April 15: The Carpinteria City Council has voted to issue a letter protesting a proposed new rule that would impact thousands of local families. Noozhawk reports the rule says that if any member of a family wasn’t born in the US, the entire family can be denied federal assistance. Council member Julia Mayer was quoted as calling the change really shocking, and the council this week approved issuing a statement opposing the rule change.
April 15: The new water recycling plant will break ground in Carpinteria in July. Coastal View News reports a pipeline for the plant will start construction next month, and that the facility is expected to be up and running by 2029. It will be the first plant of its kind in Santa Barbara County and the estimated price tag is 90 million dollars.
April 12: More than 200 locals turned out Thursday for a pair of gatherings about the proposed housing project on the Bluffs. At the community church, developers presented their plan to build almost 200 housing units where the Tee Time golf range sits now. Next door, the citizens group opposed to the project had their own meeting, wearing stickers that said NO, and telling reporters the project involves spoiling sacred ground. There are efforts under way to raise the money to buy the property to prevent development, but it’s said to be well short of what would be needed.
April 10: Santa Barbara County continues its attack on Carpinteria Valley cannabis farmers. Eight local farms are now being threatened with closure because owners haven’t installed expensive odor-abatement equipment. A small group of locals has flooded the county with thousands of complaints about the aroma coming from some farms, and this year the county has decided to crack down on even profitable farms over those complaints. The eight farms in question can still appeal the rulings against them.
April 9: The city will take a two-step approach to enforcing new e-bike rules. Coastal View News reports the city council has finalized the new ordinances, which include a ban on e-bikes on downtown sidewalks and other safety restrictions. The first phase of enforcement will be to issue warnings and inform the public about the new rules. The second phase involves issuing citations and targeting problem riders, and that’s expected to start late in the spring.
April 6: The new train run between LA and San Luis Obispo will start May 4. Transportation officials say the extra line will provide more flexibility and connectivity for commuters and other passengers. The new Pacific Surfliner run was chosen over expanding Metrolink service up to the south coast.
April 6: This month the city council got an update on several local improvement projects, most of which are on track and moving forward. Two projects that are delayed are the multi-use trail from the Bluffs down to Rincon Beach, and the library improvement plan. Both are still in the planning and development phase. The report says the removal and replacement of the bridge at Carpinteria Creek is still on track to be finished by this coming fall. Preliminary work has been underway at the bridge since late last year.
March 31: The city of Carpinteria is facing a lawsuit from developers who want to build the city’s first skyscraper. It would be an 18-story apartment building that the development group says would feature 130 units of low-income and fair-market housing. Noozhawk reports the group thinks the city is blocking the project despite the paperwork all being filled out properly. The lawsuit also claims the city’s housing element isn’t valid, despite it having been certified about a year and a half ago. Informal surveys have suggested locals are very much against the project. No word yet how the city plans to respond to the suit.
April 7: The state Attorney General has again lashed out at Sable Offshore for restarting the Plains All-American Pipeline. That’s the one that burst open in 2015 and spilled 140-thousand gallons of crude oil onto beaches and into the ocean. The corporation ignored state and court rulings that the operation was illegal, and was finally granted permission by way of the government declaring an energy emergency. In a comment letter, attorney general Rob Bonta said there is no such crisis and that the current administration is ignoring public health and safety by allowing the line to restart.
Ongoing: Registration for spring workshops. 865 Linden Avenue, call 805-684-7789.
Ongoing: Improv, Tuesdays 7pm, $10 at the door. April 15: Skeleton Crewe 7pm 4916 Carpinteria Ave., tix available at thealcazar.org
Ongoing: Carpinteira Songwriters Circle Tues. 4pm Babies Are the Best, Wed. 9am. Conversational Spanish, Tues. 2pm. 5141 Carpinteria Ave., carpinterialibrary.org.
April 15: Skeleton Crewe, Alcazar Theatre 7pm
April 15: Vinnie Berry, Corktree Cellars 6pm
April 17: Bobby Fin & Dave, Corktree Cellars 6pm