Category: News

The City of Carpinteria Planning Commission will hold a Special Meeting on the Housing Element Update 2023-2031 on Monday, March 20, at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall, 5775 Carpinteria Ave. At the hearing, the Commission will review comments from the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), the City’s revised draft 2023-2031 Housing Element addressing comments from HCD and other parties, receive additional public comments, and consider a recommendation to the City Council for adoption of the Housing Element.

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. Additional details and numerous ways for the public to provide comments can be found at https://bit.ly/3ZTIU9K. Comments posted on social media will not be provided to commissioners.

Join your neighbors in learning about climate solutions! Resilient Central Coast will hold a community workshop, Creating Climate Resilience Through Shifting Your Ride, on Tuesday, March 21, from 6 to 7 p.m. on Zoom. Our personal vehicles create 24 pounds of carbon pollution for every gallon of gas. Workshop participants will learn more about the many options to reduce our impact from daily travel. From driving less to public transportation to considering an electric vehicle, there are many ways to reduce carbon pollution while saving money. Register for the workshop at https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUtc-2srzwoH9E-ECG8dHCAlfE4Veoy1oKz

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office, in coordination with fire agencies and other public safety officials, has announced that as of 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 14, Evacuation Orders are canceled for most identified properties and parcels, including those in Carpinteria Valley.

An Evacuation Warning is still in place for identified properties on the 800 block of Pioneer St. in the City of Guadalupe. Residents should be prepared to leave at a moment’s notice.

Please be advised that areas affected by road closures or flooding may not be able to repopulate yet. While residents are allowed to return home, be aware of loose and falling rocks, minor landslides, wet road conditions, downed trees and power lines.

Public safety officials remain engaged and are actively assessing and responding to damages that occurred as a result of the storm. Residents in areas of concern in Sisquoc, Garey, Tepusquet and Foxen Canyon should remain vigilant for flooded roads and hazards.

Creek and river flows are expected to continue to increase through at least Wednesday, March 15. Remain vigilant, and do not wait to evacuate if you feel unsafe.  Do not pass through standing or running water. The water may be much deeper than it appears, and extremely dangerous. The evacuation shelter at Wake Center in Santa Barbara will close this evening.

Plans to launch temporary senior and active adult programming have been postponed to next week due to storm impacts. The City, in partnership with Girls Inc. of Carpinteria, will offer limited active adult and senior programming services beginning Tuesday, March 21, from 9:30 a.m. to noon. The temporary program will continue every Tuesday and Thursday thereafter, through early June.

Share a cup of coffee and snacks with other attendees while learning about existing activities and resources already available in the community. Additionally, participants can help to shape the future of senior services in the City by sharing their feedback on various options the City is considering for a permanent Active Adult & Senior hub.

Current programming includes fitness classes, current events discussions, gardening, arts, and games. Transportation services are not available at this time. Learn more about March programming at https://bit.ly/4220b1V .

• Where: Girls Inc. of Carpinteria, 5315 Foothill Road
• When: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30 a.m. to noon, beginning Tuesday, March 21

In response to impending heavy and prolonged rains, an EVACUATION ORDER has been issued in Santa Barbara County taking effect on Tuesday, March 14 at 8 a.m. In the City of Carpinteria, the EVACUATION ORDER applies to several parcels south of Highway 192 that are adjacent to Carpinteria Creek.

All residents of the following parcels are required to evacuate immediately: all parcels adjacent to the Carpinteria Creek between Highway 192 and Highway 101, the GranVida Senior Living and Memory Care, the 800 block of Concha Loma Drive, and the residences in Singing Springs and Creekwind complexes that are adjacent to the creek.

Some City of Carpinteria properties under Evacuation Order and described above are not indicated on the Readysbc.org map, but local emergency officials have determined that the risk necessitates the order. Outside of City boundaries, the Evacuation Order applies to several parcels in Carpinteria Valley that are located along creeks and are indicated in interactive map at Readysbc.org.

Anyone who lives outside of the evacuation area and has reason to believe their property or lives are at risk should also evacuate immediately.

The Wake Center on 300 N. Turnpike Road in Santa Barbara is open as an evacuation shelter for persons displaced by evacuation orders.

According to the National Weather Service, rainfall is anticipated to remain consistent through Wednesday morning. A Flood Watch is in effect countywide beginning at 7 a.m. on March 14 through 5 a.m. on March 15. Coasts and valleys are expected to get 2 – 5 inches of rain, while foothills and mountains can expect to receive 4 – 8 inches of rain to the already saturated watershed. This storm will bring a high threat of dangerous flooding of roads, creeks, and streams. Roads may become impassable due to flooding or flood damage.

To help protect local properties from possible flooding, the City of Carpinteria has free sandbags available to the public in its Public Works Yard at the back of the City Hall property, 5775 Carpinteria Ave.

Please note the following impacts to local services:

Carpinteria Unified School District has canceled school on Tuesday, March 14, and residents are encouraged to check with daycare providers, preschools and private schools for information about additional closures.

• Carpinteria Community Pool will be closed on Tuesday, March 14.
• Carpinteria Community Library will be open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. unless weather necessitates an earlier closure.
• Carpinteria City Hall will be open during regular business hours.
• The launch of the City’s senior programming that was scheduled for Tuesday, March 14 at Girls Inc. of Carpinteria will be postponed to Tuesday, March 21.

