Author Archives: Jaime Shaw

Another Beautify Goleta Success

Almost 700 Pounds of Trash Picked Up

The City of Goleta held its second city-wide Beautify Goleta community cleanup on Saturday, May 21 and are excited to share the results with the community. We are grateful for the seventy-five volunteers who took time out of their Saturday and collected 673 pounds of trash! That’s 673 pounds of trash that will no longer pollute our neighborhoods, creeks and ocean. Volunteers were spread out among four locations: Dos Pueblos/El Encanto, South Old Town, Marketplace, and Jonny D. Wallis Neighborhood Park. The Dos Pueblos/El Encanto location was also the Neighborhood Spotlight, and collected 2,900 pounds of furniture, mattresses, and other items as part of the Bulky Item Drop-Off.

We are so thankful and proud of our volunteers and neighborhood captains for taking the time and energy to participate in this event. A special thank you to Goleta Evening Rotary Club and Santa Barbara Habitat for Humanity for hosting their spotlight volunteer groups! Additionally, thank you to Big Green and MarBorg for their continuing support of Beautify Goleta events, and to Dos Pueblos High School for the use of its upper parking lot.

By the Numbers:

  • 673 pounds of trash collected
  • 2,900 pounds of bulky items collected
  • 3,573 pounds of total waste collected
  • 2,512 pounds of total waste recycled (70%)

Neighborhood Spotlight – Dos Pueblos/El Encanto:
Twenty volunteers, including the Goleta Evening Rotary Club spotlight volunteer group, picked up a total of 141 pounds of trash from the Dos Pueblos/El Encanto neighborhood area! Plus, an additional 2,900 pounds of bulky item waste was dropped off by nearby residents – that’s 3,041 pounds of total trash collected for this site! Thank you to Goleta Evening Rotary Club for supplying coffee and pastries for volunteers. Also, thank you Cheryl Washburn-Lander for being our returning spotlight captain!

South Old Town:
Old Town is a popular volunteer cleanup spot, and May 21st was no exception. Thirty-two volunteers, including Santa Barbara Habitat for Humanity, Goleta Presbyterian Church, the Winslowe community, and fellow residents picked up a total of 412 pounds of trash! Thank you to Zoe Atkins of Santa Barbara Habitat for Humanity, and Katie Pazan of Goleta Presbyterian Church for leading this cleanup effort with such an amazing turnout.

Marketplace:
This location was brand new for our May 2022 event. A total of 15 volunteers met at the Phelps Road parking lot to clean areas around the Marketplace neighborhood. In just two hours, they were able to collect 71 pounds of trash! Thank you to Jennifer Smith for leading this effort and providing pastries for her volunteers.

Adopt-A-Park at Jonny D. Wallis Neighborhood Park:
The City of Goleta’s recently launched Adopt-A-Park program held its monthly cleanup at Jonny D. Wallis Neighborhood Park on the same day as Beautify Goleta – this was the perfect opportunity to join forces! Three Beautify Goleta volunteers joined five Goleta Noontime Rotary members to pick up trash, clean benches, and sweep up Jonny D. Wallis Neighborhood Park. In total, 49 pounds of trash were removed from the park.

Thank you again to all the volunteers who came out on Saturday to help Beautify Goleta. If you were not able to be part of this event, you can still join our next event on July 30th by signing up here. For more information on the program, please visit https://cityofgoleta.org/BeautifyGoleta.

Prop 218 Solid Waste Increase Begins July 1

Starting in July, you will see your Solid Waste Collection Rates charged by MarBorg Industries for franchise residential and commercial waste collection services increase.  Effective July 1, 2022, collection rates will be increased by 5.93%.

The reason for the increase is due to (i) inflation, based on the Consumer Price Index (“CPI”) and (ii) the per ton tipping fees imposed by the County of Santa Barbara for disposal and/or processing of solid waste at the ReSource Center (“Pass-Through Tipping Fees”). The terms of the franchise agreement with Marborg allow for rate increases due to CPI or Pass-Through Tipping fees.

A Public Protest hearing was held on May 17, 2022, in compliance with Proposition 218. Only three public comments were received, far fewer than the 50% required to deny Marborg’s rate increase request. As a result, City Council motioned to approve the collection rate increase.

