Author Archives: Jaime Shaw

Goleta Deputy Gets E-Bike

Goleta’s Community Resource Deputy (CRD) Ehren Rauch has a brand-new motor-assisted bicycle, or e-bike. The City purchased the e-bike for CRD Rauch to help enhance his patrol efforts in the City of Goleta.

CRD Rauch came up with the idea to purchase an e-bike, “We had a standard manual powered bike, but it was very outdated and in need of repair.” The new e-bike was chosen for its large tires and ability to go off-road on trails and the beach, locations that a cruiser normally would be unable to easily access.”

CRD Rauch said, “I am very excited to be out in the community on an e-bike. This allows me to provide outreach and enforcement in places that are typically not patrolled by a deputy in a car.” The new e-bike will assist with patrols on the Ellwood Bluffs, Lake Los Carneros, railroad tracks, city parks, Old Town, and large events such as the Lemon Festival or parades.

The e-bike, costing approximately $4,000, is more nimble than your typical police cruiser and requires less man-power than a regular pedal-powered bike. It came equipped with several accessories and features including: center drive motor, installed red-and-blue lights, siren package, storage bag with police markings on the side, a range of 50 miles and can travel at speeds up to almost 30 miles per hour.

“I have already had several positive interactions with the public on the e-bike and look forward to having many more,” said CRD Rauch.

Utility Work Begins on Two Big Projects

Ekwill Street & Fowler Road Extensions and Hollister Avenue Bridge Projects

Two highly anticipated City Capital Improvement Projects, the Ekwill Street & Fowler Road Extensions and Hollister Avenue Bridge Relocation Projects, are getting closer to becoming a reality. Construction work began February 6 to relocate utilities that are in conflict with the Projects.

When completed, the Ekwill Street & Fowler Road Extensions and Hollister Avenue Bridge Relocation Projects will provide new east west access across Old Town Goleta, two roundabouts on Hollister Avenue at the interchange with State Route 217 and complete flood control capacity improvements.

With the upcoming utility relocation work, there will be traffic impacts on Hollister Avenue between State Route 217 and S. Kellogg Avenue for approximately four weeks beginning February 6, 2023. Alternating eastbound and westbound lane closures will be necessary to facilitate the relocation work. Construction work will take place Monday – Friday between 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Motorists are reminded to please drive cautiously through the work zones and are encouraged to use alternate routes if possible.

Learn more about these projects on the City website. For the Ekwill Street and Fowler Road Extensions Project click here, and for the Hollister Avenue Bridge Project click here. For questions on the upcoming utility work, please contact Melissa Angeles, Assistant Engineer, at mangeles@cityofgoleta.org.

Public Comment Period Open for County Housing Plan Proposal

The County of Santa Barbara has released the Draft 2023 – 2031 Housing Element Update for public review and is seeking public comments. To view the Draft Housing Element Update, please go to: https://www.countyofsb.org/3177/Housing-Element-Update.

The Draft Housing Element Update plans for existing and projected housing needs to accommodate 5,664 new housing units within the unincorporated areas of Santa Barbara County between the years of 2023 to 2031. It describes countywide policies and programs and identifies a range of sites that will be considered for rezones to meet the required number of housing units.

The County encourages all community members to review and submit comments on the Draft Housing Element Update by 5:00 PM on March 1, 2023. Public comments may be submitted by email to housingelement@countyofsb.org or by mail to:

Santa Barbara County Planning and Development,
Long Range Planning Division, Attn: Jessi Steele
123 East Anapamu Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Further opportunities for public comment will be available throughout the Housing Element Update adoption process.

Goleta Gets its First 3-D House

Goleta has its first 3D printed affordable home. The Housing Trust Fund (HTF) is sponsoring the home on property located at 550 Cambridge Drive.

The 3D printed affordable home will be an entry-level one-story single-family home of approximately 1,400 square feet with a 400 square foot 2-car garage. The home will be printed using a start-of-the-art on-site robotic arm that has an internal stabilization system and can be easily set-up and moved around the site. The material for construction of the walls of the home will be reinforced concrete, with a structural integrity equivalent to concrete masonry construction. The construction materials for the home structure are fire resistant, climate resilient and natural.

The home will have a private patio and fenced play area for the residents, with the land behind the home a future gardening or farming area for Cambridge Drive Community Church. The home will include energy efficient systems and sustainability features, including a solar photovoltaic system and drought tolerant and/or edible landscaping. 

The project will be 100% affordable and the home will be leased to a local housing provider who will operate and manage the home. 

