Author Archives: Valerie Kushnerov

We Need You!

The City of Goleta is currently accepting applications from citizens who are interested in serving on the City’s Parks and Recreation Commission or the Design Review Board.

Parks and Recreation Commission Vacancies

The Parks and Recreation Commission discusses the needs, opportunities and current offerings of parks and recreation activities, and advises the City Council on all issues related to parks and recreational opportunities in Goleta. The Commission is composed of seven members who are compensated at the rate of $50 per meeting. Four (4) appointments will be made to the Parks and Recreation Commission. Eligible applicants must live in the City of Goleta. Members will be appointed to a four year term. The Commission holds six regular meetings and may hold additional meetings as needed.

Design Review Board Vacancies

The Design Review Board is a seven-member body with responsibility to encourage development that exemplifies the best professional design practices so as to enhance the visual quality of the environment and prevent poor design quality. The members should be skilled in reading and interpreting architectural and landscape drawings.  They should also be able to judge the desirability and effects of a proposed building, structure, landscaping, sign or development on surrounding areas. The Design Review Board meets the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month at 3 p.m. and members are compensated at the rate of $50 per meeting. Two (2) appointments will be made to the Design Review Board for the following positions. Licensed Architect, At-large position (must live in the City of Goleta). Members will be appointed to a three year term.

Applications for both positions may be obtained from, and must be returned to, Deborah Lopez, City Clerk, City of Goleta, 130 Cremona Drive, Suite B, Goleta, CA 93117. An application form is also available at the City’s website at www.cityofgoleta.org. Additional information can be provided by calling (805) 961-7505.  Applications are due January 15, 2015.

 

Council Considers Civic Center Designs

After numerous public meetings, the City Council finally had the opportunity to look at two distinct designs for a future City Hall at the current location of the Goleta Valley Community Center. The consultant presented two different design themes which the Council weighed in on.

The first design was dubbed the Courtyard Design for its connection of the existing Community Center building and a new City Hall building with a public courtyard. The second design would place City Hall to the west of the Community Center.

The City Council unanimously supported the “courtyard” design scheme and gave direction to City staff and architectural consultants about other uses that should be included in the property design.

Some of the Council’s suggestions included adding a new branch library, a police station and new recreational opportunities. These uses would be in addition to the existing Community Center uses.  Council also directed staff to look into a parking structure to accommodate the site needs as well as those of the commercial businesses in Old Town.

Finally the City Council directed staff to begin conversations with the Goleta Union School District to acquire the adjacent parcel that currently houses school buses and maintenance operations.

A final study is expected to be completed and presented to the City Council in February 2015 and will include more developed conceptual plans, as well as cost projections and funding options.  You can find additional information here.

 

New Finance Director Joins City Team

The City of Goleta is pleased to announce the addition of Genie Wilson to the City’s Management Team.  Ms. Wilson will join the City as the Director of Finance on January 7, 2015.  She currently serves as the Treasury Manager for the City of Santa Barbara.

Prior to joining the City of Santa Barbara she worked at the City of Temecula where she was the Chief Financial Officer.  Her impressive credentials also include time as an accountant with Moreland and Associates, CPAs.  She holds a degree in Business Administration from California State University, Fullerton and is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

“We are delighted Ms. Wilson has agreed to join our team.  Her extensive experience in municipal government and auditing is a great match for our young City,” said City Manager Michelle Greene.

Get Charged in Goleta

Goleta’s “green-ness” continues to flourish with the addition of a new electric vehicle DC Fast Charger being installed at Costco in the Camino Real Shopping Center.  This charger was made possible through a grant from the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District for installation costs, the donation of the charger by Nissan North America, Inc. and in partnership with EV Connect.

This charger will help meet the City’s goal of improving local air quality by reducing pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions. The DC Fast Charger is a dual-connector design that can be used to charge all EVs with CHAdeMO and SAE J1772 Combo charging standard compliance (like the Nissan Leaf, Volkswagen e-GOLF, BMW i3 and Chevy Spark EV. DC Fast Chargers provide the fastest battery recharge currently available and can bring most electric vehicles with fast charge capability from a low battery to 80% charge in less than 30 minutes. The unit is valued at $35,000.

Consumer pricing for the charging is still in the process of being determined.  Look for more information on the ribbon cutting and launch of this new service later this month.

This is Goleta’s second “fast charger.” The first outlet is located at the Nissan Dealership at 425 S. Kellogg in Old Town.

Goleta Ranked #79 in the Best 100 Places to Live

Once again Goleta is being touted as a great place to live.  Our small City placed #79 in the Best 100 Places to Live in the United States. This is the second-annual ranking of the best small to mid-sized cities in the U.S. by Livability, an online resource.

“The rest of the country is finding out what we already know – that Goleta is a great place to live and work,” said Mayor Michael T. Bennett.  “Events like the Lemon Festival and the Dam Dinner, the community feeling, great schools and the beautiful setting make Goleta a true gem.”

According to their site, “As Livability’s editors and writers crisscross the U.S in search of great stories, we find that time and again, the best tales are told in the Main Street diners, corner churches, park benches and even the mayor’s offices of small to mid-sized cities and towns. Far from letting time pass them by, these communities are doubling down on livability for their residents. Our second-annual ranking of the Top 100 Best Places to Live celebrates the work they are doing.”

