Author Archives: Jaime Shaw

State Mobile Vaccine Clinics

Available for schools, employers, community-based organizations, and faith-based organizations.

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) will assist the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department with mobile, pop-up, and on-site vaccinations throughout the County. Effective August 1, 2021, the state’s program will be able to supplement the efforts of the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department with on-site vaccinations to schools, employers, community-based organizations, and faith-based organizations.

The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department launched their local COVID-19 Mobile Vaccine Program last April. Within 3 months, the mobile teams conducted over 60 on-site vaccination clinics across the County, specifically for worksite locations, housing facilities, and churches, and distributing over 12,000 vaccinations. The Mobile Vaccine Program was a strategic response to distribute the vaccine to communities who were disproportionately burdened by COVID-19 and/or where existing access to the vaccine was limited. With a focus on health equity, the program served to remove barriers for groups of individuals (i.e. homebound seniors, homeless) who were unable to get their vaccine at community clinics.

CDPH launched the state mobile vaccination teams earlier in the summer also with the intention to reach communities that had limited access to the COVID-19 vaccine. They offer to deploy mobile vaccination teams to local jurisdictions throughout the state with trained staff to register and administer vaccines.

Any organization interested in organizing a mobile or pop-up clinic, particularly schools, employers, community-based organizations, and faith-based organizations, can complete the intake form by going to https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/mobilevaccination or send inquiries to: mobilevaccinesites@cdph.ca.gov.

Share Your Talent and Time with Goleta

Are you looking for a new way to get involved in your community? The City of Goleta is looking for community members to #JoinTeamGoleta by serving on several of our Commissions and Committees including two youth positions. The City has openings for a Parks and Recreation Youth Commissioner and a Public Engagement Youth Commissioner. The City also has two additional openings on the Public Engagement Commission, two vacancies on the Library Advisory Commission, one vacancy on the Santa Barbara County Library Advisory Committee and two vacancies on the Naming Committee. Applications are available here and are due by July 23, 2021, or until filled.

Goleta City Clerk Deborah Lopez said, “This is a great opportunity for those that want to put their skills to good use, for those interested in making a difference in Goleta, and for those who want to be more involved with the City.”

City of Goleta residents between the ages of 15 and 21, who enjoy spending time in the City’s parks and open space are encouraged to apply for the Parks and Recreation Youth Commissioner position. The Commission advises the City Council on all issues related to parks and recreational opportunities in Goleta. The Parks and Recreation Commission meets every two months on the first Wednesday of every even month.

If you are interested in looking for opportunities and ways to increase public engagement in City government, then you may be interested in serving on the Public Engagement Commission (PEC). Currently there are three positions open including a youth representative. To be considered, you must be a resident of the City of Goleta and not employed by the City. For the youth position, you must also be between 15 and 21 years of age. The Commission has six regularly scheduled meetings per year. Currently, the PEC is assisting with the district mapping process to determine district lines for the City’s first District Elections in November of 2022.

If you are interested in learning how libraries work and helping guide services in the greater Goleta Valley area, then you may be interested in applying for the Library Advisory Commission. This Commission meets the first Monday of each month at 6:00 p.m. There are two vacancies, one member of the incorporated service area of the City of Goleta Valley and one member suggested by the Board of Supervisors and residents of the unincorporated service area of the Goleta Valley. The role of this Commission is to increase citizen participation in library issues by analyzing the library’s needs, considering goals, anticipating future needs and problems, acting as a liaison, and helping to develop consensus for advisement to the Goleta Library Board of Trustees.

The City is also looking for a member to serve on the Santa Barbara County Library Advisory Committee. This Committee’s role is to advise the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors.  It reviews and maintains the master plan for each County library service zone, makes recommendations to ensure adequate library services to all, determines the per capita level of service, reviews budgets, considers site locations and building programs, and reviews the operation of the library. The member represents all of Zone 4, which includes Goleta, Buellton and Solvang.

Finally, if you are interested in naming City Parks, Facilities, open spaces and City buildings, there is also an opportunity to serve as a member of the City of Goleta Naming Committee. You must live in the City of Goleta to apply.

All of the positions are compensated at the rate of $50 per meeting. The Youth Commissioners may choose to waive his/her compensation and receive community service credit instead.

For more information, go to https://tinyurl.com/goletaboards-commissions or e-mail cityclerkgroup@cityofgoleta.org.  

City of Goleta Honors 2021 Spirits of Fiesta and Celebrates Ranchera on the Go!

Mayor Pro Tempore James Kyriaco presented the 2021 Spirit of Fiesta Ysabella Yturralde and 2021 Junior Spirit of Fiesta Savannah Hoover on June 17th with Certificates of Recognition at the beautiful Ranchera La Patera & Stow House. The performers, along with other local dancers, then participated in “Pop Up Performances” at several restaurants on Calle Real and the Camino Real Marketplace over the course of the next several days. While it wasn’t the traditional, large-scale Fiesta Ranchera event at Stow House that Goleta looks forward to each year, it was a great way celebrate Fiesta in Goleta and allowed many of our local restaurants and community members to participate. If you missed it, you can see the dancers perform August 4-8 during Old Spanish Days. Go to www.sbfiesta.org for more details and for a calendar of events. We will let you know if there are any performances in Goleta. Viva La Goleta!


Pictured: Mayor Pro Tempore James Kyriaco with Spirit of Fiesta Ysabella Yturralde 


Pictured: Mayor Pro Tempore James Kyriaco with Junior Spirit of Fiesta Savannah Hoover

Participate in Parks & Recreation Month

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

Goleta Community Center Will Partially Re-Open Mid-July

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

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:

We look forward to seeing you! 

Electric Vehicle Charger Rebates Coming Soon

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

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

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.”

Recreational Opportunities Now Open

As California has opened, so have many recreational opportunities in the City of Goleta.  In May, the City of Goleta re-opened the sand volleyball courts, basketball courts, and bank shot basketball systems, and group picnic reservations have resumed.  In addition to the three reservable picnic areas at Stow Grove Park, the two covered group picnic shelter areas at Jonny D. Wallis Neighborhood Park are now available to reserve.  The City is in the process of creating a fourth reservable location at Stow Grove Park – one of the smaller areas, located next to the playground, will be able to be reserved for parties by August 1st. Stay tuned.

If you have any questions, or you would like to reserve a group picnic area, go to http://cityofgoleta.org/grouppicnic. You can also send an email to parkreservations@cityofgoleta.org.

Pictured Stow Grove Park Area 1