Author Archives: Jaime Shaw

Wildfire Preparedness

The threat of wildfires is always a concern and now is a great time to take some important safety precautions. The Santa Barbara County Fire Department along with the U.S. Forest Service – Los Padres National Forest is reminding the public that in the event of a wildfire, the effort you place on preparing yourself and your property will greatly enhance your safety and your property’s survivability.

The Santa Barbara County Fire Department offers the following tips to help you prepare:

  1. If you live near natural vegetation, clear brush back 100 feet from structures to create a “defensible space” for firefighters
  2. Assemble emergency
  3. Prepare a wildfire action plan.
  4. Determine evacuation
  5. Monitor weather conditions when a fire might occur or to know if there is danger from a wildfire that is already
  6. If a wildfire is already threatening one’s home, go and evacuate

The U.S. Forest Service – Los Padres National Forest reminds residents that fire restrictions in the forest will soon be elevated and dispersed campfires will be prohibited. Santa Barbara County residents should also be familiar with “One Less Spark, One Less Wildfire” principles that include ensuring your vehicle is properly maintained and that tow chains are secured, and that lawn mowers and weed whackers are used only in the mornings and late afternoons.

The Santa Barbara County Fire Department reminds people that fire season is now year round. What you do now can increase your home’s survivability later. Please visit www.sbcfire.com Ready! Set! Go! program for more information on preparing your personal wildfire action plan.

All Santa Barbara County Fire Department News Releases are available at www.sbcfire.com

Photo courtesy of Photographer Mike Eliason with the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.

City of Goleta Census 2020 Self-Response Rate Continues to Climb

The City of Goleta is pleased to report that over 68% of all Goleta households have filled out their 2020 Census. As a comparison, the final response number for the City of Goleta in the 2010 Census was 75.3%. The City of Goleta is encouraging community members to Make Goleta Count and fill out their census NOW if they have not already.  We need your help to achieve our goal of 100% participation in the 2020 Census!  The City is proud of our Make Goleta Count campaign which has helped spread the word about the importance of filling out the census. Please watch and share our Make Goleta Count video.

Mayor of Goleta Paula Perotte said, “I am so proud of our community for Goleta’s strong response so far but we have more work to do to make sure everyone is counted. If you have not completed your census yet, please take just a few minutes to do so. Also, it’s important that you encourage others to complete their census as well. Let’s get everyone counted!”

This is the first year you can fill out your census on-line at www.My2020Census.gov. If you did not respond to a postcard invitation to participate on-line, you should have received a paper copy of the census. If you need help filling out your census, you can call the toll-free number at (844) 330-2020. 

When filling out your census, please remember to count everyone in your household even if they are not family members. Also, don’t forget to count children even if they are babies.  It’s estimated that one in 10 children under age five were missed in the last census.  That is more than two million uncounted children. Also, it’s important to know that the 2020 Census is confidential and your personal information, by law, can’t be shared.

Emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic are precisely why the government needs accurate 2020 Census Data. Your response to the 2020 Census shapes decisions about how billions of dollars in federal funds flow into communities each year for the next ten years.

The following items are at stake for Goleta if there is an undercount in the 2020 census:

  • Loss of revenue for TEN years
  • Federal funding for Community Development Block Grants
  • Library funding
  • Gas tax related revenue for road repairs
  • Special funding based on population
  • District election boundaries

You can track the Census completion rate for the City and other areas by using the Response Rate Map. 

Learn more about the 2020 Census on the City’s census webpage and on Santa Barbara County’s census website. Information in Spanish is also available on the City website and Santa Barbara County website. 

Warning Regarding Scams Targeting Public During COVID-19 Crisis

It is hard to understand how anyone could take advantage of people during this pandemic but unfortunately some scammers are using this crisis to cash in on people during a time where they may be vulnerable.  The City of Goleta wants to warn our community to be on the lookout for potential scams and to NEVER give any personal or financial information to anyone unless you have verified the request is legitimate. 

SoCalGas is warning customers of a scam where the caller informs the resident that they have a delinquent payment and that their service will be shut off if they don’t pay over the phone immediately. SoCalGas wants customers to know they do not call customers seeking payment. Southern California Edison (SCE) is reporting a similar scam.

