Author Archives: Jaime Shaw

Library Temporarily Offering Sidewalk Service

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The Goleta & Santa Ynez Valley Libraries have temporarily suspended in-person services and transitioned to Sidewalk Service only due to COVID-19.  Sidewalk Service is available at the Goleta Valley, Buellton, and Solvang Libraries from 10:00 a.m.  – 5:00 p.m. on Tuesdays – Saturdays. The Bookvan will continue its regular schedule to provide services to the Isla Vista community. We will keep you updated as to when we will return to in-person service.

During Sidewalk Service hours, you will be able to pick up materials placed on hold through the online catalog using your library card. You will be notified that your items are ready for pick-up via email, text, or automated voice message.

We know that it can be hard to find new books, DVDs, and Books on CD when you cannot browse the shelves. In order to make it easier for you, library staff has been taking photos of the covers of every item that comes into the library and posting them on the Goleta Valley Library Facebook and Instagram pages. After browsing the covers, you can go to the online catalog and place holds on items that pique your interest.

When you arrive at the library to pick up your holds at Sidewalk Service, you must wear a mask and practice social distancing. You have three options to let library staff know you are here:

Goleta Valley Library

1.     Text CHECKIN to 805-902-1020

2.     Go to Goleta Sidewalk Service

3.     Call 805-964-7878

Buellton Library

1.     Text CHECKIN to 805-902-1022

2.     Go to Buellton Sidewalk Service

3.     Call 805-688-3115

Solvang Library

1.     Text CHECKIN to 805-902-1021

2.     Go to Solvang Sidewalk Service

3.     Call 805-688-4214

Staff will bring your items to the designated pick-up tables located at each library. Craft kits for children will also be available for pick-up at all three libraries, while supplies last.

Book drops will remain open 24/7 for returns of borrowed materials.

Access to the e-Library is available for downloading and streaming free online eBooks, audiobooks, music, TV shows, movies and more with your library card. Reference assistance will also be available by telephone during Sidewalk Service hours.

To register for a library card, you can visit the library during Sidewalk Service hours to sign up for a card in person. You also have the option to sign up for an e-Card through the library website.

Entry boxes for the all-ages Winter Reading Program will be available at the pick-up tables at each library. Weekly online programming such as Book Clubs, storytimes, and craft workshops will continue to be offered virtually. Please visit our Events Calendar for details.

We appreciate your understanding and patience as we do our part to ensure the safety of our community and staff. We look forward to seeing you at Sidewalk Service.

Pictured: Library staff member Jil Ronkainen providing Sidewalk Service

City of Goleta Extends In-Person Services Closure Through February

All Services Remain Available to the Public

To ensure the safety of our community and staff, the City of Goleta is extending the temporary closure of City Hall reception and public counters through the month of February. Depending on conditions, the City expects to reopen services on March 1, 2022. In the meantime, the City is committed to continuing to provide a high level of service to the community and all services are available to the public.

Here are the changes that began on January 7, 2022, and will remain in effect:

  • City Hall reception is closed to the public. Our receptionist and staff members can still be contacted via phone or email during business hours. To contact reception, please call (805) 961-7500 or access the City Assist online citizen service request system. http://tinyurl.com/goletacityassist
  • Planning and Building Counters are closed to in-person service. Permit applications may be submitted electronically through the City’s Permit Tracking System Public Portal. Staff can be reached at:
  • Goleta, Solvang and Buellton Libraries will continue sidewalk service. Hours of operation: Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 pm. Face coverings required.

We appreciate your cooperation and support as we continue to navigate through this ongoing pandemic. Stay safe and be well. Stay safe and be well.

For more information on COVID-19, please visit https://publichealthsbc.org/ and http://cityofgoleta.org/covid19.

City of Goleta’s 20th Birthday Celebration on March 5

Join Us Saturday, March 5, 11am – 4pm at Rancho La Patera & Stow House

The City of Goleta in collaboration with the Goleta Valley Historical Society is throwing a 20th birthday party and we want everyone who loves Goleta to be there! Please mark your calendar for Saturday, March 5, 2022, for a special community celebration from 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. at Rancho La Patera and Stow House (304 N. Los Carneros Road). The event was originally scheduled for February 5, 2022, but was postponed one month due to COVID-19 concerns. We are excited about our new date and hope you will plan to attend.

