Newsletter Archives

On August 29th, the Chamber hosted its quarterly membership meeting at the Holiday Inn with the featured program on Goleta Plan and Planning.

Mayor Pro Tempore, Michael T. Bennett, Steve Chase, Planning Director for the City of Goleta, and Ken Knight, Vice Chair of Goleta’s Planning Commission shared their thoughts on the future of Goleta, the General Planning Process and Old Town.

Bennett started off discussing the City’s newly adopted budget and his concern with the Revenue Neutrality Agreement. “With over 53% of our budget going to the County, we can’t do more in repairing our roads, mitigating traffic and providing recreation opportunities,” said Bennett. “We’re looking at a number of ways to resolve or renegotiated this issue.”

Bennett also touched on his vision of a downtown Goleta as a warm, comfortable, safe place for residents to gather -- a historic place for future generations to enjoy.

Chase provided a statistical picture of Goleta with its 8 square miles and 30,700 residents. He discussed the potential build out for another 500 single-family and 3400 multifamily units in the next 30 years. He noted the potential for 700,000 square feet of commercial space, about a 17% increase above what is currently available. All of these statistics add up to an opportunity to create a solid plan for the future.

He said, “Whatever you put into a General Plan is an absolute. We’re beta testing the general plan now and finding out that some of it doesn’t work. We are engaged in a process of reevaluating it.”

Chase also encouraged people to attend meetings and workshops in which the city solicited input on the General Plan and the proposed sphere of influence.

Knight added, “No matter how finely crafted the General Plan is, we have to expect change. My goal as a Planning Commissioner is to give all individuals the opportunity to be heard and know that the decisions that are made are supported.”

The meeting concluded with questions and answers about the sphere of influence process, the general plan, and Goleta’s historical inventory.

Website Advertising Initial Success
By Grayson Peters

Just three months after its launch, the Goleta Valley Chamber of Commerce’s brand-new website is garnering an amazing response in overall visits and the number of click-throughs for advertisers.

“We knew that the revised site would generate a lot of traffic, but the response has been even better than we anticipated. This is just one more way that the Chamber is helping member businesses,” said Kristen Amyx, President and CEO of the Goleta Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Website visitors have increased by 20 percent in the last three months. This is attributed to the useful content, improved layout, and robust resources offered.

Two business advertisers who have seen a big response from their banner ads are Mark Lannon of Gay Milligan & Company, and the Ramada Limited. Lannon has seen 220 click- throughs to his website and 111,000 banner ad displays in the first three months following the new site’s debut. Ramada Limited has seen 190 website click-throughs and had their banner displayed 223,000 times.

“Our association with the Goleta Chamber has always been beneficial to our business. Our web presence on their new site has provided a new avenue of awareness for us. We are very pleased with the numbers that have been generated to date,” said Rob Ogle, Director of Marketing for the Ramada Limited.

As the Chamber continues to add new functionality and enhance the services of the site, the benefits to the membership increase exponentially. For more information on the benefits of this quantifiable marketing program available to members only, or to inquire about remaining opportunities contact Grayson Peters at the Chamber office at 967-2500 or grayson@goletavalley.com.

RLA Update: Special Session Begins
By Lisa Rivas and Tom Blabey

The 2007 legislative year ended in the early morning hours on September 12, with mixed reviews on how effective the legislators were this year. While 2,800 bills were proposed and about 960 were approved during the nine-month session, some say the legislators were good at routine business, but didn’t get to the hard issues.

Three key issues for the Governor going in to the year were health care, redistricting and water storage, none of which were accomplished in the regular session. A special session was called by the Governor on September 11 to address water storage and health care. However, redistricting is tabled for the year.

Special Session
Health care had some attention throughout the legislative year and AB 8 was passed by both houses and moved to the Governor’s desk. The Governor is expected to veto the bill because it fails in 4 key areas: achieving universal health care, securing insurance coverage for all, meeting needed medical insurance rate reimbursements and the bills lack of financial security because of the reliance on businesses for funding.

The Governor would like the Legislature to approve everything but the funding for a health care agreement and then to ask voters next year to approve various funding sources to pay for the plan.

The Special Session on water is aimed at approving a new multibillion-dollar bond to pay for water storage and a solution to environmental problems in the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento Delta. The area is a major water passageway between the northern and southern parts of the State. The plan is to reach an agreement by the end of September allowing the bond to go on the February 5 ballot.
The business community can and should weigh in on the water and health care issues being addressed in special session. This is done exactly the same way it is handled in the regular session; phone calls, letters and emails to your legislative representatives and the Governor’s office.