Healthy Homes for Healthier Living Webinar

Are you interested in learning how your living space may be affecting your health or how you can lower your utility bills while making your home safer and more comfortable?

3C-REN’s (Tri-County Regional Energy Network) next webinar on June 8th from 4:00-6:00 p.m., Healthy Homes for Healthier Living, will help you understand how your home works, how it can affect your health, and steps you can take to mitigate health risks.

Some key home-related health concepts you’ll learn: 

  • Your home acts as a system that needs to be managed; through a combination of the building and its components, what’s inside your building, and how you occupy and manage your indoor environment.
  • There are eight healthy home principles that work together as a successful strategy for improving your home environment.
  • Learn how to clean smart! Home cleaning is all about your health and reducing exposure to things in the home that are known to contribute to increases in health complaints.
  • Modern homes and their contents directly impact how much moisture is available to create problems that lead to mold growth and allergen overload.
  • The best intentions of homeowners sometimes have the worst consequences. Learn some common pitfalls in home maintenance and how to avoid creating health impacts.
  • Your comfort in any home is all about good ventilation and air management. Things like air sealing and insulation are just as important as the products you use to clean with for better health in your home.

Register today at 3C-REN.org/events.

Ordinance Aimed at Reducing Plastic and Single-Use Waste Goes into Effect on June 17

Goleta Businesses Encouraged to Display Signage

The City of Goleta now has an ordinance regulating single-use foodware accessories and standard condiments. The ordinance received final approval at the May 17 Goleta City Council meeting. This ordinance will bring Goleta into compliance with California Assembly Bill 1276, mandating that single-use foodware accessories and standard condiments be made available only upon request by the consumer. It will go into effect on Friday, June 17, 2022.

In addition to single-use foodware being available only upon request, the ordinance will encourage food and beverage vendors to reduce plastic and single-use waste through other actions, such as displaying signage stating that single-use items must be requested by consumers. An example of signage is attached.

The AB 1276 compliance ordinance will be the first of two expected ordinances seeking to regulate and reduce local single-use plastics and further divert waste from our landfills. Staff shared initial details of a second ordinance that the Sustainability Program is developing to further regulate single-use plastic use in our community. This second ordinance is expected, among other things, to ban expanded polystyrene (EPS) foodware, following over 120 jurisdictions across California that already have restrictions on EPS to improve the health of safety of their communities and environment. 

Outreach is currently underway to identify best practices for how the City can support the local business community in fostering the switch from expanded polystyrene and single use plastics to more environmentally friendly alternatives.

To learn more about single use plastics reduction, click here.

California Mortgage Relief Program Now Accepting Applications

The California Mortgage Relief Program (Program) is open to all eligible Californians who are currently experiencing pandemic-related hardships and have fallen behind on their housing payments. The Program, part of the state’s Housing is Key initiative, uses federal Homeowner Assistance Funds to help homeowners get caught up on their housing payments. The Program is free and the funds do not need to be repaid. Learn more at: https://camortgagerelief.org/.

Applicants must meet ALL of the following criteria:

  • Household income at or below 100% of their county’s Area Median Income;
  • Missed at least two mortgage payments prior to December 27, 2021;
  • Past due amount must be $80,000 or less at the time of application submission;
  • Own a single-family home, condo or permanently affixed manufactured home; and
  • Faced a pandemic-related financial hardship after January 21, 2020.

You can find more information regarding eligibility at camortgagerelief.org/who-is-eligible.

This Program will remain open until all funds have been used. It is anticipated that this will be around September 2025, but it could be sooner.

City Council to Consider Housing Element on June 28

As part of the City’s Housing Element Update project, the City of Goleta released a Draft Housing Element (2023-2031) for public review on May 2. The Housing Element includes the following major components: an evaluation of housing needs in Goleta, with emphasis on the needs of lower-income households and persons with special needs; analysis of resources and constraints related to addressing housing needs; assessment of fair housing; review of the City’s progress related to the programs and objectives set forth in the previous (2015-2023) Housing Element; and updated policies, programs and objectives for the next eight years.

