Author Archives: Jaime Shaw

Neighborhood Navigation Center Opens

Ribbon Cutting Held November 20

A weekly Neighborhood Navigation Center (NNC) is now open in the City of Goleta following a ribbon cutting held at Christ Lutheran Church (6595 Covington Way) on November 20, 2023. The NNC, overseen by SBACT, is a place where people without homes can go on Mondays between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. for a variety of services. It’s now one of four NCCs located in Santa Barbara County.

The ribbon cutting was an emotional one for Mayor Paula Perotte who said, “This is something we have wanted for a long time, to have a place where people can come get services, get document ready, get a meal, connect with service providers and gain their trust. It’s a big deal to me and I am forever grateful to everyone who was a part of making this happen.”

The services include checking in with outreach teams from City Net and Good Samaritan Shelters, enjoying a free lunch provided by local volunteers, finding clothing, getting health needs treated by Doctors Without Walls, and meeting with the Santa Barbara Response Network to receive mental health first aid. Other services like showers and Coordinated Entry access to housing are planned for the near future.

Santa Barbara County 3rd District Supervisor Joan Hartmann said, “I’m so proud that the City of Goleta is stepping up and doing its share to humanely address homelessness. When people become homeless they become disconnected and those connections have to be rewoven carefully, and that is what the service providers accomplish at this site. The missing link SBACT fills is working with communities to better understand what causes homelessness, how it is being addressed, and coordinating outreach efforts that serve people with dignity.”

Chuck Flacks, Homelessness Services Coordinator for the City of Goleta added, “It takes a village to house people, and we will bring together as many programs as we can to make homelessness rare, brief, and a one-time experience. Goleta is fortunate to have 160 new homes for homeless people in the pipeline, and many agencies willing and able to provide services. This new center will help lead people home.”

Acknowledging that transportation to this site might be a challenge, Landon Ranck, Operations Manager for SBACT, said, “We expect it to take several weeks for people to find this site, but by providing food, caring support, and a range of services in Goleta, people who would otherwise have to go to Santa Barbara to meet their needs now have somewhere close to go to in their hometown.”

Those interested in helping homeless people can direct them to the weekly service center. For more information, or to volunteer or donate items, please contact Eric Meyer, Program Coordinator at 805-259-4692 x103.

Pictured from left-to-right: City of Goleta Homelessness Services Coordinator Chuck Flacks, SBACT Executive Director Rich Sander, Santa Barbara County 3rd District Supervisor Joan Hartmann, Christ Lutheran Church Board President Laurel Johnson, City of Goleta Mayor Paula Perotte, Christ Lutheran Church Board Vice President Scott Craig, and District Director for the Office of Assemblymember Gregg Hart, Ethan Bertrand.

‘Tis the Season to Shop Local

Support Local Businesses this Holiday Season with GoodLandGoodShopping.com

During the busiest shopping time of the year, the City of Goleta is encouraging you to think local first when shopping, dining, or purchasing services. Go to Goleta’s new online business directory GoodLandGoodShopping.com and check out the more than 800 Goleta businesses that are listed. 

The City is promoting this great new resource especially during the holiday season. Look for the GoodLandGoodShopping signs and light post banners around town and watch our video promo:

The directory includes the business name, address, phone number, website, and hours of the businesses. 

If you are a business located in the City of Goleta with a business license, you are automatically included on the website. You can customize your free listing by going to GoodLandGoodShopping.com and adding details such as: logo, social media links, promotions, photo galleries, and more. City staff will review and approve the listing before it is published.

Thank you in advance for shopping Goleta and supporting our local economy! 


GoodLandGoodShopping.com A-frames and light post banners around town

Monarch Butterflies Return to Goleta Butterfly Grove

Goleta’s monarch butterflies are back and making headlines with their strong numbers! The Goleta Butterfly Grove even made the New York Times. Read the article here: https://tinyurl.com/ywdax4w3.

More than 15,000 monarchs were counted in the Ellwood Mesa Butterfly Grove on December 1, 2023. Monarchs continue to arrive every day and we expect the population to peak during the first half of December. The City of Goleta monitors butterfly populations at Ellwood to provide insight into population trends, behavior, migration patterns and ecological health.

