SB Newsroom is Signing Off, But Their Fight Goes On

According to a post on their website, Santa Barbara Newsroom will be shutting down its website and calling it quits on reporting online today.

We wish them all the best.

Goleta OKs More Than $30M in Spending Over Two Years

Santa Barbara Newsroom
By Tom Schultz
June 26, 2007

The Goleta City Council on Monday approved more than $30 million in spending over the next two fiscal years — finalizing balanced budgets focused on growing the young municipality amid concerns about possible future deficits.

In a 4-0 vote, the council approved $15.42 million in expenditures in fiscal year 2007-08 starting next month, and another $15.74 mllion in spending in 2008-09. Revenues would outpace disbursements by just $10,000 in the first year and $16,000 during the next.

In a separate 4-0 vote, the council approved Redevelopment Agency budgets focused on cleaning up blight across Old Town that provide nearly $11 million in spending in 2007-08 and more than $3.8 million in spending in 2008-09.

"There's a lot going on here and we're very excited as we tackle the next two years," City Manager Dan Singer told councl members. He said it would make sense for the city to formally review its botttom line with the council in six months.

Councilman Roger Aceves challenged City Hall staff to keep looking for cost savings as well as new revenue streams. If city projections hold true, Goleta will be nearly $900,000 in the red by July 2010 and more than $1.2 million in the red by July 2012.

Councilman Eric Onnen, who last week sugggested the city hold the line on staff raises to create more of a financial cushion while the city is still in the black, was reportedly at home ill and did not vote.

Monday's evening session to adopt the budget followed a series of workshops that began in late May. The hearing moved quickly compared to a meeting a week earlier, when the council remained at City Hall to nearly midnight debating cost-saving strategies.

Key issues in recent weeks included: Should the Goleta forgo pay raises for City Hall staff members, for example, or perhaps promise less help by way of funding grants to outside organizations? Should the city make reigning in ongoing costs a priority, or perhaps cut one-time expenditures?

Onnen last week said he was obligated to speak out in favor of restraining ongoing costs such as salary increases.

"We've got a zero-sum budget," he said a week ago. "And we're not going to save resources to prepare for that? I think it's imprudent. . . If I was staff, I would build in some rate increases into my budget proposal as well.

"But we have flat revenues," he said. "I'm not suggesting there be no cost of living increases over the next two-year period. I'm saying we don't commit to that in this (budget). If we say we are going to wait and see, then that's what their expectation will be. We can't change it after we give it to them. That's the point."

Other council members defended the raises. The budget approved Monday retains 3 percent cost of living adjustments in each of the next two years at a cost of more than $200,000. It also keeps money flowing to outside organizations, including $200,000 over two years to Girsh Park and $40,000 over the same time period to the Goleta Valley Chamber of Commerce.

"The idea of not giving staff what I think of as their just reward is unconscionable, placed in the context of some of the other spending in this budget," Councilwoman Jonny Wallis said last week. "If we don't pay our staff well, we're not going to make progress as a city."

Goleta, a city of 30,000 residents, incorporated in 2002.

While overall city revenues will barely outpace spending in the next two business cycles, according to projections, City Manager Dan Singer has expressed confidence that projections gauging how much tax and fee money will hit the coffers are solid.

This comes as several council members push for new negotiations over a contract that sends half of Goleta's tax revenue to Santa Barbara County, under terms of a deal the two governments worked out upon Goleta's successful 2002 incorporation. Councilmen Onnen, Aceves and Michael Bennett promised to renegotiate the agreement to make it more favorable to the city during last fall's bruising council election campaign.

As it stands today, Goleta's new budget would provide for a variety of programs and services.

The largest expense — nearly 40 percent of all spending — would go to public safety. The city would pay the Santa Barbara Sheriff's Department more than $11 million over the next two business cycles to patrol neighborhoods.

Planning, another key function in Goleta, would account for about 13 percent of costs.

On Monday, officials took an opportunity to highlight some of the programs the new budgets will pay for.

"The numbers don't mean that much to the people watching at home, but the activities we'll be accomplishing . . . should be of interest," Mayor Jean Blois said.

Among those actiivities, the city plans to expand programing on its government access TV channel 19, redesign its Web site, further promote carpooling among its employees, continue helping to spruce up Old Town homes and businesses, add a community resource deputy to its police force, create a geographic information system for property owners, finish its first general plan, build new trails at Ellwood Mesa, open new parks, repair the Goleta library and expand street sweeping.

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Amid Concerns, Goleta Budget on the Table Tonight

Santa Barbara Newsroom
By Tom Schultz
June 25, 2007

Balanced city budgets for each of the next two fiscal years are on the table in Goleta, but officials have expressed discomfort with razor thin margins that leave little wiggle room for increased spending.

