Author Archives: Jaime Shaw

Rep. Carbajal Tours Goleta Community Center and Delivers Federal Funding

Representative Salud Carbajal toured the Goleta Community Center (GCC) August 22, 2022, to see first-hand plans to utilize $3 million dollars in federal Community Project Funding he delivered to improve and help reopen the antiquated facility. Goleta’s General Services Director Matt Fore led the tour which included participants Mayor Paula Perotte, Councilmember James Kyriaco and staff from the City and Goleta Valley Community Center. The city-owned building located at 5679 Hollister Avenue has been partially closed since January 2021 due the need for seismic improvements. Watch a video clip of the tour here: https://youtu.be/rb8Ym3SuLZw.

The funding delivered by Rep. Carbajal will be used for ADA[1] and other building improvements that, together with the seismic upgrades, will allow the building to safely reopen. Rep. Carbajal said, “The Goleta Valley Community Center plays a pivotal role in the community, serving all facets and age groups. I am proud to have secured $3 million for renovations through Community Project funding, helping to ensure that the Center remains a resource for many years to come.”

Mayor Paula Perotte said, “It is imperative that we get this important community resource fully operational and available to the large and diverse populations that gather here.” She continued, “We are beyond grateful for Rep. Carbajal’s successful and ongoing efforts to secure the funding necessary for us to make ADA improvements to this important city-owned building following the seismic upgrade project.” 

Typically, 100,000 visitors use the GCC each year, including an average of 250 seniors daily. More than 90 non-profit organizations use the facility monthly. The GCC serves as a venue for classes and activities including childcare, senior services, and a host of other programs supporting arts, literacy, and recreation. The Community Center also serves as a Red Cross shelter during natural disasters and as a community hub for the distribution of critical resources and services such as COVID tests and food distribution.

In order to make seismic upgrades, the City is required to make ADA improvements. The first phase of ADA improvements will include adding access aisles to ADA parking spaces, improvements to the path of travel from the bus stop on Hollister Avenue to the front door, new handrails on the front entrance access ramp and addition of accessible toilet stalls to the inside restrooms.

Future phases could include additional improvements to ADA access throughout the Community Center and parking lot and/or improvements to the buildings infrastructure. These additional phases are under development.

Seismic improvements will be funded by a $5 million dollar Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Hazard Mitigation Grant which includes $1.3 million dollars in matching funding from the City of Goleta. The funding will provide for the installation of additional anchorage systems throughout the building to secure connections at the wall and ceiling and protect the building during an earthquake.

Once the seismic upgrades are complete, the auditorium and dining room will be safe to reopen. Seismic upgrades are expected to begin in Winter 2022. The first phase of ADA improvements will follow shortly thereafter. 

On January 1, 2023, the City is taking over management of the Goleta Community Center, which is currently being operated by the non-profit Goleta Valley Community Center (GVCC) organization. The City acquired the GCC from the Goleta Union School District back in 2013.

In all, Rep. Carbajal secured over $17 million for local projects, including $9,512,340 for community projects in Santa Barbara County.

ADA[1] = Americans with Disabilities Act

Salud Carbajal gets tour of Goleta Community Center from Goleta General Services Director Matt Fore 

City of Goleta General Services Director Matt Fore gives Rep. Salud Carbajal tour of the Goleta Community Center; Mayor Paula Perotte and City Councilmember James Kyriaco attended

Public Input Requested on City’s CDBG Year-End Report

Public Review Period Opens Monday, September 5

Every year the City of Goleta looks forward to helping those in our community via our Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. This past year, more than 2,000 people were assisted with CDBG funding. The City is required to submit a year-end report on its accomplishments called the Consolidated Annual Performance Evaluation Report (CAPER). The CAPER provides an assessment of the City’s performance in meeting housing and community development goals in the adopted 2021-2022 CDBG Action Plan. The draft CAPER can be viewed at https://tinyurl.com/yc82d828, for more information on the City’s grant programs go to: https://www.cityofgoleta.org/your-city/neighborhood-services/grants. 