Monarchs that come here for the winter are part of the western monarch population, a distinct group that is separated from the eastern population by the Rocky Mountains. They migrate from the inland Pacific Northwest and Great Basin regions out to the California and Northern Baja California coastlines every fall.  The separate population of monarchs east of the Rocky Mountains migrate to spend the winter in Mexico. Monarchs cluster in groups at Ellwood Mesa and similar areas that provide the specific conditions needed to survive the winter months—humid, protected from wind, and the right amount of shade. The best butterfly viewing area locally is the Ellwood Main Grove.

Viewing the monarchs at Ellwood is a magical experience for children and adults. When visiting the monarchs, please be respectful of their habitat by staying on marked trails, not throwing objects at clusters of butterflies, and keeping your dog on leash. The Goleta Butterfly Grove is open from sunrise to sunset with no admission fee. Free parking is available at the Ellwood Mesa Open Space & Sperling Preserve parking area, 7729 Hollister Avenue, across from Ellwood Elementary School. The Ellwood Main Grove is a half mile walk on a dirt path from the parking lot, following the butterfly trail markers. For a printable map, go to https://tinyurl.com/hex8fpaf. 

To track the population counts and learn more about monarchs, visit the Goleta Butterfly Grove Visitor Information page at GoletaButterflyGrove.com.

If you visit, you will notice the eucalyptus forest has suffered significant damage from extended drought and severe winter storms. The City is actively clearing dead and dying trees for public safety, fire prevention, and in preparation for habitat restoration. Learn more about the City’s plans to improve monarch butterfly habitat, reduce wildfire risk, and repair basic public infrastructure at Ellwood Mesa at https://www.cityofgoleta.org/play/parks-recreation-open-spaces/ellwood-mesa-and-monarch-butterfly-habitat/ellwood-improvement-projects.


Photo of monarch butterflies at Ellwood Mesa captured in early November 2023 by photographer Mike Eliason

Goleta Energy Storage Project Complete

The City of Goleta is proud to welcome the newest battery storage facility in California which is also now the largest power source in Santa Barbara County. GridStor, a developer and operator of grid-scale battery energy storage systems, dedicated its Goleta Energy Storage facility on December 1st with public officials and regional business leaders. Following opening remarks, there was a ceremonial “flipping the switch” moment to represent turning on the battery facility – watch it here.

The 60 MW / 160 MWh lithium-ion Goleta Energy Storage facility will power the equivalent of 30,000 households – enough to supply electricity to all of Goleta’s residential customer base – every day through the hours of greatest demand on the electric system.

“Goleta became a more resilient city today, with the dedication of GridStor’s storage batteries to our grid,” said Goleta Mayor Paula Perotte. “We are committed to our renewable energy goals, and this facility brings us that much closer to a day where we will rely predominately on wind and solar and have less need for the traditional gas-powered plant that has historically served us locally.”

“California has an urgent need for grid reliability as it decarbonizes its economy, and battery storage is the critical resource that meets both challenges,” said Chris Taylor, CEO of GridStor. “The transition to clean energy takes the support of many partners, from developers and utilities to skilled tradespeople and the local leadership who oversee zoning and permitting. We could not be prouder to work with the City of Goleta and other stakeholders to bring this facility to life and support California’s goals for clean, reliable energy.”

The Goleta Energy Storage facility not only supports the existing 900 MW of wind and solar power operating in the region but also assists with maintaining grid reliability during the planned build out of thousands of megawatts of additional renewable energy projects over the next decade. GridStor will provide resource adequacy services from the facility to Southern California Edison under a contract while operating the facility in response to market signals from the California Independent System Operator.

The 44 emission-free containerized Tesla batteries installed at the GridStor facility were manufactured in-state in Lathrop, California. NORD/LB provided $55 million of project debt financing to GridStor to complete the development of the facility.

For more info go to www.gridstor.com.

Pictured above: Mayor Pro Tempore Kyle Richards flips the switch at the event

Goleta City Council and Staff – Pictured left-to-right: Supervising Senior Planner Kathy Allen, Planning and Environmental Review Director Peter Imhof, Councilmember Stuart Kasdin, Mayor Pro Tempore Kyle Richards, District 1 Councilmember Luz Reyes-Martín, District 2 Councilmember James Kyriaco, Sustainability Manager Dana Murray, and Sustainability Analyst Angeline Foshay


Aerial view of Goleta Energy Storage facility

Goleta Holiday Parade Highlights

Thank You Greater Goleta Santa Barbara Lions Club!