The City Council today will consider final approval of $15.42 million in expenditures in fiscal year 2007-08 and another $15.74 mllion in spending in 2008-09. Revenues would outpace disbursements by just $10,000 in the first year and $16,000 during the next.

Riled by the lack of a substantive financial cushion, council members head into tonight's meeting at City Hall on the heels of disagreement over how or whether the city might create more flexibility around its bottom line.

Last week, the debate boiled down to questions of philosophy and tack: Should the Goleta forgo pay raises for City Hall staff members, for example, or perhaps promise less help by way of funding grants to outside organizations? Should the city make reigning in ongoing costs a priority, or perhaps cut one-time expenditures?

While the city is solvent for now, it faces deficits around the end of this decade if projections hold true, Councilman Eric Onnen noted.

"We've got a zero-sum budget," Onnen said recently. "And we're not going to save resources to prepare for that? I think it's imprudent.

"When your budget gets tight, you reduce your spending. Not after you run out of money, but before," Onnen said.

Onnen backed what he acknowledged was a difficult position for a new council member — reconsidering cost of living adjustments for the City Hall staff. Other council members balked at the suggestion, and wondered whether the $203,000 in savings resulting from such a strategy would be worth it.

As it stands, the budget to be considered today retains a 3 percent cost of living adjustment for staff in each of the next two fiscal years. And the council will consider altering city retirement benefits expenditures sometime this fall.

"If I was staff, I would build in some rate increass into my budget proposal as well," Onnen said. "But we have flat revenues... I'm not suggesting there be no cost of living increases over the next two-year period. I'm saying we don't commit to that in this (budget). If we say we are going to wait and see, then that's what their expectation will be. We can't change it after we give it to them. That's the point."

Other council members appeared flabbergasted.

"I totally disagree with you on employee compensation," Councilman Roger Aceves told Onnen during a recent budget workshop, noting the city is poised to grant $200,000 to Girsh Park in the next two years and, among other donations, $40,000 to the Goleta Valley Chamber of Commerce. "What you are asking staff to do is basically work two years without a pay raise. That's totally inappropriate."

Without the raises, Aceves said, "We're going to have a retention issue. We're better than that."

Councilwoman Jonny Wallis was equally protective of the raises. "The idea of not giving staff what I think of as their just reward is unconscionable placed in the context of some of the other spending in this budget. If we don't pay our staff well, we're not going to make progress as a city. We're going to see attrition, which is costly. It is incredibly costly when a staff member walks away from the city. We're not going to be able to recruit in a competitive sense."

Today will be the fourth time the council takes up the budget, following recent hearings on May 21, June 4 and June 18. In addition to its primary budget, the council today considers a separate Redevelopment Agency budget focused on cleaning up blight across Old Town that would provide nearly $11 million in spending in 2007-08 and more than $3.8 million in spending in 2008-09.

While overall city revenues would barely outpace spending in the next two business cycles, City Manager Dan Singer expressed confidence that projections gauging how much tax and fee money will hit the coffers are solid.

"We feel very comfortable and confident in the revenue numbers," Singer said. Last week, he promised the council he an analysts would keep looking for additional ways to cut costs or otherwise improve the city's financial comfort level.

This comes as several council members push for new negotiations over a contract that sends half Goleta's tax revenue to Santa Barbara County, under terms of a deal the two governments worked out upon Goleta's successful 2002 incorporation. Councilmen Onnen, Aceves and Michael Bennett promised to renegotiate the agreement to make it more favorable to the city during last fall's bruising council election campaign.

As it stands today, Goleta's new budget would provide for a variety of programs and services.

The largest expense — nearly 40 percent of all spending — would go to public safety. The city would pay the Santa Barbara Sheriff's Department more than $11 million over the next two business cycles to patrol neighborhoods.

Planning, another key function in Goleta, would account for about 13 percent of costs.

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Plans Close For SB's First Islamic Mosque

Santa Barbara Newsroom
By Melinda Burns
June 21, 2007

Afaf Turjoman wasn’t sure what to say when her youngest daughter asked whether a mosque would ever be built -- when they’d stop having to go to a public community center for weekly prayers.

“I used to tell her, ‘Third grade, when you go to third grade, we’ll have a mosque,’” said Turjoman, a Muslim who has lived in Goleta for 30 years. “Now she’s going into fourth grade, and I don’t know what to tell her.”

The wait may soon be over for the area’s estimated 2,000 Muslims.

Plans for Santa Barbara County’s first mosque are now in the final design phase. A group of trustees for the Islamic Society of Santa Barbara will present plans to Goleta city officials and begin the public hearing phase in coming months.

The land for the mosque -- the central place of worship and community life for local Muslims -- was purchased six years ago at the corner of Los Carneros Road and Calle Real. Getting the building up has proven to be more difficult, those involved say.

Plans for the two-story worship center were stalled because of Goleta’s incorporation as a city; it has taken time for Goleta to complete citywide traffic studies and other environmental studies to approve such buildings.

