Participate in Parks & Recreation Month

July 2, 2021

In honor of Parks & Recreation Month this July, the City of Goleta encourages the community to explore their outdoor parks and recreation opportunities in Goleta. To assist, the City has provided a fun-filled calendar of outdoor activities to do throughout the month. In addition to exploring some of Goleta’s great parks and engaging in activities with your families, everyone is encouraged to try something new this summer.

The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) started celebrating Park and Recreation Month in 1985. Parks and Recreation month highlights the vital and powerful role local parks and recreation play in conservation, health and wellness, and social equity efforts in communities across the country.

For any questions, please contact Parks and Recreation Manager JoAnne Plummer at 805-562-5505 or jplummer@cityofgoleta.org.

Goleta Community Center Will Partially Re-Open Mid-July

July 2, 2021

Auditorium and Dining Room Will Remain Closed for Seismic and Accessibility Improvements

Beginning mid-July, the Goleta Community Center (GCC) will re-open for community use, with exception of the dining room and auditorium. Originally built in 1927, the GCC is an important gathering place for our community. The GCC is owned by the City and operated by the non-profit Goleta Valley Community Center (GVCC) organization. Though the GCC has been closed to the public since March of 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions, in an abundance of caution, the auditorium and main dining room areas were closed in January following an inspection and review of existing building condition reports by the City’s Building Official in preparation for the improvements project. Based on this analysis and the consensus of the City’s professional staff, the determination has been made that until seismic repairs are completed, these two rooms should not be open to the public.

Public safety and access to services are the City’s top priorities. Therefore, we are aggressively seeking more than eight million dollars needed for seismic and disability access improvements at GCC to bring it up to today’s seismic and accessibility standards and assure a safe facility for generations to come.

The City has applied to multiple granting agencies in an effort to secure the funding needed for the seismic and ADA improvements. The City received a Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA) grant to design the seismic repairs and qualifies for additional FEMA funding for construction. The City applied for the additional FEMA grant funds for construction, but since they are not guaranteed additional grant opportunities are also being pursued. As for the accessibility improvements, the City has set aside almost $294,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds for that purpose.

Even once funding is secure, the project is likely to take several years to complete. While we know this may be disappointing to many of our community members, our top priority is the safety of GCC users.

Fortunately, the closure of the auditorium and main dining room does not affect the other rooms at the Community Center, including the buildings occupied by the Rainbow School, CommUnify and the COVID-19 testing site on the west side of the GCC main building. The GVCC has announced that it tentatively plans to reopen the rest of the building in mid-July. At that point, other rooms at the Community Center will be available for booking and for existing programs to resume, such as the GVCC Senior Program. GVCC staff has taken time over the last year to improve and refresh many of the classrooms and gathering spaces and are excited to have people back in programs. For information on room rentals and programs, please contact GVCC staff at (805) 967 – 1237.

To mitigate the closure of the auditorium and main dining room, City staff are working with the GVCC staff to evaluate other ideas for providing additional space for community programs.

The City Council will be considering the challenges and future of the Goleta Community Center at its August 17th, 2021, meeting. We encourage interested parties to tune in to learn more.

Goleta City Hall Public Counters Open for In-Person Service

July 1, 2021

The City of Goleta, in compliance with Santa Barbara County health guidelines, has resumed in-person front desk reception and public counter service at City Hall at 130 Cremona Drive. At this time, all visitors must wear a face covering inside the building and maintain social distancing.

City of Goleta Mayor Paula Perotte said, “We have received great feedback about the customer service we provided remotely during the closure, and we will continue to offer this convenience; but we know that some people prefer in-person connections and we are so pleased to be able to serve our community in-person again.”

The front reception desk at City Hall is open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. Community members can come anytime during business hours or make an appointment to stop by.

For public counter service in the City’s Planning Department, walk-ins are welcome during counter hours, but appointments are highly encouraged and will be given priority as occupancy will be limited.

The Building and Safety Counter and the Planning and Zoning Counter are open for in-person consultation by appointment throughout the week and without an appointment on Monday and Wednesday mornings from 8:00 a.m. until noon. Virtual appointments and consultation by telephone or email continue to be available throughout the week during regular business hours, Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. and (Zoning only) Fridays 8:00 a.m. to noon.

Permit applications may be submitted electronically through the City’s Permit Tracking System Public Portal on the City’s website here: www.cityofgoleta.org/i-want-to/apply-for/permits.

