a great job they are doing, send an email to CityClerkGroup@cityofgoleta.org.

The City Clerk Division serves as the information center on functions of local government and provides a professional link between community members, local governing bodies, and agencies of government at all levels. The Division is also the Historian of the Records, taking care of the entire recorded history of the City.

The Division has many duties and responsibilities, including attending all City Council meetings and maintaining a record of the proceedings, ordinances, resolutions, written contracts, and official bonds; serving as the election official for the City of Goleta; overseeing Boards, Commissions and Committees; and much more.

The City Clerk Division has been exceptionally busy the past couple of years overseeing more than 160 virtual meetings. The team also oversaw a public engagement and electoral district drawing process for the City’s historic move to District Elections this November. The group was also in charge of coordinating the Council Chamber Audio Visual equipment upgrade and implemented the online NetFile system for Form 700 filings by staff and elected and appointed officials.

Learn more about the City Clerk Division at https://www.cityofgoleta.org/city-hall/city-clerk/.

Pictured: City Clerk Deborah Lopez and Deputy City Clerk Liana Campos receiving their proclamation from Mayor Paula Perotte; Pictured top to bottom: City Clerk Deborah Lopez, Deputy City Clerk David Cutaia and Deputy City Clerk Liana Campos

Council Chambers Equipment Upgrade

The City of Goleta Council Chambers has upgraded equipment and the timing couldn’t be better.  The installation was completed in time for the return to in-person Council meetings on April 5 after more than 160 virtual city meetings. The new equipment was much needed as it had been more than 10 years since any upgrades were made to Council Chambers and close to 15 years since the last update to our audio/visual equipment.

Some of the improvements that were made in the Goleta Council Chamber include:

  • Four Panasonic PTZ cameras to provide optimal coverage of the entire Council Chambers
  • Panasonic camera controller within the broadcast control room
  • A 98” Ultra HD LCD display screen providing excellent viewing from every angle
  • A 55″ Samsung display added in the overflow conference room

Our Audio Video Room (“Master Control Room”) has been updated with new equipment making it state-of-the-art. As a result of the equipment replacement, community members will have a high-definition experience when watching meetings on the City’s website (www.CityofGoleta.org/GoletaMeetings). There will be limited improvement to the broadcast quality on the Cox Communications Goleta TV Channel 19 because it is not a designated HD Channel.

Another upgrade is to the dais. The City added seven 7” touch panels as part of our custom programmed voting system. Each touch-panel includes voting functions for the Council, Board members, and Commissioners. Once all votes have been placed, the voting results will display within the Chamber on the City website and Channel 19. The touch panels also populates a queue in chronological order for those that have requested to speak.

We hope you enjoy the improved experience watching Council meetings whether you are viewing in-person or on the City website.


New 98” Ultra HD LCD display screen


New 7″ touch panel on the dais

 
Updated equipment for our Audio Video Room 

Participate in a Council Meeting In-Person or Virtually

It’s never been easier to attend a Goleta City Council meeting which are held the first and third Tuesday of the month at 5:30 p.m. You can attend/participate in person by going to Council Chambers located at 130 Cremona Drive or join virtually via zoom (the link is posted in the agenda). The City hopes to maximize public participation by providing both options. 

Over the course of the pandemic, the City’s City Council, Board, and Commission meetings transitioned to a fully virtual platform. Since March of 2020, the City held more than 160 virtual City meetings! With COVID-19 restrictions loosening, the City was able to welcome the public back for in-person Council meetings on April 5, 2022.

You can watch live or recorded meetings on the City of Goleta website at www.CityofGoleta.org/GoletaMeetings and on Goleta TV Channel 19.

Submit comments ahead of time by emailing cityclerkgroup@cityofgoleta.org.

The City also has numerous Board and Commission meetings which will be moving to the hybrid model. The Planning Commission is the next to transition on May 9, 2022. To see upcoming City meetings, please go to www.CityofGoleta.org/GoletaMeetings. 

We hope to see you at a City meeting soon!