SB Independent: Although federal Homeland Security agents came into the apartment searching for her Iranian roommate, a UCSB student was taken into custody on Wednesday, May 23 for alleged violations of immigration law — a murky situation further muddled this week by claims of improper procedure.
Santa Maria Times: A Lompoc man who was stabbed early Sunday morning in Goleta has been released from the hospital.
Binicio Nicholas Pereda, 20, was taken to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital for treatment of three non-life threatening lacerations to his back that appeared to be caused by a knife, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department.
Deputies responded to a report of a stabbing at 2:20 a.m. Sunday at a residence in the area of Mallard Avenue and Alondra Drive, and found Pereda out front the house, where his friends were performing first aid.
Witnesses said Pereda had been a guest at a party held at the house, and had stepped outside. Party-goers found a wounded Pereda about 20 minutes later.
Witnesses could not provide any information on the suspect. The sheriff's department reported there is no indication the incident was gang-related.
Santa Barbara Newsroom
By Tom Schultz
May 29, 2007
Looking ahead to the next two financial cycles, Goleta officials face a raft of potentially tricky decisions as they work to keep the city's operating budgets in the black.
Tax income and other revenues would exceed City Hall expenditures in fiscal year 2007-08, according to preliminary projections, but would fall short of covering costs in 2008-09.
Goleta has maintained a balanced budget since its 2002 incorporation, and council members during a recent workshop did not appear ready to let that record of success slip away in the coming weeks, as they work to finalize spending plans for the next two fiscal years before June 30.
Councilwoman Jonny Wallis said she was particularly concerned about "a dramatic increase" in expenditures over those posted during the current fiscal year, particularly in light of a small 1 percent city revenue increase projected for 2007-08 and similarly modest 1.2 percent revenue increase expected in 2008-09.
For example, "We are showing in our services and supplies budget by department and program a more than 37 percent increase" in spending, Wallis noted.
Among its looming expenses, the city in 2008-09 anticipates a $165,000 bump in cost of living adjustments to wages over current levels, a one-time $200,000 bill for the creation of zoning codes and a nearly $334,000 increase in law enforcement costs over current levels.
"Deficits are not acceptable," Councilman Eric Onnen said, suggesting the city should carefully shape its expectations. "We have to look at all those areas where we have opportunities to adjust our expenditures."
"We are going to have a very skinny budget in the best of circumstances, and we could go negative very quickly," he said.
BY THE NUMBERS
Goleta would take in $15.41 million and spend $15.3 million in 2007-08. The following 12-month cycle, the city would collect $15.6 million and spend $15.72 million. Goleta currently operates on a more than $14.3 million spending plan, with about $14.7 million in revenues.
For the first time, Goleta is planning two years into the future — a change that brings more work but allows the city more flexibility in timing the start or completion of projects. The shift also enables City Hall to more easily carry money over from one year to the next, City Manager Dan Singer said.
"There are organizations that say they have a two year budget and every year they adopt a two year budget, which really just makes the second year a projection," Singer said, adding Goleta instead would fully appropriate money over a 24-month period, while at the same time allowing for adjustments down the line. "It will require our department managers and our staff to be more careful and diligent in spending money, so that not too much of it is spent up front."
Complicating the task of planning for the next two fiscal years are requests across the next two fiscal years that currently remain unfunded in the preliminary budget. Among these are $128,000 for a community resources deputy for law enforcement, $111,000 for a new motorcycle officer, $100,000 for recreational services, $20,000 for a festival in Old Town and $9,000 to record and broadcast Design Review Board meetings on television.
In addition, outside organizations including Girsh Park, the Goleta Valley Historical Society, Goleta Valley Beautiful, the American Red Cross, the Goleta Valley Chamber of Commerce and other groups seek a combined $470,000 in grants for various projects over the next two fiscal years.
"Some of these unfunded items we would highly recommend funding, but then it's a matter of, "Where do you get the money to do it?" Singer said.
PLAYING IT SAFE
Goleta's largest expense is its more than $5 million annual contract for law enforcement services with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department. Negotiations are underway to frame that contract for the next five years, and the public will have its first chance to comment on the draft document Monday.
Money for the unfunded community resources deputy, who would work with residents to tackle community problems, could come from a donation from Camino Real Marketplace. The shopping center has proposed giving the city space for a Sheriff's Department operations base plus $100,000 in each of the next five years to help with the cost of law enforcement.
While Singer said the center would benefit from added visibility of law enforcement there and shortened response times to the property in the event of an emergency, Councilwoman Jonny Wallis said she was concerned about the perception that the marketplace was reducing its private security force and in essence buying the use of public law enforcement.
Mr. Singer said that was not the case. "The personnel there and the $100,000 is not meant to require the Sheriff's Department to do foot patrol, or patrol the Camino Real Marketplace."
Sheriff's Lt. Chris Pappas, Goleta police chief, compared the proposed base to the Sheriff's Department headquarters, stating that the area around it does not receive special attention.
As the budget talks unfold, watch for newly-elected Councilmen Onnen, Michael Bennett and Roger Aceves to increasingly criticize a deal that they say unfairly sucks money away from the city.
All three promised during last year's bruising council election campaign to renegotiate the terms of a revenue-sharing agreement in which Goleta sends half its sales, property and other tax income to Santa Barbara County. The new councilmen say the contribution, negotiated with the county shortly before the city formed, is far too steep.
Bennett and Onnen said recently that the city should note the situation prominently in its budgets.
"It would be very helpful so that everyone understands the impact, number one, of the county doing what they are doing to us," Bennett said.
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KSBY (Video)
Two stabbings happen just minutes apart in Goleta.
The first happened at 23 Mallard Drive around 2:40 Sunday morning. A 23-year-old man was treated for non-life-threatening wounds.
The second stabbing happened 13 minutes later, at the intersection of Hollister Avenue and Entrance Road. A 19-year-old man was attacked by up to four men.
He was also treated for non-life-threatening wounds.
Police aren't connecting the two attacks.
May 25, 2007
Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Narcotics Detectives make our streets safer every day by seizing dangerous illicit narcotics and arresting those who manufacture, distribute, sell and use them. During the week of May 21-24, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Narcotics Detectives, with the assistance from the Sheriff’s Gang Unit, conducted numerous search warrants at the homes of suspected drug dealers throughout Northern and Southern Santa Barbara County. This week’s activity typifies a busy week in the world of narcotics enforcement.
On Tuesday, May 22nd after a three month long investigation, Narcotics Detectives arrested 35 year old K.C. Goodwin and 21 year old, Lauren Lammers after serving a search and arrest warrant in the 3300 block of Richland Dr. in Goleta. Detectives seized approximately six ounces of methamphetamine, with a street value of $16,800, $2500.00 in U.S, currency, stolen property and other paraphernalia associated with the sales of narcotics. Goodwin was also a “Parolee at Large” and booked into the Santa Barbara County Jail without bail. Lammers was booked into Santa Barbara County Jail for possession for sales of narcotics with her bail set at $30,000.