It’s also taken time to raise money for the structure because Muslims are prohibited from paying interest on loans as a tenet of their faith, said Mukhtar Khan, a trustee at the Islamic Society. Most of the estimated $2 million it will cost to construct the mosque has to be raised up front or leaders have to find a donor willing to give them an interest-free loan.

This belief comes from Muslim law, known as Shariah law, developed from the teaching of Mohammad, who is viewed as the faith’s greatest prophet. The prohibition against interest is intended to keep Muslims out of the slavery of debt, followers say.

“In a Western society, it is difficult,” said Mohammed Zaman, president of the board for the Islamic Society of Santa Barbara.

American culture is in many ways built on the assumption of debt, so some Muslims do take out loans to pay for cars, homes and college tuition. There are also special financial institutions set up specifically to give loans to Muslims in a way that does not violate their beliefs.

But because the local group is building a mosque, considered a gateway to God, they want to stick as closely to religious law as possible, Zaman said. They plan to launch a formal fundraising campaign when the public hearing phase begins.

“I have been doing this for many years, and I believe that people will donate when the time comes,” said Zaman, a civil engineer. “I’ve never seen a good project stopped because of a lack of funding.”

The longer they wait, however, the more expensive the building becomes, those involved say. Back when plans were first proposed 2001, they expected the building to cost about $1 million. The price tag is skyrocketing due to inflation and increased building costs -- and they haven’t yet presented plans to city officials or heard from community members.

Most people have been supportive, Khan said. The property, about three-quarters of an acre, is surrounded by a museum to the north, open space to the west, a California Highway Patrol substation to the south and a ranch to the east.

The building is to be positioned to face northeast -- the direction toward Mecca. When Muslims recite their prayers five times a day, they face toward the Kaaba, a holy structure in Saudi Arabia they believe was built by Abraham and his son Ishmael.

Without a central mosque, local Muslims pray at home, work or in groups. There is also a small mosque in northern Goleta near the Camino Real shopping center.

The Friday prayers, which draw the largest weekly crowd, are held in the main room of the Goleta Valley Community Center. Anywhere from 20 to 75 Muslims have gathered there for the past eight years while plans for a mosque get underway.

It is difficult to estimate how many Muslims live and worship in Santa Barbara County. The population is fluid because many are students at UCSB, studying here for a few years until they move or return to their native countries.

Leaders at the Islamic Society wanted to build the mosque in Goleta near the freeway for that very reason -- to make it as easy as possible to find for out-of-towners.

“Anyone can get off the freeway and see right where we are,” said Zaman, who moved to Santa Barbara 18 years ago.

There are still some details to iron out in the design of the building, but leaders say they want the building to blend in with the architecture of Santa Barbara County. One of the designs includes a domed structure that is not unlike some of the Moorish architecture seen elsewhere in the region, said Ken Minnow, a Muslim architect who is working on the project.

“The design really fits in with the character of Santa Barbara,” he said.

Leaders say it was also important to incorporate “green building” principles into the design, such as solar panels, energy-efficient lighting and use of recycled construction materials. It may add to the cost, but officials say it is part of their faith to care for the environment.

“Our prophet tells us that we are to be stewards of natural resources, and that we will have to answer for everything we consume,” Zaman said.

Leaders also want the mosque to include classrooms for children, a prayer hall upstairs and a downstairs area for community gatherings. Outdoor parking space is also planned.

Turjoman, who has been involved in many interfaith organizations in the area, said it will be nice to be able to invite Jewish, Christian and other religious leaders to their “home.”

“People have been so generous and welcoming of us,” she said. “It would be nice to have a place to be able to welcome the community.”

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Goleta: A Busy Day for Council

Santa Barbara Newsroom
By Tom Schultz
June 19, 2007

From new trash hauling fees to designing the very shape of their city, Goleta council members on Monday faced a busy agenda.

The council made the following key decisions:

* In a 5-o vote, the council authorized city staff members to seal a five-year deal for police services across the city of 30,000 residents.

Goleta will pay the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department more than $5.6 million in fiscal year 2007-08, under the deal.

A total of 34 deputies will patrol the city, including a newly-added community resource deputy.
"This new contract provides for increased involvement by the city in key areas," according to a city report.

These include: ensuring the city's participation in the selection and evaluation of the city's chief of police; enhancing the city's particpation in the deployment of resources; participating in the orientation of personnel assigned to Goleta; and, identification and reporting of specific performance measures and response times, according to the report.

* In a 4-0 vote, the council denied an appeal brought by the owner of Rancho Mobile Home Park , who opposed an environmental study of impacts that could result if the park is converted to resident ownership of plots.

Currently, park residents rent the spaces that their homes sit upon.

Park owner Daniel Guggenheim hopes to sell those spaces, under a proposal submitted to City Hall.

