Author Archives: Jaime Shaw

City Addresses Concerns Regarding Southern California Edison’s Rate Increase

Central Coast Community Energy Generation Rates Remain Unchanged

Residents and businesses may have noticed an increase in their electric bills in the last month. The increase is due to Southern California Edison’s increase in its transmission and distribution rates and is NOT related to the City’s new electricity provider Central Coast Community Energy (CCCE).

On October 1, Southern California Edison (SCE) raised its transmission and distribution rates for all customers. These increased rates, which typically account for approximately 2/3 of an average household’s monthly electricity costs, were reflected in customers’ bills starting in November, and will amount to a monthly increase of approximately $10 per average household. The increased rates are tied to SCE’s need for continued grid infrastructure development and hardening to prevent wildfires and accelerate grid modernization. For more information visit www.sce.com/bill_change.

Also in October, all Goleta electricity customers were enrolled in CCCE service. CCCE is now in charge of electric generation (how and where our electricity is generated), a cost that typically makes up approximately 1/3 of an average household’s monthly electricity costs. SCE will no longer charge customers for electric generation (how your electricity is generated), but SCE will continue charging customers for transmission and distribution (how your electricity is delivered). CCCE electric generation charges now appear on your SCE bill as a separate line item. Those enrolled with CCCE are now shared customers: SCE provides and charges for transmission and distribution, CCCE provides and charges for electric generation.

Despite SCE rates going up, CCCE has not raised its electric generation rates. In fact, a visit to SCE’s rate comparison page demonstrates that CCCE generation charges are lower than SCE generation charges. Currently, Goleta electricity customers who are not enrolled with CCCE are paying higher generation rates, combined with the recent increase to transmission and distribution rates.

Along with 32 other Central Coast communities, the City of Goleta joined Central Coast Community Energy to access greater control of our electricity needs and to support the growth of clean and renewable energy. Doing so provides our residents and businesses with economic and environmental benefits.

If you have additional questions, you can contact CCCE by calling 888-909-6227 or emailing SouthSupport@3CE.org. To learn more about CCCE and attend upcoming webinars, visit https://3cenergy.org/2021-enrollment/.

1000 Books Before Kindergarten Program Re-Launches

The Goleta & Santa Ynez Valley Libraries are excited to resume their 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten Program with all-new reading logs and fun prizes!

1,000 Books Before Kindergarten is an early literacy program popular at libraries across the country. It encourages parents and caregivers to read to their children, which helps prepare them for school readiness and lifelong success by building a strong foundation for later reading and writing.

At the Goleta & Santa Ynez Valley Libraries, the program is open to all families whose children are below kindergarten age. To get started, stop by the library to pick up your first reading log. As you read to your child, mark off a circle for each book you read. You can mark off a circle for each time you read the same book, too, as repetition is an important part of learning to read. When you’re finished, you and your child can bring the completed log back to the library to receive a prize and your next reading log!

Once you have completed all ten logs and read 1,000 books, we will contact you with an invitation to our 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten graduation party. While parties and other in-person programming have not yet resumed at the Goleta & Santa Ynez Valley Libraries, we will save your information to celebrate your child’s accomplishment as soon as programming resumes.

The friendly librarians at the Goleta & Santa Ynez Valley Libraries are excited to be offering this program again to support literacy in the community. Logs are available in English and Spanish at the Goleta Valley Library, Goleta Valley Library Bookvan, Buellton Library, and Solvang Library. Stop by your local branch Tuesdays – Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and ask for your first log at the front desk. For Bookvan hours and locations, please check our online calendar.

Program materials and prizes at Goleta Valley Library are generously sponsored by the Friends of the Goleta Valley Library. To learn more or to become a Friend, click here: https://www.friendsofthegoletavalleylibrary.org/

Prizes at Solvang Library are sponsored by the Friends of the Library of Santa Ynez Valley. To learn more or become a Friend, click here: https://friendssyvlibrary.org/

Net Energy Metering Customers to Begin Enrollment

Central Coast Community Energy (CCCE) enrollment for Net Energy Metering (NEM) residential and commercial customers with solar and/or battery storage in Goleta, Carpinteria, and unincorporated Santa Barbara County will begin in January 2022. NEM customers in Goleta should have received their initial pre-enrollment postcards this past November and will continue to receive mail notifications through February. Additional information is available here: https://3cenergy.org/nem/.

If you are a NEM customer and are interested in learning more about CCCE and what the upcoming transition will mean for your household, you can watch a recording here of a recent CCCE virtual education forum to learn more about NEM services for residents and businesses in the south Central Coast. As an existing NEM customer, Central Coast Community Energy is working hard to make the transition for new customers into their NEM program seamless.

Once again, we would like to take a moment to thank our community, who has demonstrated great leadership and commitment to clean energy by continuing to maintain an over 97% enrollment retention rate of the current eligible customers. If you have questions, you can contact a local customer service Energy Advisor at 888-909-6227. You can also contact Central Coast Community Energy Customer Service at SouthSupport@CCCE.org or visit CCCEnergy.org/2021-enrollment. We thank you for investing in a greener Goleta!