Here is just some of what you can look forward to:

  • Premiere of our 20 Year Reflections Video (popcorn provided!)
  • Live music by the Salt Martians (Bluegrass) and The Nombres (Rock & Country)
  • Special performances throughout the day
  • Food and beverages for purchase
  • Birthday tributes and toast with dessert
  • 20 Year limited edition City swag for sale
  • Community mural signing
  • Photo station
  • Train rides and tractor rides
  • Raffle prizes
  • And more!

This is a BYOC (Bring Your Own Chair) event!

If you have any questions or would like to be a part of this special occasion, please reach out to Community Relations Manager Kelly Hoover at khoover@cityofgoleta.org.  

Thanks for being a part of Goleta’s history!

 

City Addresses Concerns Regarding Southern California Edison’s Rate Increase

Central Coast Community Energy Generation Rates Remain Unchanged

Residents and businesses may have noticed an increase in their electric bills in the last month. The increase is due to Southern California Edison’s increase in its transmission and distribution rates and is NOT related to the City’s new electricity provider Central Coast Community Energy (CCCE).

On October 1, Southern California Edison (SCE) raised its transmission and distribution rates for all customers. These increased rates, which typically account for approximately 2/3 of an average household’s monthly electricity costs, were reflected in customers’ bills starting in November, and will amount to a monthly increase of approximately $10 per average household. The increased rates are tied to SCE’s need for continued grid infrastructure development and hardening to prevent wildfires and accelerate grid modernization. For more information visit www.sce.com/bill_change.

Also in October, all Goleta electricity customers were enrolled in CCCE service. CCCE is now in charge of electric generation (how and where our electricity is generated), a cost that typically makes up approximately 1/3 of an average household’s monthly electricity costs. SCE will no longer charge customers for electric generation (how your electricity is generated), but SCE will continue charging customers for transmission and distribution (how your electricity is delivered). CCCE electric generation charges now appear on your SCE bill as a separate line item. Those enrolled with CCCE are now shared customers: SCE provides and charges for transmission and distribution, CCCE provides and charges for electric generation.

Despite SCE rates going up, CCCE has not raised its electric generation rates. In fact, a visit to SCE’s rate comparison page demonstrates that CCCE generation charges are lower than SCE generation charges. Currently, Goleta electricity customers who are not enrolled with CCCE are paying higher generation rates, combined with the recent increase to transmission and distribution rates.

Along with 32 other Central Coast communities, the City of Goleta joined Central Coast Community Energy to access greater control of our electricity needs and to support the growth of clean and renewable energy. Doing so provides our residents and businesses with economic and environmental benefits.

If you have additional questions, you can contact CCCE by calling 888-909-6227 or emailing SouthSupport@3CE.org. To learn more about CCCE and attend upcoming webinars, visit https://3cenergy.org/2021-enrollment/.

1000 Books Before Kindergarten Program Re-Launches

The Goleta & Santa Ynez Valley Libraries are excited to resume their 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten Program with all-new reading logs and fun prizes!

1,000 Books Before Kindergarten is an early literacy program popular at libraries across the country. It encourages parents and caregivers to read to their children, which helps prepare them for school readiness and lifelong success by building a strong foundation for later reading and writing.

At the Goleta & Santa Ynez Valley Libraries, the program is open to all families whose children are below kindergarten age. To get started, stop by the library to pick up your first reading log. As you read to your child, mark off a circle for each book you read. You can mark off a circle for each time you read the same book, too, as repetition is an important part of learning to read. When you’re finished, you and your child can bring the completed log back to the library to receive a prize and your next reading log!

Once you have completed all ten logs and read 1,000 books, we will contact you with an invitation to our 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten graduation party. While parties and other in-person programming have not yet resumed at the Goleta & Santa Ynez Valley Libraries, we will save your information to celebrate your child’s accomplishment as soon as programming resumes.

The friendly librarians at the Goleta & Santa Ynez Valley Libraries are excited to be offering this program again to support literacy in the community. Logs are available in English and Spanish at the Goleta Valley Library, Goleta Valley Library Bookvan, Buellton Library, and Solvang Library. Stop by your local branch Tuesdays – Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and ask for your first log at the front desk. For Bookvan hours and locations, please check our online calendar.