Comments on the draft CAPER are being accepted during a 15-day public review period beginning September 5, 2022, and ending September 19, 2022, at 12:00 pm. Comments should be submitted to: City of Goleta, Neighborhood Services Department, Attn: Shanna Dawson, 130 Cremona Drive, Goleta, CA 93117 or emailed to sdawson@cityofgoleta.org.

The City Council will hold a public hearing on these matters on Tuesday, September 20, 2022, at its regular Council meeting which begins at 5:30 p.m. An agenda will be available ahead of time at www.CityofGoleta.org/GoletaMeetings.

About the Community Development Block Grant

On an annual basis the City receives funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the CDBG program which is intended to be used to assist low-income citizens, people experiencing homelessness, youth and seniors with essential services such as medical and dental care, food security, counseling, homelessness prevention, case management and other needs.

The City also uses the majority of its CDBG allocation on capital projects that will benefit low- to moderate-income people and the disabled. Projects have included renovating City facilities and parks to meet Americans with Disability Act (ADA) access standards, installing sidewalks in areas where they are lacking, and adding crosswalks.

Project to Remove Final Two Oil Piers at Haskell’s Beach Underway

Decommissioning Began on Monday, August 29

The end of an era began August 29 at Haskell’s Beach, as the State Lands Commission in collaboration with the City of Goleta started work to remove the pier and caisson structures known as PRC 421-1 and 421-2. It’s a process that will take up to six months, during which time sections of the beach may close temporarily to keep the public safe during the operations. The beach will remain open otherwise.

This landmark decommissioning project marks the end of the Ellwood Oil Field that began production in the late 1920s and continued into the 1990s. At one time, the area off Haskell’s Beach hosted 13 large piers and significant oil storage and processing facilities immediately onshore, a latticework of oil and gas development.

“These two derelict structures represent the last vestiges of pier-based oil and gas production in California and their removal is a major milestone for the region and the state,” said State Controller and State Lands Commission chair Betty T. Yee. “Removal of these piers is one of several decommissioning projects the Commission is spearheading as part of California’s transition to a fossil fuel-free future.”

“This is a truly momentous occasion,” said Mayor Paula Perotte. “This project, the culmination of a multi-year partnership between Goleta and the state, will remove two blighted and derelict structures marring our beautiful coastline. Their removal is a major step in ending a legacy of fossil fuel development in Santa Barbara County.”

Crews will work Monday through Friday from 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Due to the surf zone location of the facilities, some work must be scheduled around low-tide cycles, which may be outside of these hours. The project requires the use of heavy equipment at the worksite and the transport of approximately 500 truckloads of material to an approved recycling and disposal facility. Crews will access the worksite via the existing gravel access road adjacent to the Ellwood Onshore Facility and along a 12’-wide easement across the Sandpiper golf course and along the cliff to the piers. Removal of the piers and caissons will require equipment access along the beach during low tides.

The Commission prepared an Environmental Impact Report and secured permits for this project in collaboration with federal, state, and local agencies. More information can be found at: www.slc.ca.gov/ceqa/prc-421-decommissioning-project.

Pictured: Aerial photo of PRC 421-1 and 421-2, courtesy of the California State Lands Commission

 

Ellwood Mesa Monarch Butterfly Workshop Sep. 12

Community members are invited to City of Goleta’s Ellwood Mesa Monarch Butterfly Habitat Management Plan (MBHMP) Workshop on Monday, September 12 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Ellwood Elementary School Auditorium (7686 Hollister Ave). The workshop will cover implementation projects for the MBHMP and will feature the project team, detailed project plans, and breakout group activities to encourage more community feedback on the proposed activities at Ellwood Mesa. We hope you will join us for this important discussion.

