Author Archives: Jaime Shaw

Complete Streets Community Meeting

Join us for a Complete Streets Community Workshop

The Hollister Avenue Complete Streets Corridor Plan is moving forward and we need your input! We will be having a meeting open to the community on March 13 from 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. at the Goleta Valley Community Center (5679 Hollister Avenue) and a meeting for Old Town business owners and employees on March 14 from 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. also at the Goleta Valley Community Center.

Attendees at both meetings will see three alternatives for what Hollister Avenue could look like. Should it be reduced from two lanes to one in each direction? What should the bike lanes look like? Do you prefer parallel or diagonal parking on Hollister Avenue? We will be gathering feedback from attendees on the different options to see which one people like best. Hollister Avenue is a main corridor in Old Town Goleta providing access to businesses and residential homes. The Complete Streets project will enhance safety, access and mobility for all users (pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and transit riders) on Hollister Avenue between Fairview Avenue and State Route 217. For those who are unable to attend, an online survey will be available shortly to allow for ranking of the three options and comments. For more information on the project please visit www.goletacompletestreets.com. 

Boards & Commissions New Page

New Look for City’s Service Opportunities

There’s a new look to the Boards, Commissions and Committee page on the City’s website! This revisions will make it easier for the public to find out if there is a vacancy that matches an individual’s skills and interests.  Please go to: www.cityofgoleta.org/city-hall/city-clerk/boards-commissions. You will also find general information on Goleta’s Boards and Commissions as well as a current member roster.

Service on City Boards, Commissions and Committees is one of the principal means by which citizens can participate in local government. Through Goleta’s Boards and Commissions, many citizens have given, or currently give, their time to assist and advise the City Council on issues facing the legislative body. Those who serve play a vital role in bringing transparency, change, and growth to the City of Goleta.

Pickleball Player

Permanent Pickleball Courts Installed at Evergreen Park

Enthusiasm for Goleta’s pickleball pilot program last spring was so overwhelming that the City of Goleta’s Parks and Recreation Commission voted to end the pilot program early and install two permanent pickleball courts at Evergreen Park. This was possible through support of the City of Goleta and a donation of two portable pickleball nets from pickleball enthusiast, Patricia Richardson. 

Today, the courts at Evergreen Park are designed for both tennis and pickleball players.  The west court is designated as priority for tennis players, and the east court (with added yellow lines) serves as priority for pickleball players.  To keep the pickleball court nets in good condition, they are secured in a locked box at the courts. Pickleball players desiring access to the portable nets will need to participate in a training and complete a volunteer application before receiving the lock combination.  Interested parties can contact JoAnne Plummer, Parks & Recreation Manager, at (805) 562-5505 or jplummer@cityofgoleta.org.

Final Hurdle for Old Town Park Complete!

In January, the City received final confirmation from the State of California to proceed with the purchase of Old Town Park (aka Hollister/Kellogg Park) which means the City can move forward with its development!  The City Council unanimously approved the final park design in September. Read the full article here.  The construction documents preparations are underway and work is anticipated to begin in late spring 2018, with the park anticipated to be open to the public in early 2019.  Due to the anticipated construction timeline, the splash pad proposed for this park will be installed in phase two of construction.  Stay tuned for details on this park project as they will unfold quickly in the coming year. For more information, and to keep up to date on this project, please visit www.cityofgoleta.org/projects-programs/parks-open-space/old-town-park.

Hollister Class I Bike Path – Winner of the Santa Barbara County Project of the Year!

The Hollister Class I Bike Path has been named Santa Barbara County Project of the Year by the Santa Barbara-Ventura Branch of ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineers)! Construction was completed on Goleta’s newest multi-use path in early January. The 14-foot wide concrete path along Hollister Avenue from Pacific Oaks Road to Ellwood Elementary School makes travel to and from the school more accessible for students living in the area, and also serves UCSB students, recreational riders and commuters. The path promotes active and sustainable transportation for all.

In order to construct the multi-use path, Hollister Avenue was re-striped and the existing median islands were reconstructed. The path is open to pedestrians, bicyclists, skateboarders and scooter riders. A community meeting was held at the end of January and attendees were educated on how to safely use the new bike path, reviewed what the markings and signage mean, and learned how bicyclists and pedestrians can better share the space. In addition, through a partnership with COAST (Coalition for Sustainable Transportation), every classroom at Ellwood School took a walk along the path with a COAST representative to learn first-hand how to safely use the new path.

