Author Archives: Jaime Shaw

Plastic Bags are Trash

It may seem counterintuitive, but plastic bags and film plastics (i.e. plastic wrapping, saran wrap and small plastic pouches) are no longer recyclable. Several years ago, residents were taught to recycle plastic with a number 3-7. However, there is no longer a market for plastic bags and film plastics mixed in with commingled recyclables. In addition to there being no market, plastic bags are also problematic for our blue mixed recycling bins because they get tangled up with other material. It is difficult to keep plastic bags free of contaminants and to pull them out of the recycling without snagging something else along with them.

Santa Barbara County residents are now being asked to place dirty plastic bags and other film plastics in the trash. Clean plastic bags should be taken back to the grocery store. Learn more at www.lessismore.org. Watch a video here.

New Children’s Room at Goleta Valley Library

Construction on the Goleta Valley Library’s Story Well room is underway! This much-loved area has been used for decades for children’s story-time and other fun activities. Due to the popularity of the library’s storytelling and reading programs, the room has become too small to accommodate its youngest patrons. It will be renovated into a multi-purpose children’s activity room that meets accessibility guidelines, provides shelving space for books, and includes tables that can be used for children’s activities such as tutoring services. Funding for this project is from the Friends of the Goleta Valley Library and a private donor, Karen Boysel. Karen is the mother of Jake Boysel, a young local boy tragically killed in a bicycle accident in 2006. The former story well room is being renovated and named in honor of Jake’s memory, and his joy of reading and spending time at the Goleta Valley Library. We anticipate it being completed and open to children again by mid-November.

Halloween Parking Program for Residents

The fun of Halloween can also be a hassle for local residents because of the parking problems caused by extra visitors to Isla Vista. The City’s parking permit program returns this Halloween to ease the impacts felt by residents. Restrictions are 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 October 20. 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, October 26, 2018, to 7:00 a.m. Saturday, October 27, 2018; and
  • 7:00 p.m. Saturday, October 27, 2018, to 7:00 a.m. Sunday, October 28, 2018

The overnight parking restrictions will not affect AYSO soccer games or others visiting Girsh Park over Halloween weekend. If you live in the area designated to receive a parking permit, and do not receive yours by October 20, please contact the City of Goleta Neighborhood Services Department at 805-961-7558 to make arrangements for a replacement.

For a map of the affected area and additional information, please visit http://tinyurl.com/halloweenparking.

Help us Improve Goleta’s Parks, Facilities & Playgrounds

Thank you to everyone who visited our booth at the Lemon Festival and provided feedback on the City of Goleta’s Parks, Facilities and Playgrounds Master Plan! The City is in the process of putting together this road map for addressing the City’s aging parks and facilities. If you were not able to stop by our booth, we still want to hear from you! Please take our survey by October 24 letting us know your parks and recreation needs. The survey is available in English and Spanish. What would you like to see in our parks? What might your recreation needs be in the future? What do you value in parks and recreation? Thank you in advance for participating!

Another Award for the Hollister Class I Bike Path!

The Hollister Class I Bike Path/Multi-Purpose Path was completed in early January but continues earning accolades. Earlier this year it was named Santa Barbara County Project of the Year by the Santa Barbara-Ventura Branch of ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineers) and most recently the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers selected it as their Bikeways and Trails Project of the Year! The award recognizes a project that has improved or implemented a bikeway and/or multi-use trail (pedestrians and bicycles) in order to increase and promote community connectivity and encourage non-motorized transportation. The 14-foot wide concrete path along Hollister Avenue from Pacific Oaks Road to Ellwood Elementary School makes travel to and from the school more accessible for students living in the area, and also serves UCSB students, recreational riders and commuters. The path promotes active and sustainable transportation for all. Click here to learn more about the Hollister Class I Bike Path/Multi-Purpose Path.

Funding for Road Repairs

In the May 2018 issue of the Monarch Press we provided information on California Senate Bill 1 (SB 1) which was signed into law in April 2017. SB 1 provides funding for road improvements, filling potholes, repairing local streets, freeways and overpasses, and investing in public transportation throughout California communities. The funds come through dollars generated through an additional tax at the gas pump.

