Daily Archives: February 29, 2024

Cox Charities to Award $10,000 in Grants to Santa Barbara Nonprofits 

Local nonprofit organizations with programs focused on Youth and Education (K-12 STEAM focus), conservation and sustainability, digital equity, or affordable housing and food insecurity, are encouraged to apply for a Cox Charities Community Grant now through March 15. A total of $10,000 will be awarded to nonprofits in Santa Barbara. 

The grants, which are funded and awarded by Cox employees, are part of Cox Charities’ statewide Community Grants program, which awards grants to nonprofits in Cox Communications’ California markets (San Diego, Orange County, Palos Verdes, Santa Barbara).   

To apply for a Cox Charities Community Grant, organizations must meet the following criteria: 

  • Be a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization;
  • Be located in or provide services in a Cox Communications service area in California;
  • Align with one or more of Cox Charities’ focus areas.

To apply, visit www.coxcharitiesca.org/communitygrants. Recipients will be announced in May.  

Last year’s Santa Barbara grant recipients were: Hearts Therapeutic Equestrian Center, Los Padres Forest Association, and Goleta Education Foundation.  

A charitable foundation funded by employee donations, Cox Charities enables employees to support their community by awarding grants to local nonprofits. A diverse volunteer advisory board of Cox employees oversees Cox Charities and its giving programs. 

Dos Pueblos Little League Celebrates 50 Years

For half a century, the Dos Pueblos Little League (DPLL) has been an integral part of the community and is where thousands of children have learned the ideals of good sportsmanship, honesty, loyalty, courage and respect for authority through the fabulous game of baseball. On February 20th, the Goleta City Council issued a proclamation recognizing and congratulating the all-volunteer run non-profit organization for its 50 years of service to the community.

To celebrate this special milestone, a 50th Alumni Anniversary and Fundraiser was held March 2 at UC Santa Barbara’s Corwin Pavillion. The event included a patio reception, music, food and drink, a DPLL Alumni Wall of Fame Gallery, highlight reels and guest speakers. All proceeds went to the league to aid in scholarships, updating equipment and field improvements.

DPLL provides youth athletes ages 4 – 14 with fun and engaging recreational baseball opportunities that foster personal, mental, and physical growth. DPLL proudly supports an inclusive little league experience for everyone, and their Challenger Division provides the same sports opportunities for participants with mental and physical disabilities.

Thank you DPLL for all the great experiences and memories you have created on the ball fields. Cheers to the next 50!

Pictured: Evi Limon-Ngai, Dos Pueblos Little League Board Member, holding the proclamation with City Council and DPLL players

Our Water Our World: Controlling Slugs and Snails Around Your Home 

Learn how to control slugs and snails with these tips from the City of Goleta Environmental Services Division. Slugs and snails are small, slimy insects that are usually found outdoors in your garden. These insects have soft, oblong bodies and produce slime to help them move around. One of the main differences between slugs and snails is that snails have shells. 

Did You Know? 

  • Snails were originally imported from France for culinary purposes.
  • Slugs and snails are most active at night and on dark, cloudy days. 
  • Up to 100 small pearl-like eggs can be laid at a time.

What Can You Do?  

Different methods can be used to remove slugs and snails such as hand-picking, creating barriers or traps, applying eco-friendly pesticides, and using insect predators. To prevent slugs and snails, purchase native plants with dry, hard leaves, avoid over-watering by using water-efficient devices, and try to water at the most efficient time to not only allow areas to dry out before nighttime, but to avoid evapotranspiration.  

  • Find and remove slug and snail eggs. Slug and snail eggs are usually found in the soil about an inch down, but can also be found under rocks, boards, or plant debris. Make sure to crush the eggs or scoop them into a plastic bag, seal it, and throw it away. 
  • Make sure to thoroughly remove full grown slugs and snails. Crushing slugs and snails or drowning them in soapy water will reduce the chances of them surviving. 
  • Bury crushed slugs and snails for soil nutrients. Burying crushed slugs and snails 3 to 4 inches underground can add nutrients to the soil and avoid flies. 
  • Time your hand-picking. Hand-pick eggs or full-grown slugs and snails with a flashlight and pair of gloves before dawn or after 10 pm. This is when slugs and snails come out to eat. 
  • Use a combination of methods and be persistent. Use two or more methods and make sure to regularly perform them to effectively reduce the number of slugs and snails. 
  • Use copper and coconut oil soap as a repellent. Slugs and snails are repelled by copper or coconut oil soap. Wrap the copper around an object, such as a flowerpot, or apply the soap around plants. 
  • Cover seedlings and vegetables. Rows of vegetable or seedlings can be covered such as with horticultural fabric or small cages. 
  • Use homemade or commercial traps. In addition to hand-picking, trap slugs and snails with a container or purchase commercial traps that use yeast mixtures to attract slugs and snails. 
  • Encourage natural predators. Let nature help you out. Some ground beetles that look like black, tank-like insects will eat slugs and snails. 
  • Use an iron phosphate bait. Be careful when using this method, some baits contain methiocarb which can kill beneficial insects, such as earthworms. Try to find baits with iron phosphate instead.   

