The City’s first ever Historic Preservation Ordinance and Historic Resources Inventory and Landmark Designation Resolution will take center stage at the April 5, 2022, Goleta City Council meeting.

The issue was discussed at the December 7, 2021, Public Hearing, but before acting on the Historic Preservation Ordinance, City Council directed staff to provide additional information which will be discussed at the upcoming April 5 meeting.

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 recommended adoption.

The proposed 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.

In recommending adoption of the Historic Preservation Ordinance, 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. 

For more information click here and to learn more about the project go to www.HistoricGoleta.org.

Pictured: Historic photo of the Stow House