Author Archives: Jaime Shaw

Goleta’s 20 Year Birthday Celebration Highlights

We are still holding on to the memories of the City’s well attended and memorable 20th Birthday Celebration on March 5 at Rancho La Patera & Stow House. Check out this short highlight video to see why this will always be a special day in the City’s history. You can also view event photos here.

Limited-edition 20 Year City merchandise is still available! You can purchase t-shirts, tote bags, hats or mugs at our upcoming Goleta Community State of the City on April 13 from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. at the Elks Lodge (150 N. Kellogg Ave). These items will also be available for purchase throughout the year – stay tuned!

Thanks to our community for your enthusiasm and recognition of the City’s 20th birthday. Cheers to 20 Years! #HappyBirthdayGoleta

Goleta Businesses Awarded at Chamber Luncheon

Congratulations to those who were honored at the Chamber’s Annual Membership Meeting and Regional Business Awards on Friday, February 25th at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort. 

This was the first in-person Membership Meeting and Regional Business Awards since the Goleta, Santa Barbara, and Carpinteria Chambers of Commerce merged to create the Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce in July 2020. The chamber represents 1,100 businesses across the South Coast, which totals to about 75,000 jobs.

While several awards were handed out there were two Goleta specific ones.

The Entrepreneur of the Year award went to Chris Chiarappa. In 2021, Chris Chiarappa launched the Santa Barbara Restaurant Collective. Within five years, he launched three Mesa Burger restaurants including one in Goleta, three Lighthouse Coffee locations, M-Kitchen, Corner Tap, and is preparing to open several additional enterprises within the next few years. Chris is motivated to give back to the community and the people who make this place so special. Congratulations Chris, our Entrepreneur of the Year!

Other Business Award recipients included Mariposa at Ellwood Shores receiving the Community Business of the Year. Mariposa at Ellwood Shores Assisted Living in Goleta is a warm, inviting senior living community designed for the care and comfort of its residents. They go above and beyond when serving their residents, taking care of staff, and staying connected within the community. They are committed to protecting our most vulnerable community members with constant testing, vaccination clinics, and the distribution of information.

Here is the full list of Regional Business Awards Winners:

  • Large Business of the Year – Cox Communications
  • Small Business of the Year – Hilltop Flowers Inc.
  • Entrepreneur of the Year – Chris Chiarappa, Santa Barbara Restaurant Collective
  • Non-Profit of the Year – Better Together Fund
  • Milestone Business Award – E. J. Harrison & Sons
  • Hospitality Award – Visit Santa Barbara
  • Community Business of the Year – Mariposa at Ellwood Shores
  • Special Recognition – Local Community Banks (American Riviera Bank, Community West Bank, Montecito Bank & Trust, Pacific Premier Bank)
  • Ambassador of the Year – Angela Miller-Bevan
  • Chairman’s Award – Tom Patton

Congratulations to all!

          

Library Patrons – Black Gold Changes Coming

The Black Gold Cooperative Library System, of which the Goleta and Santa Ynez Valley Library System is a member, is currently undergoing a realignment that will ultimately allow Central Coast libraries to provide a more community-focused approach to library services. Over the next several months, the multi-step process will necessitate a few changes in service. 

  • Beginning March 1st, all renewals (including autorenewals) on borrowed materials will be suspended temporarily to allow time for materials to be returned to their owning libraries.
  • All Black Gold libraries, including Goleta, Buellton and Solvang will be closed on April 22 and 23 for the migration of all computer files to the new library circulation software. No holds can be placed during April 22-24.
  • Beginning April 25th, the shared Black Gold Cooperative Library System will offer titles from the Goleta and Santa Ynez Valley Library System, Paso Robles City Library, Santa Maria Public Library, Lompoc Public Library System, Blanchard Community Library, and the Carpinteria Community Library. These libraries will have their own customized catalog website designed specifically for their local patrons. 

San Luis Obispo County libraries and the Santa Barbara Library System recently announced their departure from the cooperative system. San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara cardholders are welcome to apply for a Goleta, Buellton or Solvang Library card to continue accessing materials from Black Gold member libraries. If Goleta, Buellton or Solvang patrons wish to access materials at SLO or SB libraries, they can get library cards from each of those jurisdictions but will have to go to those libraries to check out their materials and return them there as well.

While these changes may take some getting used to, member libraries are confident that moving forward the new Black Gold Cooperative Library System will be better positioned to engage with their communities and meet their information needs.

The Goleta Valley, Buellton and Solvang Libraries are open on Tuesdays – Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Learn more about the libraries at www.GoletaValleyLibrary.org.