The City’s Planning Commission considered the Draft Housing Element on May 9 and May 23 and provided three recommended revisions. On June 28, 2022, the City Council will consider the Draft Housing Element with the Planning Commissions revisions. Information on how to participate in this meeting will be provided on the agenda which is released at least 72 hours in advance and can be found at www.CityofGoleta.org/GoletaMeetings. Spanish interpretation will be available through a virtual meeting link in the agenda.

At the meeting, staff will seek City Council direction to submit the Draft Housing Element to the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) for a 90-day review. HCD will have 90 days to review the Draft and provide the City with comments after which City staff will revise the Housing Element and return to the Planning Commission and City Council for adoption hearings. The statutory due date for the City to adopt the 2023-2031 Housing Element update is February 15, 2023.

For more information on the City’s Housing Element Update, go to https://cityofgoleta.org/HousingElement. If you have any questions or concerns, please email HousingElement@cityofgoleta.org.

Here’s What You Told Us…Goleta’s Next 20

The City of Goleta is releasing results of Goleta’s Next 20 Community Survey which residents were mailed in February 2022 and which many residents completed online over the following weeks. In the survey, community members were asked to rank their community service priorities for the City as it plans for the future.

Here is what we you told us (600 survey responses; importance of community services – high or medium priority):

 Keeping public areas safe and clean

97% 

 Paving streets, removing potholes, and improving traffic safety

95%

 Protecting Goleta’s long-term financial stability 

94%

 Supporting public safety and maintaining rapid 911 response

93%

 Maintaining open spaces and natural areas

93% 

 Preparing for wildfires, floods, natural disasters, and public health emergencies

93%

 Protecting local creeks and coastal waters from pollution

92%

 Conserving water by increasing use of recycled water to irrigate parks and fields

92%

 Preventing brush fires caused by illegal encampments

91%

 Maintaining services for low-income senior citizens and other vulnerable residents

85%

 Addressing homelessness through our Homelessness Strategic Plan

84%

 Helping local businesses rebound and retain the workforce to fill critical jobs

79%

 Improving access to affordable housing for middle- and working-class families

78%

 Supporting and expanding afterschool programs and affordable early childhood/childcare programs

73%

Additional Resources are Needed to Address Community Needs

Streets and Roads: The most recent independent road engineers report rated 2/3 of Goleta’s streets and roads as “fair”, “poor”, or “failed”. The City needs additional funding for these street and pothole repairs, which become more expensive to address the longer we wait.


Aging Infrastructure: Twenty years ago, the City inherited many old buildings from the County, including an aging library and a now 95-year-old community center. Additional resources are needed to repair and upgrade aging local infrastructure to ensure our buildings remain safe.

Homelessness: Homelessness is a serious problem in cities across California, and Goleta is no exception. Additional funding is necessary to address homelessness and to support those who are at risk of becoming homeless by connecting them with available non-profit and regional organizations providing emergency shelter, food services, and treatment for mental health and addiction.

Locally Controlled Funding

In addition to the City’s important unfunded projects, Goleta has lost millions of dollars from State takeaways. To provide additional funding to maintain and expand city services and programs, the City Council is considering placing a local 1 cent sales tax measure (adding a penny to a $1 purchase) on an upcoming ballot. Goleta is one of the few cities in the region without its own local, dedicated source of sales tax revenue. 100% of all funds raised by a potential measure would stay in Goleta. Essential purchases such as groceries and prescription medicine, are exempt from sales tax. No funds could be taken away by the State or County, and visitors to Goleta would pay their fair share.

The City Council will be discussing this issue at its June 7 and June 21 meetings. Agendas are available at least 72 hours prior to the meeting at www.CityofGoleta.org/GoletaMeetings.

For more information, go to www.CityofGoleta.org/GoletaNext20.

Goleta Participates in Internet Needs Forum

City of Goleta Mayor Paula Perotte alongside several community leaders and stakeholders underscored the importance of broadband access during a Broadband Community Forum in May at the City Council Chambers.

The community forum featured opening remarks from Mayor Perotte, and panelists included Danny Fitzgibbons, Founder, Equalitech; Lori Lander Goodman, Executive Director for Isla Vista Youth Projects; Mark Ingalls, General & Property Manager, Camino Real Marketplace; Kristen Miller, President and CEO of the Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce; David Penn, Encina Royale Retirement Community resident; Conrad Tedeschi, Assistant Superintendent of Fiscal Services, Goleta Union School District; and Nancy Tillie, COO/CFO of Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics.

