Daily Archives: February 1, 2015

Walk with a Cop at the Ellwood Mesa

Last month the City of Goleta hosted a  “Walk with a Cop” event with our Community Resource Deputy Dave Valadez and Police Chief Butch Arnoldi. Community members took advantage of a beautiful day to walk on the Ellwood Mesa while getting to know our local law enforcement better. An added benefit of the warm day was the fact the butterflies were out!  If there is additional community interest, this event may be scheduled again.  Other opportunities to meet our deputies happen through the “Coffee with a Cop” events.  Look for future events on our website at http://www.cityofgoleta.org.

 

 

 

 

Los Carneros Ramps to Open This Month

We have some great news on the Los Carneros Overhead Bridge Replacement Project.  The southbound Los Carneros on and off ramps are scheduled to reopen later this month as the project nears completion.  The ramps will open in a temporary alignment while work is finished up.

A lot of interest has also been expressed in the Las Vegas San Pedro Culvert Replacement Project which is affecting Calle Real between La Patera and Fairview, and Highway 101 near Fairview Avenue.  The most recent information from Caltrans on the on and off ramp closures at Fairview is as follows:  The southbound Fairview off ramp and the northbound Fairview on ramp will close in early April and remain closed through the end of 2015.  For more information on the culvert project, please click here.

City Council Considers Vacation Rental Ordinance

Over the past few years, the City has taken various steps to address problems which have arisen from short-term vacation rentals.  Some renters are not considerate of their residential neighbors and some of the reported problems have been offensive language, loud noises, litter, parking impacts, parties and large numbers of occupants.

The City’s Ordinance Committee has discussed a proposed ordinance several times and tomorrow, February 3, the City Council will consider an ordinance that would address vacation rentals through a permitting program.  It would require property owners to apply for and obtain a regulatory permit before renting their property for less than 30 days.  A permitting program would provide the following benefits:

• An opportunity to educate owners of their obligations;

• A mechanism to notify neighbors and give them a voice prior to the use;

• A database to assure that appropriate compliance with transient occupancy tax obligations;

• Most importantly, a procedure for revocation when the use is abused.

Applicants would be required to provide: a plan for responding to complaints; proof of their Transient Occupancy Registration; a bond in the amount of $1,500 to ensure compliance; a fee to cover the cost of administering the program and proof that all properties within 200 feet have been notified of the application.

If the Council chooses to move forward with this ordinance, it may be introduced at this meeting, upon a majority vote.  The law requires adoption to occur at a subsequent meeting which would likely occur in two weeks.  The ordinance would be effective on the 31st day after adoption.

The City’s research has shown that this type of ordinance would affect as many of 100 properties in Goleta which are currently used for this purpose.

 

 

Which Design for the Hollister Bike Path Will Be Better?

That is one of the discussions the City Council will have in the evening session (6 p.m.) of their meeting on Tuesday, February 3.  The City is looking to add a Class I Bike Path Project on the south side of Hollister Avenue between Pacific Oaks Road to Ellwood Elementary School.  This bike path will be in addition to the existing Class II bike lanes.

This project came about because there are many school children living south of Hollister who would enjoy the benefits of bicycling to school but do not because the existing bike lanes immediately adjacent to traffic lanes are not suited for younger bicyclists.

The City Council will be weighing in on which of the two design alternatives they prefer.  Alternative 1 consists of a “separated” Class I bike path. In this configuration the sidewalk would be separated from the Class I bike path with a raised curb. Alternative 2 is a combined multipurpose path with the Class I bike path and sidewalk at the same elevation. With this alternative, the bike path would be separated visually from the sidewalk using colored or stamped concrete, pavers, or pavement markings to clearly distinguish an area of the path for bicyclists and an area for pedestrians.

In 2012, the City received a $107,000 Measure A Alternative Transportation Program (ATP) grant to fund a portion of the preliminary engineering and design costs for the Hollister Class I Bikeway Project.  In September 2014, the City was awarded another ATP grant for $1,644,000 for construction of the project.

Construction of the project is scheduled for summer of 2015.  More information on the project can also be found here.

Why a Permanent City Hall is an Important Part of Goleta’s Future

The City of Goleta is deep into the process of the Civic Center Feasibility Study which will result in a conceptual design for the development of a new City-owned City Hall within a Civic Center. It’s important to understand why the City would be pursuing such an initiative which, on the surface, might seem like a very costly venture. The City currently leases roughly 22,000 square feet of space on Cremona Drive at a cost of nearly $500,000 per year.

From a financial standpoint, the development of a Civic Center would be a more cost effective and better use of taxpayer money in the long run. Similar to home ownership, purchasing a long term asset that can be used by the community for decades is a sensible financial choice and good investment in our community.

The Civic Center Feasibility Study is evaluating the creation of a Civic Center at the current site of the Goleta Valley Community Center. This is a popular location because it would place City Hall in the midst of Old Town where many residents and businesses are located. The current City Hall location is more isolated, in a business park, which makes it more difficult for those without vehicles to access.

The City has offered numerous opportunities for public input on the desired amenities for a Civic Center. These workshops and meetings have provided the basis for several designs which the City Council last reviewed on October 27. The concept plans identify reuse of facilities, building site constraints, and public improvements for a new Civic Center.

More information on the Civic Center Feasibility Study and related renderings can be found here.