Find more information on controlling slugs and snails with eco-friendly products in our OWOW brochures in English and Spanish.  

The City of Goleta along with the Cities of Buellton, Carpinteria, Solvang, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria and the County of Santa Barbara have partnered with the OWOW organization to promote the use of less-toxic products in an effort to reduce pesticide pollution in our communities. By reducing pesticide use and the use of less-toxic products around the home, you can help reduce pesticides and other pollutants such as herbicides and fertilizers from being picked up while watering or when it rains and transported to the nearest storm drain inlet and into our waterways. The OWOW website is a great resource for finding less-toxic products to use around your home or garden. 

Birding in Goleta

Spend Friday mornings bird watching in Goleta with the Santa Barbara Audubon Society. All bird walks begin at 8:30am and last about 2 hours. The walks are open to all. For directions and parking click here. Upcoming walks include:

  • Friday, March 29, 2024 – Friday Bird Walk: UCSB Campus Lagoon. The UCSB Lagoon area covers many habitats. Views of Goleta Bay, and ocean south of Campus Point provide many chances for observing shorebirds and seabirds. The fresh water lagoon provides habitat for additional water birds and the surrounding terrestrial areas have potential for many other species.
  • Friday, April 26, 2024 – Friday Bird Walk: Goleta Beach/Atascadero Creek. The Goleta Beach / Goleta Slough / Atascadero Creek area is one of the go to hot spots in Goleta for birding. The eBird hotspot for the area boasts 232 species. Water fowl, shorebirds, waders, raptors, gulls and other species are not uncommon in their season. Goleta Slough is the main drainage for many of the Goleta valley / western Santa Barbara area creeks, providing waterways for birds to up to and down from the Santa Barbara mountains.
  • Friday, May 10, 2024 – Friday Bird Walk – Farren Road. Farren Road is at the very western edge of Goleta. It is a road that provides access along a ridge that is between Tecolote Canyon and Eagle Canyon. The habitat is varied and thus provides a varied list of avian species from sparrows to raptors. The views of the mountains, ocean and Channel Islands is quite special as well.
  • Friday, May 24, 2024 – Friday Bird Walk: Lake Los Carneros. Lake Los Carneros (LLC) is one of Goleta’s premier birding hot spots. Its 25 acre lake and varied wooded and grass land habitats make LLC a wonderful place to visit in the middle of Goleta. Once a part of Rancho La Patera it is now a Mecca for anyone wanting to get in touch with nature.

The Santa Barbara Audubon Society held its 10th Annual Winter Bird Count for Kids this past January. Thanks to all 39 volunteers, including the 15 group leaders, for their dedication and smiles on a rainy day. Kids and high school helpers from 16 schools (eight of them located in Goleta) attended. We are very grateful to the City of Goleta, the Goleta Valley Historical Society/Stow House, Christ Lutheran Church, and the South Coast Railroad Museum for their support, with a special shout out to Lisa, the property caretaker, and the crew at SB County Fire Station 14.

Learn more about the Santa Barbara Audubon Society and activities here: https://santabarbaraaudubon.org/.

Photo from the 10th Annual Winter Bird Count for Kids, photo courtesy Colette Becker

Project Connect Groundbreaking

Monday, March 18 at 11:00 a.m. in Old Town

You’re invited to be a part of Goleta history. On March 18, 2024, at 11:00 a.m., the City will break ground on the largest capital improvement project in the City’s 22-year existence. Join us at 5551 Hollister Avenue (at the parking lot located before SB Hwy 217 on-ramp) in Old Town Goleta to kick off construction for Project Connect. The multi-year project will enhance pedestrian access and safety, improve road conditions, and build critical linkage throughout Goleta while increasing stormwater flow capacity in San Jose Creek under Hollister Bridge.

Councilmember James Kyriaco (District 2) said, “The start of construction is an important milestone for the City of Goleta and one that we look forward to celebrating. Comprehensive projects, like Project Connect, bring impactful improvements, and align regional goals.” 