On Wednesday, May 23rd after a two month long investigation, Narcotics Detectives arrested 21 year old Adriel Arias after serving a search and arrest warrant in the 4200 block of Calle Real in Goleta. Detectives seized approximately one ounce of cocaine, with a street value of approximately $2800, $4300.00 in U.S currency and other paraphernalia associated with the sales of narcotics. Arias was arrested and booked into Santa Barbara County Jail for possession of narcotics for sales with bail set at $30,000. 25 year old Simon Arias (Adriel’s brother) was arrested for being under the influence of a controlled substance and in violation of his probation. He was booked into the Santa Barbara County Jail without bail.
Full press release and pictures at the SB Sheriff's Department Website.
SB Independent: Immigration and Customs Enforcements (ICE) agents arrested and took into custody a third-year UCSB student early Wednesday morning for possible violation of immigration laws.
"...that on the morning of May 23, agents from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), accompanied by members of the campus police, made an unannounced “visit” to the home of a Religious Studies professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB)."
Front Page:
Water rate changes get icy reception
A standing-room-only crowd packed a Goleta Water District hearing about raising water meter charges Tuesday night and approximately 40 speakers — farmers and residential customers alike — bluntly expressed their reasons for opposing the increases.
News Briefs:
Old Town awaits hotel, condos
With only a little construction left, two new developments in Old Town could soon signal the start of the neighborhood’s revitalization.
Yardi drops housing plans
Plans to build worker housing in its proposed new building along South Fairview Avenue have been scrapped by software company Yardi Systems Inc. Yardi’s application to extend its development agreement with the city was withdrawn when it was determined that part of the housing would be located in a floodplain.
Costco gas plans fuel protests
Neighbors of the proposed Costco gas station in western Goleta showed up at City Hall on Monday to protest the wholesaler’s plans to put in a 16-pump fueling station.
Sheriff's Blotter
LA Times (Full Article): "We have had an increasing number of students with serious mental health problems while services are lacking," said UC Santa Barbara Vice Chancellor Michael Young, co-chairman of the Student Mental Health Committee. "We just don't have the appropriate level of support to have healthy campuses."
[I'm sorry, what?! There is not an appropriate level of support to have a healthy campus?! -The Observer]
SB Independent: The Goleta City Council pushed city staff on 5/21 to renegotiate the city's revenue neutrality agreement with the county. Currently, half of Goleta's taxes flow to county coffers so as to prevent financial strain to the county stemming from the city's incorporation in 2002. City Manager Dan Singer said that staff would prepare a report in six months, and that the city might see some relief in 2012 — when taxes might be reduced. Singer said that staff needed to study the issue further before approaching the county, noting that it “takes two parties to negotiate.”
Daily Nexus: The UCSB Rules and Regulation Committee convened again yesterday in a closed meeting that resulted in tie with seven votes each, thwarting proposed off-campus alcohol and drug amendments from falling into university jurisdiction.
Daily Nexus: UCSB student Carlyn Lovell McDonald Jr. was arrested for allegedly exposing his genitals to a female faculty member last Thursday in the Student Resource Building.
Daily Nexus: The Santa Barbara County Planning Commission authorized the Isla Vista Master Plan yesterday morning, leaving it only months away from the desk of the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors.
Craig Smith looks at Santa Barbara County Chief Executive Officer Mike Brown surving a lawsuit that was filed last Friday by former Santa Barbara County Public Defender Jim Egar. Craig goes on to say that if "...Mike Brown survives this, he can survive anything."
KCOY
ISLA VISTA - A young Goleta man faces felony DUI charges after officers say he caused a head-on collision that sent a woman to the hospital.
The crash happened late Tuesday night on Los Carneros Road near El Colegio Road, in Isla Vista.
The CHP says 20-year-old Dane Johnston was driving a van that crossed into oncoming traffic and slammed into a car.
A 21-year-old woman riding in the back of the car suffered injuries including a fractured face and skull.
Paramedics took her and Johnston to the hospital for treatment.
Officers say Johnston was under the influence of drugs.
SB Independent
By Chris Meagher
May 23, 2007
The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation has made a $940,000 donation for a new center on UCSB’s campus where research on Asperger’s Syndrome will be conducted. Asperger’s Syndrome is a form of high-functioning autism which makes social and communication skills more difficult. Asperger’s is found in an estimated in 500 children. The center, as part of the Gevirtz Graduate School of Education’s Koegel Autism Center, will be the first dedicated to developing treatments and finding a cure to the syndrome.
The Broad Foundation, based in Los Angeles, was started by businessman and philanthropist Eli Broad, who founded two Fortune 500 companies, and now spends his time advancing education, scientific and medical research.
“Edythe and I are pleased to create a center that will support the Koegels’ innovative research into a disorder that presents a challenge for many families around the country who live with Asperger’s Syndrome,” Eli Broad said in a statement. “We are encouraged by the work underway at UCSB, and we look forward to advancing the research and knowledge that will someday lead to a cure of this disorder, and in the interim, will enable those affected to lead more productive lives.”
SB Independent
By Chris Meagher
May 23, 2007
A collision involving a driver allegedly driving under the influence of drugs left a passenger in another vehicle with a fractured skull and facial fractures and cuts. The collision happened at 11:50 p.m. Tuesday when a 1998 Chevrolet van traveling northbound on Los Carneros Road north of El Colegio in Goleta crossed over the double yellow line and hit head-on a 2004 Toyota Corolla. According to witness reports, the van was traveling “all over the road” leading up to the crash.
The driver of the Corolla — Albert Hwang, 21, of Goleta — along with another passenger, was uninjured, while 21-year-old Candy Yang of Goleta was the one seriously injured. The driver of the van, 20-year-old Dane Brian Johnston, had a cut on his nose and complained of chest pain. At Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, CHP investigators determined that Johnston was under the influence of drugs and arrested him, according to CHP Officer Donald Clotworthy. Yang was admitted to the hospital, but her injuries are not considered life-threatening.
The collision is still under investigation.
Daily Nexus: Isla Vista is nearing a period of unparalleled growth and development that promises to change the face of this beachside community for years to come. From the closure of beloved record stores to the incinerated Bank of America building, I.V. continually reinvents itself. Yet, the creation and implementation of the 736-page-long Isla Vista Master Plan will encourage an entirely new change. It changes zoning codes, gives I.V. a downtown facelift and updates parks and roadways throughout I.V. to streamline transportation.
KEYT (Video)
Goleta could soon have the cheapest gas in the area.
Costco wants to convert about 90 parking spaces in its Camino Real Center parking lot into a self-serve gas station. Many residents say with gas prices approaching $4 a gallon discounted gas would be a very welcome relief. Costco regularly sells gas at 10 to 13 cents a gallon cheaper than most stations in the area. Only Costco customers can buy gas at these stations.
