Category: News

Several City of Carpinteria programs and services will close in honor of Veteran’s Day on Wednesday, Nov. 11. The mid-week holiday will close City Hall and Carpinteria Community Library. AgeWell programs will not take place that day. Carpinteria Community Pool, however, will be open for normal hours.

Holiday closures will continue later this month in honor of Thanksgiving. City Hall, Carpinteria Community Library and Carpinteria Community Pool will all be closed on Thursday and Friday, Nov. 26 and 27. AgeWell programming will be closed on Wednesday, Nov. 25, in addition to Nov. 26 and 27.

The Carpinteria City Council will hold its next regular meeting on Monday, Nov. 9 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 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 cityofcarp.co/agendas. Comments posted on social media will not be provided to council members.

• Presentation in honor of members of the Boys & Girls Club who have achieved Gold Card Status.
• A Proclamation Recognizing California Retired Teacher’s Week, Nov. 1 – 7, 2026, and  celebrating the retired teachers in our community.
• Introduction of Nori Sanchez, Chief Building Inspector/Plans Examiner.
• Approval of the application for the Land and Water Conservation Fund grant for the Monte Vista Dog Park Project.
• Community Resource Center License Agreement with Southern California Edison for Public Safety Power Shutoff and Emergency Events.
• Council authorization for a License Agreement with Chevron for access to and limited use of specific identified portions of Tar Pits Park to complete removal and abandonment work on inactive subsurface pipelines.

The Carpinteria City Council will hold its next regular meeting on Monday, Oct. 26 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 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 cityofcarp.co/meetingagendas. Comments posted on social media will not be provided to council members.

• A Proclamation Recognizing and Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the California Avocado Festival.
• Mayoral Recognition to Ryan Wong of Tidy Seas
• Introduction of Mairani Ornelas, Accounting Technician and Epigmenio Lopez, Engineering Technician, and Martin Camacho, Maintenance Worker I
• Carpinteria Unified School District Updates & Achievements Presentation.
• Fourth Quarter Code Compliance Report for Fiscal Year 2025-26 and First Quarter Code Compliance Report for Fiscal Year 2026-27.
• Consideration of a resolution opposing Proposition 43, which limits voters’ ability to raise revenues for local governmental services, on the November 3, 2026 Statewide Ballot.
• Consideration of a resolution opposing Proposition 45, which modifies environmental review for certain projects, on the November 3, 2026 Statewide Ballot.

City parks with grass fields are closed today (and likely tomorrow, Oct. 22) due to storms. Heavy rain saturates the soil, which presents two risks:

1. Safety issues for park users!
2. Damage to the fields!

Closures pertain to Monte Vista (including the dog park), El Carro, Memorial, Carpinteria Creek, and Health Ranch parks.

Also, please note that bike riders are strongly advised to avoid wet trails at our open spaces, including the Carpinteria Bluffs,Tar Pits Park, and Franklin Trail. Muddy trail use creates serious ruts, which become safety hazards and maintenance problems.

Bike riders should also avoid wet grassy areas in parks, which are highly vulnerable to damage.

We appreciate your patience as we wait for the weather to clear and our parks and open spaces to dry!

Rain storms have led to the cancellation of this week’s street sweeping. Our crew will be back in the sweeper keeping roadways clean and clear next week, Oct. 26-30!

In an effort to help residents and local businesses prepare for potential El Niño storms, the City of Carpinteria’s fill-your-own sandbag station is now open at City Hall, 5775 Carpinteria Ave.

Supplies are first-come, first-served and may run out during peak events, so prepare early. Please take only what you need to protect your property.

How to Fill Sandbags

• Fill bags ½ to ⅔ full with sand.
• Tie or securely close the top.

How to Use Sandbags

• Sandbags divert low-level water flows (up to 2 feet). To build a sturdy barrier:
• Lay the Base Row: Place bags lengthwise, parallel to the flow of water.
• Tamp Each Bag: Walk on or firmly stamp down each bag to mold the sand, remove air pockets, and seal gaps.
• Stagger Layers: Stack subsequent rows like bricks, offsetting joints by half a bag length.

At its meeting on October 12, the Carpinteria City Council officially issued a proclamation honoring Clementine’s Steak House for its many years of service to our community.

Since opening its doors on Carpinteria Avenue in 1976—and under the loving care of Irene McLenithan starting in 1982—Clementine’s became a cherished local landmark. For the past 45 years, owner and operator Lloyd McLenithan carried on the family tradition, ensuring every guest felt right at home over full-course meals, friendly conversation, and legendary slices of pie.

Clementine’s officially closed its doors on October 4, 2026, but the countless milestones, family dinners, and community gatherings shared within its walls will always remain an important part of Carpinteria’s story.

On behalf of the City Council and the entire Carpinteria community, thank you to Lloyd, the McLenithan family, and the dedicated staff for 45+ years of devoted service. We wish you all the very best in your next chapter!

The Carpinteria City Council will hold its next regular meeting on Monday, Oct. 15 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 carpinteriaca.gov/, on Government Access Television Channel 21 or by logging into the Zoom webinar.

Shepard Place Shops Site Improvements

Preliminary review of site improvements to the central trellis feature of Shepard Place Shops commercial center. The project would remove the existing landscaping planter, create a new outdoor seating area with smaller planters, and provide ramps and accessibility improvements to connect the seating area to the rest of the shopping center.

The Shepard Place Shops Site Improvements is one topic among others on the agenda. Additional details and numerous ways for the public to provide comments can be found at cityofcarp.co/agendas.

Installation of the Carpinteria Advanced Purification Project (CAPP) pipeline on Carpinteria Avenue between Maple Avenue and Eugenia Place will take place overnight from Oct. 12 to 15 between the hours of 8:30 p.m. and 6:30 a.m. On Monday and Tuesday of next week, Oct. 19 and 20, paving work will be completed during the day.

CAPP will replenish the groundwater basin with purified recycled water, creating a locally-controlled, drought-resistant drinking water supply. Learn more about the project at cvwd.net/carpinteria-advanced-purification-project

The Carpinteria City Council will hold its next regular meeting on Monday, Oct. 12 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 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 cityofcarp.co/agendas. Comments posted on social media will not be provided to council members.

• A Proclamation Honoring Clementine’s Steak House for over 50 Years Serving the Carpinteria Community.
• A Proclamation Recognizing October 2026 as Domestic Violence Awareness and Prevention Month in the City of Carpinteria.
• A Proclamation Honoring 60 Years of Regional Partnership Through the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments.
• Introduction of Jacob Lyle, Management Analyst I in the General Government Department.
• Introduction of Tania Sanchez, UCSB CollegeCorps Fellow.
• Presentation of the Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District’s On-Demand Service – The Wave.
• Annual Report on Law Enforcement Services.
• Approval of the Fiscal Year 2026-27 Community Services Support Grant Program Funding Recommendations.
• Recap of the Aug. 31, 2026 State of the City Address, focusing on the actions the City has taken and plans to take to address the structural deficit and deferred maintenance, as requested by City Council on Sept. 14, 2026.