HTF will engage the community in the planning and design of the project through hosting a community presentation and through outreach to local schools, business and civic groups. The community will be invited to view the 3D printing of the home. The completed prototype 3D printed home will serve as a local and regional model for new housing technology that has the potential to save time and cost in constructing affordable housing and uses sustainable building materials.

The collaborative partners for this prototype home are the Cambridge Drive Community Church and Apis Cor a robotics engineering firm that was a NASA finalist to develop housing on Mars. Detty Peikert of RRM Design Group is the architect for the project. People’s Self-Help Housing Corporation is also providing technical assistance for the project in the areas of local approvals and project cost estimates.

Electric Vehicle Rebates and Incentives

2023 will be a big year for electric vehicles and EV infrastructure in California and our community. With new charging stations planned for installation in Goleta this year, there’s never been a better time to electrify your vehicle. Thanks to State and Federal programs funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act, there are many rebates and incentives for EV purchasing, and installations of EV charging stations. Thinking about making the switch to electric? Already have an EV and looking to improve your charging capacity? Read on to learn more about some of the local, state, and federal programs available! 

EV Purchasing
  • Central Coast Community Energy’s Electrify Your Ride Program provides CCCE customers with a “one-stop-shop” for transportation electrification rebates and support. Rebates between $1,000 and $4,000 are available for new vehicles, and between $1,000 and $3,000 for used vehicles. Check out eligibility here.  

  • SCE’s  Pre-owned electric vehicle rebate program offers two rebate options when purchasing or leasing an electric vehicle. Eligible applicants may receive a $1,000 rebate for the purchase or lease of a pre-owned EV (income qualified applicants may receive $4,000 based on their household level of income). Check out the program requirements and apply here.  

  • The Clean Vehicle Rebate Project (CVRP) promotes clean vehicle adoption in California by offering rebates from $1,000 to $7,000 for the purchase or lease of new, eligible zero-emission vehicles, including electric, plug-in hybrid electric and fuel cell vehicles. The website includes a savings calculator, searchable list of eligible vehicles, and a simple application process.  

  • The IRS has an updated Clean Vehicle Tax Credit for 2023. Applicants may qualify for up to $7,500 in credit for a qualified plug-in EV or fuel-cell electric vehicle. Learn more about eligibility and qualified vehicles here. 
EV Charging stations 
  • Central Coast Community Energy Electrify your ride – Rebates are available for electric vehicles, Level 2 EV chargers, and EV readiness. All CCCE customers with an account in good standing are eligible to apply to the Electrify Your Ride rebates. Per fiscal year, applicants are eligible for one EV rebate per household, one Level 2 charger rebate per site address, and one EV readiness rebate per site address. Rebates for new vehicles, used vehicles, level 2 chargers, and EV Readiness are available. Rebates range from $400 up to $4,000. 

Goleta Street Sweeping Reminder

The City needs your help to make our Street Sweeping Program a success. We want to remind everyone that in order to get our streets clean, we need everyone’s cooperation in moving obstructions that are in the street (i.e. vehicles, trash cans, basketball hoops, mobile homes, large vans, boats, trailers, etc…) on your street sweeping day.

The City updated the street sweeping routes and schedule for Eastern Goleta this past October so that each side of a street is swept every other week. By sweeping each side of a street on different days, it provides more flexibility for residents as it relates to street parked vehicles and helps avoid the need for implementing parking restrictions. 

How Can You Help?

  • Move obstructions on your street sweeping days. This allows the street sweeper to more effectively clean the street.
  • Know your zone and schedule!Visit CityOfGoleta.org/StreetSweeping for maps and mor information. Print a schedule to put on your fridge for easy reference and consider setting a reminder if you need to! 

Please note: The street sweeping program for Western Goleta is managed by the Goleta West Sanitary District. The routes and schedule remain unchanged. View the map and calendar for Western Goleta at https://goletawest.org/street-sweeping.)  

Resources:

Please reach out to the Environmental Services Division at EnvironmentalServices@CityOfGoleta.org with any questions or comments. 

Our Water Our World: Growing Beautiful Roses

Learn about growing beautiful roses while using effective eco-friendly pest control and less toxic products with these tips from the City of Goleta’s Environmental Services Division. You can grow beautiful roses without using insecticides and fungicides which kill beneficial insects and pollute local creeks, rivers, bays, and the ocean. These tips will help you to protect your family’s health and the environment while you grow strong, healthy roses with glorious blooms. 

Choosing the Right Rose 

Do some homework before you choose! Before buying a rose, find out whether it’s a good match for your garden. Learn how much sun the rose needs, how well it will tolerate your garden’s climate, and whether it is prone to diseases such as rust and powdery mildew. 