New self-service computer kiosks with access to both Permit Tracking System Public Portal and the general “City Assist” citizen service request system are available for your convenience at the City’s public counters during normal counter hours.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our counter staff via the contact information listed below:

Building and Safety Counter: (805) 961-7552 or buildinggroup@cityofgoleta.org
Planning and Zoning Counter: (805) 961-7543 or planningcounter@cityofgoleta.org
City Hall Reception, Monday through Thursday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.: (805) 961-7500

We look forward to seeing you!

Electric Vehicle Charger Rebates Coming Soon

July 1, 2021

Register today for the July 15 webinar

The California Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Project (CALeVIP) is bringing electric vehicle charger incentives to Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura counties in late July. Businesses, commercial properties, multifamily residences, and local government facilities will be eligible to apply for incentives for the purchase and installation of new electric vehicle infrastructure.

The program is funded by a combination of local funds and California Energy Commission funds. In Santa Barbara County, nearly $5 million will be available to fund a mix of Level 2 and DC fast chargers. Eligible applicants may receive up to $80,000 per DC fast charger and up to $6,000 per Level 2 connector.

The program operates on a first-come, first-served basis, and rebates are expected to go quickly. In many areas of California where the program has already been implemented, the millions in funds have been claimed within hours of the program launch. With the launch date quickly approaching, join an upcoming webinar to learn how to apply for a new rebate to help cover EV charging equipment and installation costs. All interested parties are encouraged to start working with eligible vendors to prepare application materials.

Mark your calendar with these important dates:

June 30: Registration opens for Project Requirements Webinar
July 15: Project Requirements Webinar (10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.)
July 27: Launch Date

The July 15 virtual workshop will allow interested parties to gain guidance on the application process and requirements ahead of the July 27 launch date. Registration for the webinar opened on June 30: register here.

For more information about program requirements, view the project website here. If you are a prospective applicant and have questions, please attend the July 15 webinar and feel free to contact Alex Economou, who is an Air Quality Specialist for APCD and also serves as the Coordinator for the Central Coast Clean Cities Coalition: (805) 961-8894.

New Annual Turfgrass Maintenance Program Underway in City Parks

July 1, 2021

The City’s Parks and Open Space Division rolled out a new turfgrass maintenance program this year that is aimed at improving turf health and drought resistance. With summer in full swing, turfgrass plays an increasingly important role for providing fun recreation space. The City manages over 15-acres of irrigated grass in 16 developed parks and improving these areas is a key focus for maintenance staff. Starting in the spring, specialized equipment was used to remove years of built-up dead grass that inhibited new, healthy growth. Known as dethatching, this process allows air and water to get into the rootzone by removing the thick layer of dead grass at the soil surface. Following dethatching, another type of machine is used to punch holes in the soil to a depth of 4-5-inches. This reduces the amount of soil compaction and further encourages air and water to reach the grass roots. Aerifying the root zone creates healthier grass that can tolerate reduced irrigation and common plant diseases.

Focusing on the turfgrass rootzone is important for developing healthy growth aboveground. Roots also need nutrients to produce lush, thick growth, and Parks staff feed the turf with an organic, slow-release fertilizer. City parks are now fertilized in the spring and fall, with special attention to ensure the correct amount of nutrients are applied and no runoff flows into our creeks and waterways. City staff also replaced 60 irrigation heads throughout our turfgrass to ensure better coverage and reduce the amount of wasted water. This summer, staff will be focusing on gopher control to further improve field safety and playing conditions.

For questions or concerns about park maintenance, please contact George Thomson, Parks and Open Space Manager at gthomson@cityofgoleta.org or (805) 961-7578.

Pictured: “Armstrong Park – new turfgrass maintenance program focuses on plant health and water efficiency.”

Footbridge at Lake Los Carneros to Remain Closed

July 1, 2021

The City’s Public Works Department, in coordination with an independent civil engineering firm, completed a structural assessment of the pedestrian footbridge at Lake Los Carneros and will be presenting the findings to City Council at a future meeting. The key findings of the bridge evaluation include:

The bridge should be closed for all operational and service usage.
The existing bridge should be demolished and removed.
The bridge should be replaced, instead of repaired, due to the extent of deterioration of its supporting elements and to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act requirements for accessibility.

The bridge replacement cost and timeline are not yet determined. Public Works Department staff will provide the City Council with a recommended capital improvement project and project delivery process to remove the bridge and begin the redesign and permitting phases. The bridge evaluation report is available here.

For questions or concerns, please contact George Thomson, Parks and Open Space Manager at gthomson@cityofgoleta.org or (805) 961-7578.

Pictured: “An independent civil engineering firm inspects the support posts for the Lake Los Carneros pedestrian bridge.”