The City is excited about our first project using SB 1 funds, the Cathedral Oaks Pavement Rehabilitation project, which is scheduled to begin in late fall / early winter and be completed by spring 2019. This funding may be jeopardized by Proposition 6 (the Voter Approval for Future Gas and Vehicle Taxes and 2017 Tax Repeal Initiative) on the November ballot. If Prop 6 passes, cities will no longer receive the funding they expected from SB 1 and will not be able to make their anticipated road improvements. Prop 6 will eliminate more than $5 billion annually in existing transportation funds and jeopardize more than 6,500 bridge and road safety, transportation and public transit improvement projects currently underway in California.

Learn more about SB 1 at http://rebuildingca.ca.gov/ and Prop 6 at www.cacities.org.  

New Goleta MOVES Educational Program!

Goleta MOVES is a unique program that was developed for children to continue learning about butterflies while access to the Goleta Butterfly Grove on Ellwood Mesa is limited due to the dangers associated with the dead and dying trees. The Grove was not only a beautiful place to experience, but served as an outdoor classroom for thousands of school age children across the county. Committed organizations and volunteers immediately started the process to creatively engage young children and provide them with an opportunity to see something similar and learn of the annual migration of these majestic creatures.

In November 2017, the City received a grant to help fund the development of an outdoor exhibit at Evergreen Park to simulate the Monarch overwintering experience. The exhibit will be installed each October and removed in April to follow the overwintering season and allow the opportunity to maintain and repair the “simulated” butterflies. This program is designed to educate 1st and 2nd graders on the lifecycle of the butterfly, and to teach 6th graders about climate and habitats.

Thanks to dedicated volunteers and professionals from Nature Tracks, Fish and Wildlife, Santa Barbara Natural History Museum, and the City of Goleta, the exhibit has been installed. In addition to the outdoor exhibit, the program includes display boxes for students to see butterflies up close as well as materials and activities to assist in the education process. Fieldtrips are currently being scheduled and will take about 45 minutes for a class of 30 children.  For more information, or to schedule a field trip, contact: Diana Garcia, Butterfly Docent Coordinator, at 805-961-7554 or dgarcia@cityofgoleta.org, or JoAnne Plummer, Parks & Recreation Manager, at 805-562-5505 or jplummer@cityofgoleta.org.

Community Survey Results Are In!

Over the summer, the City’s consultant conducted a survey to get feedback from residents about issues of importance within the City and to better understand how we were performing.  A random sample of 451 residents completed the survey between July 26 and August 13, either online or over the phone.  The survey was offered in both English and Spanish and the sample group matched the U.S. Census bureau’s demographics for Goleta.  The City Council received a presentation of the Community Survey on September 18. Click here to view the staff report and click here to view the presentation.

The overall results were very positive, as indicated by the statistics below.  The last Community Satisfaction Survey the City did in 2008 revealed the overall satisfaction rate was 65% and this year, the overall satisfaction rate is 82%. 

CUSTOMER SERVICE

  • Overall, 30% of residents had been in contact with city staff in the year prior to the interview.
  • Residents with recent staff contact provided high ratings for city staff across the three dimensions tested, with more than eight-in-ten residents indicating that Goleta staff are accessible (94%), professional (90%), and helpful (87%).

COMMUNICATION

  • Overall, 79% of respondents indicated they were satisfied with the City’s efforts to communicate with residents through newsletters, the Internet, local media, and other means. The remaining respondents were either dissatisfied with the City’s efforts in this respect (12%) or unsure of their opinion (9%).
  • Close to two-thirds (65%) of residents reported that they had visited the City’s website and/or recalled receiving communications from the City during the 12 months prior to the interview.
  • Respondents cited email and electronic newsletters as the most effective method for the City to communicate with them (90% very or somewhat effective), followed by the City’s website (85%), direct mail (79%), text messages (76%), and a smart phone app (75%).
  • Even among those who are dissatisfied overall, 2/3rd of those people are still satisfied with the City’s communications.