SoCalGas is sharing the following tips on how to recognize and respond to these scams.

Be on the lookout for these common scam tactics:

  • Caller ID spoofing with calls that appear to be coming from SoCalGas. The caller may try to sell products, collect personal information, or collect payment on your gas bill. Please note that SoCalGas will never ask for payment through the phone.
  • Phishing emails, texts and social media posts with malicious attachments asking you to send personal information or money to another entity.
  • Utility imposters appearing at your place of residence or business demanding payment.

How to protect yourself:

  • Never provide your personal information such as social security numbers, credit card numbers, bank account numbers, or share names and passwords with anyone claiming to be a utility representative.
  • Always ask to see a SoCalGas photo ID badge before letting someone inside your home. All SoCalGas employees on company business are required to carry a badge.
  • Customers are encouraged to verify the employee’s uniform and identification. Most of our authorized employees will always be in a uniform with our company logo, carry an official employee badge, and drive a company car. SoCalGas employees will always be happy to wait while the customer confirms their identity.
  • Customers can always check the status of their SoCalGas account or pay their latest bill by logging on to My Account.

More information is available on the SoCalGas website.

Southern California Edison is also warning customers about scams. Click here to see their tips.

Please report scams to the non-emergency Sheriff’s Office Dispatch line at 805-683-2724.

Meet Our New Chief of Police Services and Community Resource Deputy

The City of Goleta is pleased to welcome two new faces to the Goleta Police Department.  Lt. Rich Brittingham is the City’s new Chief of Police Services and Deputy Ben Sandu is our new Community Resource Deputy. 

City of Goleta City Manager Michelle Greene said, “These are key public safety positions for the City and we are pleased to partner with both of these experienced law enforcement professionals to help maintain a safe community and provide a high level of service to our residents.”

Director of Neighborhood Services and Public Safety Vyto Adomaitis said, “The City of Goleta and the Sheriff’s Office enjoy a mutually respectful and collaborative working partnership.  I am excited to work with both Lt. Brittingham and Deputy Sandu on the chief concern of the City which is public safety.”

Lt. Brittingham is a 17-year veteran of the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office and has more than 20 years of law enforcement experience. He has held a number of assignments during his career including as a patrol deputy in the City of Goleta and as a detective with the Special Investigations Bureau.  In 2013, he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant and served the county areas of Carpinteria and Isla Vista.  In 2016, Lt. Brittingham was transferred to the Criminal Investigations Bureau.  On April 6, 2020, he was promoted to Lieutenant and was subsequently assigned to his new role as Chief of Police Services for the City of Goleta.

Lt. Brittingham said, “I am looking forward to serving the citizens of Goleta.  I am eager to help build a strong team, working together to foster great relationships that promote a safe community and improve the quality of life.”

Deputy Ben Sandu served in the Marine Corps for four years before being hired by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office in 2008.  He has spent most of his career on patrol and also worked as a bailiff. Deputy Sandu is an Arrest and Control Officer, a Field Training Officer and on the Sheriff’s Special Enforcement Team.  He has also served on the Sheriff’s Dive Team.

Deputy Sandu is a firm believer in community policing and the philosophy that “Police are the public and the public are the police.” He said, “Goleta is a thriving community and my favorite place to work. It is my natural disposition to reach out and make new relationships and connections with those around me. Combine that with 11 years of experience, and I’m presented with a great opportunity to do what I enjoy and work in the Goodland.”

We wish both Lt. Brittingham and Deputy Sandu a great chapter ahead with the City of Goleta and thank them in advance for their service.

National Police Week starts on Sunday May 10th and runs through Saturday May 16th.  This is a time where we can remember law enforcement officers who have given their lives in the line of duty. It’s also a great opportunity to thank the Goleta Police Department, and all of the men and women of the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office, for all they do to protect the City of Goleta.  

