Author Archives: Jaime Shaw

Explore Goleta’s Hidden Treasure

It’s almost butterfly season in Goleta and we thought you might enjoy knowing a little more about this local gem.

What is the migration pattern of the Monarch Butterfly we see at the Goleta Butterfly Grove?
Monarch Butterflies that migrate to the California coast come from west of the Rocky Mountains to escape the freezing temperatures. They stay mid-November to mid-February and then begin their return journey. On the return trip the females lay up to 400 eggs on milkweed plants and those offspring will continue migrating north. Four or five generations occur over the summer while the monarchs cover the range of milkweed plants up to Canada. Come fall the migration begins again.

What brings the Monarch Butterfly to the Goleta Butterfly Grove?
The eucalyptus trees we have in the Goleta Butterfly Grove create the specific microclimate characteristics that the Monarch Butterflies require to survive the winter months. The thick border of trees offers the sheltered trees in the center protection from the wind and storms. Openings in the canopy allow for some sun exposure, but not too much that the butterflies get too warm and active. The butterflies also require close proximity to water and nectar sources which they can find at or near the Butterfly Grove.

When should people visit the Butterfly Grove?
The Monarchs typically stay mid-November to mid-February, with the population peaking near the end of December. They are most active in February, when they mate before leaving the Grove. If you come in the morning or on cooler days, you will see the monarchs staying in clusters. If you prefer to see them more active, come on a warmer day or in the afternoon when they tend to be flying and puddling (gathering water and minerals from the soil) in and around the Grove.

What else should I know?
Visitors should wear sturdy shoes and bring binoculars to help see this amazing phenomenon. Natural trails and rough terrain make it difficult to access by wheelchair. Please don’t visit the Grove when it’s raining or when the ground is muddy from a recent storm. Docents can be found at the Goleta Butterfly Grove on weekends from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. mid-November through mid-February (weather permitting). They are available to answer questions and provide information about the Monarch Butterflies and our treasured Grove.

Have more butterfly-related questions? Get in touch with Ines Hernandez, the Monarch Butterfly Docent Coordinator, at ihernandez@cityofgoleta.org or (805) 961-7571.

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Be part of a new tradition in Old Town – the Old Town Christmas Parade sponsored by the Old Town Community Association! Join your friends, family, neighbors and local businesses for the inaugural event taking place Saturday, December 10 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.  Don’t miss the tree lighting, activities and chance to meet Santa Claus at the Goleta Valley Community Center. For more information contact  the Old Town Community Association at oldtowncommunityassociation@gmail.com or click here.

On the evening of the parade there will be road closures along Hollister Avenue.  They will start on Orange Avenue at 4pm.   Hollister Avenue between Fairview Avenue and South Kellogg Avenue will be closed from 5-9 pm so please plan accordingly and follow all marked detour routes.

Parade Map:

old-town-christmas-parade-map

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.