QUALITY OF LIFE

  • For every eight satisfied residents, there is one dissatisfied resident, which is very high compared to most communities, according to the consultant.
  • Residents shared generally favorable opinions of Goleta, with the most positive ratings provided for the overall quality of life in the City (87% excellent or good), Goleta as a place to live (86%), and as a place to raise a family (82%). Although still positive, residents provided somewhat softer ratings for Goleta as a place to work (69%) and as a place to retire (65%).
  • When asked to identify what they like most about living in the City of Goleta that the City government should preserve in the future, residents were most apt to cite the open space areas/nature preserves (41%), followed by the small town/rural atmosphere (16%), parks/recreation areas (14%), and beaches/ocean (12%). Other specific attributes mentioned by at least 5% of respondents included Goleta’s public safety/low crime rate (6%) and minimal traffic congestion (5%).

CITY SERVICES

  • Eighty-two percent (82%) of Goleta residents indicated they were either very (31%) or somewhat (51%) satisfied with the City’s efforts to provide municipal services. Approximately 11% were very or somewhat dissatisfied, whereas 7% were unsure or unwilling to share their opinion.

OLD TOWN GOLETA   

  • Nearly half (49%) of residents visit Old Town at least once a week, with 14% visiting nearly every day. Three-in-ten residents (31%) visit monthly, 10% frequent Old Town once every few months, 5% visit a few times per year, 4% indicated that they never visit Old Town, and 1% were unsure.
  • Going to Old Town to shop, dine, or use services was by far the most common purpose for visiting, mentioned by 82% of respondents, followed distantly by visiting friends and family in Old Town (20%), recreating there (19%), living in Old Town (11%), and working there (10%).
  • Approximately nine-in-ten residents (89%) feel there are areas in Old Town that are rundown and need to be upgraded. This was consistent about all the subgroups – including residents of Old Town.
  • When asked whether they support or oppose five proposed changes to Old Town, support was strongest for upgrading the appearance of older, outdated buildings while keeping with the ‘Old Town’ feel (89% strongly or somewhat support), followed closely by improving the availability of parking (87%), making it more pedestrian and bike-friendly (84%), and attracting new businesses and retail stores (84%). Although still supported by 61% of Goleta residents, limiting parking in Old Town to a two-hour maximum received somewhat less support. The strongest support for the two-hour parking was from people who are frequent visitors and people who live there.

FUNDING PRIORITIES

  • When asked to prioritize among nine projects and programs that could receive funding in the future, improving the City’s ability to operate in an environmentally sustainable way (78% high or medium priority), funding programs to reduce homelessness (75%), supporting the development of affordable housing (71%), and making the City more bike and pedestrian-friendly (70%) were assigned the highest priorities.

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT & VOLUNTEERING

  • More than a quarter (27%) of residents expressed interest in becoming more involved in the activities and decisions of the City of Goleta by serving on a citizen’s committee or participating in a focus group.
  • When asked whether the Mayor should serve a 2-year term or a 4-year term similar to members of the Goleta City Council, 49% favored a 4-year mayoral term and 44% preferred a 2-year term. An additional 8% of respondents were unsure or preferred not to answer.

Have other thoughts you’d like to share about the survey results? Feel free to share them with pio@cityofgoleta.org.

Speak Up on November 6th

Election Day (Tuesday, November 6) is almost upon us. Are you up to speed on what will be on your ballot for the City of Goleta? For the first time in the City’s history, residents will vote for a directly elected Mayor to serve a two-year term. Read last month’s Monarch Press article “Update on Goleta’s City Council Election” for more information. There are also two ballot measures voters will be asked to decide on: W2018 (City Council and Mayor salaries) and Z2018 (Cannabis Business Tax). Learn about Goleta’s Ballot Measures here.

Nationwide Test of the Emergency Alert System

In order to the check how well the systems are working, there will be a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) on September 20, 2018 (primary date) or October 3, 2018 (secondary date). The WEA test will begin at 11:18 a.m. and the EAS portion will follow at 11:20 a.m.

The EAS test will last approximately one minute and is made available to EAS participants including radio and television broadcasters, cable systems, satellite radio and television providers, and wireline video providers.

The WEA system is used to warn the public about critical situations through alerts on cell phones such as dangerous weather and missing children. Customers whose wireless provider participates in WEA and who own a WEA compatible wireless phone receive geo-targeted alerts of imminent threats to safety in their area through unique tones and vibration. Cell towers will broadcast the WEA test for approximately 30 minutes. During this time, cell phones that are switched on and within range of an active cell tower should be capable of receiving the test message once.

More information on the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System and Wireless Emergency Alerts is available at www.ready.gov/alerts.