Category: News

The Carpinteria City Council proudly proclaims April 2025 as DMV Donate Life Month! This designation highlights the vital importance of organ, eye and tissue donation, a compassionate act that saves and heals countless lives.

Over 103,000 individuals nationwide, including more than 23,000 Californians, await life-saving transplants. Sadly, 17 people die daily while waiting.

A single donor can save up to eight lives through organ donation and heal over 75 others through tissue donation. Registering is simple! Say “YES!” online at www.donateLIFEcalifornia.org (or www.doneVIDACalifornia.org for Spanish) or when visiting the DMV for your driver’s license or ID.

AgeWell and Hospice of Santa Barbara have teamed up to bring a two-part Advanced Care Directive workshop to Carpinteria in April. Advanced Care Directives allow individuals to outline their medical wishes and designate a healthcare representative in case they are unable to communicate themselves.

On April 10, from 1 to 2:30 p.m., presenters will cover the basics of Advance Care Planning, review the MyCare document, and discuss choosing a healthcare representative, with time for questions.

On April 17, from 1 to 2:30 p.m., volunteers will help participants ensure the document is filled out correctly, and a Notary Public will be available to legalize it. Both sessions are free and will be held at the Veterans Hall Meeting Room, 941 Walnut Ave.

The City of Carpinteria is thrilled to announce April 2025 as Carpinteria Business Month. Our local businesses are the backbone of our community, generating vital tax revenue that supports essential city services and enhances our quality of life.

These businesses provide crucial products and services, create local jobs, and generously contribute to our nonprofits and volunteer efforts. The City deeply values the feedback of our business community and actively includes them in our outreach and policy development. We also appreciate the partnership with the Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce in fostering a strong, business-friendly environment. This April, let’s all show our support for the wonderful businesses that make Carpinteria so special.

Carpinteria Community Library kicks off Carp Reads 2025 on April 1, by making available free copies of “Solito” by Javier Zamora in English and Spanish. With support from Friends of Carpinteria Library, Carp Reads is modeled after One Community, One Book programs and designed to bring people together through a common love of literature.
The program aims to foster community-wide conversation, encouraging hundreds of residents to engage with the book. “Solito,” a New York Times bestseller, is a non-fiction memoir, narrated from the perspective of a 9-year-old Zamora, recounting his journey from El Salvador to the United States.

A special author event featuring Zamora as the keynote speaker will take place on May 1 at 6 p.m. at the Veterans Memorial Building, 941 Walnut Ave. Additionally, the Library will host book discussions in both English and Spanish, along with other related programming. More details on upcoming events and activities will be shared in the coming weeks.

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.