Author Archives: Jaime Shaw

Route Changes for MTD Bus Lines 23 & 25

Beginning August 21 new routing will go into effect for MTD Lines 23 and 25 in the El Encanto Heights and Winchester Canyon areas. New routes have been designated to make usage more convenient for local riders and minimize service interruptions as the City plans for future work on Cathedral Oaks. After 7:00 p.m. the Line 23 route will turn left from Brandon traveling onto Evergreen, Salisbury and Calle Real to Winchester Canyon Road. The Line 25 will make a one-way loop on Bradford and Calle Real, turning left onto Winchester Canyon Road. Maps of the new routes for Lines 23 and 25 will be available in mid-August at www.sbmtd.gov.

It’s About Dam Time

The 5th Annual Dam Dinner is Saturday, August 19, from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. at the Lake Los Carneros Dam! What began as a community celebration to share our love of Goleta has grown into a tradition for friends and neighbors to gather, enjoy each other’s company and meet new people. Bring your own dinner to feast on or purchase something from the on-site food vendor. Dessert is potluck. Make new friends by bringing something to share. Water, beer and wine will be available for purchase. Enjoy live music and get in the spirit with face painting for kids.

Our awesome t-shirts with our new logo will be available at the Dam Dinner for $10. Purchase them at the event or email jshaw@cityofgoleta.org if you are interested in purchasing them in advance. We hope to see you there! Please let us know you are coming at http://tinyurl.com/2017goletadamdinner; your registration helps us plan for enough tables and chairs. Like us on Facebook to get updates and reminders about the event. Participate in the social media fun by using #OhDam on Facebook and Twitter.

Close the Poop Loop!

Close the Poop Loop is a county-wide pet waste campaign encouraging the community to clean up after their pet. It is important to pick up after your dog’s waste AND place it into a trash can. Please do not drop full bags onto the ground along paths and walkways. Bags are even provided for your convenience. Pet waste presents a serious problem in our City and County. It’s one of the largest sources of water pollution. (Just one gram of dog waste contains millions of bacteria!) The US EPA even classifies dog waste as a dangerous pollutant, in the same category as toxic chemicals and oil. Click here for more facts on the hazards of dog poop. www.closethepooploop.com

Goleta Earned Second Safe City Award this Year

The City of Goleta received its second award this year for being one of the safest cities to live in California! This is the 4th year in a row Goleta has received this honor from SafeWise, a community-focused security organization committed to increasing safety education, awareness, and preparedness. SafeWise compiled its “50 Safest Cities in California” report using the most recent FBI crime data from 2015 to analyze and rank cities with a minimum population of 10,000 people. The cities that made the list had much lower violent crime and property crime rates than the national average. View the full press release and Goleta’s previous safe city awards here: http://ow.ly/OD6230dcW10.

Grab Your Dancing Shoes

Pack your blankets, chairs and a picnic dinner for Goleta’s two free concert series this summer: Music at the Ranch and Concerts at the Gazebo. Head over to Rancho La Patera and Stow House (304 N. Los Carneros Road) on Tuesday nights through August 22 from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. for signature concert series Music at the Ranch. The Goleta Old Town Community Association is also hosting Concerts at the Gazebo every other Wednesday through August 23 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at the gazebo on the lawn in front of the Goleta Valley Community Center (5679 Hollister Avenue). Some restaurants in Old Town will also be serving concert dinner specials. Join your friends and neighbors for a rocking good time at one or both of these family-friendly concert series!

Music at the Ranch upcoming line-up:

  • July 25 – Cadillac Angels
  • August 1 – Tony Ybarra
  • August 8 – Donna Greene & The Roadhouse Daddies
  • August 15 – Area 51
  • August 22 – King Bee

Concerts at the Gazebo upcoming line-up:

  • July 26 – Mezcal Martini
  • August 9 – Superstoked
  • August 23 – The Grooveline

Cruise Down Ward Drive

The Ward Drive Class II Bike Lane is the City’s most recent completed project in our efforts to make improvements for bicyclists and pedestrians within the City of Goleta. The project provides Class II bike lanes (5 feet wide) along Ward Drive from Hollister Avenue to the Atascadero Creek/Obern Trail, connecting the two. Commuters to/from the various business complexes along Ward Drive now have bicycle access; and the direct connection to the Obern Trail offers access to UCSB and Isla Vista. We hope you enjoy the new bike lane! Click here to learn more about the project.