Monday night the city held a public meeting to hear about possible concerns over the proposal. Many residents said they were concerned with more traffic, air pollution and the loss of parking close to the popular store.
An environmental impact report says building a gas station in the flight path of Santa Barbara Municipal Airport could be dangerous.
The deadline for comments on the environmental report is Thursday.
Senior Reporter John Palminteri has our report.
KSBY (Video)
Some farmers in Goleta are up in arms over a proposed water increase.
The Goleta Water District has sent out notices to all their customers telling them in order to improve their aging water pipelines they're looking to pass a rate increase.
But, it's the agricultural land owners who said they will be the ones feeling the biggest pinch.
With more than 50 acres of agricultural land, it takes John Lane a lot of water to feed his Goleta crops.
"I have five different water meters and for me it's almost a $500 a month increase," said Lane Farms Owner, John Lane.
The Goleta Water District is proposing a fee hike that would more than quadruple the costs some customers pay for their meter fees.
Farmers and commercial property owners are the customers who will be the hardest hit if the increase is passed.
"The larger meters will essentially pay more the small meters, who will get a reduction or pay nothing at all," said Goleta Water Board Director Bert Bertrando.
Goleta Water Board Director Bert Bertrando said the increase has been a long time coming, ever since the Goleta Water Company began using state water 10 years ago.
"We should have transferred it to those rate holders a long time ago, we're doing it now," said Bertrando.
If the increase is passed, produce grower Matthew Logan has already calculated his bill will go up 125%. A hefty increase he said he doesn't think his customers are going to stand for.
"They can pass that along to their tenants and businesses but for farmers, people want cheap food," said Fairview Gardens Owner Matthew Logan.
The farmers we spoke with said they feel the increase would be easier to swallow if the water board were to spread it out over two to three years.
To soften the blow, Bert Betrando said they plan to give a $1,200 credit that customers can pay back over three years.
Here are the next steps.
Santa Barbara Newsroom
By Tom Schultz
May 22, 2007
Neighbors of a proposed gas station at Costco told the Goleta City Council on Monday they do not welcome the project, fearing fumes, fuel truck trips and added traffic congestion at Hollister Avenue and Storke Road.
This comes amid opposition to the proposal from staff analysts at the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments, an agency that must decide whether the project would conform to safety standards associated with the nearby Santa Barbara Municipal Airport. Oil and gas storage is incompatible with the Costco site, located in an airplane landing approach zone, according to a May 15 letter from an SBCAG planner to Goleta officials who circulated the correspondence Monday.
While backers of the project said it would not severely impact parking at Camino Real Marketplace, the shopping center home to Costco, neighbors wondered aloud how that might be possible. Some threatened to cancel their Costco memberships if the project goes through. The station would eliminate 88 parking spots.
"It poses concerns about safety and quality of life," Bill Rosen, a nearby condo complex resident, told the council.
Warehouse chains like Costco entered the vehicle fuels market about 10 years ago across the country. With Costco membership fees offsetting merchandise prices, Costco gas typically sells for less than fuel at other locations. At the time, Costco gas ran about 13 cents less than retail gasoline elsewhere.
Amid record prices at the pump nationwide, members of the wholesale "big box" chain would likely seize upon the chance to buy less expensive gas. But first the project needs to pass muster with local officials.
Those who spoke in opposition to the proposal to carve 16 fueling spots from the marketplace parking lot raised a raft of concerns, among them: the proximity to homes, neighborhood children breathing fumes, placing another gas station in the area, the possibility for increased fire risks and the potential for ground water contamination.
Nobody from the public spoke in favor of the project, and Costco offered little by way of a defense.
Peter Brown, a lawyer for the wholesaler, stated toward the onset of the hearing that the project would not negatively impact parking. Toward the end, he told the council the company would respond to all other concerns later, and in writing.
That strategy drew a rebuke from Councilman Roger Aceves.
"I am a little not pleased with the applicant, in that the time to discuss this is in public," Aceves said. "I hope that letter can be published in time so the public can respond to it."
Aceves also said he was concerned that the gas station would impact the Costco food court.
Nothing was decided Monday. The council reviewed a city draft environmental impact report (EIR) that states the project would reduce parking spots and expose the public to increased risk in the event of a plane crash.
Noting Santa Barbara Airport is located approximately 1 mile east of the proposed site, the report lays out pros and cons of the proposal.
"The project's incremental increase in risk exposure for aircraft accidents from the nearby Santa Barbara Municipal Airport is considered a significant and unavoidable impact," according to the report. "While the frequency of occurrence for such an event would be very low, the consequences would be categorized as major, which collectively result in a significant societal risk exposure. "
In addition, the report states, "the loss of 88 parking spaces in close proximity to the entrance of the existing Costco warehouse would occur during periods of peak demand, resulting in inadequate parking for Costco warehouse customers within a reasonable (500 foot) distance of the entrance.
"This is considered a significant impact, and while possible mitigation of this impact could be achieved through the reconfiguration of the warehouse to provide a second entrance at the southeast corner of the building, this reconfiguration does not appear to be feasible or desired by the project applicant."
Council members asked for more information about how many daily fuel truck trips the station would generate — some estimates place the figure at several times that of nearby gas stations combined. Council members also asked for more information on parking trends at the shopping center.
"Obviously, this will be a controversial issue for the community," Councilman Eric Onnen said.
The station would be built to the north of the northwest corner of Costco, which was approved by Santa Barbara County in 1997 before Goleta incorporated in 2002.The station would include a pump island canopy, four fuel dispenser islands with four self-serve pumps each, a controller enclosure and three underground gasoline storage tanks with associated pipes and monitoring systems, according to Goleta.
An estimated 12 to 16 million gallons of gasoline per year would be dispensed. The proposed hours of operation for the proposed site would be from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays and 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends.
The canopy structure would be approximately 10,800 square feet in size, according to the city.
The nearest gas stations to the proposed project are at the northwest and southeast corners of Storke Road and Hollister Avenue. The nearest residential developments are the Pacific Oak Apartments and the Pacific Palms condominium complex approximately 600 feet to the northwest of the proposed site.
The public can comment on the draft EIR through Thursday at City Hall.
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Daily Nexus: In a unanimous vote, the Isla Vista Recreation and Park District board approved a number of projects last Thursday, including a $50,600 renovation to the community teen center.
Santa Barbara Newsroom
By Tom Schultz
May 21, 2007
A gas station proposed for Costco in Goleta would reduce parking spots and expose the public to increased risk in the event of a plane crash, officials say -- but would also give members of the big box chain a new option for obtaining less expensive fuel.
The Goleta City Council today considers a draft report, one focused on environmental impacts of the proposal to carve 16 fueling stations from the parking lot at Camino Real Marketplace.
Warehouse chains like Costco entered the vehicle fuels market about 10 years ago across the country. With Costco membership fees offsetting merchandise prices, Costco gas typically sells for less than fuel at other locations.
