Daily Archives: September 27, 2023

Nominations Open for Goleta’s Finest

Submit Your Nomination by October 6

The Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce will recognize Goleta’s Finest during the annual community awards gala on December 1, 2023, at 5:30 p.m. at the at the Ritz-Carlton Bacara (8301 Hollister Avenue). If you know someone deserving of special recognition for their community contributions, now is your opportunity to nominate them for these prestigious awards. To ensure your recommendations are considered, please submit a completed nomination form by October 6.

Award nomination categories include:

  • Man of the Year
  • Woman of the Year
  • Educator of the Year
  • Student of the Year
  • Volunteer of the Year
  • Non-Profit of the Year
  • Innovator of the Year

#GoodLandGoodPeople

Job Openings with #TeamGoleta – Apply Now

Join #TeamGoleta! The City of Goleta is looking for passionate people who want to serve their community. Working for local government is a rewarding experience where you can make a difference. Current open positions are:

  • Event Monitor / Building Attendant at the Goleta Community Center
  • Library Director
  • Maintenance Worker (2 openings) – New!
  • Parks & Open Space Management Analyst

Learn more about the open positions and apply at www.CityofGoleta.org/Jobs. Job availability subject to change – check back regularly for new listings.

Green Room: Eco Dogs Beach Guide

We know Goletans love their dogs! Read on for ways dog owners can enjoy Santa Barbara County beaches with their pup, while keeping our beaches clean. For a list of dog-friendly beaches, click here. Rules in place for our dogs help with public safety, pet safety, human health, water quality, and wildlife protection.

Pawsitive Beach Tips

  • Always pick up after your pet, even if your pet goes “off trail” or in vegetation. All creeks in the area have unfortunately been impacted with pet waste and have elevated levels of fecal bacteria in some areas. Any pollutants in our creeks drain to the beaches and ocean where we swim and play, so picking up all pet waste is incredibly important.
  • Keep dogs on leash to avoid harming wildlife, ingestion of anything harmful, and pet waste accidents.
  • Bring fresh water & provide shade for your dog to avoid heatstroke on hot days. Drinking seawater can make your dog sick and cause diarrhea.
  • Rinse off salt water that can irritate your dog’s skin and paws.
  • Remove tar with cooking oil, not solvents.
  • Sunblock can prevent sunburn on noses & pink skin.
  • Very hot sand or asphalt can burn paw pads.
  • Practicing the “come” command before you go helps your dog with voice control at the off-leash beach. For the safety of all, dogs not under voice control should not be off leash.
  • Bring treats for training.
  • Check https://www.tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/ to see if the off-leash beach is underwater at very high tide.
  • Carry biodegradable bags with you. Leaving bags on the beach is illegal litter & will pollute the ocean even more than dog waste alone.
  • Training your dog to go to the bathroom at home before you leave can keep the beach cleaner and reduce the environmental & financial costs of plastic bags. You can also train your dog to go near a trash can or convenient spot in order to make pet waste disposal more convenient.
  • There is a convenient self-serve Monarch Pet Spa warm water dog wash at Arroyo Burro Beach.
  • Bring your cell phone in case of emergency & call 911 so your call will get to the right dispatch for that beach.

Sharing the Beach

Our beaches are a thin ribbon of habitat that shorebirds need to rest and feed during their long-distance migrations. As our population increases, places crucial for shorebird survival are decreasing. You as a dog guardian can help. We can be aware and share the beach with four simple actions:

  • Walk around birds instead of through their flocks.
  • Leash pets before they chase birds.
  • Respect closed areas set aside for endangered or nesting species.
  • Stay away from birds or wildlife that look sick or are unable to get away from humans. Sick birds are vulnerable and will try to defend themselves with their sharp beaks.

Shorebirds see our pets as predators and become stressed. Also, harassing wildlife is against the law. Unleashed pets harass and kill birds on our beaches every year. This problem is easy to fix. Watch for shorebirds and leash your dog as needed.

Dogs like to run free on the beach. Happily, pet owners have two miles at Shoreline Park Beach from Thousand Steps to the east of Arroyo Burro County Beach where off-leash dogs are allowed. By law, all off-leash dogs must be with a responsible person carrying a leash, properly licensed with tags, healthy, not in heat, not aggressive or dangerous, and all waste collected. Dogs not under voice control should not be off-leash.