This milestone event will bring together local officials, community leaders, project stakeholders and residents to celebrate this transformative project. Attendees can expect to hear from the Mayor and representatives from collaborative agencies who have played and will continue to play key roles in shaping this project and seeing it to completion. The comments will be followed by a ceremonial groundbreaking photo/video opportunity. Spanish interpretation will be available. On-site parking is limited, and carpooling is encouraged. Additional parking is available at Jonny D. Wallis Neighborhood Park or on S. Kellogg Ave. 

There are many aspects to this comprehensive project which include:

  • Hollister Avenue Bridge & Roundabout Project – Construction of two roundabouts at the Hollister Ave./State Route 217 ramp intersection to improve traffic flow. Additionally, a new bridge will be built over San Jose Creek to achieve 100-year storm flow capacity.
  • Ekwill Street & Fowler Road Extension Projects – Improve east-west circulation north and south of Hollister Avenue, providing direct connections to portions of Old Town Goleta and the Santa Barbara Airport.

During construction, lane closures and detours will be in place. All businesses along the project alignment will remain open. Please show your support for our Old Town businesses during construction.

The City understands that long-term projects such as this one can be inconvenient for those who live in, visit, or have businesses in the area. We appreciate your patience in advance and look forward to the positive impact that will be felt for years to come as a result of this project.

To stay updated on project milestones, traffic impacts, and other important Project Connect information go to the City’s website: www.CityofGoleta.org/ProjectConnect.

For additional information or questions, please contact: Connect@CityofGoleta.org or 805-690-5116.

We hope to see you at the Project Connect Groundbreaking on March 18th!

City of Goleta Adopts Vision Zero Approach

Council Also Receives Update on Traffic Safety Improvements 

The City of Goleta is now a Vision Zero City. The Goleta City Council approved the adoption of the Vision Zero approach to governance at its February 20, 2024, meeting. The philosophy maintains that serious collisions on public roadways are preventable and that while collisions cannot be avoided altogether, there are steps you can take to avoid deaths and serious injuries.

Mayor Paula Perotte said, “Vision Zero policies promote building more safety and livability into a city’s circulation system for walkers, bicyclists, and motorists.  Our City has already taken significant steps to improve our safety and enjoyment, and even more enhancements are on their way.”

Supporting Vision Zero would prioritize more coordinated work efforts designed to eliminate traffic deaths and severe collisions in Goleta. The focus would be on Engineering, Education and Enforcement.

Increased speeds increase the likelihood of serious injury or death in a traffic collision. Consequently, engineering solutions tend to focus on a combination of speed reduction and stronger separation of people who are biking, walking, and driving.

Vision Zero originated in Sweden in 1997. As of 2020, the number of traffic-related deaths in Sweden has been reduced by over 65%. Sweden had 204 traffic-related fatalities in 2020, a record-breaking low, and a decrease from 772 deaths in 1990, even while the number of miles driven during the same period had grown.

Over 45 U.S. cities have adopted Vision Zero programs to reduce the number of fatal crashes occurring on their roads. California cities lead the way, with Alameda, Berkeley, Fremont, La Mesa, Los Angeles, Monterey, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Watsonville having adopted Vision Zero strategies, and others are actively considering adoption.

The Council also received an update on the steps the City has taken to improve traffic safety including complete streets initiatives, intersection improvements, and improvements to the bicycle and pedestrian networks.  The presentation included a comprehensive update on the City’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Mater Plan and the Goleta Traffic Safety Study. 

The staff report is available here: http://tinyurl.com/52x889a4.

City Holds Second Bilingual LEAD Goleta Academy

Congrats to the 31 Graduates Who Completed Six Week Program – Brighten Your Day by Watching our Recap Video

Relive the City’s second bilingual LEAD Goleta Academy with our recap video and photo album. This is the 4th LEAD Goleta Academy the City has held, and the second time the program included Spanish interpretation and translated materials. LEAD stands for Learn, Empower, Advocate, and Discuss. For six consecutive weeks, 31 participants, including six Spanish speakers, met for two plus hours and learned about how the City of Goleta is run. On February 15, 2024, the group completed its final class which included participants receiving a graduation certificate and a City of Goleta pin from the Mayor and City Council. For the first time the graduation ceremony was held at the Goleta Community Center and included family and friends of the graduates.

Mayor Paula Perotte applauded the group for their participation and said, “I hope you will take what you learned and share it with your neighbors, friends, and loved ones, and consider being on a Board or Commission, running for City Council, and staying engaged.”

Community Relations Manager Kelly Hoover said, “This was a very special class. They came in the door every week eager to learn and ready to get to know the City and each other. They were incredibly social, enthusiastic and asked great questions. We all learned a lot together during our time. We will miss seeing their faces every week but know they will stay connected.”

