The Goleta City Council awarded a construction contract Tuesday evening for the Goleta Valley Community Center seismic retrofit project, which, upon completion, will allow the auditorium and dining room to reopen.

Those two areas of the community center have been closed since February 2021 following a seismic evaluation of the building that was commissioned by the city in 2013.

The contract was awarded to Edwards Construction Group — for more than $3.8 million — which will be replacing the structural sheathing throughout the main building’s roof system as well as reinforcing the connection between the roof and walls to make the structure more seismically sound.

“What struck me is the juxtaposition that, right now in the news, we’re talking about 8,000 people or something in Turkey and Syria dead from an earthquake, and it really makes the potential for doing something about it to avoid some terrible thing happening to us — it’s great that we have the opportunity,” Councilman Stuart Kasdin said.

Other project costs, including design, management, environmental review and more, bring the total project cost to about $5.3 million. The seismic retrofit project is already fully funded through FEMA Hazard Mitigation grants and the city’s general fund.

Once it begins, the construction period is expected to take about three months; however, according to city staff, factors that could potentially extend the timeline include “unknowns of a 100-year-old building,” asbestos removal and supply chain disruptions.

City staff also reassured the council that the contractor will be required to protect the community mural and other art in the building.

After the seismic retrofit project is completed, a second project at the community center will address Americans with Disabilities Act upgrades, including improvements to the bathrooms and path of travel throughout the facility. City staff are working on the final design phases of that project.

In addition to the community center project, the Goleta City Council also discussed the Goleta Valley Historical Society’s request to hold later evening events at Stow House.

Currently, the historical society can rent out the area for private events, but they must end by sunset. The historical society has requested to hold up to six events — such as weddings, birthday celebrations and more — per year until 10 p.m.

It would require a lease amendment to be made to the lease between the Goleta City Council and the historical society, as well as changes to a Municipal Code section that states parks will be closed at sunset.

There were concerns from the council and community groups such as the Santa Barbara Audubon Society regarding the lack of public input and the fact that Stow House is directly next to sensitive habitats and the Lake Los Carneros Natural Preserve.

“Our birds, wild animals and natural places are under constant pressure and human encroachment,” public commenter Roman Baratiak with the Audubon Society said. “Let’s at least let them have the night. I’m sure their human neighbors of North Goleta would also be grateful. You have a nature preserve if you can keep it.”

There was some support for the request, though, particularly from the Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce, which said Stow House would be a great place for evening weddings and other events.

“We feel like we’re the gathering place for the community. We really do feel like Stow House and Rancho La Patera is a place where the community can come,” Carol Wilson of the Goleta Valley Historical Society said. “They come for the weekends, they come to the ranch yard, they come to the music events, they come to Fourth of July, they hang out there. … So, we see this as a community endeavor.”

The council ultimately decided not to take any action on the request Tuesday evening, but city staff would instead bring the request back when the council considers the Lake Los Carneros Master Plan update.

“I think there’s wide agreement that the Goleta Valley Historical Society is a wonderful community partner. I completely agree that they have a stellar reputation, so for me it’s not about any lack of confidence in the historical society to do a good job, to listen to our input, to listen to concerns,” Councilwoman Luz Reyes-Martín said. “I think what’s really difficult is to try to say move forward with this in the absence of community input.

“I think the barriers are significant to get there — to amend the lease, to change the Municipal Code, the considerable staff time — when we are talking about a maximum of six events with some pretty unclear, for me, potential negative impacts to both the surrounding habitat, to residents, to noise. It just feels like that’s not an even tradeoff potentially.”

Mayor Paula Perotte said this could also give the Goleta Valley Historical Society the opportunity to conduct its own public outreach with neighbors and community members.