Author Archives: Meredith Reeback

Strategic Plan Cover

Goleta’s Top 10 for 13

Goleta has a number of accomplishments to celebrate and we wanted to highlight our top ten for 2013.

1 – The Council adopted a new Strategic Plan which includes the following goals:

  • Ensure Financial Stability
  • Support Economic Vitality
  • Strengthen Infrastructure
  • Return Old Town to be the Vital Center of Goleta
  • Maintain a Safe Community
  • Preserve and Enhance Quality of Life

2 – The City remained financially stable.  This year the Council adopted a two-year budget that provides for numerous projects and expands staff and resources.  The City’s revenues have increased with the change in the revenue neutrality structure and the passage of Measure H (the increase in the City’s bed tax).  The City was also recognized for the 10th year in a row for its Excellence in Financial Reporting for its comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR), and once again finished the year “in the black.”

3 – Grant Funding. City staff sought out a number of grants to help supplement the funding options for the City’s projects.  Some of the grants received in 2013 included:

  • Pedestrian Improvement Grant $180,000
  • Bike/Pedestrian Projects $400,000
  • Office of Traffic & Safety Grant for DUI Enforcement $68,000
  • Community Development Block Grant Funds $225,000

4 – Public safety continues to be a priority in Goleta.  The City received two signification recognitions this year: Goleta was named the 95th safest city in the US  and the 22nd safest city in California. The Council also allocated funding for a fourth motorcycle officer and was able to purchase four new motorcycles.

5 – Emergency Preparedness has been a focus over the last several years with the Goleta Prepare Now initiative.  In the last year the City has expanded the Community Emergency Response Team training opportunities and now has access to a new Emergency Communications Trailer through a partnership with MarBorg and Price Management.

6 – Litigation. The City successfully defended itself in lawsuits on Westar and the Monarch mobilehome park.

7 – Love of Goleta. Goletans really seem to love this community and we saw this through the Love of Goleta events in March.  Over 200 people participated in the community luncheon and workshop led by Peter Kageyama and several fun ideas came out of this evening.  The Dam Dinner in August brought together over 200 people for an informal dinner at the Lake Los Carneros Dam. The event was so successful that another one is being planned for August 23, 2014.  Follow the page on Facebook.

8 – A number of public improvements were moved along this year.  Roadway improvements were made at Hollister and Los Carneros  and on western Hollister Avenue near Ellwood School.  The Santa Marguerita Pedestrian Improvements  and the Los Carneros Overhead projects have been awarded.  The Patterson Avenue Infill Project has been awarded and will be constructed shortly.

9 – The Goleta Entrepreneurial Magnet (GEM), a coalition of the City, the Goleta Valley Chamber of Commerce and UCSB, made substantial progress this year in hiring Doug Lynch as the executive director and launching a website.   The City Council also supported the concept for funding for three years and GEM is close to signing a lease for incubator space in Old Town.

10 – The Council approved a feasibility study for relocating City Hall to the existing Goleta Valley Community Center site.  Meanwhile interior improvements were made to the existing Council Chambers to improve the audio and visual experience for those in attendance and watching City meetings on TV and the web.

We are grateful for the achievements of 2013 and look forward to a great 2014.

 

 

Substation Opening

Generous Donation By Camino Real Marketplace Funds Goleta Public Safety and Emergency Services

The Goleta City Council authorized an agreement with the Camino Real Marketplace to create a Public Safety Fund, which will be funded by a $625,000 donation from the Camino Real Marketplace payable over the next five years.  This generous gift from Camino Real Marketplace will be used for public safety needs such as operations and equipment purchases, public education, and emergency preparedness.

The Marketplace has been donating office space next to the movie theater and funding since 2008.  This Marketplace Substation is used by Goleta Patrol Officers and houses the Community Services Bureau, DARE program and Explorers Training.  It is also the primary office for Goleta’s Community Resource Deputy, who oversees neighborhood and business watch.