“Since Costco’s gasoline prices are significantly lower than surrounding competitors’ prices, Costco gasoline is a consumer draw,” the Association for Convenience and Petroleum Retailing reported in the late 1990s.
At the time, Costco gas ran about 13 cents less than retail gasoline elsewhere. This past week, a company spokesman could not be reached for comment.
While some residents back a Costco gas station in Goleta, others worry it would compound traffic problems and create more fumes near Girsh Park.
"We don't want it," nearby residents Fracsesca Cleyet and Cynthia Ruano wrote the city last month, noting the existence of other nearby gas stations. "When we agreed to have Costco in the neighborhood, we agreed very reluctantly. . . We gave them an inch, and they want a mile."
Last month, Goleta resident Frank Katch wrote the city to lend his support.
“You know when you shop at Costco for gasoline you will get either the lowest price in the area or very close,” he wrote. “I want the convenience. I want one-stop shopping.”
Noting Santa Barbara Airport is located approximately 1 mile east of the proposed site, a city draft environmental impact report (EIR) lays out pros and cons of the proposal.
"The project's incremental increase in risk exposure for aircraft accidents from the nearby Santa Barbara Municipal Airport is considered a significant and unavoidable impact," according to the report. "While the frequency of occurrence for such an event would be very low, the consequences would be categorized as major, which collectively result in a significant societal risk exposure. "
In addition, the report states, "the loss of 88 parking spaces in close proximity to the entrance of the existing Costco warehouse would occur during periods of peak demand, resulting in inadequate parking for Costco warehouse customers within a reasonable (500 foot) distance of the entrance. This is considered a significant impact, and while possible mitigation of this impact could be achieved through the reconfiguration of the warehouse to provide a second entrance at the southeast corner of the building, this reconfiguration does not appear to be feasible or desired by the project applicant."
The station would be built to the north of the northwest corner of Costco, which was approved by Santa Barbara County in 1997 before Goleta incorporated in 2002.
The station would include a pump island canopy, four fuel dispenser islands with four self-serve pumps each, a controller enclosure and three underground gasoline storage tanks with associated pipes and monitoring systems, according to Goleta.
An estimated 12 to 16 million gallons of gasoline per year would be dispensed. The proposed hours of operation for the proposed site would be from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays and 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends.
The gas station would be available to Costco Warehouse members only.
The canopy structure would be approximately 10,800 square feet in size, according to the city.
The nearest gas stations to the proposed project are at the northwest and southeast corners of Storke Road and Hollister Avenue. The nearest residential developments are the Pacific Oak Apartments and the Pacific Palms condominium complex approximately 600 feet to the northwest of the proposed site.
The public can comment on the draft EIR through Thursday at City Hall.
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Front Page:
On tap: Costco gas station
The long-awaited Costco gasoline station may finally become a reality, as the city prepares to hold a public meeting on its draft environmental impact report Monday.
News Briefs:
UCSB hunger strikers take case to regents
Hunger striking UCSB students went to the UC Regents meeting in San Francisco on Thursday to protest the UC system’s involvement in nuclear weapons labs.
In Brief
KSBY: (Video) Santa Barbara Police think they've nabbed one of the city's worst graffiti vandals. The teen was caught in the act at the railroad crossing on Calle Cesar Chavez on the east side of Santa Barbara. It's not very common for police to stumble upon a crime in the process of being committed, but that's just what happened on a set of Santa Barbara railroad tracks Thursday evening. The suspect? A 14-year-old Carpentaria boy. On a routine patrol of Calle Cesar Chavez crossing, two bicycle officers expose a trespassing teen caught in the act of a self-admitted rash of taggings. Spotting the officers, the teen fled down the tracks on foot. With a police dog, officers chased the teen, who eventually surrendered and disclosed to police the volume of the vandalism he's committed. "This juvenile did admit to tagging about 60 to 70 locations throughout Santa Barbara, Goleta and Isla Vista and so we're hoping this arrest will prevent future acts of graffiti vandalism," said Santa Barbara Police Department Lieutenant Paul McCaffrey. The teen, a Dos Pueblos High School student, told officers he frequently uses the letters B, U, R, G, and L, as his tagging insignia. He said it stands for "burglar." His chosen targets have included MTD bus windows, a Goleta golf course and a location called the ‘jail house' which is a concrete block between Goleta Beach and Isla Vista. Lieutenant McCaffrey said the arrest is considered a significant one. They hope it will decrease the teen's apparently busy graffiti activity.
It's still hard for me to believe I live on the beach! But it is truly amazing to walk out of my dorm room and watch the waves of the pacific ocean. When I am having a bad day I just go sit on one of the cliffs and just watch the sunset... cheesy but you have no idea how much stress it let out to just watch the waves. My dorm room is in a perfect spot... With a view of the lagoon and campus it also sits within a 3 minute walk from the beach. Better yet it is right nect to Isla Vista (IV) the craziest college town in the nation. I love being able to walk through IV at 2am and see tons of people still up... some may be drunk but others are just walking around. People are so friendly here too... I missed out the first 2 quarters I was here because my life was so disorganized and It sucks that it took that long to realize how awesome UCSB is! Here are some pics:
Well at least one student has some appreciation for the beauty of the South Coast, and has a view of the ocean when she wakes up in the morning. Now, what about housing for those that live here year round and clean tables in restaurants, make the beds in hotel rooms, paint houses, etc.?
Hotel Interactive: The 160-room Holiday Inn Santa Barbara~Goleta has begun a $2 million renovation to its guest rooms and meeting facilities to provide a more modern and upgraded facility to business and leisure guests.
The scope of the hotel’s transformation includes new bedding soft goods in each guest room, newly tiled bathrooms and new bathroom fixtures and lighting packages. All 160 bathrooms will receive a complete floor plan make over, including replacement of the tub/shower units with a walk in shower unit, an expanded bath entry and reconfigured vanity and dressing area.
The 3,220 square foot Fiesta Ballroom will be complemented with a connecting outdoor patio, complete with a permanent al fresco bar and fire feature. The enhanced banquet space will allow for open-air pre-function events, receptions, or casual relaxation for guests. The lobby area will receive a make over including a remodeled guest service desk, setting the tone for all those who come to stay at the Holiday Inn Santa Barbara~Goleta.
The Holiday Inn Santa Barbara~Goleta continues to offer complimentary transportation to Santa Barbara Airport, Goleta Amtrak Train Station and Goleta Valley Athletic Club. Access to the off-site full service fitness center is an available amenity to all guests.
The hotel features Remington’s Restaurant on-property, which offers a full breakfast buffet in addition to a complete breakfast menu, an array of dinner entrees, room service and dining “to go”, featuring dishes prepared with fresh local products.
Daily Nexus: The Campus Regulations Review Committee debated further extension of its jurisdiction into Isla Vista yesterday, proposing that sanctions - including suspension and expulsion - be placed on students for off-campus offenses such as alcohol violations or couch burnings.