Welcome New Planning Commissioner

The City is pleased to welcome Elrawd MacLearn as our newest Planning Commissioner. In his Commissioner role, he is looking forward to shaping the landscape of the City. He hopes to preserve the beauty of Goleta, while simultaneously accommodating the growing community’s needs. A graduate of UCLA, he currently works as a health inspector for Santa Barbara Public Health. During his free time, he enjoys exploring the country roadways of Santa Barbara County on his motorbike.  

The Planning Commission sits as a decision-making body on land use issues for the City and consists of five members who each serve a four-year term. Their role is to review and take appropriate action on discretionary development applications and to make recommendations to the City Council regarding any proposed legislative actions, including the General Plan and its implementation, as required by law.

Please join us in welcoming Elrawd to this important role. Learn more about the City’s Boards and Commissions here.

#VaccinateGoleta COVID-19 Update

We are pleased that we appear to be moving out of what has been a long two years of a COVID crisis. As of March 7, the number of eligible (ages 5+) Santa Barbara County residents who are vaccinated (first or single dose) is 80.1%. The number of fully vaccinated eligible residents is 72.1%. Visit the Santa Barbara County Community Data Dashboard for more information.

In other local COVID-19 news:

California Department of Public Health Updates as of February 28, 2022:

  • Effective March 1, 2022, the requirement that unvaccinated individuals mask in indoor public settings will move to a strong recommendation that all persons, regardless of vaccine status, continue indoor masking. 
  • Universal masking shall remain required in specified high-risk settings.
  • After March 11, 2022, the universal masking requirement for K-12 and Childcare settings will terminate. CDPH strongly recommends that individuals in these settings continue to mask in indoor settings when the universal masking requirement lifts.

For the most up-to-date information, visit https://publichealthsbc.org/.

Goleta’s Community State of the City on April 13

The City of Goleta’s 5th Annual Community State of the City is just around the corner! Join us in-person on Wednesday, April 13 at 6:00 p.m. at a very special location, the Elks Lodge (150 N. Kellogg Avenue), where Goleta’s State of the City was held 2008 – 2012. This is a free community event to learn more about what is happening at the City of Goleta. Spanish interpretation will be available.

The event includes presentations from Mayor Paula Perotte and City Manager Michelle Greene. They will be discussing the City’s finances as well as current and future projects and programs. The evening will conclude with Q&A from the audience with City staff. This is an important night for the City, and we really hope to see you there.

We will also have City information tables for you to speak directly with staff and learn about upcoming programs and projects.

This is also a great opportunity to get your 20 Year limited edition City swag! We have t-shirts, hats, totes and mugs that will be for sale

Watch 20 Years Reflections Video

Do you know the story of how the City of Goleta came to be? It is a compelling one that will deepen your appreciation for what it took to get this City started 20 years ago. We encourage you to watch this appropriately timed 20-minute City of Goleta 20 Year Reflections Video. Hear from former and current Mayors, Councilmembers, GoletaNow founders, and even the first City Manager as they reminisce about how a dream became a reality, what they love about the Good Land, and what their hopes and dreams are for the future of Goleta. Enjoy the video and share it with everyone you know who loves Goleta and/or a great story!

Thanks to Paul Westmacott with Paradigm Pictures for putting this video together and to KEYT for providing archive footage which really made this piece extra special.

Participate in the City’s Housing Element Update

Attend a Meeting or Take Our Survey!

We want to hear your insight regarding housing issues in our community.

The City is conducting a public workshop on the Housing Element Update at the upcoming Planning Commission meeting on Monday, March 14, 2022, at 6:00 p.m. Spanish interpretation will be available. City staff will provide an update on the Housing Element Update to the Planning Commission and members of the public, provide an update on the project, and provide opportunities for the Planning Commission and members of the public in attendance to provide input regarding housing issues within the City. The agenda 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.

The City held a virtual Housing Element Update stakeholders meeting with Old Town residents, businesses, and property owners on March 8.

Take our survey! The City also has a survey for community members to take as part of the Housing Element Update. Thank you to the over 400 people that have already taken the survey. If you haven’t, please take a few minutes to take it now in English or Spanish. The survey is an important part of the City’s effort to update our Housing Element for the 6th housing cycle (2023-2031) as part of state law.

The Housing Element update will include an analysis of housing needs, resources, and constraints, and articulates the City’s official policies and objectives for the development, preservation, and improvement of housing for all economic segments of the community. More information can be found here. If you have any questions or concerns or would like to schedule a meeting with City staff, please email HousingElement@cityofgoleta.org. 