City officials say studying impacts of the proposal is necessary, largely due to the potential for displacement of residents. Councilman Roger Aceves abstained because he missed an earlier hearing on the matter, he said.

* In a 5-0 vote, the council authoriized staff members to initiate negotiations with the Towbe Group, a development company, that could result in the city contributing $6 million or more to a proposed apartment complex.

Sumida Gardens would have 200 units, including at least 30 considered affordable.

Because the project is in the Old Town redevelopment area, it is eligible for assitance from the city Redevelopment Agency.

Officials say that without the financial aid, the project would not be feasible and the potential for increasing the supply of rental housing would be lost.

* Trash hauling fees are going up.

In a 5-0 vote, the council approved a nearly 4 percent rate hike to solid waste collection costs.

This means trash bills will rise between 95 cents and $1.20 a month for residential customers of Allied Waste and Marborg Industries.

* In a 4-1 vote, the council agreed to explore the creation of a sphere of influence for the city that would include several outlying areas.

The sphere would capture Goleta Beach, neighorhoods to the immediate northeast of the city, Farren Road to the northwest of city limits and areas near Coal Oil Pier to the southwest.

Council members said they backed the designations, which if approved could lead to annexations, as a way to foster discussion about that potential with residents.

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Goleta Groups Unite for Hollister Avenue Sprucing

Santa Barbara Newsroom
By Barney McManigal
June 16, 2007

Hoping to curb graffiti along Hollister Avenue, Goleta Valley residents will join forces today to plant trees and vines, and make other landscaping improvements to a wall that often serves as a “canvas” for taggers.

Members and volunteers from Goleta Valley Beautiful, Rotaract and the Coalition for Sensible Planning will meet at 9 a.m. with Supervisor Janet Wolf, who helped organize the collaborative project funded by a $10,000 grant from Homeowners Defense Fund.

The event will last into the afternoon, organizers said.

It all started when residents wanted to do something about the 900-foot stretch of barren and frequently defaced wall on the South side of Hollister between Evonshire and San Marcos Road.

Coalition for Sensible Planning member Gary Earle helped secure the grant, but when he and Goleta Valley Beautiful member Ken Knight faced red tape at the county, they called Wolf.

The first term supervisor from the 2nd district worked with county staff and helped find a landscape architect to draw up a detailed improvement plan for the site.

“It’s a wonderful example of what can happen when community members, local businesses, non-profits, volunteers and a public agency come together to make our community safer and more beautiful than ever,” said Wolf, who thanked participants.

Ms. Wolf will begin the day with a news conference at the corner of Hollister Avenue at Evonshire Road.

Storke Road Drive Inn to Keep Drive Up Window First Opened in '66

Santa Barbara Newsroom
By Tom Schultz
June 12, 2007

A Goleta burger joint dating to the mid 1960s can keep its drive-up window, officials said Monday night, preserving the retro feel and longtime use of the mom-and-pop eatery.

In a 5-0 vote at a meeting laced with nostalgia, the Planning Commission shot down the concerns of an adjacent property owner, who questioned during an appeal of remodel permits issued by the city whether idling cars and trucks at The Storke Road Drive Inn would increase air pollution to the detriment of nearby businesses.

Sandy Roberts, owner of a business plaza home to at least two high-tech firms, argued through a representative that the eatery at 370 Storke had shut down for more than a year from October 2005 to November 2006, which he said constituted an abandonment of the business.

If so, it would make the restaurant susceptible under city rules to losing its food service window — a feature considered a legal but non-conforming use since 1981, when Santa Barbara County began requiring conditional use permits for drive-up windows.

"We're not arguing the use of the property as a restaurant itself," planning consultant Gordon Bell told the commission on behalf of Roberts.

Restaurant owner John Price says he intends to renovate the low-slung, 1,230-square-foot Drive Inn, located across from County Fire Station No. 13. He got city permission on April 30. Roberts filed his appeal on May 8.

His intention, evident in his effort to improve the property by obtaining city permits, shows the opposite of abandonment, attorney Peter Brown told commissioners on behalf of Price.

The commissioners agreed.

"I can't see where he (Roberts) made his case," Commissioner Ken Knight said.

In defending against the appeal, Brown acknowledged that the restaurant's hours had been limited recently and said the structure was being used primarily to serve coffee when operational.

While it had an "open" sign up late Monday afternoon, nobody was working inside. The only activity on the one-acre property was at a self-service car wash to the rear of the restaurant.

The Drive Inn was known in past incarnations as "Dairy Delight" and also the "Aloha Restaurant," Brown said.

With some questioning whether the place was shut down for good, online reviews speak favorabley of the Drive Inn property and its four-decade presence in Goleta.

"It was absolutely delicious! It's always a treat to find local jewels, and I plan to be a frequent visitor," one commenter wrote on John Dickson's restaurant guide at www.santabarbara.com.

