Daily Archives: April 3, 2025

Senior Lounge Now Open at the Goleta Community Center

Save-the-Date for the Senior Expo on May 21st

The City of Goleta is pleased to announce that the new Senior Lounge has officially opened its doors to members of the Senior Program at the Goleta Community Center (5679 Hollister Ave). This dedicated space offers members of the program a comfortable and inviting environment to socialize, relax and engage in activities.

The new lounge has been upgraded to incorporate a dedicated space for reading, games, and activities while also offering a space for relaxation in between program classes. “We are thrilled to open the doors to the Senior Lounge,” said Leonel Mendoza-Diaz, Recreation Supervisor at the City. “The goal is to provide a safe space for members where they can meet new people, engage in different levels of activity, and have access to different resource materials related to senior services.”

The Senior Lounge is open during the current program hours, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Monday – Thursday and 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. on Friday. This is the perfect opportunity for community member 55+ to join the program and take advantage of the different offerings available! Learn more about the Senior Program, including activities and classes, on the City website at www.cityofgoleta.org/SeniorProgram.

The City is also hosting its 3rd Annual Senior Expo on Wednesday, May 21, from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. at the Goleta Community Center. This is a FREE community event designed to empower seniors, their families and service professionals with valuable resources and information.

The Senior Expo will feature a wide variety of organizations and businesses providing informational tables with resources that specialize in senior services. Attendees will have the opportunity to:

  • Connect with local organizations: Speak directly with representatives from various organizations offering essential services for seniors.
  • Discover valuable resources: Explore a wealth of information on topics such home care, recreation programs, transportation services, food programs and more!
  • Attend informative presentations: Stop by one of the Community Center’s classrooms to listen to short presentations led by experts and professionals in this field.
  • Opportunities for networking: Connect with other seniors in the community and their families, build new friendships, relationships and community.

For more information about the Senior Program or Senior Expo, please contact Dori Crolius, Senior Program Technician, at seniorprogram@cityofgoleta.org.

Provide Feedback on the City’s Community Development Block Grant Program

Public Review Period Open Now Through May 6th

The City of Goleta looks forward to helping those in need in our community using funds from the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. Comments on three draft action plans are being accepted during a 30-day public review period beginning on April 4, 2025, and ending May 6, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. The review period provides an opportunity for the public to offer their views and recommendations to the City on the subject of CDBG funded housing and community development related activities. The draft plans can be viewed here.

The plans under public review for the CDBG Program are:

  • Draft FY 2025-29 Consolidated Plan and Draft FY 2025-26 Annual Action Plan
  • Draft FY 2025-29 Citizen Participation Plan

The Consolidated Plan is a five-year comprehensive document that describes the overall housing and community development needs and outlines a strategy that establishes priorities for meeting those needs.

The Annual Action Plan is the annual update to the Consolidated Plan outlining the City’s strategy for pursuing the overall goals of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to provide decent housing; to establish and maintain a suitable living environment; and to expand economic revitalization opportunities. The Action Plan also contains identifiable benchmarks for measuring progress through goals, objectives and community development strategies to meet the City’s housing needs and to provide services to the low-income, homeless and special needs populations within the City. The Draft 2025-2026 Action Plan also sets forth funding allocations for the 2025-2026 planning period.

The Citizen Participation Plan provides for and encourages participation from all City residents in the development of the Annual Action Plan and the Consolidated Plan.

The City welcomes and encourages residents, community organizations, and stakeholders to provide written comments on the draft plans. The plans are available at www.CityofGoleta.org/Grants. Comments are due by 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 6.Comments should be submitted to: City of Goleta, Neighborhood Services Department, Attn: Cassidy Le Air, 130 Cremona Drive, Goleta, CA 93117 or emailed to CityGrants@CityofGoleta.org.

About the Community Development Block Grant Program

The City receives funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on an annual basis for the CDBG program, which is intended to assist low-income citizens, people experiencing homelessness, youth, and seniors with essential services such as medical and dental care, food security, counseling, homelessness assistance and prevention, case management, and other needs.

The City also uses the majority of its CDBG allocation on capital projects that will benefit low- to moderate-income people and the disabled. Projects have included renovating City facilities and parks to meet Americans with Disability Act (ADA) access standards, installing sidewalks in areas where they are lacking, and adding crosswalks.

Help Shape Future of Ellwood Mesa Butterfly Grove Docent Program

Attend Community Input Session April 30

The City of Goleta, in partnership with Ellwood Friends, invites you to share your ideas and help shape the future of the docent program at Ellwood Mesa Butterfly Grove. You are invited to a community input session on Wednesday, April 30, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. at the Goleta Community Center (5679 Hollister Avenue). The event is free and open to the public. Spanish interpretation will be available.

“We look forward to engaging with the community to help revitalize the docent program, reflecting the values of those who visit and care for the grove,” said Leonel Mendoza-Diaz, Recreation Supervisor at the City of Goleta. “This session will help us ensure that the program continues to thrive and evolve in a way that benefits the butterfly habitat and the community.”

