Daily Archives: January 31, 2024

E-Bike Safety Awareness

The use of e-bikes is skyrocketing and so is the need for riders to understand how to operate them safely. That’s why the City expanded its first E-bike Safety Awareness Day in January 2023 to a week-long event this past January 2024. The goal is to bring an important topic of concern to the forefront, provide education and ultimately prevent accidents and injuries from occurring. Every E-bike rider should watch this important newly released E-bike safety video with our Community Resource Deputy Ehren Rauch who rides an e-bike at work and in his personal life. Watch the video here.

Deputy Rauch said, “Every day we have interactions that involve e-bikes and we often find that riders are not familiar with the laws that pertain to e-bikes. It’s important that anyone operating an e-bike understand they must follow the same traffic rules as vehicles.”

At the reading of the proclamation at the Goleta City Council Meeting on January 16, Mayor Paula Perotte said, “Electric bicycles are heavier and faster than standard bicycles and, without the proper safety education and training, e-bike riders have a higher risk of becoming severely injured or killed in a crash.”

The State of California has e-bike safety laws in place that regulate who and where each type of e-bike can lawfully be ridden and that riders 17 years of age and under must always wear a helmet. Of course, it is strongly recommended that e-bike riders of all ages wear a helmet.

“Practicing bike safety precautions, especially wearing a helmet, is essential to preventing or minimizing injury, regardless of age,” said Lauren Sutherlin, Trauma Nurse Coordinator at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. “Given the higher speeds associated with e-bikes, a properly fitting helmet significantly reduces the risk of serious head and brain injuries in the case of a fall or collision.”

According to the California Highway Patrol, there were more than 9,600 bicycle-involved crashes in California in 2022, 225 of which involved an e-bike (an increase over 80 the prior year) and four of which resulted in fatal injuries.

CHP has an on-line safety course available online at www.chp.ca.gov/Programs-Services/Services-Information/Bike-and-Ped-Safety.

The City partnered with MOVE Santa Barbara County, Goleta Police, CHP and Cottage Hospital to hand out more than 100 helmets to e-bike riders at Dos Pueblos High School, Goleta Valley Junior High (at lunch and after school) and at a Community E-bike Skills Class and Ride held on January 27. 

Mayor Perotte enjoyed being at the event and handing out free helmets, bike lights, wheel reflectors, and many other bike safety items.

Thanks to everyone who was a part of making E-bike Safety Awareness Week in the City of Goleta a big success. 


Mayor Paula Perotte presenting the proclamation to Kim Stanley-Zimmerman with MOVE Santa Barbara County at the January 16, 2024, City Council Meeting


Representatives from the City of Goleta, MOVE Santa Barbara County, Goleta Police, CHP and Cottage Hospital passing out helmets and lights at Dos Pueblos High School on January 17, 2024


DP students checking out the free helmet distribution


Kim Stanley-Zimmerman making sure a student’s helmet fits properly at the Goleta Valley Junior High School distribution on January 18, 2024


Smiling participants after completing the Community E-Bike Skills Class & Ride on January 27 at Goleta Valley Junior High School

Pictured above: Mayor Perotte with two participants from the Community E-Bike Skills Class & Ride

Thank You Point-In Time Count Volunteers

Thanks to a great group of “early risers”, Santa Barbara County has a better idea of the number of people experiencing homelessness. Close to 400 volunteers throughout Santa Barbara County gathered before the sun rose on January 24, 2024, for the Point in Time Count. Approximately 40 of those volunteers met at Goleta City Hall. They were given instructions, then divided into count teams and assigned their own routes to document who is experiencing homelessness.  Each homeless person was offered packs of tissues, socks, snacks, and other essentials. The count is scheduled to take place early in the morning because people are more stationary and less likely to be counted twice.

The PIT Count is an annual count required by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) of sheltered (emergency shelter, transitional housing, or Safe Havens) and unsheltered people experiencing homelessness on a single night in January.  The data gathered shows so much more than how many people are homeless in Santa Barbara County – we also learn more about who is homeless and why. Information from the PIT Count is used to plan local homeless assistance systems, justify funding, raise public awareness, and track trends that can help the County determine how to best serve the homeless population.

Thank you to the dedicated individuals that volunteered to help complete the PIT Count for 2024!


Volunteers gathered at Goleta City Hall

Pictured top right: Landon Ranck, Operations Manager of SB ACT, City of Goleta Homelessness Services Coordinator Chuck Flacks, Katherine Soto-Vasquez from the County of Santa Barbara and City of Goleta Neighborhood Services Director Jaime Valdez

 

Record-Breaking Beautify Goleta Event

First Event of the Year brings More than 100 Vehicles and Over 15,000 Pounds of Bulky Items

The first Beautify Goleta Bulky Item Drop-Off event of the year brought a record turnout and chart-topping results. 103 vehicles dropped off 15,604 pounds of bulky items to the drop-off location in Western Goleta. (That is almost double the amount of the previous record of 68 vehicles participating and almost 9,000 pounds collected.)

There was a steady line of cars dropping off items at the intersection of Mathilda Drive and Strehle Lane throughout the duration of the four-hour event on Saturday, January 27th. People were eager to start the new year getting rid of large unwanted items from their garage, backyard and house/apartment. The most popular items were large pieces of damaged furniture and old mattresses.

City of Goleta Environmental Services Specialist Dan Rowell said, “It’s great to see how excited our community is for our Beautify Goleta events. The unprecedented turnout we had on Saturday demonstrates just how much the program has grown since it began in 2016 and the importance of these services for the community. The events also wouldn’t be what they are today without our amazing partners at MarBorg Industries, Big Green Cleaning, Solid Waste Solutions, and the Caltrans Clean California program.” 

If you missed it, don’t worry there are more Beautify Goleta bulky item drop-off events and community-wide cleanup opportunities coming up. Mark your calendar and stay tuned for more details.

  • February 2024: First-ever Beautify Goleta Self-Guided Cleanup Month (additional information available at www.CityofGoleta.org/BeautifyGoleta).
  • March 16, 2024: “Spring Into Action”
  • April 20, 2024: “Earth Day” 
  • July 20, 2024: “Put A Smile On Your Place” 
  • September 21, 2024: “Coastal Cleanup Day” 

Thanks to Community West Bank and the Goleta Rotary Club for taking on the role of Team Captains for the upcoming March 16th Beautify Goleta event. The City is recruiting Team Captains. We need you! Captains can be clubs, businesses, community groups, or individuals who help keep a group of volunteers organized on event day. Captains are an essential part of Beautify Goleta and a great opportunity to highlight your group as Captains are regularly recognized in City press releases, the Monarch Press e-newsletter, and other social media campaigns. Please email us about being a Captain today! Send your email to EnvironmentalServices@CityOfGoleta.org.

For more information on Beautify Goleta, go to www.CityofGoleta.org/BeautifyGoleta.


Dan Rowell, City of Goleta Environmental Services Specialist, helping place bulky items in the dumpster


Vehicle dropping off bulky items at the Beautify Goleta event on January 27