Chairman's Journal - Join us at the Lemon Festival
By William MacFayden

We spend a lot of time dealing with public policy, economic development, government relations and other fascinating issues at the Goleta Valley Chamber of Commerce. But we really look forward to the annual California Lemon Festival each October.

This Oct. 20 and 21 mark the 16th year the Chamber has hosted the Lemon Festival and it truly is the most fun you can have this side of, well, Disneyland. No matter the age, no matter the interest, we’ve got something for everyone at Girsh Park.

It all starts with our passion for the fruit. Lemon groves may no longer be ubiquitous in the Goleta Valley, but our community pride in our agricultural heritage has grown ever stronger. In fact, our love of lemons manifests itself in the most creative of ways, with lemon chicken, lemonade, lemon beer and lemon meringue pie only a tantalizing slice of it.

This year’s celebration promises to be our best ever. Our popular Safety Street returns and our children’s activities have been expanded to include more rides, games, contests and amusements, including my favorite, the Pirate’s Cove obstacle course. The festival is now host to the Girls Inc. 5K Run; the Goleta Fall Classic Car, Motorcycle & Street Rod Show; two full days of live music and entertainment; and a teeming center-piece of arts and crafts booths. And have I mentioned the food? It’s delicious, and the proceeds benefit a variety of local nonprofit organizations.

You’ll be amazed at how smoothly this epic event comes together, but we couldn’t pull off that kind of organization without the hard work of our festival staff and the leadership of our festival committee co-chairwomen, Patricia Fabing and Megan Hilton. We’re also indebted to our enthusiastic and generous sponsors, especially our top sponsor, Ralphs.

Please let us know if you’d like to get involved. See you at Girsh Park.

President's Journal
By Kristen Amyx

The City of Goleta is in a bad deal with the County. I’m not blaming the County – they negotiated the best deal they could, to assure a long-term revenue deal in exchange for the formation of the City of Goleta. The County stood to lose a lot of revenue if the City of Goleta formed, so in accordance with State law, a revenue neutrality agreement was negotiated and signed by the County and Goleta Now!, the group petitioning for city hood.

The payment arrangement of taxes collected by the city being forwarded to the county is not in exchange for any services the county provides, i.e. contracts the city retains for certain services are negotiated and paid separately. The intent of the Revenue Neutrality law is that for a fixed period, regular payments are made until the city is totally self-sufficient and the county is completely out of the city’s business. Additionally, it gives the county a set time to prepare the budget changes necessary.

Not so for ours. Fifty-percent of our property tax revenue is to be paid to the County forever. Half the retail sales tax will be shared until 2012-2013 when the county share decreases to 30%. Finally, 40% of the transient occupancy tax will be given to the County until 2012-2013 when the amount drops to zero.

You have probably begun to hear our City Council members talking about a renegotiation and in fact they each spoke of this issue during their campaigns for election. You will hear about it even more, because the new City Council is very aware of the City’s uncertain financial future. The recently adopted two-year budget is the last that can be “in the black” without cutting back services. This, in the face of strong opinions from our citizens that they want more services, particularly a recreation department or program, and enhanced traffic and transportation projects.

Something will have to change, and maybe the answer is multi-faceted, including shifting budget priorities, changes to Measure D and revenue and some business economic growth that will bring more cash to the City. But the County has a myriad of options, too, and looking to their future for ways to offset the perpetual need for funds from us, seems reasonable.

Guest Commentary: The Easy Way Out — Poor Planning at its Finest
By Chris Henson

The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors has let you down. They have found a quick solution to a problem that has been plaguing their office for nearly five years – what to do about the state housing mandate and how to get the County’s 2003-2008 Housing Element certified. Rather than use the mandate as an opportunity to explore potential housing sites and plan for ways to provide the workforce and affordable housing our community needs, staff has taken the easy way out and the Board of Supervisors has sanctioned their actions. Their solution: Use the recently rezoned land in the Isla Vista Master Plan to satisfy their Housing Element.

Whether this shell game satisfies the state is yet to be seen, but one thing is for sure: It does nothing to address what our community sorely needs -- housing for our workforce.

While we applaud Isla Vista for having the foresight to plan for their future, the Isla Vista Master Plan should not be used as the complete fulfillment tool for housing for families and the workforce in our entire County. The housing that will be provided in the Isla Vista Master Plan addresses a very narrow group of people in the County (students), in a very small portion of our County (approximately 1 square mile). Additionally, the Isla Vista Master Plan is a long-range planning document intended to cover development in Isla Vista for the next 20-30 years, while the Housing Element is intended to provide solutions to our immediate housing needs.

Speak out against the shortsighted planning practices of the county and let the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) know you expect our Board of Supervisors to do more for the livelihood and future of our community. You expect them to do their jobs to ensure our area is economically, environmentally, and socially healthy. We need a Housing Element that meets the diverse needs of this County.

