Since becoming mayor of Goleta this year, a number of people have asked me about my vision for the city. Our Strategic Plan says it this way: “Preserve Goleta as a beautiful and safe small-town community, with family-friendly neighborhoods, that values the environment, agriculture and open space while providing housing, recreation and business opportunities.” This is a good statement. The only question is how to do it all!
Above all, city residents want to preserve the character of our neighborhoods. Many of these were new developments in the 1960s that sprang up across the valley as the lemon orchards went down. Many people lamented this change at the time, but these subdivisions are now our homes and special places that we love. Several neighborhood watch programs have been set up with the help of our police department to ensure that our neighborhoods are not only attractive but safe.
I recently received a note from a resident saying, “No more houses!” But our General Plan includes sites for 2,000 to 3,000 more units, including townhouses and apartments very different from the single-family homes in our older neighborhoods. This is partly to meet a state requirement to zone for more housing, and partly because we know there is a need for housing affordable to the people who want to live and work here.
Nearly 15,000 people commute each day from North County and Ventura, and the need for affordable housing for working folk is critically important. The character of a community is enriched when people live where they work. Then they shop there and participate in community events and activities. Higher-density housing would change the character of parts of the city, but this kind of housing can be attractive — as we can see from the recently constructed Sumida Gardens apartments near Patterson Avenue. Our Design Review Board and Planning Commission will ensure that high standards are upheld.
There will be changes as Goleta grows, but we can still preserve the sense of open space and views of the mountains that characterize our city. Our streets are not canyons but are bordered by one- or two-story buildings. My vision includes a wish that in every neighborhood it should be possible to walk to a natural area. Ellwood neighborhoods have the Sperling Preserve and Ellwood Main Monarch Grove on their doorstep. Hundreds if not thousands of visitors come each year to see the Monarch butterfly clusters, and our volunteer Monarch docents have enriched this experience.
Farther east, Lake Los Carneros and Rancho La Patera are other treasures and prime sites for bird watchers and history buffs. Five creeks run through the city, and the trails along them provide another natural environment. Old Town is one area that doesn’t enjoy this advantage, but we are hoping soon to add park space to this densely populated township.
While there are many opportunities for the passive enjoyment of nature, active recreation is more limited. Goleta, unlike most cities, doesn’t have a recreation department. We do provide some funding for maintenance of Girsh Park and its many activities. From the beginning we have helped support after-school activities at Goleta Valley Junior High. In a few years we will own the Goleta Valley Community Center and will have some responsibility for the rich variety of programs offered there. And within the year, the ice rink may become a reality. This may be the pattern we will follow in the future, working with nonprofit organizations and offering more support for recreation as the economy improves.
Of course, the need for a strong economy is the underpinning for all that we want to do, and it is important to facilitate the path for new enterprises, particularly high-tech entrepreneurial spin-offs from UCSB.
This brings me full circle to my column last month and Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposal to eliminate redevelopment agencies and capture their taxes to fill the gap in the state budget. Some of us went to Sacramento a couple of weeks ago to meet with our legislators, Assemblyman Das Williams and state Sen. Tony Strickland. We didn’t get much encouragement, given the dire financial condition of the state, though there was at least a hint that negotiations might be going on. Unfortunately, there has been a lot of negative publicity about irresponsible spending by a number of RDAs around the state. The majority, however — including ours in Goleta — are run by the book and create a significant number of local jobs to boost the economy.
For us, losing the RDA tool of tax increment financing could pull the rug out from the San Jose Creek flood-control project that otherwise is all set to go this summer. This is the key to future improvements in Old Town Goleta and necessary to move it to the next level.
So once again, if you share my concern about the elimination of RDAs, call Assemblyman Williams at 805.564.1649) and Sen. Strickland at 805.965.0862. Our state representatives will have the opportunity to review and vote on legislation in the near future. In addition, click here for updated information on this important issue.
— Margaret Connell is serving her second term as mayor of Goleta.
Comments