  • No roses are completely disease-free, but many can be grown with minimal care. Choose rose varieties that are disease-resistant and suited to your garden’s climate. Some roses will not grow well in areas that are cool in summer and get a lot of fog. Rose varieties with fewer than 30 petals grow better in cool-summer areas. 
  • Visit a local rose garden during the growing season to see what different kinds of roses look like and to learn about how they grow and what they need to stay healthy. 
  • Ask local gardeners for suggestions. Contact local garden clubs, rose societies, nurseries, and Master Gardeners for lists of roses they recommend for your area. 
  • When you buy a new rose, be sure to start with a healthy plant.  
Planting Roses 

Before you buy, be sure you have a good spot in your garden for your new rose. 

  • Roses need at least six hours of direct sunlight per day for most of the growing season. Sunlight encourages blooms and discourages disease. 
  • Give roses room to grow. Good air circulation is very important for preventing disease. 
  • Consider planting roses in mixed beds (with other flowers and vegetables). Growing different types of plants in your garden attracts beneficial insects and helps roses stay pest and disease-free. 
  • Roses need good drainage. In the spot you’ve chosen for planting, dig a hole the size of a gallon jug and fill it with water. If the hole doesn’t drain in an hour or less, choose another spot or build a raised bed for your roses. 
Caring for Your Roses 

Water. It is important to give your roses the right amount of water. Waterlogged soil will kill roses, and drought conditions can stress plants, making them more susceptible to pests and diseases. 

Fertilizer. Roses prefer slightly acidic soil (pH 6.2 to 6.8) that is not high in salt. 

Mulch. Mulching with organic materials, like compost and shredded bark or leaves, helps to keep soil moist, control weeds, and improve soil structure. Mulching also keeps roots cool in summer heat. Mulch can prevent the spread of diseases like black spot by keeping fungus spores in the soil from splashing up onto the plant. Spread a two- to four-inch layer of mulch around each plant. Keep the mulch a few inches away from the trunk. 

Pruning. Careful pruning helps keep roses healthy and prevents disease and pest problems. Pruning allows you to remove dead, spindly, or diseased parts of the plant, shape plants and promote flowering and new growth, and ensure good air circulation to discourage diseases. Use sharp tools so you won’t tear the bark or damage the cane. 

Managing Common Rose Pests and Diseases 

Many common pests and diseases that affect roses can be controlled without resorting to chemical pesticides. Inspect plants regularly to detect any diseases or pests before they become a problem. Become familiar with the pests and diseases that are common in your area. Before you treat plants for insect problems, look for beneficial insects (good bugs) such as ladybugs, lacewings, syrphid flies, and orange-and-black soldier beetles. If you see these natural enemies of rose pests in your garden, don’t use an insecticide, because you are likely to kill more beneficial insects than pests (see Less-toxic Chemical Controls). 

Less-toxic Chemical Controls 

If disease or pest problems can’t be managed by good garden housekeeping, you may want to use a less-toxic pesticide. Because these products prevent but do not cure disease, treatments must begin before symptoms are widespread. To avoid burning leaves and flowers with chemical spray, water plants the day before you treat them and test a few leaves and petals before spraying the whole plant. Be sure to coat both sides of the leaves. 

  • Horticultural oils help protect roses from fungal diseases. They create a thin coating that keeps spores from infecting the leaves. Treatment should begin when new leaves appear in spring and must be repeated whenever you see new growth. 
  • Biofungicides attack fungal diseases like powdery mildew and black spot. 
  • Neem oil can help prevent powdery mildew, black spot, and rust. Neem oil is toxic to bees, so it is safest to spray it in the evening. 
  • Plant-based insecticides with garlic extract both kill and repel insect pests such as aphids and rose slugs (sawfly larvae). Apply early in the morning or at dusk, to prevent leaf burn. 
  • Potassium bicarbonate, similar to common baking soda, can prevent powdery mildew. It must be applied weekly.  
  • Sulfur can be effective against black spot, powdery mildew, and rust. Do not use when temperatures are higher than 85F° to avoid burning leaves. 

Find more information on Growing Beautiful Roses in our OWOW brochures in English and Spanish.  

The City of Goleta along with the Cities of Buellton, Carpinteria, Solvang, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, and the County of Santa Barbara have partnered with the OWOW organization to promote the use of less-toxic products in an effort to reduce pesticide pollution in our communities. By reducing pesticide use and the use of less-toxic products around the home, you can help reduce pesticides and other pollutants such as herbicides and fertilizers from being picked up while watering or when it rains and transported to the nearest storm drain inlet and into our waterways. The OWOW website is a great resource for finding less-toxic products to use around your home or garden. 