MTV-style college video tour of UCSB. Created for students, by students, theU presents college life, uncensored. The video is hosted by JoAnna Garcia from The WB's "Reba."
Santa Barbara Newsroom
By Barney McManigal
May 16, 2007
County supervisors put the brakes on a land acquisition near Ellwood Mesa Tuesday, saying officials need to determine the true value of the one-acre Doty property before allotting funds to buy it.
Their rejection of the proposal means a key gateway to the coastal hiking haven could potentially be unprotected from future residential development.
Voting 4-1, the Board of Supervisors halted the proposal to give $350,000 to a broader fund-raising push to acquire the property. The land, they said, needs further appraising. Janet Wolf, who supported earmarking the funds, voted no.
While Brooks Firestone, the area’s supervisor, described himself as “extremely interested” in the deal, he raised concern about conflicting reports of the land’s value. Among other things, he cited a report indicating that the property could contain sensitive habitat that may limit building opportunities.
“This is far from complete,” Firestone said of the deal.
Goleta officials have sought to obtain the parcel for years, due to its location as a key gateway to Ellwood Mesa.
The city recently paid $47,000 for a one-year option to purchase the parcel from the owners, who reportedly received multiple offers, for prices as high as $500,000.
On Tuesday, Goleta officials, residents and environmentalists looked to supervisors to kick in a chunk of the cost, using money the county receives from oil companies to offset extraction activities.
Numerous speakers urged supervisors to act before the owner could sell the property to someone at a higher price.
“It is a matter of not being penny wise and pound foolish,” said Goleta City Council Member Johnny Wallis, explaining why the property was a good investment.
Supervisor Janet Wolf, the sole dissenter, encouraged colleagues to support the disbursement, noting the value of open space to future generations. She even proposed allotting $250,000 immediately toward the proposal, but that measure failed 3-2.
In the end, North County supervisors, who called for doing more homework before sealing the deal, prevailed. Supervisor Joni Gray, an Orcutt native, referenced her roots in saying she needed to know the true value of the property before voting yes.
“Right now it makes zero sense to this country girl,” Gray said.
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For those who need to travel and don't want to have to take a loan out to fill up the car with gas...
Save 20 percent when you purchase a ticket for travel on the Amtrak® Pacific Surfliner® or the San Joaquin® (plus associated thruway coaches) to/from all nine Amtrak stations in Santa Barbara County: Santa Barbara, Goleta, Carpinteria, Solvang, Buellton, Lompoc, Surf, Guadalupe and Santa Maria!
For complete details on the offer, visit the Santa Barbara Car Free website.
KEYT's "Something Special" series takes us to a coastal town with more people and personalities packed into one square mile than anywhere else in the Tri-Counties.
Scholars and surfers share the turf in Isla Vista as senior reporter John Palminteri tells us in this report.
Santa Barbara Daily Sound
By John Dickson
At the end of this week, Zaffiro restaurant, in Camino Real Marketplace, is adding a dessert bar in the area where you can go after dinner or late at night and get some dessert, coffee, espresso, and after dinner drinks etc. Speaking of Zaffiro, they will also be starting a brunch at the end of this month or beginning of June.
John Dickson's column appears every Tuesday in the Daily Sound. E-mail your restaurant news tips to info@santabarbara.com.
Santa Barbara Daily Sound
By Colby Frazier
Daily Sound Staff Writer
After 32 years as a Santa Barbara City Police officer, Roger Aceves has decided to hang up his badge.
During his tenure on the force, Aceves negotiated the release of a young hostage during a 21-hour incident on Bath Street and nearly lost his thumb in a fight at the Faulding Hotel.
But Aceves, 52, is ready to spend time behind the dais at Goleta City Hall, where he has pulled double duty for the past five months as a Goleta City Councilman — a calling that has become his new full-time job.
Shortly after graduating from Santa Barbara High School, Aceves joined the police force as a dispatcher in 1975.
He was hired as a Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Deputy in 1977, but found his permanent calling in Santa Barbara as a police officer in 1981.
"It was in my blood to become a policeman," Aceves told the Daily Sound during a phone interview.
He said his great grandfather was Chief of Police in Gomez Palacios in the state of Durango, Mexico. His genetic disposition for law enforcement combined with an explorer unit class at Santa Barbara High School to spur his interest in the profession.
Aceves served for 10 years as a major crimes detective, but retired as a police officer.
His newest calling came in a tight race for a seat on the Goleta City Council, during which he and two other challenging candidates unseated three incumbents.
When the smoke cleared and the last absentee ballot was counted, Aceves pulled through with a slim 55-vote lead over incumbent Cynthia Brock — a narrow victory that sealed the sweep.
Before his bid for the Goleta City Council, Aceves ran for Santa Barbara County Sheriff in 2001. He took third place, but as a non-sheriff managed to rack up about 10 percent of the vote.
"That was a remarkable showing considering I was an outsider trying to come back," Aceves said. "That told me that I had a calling to set policy and I'm just so excited about being a City Councilman because that's exactly what my next public service role should be."
Rather than putt around the Southwest in a motor home or retire to the Hollywood Park horse racetrack, Aceves' No. 1 priority entering retirement is to establish a vibrant parks and recreation program in Goleta.
"That's something that we've lost sight of as a community," Aceves said.
Aceves also plans to use his expertise as a police officer to make Goleta a safer place.
Aceves' most recent political accomplishment arrived via a tentative five-year contract with the Sheriff's Department, which provides law enforcement for Goleta.
The contract will go before the council and receive public comment in the next couple of weeks.
But taking a hard line on law enforcement isn't the only thing Aceves has brought with him to City Hall.
His 25 years as a negotiator for the Police Department taught him how to listen and "find a resolution to whatever is being debated."
His skills as a negotiator were put to test in 1994 when a man took his own son as a hostage after a domestic dispute with the boy's mother.
The man shot a rifle at Aceves, but narrowly missed by about 12 inches. Aceves said the man attempted to shoot the SWAT team eight additional times during the course of the 21-hour debacle that ended with Aceves successfully taking the man down.
For his efforts, Aceves earned the H. Thomas Guerry Award, which is given each year to an officer who demonstrates valor, skill in conflict resolution and oustanding overall performance.
Aceves said one of his favorite posts at the Police Deparment was as a detective, where he investigated crimes and interviewed suspects.
"I really enjoyed my time as investigator where I was able to obtain confessions," Aceves said. "I would not give up. I would continue to fight until I got the confession."
One confession Aceves said he was particularly proud of was when a man charged with murdering his wife near Earl Warren Showgrounds repeatedly called Aceves collect from jail. Aceves said he managed to get the man to admit the murder was premeditated, which increased the charge to first degree murder.
"He just kept calling and calling collect and ultimately confessed to the premeditation of the murder of his wife," Aceves said.
Though Aceves noted similarities between fighting crime and being a city councilman, he hopes the toll that the latter takes on his body won't be quite as extreme.