If you find an injured bird, call the Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network at 805-681-1080. Call the Channel Islands Marine and Wildlife Institute (CIMWI) at 805-567-1505 if you see an injured marine mammal. If you find a dead dolphin or whale, please call the Channel Islands Cetacean Research Unit (CICRU) at 805-500-6220.

Helpful Websites

For more information on being eco-friendly with your pup, check out our Eco-Dog’s Beach Guide in English and Spanish.

Green Room: Waste Free Halloween

Halloween is a time for tricks, treats, and spooky fun. It’s also a season that can generate a significant amount of waste. From disposable costumes to individually wrapped candies, the environmental footprint of Halloween can be quite scary. This year, consider taking a more sustainable approach to your Halloween festivities by reducing waste and embracing eco-friendly practices.

Costumes

One of the most exciting aspects of Halloween is choosing a costume. Unfortunately, store-bought costumes often end up as one-time-use items. Instead, think outside the box and visit thrift and secondhand shops. These stores offer a treasure trove of clothing items and accessories that can be creatively combined to craft unique costumes. By opting for pre-loved items, you not only reduce waste but also save money.

A costume swap can be a fantastic way to reduce waste and share costume ideas with friends and family. Take it a step further by challenging participants to create costumes inspired by what’s already in their closets. It’s a fun and sustainable way to encourage creativity while reusing existing clothing.

After Halloween, many people simply toss their old costumes in the trash. Instead, consider donating gently used costumes to local thrift stores in Goleta. Your donation can provide others with affordable costume options and extend the life of these festive garments.

Trick-or-Treating

Halloween and candy go hand in hand, but those individually wrapped candies can contribute to plastic waste. This year, opt for plastic-free treats. Buy candy in bulk and distribute it in individual paper bags. Alternatively, think beyond candy and consider handing out fun coins, novelty items, fresh fruit, or canned drinks as alternative treats.

Encourage trick-or-treaters to use reusable bags or containers instead of disposable plastic ones. A simple backpack, a washed pillowcase, or any reusable container can make for a more eco-friendly candy-collecting adventure. It’s a small change that can significantly reduce single-use plastic waste.

Decorations

When decorating your home or yard, consider going plastic-free. Embrace the beauty of natural decorations like pumpkins, gourds, leaves, and branches. These elements not only create an inviting and festive atmosphere but are also biodegradable. Get crafty and make your Halloween decor for a personal touch that’s eco-friendly.

After Halloween, your jack-o’-lantern doesn’t have to meet a grim fate in the trash. Roast the pumpkin seeds for a tasty snack and compost the rest. This eco-friendly approach not only reduces waste but also contributes valuable nutrients to your garden.

Share Your Ideas!

Finally, share your waste-reducing Halloween tips and tricks with others. Whether it’s through social media, conversations with friends and neighbors, or participating in community events, your ideas can inspire others to celebrate Halloween in an environmentally responsible way.

This Halloween let’s make a collective effort to reduce waste and promote sustainability. By choosing eco-friendly costume options, distributing plastic-free treats, and embracing reusable bags and decorations, you can enjoy a spooktacular holiday that’s good for both the planet and your community. Remember, Halloween can be both fun and eco-conscious with a little creativity and thoughtfulness.

Mexican Independence Day Festival Recap

Block Party Included Live Music, Performances and Much More

Mexican Independence Day may be over, but the memories of the great celebration in Old Town Goleta on Saturday, September 16, remain. Hundreds of community members, many from the neighborhood, gathered throughout the day and evening on Pine Avenue for a community block party organized by the Greater Santa Barbara Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. From start to finish, the festival was filled with entertainment, great food, and Mexican traditions.

A highlight of the event was when the Consul of Mexico, Ricardo Santana, delivered the traditional “Grito”, also known as “The Cry of Dolores”, and flag presentation.

“It was my first time seeing something like this here in Old Town – it’s a celebration of our roots, our culture,” said Carlos Cruz of Goleta Valley Paint, who was attending the festival. “There’s so much energy, and you just see the pride on people’s faces.”

The non-stop entertainment included the “Heart & Soul Band” that played covers of Tex-Mex legend Selena Quintanilla, Ballet Folklórico Patria Mexicana performing several traditional folk dances, live Mariachi with Fiesta Mexicana, and was capped off with GRUPO RADIANTE Fausto Cruz as community members took to the dance floor.

The festival also featured a wide array of authentic Mexican cuisine, giving festival-goers a chance to taste the flavors and aromas of Mexico here in the Good Land.