Love Your Local Library

Learn how you can celebrate Valentine’s Day with crafts, cards and more this month at your library!

Goleta Valley Library

“I Love My Library!” Write a Valentine to Goleta Valley Library
Valentine templates available all month
Display in Multipurpose Room February 14th – 28th
Write a Valentine to the Goleta Valley Library! Use our heart-shaped template to share a memory, draw a picture, or express your love of books and reading. Drop off your heart by February 12th to be featured on our gallery wall starting on Valentine’s Day, February 14th through February 28th! Valentines will be accepted and added to the display all month. All ages welcome.

Children’s Valentine Craft
Saturday, February 11th from 2-4pm
Drop by the library for a fun-filled crafternoon! Make Valentine cards, a paper bag puppet, and find “Cupid on the shelf” to win a prize! Best for children ages 12 and under.

Buellton Library

Valentine’s Treasure Hunt
All month of February
Ask the front desk about our scavenger hunt anytime during the month of February! Search for letters that spell a lovely word in the library and get a sweet surprise. Plus, sign a Valentine for local homebound seniors in the Santa Ynez Valley. Best for ages 3-12.

February Craft Day
February 11th from 12-3pm
Drop in for an all-ages craft! Join us for an afternoon of Origami roses, Valentine’s Cards, and much more! No registration required.

Solvang Library

Family Night at Solvang Library
Wednesday, February 15th at 5:00 pm 
A new monthly event on third Wednesday evenings, with stories, activities, and fun for the whole family. Come spend some time together at the library. In February the theme is: our families! Be ready to play some games and have snacks! Please sign up online so we can plan for you. 

Learn more about Library programming, and register for events, on the Library website at www.GoletaValleyLibrary.org.

Winter Reading Program in Full Swing

The 2023 Winter Reading Program at the Goleta and Santa Ynez Valley Libraries is happening now through February 28th! Community members of all ages are invited to participate in the categories for children, teens, and adults. This year’s theme of “Reading Makes You Bright!” encourages readers of all ages to expand their horizons through our collection of books and online materials.

To participate, simply complete one entry ticket per book that you read during the program. Then, enter your tickets into the prize drawing boxes for your age group at your local branch for a chance to win exciting prizes in our weekly drawings! Plus, all the tickets submitted during the program will be entered into a grand prize drawing for everyone who participated. Entry boxes are available at the Goleta Valley Library, the Isla Vista Bookvan, Solvang Library and Buellton Library.

You can read in whatever format you like best, including print books, graphic novels, eBooks, and audiobooks. Children who are not yet reading may be read to by their parents or caregivers. We have started to receive new books again for the first time in several months, so there has never been a better time to visit your library and discover your next great read! While you’re here, check out our Black History Month displays to browse our collection of titles that celebrate this important month.

The Goleta & Santa Ynez Valley Libraries would like to thank the generous sponsors of the 2023 Winter Reading Program: California Pizza Kitchen, Elegant Nails, the Friends of the Goleta Valley Library, Islands Burgers, Jersey Mike’s, Los Agaves, Miner’s Ace Hardware, South Coast Montessori, and Trader Joe’s.

To access the online catalog and for other library information, please visit www.GoletaValleyLibrary.org.

Goleta en Español

We would like to remind the community that the City of Goleta’s Spanish Engagement Specialist, Marcos Martinez, is here to serve as the primary point of contact for all Spanish inquiries for the City. If you have any questions regarding upcoming programs, workshops, commissions, or meetings please do not hesitate to reach out. 

You can contact Marcos Martinez at mmartinez@cityofgoleta.org or by phone at (805) 562-5500, Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. 

If you would like to stay up to date with all of our City News and Announcements, we encourage interested you to sign up here for email and/or text updates in Spanish from the City. 

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Nos gustaría recordarle a la comunidad que nuestro especialista de participación comunitaria en español de la ciudad de Goleta, Marcos Martínez, está aquí para servir como el principal punto de contacto para todas las consultas en español de la ciudad. Si tiene alguna pregunta sobre los próximos programas, talleres, comisiones o reuniones, no dude en comunicarse con nosotros.

Puede contactar a Marcos Martinez en mmartinez@cityofgoleta.org o por teléfono al (805) 562-5500, de lunes a viernes, de 8:00 a. m. a 5:00 p. m.

Si desea mantenerse actualizado con todas nuestras noticias y anuncios de la ciudad, lo alentamos a que se registre aquí para recibir actualizaciones importantes de la ciudad por correo electrónico y/o texto en español.