As a police officer, Aceves said he's undergone six work-related surgeries.
"It's been a very physically-demanding job," Aceves said. "I'm really proud that I was able to help my community."
Santa Barbara News-Press: Comstock Homes of Manhattan Beach held a special gathering Saturday for invited guests to tour the five lavishly appointed model homes in the gated community called The Bluffs at Sandpiper. In the 7700 block of Hollister Ave., next to the Sandpiper Golf Course, the development comprises 62 luxury homes that start at around $2.1 million.
Click for the complete article. (Subscription required)
KEYT: The young city of Goleta is struggling to find a new identity. It was incorporated just five years ago but its rich history dates back to the Chumash Indians. It's name is forever linked to the sea and the Mariners who sailed up and down the California Coast in the 1800s.
For "SOMETHING SPECIAL" we're taking you to meet some people who make it a special to live.
Video
We want your opinion. What are the best things to do in Goleta during May? Where are the best places to visit? What's best about Goleta in May?
Front Page:
A sea change in global warming
The ocean, one of our biggest protectors against the greenhouse effect, might not be as efficient or predictable in mitigating global warming as previously believed.
Correction
In last week’s article on Cabrillo Business park, the total number of jobs estimated tobe brought in as a result of the business park should have been 1400.
Also, access roads will be built to the park from Hollister and Los Carneros.
News Briefs:
Sheriff's Blotter
Santa Maria Times: A Goleta man has been indicted along with four others by a federal grand jury for his alleged involvement in an international lottery scam that took upwards of $20 million from victims over the course of more than 15 years.
Scott Henry Walther, 31, surrendered to federal authorities and made his initial court appearance Wednesday in United States District Court in Los Angeles, according to a press release from the United States Attorney's Office in Los Angeles.
Through companies in Costa Rica, the Netherlands and other places, the defendants allegedly mailed more than 1 million solicitations that falsely offered an increased chance of winning foreign and domestic lotteries.
Victims were reportedly told that their money would be pooled to buy larger blocks of tickets, and that they were virtually guaranteed to win millions of dollars, which would be invested in trust or pension accounts that would pay monthly pension checks.
Some money was sent back to victims, reported the Department of Justice, but was far less than the amount sent in by them.
United States Attorney's Office, Central District of California, Press Release No. 07-065
Santa Barbara Newsroom
By Tom Schultz
May 10, 2007
SB Independent: On 5/7 Goleta’s standing committee on legislative issues reported to the council that it sent a letter to the California legislature opposing changes to the Brown Act, which dictates what government functions must be transparent to the public. The bill, proposed by state Senator Gloria Romero, would end non-procedural communications between a legislative body — such as a city council — and its staff outside an open and public meeting. The California League of Cities had sent out a call for opposition letters.
George reviews two new brewpubs that opened this past Sunday. Hollister Brewing Company in the Camino Real Marketplace and Downtown Brewing on Upper State Street in Santa Barbara.
Researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara, today released the findings of a large-scale public-opinion poll of residents in Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties on a variety of issues affecting life in the region.
Conducted by the Social Science Survey Center/Benton Survey Research Lab at UC Santa Barbara, the Central Coast Survey featured telephone interviews with members of more than 1,000 households in the two counties, both English- and Spanish-speaking.
The results of the survey tap the public's attitudes on a wide range of important issues, from jobs, housing, traffic, and health care to the pace of growth and development, and the quality of public schools. This year's survey also gave special emphasis to issues of immigration, civic engagement, and quality of life.
Among its many conclusions, the survey found that:
The full text of the 36-page report is available as a PDF file as of mid-day today (May 9, 2007) on the Social Science Survey Center's Web site: http://www.survey.ucsb.edu
Full Press ReleaseThis is a dangerous playground we call home. Sex, drugs, and alcohol top our itinerary, in retrospect. Education should be No.1 at this point.
A downed power line near Storke and Glen Annie Roads shut off electricity throughout the UCSB campus. Although Southern California Edison representatives were unsure how the transmission line had broken, they said the fallen line struck a transformer beneath it shortly after 7 p.m., damaging three circuits - two of which serve the UCSB campus.
Santa Barbara Newsroom
By Tom Schultz
May 8, 2007
A key document governing the construction of 275 homes in Goleta is facing a new round of scrutiny, following a meeting Monday night in which the City Council agreed to give staff planners and the developer more time to sort through some sticky details.
The Village at Los Carneros would reduce views and put residents near passing trains, creating a potential hazard, according to a draft environmental impact report (EIR) on the Bermant Homes project proposed for an area of undeveloped Goleta south of Highway 101 and the Union Pacific Railroad, east of Castillian Drive and northwest of Los Carneros Road.
Its backers say the project also would put a mix of much-needed residential units including 63 affordable rental apartments close to jobs while providing open space.
The developer, Andrew Bermant, asked the council for 15 more days to sort out with neighbors of the project whether a preferred entrance to the property could connect with Los Carneros across from Calle Koral. Currently, motorists would access the site through an adjacent office park. City officials said they too preferred the Calle Koral option.
Another issue was views. While the draft EIR identifies views to the southwest from the Los Carneros overpass at Highway 101 as significant, along with views from passing Amtrak trains, Bermant and council members questioned these designations. Staff planners said they anticipated a potential downgrade in the status of these views.
As part of the plan, Bermant hopes to stockpile 51,000 cubic feet of dirt at the site for use in future construction of another project there. While some who attended Monday's meeting suggested the stockpile should be reconsidered, Councilman Michael Bennett said moving it offsite using large trucks burning diesel fuel would be more harmful to the environment than leaving it there.
"I don't think it's something we should by any means eliminate," Bennett said.
As part of the project, the council must also decide whether to allow a bridge across Tecolotito Creek for vehicles, or perhaps just bicycles and pedestrians.
The council extended its review period for the draft through May 24. If the council approves the draft report after that, it would later consider a final version and then take a vote on the project. Officials say this could occur later this year.
The homes would rise on 16 acres of the 66-acre property. In addition, the project would add two business park buildings to two others constructed at the site in 1990 and currently occupied by Allergan Medical and Santa Barbara Bank & Trust.
In past hearings, members of the public had raised specific concerns, among them: reduced wildlife and wetlands habitats, railroad-related air pollution and traffic and air quality impacts at nearby intersections.
Backers of the project, including the Coastal Housing Partnership, see it as a way to increase the region's affordable housing stock.
On Monday, housing advocates expressed support for the project with some urging the inclusion of even more affordable units.
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Ran across another blog with an entry regarding the Barnsdall-Rio Grande Service Station, built in 1929, and located on Hollister Avenue. It's a short, but interesting read.
The Santa Barbara Independent is also reporting that the Hollister Brewing Company opened its doors on Sunday. Located at the northeast corner of the Camino Real Marketplace in Goleta, the new brewery is replacing Camino Real Café.
