Author: Lea Boyd

Beginning July 1, 2025, smoking will be prohibited in multi-unit housing in Carpinteria. This includes apartments, condominium buildings, senior and assisted living facilities, and long-term health care facilities. Mobile homes and ADUs are not included in these new regulations.

If you are a property owner, property manager or Homeowners’ Associations (HOA) of an affected property, you are required to notify current and prospective residents of the smoking prohibition and post “no smoking” signage on the property on or before July 1.

More details on the new regulations and the notifications required of property owners, managers or HOAs can be found at  https://bit.ly/43XElyn Questions? Contact Code Compliance at (805) 755-4418 or DavidH@CarpinteriaCA.gov.

Calling all local nonprofits! Mark your calendars for the opening of the City of Carpinteria’s Community Services Support Grant (CSSG) application window on July 1!

This grant program supports organizations that uplift our community through vital services, innovative programs and inclusive events. Grants range in size from $1,000 to $30,000 per fiscal year.

Learn more about the program now at https://carpinteriaca.gov/city-hall/city-manager/. The CSSG application will be available on the same webpage starting on July 1.

The Carpinteria City Council will hold its next regular meeting on Monday, June 23 at 5:30 p.m. Members of the public may attend the meeting at City Hall, 5775 Carpinteria Ave., or view the meeting live at https://carpinteriaca.gov/, on Government Access Television Channel 21 or by logging into the Zoom webinar.

The following topics are highlights of the agenda. Additional details and numerous ways for the public to provide comments can be found at https://bit.ly/3T27pju. Comments posted on social media will not be provided to council members.

• Employee Service Awards.
• Presentations by the Carpinteria-Summerland Fire Protection District and Santa Barbara County Fire Safe Council regarding their respective services, mutual aid assistance and interaction with the City of Carpinteria.
• Cancellation of the regular City Council meeting of August 11, 2025.
• Adoption of the Fiscal Year 2025/26 – 2026/27 Two-Year Budget, setting related Appropriations Limits as required by State law, making year-end amendments to the Fiscal Year 2024/25 budget, updating budget and fiscal policies, and adopting salary schedules for Fiscal Year 2025/26.
• Adoption of Resolution No. 6411 amending the conditions of employment for miscellaneous unrepresented and management personnel, including updates to the merit pay cap, leave accrual provisions, health insurance contributions, and other clarifying revisions.

The City of Carpinteria proclaims today, June 19, Juneteenth Freedom Day, an important holiday commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. This solemn day serves as a powerful reminder of the long struggle for African American freedom and equality, and its recognition underscores our community’s commitment to understanding and honoring this pivotal moment in American history.

In observance of Juneteenth, City Hall, the Community Pool, the Carpinteria Community Library and the AgeWell program will be closed on Thursday, June 19. Lifeguards will be on duty at City Beach and the Junior Lifeguard program will continue as normal.

In order to continue maintaining and enhancing City parks and facilities, rental fee updates will take effect on July 1, 2025. These updates are essential to our ongoing commitment to ensuring the quality of our parks, open spaces and community amenities. The new fee schedule will apply to:

• Vets Hall Rentals
• BBQ/Picnic Area Rentals
• Sports Field Rentals
• Special Events

The revenue generated from these updated fees will directly support:

• Facility maintenance and improvements
• Sustainable recreation programming
• Enhanced services for residents and visitors

Reservations made before July 1, 2025, will be honored at the current rates, even if your event is scheduled for a future date.

For full details on the new fee schedule and additional information, please visit our website at https://carpinteriaca.gov/parks-and-recreation/reservations/. If you have any questions, please email us at recreation@carpinteriaca.gov.

Downtown Linden Avenue will be painted red, white and blue when the 2024 Independence Parade arrives on Saturday, June 28, at 3:30 p.m. Don’t miss this chance to see friends, family and neighbors representing local organizations and businesses in this beloved local parade.

Preceding the parade, Rods & Roses Classic Car Show will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information about the car show, visit rodsandroses.com.

To accommodate the two downtown events, Linden Avenue will be closed between 6th Street and Carpinteria Avenue from early Saturday morning until after the parade is complete.

AgeWell members are invited to attend an informational session about The Wave, a new on-demand transit service introduced by the Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District (MTD), on Thursday, June 26 from 1 to 2:15 p.m. in the Veterans Hall Meeting Room, 941 Walnut Ave. The Wave will provide curb-to-curb rides within Carpinteria for a flat fare.

Riders can book rides via a smartphone app or by calling the transit center. This new service improves local connectivity and reaches previously unserved areas. The presentation will be followed by a question and answer period, and attendees can enroll for senior discounts using the Tap2Ride contactless payment system.

Exciting news! The Spring 2025 Carpinteria CERT Final Drill is happening on Tuesday, July 1 from 6 – 9 p.m. – and we need your help to make it a success!

We’re looking for volunteers to play the role of injured participants during the drill. It’s a fun, hands-on way to support local emergency preparedness, meet fellow community members and see CERT in action. No acting experience necessary. Participants will be given a short scenario and basic moulage (fake injury makeup).

If you are interested, please sign up today at https://carpinteriaca.gov/local-info/emergency-preparedness/cert/certfinaldrillvolunteers/ . Email any questions to Program Manager Juliza Briones at  julizab@carpinteriaca.gov.

In observance of Juneteenth, City Hall, the Community Pool, the Carpinteria Community Library and the AgeWell program will be closed on Thursday, June 19.

This important holiday commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans serves as a powerful reminder of the long struggle for freedom and equality, and its recognition underscores our community’s commitment to understanding and honoring this pivotal moment in American history.

While most city facilities will pause operations, lifeguards will be on duty at City Beach and the Junior Lifeguard program will continue as normal.

As the public review process continues on the proposed Surfliner Inn, members of the public will have numerous opportunities to contribute their perspective on the project, a 36-room boutique hotel proposed for the corner of 5th Street and Linden Avenue.

The next step in the public review process is to have an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) prepared. This will involve publishing a Notice of Preparation (NOP) and holding a Public Scoping Meeting (see flowchart below). City Staff and ESA have scheduled those first steps to occur in the coming weeks:

• NOP 30-day Comment Period: May 29 – June 27, 2025
• Public Scoping Meeting: Monday, June 16, 2025 at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers

The NOP serves as a formal request for public input on the scope and content of the EIR. During the 30-day NOP comment period, responsible agencies and members of the public will be encouraged to submit comments related to the project’s potential environmental issues, mitigation measures, and alternatives.

The Public Scoping Meeting is proposed to be held within that 30-day comment period to further enhance transparency and public participation. While no project decisions are made at the Scoping Meeting, attendees will have the opportunity to ask clarifying questions about the project and/or the process, and to raise issues regarding the potential environmental impacts in a public setting. This proactive involvement will help ensure that the EIR comprehensively addresses all relevant environmental concerns, leading to more informed decision-making and better project outcomes. All of this information will be prominently posted on the City’s project webpage at https://carpinteriaca.gov/city-hall/community-development/linden-inn-project/ and anyone who would like to be added to the interested parties list should email Mindy Fogg at mindyf@carpinteriaca.gov.