The following storm resources are available:

• For assistance with animal evacuations, please contact Santa Barbara County Animal Services at (805) 681-4332.
• For status of highways, visit Caltrans: https://roads.dot.ca.gov/roadscell.php
• For status of county roadways, visit County Public Works: https://www.countyofsb.org/2116/Road-Closures

For additional information regarding evacuation shelters, weather conditions and more:

• Contact the Santa Barbara County Call Center at (833) 688-5551, open from 7:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 14.
• Visit https://www.readysbc.org/

Register to receive Readysbc alerts: If you haven’t registered for emergency alerts, register now at ReadySBC.org. Receive local emergency alerts via text, phone call, and email.

An EVACUATION WARNING has been issued due to a storm that is predicted to deliver heavy rain to Santa Barbara County on Tuesday, March 14 and Wednesday, March 15. This EVACUATION WARNING goes into effect on Monday, March 13 at 6 p.m. and applies to several parcels that are within the City of Carpinteria and adjacent to Carpinteria Creek.

The parcels under evacuation warning are as follows: all parcels adjacent to the Carpinteria Creek between Foothill Road and Highway 101, the GranVida Senior Living and Memory Care, the 800 block of Concha Loma Drive, and the residences in Singing Springs and Creekwind that are adjacent to the creek. Anyone who lives outside of the evacuation area and has reason to believe their property is at risk should also prepare to evacuate.

The storm is forecast to deliver up to an inch of rain an hour starting at 10 a.m. on March 14. These heavy rains have the potential to produce flooding and mud and debris flows. Winds may result in downed trees. Residents who are able to stay home during the storm should do so. Roadways could become dangerous.

To help protect local properties from possible flooding, the City of Carpinteria has free sandbags available to the public in its Public Works Yard at the back of the City Hall property, 5775 Carpinteria Ave.

Carpinteria Unified School District has canceled school on Tuesday, March 14, and residents are encouraged to check with daycare providers, preschools and private schools for information about additional closures.

Carpinteria Community Pool will be closed on Tuesday, March 14, and the Carpinteria Community Library will close at 3 p.m. unless weather necessitates an earlier closure.

The launch of the City’s senior programming that was scheduled for Tuesday, March 14 at Girls Inc. of Carpinteria will be postponed to Tuesday, March 21.

Properties under Evacuation Warning are not indicated on the Readysbc.org map, but local emergency officials have determined that the risk necessitates the warning. For additional information, residents may visit readysbc.org, or call the SB County Emergency Operations Center at (833) 688-5551 or 2-1-1. For assistance with animal evacuations, please call 805-681-4332.

If you’re free on Saturday, March 18, please come out and pitch in to beautify Santa Monica Creek Trail while creating habitat for important pollinators and helping native plants thrive. Volunteers can drop in and lend a hand anytime between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Led by trail steward Ray Kolbe, volunteers will lay down cardboard and spread mulch to keep invasives from crowding out native species. The workday is part of an ongoing effort to plant native species and beautify the often overlooked creekside trail that runs along Santa Monica Creek from Via Real to Foothill Road. Volunteers are encouraged to bring work gloves, a hat and water. Join the effort at El Carro Lane and Santa Monica Creek. To learn more, contact Ray at rwkolbe@gmail.com or (805) 705-3429.

The City, in partnership with Girls Inc. of Carpinteria, will offer limited active adult and senior programming services beginning Tuesday, March 14, from 9:30 a.m. to noon. The temporary program will continue every Tuesday and Thursday thereafter, through early June.

Share a cup of coffee and snacks with other attendees while learning about existing activities and resources already available in the community. Additionally, participants can help to shape the future of senior services in the City by sharing their feedback on various options the City is considering for a permanent Active Adult & Senior hub.

Current programming includes fitness classes, current events discussions, gardening, arts, and games. Transportation services are not available at this time. Learn more about March programming HERE.

• Where: Girls Inc. of Carpinteria, 5315 Foothill Road
• When: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30 a.m. to noon, beginning Tuesday, March 14

Another rain system is expected to arrive in Santa Barbara County on Tuesday,  March 14, and in response, the National Weather Service has issued a FLOOD WATCH for Santa Barbara County effective Tuesday, March 14 at 9 a.m. through Wednesday, March 15  at 5 a.m. Rainfall is predicted to start Tuesday morning and remain consistent through Wednesday morning. Please avoid low-lying and flood-prone areas, areas with standing water, and areas near creeks or streams. If you are in one of these areas be prepared to go to higher ground. Current forecasts indicate this storm is likely to cause excessive runoff which may result in dangerous flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low lying and flood prone areas. Residents should take steps to prepare ahead of the storm by visiting https://www.countyofsb.org/576/Storm-Readiness . Sandbags are available for pick up at City Hall, 5775 Carpinteria Ave.

Santa Barbara County Flood Control has concluded the critical clearing of the Carpinteria watershed debris basins and transport of high-quality sediment to Carpinteria City Beach. Since the operation began on Jan. 17, approximately 43,000 cubic yards of material have been removed from Santa Monica Basin, Gobernador Basin, Arroyo Paredon Basin, Toro Basin, Franklin Channel, and Santa Monica Channel. Additional work to re-grade and groom the Ash Avenue beach area will take place over the next 1-2 weeks, depending on access allowed by tides.

To ensure that only natural, quality sediment material was deposited at the beach, frequent testing was conducted by Fugro West Inc, Laboratory and FGL Environmental. Water quality was also tested throughout the operation by the Water Resources Division of the Santa Barbara County Public Works Department and the Santa Barbara County Environmental Health Services Ocean Monitoring Program. Test results indicated that all materials were environmentally safe for beach deposits.