City of Goleta Grant Funds Available for Non-Profits

Application Period is December 17, 2021 – January 28, 2022

Are you a part of a local non-profit serving Goleta residents or know someone who is? If so, the City of Goleta has more than $100,000 in grant funds for which you can apply. Starting on Friday, December 17, 2021, until Friday, January 28, 2022, online applications will be accepted for both Goleta City Grant and Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) programs.

The City Council has set aside approximately $100,000 in General Fund monies for the Goleta City Grant Program. Recipients of this grant may receive up to $5,000 for programs that benefit Goleta residents and the general community. Organizations involved in educational and cultural activities, such as music, art, dance, and recreation, as well as Goleta-oriented special events and regional projects that enhance and support the quality of life in Goleta are encouraged to apply.

Each year, the City of Goleta sets aside a portion of its Community Development Block Grant funding to support non-profits serving low-income residents, seniors, and those experiencing homelessness. CDBG funds are dispersed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which strictly regulates the use of funds. The City of Goleta reserves these funds for agencies who qualify for CDBG funding, serve the goals of the City’s 5-Year Consolidated Plan, and apply for a minimum of $10,000. For the 2020-2021 Fiscal Year, the City distributed more than $33,000 to public services from its CDBG allocation.

Grant applications for both programs will be accepted online via the ZoomGrants program. Once all applications are received the Mayor, Mayor Pro Tempore, and two Goleta residents appointed by the Mayor make up the committee that evaluates the applications and makes funding recommendations to the City Council. The Council then awards the grants at a meeting in the spring, likely in May of 2022.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to help your non-profit or community group. Visit https://www.cityofgoleta.org/i-want-to/apply-for/grants for additional information on both grant programs or contact Shanna Dawson in the City of Goleta Neighborhood Services Department at 805-690-5126 or sdawson@cityofgoleta.org.

#VaccinateGoleta COVID-19 Update

The number of eligible Santa Barbara County residents who are vaccinated is at 74.7% as of December 7. Visit the Santa Barbara County Community Data Dashboard for more information. 

Recent COVID-19 news includes the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department announcing an update to COVID-19 testing sites in the area. The Goleta Community Center site will close on Thursday, December 30, 2021, but the mini-bus at Direct Relief in Goleta will remain open through at least March 2022. Read the full announcement here.

Other COVID-19 updates include the County extending the indoor mask mandate, the FDA expanding the eligibility of vaccine boosters, and the California Department of Public Health sharing information on the Omicron variant. The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department also put together tips to protect yourself and others this holiday season in “Spread Joy, Not COVID.”

Indoor Mask Manded Extended

The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department has extended the Health Officer Order which requires the use of masks in indoor public settings. This order requires all individuals, regardless of vaccination status, to wear face coverings when indoors in public settings, with limited exceptions. More information is available here.

Expanded Eligibility for Vaccine Boosters

On November 19, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration amended the emergency use authorizations (EUA) for both the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines authorizing use of a single booster dose for all individuals 18 years of age and older after completion of primary vaccination with any FDA-authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine. Read the full announcement here.

Information on where to get your first dose, second dose, or booster in Santa Barbara County can be found here.

Fact Sheet: Omicron Variant

The California Department of Public Health has put together a fact sheet on the new Omicron variant to answer questions such as what is known about the new variant, what California is doing in response, and what Californians can do to protect themselves. Read the full fact sheet.

For more information about COVID-19, please visit https://publichealthsbc.org/.

Pictured: Goleta Community Center COVID-19 testing site

Save the Date: February 5th for the City’s 20th Birthday Celebration!

The City of Goleta is turning 20 and we want to celebrate with you! Please save the date for Saturday, February 5, 2022, to celebrate this special historic milestone with us. The community is invited to this free event from 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. at Rancho La Patera and Stow House (304 N. Los Carneros Road). Come for the entire time or just part of it. You won’t want to miss this fun-filled event where we premiere our video reflecting on 20 years of being a City. There will also be live music, food and drink (available for purchase), a birthday toast with dessert, community mural signing, and more!

We hope to see you at this fun family-friendly event! Stay tuned for more details and a program of events.

Please reach out to Community Relations Manager Kelly Hoover at khoover@cityofgoleta.org if you or your organization are interested in doing something on your own to commemorate this special occasion.

Council Considers City’s First Historic Preservation Ordinance on February 15

The City of Goleta is one step closer to having its first ever Historic Preservation Ordinance.  The City Council will continue discussing the proposed ordinance on February 15, 2022.  After a lengthy discussion at the December 7 Public Hearing, the Council directed staff to provide the following additional information:

  1. Specific findings for each of the 29 properties proposed to be added to the Historic Resources Inventory and findings for the 6-7 properties that may be designated as Goleta Landmarks.
  2. Make refinements to the exemptions from the Archaeological and/or Tribal Cultural provisions to be simpler and clearer to the public.
  3. Provide cost estimates for different archaeological reports and provide an estimate how many of these could be required in the course of a year.