There was a lot to cover over the six-week class. The program began with participants hearing from the City Manager, Mayor and City Council. Additional weeks covered the other facets that make up a City. There were presentations from the City Attorney’s Office, City Clerk’s Office, Finance, Planning, Sustainability, Environmental Services, Neighborhood Services, Homelessness, Emergency Services, Goleta Police, Goleta Valley Library, Public Works, Park and Recreation, Parks and Open Space and Community Outreach. Besides getting a behind the scenes look at each of these divisions, the participants also participated in a Mock City Council meeting and took tours of the Goleta Valley Library and Goleta Community Center. The last class also featured a Goleta Trivia Game where the graduates got to put their knowledge to the test.

The diverse group of LEAD Goleta participants came from all different backgrounds and walks of life but had one thing in common, a love for Goleta and wanting to learn about how they can make their community a better place. The group included high school and college students, retirees, business professionals, community partners and overall Goleta enthusiasts. All were drawn to participate for different reasons.

Before receiving their certificates, the graduates went around the room and expressed what they enjoyed most about the Academy. Here are just a couple of the comments:

Gareth Kelly who played the role of Mayor in our Mock Council said, “I joined the LEAD Goleta Academy to learn more about our city and how it all works. These past weeks have been both eye-opening and rewarding. Even though Goleta is still a young city it’s clear it has an amazing group of staff and leaders who care about the city, its people, and its natural and open spaces – things that also matter to me. Learning about what goes into running a city has been fascinating, and I would recommend the LEAD Goleta Academy to everyone.”

Myah Mashhadialireza played the role of City Attorney in the Mock Council meeting. She said, The LEAD program was exceptional! I’ve learned a lot about how Goleta operates behind the scenes, the projects they work on and the people that make it happen.”

A huge thank you to our Spanish Engagement Specialist Marcos Martinez and to our Spanish interpreters Viviana Marsano and Hugo Santos for making this bilingual LEAD Goleta Community Academy possible.

If you are interested in signing up for a future LEAD Goleta class, please email jshaw@cityofgoleta.org to be notified when applications are available.


LEAD Goleta 2024 graduating class with the Goleta City Council


Spanish-speaking participants with City of Goleta Spanish Engagement Specialist Marcos Martinez and interpreters Viviana Marsano and Hugo Santos


Mock City Council meeting participants

Green Room: Updated Bulky Item Pickup Services 

You now have more free bulky item pick-ups from MarBorg Industries thanks to an updated agreement with the City. Say goodbye to clutter and use free services included in your solid waste rates.

Goleta’s updated bulky item pickup services enable residents to proactively manage clutter with enhanced access to more free pickup services. With convenient, no-cost collections and a comprehensive list of accepted items, residents can make a positive impact on their community and the planet throughout each year.

Updated Services 

From that old sofa to outdated electronics, Goleta’s Bulky Item Collection Program has got you covered. Under this program, both single-family homes and multi-family residences can enjoy additional FREE bulky item collections throughout the year. Single-family homes also have access to unlimited white good and electronic waste pickup services. 

Single-Family Customers: 

  • Bulky Item Pickups include up to four FREE on-call collections annually, each accommodating five bulky items or boxes. 
  • Unlimited collections of White Goods. 
  • Unlimited collections of Electronic Waste.
  • *Prior to November 2023, single-family customers had up to two FREE on-call collections annually as well as unlimited collections of white goods and electronic waste. 

Multi-Family Customers: 

  • Bulky Item Pickups include collections matching the number of dwelling units in the complex annually, all at no extra cost. Each dwelling unit’s annual collection accommodates five bulky items or boxes. Pickups can be scheduled by each tenant or the property manager. 
  • *Prior to November 2023, multi-family customers had up to two FREE on-call collections per property annually that could only be scheduled by a property owner or property manager. 

How To Schedule 

Call MarBorg Industries at 805-963-1852 to schedule your bulky item, white good, or electronic waste pickup today! These cleanups must be scheduled in advance. 

Bulky Items, White Goods, and Electronic Waste 

Wondering what qualifies as a bulky item, a white good, or electronic waste? 

Bulky Items are large hard to deal with materials. Think old furniture, mattresses, box springs, couches, tables, chairs, and more. 

White Goods are major home appliances. Think refrigerators, washers, dryers, dishwashers, ovens, stoves, and more. 

Electronic Waste is anything powered by a battery or a cord. Think microwaves, televisions, radios, vacuums, DVD players, video game systems, and more. 

Any questions or feedback about your updated bulky item services can be emailed to EnvironmentalServices@cityofgoleta.org.  

To schedule your next pick-up call MarBorg Industries at 805-963-1852.