After an extensive search, the City of Goleta hired Jennifer Carman, AICP, as the new Director of Planning and Environmental Review. Ms. Carman started this position on December 10. She replaces Steve Chase who left the City in June to take a position as Community Development Director for the City of Stockton. “We are fortunate to find a candidate with Ms. Carman’s strengths and experience to manage our Planning and Environmental Review Department,” said City Manager Dan Singer. “As Goleta moves into its next 10 years, we have a number of opportunities and challenges, and Ms. Carman will be an instrumental part of our management team as we seek to address them. We are glad to have her working in the City of Goleta.” Ms. Carman comes to the City of Goleta from the City of El Cerrito where she was the Development  Services Manager, overseeing building, planning and code enforcement. She has experience in developing zoning policy, implementing a permit tracking system and achieving certification of a housing element—all items which are on Goleta’s project list. Ms. Carman received her Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies at the University of California at Santa Cruz and her Master of City Planning at Georgia Institute of Technology. She began her career in Ketchikan Gateway Borough in Ketchikan, Alaska. From there she moved to the City of Seattle and later to the City of Mercer Island.