Parking Restrictions Return for Deltopia

The City of Goleta is continuing with its parking permit program for Deltopia, Isla Vista’s unsanctioned street party, which is expected to take place over the weekend of Friday, April 1 through Sunday, April 3, 2022. Over the past several years, a temporary permit-only on-street parking program for residents near Isla Vista was implemented and deemed successful in dissuading partygoers from parking in the Goleta neighborhoods closest to Isla Vista and easing the impacts felt by residents. 

Parking permits are issued for the Goleta neighborhoods closest to Isla Vista: University 1 and University 2 neighborhoods, including the Cannon Green Condominium complex. The boundaries are: Cannon Green Drive to the west, Hollister Avenue to the north, Storke Road to the east and Whittier Drive to the south.

Each household will receive two passes in their mailbox by Friday, March 25. The parking permits are required to be taped to the inside of the vehicle’s driver’s side window during the restricted hours (see below). Signage will be posted on the streets in advance to remind drivers, and electronic message boards will be at several entrances to the University 1 and 2 neighborhoods. Vehicles not displaying the appropriate permit will be subject to ticketing and/or towing. Parking restrictions are for Friday and Saturday nights, when most party-goers are expected to be in the area:

  • 7:00 p.m. Friday, April 1, 2022, to 7:00 a.m. Saturday, April 2, 2022; and
  • 7:00 p.m. Saturday, April 2, 2022, to 7:00 a.m. Sunday, April 3, 2022

Should Deltopia move to the following weekend, the restrictions will be in place from 7:00 p.m. on Friday, April 8 to 7:00 a.m. Saturday, April 9 and 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 9 to 7:00 a.m. Sunday, April 10.

The overnight parking restrictions will not affect those visiting Girsh Park. If you live in the area designated to receive a parking permit, and do not receive yours by March 25, please contact the City of Goleta Neighborhood Services Department at 805-961-7554 or bramirez@cityofgoleta.org to make arrangements for a replacement.

A map and FAQs can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/goletatempparking.

Miles of Smiles

Community Partners in Caring Launched miles of SMILES—Free rides so that seniors can access basic needs such as medical appointments and the grocery store

Community Partners in Caring is stepping up to solve a growing concern throughout the community—homebound seniors lacking access to things as basic as food and medical care, things they need to survive. In order to accomplish their mission they need your help.

Community Partners in Caring urgently needs volunteer drivers to provide these life-saving rides to seniors. Imagine for a moment that you have nobody to help you get to the grocery store, no way to get to a medical appointment. All of the things that are essential to your wellbeing, you no longer have access to. One hour out of your day, your month, or your year has the power to help change the trajectory of an isolated senior’s life, forever.

Volunteers will receive mileage reimbursements. To sign up as a volunteer driver for miles of Smiles, go to www.partnersincaring.org/volunteer or contact Community Partners in Caring at volunteer@partnersincaring.org or 805-925-8000. New volunteers go through an on-boarding and orientation process that takes one to two weeks and includes COVID-19 safety protocols and sanitation training.

Help is just one call away, and this program will cost participating seniors nothing. To be eligible for a miles of Smiles ride, people must be at least 62 years of age, unable to drive, and must be able to walk without the assistance of their driver. Canes and walkers will be placed in the vehicle during the ride.

“Homebound dependent seniors have always faced challenges to sustain daily living,” said Vilma Contreras, Community Partners in Caring’s Executive Director. “We are calling upon the community to step up and help these seniors access basic needs. We want nothing to stand in the way of a senior in need getting to their doctor’s appointment or to a grocery store so they can have a warm meal for dinner.”

Those eligible in Santa Barbara County who are interested in a free ride must call the Community in Partners in Caring office at 805-925-8000 for staff to arrange their ride (and ensure they are in a region of the county served by this program). Two-day advance notice is required. Drivers and passengers must wear a face mask and follow COVID safety protocols at all times.

“The simple act of driving your car can support seniors across the County, and you will literally help save lives,” points out Chuen Ng, Community Partners in Caring’s Board President. “An hour a week – or even a month – can make a life-saving difference to the senior in your car seat.”

In addition to launching Miles of Smiles, Community Partners in Caring’s volunteers also offer an array of other free helpful programs to area seniors, including grocery pick-up/delivery, free food delivery, senior programming enrollment, rides to medical appointments, and “friendly calls” or visits to break up the day and reduce senior isolation. Tax-deductible donations to support this important work can be made by mail or directly through their website.

Those interested in learning more about becoming a volunteer with Community Partners in Caring can visit www.partnersincaring.org/volunteer or contact 805-925-8000 or volunteer@partnersincaring.org.