Congratulations to the Greater Goleta Santa Barbara Lions Club for putting on the best Goleta Old Town Holiday Parade ever! It took more than 70 volunteers and a total of more than 1,000 volunteer hours to pull off this well-attended and festive event that took place the night of December 2. Approximately 5,000 people bundled up and lined Hollister Avenue on this beautiful evening and were entertained by 70 parade entries and 1,400 participants. Some of the highlights included a 25 foot tall reindeer and an appearance by Santa. The City of Goleta was pleased to participate once again this year. Check out this video clip showing the Mayor, Councilmembers, the Goleta Valley Library Bookvan and www.GoodLandGoodShopping.com banner cruising the parade route.

To see the parade in its entirety, go to TVSB’s Facebook page. Also, stay tuned for an edited version of the parade coming soon from TVSB. 

Thank you to Goleta resident, Mark McClenathen, who organized the vintage cars for the Mayor, Council and Supervisor Hartmann. We appreciated our awesome drivers for donating both their time and their classic vehicles. Drivers included Wally Schelvis, Kay Lee Ahnemann, David Guzik and Lisa Johnson.

Another highlight this year was the City’s Window Decorating contest for businesses located along the parade route. Thanks to Fuel Depot for providing a $100 gas card to the winner. We were thrilled to see Old Town Goleta shine bright with the holiday spirit. Goleta Bakery took home the top prize with Paperback Alley and GoodLand BBQ receiving Honorable Mentions. We also want to give a special round of applause to the amazing work that community members David Nelson and Erica Smith did in beautifying the SB Electronics store front. Thank you to everyone who participated!

For photos of the parade and decorated windows, go to https://photos.app.goo.gl/5DSZMPeKb8q7beBJ7.

Happy holidays!


Goleta City Council and Staff


Window Decorating Contest Participants

It’s a Wrap: NatureTrack Film Festival in Goleta

The NatureTrack Film Festival’s first year in Goleta brought out more than a thousand nature and film lovers the weekend of October 6-8. The three-day festival celebrating nature and outdoor adventure included one dozen features and 30 shorts. Most the festival took place at the Metropolitan Fairview Theatre with opening night at the Ritz-Carlton Bacara and several events at The Leta Hotel. Watch this short recap to see highlights from the fun-filled weekend.

This is the 5th year for the festival which is typically held in Los Olivos. The Best of the Fest screening still took place in Los Olivos. Here are the award winners:

AUDIENCE AWARD 
Winner – Hudson River Wild
Honorable Mention – Range Rider

BEST FEATURE FILM
Winner – Big Wave Guardians
Honorable Mention – Out There: A National Parks Story

CONNECTING WITH NATURE DAN CONAWAY AWARD
Winner – Between Earth & Sky
Honorable Mention – The Little Fox of Limuw

BEST SHORT FILM
Winner – Between Earth & Sky
Honorable Mentions – Range Rider and Reel Rock: Resistance Climbing

BEST STUDENT FILM
Winner – Diagonal
Honorable Mention – My Neighbour is a Bear 

The NatureTrack Foundation is a 501c3 Non-Profit. All proceeds from the NatureTrack Film Festival will support NatureTrack in introducing school children and wheelchair users to outdoor spaces from the seashore to the inland oak woodlands of Santa Barbara County by providing cost-free outdoor field trips.

For more info go to naturetrackfilmfestival.org.

Looking forward to seeing the film festival return to Goleta next year! Stay tuned.

Pictured: Left-to-right: Goleta City Councilmember Kyle Richards, U.S. Congressman Salud Carbajal, 3rd District Santa Barbara County Supervisor Joan Hartmann and 2nd District Goleta City Councilmember James Kyriaco at Opening Night

Goleta’s Finest Winners Announced

Drumroll please…the 2023 Goleta’s Finest Award Winners have been announced! Recipients are:

  • Woman of the Year – Jackie Parker
  • Man of the Year – Marty Plourd
  • Educator of the Year – Scott Guttentag
  • Student of the Year – Valeria Tiburcio Romo
  • Volunteer of the Year – Fritz Olenberger
  • Innovator of the Year – Demis D. John, PhD
  • Public Servant of the Year – Allison Gray
  • President’s Award – Christine LeBon

Goleta’s Finest, presented by the Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce, is a 73-year-old tradition honoring remarkable individuals whose contributions have enhanced the Goleta community.