The City of Goleta commends Mark Linehan and Camino Real Marketplace for its extraordinary efforts in continuing to make Goleta a safe place to live through this innovative partnership.

 

Goleta Named in Top 50 Safest Cities in California

The City of Goleta has once again been recognized as a safe City. SafeWise (www.safewise.com) released its “50 Safest Cities in California” report and Goleta ranked #22. SafeWise used the most recent FBI crime data and other ranking factors, like unique safety initiatives and security programs implemented within the past few years to compile the list From the hundreds of cities in California, the list was narrowed to the top 50 and assigned rankings according to how the city met the criteria.

This is the second time this year the City of Goleta has been recognized as a safe community. Last February Neighborhood Scout ranked Goleta 95 in the top 100 Safest Cities in the United States. Their report can be found here: http://www.neighborhoodscout.com/ca/goleta/crime/.

To view the SafeWise list of 50 Safest Cities click here: http://www.safewise.com/blog/50-safest-cities-california/

Old Town Park_Skate Plaza

Old Town Park Moving Forward

Development of the future neighborhood park on Kellogg Avenue in Old Town continues to make progress. In October a public workshop was held at the Goleta Valley Community Center on design of the skateboard plaza component. Approximately 30 people turned out to provide input on its design.

Preparation of construction drawings is now underway and City staff will soon be requesting proposals for playground equipment and other individual park features. The City continues to work with the State of California to resolve the ownership status of the site since title was held by the City’s former Redevelopment Agency. Assuming ownership of the property is resolved by then, City staff hopes to begin construction in summer 2014.

Learn more here.

Valadez Welcomed As New Community Resource Deputy

The Goleta City Council welcomed Senior Deputy Dave Valadez as Goleta’s new Community Resource Deputy in November. In this position he oversees neighborhood watch, business watch and works collaboratively with citizens and other agencies.

Valadez has lived in Goleta since 1986 and has been with the Sheriff’s Office for seven years. He replaces Senior Deputy Greg Sorenson who was promoted and has been assigned to Goleta Patrol as a Supervisor.

His office is located at the Marketplace Substation in Camino Real and you can reach him at 805-968-3878.

Planning Projects Move Ahead

A number of projects are under review by the City’s Planning and Environmental Review Department.  Here’s a brief overview of some of the projects.

APPROVED PROJECTS

Islamic Center – In December, the City Council unanimously approved the Islamic Center at the northeast corner of Calle Real and Los Carneros.  This project includes a new 7,572 square foot two-story building and 42 parking spaces.

Cabrillo Business Park –The first four buildings of the business park at the corner of Los Carneros and Hollister Avenue will be ready by early 2014 for the new worldwide headquarters of Deckers Outdoor Corporation.

Westar – This mixed-use project on Hollister Avenue across from Camino Real Marketplace will be named Hollister Village. It includes 266 market-rate apartments and a retail center and is currently under construction.  For more information visit HollisterVillage.com.

Rincon Palms Hotel (Hilton Garden Inn) – In early November, the Council approved this project located at the northeast corner of Storke Road and Hollister Avenue.  The hotel includes 138 guest rooms, a restaurant, roof top lounge area, and meeting rooms.  No timetable for construction has been established as of yet.

PROJECTS IN PROCESS

Villages at Los Carneros – The project includes plans for 465 residences on approximately 43 acres, comprised of single-family homes, duplexes, triplexes, four-plexes, townhomes, condominium flats, and apartments. Seventy of the 465 residences would be affordable residential apartment units. The Environmental Impact Report for this project was released for public review on December 4, 2013, for a sixty day comment period, ending on February 3, 2014. A public hearing on the adequacy of the DEIR will be held by the City on Thursday, January 23, 2014, at 5:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, Goleta City Hall, 130 Cremona Drive, Suite B, Goleta, CA. Contact Kathy Allen, Senior Planner, at 961-7545 or KAllen@cityofgoleta.org for more information or to be added to the interested parties list.

