Author Archives: Jaime Shaw

Construction Begins on $5.8 Million Paving Project

Construction to improve the City’s roadway system began on November 8th. The nearly $6 million worth of work includes much-needed pavement rehabilitation on Cathedral Oaks Road from Glen Annie Road to Los Carneros Road. The work is expected to take approximately 8 months to complete. We appreciate your patience in advance as repairs are made to this well-traveled Goleta roadway.

Although this will be a big benefit to the City’s roadway network and a major step in the right direction, this is a one-time funding allocation. City staff will continue to explore all options to identify potential funding sources for the additional $3.3 million needed annually to appropriately maintain the City’s entire roadway system. The City is also working on evaluating the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) and identifying how to reprioritize and/or fund the approximately $110 million worth of unfunded CIP Projects.

For more information, please read the staff report here.

Pictured: Cathedral Oaks Road

Public Asked to Give Input on Unmet Transit Needs

Informational listening session on December 1 seeks public input on how bus systems, dial-a-ride, and paratransit services can better serve residents in Santa Barbara County.

An unmet transit needs listening session will take place from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, December 1, 2021, via Zoom Webinar hosted by the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG). The public is encouraged to stop by anytime during the two-hour virtual listening session to share comments or concerns about bus systems, dial-a-ride and paratransit services in Santa Barbara County, or express needs for new or expanded services in the county. Spanish language interpretation services will be available during the listening session.

Those unable to attend the December 1, 2021, listening session can take an online survey in English or Spanish until Friday, December 3, 2021. The public can also submit comments in writing to SBCAG at 260 North San Antonio Road, Suite B, Santa Barbara, CA 93110, or by email to comment@sbcag.org.

Comments provided at the listening session, on the online survey, or in writing are shared with local decision makers, transit agencies, and the California Department of Transportation to help influence options for transit services and projects. A summary of public input is presented to Santa Barbara County Transit Advisory Committee and SBCAG Board of Directors in early 2022.

WHAT: Unmet Transit Needs Listening Session

WHEN: 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., Wednesday, December 1, 2021, (visit virtually anytime during the two-hour listening session)

WHERE: Zoom Webinar*:

  • Webinar ID: 843 8403 4139; Passcode: 718234; OR
  • Telephone: (669) 900-9128

*Spanish-language interpretation services available

DETAILS: SBCAG is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodations for this meeting. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, accommodation requests should be made by Monday, November 29 to SBCAG at (805) 961-8900.

Online Survey, www.surveymonkey.com/r/SBCAG_TNA (English); www.surveymonkey.com/r/TNA_ESP (Spanish)

Provide feedback in writing to SBCAG at 260 North San Antonio Road, Suite B, Santa Barbara, CA 93110, or by email to comment@sbcag.org.

SBCAG will receive comments on transit needs in Santa Barbara County, as required under Section 99401.5 of the Public Utilities Code.

Citrus Infestation: Look Out for Invasive Tiny Beetles

Tiny beetles that have killed tens of thousands of trees in Southern California, recently were found and identified in Santa Barbara County. Known as invasive shothole borers, the beetles tunnel into trees and introduce a fungus that serves as the food source for adult beetles and their larva. As the fungus spreads in the tree, it disrupts the flow of water and nutrients, leading to tree decline, branch dieback, and tree death.

While they seem to prefer box elder, sycamore and willow, invasive shothole borers attack a wide variety of trees and can live and reproduce in more than 65 tree species found in California. They could be infesting trees in your neighborhood without you even knowing it.

What to look for? The main sign of infestation is the presence of small, perfectly round entry holes (about the size of the tip of a medium ballpoint pen), often associated with staining; gumming; sugar-like buildup; and/or boring dust. Dead branches with wilting leaves may be a sign of severe infestation. Look for these signs on trees in your yard and neighborhood. Light to moderately infested trees can usually be managed with branch removals and ongoing monitoring, while heavier infestations may require treatments. Unfortunately, severely infested trees rarely survive, can quickly become hazardous, and are a big source of beetles, so they need to be removed. Proper disposal of green waste including chipping infested wood is a critical step in effective management to prevent the spread of this pest.