Program materials and prizes at Goleta Valley Library are generously sponsored by the Friends of the Goleta Valley Library. To learn more or to become a Friend, click here: https://www.friendsofthegoletavalleylibrary.org/

Prizes at Solvang Library are sponsored by the Friends of the Library of Santa Ynez Valley. To learn more or become a Friend, click here: https://friendssyvlibrary.org/

Net Energy Metering Customers to Begin Enrollment

Central Coast Community Energy (CCCE) enrollment for Net Energy Metering (NEM) residential and commercial customers with solar and/or battery storage in Goleta, Carpinteria, and unincorporated Santa Barbara County will begin in January 2022. NEM customers in Goleta should have received their initial pre-enrollment postcards this past November and will continue to receive mail notifications through February. Additional information is available here: https://3cenergy.org/nem/.

If you are a NEM customer and are interested in learning more about CCCE and what the upcoming transition will mean for your household, you can watch a recording here of a recent CCCE virtual education forum to learn more about NEM services for residents and businesses in the south Central Coast. As an existing NEM customer, Central Coast Community Energy is working hard to make the transition for new customers into their NEM program seamless.

Once again, we would like to take a moment to thank our community, who has demonstrated great leadership and commitment to clean energy by continuing to maintain an over 97% enrollment retention rate of the current eligible customers. If you have questions, you can contact a local customer service Energy Advisor at 888-909-6227. You can also contact Central Coast Community Energy Customer Service at SouthSupport@CCCE.org or visit CCCEnergy.org/2021-enrollment. We thank you for investing in a greener Goleta!

City of Goleta Grant Funds Available for Non-Profits

Application Period is December 17, 2021 – January 28, 2022

Are you a part of a local non-profit serving Goleta residents or know someone who is? If so, the City of Goleta has more than $100,000 in grant funds for which you can apply. Starting on Friday, December 17, 2021, until Friday, January 28, 2022, online applications will be accepted for both Goleta City Grant and Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) programs.

The City Council has set aside approximately $100,000 in General Fund monies for the Goleta City Grant Program. Recipients of this grant may receive up to $5,000 for programs that benefit Goleta residents and the general community. Organizations involved in educational and cultural activities, such as music, art, dance, and recreation, as well as Goleta-oriented special events and regional projects that enhance and support the quality of life in Goleta are encouraged to apply.

Each year, the City of Goleta sets aside a portion of its Community Development Block Grant funding to support non-profits serving low-income residents, seniors, and those experiencing homelessness. CDBG funds are dispersed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which strictly regulates the use of funds. The City of Goleta reserves these funds for agencies who qualify for CDBG funding, serve the goals of the City’s 5-Year Consolidated Plan, and apply for a minimum of $10,000. For the 2020-2021 Fiscal Year, the City distributed more than $33,000 to public services from its CDBG allocation.

Grant applications for both programs will be accepted online via the ZoomGrants program. Once all applications are received the Mayor, Mayor Pro Tempore, and two Goleta residents appointed by the Mayor make up the committee that evaluates the applications and makes funding recommendations to the City Council. The Council then awards the grants at a meeting in the spring, likely in May of 2022.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to help your non-profit or community group. Visit https://www.cityofgoleta.org/i-want-to/apply-for/grants for additional information on both grant programs or contact Shanna Dawson in the City of Goleta Neighborhood Services Department at 805-690-5126 or sdawson@cityofgoleta.org.

#VaccinateGoleta COVID-19 Update

The number of eligible Santa Barbara County residents who are vaccinated is at 74.7% as of December 7. Visit the Santa Barbara County Community Data Dashboard for more information. 

Recent COVID-19 news includes the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department announcing an update to COVID-19 testing sites in the area. The Goleta Community Center site will close on Thursday, December 30, 2021, but the mini-bus at Direct Relief in Goleta will remain open through at least March 2022. Read the full announcement here.

Other COVID-19 updates include the County extending the indoor mask mandate, the FDA expanding the eligibility of vaccine boosters, and the California Department of Public Health sharing information on the Omicron variant. The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department also put together tips to protect yourself and others this holiday season in “Spread Joy, Not COVID.”

Indoor Mask Manded Extended

The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department has extended the Health Officer Order which requires the use of masks in indoor public settings. This order requires all individuals, regardless of vaccination status, to wear face coverings when indoors in public settings, with limited exceptions. More information is available here.