Connected 2050 Launches: A Long-Term Plan on Transportation, Housing, and Jobs

Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG) in partnership with the Community Environmental Council (CEC) seeks the public’s input on Connected 2050 Regional Transportation Plan and Sustainable Communities Strategy (RTP-SCS). Connected 2050 is an update to Santa Barbara County’s long-range regional transportation plan and sustainable communities strategy. Connected 2050 RTP-SCS will help guide future planning efforts and policy decisions that affect transportation and its relationship with housing, jobs, and land use to reduce greenhouse gas gases from light-duty vehicles that contribute to climate change. SBCAG is expected to adopt Connected 2050 in August 2021. 

“The recommendations of Connected 2050 will influence Santa Barbara County’s long-term growth and development for the next 30 years,” said Marjie Kirn, Executive Director of SBCAG. “We cannot deny the impact of the COVID-19 public health emergency on our daily lives for the foreseeable future, we need the public’s participation in this process as it will have tremendous influence on how to build a better and more sustainable community in the future. We will be asking residents and businesses about safe and affordable housing, how essential goods like medicine and food are transported, and how far we travel to reach our jobs or schools.”

The public is encouraged to get involved with Connected 2050 by texting “CONNECT” to (833) 956-0921 or sign up for updates at Connected2050.org, or Conectados2050.org for a Spanish-language version. There will be multiple opportunities for residents and businesses to share experiences and ideas on housing, jobs and transportation through October 2020. 

Connected 2050 RTP-SCS will help create communities where people can live, work, play and prosper. At its core, Connected 2050 RTP-SCS is intended to reduce greenhouse gas emission that contribute to climate change while helping achieve a number of important local and statewide goals. Connected 2050 will identify goals and objectives developed by public participation to guide the development of recommendations addressing five core topics like such as the environment, mobility & system reliability, equity, health & safety, and a prosperous economy.

SBCAG updates the Sustainable Communities Strategy with their Regional Transportation Plan every 4 years. The last RTP-SCS update was completed in 2017. Between now and early October 2020, SBCAG will use technical analysis and community input to create several different future scenarios. Each of the scenarios that SBCAG develops will represent a different vision for future development, growth, and transportation in the Santa Barbara. CEC is supporting SBCAG’s outreach goals for Connected 2050 by helping to connect with a wider range of stakeholders who can share their vision for their community’s future. Just Communities is working with SBCAG and CEC to create a multilingual community outreach process for Connected 2050, using best practices from their Language Justice Initiative to ensure that everyone’s voices are truly heard and included in the final Connected 2050 plan.

A final version of Connected 2050 RTP-SCS will be adopted by August 2021.

Stay Active at Home with Virtual Recreation Ideas

The Neighborhood Services and Public Safety Department (NSPS) encourages you to check out our new Virtual Recreation Page to help residents stay active during the current Stay at Home Order. This page was created to assist families with ideas for projects and activities to do at home, including ways to stay active. One highlight is a virtual scavenger hunt which is updated weekly. As a reminder, the Goleta Valley Library has also put together a page on how to keep busy for all ages, which can be found here.

The City has also revamped our Parks, Recreation & Open Spaces pages. These include updated amenities and park information. Check out our Pickleball page for important information and guidelines during COVID-19. 

Goleta’s Newly Adopted Zoning Ordinance is Online

We are pleased to report that the City’s New Zoning Ordinance (NZO) is now available online for use. The NZO, now referred to as Title 17 of the Goleta Municipal Code, went into effect in April 2020, replacing old zoning regulations. The online, codified Title 17 is searchable and includes internal hyperlinks. There are also external hyperlinks to other government code citations. Navigating our land use regulations with this online platform is simplified and easier than ever before! Click here to check it out. Learn more about the City’s New Zoning Ordinance at http://www.goletazoning.com/.

Virtual Open House on Refugio Beach Oil Spill Restoration Proposals

As part of the settlement of the 2015 Refugio Beach Oil Spill, state and federal trustee agencies for natural resources are holding a virtual open house on May 13, 2020 from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. and again from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. At the meeting, the trustees will provide information and accept feedback on proposed restoration projects presented in the Draft Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan.

During these virtual public meetings, the draft plan will be outlined, followed by a written question and answer session. Written public comments will also be accepted.

The draft plan describes the injuries to birds, marine mammals, subtidal and shoreline habitats and human use impacts resulting from the Refugio Beach Oil Spill. The plan also identifies restoration projects to restore injured wildlife and habitats, and to compensate the public for lost recreation. The agreed settlement with Plains All-American Pipeline to restore natural resources totaled $22.3 million. 