Helpful information to know about the path includes:

  • The class two bike lane remains along the roadway on Hollister Avenue for experienced cyclists who choose not to use the new path.
  • The new path contains separate lanes for riders and pedestrians. Riders must stay in the designated lanes (marked with a bicycle) while pedestrians can walk anywhere on the path. There is also a designated lane for pedestrians that riders cannot enter. Please use good judgement when using the path as all this is a new type of path for many and people are still learning.
  • Riders and walkers are expected to stop at the stop signs placed at intersections along the path.
  • The crosswalk is an extension of the multi-use path and the same rules must be followed. Areas of the crosswalk are designated for walkers (white and red striped lines) and riders (green circles), please use the correct one.
  • Make yourself visible and take safety precautions.

Hollister Class I Multi-Use Path Instructions

H2S Detector

New Date Set for Noxious Odors Community Meeting

The City’s community meeting on noxious odors in Western Goleta has been rescheduled for March 7, 2018, at 6:00 p.m. at Goleta City Hall Council Chambers (130 Cremona Drive, Suite B). Given the recent impacts of the fire and mudslides on our community, we had postponed this meeting to ensure all relevant agencies would be available to participate. With the new date, representatives from the various local agencies will be on hand to provide information about their roles and responsibilities and answer questions. The City of Goleta has organized this community meeting to educate our residents about the steps that should be taken if someone smells a noxious odor and to allow individual questions to be answered.

Get up to date before the meeting, click here to learn about the regulatory roles of the Santa Barbara County Fire Department, Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District and Santa Barbara County Public Health Department and Environmental Health Services.

Can’t make the meeting? Watch it live or at a later time on our website (www.cityofgoleta.org/i-want-to/news-and-updates/government-meeting-agendas-and-videos) or Cox channel 19. If you have a question you want answered and can’t make the meeting, email it to jshaw@cityofgoleta.org by 6:00 p.m. on March 6 and it will be asked on your behalf at the meeting.

Your Input is Requested

Staff is working on a number of public input opportunities for the spring on topics such as Historic Preservation, the Butterfly Habitat Management Plan, Old Town Sidewalks, Complete Streets and more. This is in addition to workshops for the Council to wrestle with their priorities for projects in Planning and Public Works. Be sure you’re signed up for all topics that interest you in order to be notified of these important meetings. Click here to sign up today.

Free Christmas Tree Recycling with MarBorg

Did you know that MarBorg offers free Christmas tree collection after the holidays? To participate, place your tree curbside on your green waste collection day. If you do not have green waste service, bring your tree to the curbside on your trash collection day. Please remove all tree stands, lights, tinsel and ornaments. Any trees taller than six feet must be cut down to fit in MarBorg’s trucks. Christmas trees can also be dropped off at no charge through January 13 at MarBorg’s Santa Barbara facility (119 North Quarantina Street) or the South Coast Recycling & Transfer Station (4430 Calle Real in Santa Barbara).

For more information on tree recycling, how to prevent holiday waste this season and MarBorg’s winter holiday schedule, visit www.MarBorg.com.

Mind the FOG this Holiday Season

Many of us spend more time in the kitchen during the holiday season than any other time of year. Goleta West Sanitary District would like to remind everyone that it is important to properly dispose of all Fats, Oils and Grease (FOG). Putting them down the drain can cause major problems for homeowners and beyond. A byproduct of cooking, FOG is found in things such as meat fats, cooking oil, lard and shortening, butter and margarine. When washed down the drain, it may stick to the inside of sewer pipes on your property and in the streets; over time it can build up and block pipes. Garbage disposals do not help keep the grease out of pipes; they only shred it into smaller pieces. A grease-blocked sewer pipe can back up into your home or neighborhood resulting in expensive and unpleasant clean-ups. Follow these steps to properly dispose of your FOG:

  • Pour FOG into a heat resistant covered disposable container. Store it in the freezer and put it in the trash after it has hardened.
  • Use paper towels to wipe greasy dishes before washing. Put the paper towels in the trash.
  • Use sink strainers to catch food waste. Put food scraps in compost bin or in the trash.
  • FOG waste should only be put in the trash.

For more information please visit www.GoletaWest.org.