Author Archives: Jaime Shaw

Goleta Earned Second Safe City Award this Year

The City of Goleta received its second award this year for being one of the safest cities to live in California! This is the 4th year in a row Goleta has received this honor from SafeWise, a community-focused security organization committed to increasing safety education, awareness, and preparedness. SafeWise compiled its “50 Safest Cities in California” report using the most recent FBI crime data from 2015 to analyze and rank cities with a minimum population of 10,000 people. The cities that made the list had much lower violent crime and property crime rates than the national average. View the full press release and Goleta’s previous safe city awards here: http://ow.ly/OD6230dcW10.

Grab Your Dancing Shoes

Pack your blankets, chairs and a picnic dinner for Goleta’s two free concert series this summer: Music at the Ranch and Concerts at the Gazebo. Head over to Rancho La Patera and Stow House (304 N. Los Carneros Road) on Tuesday nights through August 22 from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. for signature concert series Music at the Ranch. The Goleta Old Town Community Association is also hosting Concerts at the Gazebo every other Wednesday through August 23 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at the gazebo on the lawn in front of the Goleta Valley Community Center (5679 Hollister Avenue). Some restaurants in Old Town will also be serving concert dinner specials. Join your friends and neighbors for a rocking good time at one or both of these family-friendly concert series!

Music at the Ranch upcoming line-up:

  • July 25 – Cadillac Angels
  • August 1 – Tony Ybarra
  • August 8 – Donna Greene & The Roadhouse Daddies
  • August 15 – Area 51
  • August 22 – King Bee

Concerts at the Gazebo upcoming line-up:

  • July 26 – Mezcal Martini
  • August 9 – Superstoked
  • August 23 – The Grooveline

Cruise Down Ward Drive

The Ward Drive Class II Bike Lane is the City’s most recent completed project in our efforts to make improvements for bicyclists and pedestrians within the City of Goleta. The project provides Class II bike lanes (5 feet wide) along Ward Drive from Hollister Avenue to the Atascadero Creek/Obern Trail, connecting the two. Commuters to/from the various business complexes along Ward Drive now have bicycle access; and the direct connection to the Obern Trail offers access to UCSB and Isla Vista. We hope you enjoy the new bike lane! Click here to learn more about the project.

Be Part of the First Public Engagement Commission!

The City of Goleta is now accepting applications for the City’s first Public Engagement Commission.  This Commission is charged with looking for opportunities and ways to increase public engagement in City government.  More specifically, the Commission will make recommendations to the City Council on matters pertaining to:

  • Whether the City should become a charter city;
  • Whether councilmembers should be paid greater compensation, and, if so, how much;
  • Whether regular City Council meeting should be scheduled after 5 p.m.;
  • Whether the directly elected mayor’s term should be 4 years;
  • How to increase resident participation in government;
  • The district mapping process in determining district lines for future district elections; and
  • Any other matters as directed by the City Council.

The Commission will have six regularly scheduled meetings per year and commissioners will be compensated at $50/meeting.  The Commission will be comprised of seven members.  These members must be residents of the City.  They may not be employees or officers of the City of Goleta. 

Apply today!  Applications due by July 31. Completed applications can be dropped off, mailed or emailed to: City of Goleta, Attn: Deborah Lopez, City Clerk, 130 Cremona Drive, Suite B, Goleta, CA 93117. For questions about the application you can contact Deborah Lopez at (805) 961-7505 or dlopez@cityofgoleta.org.

Prepare Now for Tomorrow’s Emergency

Living in Goleta we have the threat of earthquakes, wildfires and floods. Some residents may feel fully prepared for an emergency while others may feel overwhelmed at the thought of having to evacuate. Here are some tips for how to prepare now so you can be ready for the next emergency:

  • Have a pre-packed disaster preparedness kit. This should include at least three days of food, water, medicine and personal care items. It is also a good idea to include a first aid kit, flashlight(s) and extra chargers. Remember to pack food and water for your pets too. Click here for more ideas for your kit.
  • Have your important papers ready. Think about the papers you would need if you lost everything. Make copies and/or scan and put them on a flash drive so you can grab and go.
  • Know your escape route. Start thinking about how you will get out of town (roads may be blocked) and where you will go. Much of it depends on the type of emergency, but it is a good idea to start thinking about it ahead of time.
  • Have a communications plan. You probably have everyone’s contact information in your phone, but also keep important numbers on a piece of paper in case your phone battery dies. Also have numbers for people living out of state, as you may need to communicate through them if phone lines are down locally.

Visit our website at http://www.cityofgoleta.org/projects-programs/emergency-preparedness for more information on how to prepare yourself for an emergency.

