— The Goodland Outlook, September 5, 2019 —
Friends,
There is so much going on now that the “summer lull” is over. This
Goodland Outlook contains four important items that The Goodland
Coalition wants to make SURE you are aware of.
| 1. GOLETA’S NEW ZONING ORDINANCE IS IN THE “HOMESTRETCH” — GOLETA PLANNING COMMISSION HEARING, 6PM Monday, September 9. 2. POTENTIAL FOR POWER OUTAGES. 3. AN OPPORTUNITY TO HELP CLEAN GOLETA’S CREEKS WITH THE EDC . 4. NEW CITY COUNCIL MEETING TIMES – EVENING MEETINGS ONLY. |
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All the DETAILS:
1. GOLETA’S NEW ZONING ORDINANCE IS IN THE “HOMESTRETCH” at the GOLETA PLANNING COMMISSION HEARING, 6PM, Monday, September 9
The public is encouraged to attend and/or comment on Goleta’s New Zoning Ordinance (NZO). The Agenda for the 6 PM Monday, September 9, Planning Commission Meeting has been posted and is available here. Or click here to see the staff report for this Planning Commission item directly.
Goleta’s major Zoning Plan revision will potentially impact every single property in Goleta, where you live and shop, own or rent. Just take a look at the major topic list in the paragraph after next that we culled from the staff report (you should really look at the agenda and staff report for yourself to review sections you are most interested in.)
Major zoning code areas that will be covered at the Planning Commission meeting(s) include environmental, development and commercial issues. Below, see just SOME of these issues and the intent of the recommended changes.
TO MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD: If you can’t attend, you can submit comments to the Planning Commissioners via the City Clerk at cityclerkgroup@cityofgoleta.org;
Or mail: Attn: Planning Commission and City Clerk at 130 Cremona Drive, Suite B Goleta, California 93117.
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES:
Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Areas (ESHA). Strengthen the protections for all forms of environmentally sensitive areas such as stream sides-
Open Space. Clarify the requirement for open space in residential areas-
Visual Resource Protection. Strengthen protection of scenic view, including mountains, foothills, open space, natural landforms, and scenic easements and corridors
DEVELOPMENT ISSUES:
Fences and Hedges. Clarify requirements for fences, freestanding walls, and hedges located within the front setback –
Parking Standards. Increases and changes to parking requirements –
Trailers and Recreational Vehicle Parking/Storage. Revisions to trailers and recreational vehicle parking/storage; continued to be allowed within the front and side setbacks-
Height. Revisions and methodology for measuring height –
Design Review. Substantial revisions to Design Review Board (DRB) process and authority including moving final design approval back to the DRB.-
Existing Development Plans. Changes and explanations for Nonconforming Uses and Structures-
NEW Development Plans. An exemption added under which a Development Plan for single-family and multi-family development of up to four units would not be required in certain zones.
COMMERCIAL ISSUES:
Cannabis Land Use Ordinance. Prohibition on cannabis drive-through uses and a prohibition on commercial industrial hemp as well as identifying where cannabis uses may operate and cannabis use parking standards-
Mobile Vendors. Specific standards these types of business activity must meet in order to be exempted from permit requirements
Again, click here to see the staff report for this Planning Commission item that includes all the details. Make your voice heard by attending the Planning Commission Meeting or sending an email.
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2. POTENTIAL FOR POWER OUTAGES
You have probably heard about Southern California Edison’s (SCE) plans to shut off power to prevent wildfires from high risk weather events.
Such planned outages could leave Goleta residents without power for up to 5 days. So NOW is the time to prepare and discuss with your family and roommates steps for dealing with such a shutoff.
You can start by registering to receive emergency alerts from the Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) at www.ReadySBC.org.
Here are some resources to help you learn more and prepare:
- City of Goleta Website: Multi-Day Power Outages
- Santa Barbara County One-Sheet: Preparing for a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) in Santa Barbara County
- Southern California Edison’s PSPS Webpage
To receive emergency information from the City of Goleta, go to https://tinyurl.com/goletaemergency, text Goleta Emergency to 468311, or call 805-961-7508.
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3. AN OPPORTUNITY TO HELP CLEAN GOLETA’S CREEKS WITH THE EDC
The Environmental Defense Center (EDC) has five upcoming creek cleanups in Goleta this fall. EDC is a nonprofit law firm with a 40-year history of working to promote the health of our community by protecting clean water, clean air, and a clean environment.
Why a cleanup? This is an annual event to preserve Goleta’s creeks, protect wildlife habitats and provide clean drinking water which filters into Goleta’s groundwater basins. Our creeks are also an important part of our recreational opportunities, bordering our parks, walking and biking paths.
Last year, over 100 volunteers and partners, including City of Goleta, Santa Barbara County, and Urban Creeks Council, removed 4,748 pounds of trash from Goleta’s creeks! Volunteers are needed this year to remove newly accumulated Goleta stream litter before winter rains wash it out to the Goleta Slough and Pacific Ocean.
This year’s upcoming creek cleanup schedule is from 10am – 12pm on the following dates:
- September 7 – Glen Annie Creek
- September 14 (United Way Day of Caring) – San Pedro Creek
- September 28 (Creek Week) – San Jose Creek
- October 5 – Maria Ygnacio Creek
- October 26 – Atascadero Creek
For more information and to RSVP for EDC’s creek cleanups, please visit www.EnvironmentalDefenseCenter.org, call the EDC at 805-963-1622, or email Brian Trautwein, EDC Environmental Analyst/Watershed Program Coordinator, at btrautwein@environmentaldefensecenter.org.
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4. NEW CITY COUNCIL MEETING TIMES – EVENING MEETINGS ONLY
Upon the recommendation of Goleta’s volunteer Public Engagement Commission, the City Council approved starting its meetings in early evening, no longer in the afternoon. This is to make it more convenient for people who work during daytime hours to attend the meetings or watch them on TV.
This new meeting schedule will begin at 5:50 PM, October 1, 2019, (with their closed session taking place at 4:00 PM). Meetings will continue to take place on the first and third Tuesdays of each month and will start at 5:50PM on those dates.
There are several ways to watch a meeting: Come in person to City Hall Council Chambers (130 Cremona Drive, Suite B)- Live or at any time on the City’s website (https://tinyurl.com/GoletaMeetings)- Channel 19 live on Tuesday meeting dates, or rebroadcast on Wednesdays at 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
You can always check the City Calendar to confirm the meeting date. To receive City Council agendas sent to you via email or text message, sign up by clicking here.
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P.S. Forward a link to this website page to your friends who may not be on our list.
FYI: CITY OF GOLETA CONTACT INFORMATION:
To send an email to Mayor Perotte, city council members Aceves, Bennett, Kasdin, Kyriaco, and Richards and City Manager Greene, copy the following and past it into the TO: section of an email.
pperotte@cityofgoleta.org, raceves@cityofgoleta.org, jkyriaco@cityofgoleta.org, skasdin@cityofgoleta.org, krichards@cityofgoleta.org, mgreene@cityofgoleta.org