The 2023 award recipients will be honored at a formal celebration on December 1, 5:30-9:00 p.m., at the Ritz-Carlton Bacara. The evening will include dinner followed by the awards ceremony.

Learn more about the award recipients and register to attend here: https://sbscchamber.com/event/goletas-finest-2023/.

Goleta’s Housing Element Revisions Meet State Requirements

Planning Commission Public Hearings Nov. 13

The City of Goleta’s draft revisions to the Housing Element 2023-2031 have been accepted by the State of California’s Housing and Community Development Department (State). The City received the notification on October 16, 2023, via a comment letter, that the draft Housing Element revisions provided by the City address all statutory requirements and substantially comply with State housing law. 

The revisions submitted by the City include rezoning of certain housing sites to increase housing supply potential and meet the City’s share of the identified regional housing need. Previous Housing Element drafts submitted by the City to the State did not include rezoning.

The Planning Commission will hold public hearings to consider recommending to the City Council adoption of the State-approved revised Housing Element, including rezoning, at its meeting on November 13, 2023. The agenda will be available in advance of the meeting at www.CityofGoleta.org/GoletaMeetings. The City Council will meet on this topic in December, and once City Council adopts the revisions, the City’s Housing Element will be re-transmitted to the State for final certification.

Goleta’s Housing Element is important because it establishes City policies and programs for maintaining and improving existing housing and plans for how to accommodate the City’s share of the region’s housing needs as identified by the Regional Housing Needs Assessment.

To learn more about the Housing Element Update Project and review the State’s comment letter and the proposed draft revisions, visit the project page on the City’s website at https://www.cityofgoleta.org/housingelement.

Meet New Youth Commissioner

The City is pleased to welcome Jessica Avila-Ruiz as our newest Youth Commissioner. She was recently appointed to the Public Engagement Commission and participated in her first meeting on October 18, 2023.

Currently a senior at Dos Pueblos High School, Jessica has been an active presence in the community. She has been a student representative for her class, served on the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council for the Santa Barbara Unified School District, and is on the Varsity Cheer Team. Jessica is also dedicated to community work having volunteered at the Goleta Boys & Girls Club, Beautify Goleta, and Beautify DP, all in support of her passion to promote clean environments.  

As a Public Engagement Commissioner, Jessica hopes to help create a welcoming environment for all community members and encourage others to care for Goleta.

Jessica’s unique set of talents, interests, and experience will be a great addition to the Public Engagement Commission. We appreciate her willingness to take an active role and thank her for helping serve our community.

To learn more here about the City’s various Boards and Commissions, and how you can get involved, please visit www.CityofGoleta.org/BoardsCommissions.  

Goleta Holiday Parade Window Decorating Contest

The City of Goleta is pleased to announce the first Old Town Goleta Holiday Parade Window Decorating Contest! The purpose of the contest is to get the parade route in Old Town looking festive for the 2023 Goleta Holiday Parade happening on December 2 at 6:00 p.m. Businesses with store fronts along the parade route from Orange Avenue to Kinman Avenue along Hollister Avenue are encouraged to decorate their storefront windows in classic holiday themes for all to enjoy on parade night and for the holiday season. As an added bonus, a Fuel Depot $100 gas card will be given to the business who has the most festive storefront. 

City of Goleta Community Relations Manager Kelly Hoover said, “The Goleta Holiday Parade is a cherished Goleta tradition. Let’s show our support for the Greater Goleta Santa Barbara Lions Club who puts on this event every year by making this the best parade ever with a parade route that is merry and bright. We can’t wait to see Old Town businesses participate in what we hope will become a yearly tradition.”

Here’s how it works:

  • If you are on the parade route, decorate your storefront window in time for the Goleta Holiday Parade on December 2nd at 6:00 p.m.
  • Keep it family-friendly! Be Creative, festive, and have fun!
  • Please remember the City’s Plastic-Free Ordinance and refrain from the use of mylar balloons and decorations made of plastic.
  • Decorated windows should be viewable from the sidewalk but must not obstruct the sidewalk and/or pedestrian right of way.
  • A panel of judges (TBD) will view the windows at the event and a winner will be announced on Monday, December 4th.

Also, if you do not have a business on the parade route but want to help decorate existing or vacant businesses on the parade route, send an email to PIO@cityofgoleta.org.