"The burgers were awesome. That's all I can say about that. However, you're going to have to put your own salt on the fries," wrote another contributor.

A half dozen residents spoke Monday in favor of it re-opening the Drive Inn with its drive-up feature.

"It's a gateway to our community, especially Storke Ranch," Nancy Ramirez told the commission. "I'd like to see something done."

Mark Ingalls, manager of Camino Real Marketplace across the road from the Drive Inn, spoke on behalf of the restaurant and recalled trips there from his childhood.

"I can remember a lof of ice cream cones coming out of that place," he said.

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Big Box Sheriff's Substation Moves Forward in Goleta

Santa Barbara Newsroom
By Tom Schultz
June 5, 2007

The Goleta City Council on Monday backed a proposed deal that would create a new Sheriff's Department substation at Camino Real Marketplace, agreeing to give the idea final consideration later this month during a hearing on city budgets and overall law enforcement spending proposed for coming years.

In a series of 5-0 votes Monday, the council also agreed to consider the acceptance of annual donations from the bix box shopping center that would total more than half a million dollars over the next five business cycles — a proposal officials say could enhance policing citywide.

"It's such a great opportunity that we shouldn't miss out on," said Councilman Roger Aceves, a recently retired veteran Santa Barbara Police officer.

The discussion comes as the city considers a five-year budget contract with the Sheriff's Department for law enforcement services that would cost the city more than $5 million annually.

The council will consider the contract on June 18, the same day it will consider overall city budgets for the next two fiscal years.

In full, the city would take in an estimated $15.41 million and spend $15.3 million in 2007-08. The following 12-month cycle, the city would collect a projected $15.6 million and spend $15.72 million — meaning costs would exceed revenue for the first time since Goleta incorporated in 2002.

Goleta currently operates on a more than $14.3 million spending plan, with about $14.7 million in revenues.

The city has contracted with the Sheriff's Department for police services since 2002, with a minimum 33 deputies planned for under the proposed agreement — a number reflecting current staffing levels.

Under the proposed memorandum of understanding with Camino Real, the shopping center would carve an around-the-clock substation from a storefront space, providing 1,100 square feet for free to accomodate four to six deputies who would use the facility as an operations base.

Camino Real estimates the space would otherwise rent for $56,000 annually. Its deal with the city would last five years, concurrent with the proposed agreement between Goleta and the Sheriff's Department.

In addition, Camino Real would give the city more than a half-million dollars over the next five years — at an average of more than a $100,000 annually. The money, city officials say, could be used for a "community resource deputy" specifically assigned to dealing with citizens' concerns.

These duties would include: liaison activities with business owners; coordinating neighborhood watch and business watch programs; planning city and domestic violence prevention and outreach programs; and, connecting with youth and community organizations.

Recently, Councilwoman Jonny Wallis raised questions about a potential public perception that Camino Real would reduce private security and in effect buy the services of public servants under the deal.

On Monday, Wallis said she was reassured by officials who have stressed that deputies would not be required to patrol the property. Marketplace officials say they may indeed reduce private security staffing levels as a result, adding that Camino Real would benefit from a general presence of Sheriff's deputies at the shopping center but not from any formal patrols required of them.

Whether to use the donated funds for a new community resource deputy was a point of contention Monday, with Councilman Eric Onnen questioning the timing of the idea in light of Goleta's tight overall budget projections before lending his support.

At one point, Onnen suggested Goleta use the donations for some other purposes.

But moments later, Camino Real president Mark Linehan stressed that the donation was aimed at somehow enhancing law enforcement services in Goleta.

"Our donation is dependant somewhat on you guys hiring somebody," he told the council.

"We're nice people," he said. Still, "We're not here to fund your annual budget."

Key provisions of the proposed contract with the Sheriff's Department cited by city officials include: enhancing the city’s participation in the deployment of resources and orientations of new deputies; ensuring the continuance of a motorcycle traffic unit; establishing cost reimbursements for use of city-owned equipment; and, boosting the city’s participation in the selection and evaluation of the "police chief," who is typically a lieutenant appointed to the position by the sheriff.

In addition to the Goleta council, county administrators must also sign off on the contract before it is finalized.

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Democrats Court Religious Leaders

Santa Barbara Newsroom: Hoping to dispel the myth that Democrats aren’t religious -- and that the religious only care about abortion and gay marriage -- clergy and liberal politicians will come together for an unprecedented summit this weekend in Goleta.

...

Speakers at the summit include: U.S. Rep. Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara; retired State Sen. Art Torres, who chairs the California Democratic Party; Santa Barbara Mayor Marty Blum; and, Goleta Mayor Jean Blois.

...

The event will be from 2 to 5:30 p.m. Sunday at the Goleta Valley Community Center.