Other highlights included the classic cars and customized bicycles at the Auto and Bike Show and the bounce houses and henna tattoo artist in the kids area.

The City was proud to be one of the sponsors of the event and enjoyed meeting everyone who stopped by our booth to say hello, spin the wheel for giveaways and talk with local officials including 3rd District County Supervisor Joan Hartmann, Mayor Paula Perotte, Goleta City Councilmembers and City Manager Robert Nisbet.

Thanks to everyone who was a part of helping to bring the vibrant culture of Mexico to life in Old Town. We can’t wait for next year’s festival! Viva Mexico!

Pictured above left-to-right: Ricardo Santana, Consul General of Mexico, Tere Jurado, Greater Santa Barbara Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Board Member 


Pictured left-to-right: Gina Fischer, Chief of Staff of the Office of Supervisor Joan Hartman, Paula Perotte, City of Goleta Mayor, and Joan Hartmann, 3rd District County Supervisor of Santa Barbara


Singer with Mariachi Fiesta Mexicana group

Recap of Coastal Cleanup Day in Goleta

More than five tons of trash no longer has a chance to pollute Goleta waterways thanks to everyone who participated in Coastal Cleanup Day and the Beautify Goleta Bulky Item Drop-Off event on September 23. Approximately 70 volunteers spent their morning picking up trash at one of three locations in Goleta and 48 vehicles dropped off bulky items. Between all of the locations, more than 10,300 pounds of trash was collected. Thanks to the higher number of bulky items, this beats last year’s amount of 10,182 pounds.

City of Goleta Environmental Services Specialist Dan Rowell said, “It is always so fulfilling to see first-hand how much people care about preventing trash from polluting our beaches and creeks. What we found this year is that a lot of the volunteers pick up trash regularly on walks around their neighborhoods, or while walking their dogs at parks and beaches.”

Here is a breakdown from each Goleta location:

  • Haskell’s Beach (led by site captains Lyn Moore and Eddie Oros with Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck LLP)
    • 42 Volunteers
    • 103.5 pounds of Trash Collected
    • 269.5 pounds of Recyclables Collected
    • 5 pounds of Electronic Waste Collected

  • San Jose Creek (led by site captain Brian Trautwein with the Environmental Defense Center)
    • 22 Volunteers
    • 1,016 pounds of Trash Collected
    • 586 pounds of Recyclables Collected
    • 60.6 pounds of Electronic Waste Collected

  • Ellwood Bluffs and Beach (led by site captain and Goleta resident Al Souma)
    • 6 Volunteers
    • 26 pounds of Trash Collected
    • 2 pounds of Recyclables Collected
    • 5 pounds of Electronic Waste Collected

  • Bulky Item Drop-Off event at Phelps Road and Cannon Green Drive
    • 48 vehicle drop-offs
    • 8,320 pounds of Bulky Items Collected

Thank you to Explore Ecology for coordinating Coastal Cleanup Day across Santa Barbara County and to all of those who volunteered. We are also very thankful for our partners at MarBorg Industries and Big Green Cleaning for their ongoing support.

Coastal Cleanup Day is part of Creek Week, an annual celebration of our creeks, watersheds, and the ocean, with events to help build awareness and stewardship of the natural treasures of Goleta, Santa Barbara, and Carpinteria.

Pictured above: San Jose Creek volunteers keeping trash from polluting our creeks.


Volunteers with Haskell’s Beach site captain Lyn Moore and Eddie Oros with Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck LLP.


Volunteer Melody weighs trash collected with Ellwood site captain Al Souma.


San Jose Creek volunteers keeping trash from polluting our creeks.


Haskell’s volunteers keeping our beaches clean.


Happy residents dropping off bulky items.

Ellwood Mesa Update

Hi Goleta, I’m George Thomson, City of Goleta Parks and Open Space Manager. You may have noticed a buzz of activity taking place at Ellwood Mesa. Here is an update of our work there.

Tree Cleanup

Crews are trimming and chipping hazardous trees damaged during the 2023 winter storms. This is an important first step in reducing the risk of fire. Large trunks are being sectioned and left in place or repurposed for natural trail barriers. Brush and branches are being chipped and will be spread around the grove to improve trails, enhance water retention, and promote healthy trees. We are expediting this work ahead of the monarch overwintering season when we will halt tree work in the sensitive areas of the grove. Work will continue through the winter in areas away from active monarch aggregation sites, as determined by our monarch scientists from Althouse and Meade.