Contact me at 882-1486, or chris@coastalhousing.org to get a sample letter you can use to express your concerns with State HCD.

For the health of our environment, for the health of our economy, for the health of our community, make your voice heard!

Chris Henson is the Director of the Coastal Housing Coalition.

Council Hears Input at Sphere of Influence Workshop
By Tom Blabey

The debate over Goleta’s proposed Sphere of Influence heated up at the City sponsored workshop on September 4th. Council Chambers were filled to capacity with a vocal and animated standing room-only crowd. Following an introductory presentation by Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo) Executive Officer, Bob Braitman, the floor was opened to the public. In light of strong opposition from select neighborhoods within the proposed conceptual Sphere, Council members moved to study a greatly reduced area for possible inclusion.

According to the City, a Sphere of Influence is a “LAFCo adopted plan for the probable physical future boundaries and service area of a public agency. Its purpose is to promote orderly and efficient development and provision of public services to land areas and neighborhoods.”

The initially proposed Sphere of Influence incorporated seven defined areas bordering the current city boundaries, stretching as far west as Farren Road and east to Maria Ignacio Creek.

Over 30 speakers from various areas argued both for and against including the different conceptual areas within the proposed sphere voicing concerns for urban agriculture, property values, and even dead the Goletans in old cemeteries not currently within city boundaries. A large group representing the unincorporated areas of the eastern Goleta Valley expressed a desire to remain outside Goleta’s sphere.

The Goleta Valley Chamber of Commerce has not officially taken a position on the proposed Sphere. Kristen Amyx, President and CEO of the Chamber stated, “We appreciate the City’s effort to open the public discourse. We are still studying the proposals but support the City’s current direction.”

After concluding the public comment period, Council members suggested moving forward, but greatly reducing the scope of the proposed sphere to include only the Glen Annie Golf Course, a small area adjacent to southeast Goleta south of Hollister Ave., and the Holiday Hill neighborhood off north Fairview Ave. The Council formally votes on a revised Sphere of Influence proposal at the October 1st public hearing.

Issue & Policy Roundtable Report
By Grayson Peters

August 23, 2007
The Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) has been an integral part of our community since 1941. Its new Airline Terminal Project and Runway Safety Area Project are large steps forward in fulfilling their mission to provide the region with safe, modern, and convenient access to the National Air Transportation System.

Karen Ramsdell, Executive Director, Santa Barbara Airport addressed the Issue & Policy Roundtable on August 23rd, 2007, and detailed these two new projects.

Currently SBA is underway in designing an airline terminal addition, which will include a new parking lot, expanded public transit and traffic access, more private vehicle loading space at the curb, and rehabilitation of the current terminal. The budget for this project is $63 million based on the Airport’s financial abilities. As a self-supporting entity, SBA does not use any local dollars, and will continue to expend all revenue on airport operations, maintenance, and capital improvements.

The new terminal will be a two-story, 60,000 square feet building in addition to the existing 7,000 square foot historic terminal. The Airport’s Aviation Facilities Plan evaluated the size needed for the airline terminal based on forecasted passenger use through 2015.

FAA grant funds will cover the $35 million dollar bill for the Runway Safety Area Project. Working with the available space, the current runway will be rebuilt at the same length but with increased safety features at each end such as a longer buffer zone.

Today Santa Barbara Airport hosts five major airlines, 10 non-stop destinations and international hubs, and has an economic impact of one-half billion dollars. The proposed improvements should boost SBA’s services, but are also aimed at addressing the continued increase of passenger traffic. The number of travelers in and out of SBA has increased 115% over the past 30 years, with a projected 890,000 passengers in 2010 (up from 856,000 in 2006).

More information is available online at www.flysba.com.

Nava Hosts Business Expo
Assemblymember Pedro Nava along with the Goleta Valley Chamber of Commerce and other local Chambers will be hosting a business resource expo on Friday, November 2nd, 2007, from 9 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Cabrillo Pavilion Arts Center. The expo will focus on how to do business with the federal, state and local government. There will be more than 30 organizations participating to provide resources and information to prospective entrepreneurs and area businesses. The event is free of charge. For more information, contact John Mann at 805-483-9808.

Free Upgrades Available
Could you use up to $5,000 free lighting and refrigeration upgrades? Would you like to save $1,800 a year on utility bills? The City of Goleta encourages small businesses to call for a free energy saving analysis, free products and product installation through the Small Business Direct Install Program. This is a program of the South Coast Energy Efficiency Partnership of local governments and Southern California Edison. Sign up by calling 800-332-5483 or visiting their web site at
www.SouthCoastEnergyWise.org.