Goleta Faces Tricky Budget Balancing Act

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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Neighbors Line Up Against Costco Gas Station

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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Goleta to Weigh Pros and Cons of Costco Gas Proposal

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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Supes Balk at Goleta Land Buy Near Ellwood Mesa

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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Goleta Council Takes Steps to Allow Village Proposal

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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Goleta to Consider Pros and Cons of Village at Los Carneros

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.

SB Newsroom - News Analysis: Backers See Goleta Windfall in Business Park

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.

Goleta Council Approves Massive Business Park

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.

Goleta to Weigh Large Business Park Proposal

Santa Barbara Newsroom
By Tom Schultz
April 28, 2007

The Goleta City Council on Monday will consider a proposal to add 12 buildings to a business park that sits on 92 acres in the heart of the city.

Sares Regis Group hopes to greatly expand its Cabrillo Business Park at 6767 Hollister Avenue and Los Carneros Road, a property formerly home to Delco, which decades ago was a major regional employer.

At 956,000 total square feet, it would be the largest such park in Santa Barbara County.

Years in the making, the project if approved would bring new jobs and millions of dollars in new tax revenue to the city, along with enhanced wetlands, roadway improvements along Los Carneros and public access to onsite recreation areas, according to Goleta Planning Director Steve Chase.

It would also eat up existing open space — in particular, an area used to test the Lunar Rover during the Apollo space race. Delco was a big Cold War employer, an anchor of the research and development defense industry that helped build suburban Goleta.

"I think it's a good project," Mayor Jean Blois said Friday, adding that plans to unfold the project in nine phases of construction over a decade were a key component.

"It's better than having it all at once," she said, describing a phased approach as less disruptive to the city while allowing plenty of time to build up the necessary infrastructure to support the project.

Originally submitted to Santa Barbara County before Goleta incorporated in early 2002, plans for the project languished as the city got its footing — a process that continues as Goleta works on its first general plan for growth. The project complies with the plan as currently written.

While detractors wonder if the proposal is too massive for Goleta and threatens to negatively impact traffic congestion, backers say it will help strengthen the local economy.

The property is currently developed with two screened storage areas and nine buildings utilized for a variety of functions including research and development, office, manufacturing and industrial activities totaling 326,490 square feet, according to a city report.

These buildings are located on approximately 20 acres of the site’s northwest corner and approximately 10 acres of the site’s southeast corner. They range in size from approximately 4,000 square feet to 113,330 square feet, officials say.

The project would retain seven of nine existing buildings and screened storage areas on the property, remove two buildings, and build 12 new structures. The two buildings to be removed — the Flight Physics Control Building, and the Flight Physics Range Building — total 84,808 square feet. The buildings that would be retained, dating from the 1950s and 1960s and subject to varying degrees of remodeling, total 241,682 square feet, according to the city.

Proposed new structures would total approximately 714,600 square feet, including 540,000 square feet of office and research and development uses, and 174,600 square feet of self-storage. Approximately 10,000 square feet would be used for on-site services such as a coffee shop, delicatessen, ATM or cleaners.

"The proposed architecture may be characterized as contemporary international, emphasizing rectilinear building shapes with strong horizontal lines," Mr. Chase wrote in a recent report. "Proposed one-story buildings would have a maximum height of 20 feet, and the two-story buildings would have a maximum height of 35 feet. Mechanical screening would extend 3 feet above the structures and would be designed to obscure equipment including air conditioners, heaters, and other ventilation from view. Maximum building heights would be 35 feet to the top of screen, and 32 feet to top of the structure."

Vehicles would access the site via three spots on Hollister Avenue and two driveways on Los Carneros Road.

A bike path would cut through the site and bicycle racks would be located at each building location. In addition, bicycle lockers and shower facilities would be included. Upgrade and relocation of a bus stop along Hollister Avenue and installation of two bus stops on Los Carneros Road are also proposed.

Parking would include 1,054 existing spaces and 1,163 new spaces for a project total of 2,217 parking spaces.

Goleta Council Initiates General Plan Review

Santa Barbara Newsroom
By Tom Schultz
April 17, 2007

Faced with a growing list of suggestions for amending a key growth plan, the Goleta City Council late Monday chose to study numerous proposed revisions — and in doing so stoked a public debate that could last more than a year.

In two 4-1 votes, a council majority that took over in December agreed to analyze and consider a chunk of close to 200 total proposed changes to the city's first general plan, which was approved by a previous majority in October.

Faced with a growing list of suggestions for amending a key growth plan, the Goleta City Council late Monday chose to study numerous proposed revisions — and in doing so stoked a public debate that could last more than a year.

In two 4-1 votes, a council majority that took over in December agreed to analyze and consider a chunk of close to 200 total proposed changes to the city's first general plan, which was approved by a previous majority in October. This brings a series of workshops and hearings that could stretch into late 2008, officials said.