Recycle Your Old Batteries at Home

Many of us have old household batteries that we want to dispose of, but don’t know how to do so. Batteries cannot simply be thrown in the trash or recycling bin so what should you do with them? The City of Goleta and County of Santa Barbara want to remind residents that unwanted household batteries can be recycled at home using these simple steps:

  • TAPE the ends of the batteries
  • BAG in a clear plastic bag
  • PLACE on top of your recycling bin on collection days

Click here for more information on recycling batteries from home.

Cathedral Oaks at Winchester Canyon Opens Today!

The City will reopen Cathedral Oaks Road between Winchester Canyon Road and Calle Real on Tuesday, June 6.  The bike lane and shoulder will remain closed until the final repairs are made. The road has been closed since January 30, 2017, due to damage incurred during the rain storms we had. During the closure the City has been looking into the integrity of the crib walls (the retaining walls which hold up the road) and brought in specialty engineers and a geotechnical consultant to assess the road. Read more about the closure in the February issue of the Monarch Press.

WHAT’S NEXT?

The City will soon issue a Request for Proposals to design the ultimate repair or replacement of the retaining wall system. This process could take two years. The roadway will be closed during construction. Since the road condition was caused by the January storms, the City is seeking state and federal aid for emergency repairs.

SLC Hosts Meeting on Platform Holly

The California State Lands Commission (CSLC) is holding a community meeting at Goleta City Hall on Thursday, June 15 from 6-9 p.m. to discuss the future of Platform Holly and the Ellwood Piers.  Come and learn more about what Venoco’s bankruptcy and quitclaiming of its interests in Platform Holly and the Ellwood Piers leases mean for the future of our community.  View the flyer for more information.

Summer Fun in Goleta

Celebrate America’s birthday with these annual 4th of July festivals:

  • Old Fashioned 4th of July (304 N. Los Carneros Road) – Celebrate a hometown Independence Day at Rancho La Patera & Stow House from 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. The festival features live music and entertainment, hayrides, delicious BBQ, games, local artists, classic cars, old engine show and plenty of family-friendly fun.
  • 4th of July Family Fun Fair (150 N. Kellogg Avenue) – Join the Elks Lodge from 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. for a day of family fun with food and activities for everyone. There will be plenty of activities to keep the entire family entertained all day, from face painting and jumpers for the kids to bingo and pull-tabs for the grown-ups. Afterwards, everyone can gather back together and enjoy a nice, cold root beer float.
  • Goleta Fireworks Festival (7050 Phelps Road) – Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Goleta Noontime and The Rotary Club of Goleta, the annual fireworks festival at Girsh Park is an anticipated event all year long. Celebrating its 20th year, activities include bounce houses, a rock climbing wall, corn hole, watermelon and pie eating contests, face painting, carnival games and more. There will be live music by DJ Qu1z0 and local favorite, Area 51. Gates open at 5:00 p.m. and the spectacular fireworks show begins at 9:00 p.m.

 Additional summer events to look forward to include:

  • Music at the Ranch (304 N. Los Carneros Road) – Grab your picnic blanket and dancing shoes for everyone’s favorite outdoor summer concert series: Music at the Ranch! Relax with family and friends while enjoying music from the area’s favorite bands, Tuesdays July 11 – August 15 from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. at Stow House.
  • Goleta’s Dam Dinner: Mark your calendars for Saturday, August 19 from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. for the Fifth Annual Dam Dinner at the Lake Los Carneros Dam! Last year’s event was the best yet with more than 300 people coming out to enjoy the good weather, rockin’ music and to spend time with family, friends and neighbors. Stay tuned for more information. Please follow us on Facebook @DamDinner to be kept apprised on the latest information about this fun, family-friendly event.

Let the Sun Save You Money

The Community Environmental Council (CEC) has launched Solarize Santa Barbara to help make going solar simpler and more affordable for homeowners. Solarize Santa Barbara is a community-led group-purchasing program for residential solar electric systems available throughout Santa Barbara County through July 30, 2017. Two installers (Brighten Solar and Planet Solar) have been selected by a committee of local experts and are offering sizeable discounts on installs within the County. Previous CEC Solarize programs on the Central Coast have helped 524 homeowners go solar. To help homeowners better understand the process and benefit of going solar, as well as financing options, CEC is hosting free, educational workshops throughout Santa Barbara County. Join them in Goleta on Wednesday, June 21 at 6:00 p.m. at the Goleta Valley Community Center, Room 1 (5679 Hollister Avenue). Learn more at www.cecsb.org/go-solar/solarize.