Category: News

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Community Member Alerts Deputies to Catalytic Converter Theft

Patrol deputies in Carpinteria have arrested three suspects for theft of catalytic converters. On Thursday, July 8, at approximately 2:49 a.m., deputies were dispatched to the 1000-block of Palmetto Way for a reported theft of a catalytic converter that had just occurred. The reporting party heard what sounded like a saw, recognized that a theft was likely occurring, quickly called the Sheriff’s Office and provided a vehicle description and direction of travel.

Patrol deputies located and stopped a vehicle that matched the suspect’s within minutes. Inside the vehicle were three occupants, two catalytic converters, two reciprocating saws, and two car jacks. Deputies arrested the three occupants, 39-year-old Rufino Garcia-Vasquez, 37-year-old Gustavo Pineda-Duran, and 34-year-old Samuel Gallegos-Espinoza, all from Los Angeles. They were each booked at the Santa Barbara County Jail for possession of stolen property (felony), grand theft (felony), conspiracy (felony), and possession of burglary tools (felony).

Pineda-Duran was also booked for possession of a controlled substance (misdemeanor), and Gallegos-Espinoza was driving without a license (misdemeanor). All three suspects are being held on $1,000,000 bail.

Lieutenant Butch Arnoldi, who serves as the Chief of Police for the City of Carpinteria, said, “We would like to thank the community member for calling to report this crime and for providing a vehicle description and direction of travel.” He added, “This is a great example of community awareness that resulted in the successful apprehension of suspects who often slip away undetected.”

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Planning Commission to Review Parking Study & 700 Linden Project

The Carpinteria Planning Commission will hold its next regular webinar meeting on Tuesday, July 6 at 5:30 p.m. To minimize the potential spread of COVID-19, the meeting will be held virtually. Members of the public are encouraged to view the meeting live at www.carpinteria.ca.us, on Government Access Television Channel 21 or by logging into the Zoom webinar through the link in the agenda below.

The following are highlights of the agenda. Additional details and numerous ways for the public to provide comments can be found at https://bit.ly/3Alkytb. Comments posted on social media will not be provided to commissioners.

Draft Downtown Carpinteria Parking Study: Hearing at the request of the City of Carpinteria for the Planning Commission to receive the Draft Downtown Carpinteria Parking Study prepared by Walker Consultants for the City, and make recommendations to the City Council for additions, modifications, and/or deletions, as determined appropriate.

700 Linden Avenue Adaptive Reuse Project: Request of a Development Plan and a Coastal Development Permit (and a parking modification to zone district requirements) to complete a commercial adaptive reuse project to reconfigure and remodel the existing buildings to create a new multi-tenant retail, restaurant and office development, including a new 3,176 square foot second floor addition, a new central courtyard, and a new 20-space parking lot.

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City Hall has Re-opened

Carpinteria City Hall facility fully opened last week after a prolonged partial closure to protect staff and the public during the COVID-19 pandemic. Public counters and the lobby are open, and the public is welcome inside. Unvaccinated individuals will be required to wear a mask in accordance with State and County guidelines. Some additional health precautions remain in place, such as plexiglass dividers, hand sanitizing stations and air filters in the building.

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Highway Accidents Cause Major Traffic In Carpinteria

HIGHWAY ACCIDENTS CAUSE MAJOR TRAFFIC IN CARPINTERIA

An accident involving a CHP officer occured on northbound Highway 101 near Linden Avenue just before noon and led to the diversion of all highway traffic to surface streets in Carpinteria. As of 12:45 p.m., southbound lanes were open, but northbound lanes remained closed. Traffic congestion and delays on surface streets are expected to continue. Also, earlier this morning an accident on northbound Highway 101 near Mussel Shoals in Ventura County caused a full northbound closure and significant delays.

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Council Approves Fiscal Year 2021/22 City Budget

Budget

At its June 14 meeting, the Carpinteria City Council unanimously voted to approve the budget for fiscal year 2021/22. Funding for all existing projects, programs and services that are provided and planned for by the City is included in the $26 million budget.

The 2021/22 budget reflects ongoing impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic, though these are projected to be far less significant than in 2020/21. Expenditures increased in 2020/21 in order for the City to provide support to local businesses and providers of public health and wellness services during the pandemic. Meanwhile, key revenues decreased in 2020/21, including sales tax and transient occupancy taxes (lodging taxes). In the 2021/22 fiscal year, which begins on July 1, these revenues are expected to improve but remain lower than pre-pandemic rates.

The 2021/22 budget prioritizes restoring financial reserves and staffing, which were drawn down and frozen during the pandemic, and investing strategically in projects, programs and services that will further strengthen our community safety net ahead of any future disasters. These strategic investments include, in part, the new Library, Racial Equity & Social Justice program, and providing financial support to local agencies providing enhanced Health & Human Services programming in Carpinteria. The adopted fiscal year 2021/22 budget is available at https://carpinteriaca.gov/city-hall/administrative-services-finance/.