Author Archives: Jaime Shaw

Survey Says

The wheels are turning on the Bicycle Pedestrian Master Plan (BPMP) and we want to hear from you!  The plan will promote public health, reduce automobile usage and fuel consumption, and promote transportation equity. Be a part of Goleta’s walking and biking future – attend a public workshop on Wednesday, November 9.

  • 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. at UCSB’s University Center State Street Room (2264 UCen Road – click here for a map of the University, and use UCen in the Search Text)
  • 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Goleta Valley Community Center* (5679 Hollister Avenue)
    *Spanish translation available

If you can’t make it, you can still provide feedback by taking our survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GoletaBPMP.  Help spread the word and share this information with your friends, neighbors and colleagues.

Photo: Senior Deputy Sorensen at Brandon School’s Bike to School, Walk to School Day.

And the Award Goes to…the City of Goleta!

The City of Goleta is the proud recipient of two Beacon Spotlight Awards for its commitment to sustainability and efforts to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save energy. The City received the Platinum Level Award for 25% Energy Savings and the Gold Level Award in Sustainability Best Practices. The Spotlight Awards, given by the Institute for Local Government and the Statewide Energy Efficiency Collaborative, recognize the individual accomplishments of cities as they work towards completing the five elements necessary to receive the full Beacon Award.

Learn more about Goleta’s Sustainability & Climate Adaptation programs here. For additional information on the Beacon Program visit www.ca-ilg.org/beacon-program.

Photo: Deputy City Manager Kathleen Trepa (left) and Sustainability Coordinator Cindy Moore holding the City’s two Beacon Spotlight Awards.

Have Your Say – Vote Today! Goleta Election Information

In the upcoming November 8 election, voters will be making important decisions nationally, state-wide and locally. Goleta residents will be electing two members of the City Council and deciding if the Mayor of Goleta becomes an elected position or continues to be selected annually by the five-member council. Voters will also be asked to decide if the term of mayor should be two or four years. Should this ballot measure pass, it would take effect in the November 2018 election. Please click here for more information on the ballot measure. To learn more about the 2016 election, click here.

Have You Registered Your Vacation Rental?

The City is asking for your help in registering your vacation rental. In order to protect and preserve the residential character of neighborhoods where vacation rentals operate, the City Council passed a short-term rental ordinance last year which went into effect July 1, 2015.

The City of Goleta’s Short-Term Rental Ordinance applies to anyone who rents out a self-contained dwelling unit (i.e. house, apartment, condo, guest house). A room rental is not a dwelling unit, and therefore not subject to the ordinance.

The Short-Term Rental Permit allows the City and law enforcement to better regulate these uses and creates a registry of vacation rentals within the City of Goleta. Obtaining a permit also allows neighbors to be protected from unruly guests.

For more information and to download the appropriate forms, click here.

Find Out the Latest on Fire Station 10

Western Goleta is looking forward to a new fire station near Ellwood School.  Please join us for a community meeting on Thursday, November 17 from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Ellwood School Multipurpose Room to learn more about the proposed Fire Station 10 project and where it is in the process.  The evening will kick off with a short presentation on the overall project and its current status and timeline.  Attendees are then invited to visit various project exhibits to learn more about the expanded fire service, geotechnical work required on the site, anticipated permitting process and the proposed preliminary design of the facility. The City’s FS10 Project Team and representatives from the County of Santa Barbara Fire Department will be on hand to answer questions.

More information can be found here: http://www.cityofgoleta.org/projects-programs/building-development/fire-station-in-western-goleta.  To sign up for project updates via email or text, visit https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/CAGOLETA/subscriber/new.

Repaving Calle Real in the Forecast

The area of Calle Real between Fairview and La Patera has seen several projects over the last few years including the CalTrans project to widen the Las Vegas and San Pedro Creek Culverts and the County’s flood control project on these creeks.  Now that those have been completed, the City is planning to repave and restripe this section of Calle Real.

The City has a moratorium in certain areas during the winter holidays.  So the project will go out to bid in December with an expected start date near the beginning of 2017.

Help Bring Goleta’s History to the Future

In 2016-2017, the City of Goleta will work with a consultant team from Historic Resources Group to develop an inventory of historic resources within Goleta. All property types constructed through 1969 will be considered (i.e. residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional) and evaluated for potential architectural, social, and cultural significance.

To create this comprehensive inventory we would like to hear from you on historic places that are important in your neighborhood, including the lesser-known places that may have shaped your community. These places may be important for a broad range of reasons, including architecture or landscape design; association with an important person; social, cultural and/or ethnic heritage; residential development, commerce, or industry.

Please participate by completing the Historic Resources Identification Form, and for more information on the project please visit http://cityofgoleta.org/projects-programs/historic-preservation.

We’re anticipating our first public workshop in early December.  Sign up here to receive project and workshop notices via email or text.

Do You CartSnap?

Have you ever wondered what happens to the abandoned shopping carts you see on the sidewalk? Eventually most make it back to their store, but not without a little help. CartSnap connects the reporting of a misplaced shopping cart with the people who retrieve them. Anyone can download the free CartSnap app to help restore the beauty of their neighborhood. Simply open the app to take a photo of the cart and submit it. You can also choose which store the cart belongs to from a drop-down menu. The built-in GPS includes location coordinates with your photo. Voilà, the shopping cart will be returned to its rightful store.

Stay Healthy – Get the Flu Vaccine

Now that summer is over, flu season is around the corner. It usually begins in October and continues through the winter months with peak activity in January and February. Influenza, commonly called “the flu,” is caused by the influenza virus, which infects the respiratory tract (nose, throat, lungs). Unlike many other viral respiratory infections, such as the common cold, the flu can cause severe illness and life-threatening complications in many people. Vaccination is the best way to prevent influenza. Health experts across the country recommend that everyone 6 months and older get a flu vaccine.

Each year in the United States (on average) an estimated 5-20 percent of the population will be infected with the flu, and more than 200,000 people may be hospitalized during a single flu season. Don’t be part of this statistic – get yourself and your family vaccinated. Check with your doctor and/or neighborhood pharmacy to see when they will start carrying the vaccine. You can also find a flu vaccination clinic near you using the vaccine finder.

Got Trash?

The City of Goleta’s inaugural Community Beautification Event was a huge success! On September 17, more than 170 residential households located in Old Town north of Hollister Avenue, between Mallard and Kellogg Avenues, were able to de-clutter their homes and yards by disposing of unwanted bulky items.

Many households participated, disposing of almost seven tons of unwanted items. Most of the material collected was recyclable, and working with Marborg, the items were sorted properly for correct disposal. Future clean-up events will be held in other locations around the City, so if you were not part of the initial event, stay tuned for your turn. Residents can also contact Marborg directly to schedule up to two FREE bulky/large item pick-ups per year. Please visit www.marborg.com for more information.