Dobrotin Honored by State Farm
Tammy Dobrotin, State Farm Agent, was recognized as a member of the "Senior Vice Presidents Club". This designation was achieved based on criteria related to providing insurance and financial services products.
The top 5% of State Farm agents in California are recognized with this award each year. This is the fourth time she has received this award. Dobrotin credits her team for their efforts to assist all of their clients with their insurance services needs.
Dobrotin is serving her second term on the Board of Directors for the Goleta Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Member Spotlight

Anna’s Bakery has been a long loved and oft visited fixture in the Goleta Valley for many years. With its tantalizing array of cakes, doughnuts, muffins, cookies and bread, it is often thought of as a place to grab a sweet. However, Anna’s is much more than your corner bakery, offering breakfast burritos ‘round the clock, and filling soups, salads and sandwiches. Their hand decorated and custom designed cakes make any occasion special.
Owners Lisa Boelter and Deborah Weber purchased the bakery in 1990 after training and mentoring by the previous owners. They’ve grown and changed as the market demands and now find themselves busy all the time.
After the low carb craze hit, they saw the demand for loaves of bread drop. They continue to bake Challah bread every Friday and other specialty breads and rolls for specific holidays.
Boelter shared that the Marketplace location has brought them more continuous traffic than their previous home in the Fairview Shopping Center. Their demand is heavily influenced by UCSB, events in Girsh Park, the Sunday morning Farmers Market and people visiting Camino Real.
The owners of Anna’s are very community minded. Year after year, they generously donate hundreds of lemon meringue pies to the pie eating contest at the Lemon Festival.
Boelter said, “The first year we made about 200 pies. The second year was about 600. I think the most we’ve ever made was 1400.”
Look for Anna’s delicious pies at the Lemon Festival on October 20 & 21.
The Goleta Valley Chamber of Commerce would like to recognize and thank Anna’s for its continued support of the Lemon Festival.

Your Chamber at Work

The Goleta Valley Chamber of Commerce sent letters and emails to the Governor, Federal, and State lawmakers in the past month regarding the following legislation.

(Partial list)
AB 8 (Núñez; D-Los Angeles) Health Care Tax on Employers – OPPOSE
SB 140 (Kehoe; D-San Diego) New Fuel Mandate – OPPOSE
SB 210 (Kehoe; D-San Diego) Restrictive Fuel Standard – OPPOSE
AB 504 (Swanson; D-Alameda) Mandatory Payments for Striking Employees – OPPOSE
AB 1073 (Nava; D-Santa Barbara) Medical Treatment Utilization Schedule – OPPOSE
AB 365 (Portantino; D-La Canada Flintridge) Postsecondary Education – SUPPORT
U.S.-Peru FTA, U.S.-Colombia FTA, U.S.-Panama FTA, and U.S.-Korea FTA – SUPPORT
AB 437 (Jones; D-Sacramento) Increased Employer Liability Exposure – OPPOSE
AB 1673 (Feuer; D-Los Angeles) Retail Sales: Rebates – OPPOSE
SB 622 (Padilla; D-Pacoima) Independent Contractors – OPPOSE
SB 974 (Lowenthal; D-Long Beach) Tax on Freight Movement – OPPOSE
AB 437 (Jones; D-Sacramento) Increased Employer Liability Exposure – OPPOSE

News from the Ambassadors
By Christine LeBon

The Ambassador Council is excited to introduce our four new Ambassadors. Luisa Hidalgo from Accountemps (Staffing Manager), Michael Vidal from Wells Fargo (Vice President and Branch Manager), Tony Vallejo from Palius + O'Kelly LLP (CPA), and Gina Bertolucci. They are a welcome addition to our council. Please make a point to get to know them and welcome them to the GVCOC.

ATK hosted our Monthly Mixer at 600 Pine St. in Old Town Goleta. Thank you Sue Sullivan for hosting this wonderful event. Guests were wined and dined with a wonderful array of fine foods and spirits. Many went on tours to view the remarkable space-satellite stretch antennas and ultra-performing solar panels for which this local company is nationally famous.

Join our Ambassador Council, be a part of our team! We work closely with Rick Yost, our energetic and so-productive Membership Coordinator. Be visible and make a difference!

New Member Profile

Job Smart
Job Smart is a non-profit organization that provides free clothing appropriate for job interviews and work. Our target audience is low-income and homeless persons who are actively seeking employment. We also provide accessories, personal care items, professional haircuts and assistance with resumes.
Appointments are by referral and appointment only.

Job Smart is located at 911 De La Vina Street in Santa Barbara. For more information, please call 962-2995 or visit www.jobsmartsantabarbara.org.