With the help of a grant from Cal-Fire, the County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office has identified invasive shothole borers in Montecito and the Santa Ynez Valley, and it has begun removing the most seriously infested trees on county lands. The department is assisting other jurisdictions and the public with ISHB identification, trapping, visual surveys and resources to manage the ISHB. 

To learn more, visit www.ishb.org and/or www.agcommissioner.com.

Top right photo: Beetle infestation in castor bean by Akif Eskalen of UC, Davis


Entry hole in a sycamore, photo by Monica Dimson of UC Cooperative Extension


Tree removal in Santa Barbara County, photo by Randall Oliver, UC Statewide IPM Program

Goleta’s Finest Returns December 4 – Award Recipients Announced

The Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce, from Goleta to Carpinteria, is excited to announce the 2021 Goleta’s Finest Award Winners. Goleta’s Finest is a 71-year-old tradition honoring remarkable individuals whose contributions have enhanced the Goleta community. 

“We are honored to bring our Goleta’s Finest Community Awards Gala back this year, after taking a year off due to the pandemic,” said Kristen Miller, President & CEO of the Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce. “The Goleta community has an amazing history of volunteerism and philanthropy, and we are eager to honor those individuals and organizations who have shined over the last two years.”

The 2021 award recipients will be honored with a formal celebration on, December 4th (5:30-9:00 p.m.), at the beautiful The Ritz-Carlton Bacara. The evening will include dinner followed by the awards ceremony.

Congratulations to the recipients!

  • Woman of the Year – Dr. Lynn Fitzgibbons 
  • Man of the Year – Mark Ingalls
  • Educator of the Year – William Woodard, Dos Pueblos High School
  • Student of the Year – Isabella Mireles, Dos Pueblos High School
  • Volunteer of the Year – Lisa Gosdschan
  • Non-Profit Leader of the Year – Lori Goodman
  • Innovator of the Year – Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital
  • Non-Profit Organization of the Year – Foodbank of Santa Barbara County
  • Special Recognition – Her Festival 2020

For more information about the event, click here or contact  Chelsea@SBSCChamber.com.

Holiday Parade Returns to Old Town on December 11

The Goleta Holiday Parade in Old Town Goleta is back by popular demand. Mark your calendar for 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 11, 2021, and join the fun! The parade route will take place on Hollister Avenue from Orange Avenue to Kinman Avenue.

Get ready to see dozens of local business and individual community groups head down Hollister Avenue in brightly decorated floats and vehicles. Local schools will proudly march bands along the entire route and special entries will show off their finest holiday decorations. And, of course, Santa will be flying in to join us!

The parade is presented by the Goleta Lions Club, in partnership with the City of Goleta and community sponsors.

For more information about the parade, including participant and volunteer information, go to https://goletaholidayparade.org/. We hope to see you there!

Our Water Our World: Controlling Spiders Around Your Home

Learn how to control spiders with these tips from the City of Goleta Environmental Services Division.

Only A Few Spiders Are Dangerous!
Spiders are helpful creatures, and very few of them bite! Because they eat large quantities of insects, you should probably tolerate them around home and garden if you can. There are more than 3,000 species of spiders in the U.S., but few are dangerous or even have mouthparts strong enough to pierce human skin. If you think you have a spider bite, it’s more likely a bite from a flea, tick, mosquito, or mite—or a skin condition.

What Can I Do?
Harmless or not, the presence of spiders or their webs in the house is upsetting to many people. Unfortunately, spider webs are often associated with poor housekeeping, under the mistaken assumption that a “clean” house harbors no insects or spiders at all. On the contrary, spiders can be an asset to the conscientious housekeeper since they capture and consume many pest insects before the human residents ever see the pests.

Keeping Spiders Away From Your Home

Inside Your Home
If you’re not comfortable having a few spiders indoors to assist with pest management, it’s better to move them outside rather than killing them.