The City held community outreach events on this topic earlier this summer on July 7 and 9 on location at the Ellwood Mesa Monarch Butterfly Grove to engage with neighbors and the wider community on the City’s proposed MBHMP implementation projects. Approximately 50 people attended each event to learn about upcoming:

  • Vegetation management to reduce fire risk;
  • Infrastructure improvements, including upgrades to the pedestrian and authorized vehicle access entryways at the end of Santa Barbara Shores Drive;
  • Dead tree removals;
  • New eucalyptus, native tree, and native shrub plantings to benefit monarch butterflies and other wildlife;
  • New signage and trail improvements; and
  • Creek restoration and pedestrian footbridges to access the monarch butterfly viewing areas. 

This project is funded by a $3.9 million grant from the California Coastal Conservancy. The Coastal Conservancy is a California state agency, established in 1976, to protect and improve natural lands and waterways, to help people get to and enjoy the outdoors, and to sustain local economies along California’s coast. It acts with others to protect and restore, and increase public access to, California’s coast, ocean, coastal watersheds, and the San Francisco Bay Area. Its vision is of a beautiful, restored, and accessible coast for current and future generations of Californians.

Questions or comments about the project can be sent to the City of Goleta’s Parks and Open Space Manager George Thomson at gthomson@cityofgoleta.org or 805-961-7578. 

We hope to see you there!

George Thomson, Parks and Open Space Manager, presenting to the attendees of the July 7 outreach event

Lemon Festival is Back on September 24 and 25

The Goleta Lemon Festival, put on by the South Coast Chamber of Commerce, is back and will be here before you know it! Come on down to Girsh Park Saturday, September 24 and Sunday, September 25 for some good old fashioned Goleta fun. The jam-packed family-friendly weekend includes, live music, a variety of entertainment, the Goleta Fall Classic Car and Street Rod Show, “Safety Street,” arts and crafts vendors, and the “zest” food and drink in town. Those ready to “squeeze” the day will want to make sure to participate in the ever-popular pie-eating contest.

In between the fresh lemonade and delicious lemon desserts, make sure you stop by the City booth area and say “hello”!  Both the Community Relations team and Goleta Valley Library staff will be at the festival to provide you with the latest information and hand out free prizes.

If you are looking to show off your Goleta spirit at the event, you can purchase a commemorative City of Goleta 20-Year Birthday shirt ahead of time at the Goleta Valley Historical Society Museum Store while supplies last. The Museum Store is located at 304 N. Los Carneros Road. Store hours are Saturday and Sunday 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. and by appointment. T-Shirts are $25 and mugs are $10. This specialty merchandise is a great gift for anyone who loves the Good Land. Once the merchandise is sold, there are no plans to purchase more, so we encourage you to get your gear before its gone. 

Having fun will be “easy peasy lemon squeezy” for families at one of the Goodland’s greatest family festivals!

For more information, please visit https://lemonfestival.com/.

Pictured: City of Goleta Community Relations Manager Kelly Hoover at a previous Lemon Festival

 

Goleta’s Dam Dinner Doesn’t Disappoint

More than 500 People Attended Scenic Event at Lake Los Carneros Dam

The return of Goleta’s Dam Dinner after a three-year hiatus brought a record turnout on Saturday, August 20, 2022, to the Lake Los Carneros dam. More than 500 people, many carrying picnic dinners and baked goods to share, flocked to the scenic spot for the #BestDamDinner they have ever had. While many who attended have been coming to the Dam Dinner since it started, we were pleased there were many first-timers as well. Whatever the case, it was the usual, simple, low-key, casual event that keeps people coming back year after year. 

Mayor Paula Perotte said, “I am so glad to see people come back to this special event. I love that there is no agenda, and it is just people breaking bread with neighbors, family, and friends.”

Check out a video recap of the event here: https://youtu.be/DUKmLMHJJvE.

You can also see photos from the event here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/zYjv19BoS9rkifCn7.

Thanks to the Goleta Valley Historical Society for partnering with the City of Goleta again to put on this community favorite. A special thanks to Pete Wolf with Big Hammer Lures for helping to plan, set up the event, and for creating the yearly Dam Dinner t-shirts once again.

We also want to thank Santa Cruz Markets for donating 50 welcoming succulent arrangements and to Devereux volunteers for creating and delivering the arrangements to the event for all to enjoy and for some to take home as well.