Expanded Eligibility for Vaccine Boosters

On November 19, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration amended the emergency use authorizations (EUA) for both the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines authorizing use of a single booster dose for all individuals 18 years of age and older after completion of primary vaccination with any FDA-authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine. Read the full announcement here.

Information on where to get your first dose, second dose, or booster in Santa Barbara County can be found here.

Fact Sheet: Omicron Variant

The California Department of Public Health has put together a fact sheet on the new Omicron variant to answer questions such as what is known about the new variant, what California is doing in response, and what Californians can do to protect themselves. Read the full fact sheet.

For more information about COVID-19, please visit https://publichealthsbc.org/.

Pictured: Goleta Community Center COVID-19 testing site

Save the Date: February 5th for the City’s 20th Birthday Celebration!

The City of Goleta is turning 20 and we want to celebrate with you! Please save the date for Saturday, February 5, 2022, to celebrate this special historic milestone with us. The community is invited to this free event from 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. at Rancho La Patera and Stow House (304 N. Los Carneros Road). Come for the entire time or just part of it. You won’t want to miss this fun-filled event where we premiere our video reflecting on 20 years of being a City. There will also be live music, food and drink (available for purchase), a birthday toast with dessert, community mural signing, and more!

We hope to see you at this fun family-friendly event! Stay tuned for more details and a program of events.

Please reach out to Community Relations Manager Kelly Hoover at khoover@cityofgoleta.org if you or your organization are interested in doing something on your own to commemorate this special occasion.

Council Considers City’s First Historic Preservation Ordinance on February 15

The City of Goleta is one step closer to having its first ever Historic Preservation Ordinance.  The City Council will continue discussing the proposed ordinance on February 15, 2022.  After a lengthy discussion at the December 7 Public Hearing, the Council directed staff to provide the following additional information:

  1. Specific findings for each of the 29 properties proposed to be added to the Historic Resources Inventory and findings for the 6-7 properties that may be designated as Goleta Landmarks.
  2. Make refinements to the exemptions from the Archaeological and/or Tribal Cultural provisions to be simpler and clearer to the public.
  3. Provide cost estimates for different archaeological reports and provide an estimate how many of these could be required in the course of a year.

The goal of the Historic Preservation Ordinance is to preserve and protect resources that, once lost, cannot be replaced or replicated. Earlier this year (November 8), the Planning Commission reviewed the ordinance and recommended adoption. Generally, the proposed ordinance would:

  • Create a Historic Preservation Commission.
  • Create historic designation categories and establish a process to designate properties as a historic resource based on eligibility criteria.
  • Establish regulations and processes regarding alterations to designated properties, recission of designations, demolition, maintenance requirements, and Mills Act incentives to maintain designated historic resources.
  • Designate six (6) -seven (7) structures as Goleta Landmarks and place a total of 29 structures (including the 7 proposed to be Goleta Landmarks) on the inaugural Historic Resources Inventory (HRI). It is expected that the HRI will be expanded over time.
  • Establish processes and criteria when any earth-disturbing activities in native soils (i.e., previous not graded or disturbed soils) are proposed. The purpose is to check for subsurface archaeological or tribal cultural resources in order to preserve and protect these resources. A list of project types and circumstances that would be exempt from the requirements is included.
  • Establish development standards that would apply to earth-disturbing activities in case subsurface archaeological or tribal cultural resources are found during construction.
  • Add thirty-four definitions related to Historic Preservation and Archaeological and Tribal Cultural Resources to the Goleta Municipal Code.
  • Make other changes to various portions of the Goleta Municipal Code to reflect the requirements of Chapters 17.33 and 17.43 for consistency in City regulations.

The proposed Historic Preservation Ordinance includes regulations that may affect some property owners, especially property owners of designated Historic Resources. The regulations regarding Archaeological and/or Tribal Cultural Resources could potentially affect any property owners who are contemplating work involving earth-disturbing activities (i.e., trenching for utilities, digging for new foundations, etc.). The goal of the proposed regulations is to foster preservation while allowing development to occur.

In recommending adoption of the ordinance, the Planning Commission sought to balance the need to protect sensitive, buried archaeological and cultural resources with the burden on property owners. It considered this issue carefully with input from a range of stakeholders, including Goleta residents, archaeologists and historians, and Chumash Tribal representatives. 

Learn more about the project at www.HistoricGoleta.org.

Pictured: Hollister Arch