  • Catch the spiders you find in a container, cover with a piece of paper, and release outside.
  • Get rid of messy spider webs by periodically vacuuming with a crevice tool. If some spiders escape, know that they’ll continue to eat bugs in your house.
  • Reduce spiders’ food supply. What are those spiders eating? If they’re going after fruit flies, try storing ripening fruit in paper bags that are folded over twice and sealed with a large clip.
  • Keep spiders out of the house. Caulk cracks and crevices. Install doorsweeps under doors and screens on windows.

Outside Your Home
Don’t spray your garden or around the outside of your house to kill spiders. Sprays generally don’t last long and will not affect spiders unless there’s direct contact. Outdoors, spiders provide a very useful pest control service. Leave them to do their job!

  • Use a cobweb brush to remove spiders and webs from the side of your house and under eaves. You’ll find these brushes at hardware stores and garden centers. Look for brushes that have telescoping handles and soft, microfiber bristles.
  • Consider replacing your porch light with a yellow bulb. The yellow light will attract fewer insects, so the spiders that feast on them will also stay away from your door.

Find more information on controlling spiders with eco-friendly products in our OWOW brochures in English and Spanish. 

The City of Goleta along with the Cities of Buellton, Carpinteria, Solvang, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria and the County of Santa Barbara have partnered with the OWOW organization to promote the use of less-toxic products in an effort to reduce pesticide pollution in our communities. By reducing pesticide use and the use of less-toxic products around the home, you can help reduce pesticides and other pollutants such as herbicides and fertilizers from being picked up while watering or when it rains and transported to the nearest storm drain inlet and into our waterways. The OWOW website is user-friendly and a great resource for finding less-toxic products to use around your home or garden.

Library Instagram Contest Celebrates Reading Together

Join us for #GoletaReads and share your favorite family reading photos

Goleta Valley Library invites the community to participate in a fun, interactive photo contest happening now through Friday, November 19th on the library’s Instagram page (@goletavalleylibrary).

As we approach the holiday season and prepare to gather with family and friends, the library wants to celebrate the importance of family reading in the development of young children. Community members are invited to share photos of themselves, their kids, and other family members reading together. To be entered in the contest, participants can follow these three easy steps:

  • Post their photo to their Instagram account
  • Tag the Goleta Valley Library Instagram account @GoletaValleyLibrary
  • Use the hashtags #GoletaReads and #RaiseReaders

Photos will be re-posted to the Goleta Valley Library Instagram account and will be automatically entered into a prize drawing to win a $50 Gift card to Trader Joe’s! Two lucky winners will be announced Monday, November 22nd on the library Instagram page.

Introducing your child to books and reading to them regularly before they go to school is one of the biggest influences on a child’s early educational success. Once your child learns to read on their own, it’s still important for you to read aloud together. This can help build your child’s confidence and motivate them to improve their skills and understanding of what they are reading.

Reading has also been shown to have the following great benefits for all ages:

  • Reduces stress
  • Expands vocabulary
  • Improves memory
  • Develops strong analytical skills
  • Boosts writing skills
  • Improves focus and concentration
  • Grows imagination

Head to the Goleta Valley Library to pick up some great family books and start reading with your child today. We can’t wait to see your photos! Remember to tag the library (@GoletaValleyLibrary) and use the hashtags #GoletaReads and #RaiseReaders for your chance to win this holiday season.

Libraries Move to In-Person Service Only

Masks and social distancing still required indoors

The Goleta and Santa Ynez Valley Libraries moved back to in-person only service last month, concluding Sidewalk Service after 16 successful months. The libraries are open for in-person service on Tuesdays – Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., with no time limits on visits. Patrons are welcome to pick up their holds, browse the stacks, and use a computer. Book returns are also now accepted indoors again.

Health and safety rules remain in place for all library visitors: masks are required for patrons ages 2 and older, and visitors must maintain social distancing of at least six feet. Hand sanitizer and gloves are available inside the building.

Library patrons who cannot enter the library for in-person service can call or text to arrange pick-up of requested items at the front door. For more information, please contact your local library branch.

Engaging library programs for all ages continue to be held online every week. Check out the Events Calendar for storytimes, craft workshops, book clubs, homework help, and much more.