A big shout out to Kona Ice for serving up more than 200 snow cones and Elubia’s Kitchen for selling its Dam Pupusas, Dam Tamales and Dam Tacos which were a big hit.

Successful events don’t happen without the collaboration of many partners. We also want to thank the Salt Martians for playing, MarBorg for providing the bathrooms, trash and recycling bins, Santa Barbara Face Painting, and the South Coast Chamber for sharing its tablecloths with us for the event.

We hope you had a dam good time and we look forward to seeing you next year! 

 

It’s Going to be Historic…Apply for Goleta’s Inaugural Historic Preservation Commission

Five Spots Open; Deadline September 9

The City of Goleta is excited to announce that it is seeking applicants for the City’s brand-new Historic Preservation Commission. This is an important next step in the implementation of the Historic Preservation and Cultural Resources Ordinance enacted by the City Council in April 2022.

The goal of the Historic Preservation Ordinance is to preserve and protect resources that, once lost, cannot be replaced or replicated. Responsibilities of the Commission include but are not limited to:

  • Making recommendations to the City Council regarding the designation of eligible properties as Historic Landmarks, Historic Districts, and Points of Historical Interest within the City and Mills Act requests.
  • Making recommendations to the City Council regarding the rescission of or amendment to a historic designation.
  • Reviewing and making recommendations to the Design Review Board on projects involving alterations to historic resources.
  • Reviewing historic resources surveys and making recommendations to the City Council on periodic updates to the City’s Historic Resources Inventory.
  • Making recommendations on any proposed design guidelines that may be developed by the City for project review or review of appropriate alterations or new construction within Historic Districts.
  • Acting as an advisory board to the City Council, Planning Commission, Design Review Board, City Manager, and all City departments on all matters related to historic preservation.

The Commission will be comprised of five members appointed by the Mayor. The members of the first appointed Historic Preservation Commission will term out in varying years (June 2024, 2025, and 2026). After that, terms will be for four years, with no limit on the number of terms to which members may be appointed. A majority of the members must be residents of the City. Meetings are tentatively scheduled for the 3rd Monday of every other month, subject to the agenda calendar.

The City is looking for both professional and lay members with demonstrated interest, competence, or knowledge in historic preservation. Commission members may be appointed from among the following disciplines: architecture, history, architectural history, planning, archaeology, or other related disciplines, such as American studies, landscape architecture, cultural geography, or cultural anthropology, to the extent that such professionals are available in the community. Commission members may also include lay members who have demonstrated special interest/expertise, competence, experience, or knowledge of Goleta history and historic preservation, and/or are members of local Chumash tribal group(s).

Don’t miss this historic opportunity! Apply for the City’s first Historic Preservation Commission at www.CityofGoleta.org/BoardsCommissions. Applications due by September 9, 2022, at 5:00 p.m. For questions contact cityclerkgroup@cityofgoleta.org.

Michelle Greene’s Last City Council Meeting as City Manager is August 16

Join Us in Expressing Appreciation to Ms. Greene for her Legacy of Service

Michelle Greene will preside over her last Goleta City Council meeting as the City Manager on August 16th after 18 years of service to the City of Goleta, eight of those as the City Manager. The community is invited to attend the meeting either in person or virtually and show your appreciation to Ms. Greene for the legacy and impact she has left on Goleta during its formative first 20 years as a City.

At the August 16 Council meeting, Ms. Greene will be presented with a City Tile and Proclamation to honor her dedication and years of service to the City. This will be an opportunity for the Mayor, Councilmembers and colleagues to thank Michelle for her dedication and leadership. The public is invited to join us in expressing appreciation to Ms. Greene. Community members can come in person or virtually to comment or can send a note of appreciation to pio@cityofgoleta.org and it will be forwarded to Ms. Greene.

Ms. Greene is the first female City Manager in Goleta and is credited with bringing a new level of professionalism and sophistication to the organization during her tenure.