With the future look and function of the city in the balance, more proposals may be added to this review list in coming weeks. Some of the suggestions come from city staff members, others from residents and interests groups, or developers seeking more flexibility for specific projects.

The prospect of a major general plan overhaul drew an overflow crowd of more than 100 people to City Hall for a meeting cut short at 10 p.m. Some described the current plan, Goleta's first, as sufficient. Others appeared ready to send it to the paper shredder.

Approving the upcoming review "doesn't mean we, or I, support every single item," Councilman Roger Aceves said toward the end of the hearing. "There's a lot of stuff here that the public may or may not want, but we are not going to know until we start to talk about it."

At issue is how to build on some of the last remaining vacant lands in Goleta, or redevelop across the city of 30,000 residents.

Councilwoman Jonny Wallis, the only elected official left to vote for the original plan, opposed taking it in a vast new direction.

She said a majority of the proposals "make mush" of the original framework, suggesting Goleta would become a dumping ground for new construction.

On the other side were council members elected to office on a promise of change.

"The idea is these items may be able to move through," Counclman Eric Onnen said. "We are not adopting them at this point. We are further studying them. We made a committment to do that as expeditiously as we could."

Among a dozen items that could wind up on a "fast track" review -- a process that would not bring environmental impact reports, officials say -- the city will study amending the plan to allow for new regional commercial centers and eased setback rules for structures along coastal bluffs.

Other items approved for study that would likely go through an environmental impact analysis include the easing of wetland or other environmental standards to provide more flexibility in project design. Supporters of such moves say environmental protections can be maintained by offsetting habitat destruction with habitat creation elsewhere, while opponents say they fear the loss of valued open space.

Overall, its supporters largely see the current general plan as a tool for preserving Goleta as is while adding housing for workers along Hollister Avenue and other sites. Critics say internal inconsistencies, rigid language and unworkable strategies are key problems with the plan that threaten economic vitality and new home construction for the middle class.

Business leaders and affordable housing advocates supportive of a new direction have offered changes to the plan in testimony and writing.

Jennifer McGovern, coordinator of the Goleta Housing Leadership Council, urged change Monday in order to expand the housing market for middle income wage earners. She told the council that Goleta has seen no meaningful housing production in years.

"We have a critical shortage," she said. "We shouldn't have to wait."

On the other side, neighborhood preservationists increasingly guard against wholesale revisions.

Connie Hannah, representing the local League of Women Voters branch, said changes to the plan are not warranted.

She told the councilmembers they should expect a battle over "the ridiculous list of changes" they are considering.

"They totally change the quality of life. . . Your time in office will go much more smoothly if you don't take this radical approach, but try to work gradually with the whole community."

Councilmen Onnen, Aceves and Michael Bennett, all elected in November, have been generally supportive of a new direction for the general plan along with Mayor Jean Blois, a councilwoman since Goleta formed in 2002.

The looming recommendations include lowering affordable housing requirements at certain sites. Bacara Resort & Spa could find it easier to grow, and would-be developers of Bishop Ranch might have a shot at putting housing on fallow farmland along Highway 101 between Los Carneros and Glen Annie roads.

Hovering in the background are a series of lawsuits launched last fall against the city by landowners and business advocates who describe the original plan as legally flawed. Talk of settling these disputes still percolates among involved parties.

Whether changes might spark even more lawsuits is an open question.

A key and likely change could come to the housing policy.

In a March 19 letter to City Hall, the state Department of Housing and Community Development rejected for a third time the plan's important housing element, stating it "continues to require significant revisions to comply with state housing law.

"For example," according to the agency, "the element still does not adequately demonstrate the projected residential densities and build-out capacities on the identified sites (for new housing) can be realistically achieved."

While not stating so specifically, that passage was widely interpreted as targeting the plan's so-called "inclusionary" housing policy requiring that 55 percent of all units in new projects along sections of the Hollister Avenue corridor be affordable.

Builders and affordable housing advocates say that level of inclusion defies market forces, rendering project proposals financially infeasible. It appears as though the new council majority aims to decrease the level to around 25 percent.

Wallis appears ready to hold the line at 55 percent. It's a tool, she has said, to ensure Goleta gets the workforce housing it needs.

By law, a city or county can only amend its general plan once a quarter, or four times annually. In Goleta, the council may consider a raft of changes all at once, or perhaps groups of them in a series of decisions.

New Future for Goleta at the Heart of Monday Hearing

Santa Barbara Newsroom
By Tom Schultz
April 14, 2007

Following their campaign pledge to ease key planning rules across Goleta, newly elected City Council members are the driving force behind a raft of recommended policy revisions up for debate starting Monday.

In a hearing at City Hall, the council will discuss several proposed changes to a growth plan passed in October, including provisions that could spur new building. Some of the suggestions come from city staff members, others from residents and interests groups, or developers seeking more flexibility for specific projects.