“The COVID-19 pandemic really highlighted how many people do not have access to fast, reliable and affordable internet,” Mayor Paula Perotte said in her opening remarks “this countywide effort will aim to bring high-speed Internet access to all homes, schools, libraries, businesses, in Goleta.”

Santa Barbara County Association of Governments, working with the Broadband Consortium Pacific Coast, EconAlliance, REACH, regional economic development organizations, cities, the County and others, is developing a countywide broadband strategic plan in 2022 to help cities better understand the broadband internet needs such as speed and affordability for residents and businesses.

The forum provided the opportunity to discuss the challenges many locals face to stay connected in order to meet day-to-day needs from everything to a child’s school experience to running a business or using lifesaving medical devices.

Much of the discussion centered around common themes being heard countywide such as digital literacy, access to devices and basic infrastructure for reliability and innovation. Participants discussed the role of libraries for digital literacy and the feasibility to connect Goleta Union Elementary schools through a network of fiber to provide secure and reliable internet access.

“When the internet goes out or is unreliable it can cause crisis for parents and staff trying to communicate with the families we all serve” said Lori Lander Goodman of Isla Vista Youth Projects.

Others also talked about the reliability for health care services, “When the internet is slow, all of our work to support meetings comes to a screeching halt,” said Nancy Tillie, COO/CFO Neighborhood Clinics. “We want all of our patients to have better internet access for telehealth because we know that health care access is made better when you can remove the barrier of transportation.”

In Goleta, Mayor Perotte has been a strong advocate for closing the digital divide and providing all members of the community with reliable and affordable internet access that “helps students, individuals, businesses and start-ups, even local government become more effective and productive.”

“Adults have learned to cope without digital literacy” said Conrad Tedeschi, of the Goleta Union School District. “They can cope, but now we know how that it will be helpful to their quality of life. Without digital literacy, these adults are excluded from a lot of things in our community.”

In 2021, SBCAG along with the cities of Goleta, Buellton, Carpinteria, Guadalupe, Lompoc, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria Solvang, County of Santa Barbara, and the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians began working on the countywide plan largely in response to Governor Newsom’s Broadband for All initiative launched that same year to advance the State’s commitment to bring affordable access to high-speed internet service across California.

Those unable to attend an in-person forum are encouraged to self-report their internet needs and take a speed test on a personal computer or laptop at home, work, or wherever they connect by July 1 (extended date) at www.sbcag.org/broadband. The Broadband survey and speed test is available in English and Spanish.

Individuals can also identify areas with low or no service, or where access to the internet is unaffordable within this test. Those without internet access can call SBCAG at 1-805-961-8902 to report why they do not have internet access.

The Broadband Strategic Plan team will present an update on their efforts to the Goleta City Council at a future meeting and release a draft of the plan in early fall with the expectation to finalize the plan by the end of 2022. Those interested in staying information can sign up for news updates at www.sbcag.org/broadband.

Broadband Community Forum Panel; pictured left-to-right: Nancy Tillie (Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics), Lori Lander Goodman, (Isla Vista Youth Projects), Danny Fitzgibbons (Equalitech), Kristen Miller (Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce), Mark Ingalls (Camino Real Marketplace), David Penn (Encina Royale Retirement Community) Conrad Tedeschi (Goleta Union School District), Joan Hartmann (3rd District Supervisor) and Maria Kelly (Broadband Consortium Pacific Coast)

Public Invited to Provide Input on City’s Website Refresh Project

Join the Discussion at our Virtual Public Engagement Commission Meeting on June 15

The City of Goleta is in the process of refreshing its main website (www.CityofGoleta.org) and Library website (www.GoletaValleyLibrary.org). Staff has been working behind the scenes for the past year with our website vendor Granicus as part of a website credit and is excited to show the Public Engagement Commission (PEC) and the community what progress has been made. We hope you will join us for the virtual PEC meeting on Wednesday, June 15 at 6:00 p.m. to see the updated sites under construction and to provide input on what you would like to see included/highlighted before we go live.

