Category: News

The City is excited to offer four full scholarships for the Junior Lifeguard Program this summer. These scholarships have been made possible by the kind contributions of the Carpinteria-Summerland Fire Department, and a valued community member, Mr. Paul Cordeiro.

To apply for a scholarship, please email Carppool@carpinteriaca.gov no later than Friday, April 4^th with the required information listed below.

Eligibility Requirements

To qualify, families must meet the following criteria:

• Residency: The participant must reside within the City of Carpinteria.
  • Acceptable proof of residency: Driver’s license, utility bill, lease agreement, or a pay stub with a Carpinteria address.
• Special Cases: Homeless families and foster children attending a Carpinteria Unified School District (CUSD) school are eligible with proper documentation.
• Financial Need: Families must provide verification of eligibility for one of the following:
  • National School Lunch Program (free/reduced meals)
  • CalFresh
  • A similar public assistance program

Application Requirements

Your email application must include:

1. Child’s full name, date of birth, and home address
2. Proof of residency (as described above)
3. Proof of financial need (as described above)
4. Consent or denial for your child to be photographed with members of the Carpinteria-Summerland Fire Protection District for a thank-you photo (Note: This is optional and will not affect eligibility.)

Swim Test Requirement

All applicants must pass the Junior Lifeguard swim test to be eligible. If your child has not yet taken the test, please contact John Sofer (johns@carpinteriaca.gov) or Kalyn Pina (kalynp@carpinteriaca.gov) as soon as possible to schedule it. For safety reasons, applicants who do not pass the swim test will not be eligible for a scholarship or participation in the Junior Lifeguard Program.

SWIM TEST DETAILS

For Ages 7 – 9

• 1 minute treading water
• Underwater push off the wall (without strokes) for no fewer than 5 yards
• 50-yard freestyle swim in under 1 minute & 30 seconds

For Ages 9 – 17

• 1 minute treading water
• Underwater push off the wall (without strokes) for no fewer than 5 yards
• 100-yard freestyle swim in under 2 minute & 20 seconds

Scholarship Selection Process

After Friday, April 4^th, all eligible applicants’ names will be entered into a drawing conducted by City of Carpinteria staff. The four scholarship recipients will be selected at random.

The City of Carpinteria is thrilled to announce that April 2025 has been officially proclaimed Carpinteria Beautiful Month! A tradition since 1992, this designation highlights our community’s dedication to maintaining our town’s charm.

Throughout April, look out for the iconic Carpinteria Beautiful banners downtown. The organization’s dedicated volunteers are busy year round removing graffiti, restocking doggie bag dispensers, and keeping our streets litter-free.

The City Council encourages all residents to join in the celebration by making a personal commitment to beautify their own properties and neighborhoods. Let’s work together to ensure Carpinteria remains a beautiful place for everyone to enjoy!

Carpinteria City Council, Planning Commission and Architectural Review Board will hold a joint conceptual review on Monday, March 31 for a new 93-unit multifamily residential development proposed for 6380 Via Real, the site formerly approved for the “Lagunitas” office park. The townhome development proposal contains a mix of two- and three-story units in three- and four-bedroom configurations.

The March 31 conceptual review will be held at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall, 5775 Carpinteria Ave. At the review, city decision-makers will consider conceptual plans and pre-application materials, and will have opportunities to provide feedback to the developer. Details about the proposal and how the public may comment during or prior to the meeting are available in the meeting agenda at https://carpinteria.granicus.com/GeneratedAgendaViewer.php?view_id=2&event_id=2469

Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department will present a Fraud Prevention class for AgeWell Carpinteria on Thursday, April 3 at 1 p.m. in the Veterans Hall Meeting Room, 941 Walnut Ave. This free session will provide valuable insights on how to protect oneself from fraud and scams, offering practical tips on recognizing common threats and staying safe. Don’t miss this important opportunity to learn how to safeguard yourself and your loved ones.

Carpinteria Beautiful’s Community Cleanup Day is almost here!

Join us on Saturday, March 29, from 9 to 11 a.m. to keep the community clean, green and beautiful. Volunteers should meet at the Amtrak Parking Lot, 499 Linden Ave., to be assigned a location.

Gloves, bags and trash pickers will be available, but we encourage you to bring your own reusable items, if possible. We hope to see you there!

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.

Please bring only accepted items. Most items are accepted at this event, including

• Furniture
• Appliances
• Electronic waste
• Pesticides
• Automotive fluids
• Fluorescent bulbs
• Medications
• And MORE!

Please limit liquids to 15 gallons total.

The City is not accepting tires, explosives, biohazards or radioactive materials.

*Attention Businesses* Carpinteria Small Quantity Generators MUST have an appointment. Contact sustainability@carpinteriaca.gov to make an appointment (hazardous waste ID number required). Businesses without an appointment and Large Quantity Generators will be turned away.

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

Bicycles can be donated directly to Santa Barbara County MOVE’s Community Bike Shops (Bici Centro) year-round. Bici Centro also offers bike maintenance services, opportunities to learn bicycle repair and maintenance, and a selection of affordable, pre-loved bikes and upcycled bike parts to fix, build, or upgrade your bike. For more information visit movesbcounty.org

For questions or more information, contact sustainability@carpinteriaca.gov.

It’s the end of an era! On March 24, our Public Works team demolished the defunct Carpinteria Beach Store ahead of the summer season. Deemed unfit for use, the aging trailer has not been operational since 2023.

City of Carpinteria merchandise (T-shirts, hats, etc.) is now available for sale at Carpinteria Community Pool, and rentals of kayaks and other beach gear will take place through the boathouse on Ash Avenue during the summer.

Starting Monday, June 16 and ending Friday, Aug. 1, the boathouse will be open daily. The season will continue with weekend-only open hours through Aug. 31.

The Carpinteria City Council will hold its next regular meeting on Monday, March 24 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/41YaMMq. Comments posted on social media will not be provided to council members.

• Proclamation designating April 2025 as “DMV/Donate Life Month” and “Carpinteria Business Month” in the City of Carpinteria.
• Selection of the 2024 City of Carpinteria Volunteer of the Year.
• Closeout of the 2022 Pavement Rehabilitation Project.
• Approval of the amended agreement between the City of Carpinteria and South Coast Community Media Access Center (dba TV Santa Barbara).
• Adoption of an Electronic Signature Policy.
• Proposition 218 protest hearing for proposed 5% increase to City of Carpinteria’s Solid Waste AB 939 Program fee.
• Annual Progress Report on General Plan Implementation.
• Adoption of City Council Goals and Priorities for Fiscal Years 2025-26 and 2026-27; and Strategic Plan Final Report, including City Mission, Vision, and Value Statements (Working Drafts); and City Council-developed Norms, Values, and Principles of Governance (Final Draft).

If you’re looking for a fun and healthy way to fill some spring break hours, bring the kids for a swim at the pool, 5305 Carpinteria Ave.

Spring break is March 24-28, and during that week, rec swim hours will be Monday through Friday from 12:30 to 3 p.m.

Learn more at https://carpinteriaca.gov/parks-and-recreation/carpinteria-community-pool/

Don’t miss this Santa Barbara County arts grant opportunity!

Some details:

• Grant funding is $50,000 given out in grants between $1k-$5k.
• This is open to organizations with an annual budget of less than $500,000
• The grant comes in the form of reimbursement payments
• Applicants are required to attend an online workshop to apply:
  • March 26, 2025 4:00-5:30 pm
  • April 10, 2025 12:00-1:30 pm

Learn more at https://www.sbac.ca.gov/county-grants