Staff at the Goleta Valley, Buellton, and Solvang Libraries enjoyed being able to serve the community through Sidewalk Service and are now looking forward to seeing more of you inside the library!

For more information on programs and services at the Goleta and Santa Ynez Valley Libraries, visit GoletaValleyLibrary.org.

Goleta Green Room: The Goleta Recycling Center

Drop off recyclables, used paint, oil, batteries and more for free or CRV

Do you know about Marborg’s Goleta Recycling Center? It’s a great facility and service that provides an easy and eco-friendly way to recycle some of your household hazardous waste, such as asbestos, batteries, oil and paint (ABOP), in addition to other recyclables. And it’s FREE! Disposing of or recycling waste correctly keeps our community and watersheds clean and reduces the environmental impact of waste by recycling.

Household Hazardous Waste (ABOP)

Household hazardous waste items that can be brought to the Goleta Recycling Center include:

  • Antifreeze
  • Batteries
  • Oil (petroleum-based: motor oil, hydraulic oil, etc.)
  • Paint (both oil and water-based)
  • Fluorescent light bulbs
  • Electronic waste (E-waste): computers, monitors, radios, cell phones etc… anything with an electrical cord.

Be reminded, these are considered household hazardous waste and should NOT be put in your general trash disposal. Recycle them the safe way for free!

CRV

The Goleta Recycling Center also offers the CRV (California Refund Value) that pays you when you recycle beverage containers. The minimum refund value established for each type of eligible beverage container is 5 cents for each container under 24 ounces and 10 cents for each container 24 ounces or more significant. CRV items include plastic beverage containers marked with CRV (all caps must be removed), aluminum bi-metal, and glass. Not only is this program eco-friendly, but it also pays you back to recycle.

Hours and Other Recycling

The Goleta Recycling Center is open 8 am to 4 pm, Monday – Friday, but they also offer a 24-hour free drop-off of the following items: Aluminum Cans, Glass (no plate or window), Newspaper, Cardboard, Magazines, Office paper, scrap metals, tin cans, plastic bottles that held a liquid, but the cap must be removed. The 24-hour drop-off is a free disposal program available to all Goleta Residents.

The Goleta Recycling Center is a fantastic service facility for all residents to use. Be sure to use these free programs and dispose of your waste in the most effective way possible. If you have hazardous waste other than ABOP, you can take that to the Community Household Hazardous Waste Center. 

The Goleta Recycling Center is located at 20 David Love Place, Goleta. For more information call (805)963-1852.

Get Your Sandbags Now

The storm we had last month is a good reminder to make sure you are prepared. The City provides sand and burlap bags for our residents to protect their homes from storm damage. It is recommended to prepare your property for future storms by filling your sand bags a few days prior to a heavy rain. Three self-service sandbag stations are located at:

  • Fire Station 11 (6901 Frey Way and Storke Road just south of Santa Felicia, across from the main post office)
  • Fire Station 14 (320 Los Carneros Road next to the Stow House Museum lot)
  • Goleta Valley Community Center (5679 Hollister Avenue)

The City’s sandbag stations are stocked and ready for residents. Here are some things you should know about sandbag pick up:

  • Sand and bags are available on a first come, first served basis.
  • Pick up is open during daylight hours, seven days/week.
  • 20 bag limit (additional bags can be purchased at home improvement stores).
  • Bags are for residents.
  • Bring your shovel to fill the bags.
  • It is easiest to fill the bags with two people — one to hold the bag and the other to shovel the sand.

For disposal of old Polypropylene sandbags:

  • Residents may displace old sand in planters or on lawns, and dispose of bags in their trash containers.
  • Residents may also bring their old filled bags to Public Works Corporate Yard located at 6735 Hollister Avenue (behind the Deckers building) for disposal.

Stay informed, register for emergency alerts from Santa Barbara County at readysbc.org, and sign up for emergency information from the City at https://tinyurl.com/GoletaEmergency. Get more tips on winter storm preparedness here.


Fire Station 14 Sandbag Station


Fire Station 11 Sandbag Station

Goleta Valley Community Center Sandbag Station