Significant milestones achieved by the City during Ms. Greene’s tenure as City Manager include:

  • Building an effective and innovative organization, including creating new departments, hiring stellar staff and cultivating a positive organizational culture that reflects the values of the Goleta community;
  • Completing the new Zoning Ordinance process and adoption of Title 17 of the City’s Municipal Code;
  • Creating a municipal library and taking on direct management of the Goleta, Solvang and Buellton Libraries;
  • Effecting the purchase of the City Hall facility at 130 Cremona Drive;
  • Acquiring the parcel for a community park in Old Town Goleta and constructing Jonny D. Wallis Neighborhood Park;
  • Obtaining $3.9 million in state funding for restoration of the monarch butterfly habitat on Ellwood Mesa;
  • Acquiring the former Direct Relief parcel on S. La Patera Lane and obtaining $13 million in TIRCIP Grant funding for the Goleta Train Depot project;
  • Creating a Public Engagement Commission to advise the City Council on issues related to transparent public participation and governance of the City;
  • Establishing the LEAD Academy to help community members learn about City operations, and how they can effectively participate in local governance;
  • Achieving a new level of professionalism and regional recognition with the City’s public engagement and communications efforts, including keeping the community highly informed during numerous emergency events, such as wildfires, closure of the 101 Highway due to an unprecedented debris flow event, heavy rains and flooding, and an oil spill that impacted the Goleta shoreline;
  • Creating, adopting and implementing the City’s first Homelessness Strategic Plan;
  • Constructing capacity and fish passage improvements in San Jose Creek and adopting a Creeks and Watershed Management Plan;
  • Establishing a robust Sustainability Program that reaches across several City departments and addresses climate change, recycling and reuse, efficient, clean and renewable energy in City facilities, streetlights, vehicles and in the community;
  • Approval of critical fiscal improvements, such as the City’s Investment Policy, a Section 115 Trust for pension obligations, the City’s first long-range financial forecast, and helping grow the General Fund’s unassigned fund balance to ensure increased budget stability;
  • The City’s response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, including maintaining critical services at all times, successfully addressing unprecedented fiscal ramifications, and assisting the local economy with the creation of an Economic Recovery Plan.

Ms. Greene began her career in Goleta as a Management Analyst, before being appointed to the position of Administrative Services Director and later Deputy City Manager. Prior to coming to Goleta, Ms. Greene served as the Assistant City Manager for the City of Escalon, and the City Clerk for Grover Beach.

Newly hired City Manager Robert Nisbet will take over as Goleta’s City Manager on September 1, 2022.

San Jose Creek Bike Path Project Moving Forward to Design

The City is moving forward with the long-awaited San Jose Creek Bike Path Project. The San Jose Creek Bike Path – Northern and Southern Segments project is wrapping up the Conceptual Design and Environmental Review phases of the project and is slated to move into the Final Design and Right of Way phases by early next year.

The purpose of the project is to complete two important path segments for a continuous safe link in the regional active transportation network from Calle Real to the Atascadero Creek Trail (Obern Trail/Coast Route). The project would construct a Class I bikeway (path) to close the 2.5- mile gap between the County (Cathedral Oaks Road) and Goleta Crosstown Route in the north and the County’s Obern Trail/Coast Route in the south. The path would connect the Calle Real commercial and residential areas on the north side of US 101 to commercial and residential areas within the Goleta Old Town area to the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) and the Coast Route. Four significant barriers to north-south regional connectivity would be removed by crossing under US 101 and Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) bridges, crossing over San Jose Creek and crossing under SR 217 on the south end.

Project Description:

The project begins on Calle Real extending south along the west side of San Jose Creek to Armitos Avenue, then continues south from Ekwill Street (south of Hollister Avenue) along SR 217 to the Coast Route/Goleta Beach The two segments of the path total nearly one and a half miles in length.

The Northern Segment begins on Calle Real near the south end of North Kellogg Avenue. Heading east, then south, the path goes under US 101 and the railroad bridge over San Jose Creek along the west bank. Bicyclists and pedestrians can then travel west through Jonny D. Wallis Park to access South Kellogg Avenue to connect to the beginning of the Southern Segment just north of Kellogg Way (new Ekwill Street).