Be Part of the First Public Engagement Commission!

The City of Goleta is now accepting applications for the City’s first Public Engagement Commission.  This Commission is charged with looking for opportunities and ways to increase public engagement in City government.  More specifically, the Commission will make recommendations to the City Council on matters pertaining to:

  • Whether the City should become a charter city;
  • Whether councilmembers should be paid greater compensation, and, if so, how much;
  • Whether regular City Council meeting should be scheduled after 5 p.m.;
  • Whether the directly elected mayor’s term should be 4 years;
  • How to increase resident participation in government;
  • The district mapping process in determining district lines for future district elections; and
  • Any other matters as directed by the City Council.

The Commission will have six regularly scheduled meetings per year and commissioners will be compensated at $50/meeting.  The Commission will be comprised of seven members.  These members must be residents of the City.  They may not be employees or officers of the City of Goleta. 

Apply today!  Applications due by July 31. Completed applications can be dropped off, mailed or emailed to: City of Goleta, Attn: Deborah Lopez, City Clerk, 130 Cremona Drive, Suite B, Goleta, CA 93117. For questions about the application you can contact Deborah Lopez at (805) 961-7505 or dlopez@cityofgoleta.org.

Prepare Now for Tomorrow’s Emergency

Living in Goleta we have the threat of earthquakes, wildfires and floods. Some residents may feel fully prepared for an emergency while others may feel overwhelmed at the thought of having to evacuate. Here are some tips for how to prepare now so you can be ready for the next emergency:

  • Have a pre-packed disaster preparedness kit. This should include at least three days of food, water, medicine and personal care items. It is also a good idea to include a first aid kit, flashlight(s) and extra chargers. Remember to pack food and water for your pets too. Click here for more ideas for your kit.
  • Have your important papers ready. Think about the papers you would need if you lost everything. Make copies and/or scan and put them on a flash drive so you can grab and go.
  • Know your escape route. Start thinking about how you will get out of town (roads may be blocked) and where you will go. Much of it depends on the type of emergency, but it is a good idea to start thinking about it ahead of time.
  • Have a communications plan. You probably have everyone’s contact information in your phone, but also keep important numbers on a piece of paper in case your phone battery dies. Also have numbers for people living out of state, as you may need to communicate through them if phone lines are down locally.

Visit our website at http://www.cityofgoleta.org/projects-programs/emergency-preparedness for more information on how to prepare yourself for an emergency.

Recycle Your Old Batteries at Home

Many of us have old household batteries that we want to dispose of, but don’t know how to do so. Batteries cannot simply be thrown in the trash or recycling bin so what should you do with them? The City of Goleta and County of Santa Barbara want to remind residents that unwanted household batteries can be recycled at home using these simple steps:

  • TAPE the ends of the batteries
  • BAG in a clear plastic bag
  • PLACE on top of your recycling bin on collection days

Click here for more information on recycling batteries from home.

Cathedral Oaks at Winchester Canyon Opens Today!

The City will reopen Cathedral Oaks Road between Winchester Canyon Road and Calle Real on Tuesday, June 6.  The bike lane and shoulder will remain closed until the final repairs are made. The road has been closed since January 30, 2017, due to damage incurred during the rain storms we had. During the closure the City has been looking into the integrity of the crib walls (the retaining walls which hold up the road) and brought in specialty engineers and a geotechnical consultant to assess the road. Read more about the closure in the February issue of the Monarch Press.

WHAT’S NEXT?

The City will soon issue a Request for Proposals to design the ultimate repair or replacement of the retaining wall system. This process could take two years. The roadway will be closed during construction. Since the road condition was caused by the January storms, the City is seeking state and federal aid for emergency repairs.