Marriott Residence Inn – This proposed project is for a new 118-room Marriott Residence Inn at 6300-6370 Hollister Avenue. The Environmental Impact Report for this project was re-released for public review on December 3, 2013, for a sixty day comment period, ending on February 3, 2014.  You can find the document on the City’s website. For more information or to be added to the interested parties list, please contact Natasha Campbell at 962-0030 or ncampbell@cityofgoleta.org.

 

 

Green Building Program Guide Now Available

The City Council demonstrated its commitment to sustainability when it adopted a largely voluntary Green Building Program. Effective since January 1, 2013, the program includes access to free resources and has recently released a new Green Building Program Guide. The Guide includes information about green building best practices, the building performance assessment process, questions to ask your design and building professional, as well as utility rebates and financing options. To obtain a free copy of the guide and learn more about the program including incentives, please contact Cindy Moore, Sustainability Coordinator at cmoore@cityofgoleta.org.

Whole House Diagram

 

 

County CERT Drill

Emergency Preparedness Training Expanded in 2013

The Goleta Prepare Now program wrapped up a successful year in 2013. Goleta held three CERT Classes and trained over 60 new adults and teens. In addition, the City initiated the Goleta Prepare Now newsletter! This monthly newsletter is distributed electronically in English and Spanish. The newsletter has received a lot of positive feedback and we look forward to continuing the publication in 2014.

Our Goleta CERT participated in many activities throughout 2013 including attending Advanced CERT Trainings, CERT Social events, and the Annual County CERT Drill. If you have not taken a basic CERT class, keep an eye out for future classes in 2014!

If you are interested in signing up for a future CERT Class or want to receive a digital copy of the newsletter, contact Luz Reyes-Martin at 961-7558 or lreyesmartin@cityofgoleta.org.

 CERT_GPN Farmer's Market

 

City Works to Update Zoning Code

The Planning and Environmental Review department’s Advance Planning division recently began the process of updating the City of Goleta’s Zoning Code. Through this extensive process the City aims to create a zoning code that reflects the goals and character of our town, and is clear and easy to understand.

A zoning code is a collection of ordinances that guides city planning and development. Its purpose includes defining zoning districts, setting building standards, and developing efficient permitting procedures.

The City of Goleta inherited its current zoning code from Santa Barbara County. Written more than 30 years ago, this code is no longer a good match for our city, and does not reflect the goals and character put forth in our General Plan.

Over the next year our citizens will have many opportunities to express their opinions during this collaborative process. These will include educational workshops, community meetings and public hearings.  The next project milestone will be the Zoning Ordinance Project Schedule Review at the January 13 Planning Commission.

Stay tuned for more information, including workshop dates and locations.  You can sign up for the Zoning Code email list here.

 

Dam Dinner 2013

A Dam Good Time Was Had By All

Join us on August 23, 2014 for another Dam Dinner!

Over 200 people gathered at the end of August for Goleta’s First Dam Dinner. This special dinner at the Lake Los Carneros dam was a time for the community to gather and enjoy a meal together. The Henderson Brothers provided musical entertainment. Attendees were encouraged to bring a dessert to share and could bring their dinner or purchase dinner from one of two food trucks. The idea came from the Love of Goleta event held last March. After the initial inspiration, a committee of people who love Goleta gathered to plan this free event at the dam. Within three days of promoting it on Facebook, posting it on Nextdoor and emailing attendees from the Love of Goleta events, 180 people had responded that they would attend!

The committee included Dacia Harwood (Goleta Valley Historical Society), Valerie Kushnerov (City of Goleta), Rob Locke (Goleta Valley Community Center), Amy Mallet (Goleta Valley Senior Center), Kristen Miller (Goleta Valley Chamber of Commerce) and Paula Perotte (Goleta City Council).

SPONSORS INCLUDED MARBORG, GEORGIA’S SMOKEHOUSE BBQ, CHEF KAMAL’S,
HASKELL’S DESIGNS AND JAY FARBMAN PHOTOGRAPHY.