"The purpose of this public hearing is to sort out all of the requests," according to a recent report by Planning Director Steve Chase.

If given the go-ahead, the review effort could cost an estimated $250,000 and take a year-and-a-half to finish, Chase said.

The spate of changes could affect the area for years to come. Land-use standards in the city's general plan will directly affect how Goleta will look and function for decades.
Councilmen Eric Onnen, Michael Bennett and Roger Aceves, all elected in November, are generally supportive of a new direction for the general plan along with Mayor Jean Blois, a councilwoman since Goleta formed in 2002.
In October, an erstwhile majority of longtime council members approved the city's first plan for traffic, noise, housing and other concerns one month before voters removed most of them from office.
Councilwoman Jonny Wallis is the last member to remain of that old majority, which included Councilman Jack Hawxhurst and Councilwomen Cynthia Brock and Margaret Connell. Wallis can expect an uphill battle preserving strategies approved in the original plan.

Onnen called the new proposals, which have formally bubbled to the surface in recent weeks, "just an amazing amount of data."

"Obviously, I'm thrilled that we have all these items on the table," he said Friday. "Obviously, they won't all come to the general plan at the same time. Some of the items are going to be easy, and some of them will require more. We've got a lot of work to do. It's going to be pretty time-consuming."

The recommendations include lowering affordable housing requirements at certain sites, softening restrictions on commercial development and easing language governing environmental protections. Bacara Resort & Spa could find it easier to grow, and would-be developers of Bishop Ranch might have a shot at putting housing on fallow farmland along Highway 101 between Los Carneros and Glen Annie roads.

Some changes would likely fall under a "fast track" schedule to unfold in the next three to six months at an estimated cost of $50,000, while others would take more in-depth review measuring their impacts on the environment at a cost of up to $200,000, Chase wrote, adding the latter could take nine to 18 months to complete.

The fundamental question at hand is an easy one. What, if anything, in the current plan should stay or go? But that’s where the simplicity ends.

While Wallis and other supporters largely see the current general plan as a tool for preserving Goleta as is, while adding some housing for workers, critics say internal inconsistencies, rigid language and unworkable strategies are key problems that threaten economic vitality and new home construction for the middle class.

Business leaders and affordable housing advocates supportive of a new direction have offered changes to the plan in testimony and writing.

On the other side, slow-growth advocates increasingly guard against wholesale revisions.

Hovering in the background are a series of lawsuits launched last fall against the city by landowners and business advocates who describe the original plan as legally flawed. Talk of settling these disputes still percolates among involved parties.

A key and likely change could come to housing policy.

In a March 19 letter to City Hall, the state Department of Housing and Community Development rejected for a third time the plan’s important housing element, stating it "continues to require significant revisions to comply with state housing law.”

“For example,” according to the agency, “the element still does not adequately demonstrate the projected residential densities and build-out capacities on the identified sites (for new housing) can be realistically achieved.”

While not stating so specifically, that passage was widely interpreted as targeting the plan’s so-called “inclusionary” housing policy requiring that 55 percent of all units in new projects along sections of the Hollister Avenue corridor be affordable.

Builders and affordable housing advocates say that level of inclusion defies market forces, rendering project proposals financially infeasible. It appears as though the new council majority aims to decrease the level to around 25 percent.

That might suit landowners such as John and Jana Price, who control nearly 9 acres at 6868 Cortona Drive. They want to put 132 residential units mixed with a recreational field, community center and deli at the site, and seek to include about 20 percent affordable housing, according to their agent, Harwood White.

"We look forward to working with council and staff to massage the general plan," White said in a March 5 letter to the city.

Wallis appears ready to hold the line at 55 percent. It’s a tool, she said, to ensure Goleta gets the workforce housing it needs.

By law, a city or county can only amend its general plan once a quarter, or four times annually. In Goleta, the council may consider a raft of changes all at once, or perhaps groups of them in a series of decisions.

Among suggested changes, the council would replace the word “shall” with “should” in more than a dozen passages to provide general rather than absolute policy direction.

For example, a line stating that “approvals of all new development shall require adherence to high environmental standards and the preservation and protection of environmental resources” would change, under the proposal.

Opponents of change have raised concerns about the unfolding process remaining open to the public. They praised the level of community input received for the plan approved last year.

“The (original general plan) process that got us here involved, I don’t know, a hundred meetings with hundreds of comments,” Wallis said recently. “I don’t want those to be lost. ... It would be a shame to lose that.”

On Friday, Councilman Bennett characterized the unfolding process as "so far so good."

"As always, the devil is in the details," Bennett said. He said the estimated fiscal costs of the changes to the city did not seem exorbitant.

"We're keeping our word," Bennett said. "We didn't run for office and go a different direction. We are keeping our minds open to all the stakeholders."

"I'm just really happy," he said. "Things are working as they should."