When we think about the wonderful city we call home, it’s difficult to imagine it changing. Previous City Council decisions specify how and where new buildings will go, but imagining exactly what Goleta will look like is challenging.
Goleta is going to change during the next 10 years, and much of that change has been directed by the General Plan. New homes, new businesses and new amenities are already in the works. In most cases, these developments are called for by the General Plan. Some improvements to the General Plan have been made as well, and the council has the opportunity to make these changes as ideas or information change.
Two examples of such changes are the zoning change for a new park in Old Town and the new branch bank at the corner of Hollister Avenue and Storke Road, which replaced an old service station. These changes make sense as they will enhance our community.
Other projects called for by the General Plan are a new hotel at Storke and Phelps roads. It’s already sprouting quickly like a flower in spring. At Cabrillo Business Park on the corner of Los Carneros Road and Hollister Avenue, construction of the new headquarters of Deckers Outdoor Corp. will soon begin. At the far west end of Hollister, Haskell’s Landing will soon be breaking ground. This project includes 101 housing units. A number of other approved projects are just awaiting financing before beginning construction.
A retrofitted hospital is rising behind the old one. New offices at Hollister and Patterson avenues will take the place of the existing medical office building, and there is talk of new office buildings where the temporary parking lot is installed.
Finally, we can look forward to Goleta’s first roundabout at Los Carneros and Calle Real, with construction beginning this summer. It joins the San Jose Creek Project and 20 other active capital improvement projects within the city.
City Hall is working to process the many applications for changes within the city. While the process can seem arduous at times, it is important to the future of Goleta. The review and oversight is in place to ensure proposed projects will improve the city. The hope is that all projects will make the city a better place for us all to raise children, start businesses, or just to sit back and enjoy well-earned and entertaining retirements.
A city as attractive as Goleta must keep its focus on staying — and becoming — better. We have a combination of civic attributes that make Goleta unique and incredibly attractive to outsiders. Our climate, the mountains and beaches, the proximity to the faculty, students and resources of UCSB, our existing educated and technologically-advanced work force and, most of all, our diversity are an important part of what makes Goleta unique. These characteristics and resources must be protected, and that’s a big part of what city government does.
Goleta will be a different town 10 years from now. Our crucial challenge during that time will be to keep and enhance its virtues.
— Ed Easton is the mayor of Goleta.
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