Information on how to participate can be found in the agenda which will be posted at www.CityofGoleta.org/GoletaMeetings at least 72 hours before the meeting. Written comments may be submitted prior to the meeting by e-mailing the PEC Recording Secretary, Jaime Shaw, at jshaw@cityofgoleta.org. Written comments will be distributed to the Public Engagement Commission and published with the agenda item on the City’s Meeting and Agenda page. Community members can also watch the meeting live by going to www.CityofGoleta.org/GoletaMeetings or Goleta TV Channel 19.

Due to rapidly changing technology, city websites typically need to be updated every five years. The last time the City’s website was revamped was seven years ago in May of 2015. The City is pleased to be closer to having a refreshed website that is easier for our users to navigate, more accessible, and mobile-friendly. Once it is complete, it will offer a much better experience for website users whether they are accessing the website via a desktop, cell phone, or tablet.

We look forward to your input. For more information on the website refresh project, view the staff report in advance of the meeting. For questions, please contact Kelly Hoover at pio@cityofgoleta.org.

Thank You Public Works

We appreciate our Goleta Public Works Department so much and are pleased for any opportunity to recognize the great work this team does. May was 15 – 21 was National Public Works Week and the City of Goleta took the opportunity to express its sincere and heartfelt appreciation for our hard-working and dedicated Public Works Department. The Goleta City Council recognized our stand-out Public Works Team with a Proclamation at its May 17, 2022, meeting. (Pictured: Public Works Director Charlie Ebeling holding the Public Works Week Proclamation at the meeting. Standing behind left-to-right: Councilmember Roger Aceves, Councilmember James Kyriaco, Mayor Paula Perotte, and Mayor Pro Tempore Stuart Kasdin.)

Mayor Paula Perotte said, “Thanks to our incredible Goleta Public Works Team who provide the Goleta community with essential services. We truly appreciate your dedication to the work that you do and your continued ability to adjust during the pandemic.”

Goleta Public Works Director Charlie Ebeling accepted the Proclamation on behalf of his team. He said, “Public Works staff is incredible. We have an amazing team that has worked very hard this last year to deliver projects and services to the residents and visitors of the City of Goleta. This year’s Public Works Week theme of “Ready & Resilient” couldn’t be more fitting. Our staff is remarkably responsive to the needs and requests of the community, and they’ve continued to persevere through many challenges. I appreciate this opportunity to recognize staff for their commitment to their work and for their many accomplishments throughout the year.”

The Goleta Public Works Department is responsible for so many aspects of our daily life, including the City’s infrastructure, street maintenance, parks and open spaces, storm water management, solid waste and environmental services, and engineering. Over the past year, the Public Works Department has added four new staff members and is looking to fill several positions to help continue to provide key services and implement important programs and projects in our City. Learn more about the Public Works Department here and view available job openings at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/goletaca.

The Public Works Department has had many achievements over the past year, including the following:

  • Continued paving projects for various citywide roadways including segments of Cathedral Oaks Road.
  • Replaced approximately 1,400 old streetlights with new energy efficient LED lights making it better for the environment, providing clearer lighting, and saving the City money.
  • Installed four Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons and two Pedestrian Hybrid Beacons throughout the City.
  • Launched a City-wide Edible Food Recovery Program and Commercial Food Scraps Recycling Program.
  • Completed construction of the Dearborn/Armitos ADA Improvements Project.

Upcoming Public Works projects include:

  • Continued implementation of the Ellwood Monarch Butterfly Management Plan.
  • New programs for Solid Waste Reduction.
  • Continued implementation of the Creek and Watershed Management Program.
  • Hollister Avenue Interim Striping Project will improve pedestrian, bicycle and vehicle safety in the corridor, and increase outdoor business and dining space.
  • Hollister Avenue Bridge Project will replace the existing bridge and complete the channel widening south of the bridge thereby allowing greater flood water conveyance capacity.
  • Ekwill and Fowler Road Extensions Project will construct major improvements which will greatly enhance circulation in Old Town for vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians.
  • Design for the 20-million-dollar San Jose Creek Bike Path Project.
  • Develop a Safe Routes to School Program.

Even though Public Works Week is over, we can still celebrate our Goleta Public Works Team. Feel free to send a note to PIO@cityofgoleta.org and we will pass it along. We know your messages will put a smile on their faces!


City of Goleta Public Works Maintenance Crew