The Santa Barbara Independent is reporting the contents of a dumpster in the parking lot of the Goleta Holiday Inn caught on fire Monday. Damage to the hotel was limited and the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Santa Barbara Newsroom
By Tom Schultz
May 7, 2007
A plan for 275 homes in Goleta would reduce views and put people near the railroad tracks, creating a potential hazard, according to the city.
The Village at Los Carneros also would bring a much-needed mix of residential units including 63 affordable rental apartments close to jobs, while providing a public bike path and open space, backers of the Bermant Homes proposal say.
The City Council at 6 p.m. Monday will consider a draft environmental impact report (EIR) describing consequences of the housing proposed for an area of undeveloped Goleta south of Highway 101 and the Union Pacific Railroad, east of Castillian Drive and northwest of Los Carneros Road.
"We believe that creating a passive recreation along Tecolito Creek is the highest and best public use for the northwest corner (of the project)," Andrew Bermant, executive vice president of the company, recently wrote to city officials.
The homes would rise on 16 acres of that 66 acre property. In addition, the project would add two business park buildings to two others constructed at the site in 1990 and currently occupied by Allergan Medical and Santa Barbara Bank & Trust.
Unavoidable impacts of the project include dimished views from the Los Carneros Road overpass at Highway 101 looking southwest, according to the draft EIR.
In addition, "the proposed project would result in a significant unavoidable contribution to cumulative impacts associated with the introduction of additional population in close proximity to the Union Pacific railroad tracks, given the potential for hazards to occur as a result of a rail accident and subsequent release of hazardous materials," according to the report.
Noise standards also would be exceeded, the report states.
In past hearings, members of the public have raised specific concerns, among them: reduced wildlife and wetlands habitats, railroad-related air pollution and traffic and air quality impacts at nearby intersections.
Backers of the project, including the Coastal Housing Partnership, see it as a way to increase the region's affordable housing stock.
If it approves the draft EIR, the council must by law also approve alternatives to the project as proposed.
Among these, the city has analyzed 22 acres on the 7100 block of Hollister Avenue, one block west of the Glen Annie/Storke Road Highway 101 Freeway exit.
At this alternative site, "biological impacts associated with improvements (the bridge) over Tecolotito Creek would be avoided, but potential impacts to wildlife would be greater," according to the draft. "Potential impacts to cultural resources would also be greater. The existence of an onsite fault would add potentially significant fault impacts, otherwise not found on the project site. Potentially significant impacts of the project from tsunamis and compressed soils would be avoided. Land use and planning and noise impacts would be reduced."
Monday's hearing at City Hall is surely not the last on the project. If the council approves the draft report, it would later consider a final version and then take a vote on the project. Officials say this could occur later this year.
Front Page:
Thirst for knowledge
So one night you’re sitting around the house and you develop a thirst. You don’t want water, soda or milk. You want a drink.
News Briefs:
Sheriff's Blotter
Last summer, the county government passed an ordinance to try and stop the “tradition.” This spring, foot patrol officers will be wandering the streets - out of uniform - to try and catch perpetrators in the act. And even though the fires burn off campus, the university is ready to discipline anyone caught setting the blaze.
Complete article at the Daily Nexus. (And a couple pictures too!)
A couple moved from Arizona to Goleta into what they describe as a "shabby, dilapidated hill billy dirt shack studio rental cottage". Guess the lesson to be learned here is that one should never move "sight unseen", nor assume anything, even basic human habitation standards. Money is king to most landlords.
Perhaps code enforcement needs to make a visit.
Santa Barbara Newsroom
By Tom Schultz
May 4, 2007
When it gave the nod this week to the largest business park in Santa Barbara County, the Goleta City Council looked to the bottom line.
Backers of the plan say Goleta and the region can anticipate an enticing financial bonanza from expansion of the Cabrillo Business Park, a proposal years in the making.
The city stands to reap millions in tax revenue and fees while the project generates more than half a billion dollars in new worker wages during its initial 10-year buildout, according to developers.
In conjunction with this windfall, supporters say the project will be a boon for tech entrepreneurs. It will work in synergy with ventures emerging from UCSB, they say, providing new incubator space for start-ups and other companies otherwise restricted by tight 3 to 5 percent research and development property occupancy rates.
Indeed, the new park may prove to be a potential economic mecca. But what the Hollister Avenue project will not do is bring new housing — something detractors bemoaned Monday night when the council, acting as the city Planning Agency, decided 4-1 to approve the project. Councilwoman Jonny Wallis was the lone holdout, and a final council vote was scheduled for this coming Monday.
"I will probably be in a retirement home. But in 10 years you are going to have a huge tax increment that is going to be able to fund other things in the community, and that is the ultimate benefit," Councilman Roger Aceves said.
"Companies will grow too big and we will never have the room to accomodate them," Councilman Michael Bennett said. "This will at least give us the opportunity to capture that initial phase while companies are developing."
Financial estimates peg its overall economic stimulus at more than $2 billion during the project's first decade, or roughly 5 percent of Santa Barbara County output. This surge would include sales tax revenues of $48 milllion, property taxes of $8 million and fees paid to the city to the tune of $10 million.
Goleta operates on a more than $14.3 million budget, with about $14.7 million in revenues. Half its sales, property and other tax income goes to Santa Barbara County under a revenue-sharing agreement, though its retail sales tax contribution to the county will fall from 50 percent to 20 percent by the time the business park is complete.
Local earnings generated by the park could hit more than $520 milllion during its first 10 years, according to the developer, Sares-Regis Group.
"This is a gateway project for the city of Goleta," Russell Goodman, group regional president, told the council. "As appropriate for a gateway project we, will be bringing a tremdous stimulation to the Goleta's economy.
"Obviously, going forward after full buildout, the economic benefits will be at an even higher level," he said. "This gateway project will be good for the city, the public, the business community, UCSB and their creation of world class technology and processes."
Not everyone agrees the park is a good idea.
Critics worry about negative effects to traffic circulation, long-term water availability and, among other concerns, a strain on housing supplies.
Where is there housing for janitors, food service workers, or technology maintencance staff members who will work at the park, Goleta resident Katthy Gephardt wondered aloud. "There's certainly no benefit to my neighbors or my families."
Councilwoman Jonny Wallis said job creation at the site would outpace Goleta housing construction as currently envisioned.
"This is a project that has many benefits," she said, applauding the developers on efforts to make it consistent with city policies, and with few environmental impacts.
Still, she said, "There's an elephant in the room and it's the jobs-housing balance."
"The council needs to say where we're going to get the housing, how we are going to go about it and where it might be," Wallis said. "That needs to happen before the project is approved."
Anticipating a dozen buildings spread across 92 acres in the heart of Goleta, plans call for nine phases of construction to last at least 10 years if not more.
The park at 6767 Hollister Ave. would more than double in size from its current incarnation — to nearly a million total square feet.
The park would bring more than 1,400 new jobs the region, according to Sares-Regis.