Liability worked with globally-known partners to analyze the best public and private data sources. They were advised by the leading thinkers, writers and doers in the place-making space.. More than 2,000 cities were ranked, so every city on this list is in the top 5 percent of livable communities in the U.S.

 

Gaglione to Lead Public Works

The City is pleased to announce Ms. Rosemarie Gaglione as the new Public Works Director.   She beat out 30 applicants for the position.  She’s been serving as the Interim Public Works Director since March 2014.

Ms. Gaglione is a familiar face to many as she’s been instrumental in key projects including the San Jose Creek Project, the Los Carneros Roundabout and the Santa Marguerita/Cathedral Oaks Crosswalk Enhancements.   She has provided outstanding leadership for our ambitious program of capital improvement work.  You’ll often see her at City workshops explaining complex engineering projects in easily understandable language.

She has been working for the City since 2007 as Senior Project Manager and was named as Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Manager in July 2008. She was again promoted to Assistant City Engineer in December 2012.

For the six years prior to coming to Goleta, she served as the CIP Manager in the San Luis Obispo County Public Works Department. Rosemarie holds a degree in Environmental Engineering from California Polytechnic University (Cal Poly) at San Luis Obispo.  She is also a registered Civil Engineer.

We are very happy to have Rosemarie continue to be a part of the City team.

 

Cleaner Air in Goleta’s Parks and Open Spaces

The public can now enjoy the outdoors even more by having less exposure to secondhand smoke. The City has installed NO SMOKING signs in every park and open space in Goleta.

The new signs are a result of the Secondhand Smoke Ordinance that was passed by City Council earlier this year. The ordinance expands areas where tobacco use is prohibited, thus increasing protection from exposure to secondhand smoke for Goleta residents and visitors. California law bans smoking in almost all enclosed places of employment, and also restricts smoking within 20 feet of government buildings. The Goleta law augments state law by regulating tobacco use in some outdoor areas. The ordinance outlaws smoking from a 20 foot perimeter around all places of employment and prohibits tobacco use in public places and recreational areas. State law only regulates smoking and the Goleta law includes all tobacco products, including electronic cigarettes.

This ordinance prohibits smoking in recreational areas, which includes any outdoor area owned or operated by the City open to the general public for recreational purposes. These include parklands, portions of parks such as picnic areas, playgrounds, sports fields, walking paths, gardens, hiking trails, bike paths, horseback riding trails, athletic fields, and beaches.

The ordinance also provides a specific list of areas where smoking may be permitted.  Please contact our Code Enforcement Officer, Greg Nordyke, at gnordyke@cityofgoleta.org or 805-961-7556 with any questions.

Santa Barbara International Marathon Begins in Goleta

The Santa Barbara International Marathon will take place on Saturday November 8, 2014.

The race begins at 7:30 a.m. from Dos Pueblos High School, 7266 Alameda Ave, Goleta, and will impact Goleta neighborhoods from 5:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.  Expect some delays and detours.  All residents will have access to and from their residences with police and volunteer assistance.

For more information on the entire course route, please visit http://sbmarathon.com/.

Old Town Park Design Modified Due to Water Restrictions

With the stage 2 drought and the related water restrictions, the City is having to take another look at design for the Old Town Park near the corner of Hollister Avenue and South Kellogg Road. Because the site has historic water use, it is not subject to the moratorium.  However the future use cannot exceed the historical use.

The current park design would exceed the water use allowance, and as a result, some changes to the park’s design and landscaping will be necessary to bring the project under the established water allotment. The City’s landscape architecture consultant, Van Atta Associates, is working on some options for reducing the park’s water demands with the goal of keeping the major recreational functions intact.

The public is welcome to attend a Parks and Recreation Commission meeting on November 19, 2014, in Council Chambers at City Hall at 6:00 p.m. At this meeting City staff will present various design options to reduce the overall water demand of the new park.

For more information on the project please click here.

Monarch Butterfly Season is Here!

Every winter, thousands of monarchs migrate from as far north as Canada to make their way to the eucalyptus trees of the Goleta Butterfly Grove. This incredible sight is a cherished natural phenomenon in our community. 

The Goleta Butterfly Grove (also known as the Ellwood Main Monarch Aggregation site) is one of the largest overwintering locations in California. Adjacent to the Sperling Preserve on the Ellwood Mesa, the space includes 137 acres of natural terrain with designated nature trails that lead to the bluffs and beach. The City of Goleta runs one of only four Monarch Docent programs in California.  Each year our trained docents are stationed at the Goleta Butterfly Grove on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., beginning in November, to answer questions and provide visitors with information about monarchs and our Grove.

A trip to see the monarchs is a wonderful, family-friendly experience. The monarch season runs from mid-October through February, with peak butterfly counts typically occurring between Christmas and through January.

If you have any questions about the Grove or are interested in becoming a docent, please call 805-961-7571 or visit goletabutterflygrove.com where you can also find the latest butterfly counts starting in mid-November.