The goal of the Historic Preservation Ordinance is to preserve and protect resources that, once lost, cannot be replaced or replicated. Earlier this year (November 8), the Planning Commission reviewed the ordinance and recommended adoption. Generally, the proposed ordinance would:

  • Create a Historic Preservation Commission.
  • Create historic designation categories and establish a process to designate properties as a historic resource based on eligibility criteria.
  • Establish regulations and processes regarding alterations to designated properties, recission of designations, demolition, maintenance requirements, and Mills Act incentives to maintain designated historic resources.
  • Designate six (6) -seven (7) structures as Goleta Landmarks and place a total of 29 structures (including the 7 proposed to be Goleta Landmarks) on the inaugural Historic Resources Inventory (HRI). It is expected that the HRI will be expanded over time.
  • Establish processes and criteria when any earth-disturbing activities in native soils (i.e., previous not graded or disturbed soils) are proposed. The purpose is to check for subsurface archaeological or tribal cultural resources in order to preserve and protect these resources. A list of project types and circumstances that would be exempt from the requirements is included.
  • Establish development standards that would apply to earth-disturbing activities in case subsurface archaeological or tribal cultural resources are found during construction.
  • Add thirty-four definitions related to Historic Preservation and Archaeological and Tribal Cultural Resources to the Goleta Municipal Code.
  • Make other changes to various portions of the Goleta Municipal Code to reflect the requirements of Chapters 17.33 and 17.43 for consistency in City regulations.

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 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. 

Learn more about the project at www.HistoricGoleta.org.

Pictured: Hollister Arch

Local Man Celebrates Turning 100

Ron Gaston Celebrated with a proclamation from the City of Goleta and Birthday Cake

Each birthday is a blessing and more so if you are a centenarian. Local Goleta resident Ron Gaston was the “man of the day” recently at Mariposa at Ellwood Shores, the Westmont Living senior living community where he has been living since July. As a young man, Gaston was fascinated with engineering. He studied to become an Aircraft Design Engineer and worked for Lockheed for 55 years, both in England and the United States. Since his retirement, he has loved to work with clocks and has even built a grandfather clock. He is married and has one daughter Diane.

According to Peter Bonilla, executive director, Mariposa at Ellwood Shores, “Ron is a joy to be around every day, and his contagious smile and wisdom keep his friends on their toes. He is well-liked by residents and staff alike. We are very thankful for the honor bestowed on him by the City of Goleta and on behalf of Mayor Paula Perotte.”

Pictured: (l-r) Peter Bonilla, executive director, Mariposa at Ellwood Shores holding the proclamation from the City of Goleta, and Ron Gaston shows off his 100th birthday cake.

Mind the Fog this Holiday Season

FOG, or Fats, Oils, and Grease that go down your drain can cause major problems for homeowners and the Goleta West Sanitary District (GWSD). GWSD wants to remind everyone to keep the FOG out of home and commercial pipes and the community’s waste stream.

Fats, oils, and greases are a byproduct of cooking and are found in such things as meat fats, cooking oil, lard and shortening, butter and margarine. When grease is washed down the drain, it sticks to the inside of sewer pipes (both on your property and in the streets.) Over time, it builds up and can block an entire pipe.

Garbage disposals do not keep grease out of the pipes, they only shred it into smaller pieces. Commercial additives, including detergents that claim to dissolve grease, may pass it down the line and cause problems away from the source. But the results of a grease-blocked sewer pipe can be sewage overflows in your home or neighborhood resulting in expensive and unpleasant cleanups; possible exposure with disease-causing organisms; or an increase in maintenance costs at GWSD.

How to dispose of your FOG:

  • Pour FOG into a covered disposable container—such as glass, plastic or a sturdy plastic bag. Store it in the freezer and then put it in the trash after it has hardened.
  • Use paper towels to wipe greasy dishes before washing. Put the paper towels in the trash.
  • Use sink strainers to catch food waste.
  • Put food scraps in a compost bin or in the trash.
  • FOG waste should only be put in the trash.

How to Dispose of Seasonal Items

The holiday season has arrived! Please review the information below from Marborg on how to properly dispose of seasonal items.

  • Place Christmas trees curbside on green waste collection day, or trash collection day if you do not have green waste service. If you live in an apartment complex, please place tree next to the trash bin. View guidelines here.
  • Holiday lights can NOT be placed in your household containers as they are electronic waste. They can be dropped off at MarBorg’s Goleta or Downtown Recycling Centers, or the South Coast Recycling and Transfer Station.
  • Wrapping paper without any glitter can be placed in your recycling container. If it is still in good condition, save it to be reused. Skipping the wrapping paper altogether is the best solution – try wrapping gifts with fabric or use old newspaper/magazines.
  • Wrapping paper that has glitter or is iridescent should be placed in the trash if you cannot reuse it.

For more information on how to dispose of holiday items, please go to https://www.marborg.com/seasonal.