We’ve got some great news! On Feb. 26, Caltrans informed the City of Carpinteria that we will receive a $342,270 Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) grant to install a hybrid pedestrian crossing traffic signal within the frontage of Carpinteria High School.

We are thrilled to receive funding through HSIP, which aims to reduce traffic fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads. The new traffic signal will be installed at a busy crosswalk regularly used by Carpinteria High School students at the State Route 192/Foothill Road and Franklin Creek Trail intersection.

The HSIP funds will cover 90-percent of the construction costs, and the City’s development impact fees will cover the remaining portion. We hope to start construction this summer, and we’ll keep the community posted when we have an update.

The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors will hold a Special Board of Supervisors Meeting entitled A Community Forum to Address Cannabis Odor in Carpinteria on Friday, March 14, from noon to 2 p.m. at Carpinteria City Hall, 5775 Carpinteria Ave. The forum will allow community members to share their experiences, concerns and ideas about cannabis odor in the region.

This forum is part of an ongoing effort to improve odor control regulations. In January 2025, the Board directed staff to draft updates requiring mandatory carbon filtration technology for cannabis cultivation. While these new regulations to improve odor control are in progress, this forum provides an additional opportunity to gather community feedback and refine solutions.

The final agenda and associated materials will be shared by March 13 at https://t.e2ma.net/click/0vl0hh/kngmf0/o61y3w

The City of Carpinteria is thrilled to introduce Torrie Cutbirth, our new Program Manager for the Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Department. A Santa Barbara native and Cornell University graduate, Torrie brings a wealth of experience in community program development. She holds certifications in Permaculture Design, Ecological Landscape Design, and Healthy Soil Ecology, reflecting her passion for sustainable community initiatives.

With a strong background in the nonprofit sector, Torrie excels in cross-sector collaboration and project management, previously serving as Executive Director of the County of Santa Barbara Arts Fund. Torrie is eager to apply her skills in her new position. “I’m excited to give back to Carpinteria and serve this community,” she noted. Outside of work, she enjoys gardening, hiking, ocean swimming and spending time with loved ones. Welcome, Torrie!

AgeWell is launching a new Tai Chi class on Mondays at 9:30 a.m. at the Veterans Hall, 941 Walnut Ave. Designed to help improve both physical and mental well-being, the first class will be held on Monday, March 10. Tai Chi is a gentle, low-impact exercise that promotes relaxation, flexibility and balance – a good fit for individuals of all fitness levels. Benefits include stress reduction, increased flexibility and improved overall health. The class is free!

Recognizing the vital role trees play in our community, the Carpinteria City Council has proclaimed March 9 as California Arbor Day. This proclamation falls within California Arbor Week, March 7-14, and precedes National Arbor Day on April 25.

The City acknowledges the immense contributions trees make to beauty, comfort, air quality, and energy conservation. Carpinteria’s commitment to tree preservation is evident in our policies like the establishment of the Tree Advisory Board.

The proclamation, issued by Mayor Natalia Alarcon with the unanimous support of the City Council, urges all Carpinterians to appreciate and celebrate the importance of trees in our daily lives.

The Carpinteria City Council will hold its next regular meeting on Monday, March 10 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/3DnyAAS.

• A proclamation designating the Month of April 2025 as Carpinteria Beautiful Month.
• Community Development Block Grant Committee recommendations concerning the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 Public Services Grant Applications and allocation of program funds.
• 2024 Housing Element Annual Progress Report: Implementation status of Housing Element goals, policies, and objectives for submission to the California Department of Housing and Community Development.
• Code of Conduct to ensure the orderly functioning of City Council meetings and other public meetings.
• Resolution opposing oil transportation by pipeline.
• Mid-Year Budget Report Review Appropriation Adjustments.
• A resolution confirming the City’s continued compliance with the California Values Act

If you are a man who’s interested in living a longer, healthier life, AgeWell has a new program for you. Join Scott Barash, LCSW, and John Cervantes, MD (retired), for a four-session series focused on evidence-based strategies to improve both health and longevity for men. The sessions will be held on Tuesdays—March 11, 18, 25 and April 1—at 5:30 p.m. in the Veterans Hall Meeting Room, 941 Walnut Ave. Space is limited, so please contact AgeWell to register at agewell@carpinteriaca.gov or (805) 881-1279.

The Carpinteria City Council will hold a special meeting to discuss E-bike safety on Tuesday, March 4 at 5:30 p.m. The meeting will bring together representatives from State, County and local agencies to (1) identify key challenges in addressing E-bike safety, (2) review current efforts to promote safety and compliance, (3) explore opportunities for collaboration with stakeholders and external partners, and (4) identify additional areas of concern or potential action items.

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. Additional details and numerous ways for the public to provide comments can be found at https://bit.ly/4kowGkc.

It’s almost that time of year again! This year’s free Annual Household Hazardous Waste Collection event for the residents of Carpinteria will be held on Saturday, April 12 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at City Hall, 5775 Carpinteria Ave.

Participants are asked to remain in their vehicles and bring only accepted items. Most items are accepted at this event, including furniture, appliances, electronic waste, pesticides, automotive fluids, fluorescent bulbs, medications, etc. Please limit liquids to 15 gallons total. The City is not accepting tires, explosives, biohazards or radioactive materials.

Outside of this event, Carpinteria households are able to request up to two bulky item collection services every year through EJ Harrison & Sons Inc.

*Attention Carpinteria Businesses* This event is intended for residents. Carpinteria small quantity generators must email sustainability@carpinteriaca.gov to make an appointment (hazardous waste ID number required). Businesses without an appointment and large quantity generators will be turned away.

This event is sponsored by the City of Carpinteria and EJ Harrison & Sons, Inc. Used oil disposal is funded in part by CalRecycle. For questions or more information, please contact sustainability@carpinteriaca.gov.

In preparation for beach season, the City of Carpinteria began tractor work to deconstruct the berm on Monday, March 3. The berm is built late in the fall to protect public and private property from high tides and winter storms. When the risk of flooding and damage has subsided, we flatten the berm and return the beach to a condition that’s optimal for sunbathing, frisbee, sandcastle building and all the other joys of spring, summer and fall. For your safety, please avoid the beach while the tractor is working.