What to Expect:

  • The evening will begin with an update from George Thomson, City of Goleta Park and Open Space Manager, who will provide information on ongoing projects, including monarch butterfly habitat restoration, wildfire prevention efforts, and improvements aimed at enhancing public access to Ellwood Mesa.
  • The session will be facilitated by LegacyWorks, the City’s consultant, ensuring a collaborative and engaging experience for attendees.

This is an exciting opportunity for residents to provide input on how the butterfly docent program can evolve, ensuring it meets the community’s interests.

RSVP here: https://tinyurl.com/2xw9554m.

Ellwood Friends is a community-based organization committed to the preservation and stewardship of Ellwood Mesa.

For more information, contact Melissa Cure in the City’s Neighborhood Services Department at mcure@cityofgoleta.org or (805) 961-7554.

Meet and Greet with Councilmember Jennifer Smith at Coffee & Community Event

Saturday, May 3 from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. at Home Plate Grill

Get to know our newest Councilmember, Jennifer Smith (District 3), at the next Coffee and Community / Café y Comunidad event on May 3, 2025, from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. at Home Plate Grill located at 7398 Calle Real, Suite C. Come enjoy a hot cup of coffee and mingle with the Mayor, Councilmember Smith, several City staff members and west Goleta neighbors. It’s also a great opportunity to support a local restaurant at the same time. Spanish interpretation will be available.

Mayor Paula Perotte said, “Jennifer Smith is a great new addition to our City Council and I am really excited for people to get to know her better and to provide a casual setting where people feel comfortable asking questions and talking about topics of importance to District 3 in particular.”

Councilmember Smith said, “I am thrilled to invite my fellow neighbors to my first Coffee & Community gathering. Stop by to enjoy some coffee, get the latest updates, and share ideas. I am looking forward to seeing everyone there.”

Home Plate Grill opened its doors in 2016 and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner seven days a week. The family-friendly restaurant is locally owned and has both indoor and outdoor seating areas.

We hope to see you and your family and friends there on May 3!

The City holds a Coffee & Community event in each of its four Districts throughout the year. To find out what district you are in, plug in your address into our interactive Know Your District Map: https://tinyurl.com/GoletaInteractiveMap.

Pictured above: Councilmember Jennifer Smith in front of Home Plate Grill

 

Input Wanted on City’s General Plan Amendments

Learn More and Comment at April 14 Planning Commission Meeting;
Deadline to Comment is April 24

The City of Goleta is updating its General Plan to meet new State Planning Law requirements and draft amendments are now available for public review. The General Plan is the City’s official policy that guides decisions affecting future physical development and change within the City. Key topic areas of these updates include:

  • Environmental Justice Policies
  • Open Space Element Updates
  • Safety Element Updates

Existing General Plan content meets some of the requirements while in other instances, amendments are proposed. These draft amendments include refinements to existing General Plan content as well as new text and figures.

Proposed General Plan amendments, as well as existing policies that meet State requirements, are included in a table on the City’s General Plan Updates webpage for public review. Where changes are proposed, they are shown in underline/ strikethrough in the table. Also posted on the webpage for public review are new and revised General Plan maps. Full General Plan elements with the proposed updates shown in underline/strikethrough are also posted for public review.

How to Provide Feedback on the General Plan Updates

City staff will be providing a summary of the draft amendments to the Planning Commission on April 14th at 6:00 p.m. This meeting will provide an opportunity for the public to learn more about the draft amendments and provide public comment. Spanish interpretation will be available. An agenda for the meeting, including how to participate, will be available at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting at www.cityofgoleta.org/meetings-agendas.

The public is also encouraged to contribute written comments to City staff on the draft amendments before or after the meeting.  Email your comments on the draft amendments directly to GeneralPlanUpdates@cityofgoleta.org. These comments will be posted on the project webpage. Staff are available to provide clarification and additional information upon request. Please note that while the updates themselves are not translated into Spanish, City staff are available to assist Spanish-speaking community members. If interested, please email GeneralPlanUpdates@cityofgoleta.org.

Staff will be at the Community State of the City on Tuesday, April 8 to provide information and answer questions. Come to the City information tables from 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. at the Goleta Community Center (5679 Hollister Avenue). Stay for the main program beginning at 6:00 p.m. with Mayor Perotte’s State of the City address, City Manager Robert Nisbet’s financial update, and a Q&A with City staff.

Comment Deadline

Please submit your comments by Thursday, April 24, 2025. Staff will consider comments received, make necessary revisions, and present the revised General Plan elements to the Planning Commission for their consideration at a future meeting.

3CE community Workshop – Electrify Your Home 2.0

Thursday, April 17 from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. at the GCC

Learn about Central Coast Community Energy (3CE)’s Electrify Your Home program at a workshop on Thursday, April 17 from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. at the Goleta Community Center (5679 Hollister Avenue). The program aims to make building electrification more accessible and affordable for everyone. 

The workshop will help shape incentives and assistance that support the transition to all-electric home appliances. It’s an opportunity for community members, homeowners, renters, contractors, builders, affordable housing developers and advocates, senior advocates, low-income advocates, and any others to share their experiences, challenges, and questions about upgrading household appliances to all-electric.