Grove trail toward Ellwood parking lot: March 2023 after storm and September 2023 after cleanup of storm-damaged trees

Road repair

In addition to the tree work, the access road at the end of Santa Barbara Shores that crosses Devereux Creek will undergo a temporary emergency repair this month. Please help keep people, pets, and the crews safe by following posted detours.

Fire Prevention / Hazardous Fuels Reduction

We are still waiting for a permit waiver from the California Coastal Commission to begin our long-planned fire prevention tree and vegetation work. We anticipate a decision during their November meeting, and we are prepared to begin immediately. Many friends of Ellwood Mesa wrote letters of support to the Coastal Commission to help highlight the urgency and importance of this work. We genuinely appreciate your support and will continue to keep you apprised of the work as it proceeds. Thank you!

City Councilmember Stuart Kasdin is hosting a Firewise USA Meeting for Ellwood Neighborhoods, Thursday October 12, 6:30-8:00 pm at Ellwood Elementary School. Firewise USA® is a free and voluntary national program that provides a framework to help neighbors get organized, find direction, and work together to increase the preparedness and resilience of their homes and communities to wildfire. Find details at CityofGoleta.org/ellwood-firewise.

Monarch Butterfly Habitat Enhancement

The City-approved Ellwood Mesa Monarch Butterfly Habitat Management Plan (2019) is the roadmap for enhancement and management activities that will be implemented within the monarch habitat. As you know, the City of Goleta has been working on the first specific Implementation Plan for many years. This Phase 1 Implementation Plan is based on 20 years of planning and over six years of butterfly studies, research, analysis, modeling, project design, and community input. It will be presented to the Goleta City Council October 17 and, if approved, will be submitted to the California Coastal Commission and other permitting agencies. Draft documents are now available on the Monarch Butterfly Habitat Plan Phase 1 Implementation project page.

We eagerly anticipate starting work as soon as all permits are obtained, hopefully in early 2024.

The Plan focuses on habitat enhancement for monarchs and other wildlife, wildfire protection, public safety and access, and community engagement.

Volunteer Opportunity

The City’s monarch specialists will be training volunteers to help count monarchs during the overwintering season (roughly November to February) for the Western Monarch Thanksgiving and New Years Counts. More information can be found at Western Monarch Count. If you wish to be notified of training opportunities, please sign up here.

Stay in Touch

Please visit cityofgoleta.org/ellwood for project details and to sign up for City text or email updates. If you have any questions or comments, please email ellwoodmesa@cityofgoleta.org and someone from our team will get back to you. And if you know anyone else who would like to receive these communications in the future, please have them reach out so we can add their name to the list.

San Jose Creek Bridge Replacement Project

The Caltrans project to replace the San Jose Creek Bridge on US 101 in Goleta continues following the demolition of the northbound bridge. A traffic switch was completed in advance of this phase of construction Sept. 14. Travelers have been re-routed onto the southbound bridge which includes two travel lanes in each direction. No ramp closures are anticipated during this phase of construction. The northbound US 101 On-Ramp at Patterson Avenue has been modified to improve the merge for travelers entering the highway.

The bridges on US 101 were built in 1946/widened in 1989. The new bridge will meet current design and safety criteria. The contractor for this $20 million project is M.C.M. Construction, Inc. of North Highlands, CA. It is expected to be complete in June 2026.

Construction to replace the San Jose Creek Bridges on State Route 217 in Goleta continues with the installation of sheet piles in preparation for demolition of the northbound bridge expected to begin in mid-October following the transfer of equipment from the westbound side of the bridge to the east side. One lane remains open in each direction for travelers on the westbound side of the highway.

The eastbound SR 217 on-ramp at Sandspit Road will remain closed for the duration of the project, estimated at two years. Travelers leaving the Santa Barbara Airport will use Fairview Avenue and Hollister Avenue to reach US 101. Additional electronic message boards have been activated to assist airport visitors.

The existing four-lane bridge on SR 217 was constructed in 1963. The new bridge is designed to current standards and flood elevations.

The contractor for this $26 million project is M.C.M. Construction, Inc. of North Highlands, CA. Bridge construction is expected to be complete in Summer 2025. A follow up plant establishment project will be complete in Fall 2027. Additional updates will be issued as work progresses.


Photo of work zone following demolition of the northbound US 101 Bridge


Sheet Pile installation on State Route 217 at San Jose Creek

100 Trees Planted at Stow Grove Park

Thanks to a community effort, 100 new trees are in the ground at Stow Grove Park. Approximately 90 volunteers turned out on September 16, 2023, for a community tree planting event. Every shovel was taken as volunteers of all ages, including Councilmembers and Parks and Recreation Commissioners, spent two hours actively working together to get all 100 trees planted.