The Southern Segment is approximately 1 mile long. The Southern Segment would extend from the bicycle facilities on South Kellogg Avenue, continue between the southern/eastern bank of San Jose Creek, outside the top of bank and the active channel of San Jose Creek, and the SR 217 southbound shoulder, and ultimately connect to the existing Class I Atascadero Creek Bikeway (Obern Trail/Coast Route). The project would cross over the San Jose Creek channel on the north end and would cross under SR 217 on the south end (southern terminus).

The path is typically 8 to 14 feet wide, with 2-foot wide shoulders and typical design speed of 20 mph. The Southern Segment includes a concrete barrier 2 feet in width to separate the path from SR 217 traffic. A 14-foot wide by 8-foot high by 144-foot long box culvert with solar lighting would likely be utilized to provide access under SR 217 at the southern terminus of the project.

The project will require coordination with many agencies including Caltrans, Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR), County of Santa Barbara, and permitting agencies such as the California Coastal Commission to name a few.

A Draft Initial Study with a Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) for California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) which identifies and discusses potential impacts, mitigation measures, monitoring requirements, and residual impacts for identified environmental issue areas was put out for public circulation with the public comment period closing on August 1, 2022. After addressing public comments on the draft document, Public Works plans to bring the final IS/MND to City Council for approval at the September 20, 2022, meeting. The agenda will be available in advance of the meeting at www.CityofGoleta.org/GoletaMeetings.

The project will be partially funded through a grant received from the Active Transportation Program (ATP). As the project moves forward to the design phase there will be additional opportunities for public comment.

Visit the project webpage for more information.

Project map

Goleta to Use Measure A Funding for Bicycle and Pedestrian Improvement Projects

The City of Goleta is pleased to report that newly awarded Measure A Funding will be used for construction projects aimed at improving bicycle and pedestrian access and safety.  The Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG) awarded the City of Goleta two important Capital Improvement Program projects through Cycle 5 of the Measure A South Coast Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian competitive grant program.  The grant program will contribute funding to the construction phase for a portion of the San Jose Creek Bike Path Northern and Southern Segments project as well as funding for the construction phase of the Hollister Old Town Interim Striping Project.

The Measure A grant funds would contribute to the construction of a portion of the Northern Segment of the overall San Jose Creek Multipurpose Path Project. This portion of the project consists of the extents of the bike path which falls within the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) right of way at the US 101 bridge crossing. Caltrans will begin the construction for the replacement of the US 101 Bridge over San Jose Creek early next year. Public Works staff worked closely with Caltrans to include the design of the bike path components into the Caltrans bridge replacement project bid documents. Caltrans will be the lead agency for the overall project construction including the construction of the portion of the bike path which falls within the limits of the bridge replacement project. This strategy produces many benefits to both projects (bridge and bike path) including reduction of impacts to the creek and surrounding environment and reduction in project cost. The City will reimburse Caltrans for the construction cost of the bike path specific components through the execution of a cooperative agreement with Caltrans. The Measure A grant funds will contribute approximately 50% of the construction costs up to a maximum of $438,000.

The Measure A grant funding will also be applied to the construction of the portions of work which will benefit bicycle and pedestrian safety as part of the Hollister Avenue Old Town Interim Striping Project. The Hollister Interim Striping Project consists of restriping Hollister Avenue between Fairview Avenue and Kinman Avenue, reducing travel lanes from two lanes to one lane in each direction. The project will provide additional space to install Class II bike lanes through the Old Town Hollister Ave corridor where none currently exist. The work covered by the grant funds will include restriping, new pavement markings, new signage, and signal interconnect system. The Measure A grant will contribute $365,000 to overall construction costs for the project.

The Measure A South Coast Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian program and Safe Routes to School Program are awarded based on a competitive grant process. The purpose of the program is to fund projects that would expand and improve the South Coast’s regional bicycle and pedestrian facilities network.

For more information on Measure A, go to http://www.measurea.net/.