October 8: Another business is leaving the Casitas Pass Shopping Center. Casitas Cleaning has announced it closed its doors August 30th and is now open strictly for pickup. Earlier this week the T-Mobile Store in the strip mall closed down for good. The complex has changed hands and the exodus reportedly is because the rents are being raised.
October 8: Workers will begin installing a major water line along Carpinteria Avenue Monday night. The project is connected with the new water treatment facility on 6th Street, and parts of Carpinteria Avenue will be closed overnights until the work is done. Then on the 19th the work will resume during daytime hours for paving and finishing work, which is expected to take two days.
October 2: The City Council has balked at entering into an agreement with the South Coast Chamber of Commerce. The deal would have had the chamber sending a representative to Carpinteria once a week to work on helping local businesses with outreach. But the price tag was $30,000 for a year, and the council vote was 2-2, which means it was defeated. Councilmember Monica Solorzano recused herself before the vote because she said she is receiving support from the Chamber in her re-election campaign.
October 1: The proposal to install a series of historical murals at the Seal Fountain on Linden Avenue has been withdrawn by the applicant. Coastal View News reports that at this week’s City Council meeting, the Carpinteria Cultural Foundation announced it was withdrawing the proposal because it objects to changing the panel artwork. Public comment brought concerns that some of the panels displayed stereotypes and simplified portrayals of local history. A CCF spokesman says they’ll look elsewhere to be able to put up the artwork as-is.
Sept. 29: Noozhawk reports the project to renovate the community swimming pool has received a lifeline from the state of California. The city has announced a funding package of $4.4 million $3.3 million of which will be used to upgrade the pool. The other million dollars will go for improvements to the Community Library. State Senator Monique Limon is credited with securing the funding for both. Supporters had set up a gofundme page for the pool repairs, but that reportedly has been taken down now, with the money collected to be used for future pool maintenance.
October 5: The Carpinteria Planning Commission has voted to approve the Surfliner Inn project on a 3-1 vote. The action includes certifying the Environmental Impact Report that was done earlier this year. The project has been more than a decade in the making and has caused for deep divisions among Carpinterians, with some feeling it will spoil the city’s small-town charm and others saying it will help some downtown businesses and benefit the city’s bottom line. The lone dissenting vote came from Commissioner Jane Benefield. The decision can be appealed to the City Council within 10 days.
ELECTIONS: In District 1, incumbent Monica Solorzano is running for re-election against Aja Forner. District 5 has Alexandra VanAntwerp and Randy Corrasco competing to fill the seat being vacated by Al Clark. District 3 councilmember Julia Mayer is unopposed. Ballot measure “I” gives locals the chance to decide whether the city should impose an additional .25% sales tax. The city has mailed information about the measure to local voters.
CANNABIS: Legal cannabis has brought in more than $8 billion since 2018. It is now Santa Barbara County’s second most profitable agricultural product behind strawberries. A local cannabis farm is challenging the County Board of Supervisors’ blanket denial of extensions for many local farms to install odor-control equipment. A new study suggests communities that ‘opt-out’ of legalized cannabis, are actually helping the black market. Despite being home to one of the most productive growing areas in the country, Carpinteria does not allow dispensaries or related cannabis businesses within its city limits. A small group of locals is continuing their campaign to try and have local cannabis farms closed down because they don’t like the smell.
HOUSING & DEVELOPMENT: The Surfliner Inn project moved forward by way of a 3-1 vote by the city Planning Commission.. The controversial proposal would effectively eliminate parking lot #3 to build a boutique hotel next to the railroad tracks. The issue now moves on to the City Council. The long-awaited renovation of the Palms Hotel is underway, with scaffolding and construction crews present on the property. The Farm Project is a large group of luxury homes proposed for The Bluffs. Opponents have contracted with the Environmental Defense Center in Santa Barbara to fight the project. A separate effort involves the proposed conversion of two vacant business park buildings at the Bluffs to worker and affordable housing. That proposal is still under consideration. A proposed 18-story apartment building in the middle of the city has met with stiff opposition from locals. The developers have filed a lawsuit against the landowners and the city for allegedly taking too long to process their applications. Locals lined up to voice strong opposition to Red Tail Multifamily Housing Project at the City Council’s meeting August 24. Developers want to build a 169-unit complex just past the city limits off Bailard Avenue.
OCEAN/OIL: Local beaches have been inundated with increased amounts of oil washing ashore. Authorities say it isn’t from renewed drilling and pumping operations by Sable Offhsore at Gaviota. Chevron continues decommissioning work at the old Venoco property in Carpinteria, most recently removing underground pipelines extending three miles out in the ocean. A barge is now working to cut up and remove sections of old pipeline. Up the coast, the battle over restarting the Plains All-American Pipeline continues, with Sable Offshore plowing ahead with the restart despite court rulings and warnings from the state Coastal Commission. Most recently the company gained federal oversight by way of a judge’s ruling, effectively wiping out past rulings and warnings.
BUSINESS WATCH: The Casitas Pass Shopping Center is seeing an exodus of businesses since changing hands. The T-Mobile Service Center and Casitas Dry Cleaning are the latest to close doors. The new restaurant at 4745 Carpinteria Avenue will be called Rincon General Bodega and Wine Bar. Siteline SB reports they are looking to open by the end of the year. Clementine’s Steakhouse had its final dinner serving October 4. The future of the building is unclear. The Larder by Field & Forte has opened at Shepard Place Shops, filling the spot where The Food Liason used to be. The Apiary is expanding to Santa Barbara, with plans to open a new store on Chapala Street downtown. Ojai Rotie continues preparing for its opening later this year. There are now signs out front that say “Opening ASAP!”
Ongoing: Registration for fall workshops. 865 Linden Avenue, call 805-684-7789.
Ongoing: Improv, Tuesdays 7pm, $10 at the door.
4916 Carpinteria Ave.
Tickets at thealcazar.org
Ongoing: Carpinteria Songwriters Circle Tues. 4pm Babies Are the Best, Wed. 9am. Conversational Spanish, Tues. 2pm. 5141 Carpinteria Ave., carpinterialibrary.org.
STAY TUNED!