Author: Lea Boyd

At last night’s City Council meeting, Eagle Scouts Ian Thomas and Matthew Lamberti received Certificates of Commendation for completing important projects that benefit the Carpinteria community. To earn Eagle Scout rank, Thomas oversaw the construction of new stairs at Jelly Bowl beach, and Lamberti installed new tables in the picnic area at Carpinteria State Beach. The two young men thanked family members, the other members of Boy Schout Troop 50 and the donors who made the projects possible. Councilmembers thanked Thomas and Lamberti for their hard work, and Mayor Wade Nomura noted, “The attainment of Eagle Scout is very rare, very unique … congratulations for that.”

The Carpinteria City Council and Planning Commission will hold a joint meeting to consider the Draft 2023-2031 Housing Element Update on Monday, Oct. 17 at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall, 5775 Carpinteria Ave. The Housing Element is a component of the City’s General Plan and includes analysis of housing needs, opportunities and constraints, and impediments to fair housing. The policies and programs in the Housing Element address housing for all segments of the community and include strategies to accommodate the 901 additional residential units assigned to the City through the Regional Housing Needs Assessment process. To learn more or view the draft document, visit https://bit.ly/3VfMCZk.

The Carpinteria City Council will hold its next regular meeting on Monday, Oct. 10 at 5:30 p.m. In accordance with State guidance, the City will provide both in-person and virtual attendance and participation options for the meeting.

Members of the public may attend the meeting at City Hall, 5775 Carpinteria Ave. or view the meeting live at www.carpinteria.ca.us, 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/3fSRF1T. Comments posted on social media will not be provided to council members.

• Certificate of Commendation to Ian Thomas and Matthew Lamberti who earned their Eagle Scout badge for leading important projects that benefit the Carpinteria community.
• Authorization for the City Manager to execute an Agreement with RRM Design Group to provide consulting design services for the Franklin Creek Trail Improvement Project, which will improve the trail along Franklin Creek between Carpinteria Avenue and Seventh Street.
• Award of a construction contract for the Former Venoco Oil Pipeline #0470 Abandonment Project.
• Approval of recommendations made by the Traffic Safety Committee.
• Approval of financial support for the Carpinteria Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support Group.
• Informational Report on Parking Lot No. 1 issues and recommendations raised by business owners/operators.
• Consideration of initiating the ordinance process concerning building electrification regulations.

Carpinteria Community Pool’s October calendar includes closures due to Carpinteria High School water polo games and a youth swim meet. We apologize for any inconveniences caused by the closures. Water polo games will result in closures beginning at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 11; Thursday, Oct. 20; Tuesday, Oct. 24; and Thursday, Oct. 27. The pool will be closed all day for a swim meet on Saturday, Oct. 22.

Join the Community Environmental Council and partners on October 6 for a primer on making the switch to driving electric. Hear from EV drivers and learn the basics of charging, what’s available on the used and new market, and the best use of local, state, and federal incentives on the horizon. Register at us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/2016618818505/WN_qJkxHWDjS6aMvWPiBTsgwg

Community members are invited to join the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office and members of the faith-based community for coffee and a chat on Friday, Oct. 7 from 11 to noon at Carpinteria Moon Cafe, 4991 Carpinteria Ave. The local meet-up is part of Faith & Blue Weekend, a national event that brings together law enforcement and community to build connections, create mutual understanding, and enhance justice and reconciliation.

Californians can register online to vote in the Nov. 8 General Election through Oct. 24. After processing your registration, the Santa Barbara County Elections Office will mail a Voter Notification Card to you for your records. You should receive this card approximately 2 to 3 weeks after submitting your Voter Registration. If you miss the Oct. 24 deadline, you may visit the elections office and complete a conditional voter registration application and voter registration. Learn more or register online at https://www.countyofsb.org/164/Elections.

Starting tomorrow, Thursday, Sept. 29, portions of Linden Avenue will be closed to traffic in preparation for the California Avocado Festival. The 800 and 900 blocks of Linden Avenue (Carpinteria Avenue to 8th Street) will close at 6 a.m. on Sept. 29, and the 600 and 700 blocks (8th Street to 6th Street) will close at 6 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 30. These four blocks, as well as the intersections between them, will remain closed throughout the festival, reopening late on the night of Sunday, Oct. 2. Please remember to drive carefully through Carpinteria before, during and immediately after the festival. The downtown area will be very busy with foot traffic and vehicle traffic.

At last night’s Carpinteria City Council meeting, 17 local children received certificates of commendation for earning their Gold Cards through the Carpinteria Boys & Girls Club. Members of the local organization achieve Gold Card status by attending the club for a minimum of 105 days in a calendar year. The local children were congratulated by City Council members as well as the CEO of United Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara County Michael Baker. “We’re very proud of these children,” said Baker.

On Sept. 17, volunteers from all over California flocked to their local beaches and waterways to participate in Coastal Cleanup Day. Santa Barbara County’s effort included a total of 1,305 volunteers who collected 6,557 pounds of trash and recycling. Within the City of Carpinteria alone, 115 volunteers removed 122 pounds of trash and 47 pounds of recyclables from the watershed. Pictured here, our Environmental Program Manager Erin Maker shows off a portion of the trash Carpinterians collected. A reminder to all: Coastal Cleanup Month continues for the rest of September. The cleanup data from neighborhood cleanups between now and the end of the month that are logged in the free Clean Swell app will be included in this year’s final Coastal Cleanup results.