The City of Goleta’s Parks and Open Space Manager George Thomson said, “It was a heartwarming sight to see such a great turnout and cross-section of our community coming together and willing to push up their sleeves, grab a shovel and get dirty to ensure that future generations will be able to enjoy the pristine beauty of this treasured park in Goleta.”

The primary purpose of the tree planting event was to help restore the grove at the park which has been impacted by drought conditions over the past 15 years. While some portions of the grove have remained strong and vigilant, others have declined and died. The 100 new trees will help get the grove back to what Edgar Stow envisioned when he planted the original grove of about 300 coastal redwoods in the 1930s.

Of the 100 trees that were planted, 75 were coast redwoods and 25 incense cedars which look like the coast redwoods but require much less irrigation. Over the next few years, these newly planted trees will be looked after closely by City of Goleta Parks and Open Space staff including regular watering, pruning, and fertilization.

A big thank you goes out to everyone who volunteered to make this event possible. Stay tuned for more tree planting events in the future. For additional information about volunteer opportunities with City of Goleta Parks, Recreation & Open Spaces, please contact us via email at adoptapark@cityofgoleta.org or by phone at 805-961-7558.

Pictured above: City of Goleta District 2 Councilmember Luz Reyes-Martín and Mayor Pro Tempore Kyle Richards


Group Photo


Parks & Recreation Commissioner Stacie Furia and family


One of the many great volunteers at the event


A volunteer watering one of the newly planted trees

Goleta First “Blue City” in Santa Barbara County

City Recognized for Commitment to Healthy Waterways and Oceans

Goleta is officially the first Blue City in Santa Barbara County due to its commitment to healthy waterways and oceans. The non-profit organization Project O certified the City of Goleta as a “Blue City.” The City received its official certification at the September 19th Goleta City Council meeting.

“We’re honored to have Goleta join the Blue City Network. We know that Goleta will be a source of inspiration for other cities committed to protecting our oceans & waterways,” said Evelina Marchetti, Executive Director of Project O.

To receive this recognition, the City of Goleta completed a thorough assessment of its environmental initiatives and programs with Project O. Out of 500 points, the City scored 370 placing it in the Ocean Hero Tier. Some of the major accomplishments that helped Goleta achieve this recognition include:

  • Launching the Plastic Free Goleta initiative to drastically reduce single-use plastic in the community through one of the most comprehensive plastic pollution reduction policies in California.
  • Helping residents access renewable energy and battery storage systems in their homes, regardless of financial qualifications, through the PoweredUp Network.
  • Developing a Monarch Butterfly Habitat Management Plan to protect Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Areas in the Ellwood Mesa.
  • Implementing a Creek and Watershed Management plan that outlines best practices to provide habitat for fish and wildlife, accommodate wildlife movement corridors, convey stormwater runoff and floodwaters, and furnish open space and passive recreational areas for City residents.

“I am so proud of our City for receiving this recognition. Protecting the environment and creating a sustainable community are priorities of the Council, and we look forward to continuing our legacy of stewardship and care for our oceans and creeks,” said Goleta Mayor Paula Perotte.

Upon certification, cities become part of the Blue City Network, a coalition of communities from around the world that collaborate in their ongoing quest to become true champions of the environment.

The Blue City Network Certification allows communities to credibly and transparently track progress toward overall sustainability objectives. The assessment focuses on four solution areas: Waste Minimization; Climate Protection and Community Resilience; Water Quality and Efficiency; and Healthy Ecosystems. Participants also gain access to proven resources and blueprints provided by top environmental nonprofits, cities, and governmental agencies working with BCN. Other certified Blue Cities include Manhattan Beach, Santa Monica, and Santa Cruz.

The Blue City Network is supported by Project O, a non-profit, 501c3 organization founded by noted entrepreneur Rich German and based in the coastal town of Laguna Beach, California. By restoring, protecting, and sustaining the ocean and all that lives in it, Project O ensures the wellbeing of humankind now and for generations to come through various programs and projects, such as developing and supporting innovative partner programs for ocean conservation, and educating the next generation to protect the ocean and make cleaning up plastic pollution a priority. Find out more at https://project-o.org.

For more information, please contact Evelina Marchetti at evelina@project-o.org.