Highlights:

  • Discussion on potential enhancements to 3CE’s Electrify Your Home program and strategies for effectively promoting the program to the community.
  • Light dinner & refreshments provided for all attendees.
  • Children’s activities available.
  • English-to-Spanish interpretation provided.

Register here.

MTD Meeting on Proposed Service Changes

Attend Meeting on April 9th and Complete Survey to Provide Feedback

Santa Barbara MTD is hosting a set of public outreach meetings this April and is inviting the public to take a brief survey giving feedback on proposed service changes to local bus service. These meetings are held annually in the spring to receive input on the proposed changes that would go into effect on August 18, 2025.

Proposed changes for August this year are minimal, with one additional weekday inbound PM peak trip on Line 24x (UCSB Express). Also to be discussed at these meetings, is the launch of The Wave on-demand microtransit service in Goleta and Isla Vista this spring.

In addition to these proposed changes, members of the public can learn more about MTD’s Tap2Ride contactless payment system that allows riders to use bank cards and mobile wallets on smart devices (like Apple Pay and GPay) to pay their bus fare. With a feature known as dynamic fare capping, a rider using Tap2Ride can ensure that they are capped at the cost of a 30-day pass in a 30-day period. Seniors over 65, people with disabilities, and Medicare card holders are now able to enroll to receive discounted fares when using the Tap2Ride system.

MTD invites the public to learn more and to give feedback via an online survey that explains all the proposed changes at www.sbmtd.gov/servicechanges. The survey is available in English and Spanish.

Community meetings will be held at the following locations and times, and Spanish/English interpretation will be provided:

Wednesday, April 9 at 6:00 p.m.
Goleta Community Center
5679 Hollister Avenue, Goleta

Tuesday, April 15 at 6:00 p.m.
Central Library, Faulkner Gallery
40 E Anapamu St, Santa Barbara

Monday, April 21 at 12:00 p.m.
Virtual Meeting- Zoom Webinar
Click here to register.

Wednesday, April 23 at 6:00 p.m.
Carpinteria Library
5141 Carpinteria Ave, Carpinteria

In addition to the four meetings listed above, a presentation on the proposed changes will be given at the April 22 meeting of the Isla Vista Community Services District Board of Directors. The meeting begins at 6:00pm.

For questions on proposed service changes, the public may contact Santa Barbara MTD at 805-963-3364 or email info1@sbmtd.gov.

City Planner Honored for 20 Years of Service

To spend twenty years working at one place is not only a great compliment to the employer but can be a great benefit to the community as well.  That’s why we hope you will join us in congratulating Planning and Environmental Review Associate Planner Brian Hiefield for 20 years of service to the City of Goleta.

At the April 1, 2025, City Council meeting, Brian was presented with a butterfly plaque to recognize his milestone marker of two decades with the City.  In his remarks, Peter Imhof, Director of Planning & Environmental Review said, “Brian has been a stalwart of the Department, a go-to person, friendly, approachable, highly competent. He knows his stuff. There’s nothing that he has not seen or done as far as planning is concerned for the City of Goleta.”

During his opportunity to speak, Brian thanked his colleagues for their support. He said, “You can’t do this job alone, and I have always enjoyed learning from you all.”

Brian has played a pivotal role in a variety of impactful projects that have helped shape Goleta these past two decades. His work on affordable housing initiatives like People’s Self Help Housing at the Village at Los Carneros to community-serving facilities such as the Foodbank, contribute directly to benefiting underrepresented groups in our community. Other projects Brian worked on also include Fairview Gardens, Sywest Industrial Building, Cabrillo Business Park, and the Mariposa Assisted Living facility.

One of Brian’s proudest accomplishments is the implementation of the Magnet permit tracking system which launched just before the COVID-19 pandemic. The system allowed City Hall to continue operations completely remote during unprecedented times. “I’m not sure what we would have done without it, to be honest,” Brian said, “The system allowed us to conduct our work 100% remote during the closures.”

Brian first came to the City of Goleta in 2004 as a contract employee and was then hired as a staff member in 2005 for the Planning Department. He found a mentor in then-Building Official Jim Guerra, whose experience helped Brian gain a strong foundation for his future in planning.

What Brian enjoys most about his work at the City of Goleta is the camaraderie and connection he shares with his colleagues. Over the years, he has collaborated with many talented teams and cherished mentors who have helped shape his career. “I get to build community in the community that I grew up in and still live in today,” said Brian, “and you can’t beat that.”

Thank you, Brian, for all you’ve done for Goleta during your time here.


Brian with his butterfly plaque for 20 years of service; pictured left-to-right: Councilmember James Kyriaco (District 2), Mayor Pro Tem Stuart Kasdin (District 4), Councilmember Jennifer Smith (District 3), Mayor Paula Perotte, Brian Hiefield, Councilmember Luz Reyes-Martín (District 1) and Planning and Environmental Review Director Peter Imhof


Brian and his family