Written comments on the DARP must be postmarked by June 8, 2020, to be considered part of the official record. Comments should be sent by email or letter to:

Refugio Beach Oil Spill Natural Resource Trustees
C/O Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office
2493 Portola Road, Suite B
Ventura, CA  93004 
Attn:
Michael Anderson, California Department of Fish and Wildlife
Jenny Marek, United States Fish and Wildlife Service 

The natural resource trustee agencies include the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the United States Department of the Interior, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Office of Spill Prevention and Response, the California Department of Parks and Recreation, the California State Lands Commission and the Regents of the University of California.

Each trustee agency has authorization to act on behalf of the public under state and/or federal law to assess and recover natural resource damages and to plan and implement actions to restore, rehabilitate, replace, or acquire the equivalent of the affected natural resources injured as a result of an oil spill.

Background 

On May 19, 2015, a pipeline owned and operated by Plains All American Pipeline ruptured releasing approximately 120,000 gallons of oil along the Santa Barbara coastline, 50,000 of which entered the ocean. The incident heavily oiled beaches in the area including Refugio and El Capitan state beaches, injuring wildlife and their habitat and fisheries, in addition to loss of recreation use. Wind and oil currents pushed the oil to Ventura and as far south as Los Angeles County.

For more information contact Eric Laughlin, California Department of Fish and Wildlife at (916) 214-3279 or Ashley McConnell, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at (805) 677-3301.

Every day is Earth Day

Last month we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the first Earth Day, when 20 million Americans took to the streets to demonstrate against the impacts that 150 years of industrialism had on the country. A lot has changed since April 22, 1970, and the focus of this battle has shifted to the climate crisis, with the stakes getting higher every year. Although we could not physically mobilize together this year, the heart of the cause and our duty to do our part for the Earth remains the same.

There are many ways that you can continue to help our planet from your home or while maintaining physical distancing rules:

  1. Plant a home garden or a tree. Planting produce at home is a fun activity and can save you a future trip to the store, helps pollinators, and provides cleaner air. But make sure to avoid harmful pesticides.
  2. Buy local produce. This not only helps reduce pollution incurred by transporting goods a long distance, but also supports local business in this trying time.
  3. Throw away less. Ideas include skipping the plastic utensils when you order takeout, only buying what you’ll use, and recycling and composting when you can.
  4. Host a solo clean-up day. Picking up litter locally is a great way to remain physically active. Remember to put on your gloves, mask, and maintain a safe physical distance.
  5. Donate if you are able to. Research your favorite environmental organization and contribute to their work.
  6. Learn and share the knowledge. With more free time on our hands, now is the perfect time to read up on environmental issues and solutions.

Installing Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Just Got Easier

The City is another step closer to reaching its 100% renewable energy goals. On April 21, the Goleta City Council unanimously voted to streamline the permit process for installing new Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Stations. The new ordinance was adopted the day before Earth Day, apt timing as this action makes it easier to install electric vehicle charging equipment and moves the City one step closer to reaching its 100% Renewable Energy Goals. The transportation sector remains California’s largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for about 40% of the state’s total. Goleta’s action will accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles and help the City, its residents, and businesses, reduce greenhouse gas emissions in our region.

This action will amend the City’s building code to streamline the process of obtaining permits to install charging stations for single-family homes, multi-family apartments, businesses, and government buildings by allowing electronic submittal of applications and minimizing review time. Goleta is now compliant with AB 1236, a state law meant to remove obstacles and minimize costs for permitting charging equipment. While less than 15% of jurisdictions throughout California have adopted such regulations, the new ordinance qualifies Goleta as “EV Permit Ready” under the state’s designation making Goleta and our partners in the county eligible for up to $4 million in California Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Project (CALeVIP) funds pending California Energy Commission selection.

The new ordinance goes into effect on May 22, 2020. Please find more information about application submittal requirements and the ordinance here.

The newest charging stations to be added to Goleta are the twelve Tesla superchargers that were installed in late April at the Camino Real Marketplace.