The property in question was formerly owned by Delco, an anchor for research and development within the defense industry during the Cold War era. In 1975, the company employed about 2,200 workers. Now, the businesses on the property -- many of them also in the defense industry -- employ just 975.
After all nine phases of the project are complete, Goodman said the business park will employ about 2,300 total workers -- the same level as the 1970s.
Planning began eight years ago, when Goleta was an unincorporated area still under the governance of Santa Barbara County.
In addition to the nearly one million feet of square footage, the developer is proposing to set aside a large chunk of the property to wetland restoration, and to construct a community park and pedestrian walkway leading to Kmart nearby. The city will also net a 4,000 square-foot storage facility for its Community Development Department.
The property currently harbors two storage areas and nine buildings used for research and development, office, manufacturing and industrial activities. The project would retain seven buildings, remove two, and build 12 new structures.
While critics fretted, backers of the park carried the day.
"We are unambiguously supportive," said Joe Armendariz, executive director of the Santa Barbara Industrial Association, a countywide organization. "This is exactly the type of economic investment into the infrastructure that will allow the high-tech sector to expand."
The county lost 1,600 high paying jobs in the last decade, he said.
"These are head-of-household jobs," Mr. Armendariz said. "These are the kind of jobs that allow people to afford to live here."
Taxes to be generated by the project are "essential for the delivery of programs and services, whether it be public saftey, public health, recreational programs," he said, adding the more than half a billion earned by employees who work on site in the project's first 10 years would generate even more tax revenue through a multiplier effect.
Santa Barbara Daily Sound
By Colby Frazier
Daily Sound Staff Writer
Raytheon, one of Santa Barbara County’s largest employers, gave notice to Third District Supervisor Brooks Firestone that it plans to lay off 27 of its employees who work in the Santa Barbara Remote Sensing unit.
Ron Colman, a spokesman for Raytheon said the cuts are unfortunate but have been in the works since its Oct. 5, 2006 announcement that it planned to consolidate the sensing unit with its Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems located in El Segundo.
“It just made sense to locate all of our space business work in one place,” Colman said. “It’s an unfortunate decision for the people in Goleta and Santa Barbara areas but business wise it made sense to locate everybody under one roof.”
The defense and aerospace systems provider, which has been a rock for the local economy for several decades, will continue to operate its Electronic Warfare site as well as its Vision Systems site in Goleta.
Colman said Raytheon employs about 1,800 people locally and the three sectors of its local business nets $500 million annually.
These are the kind of numbers that Firestone laments losing, even if it is only a portion of the business.
“Raytheon is one of the most important employers in the county,” Firestone said. “I am sorry to see that they are closing a division.”
Colman said the company, which according to its website wracked in $20.3 billion last year and employed 73,000 people throughout the world, has been whittling down the number of employees at the sensing unit for nearly a year.
He said the number of employees working at the facility right now is 125 and that the company anticipates being completely consolidated with the operation in El Segundo by early next year.Raytheon is required by the “Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act” to notify the county before it intends to make any sweeping lay offs.
According to a statement issued last year when the company announced its plans to consolidate, all of the affected employees “will be given the opportunity to apply for open positions at other Raytheon facilities.”
But for the most recent string of layoffs, little hope appears to exist.
“None of the affected employees are represented by a union and none have bumping rights,” said Andrea Gibbore, director of human resources in the letter sent to Firestone. “Certain employees may be offered the opportunity to transfer to another area. However, at present, the company does not know which employees may be offered this option.”
In the letter Gibbore said the second wave of lay offs is expected to occur on June 30.
The 27 people losing their jobs fill 20 different job titles. Topping the list position-by-position are three production specialist seniors, three senior technical support engineers, two senior systems engineers II, two principal software engineers and two principal mechanical engineers.
KEYT (Video)
Goleta is about to see a large business park develop on the corner of Hollister and Los Carneros.
The plan approved by the city calls for 12 buildings on 92 acres. The site would be called the Cabrillo Business Park.
It would have ten thousand square feet for a coffee shop, deli and ATM.
The Sares-Regis group says the plan will take about ten years to finish. When it's done the site will have an estimated two billion dollars in sales tax, property tax and other income.
Santa Barbara Newsroom
By Melissa Evans
May 1, 2007
A developer won the right Tuesday to construct the largest business park in Santa Barbara County -- a dozen buildings on 92 acres of land in the heart of Goleta.
After three hours of heated debate, the Goleta City Council approved the massive project 4-1. It will be constructed over at least 10 years in nine phases, more than doubling the size of the Cabrillo Business Park on Hollister Avenue and Los Carneros Road, near the airport.
Developer Russell Goodman, regional president of Sares-Regis Group, billed the park as the “gateway project” of Goleta. It would add 1,400 jobs to the region, he said, providing about $2 billion in sales tax, property tax, wages and other revenue to the newly-formed city.
“There will be tremendous stimulation to Goleta’s economy,” he said Tuesday.
Outspoken critics in the standing-room-only council meeting complained about increased traffic, impacts to the city’s water and sewer system and lack of infrastructure to support the influx of new jobs. Many were longtime Goleta residents.
Goleta City Council member Johnny Wallis cast the only “no“ vote. She said the city hadn’t done its job in ensuring that there would be enough housing to support the influx of workers.
“I think the applicant has done his job in providing for new jobs, but the council has not done its job in mitigating housing needs,” she said after asking staff numerous pointed questions about the development agreement they reached with Goodman and his team.
The other councilmembers disagreed, applauding staff and the developers for the long battle to build the park. The process began about eight years ago, when Goleta was still under the governance of Santa Barbara County.
When the city incorporated in 2002, the plans languished as the city got its footing in the planning process. Though much work has been done, Goleta still does not have a “General Plan” in place that guides development.
The property in question was formerly owned by Delco, an anchor for research and development within the defense industry during the Cold War era. In 1975, the company employed about 2,200 workers. Now, the businesses on the property -- many of them also in the defense industry -- employ just 975.
After all nine phases of the project are complete, Goodman said the business park will employ about 2,300 workers -- the same level as the 1970s.
He and others who spoke at Tuesday’s hearing -- including members of the Goleta Valley Chamber of Commerce and residents connected to UCSB -- said the park will fill a huge need in the region for office space.
In addition to the nearly one million feet of square footage, the developer is proposing to set aside a large chunk of the property to wetland restoration, and to construct a community park and pedestrian walkway leading to Kmart nearby. The city will also net a 4,000 square-foot storage facility for its Community Development Department.
Council member Roger Aceves said this would be a “model project for the entire area."
“You think about it in 10 years … we’re going to have a huge tax increment that we’re going to be able to (use to) fund other projects,” he said.
The property, located at 6767 Hollister Ave., currently harbors two storage areas and nine buildings used for research and development, office, manufacturing and industrial activities. The project would retain seven buildings, remove two, and build 12 new structures.
The property is the last piece of land suitable for this kind of business development, said Councilmember Michael Bennett.
“This is it -- there are no other opportunities like this,” he said.
