August 27: The city has started a campaign to raise almost $3.5 million for maintenance and upgrades for the community swimming pool on Carpinteria Avenue. Organizers are stressing that the money would be used for maintenance and bringing the pool up to date, not for a redesign. Residents, businesses and community organizations are being encouraged to chip in to raise the funds, about 374-thousand dollars’ worth having already been raised.
August 25: The state Coastal Commission has approved a five year plan for maintaining the Salt Marsh. Noozhawk reports the plan involves occasionally dredging the marsh and opening up the end near the ocean periodically to allow sediment to move through. The program will be implemented by the county Flood Control District, since the marsh sits on county land.
August 25: Carpinterians are enduring the summer’s first serious heatwave. An extreme heat warning is in effect until Friday, and the town is also under a Red Flag warning for the fire danger. Residents are advised not to engage in stressful activity outdoors and to stay hydrated.
August 24: The Carpinteria Children’s Project has announced a buy-a-brick program to bring in donations to meet its projections for this year. It’s been dubbed Plant the Future, Brick by Brick. Specifically, they want to build four custom outdoor classrooms as part of their 750-thousand dollar capital campaign, and the bricks can be purchased for between 500 and 2500 dollars each. Details can be found at carp children dot org.
August 26: The city of Santa Barbara has announced it’s terminating its contract with Flock cameras. The surveillance cameras have come under fire in recent weeks because of a lack of oversight and abuse by police and insurance companies. At first officials announced they would switch to a different camera provider with better protections. But now they’re said to be reconsidering whether to have a camera policy at all. There are still three Flock cameras in Carpinteria, all at the state beach campground..
August 21: The city Planning Commission will consider the Surfliner Inn at a hearing September 21. The controversial proposal would virtually eliminate parking lot number three to allow for construction of a boutique hotel next to the railroad tracks. The plan has divided Carpinterians, but was cleared by the Architectural Review Board despite a majority of commenters opposing it.
ELECTIONS: In District 1, incumbent Monica Solorzano faces Aja Forner in her re-election bid. 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 so far. 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: Cannabis 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 long-awaited renovation of the Palms Hotel is underway, with scaffolding and construction crews present on the property. The public comment period is now open for the Farm Project, 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. The public scoping meeting was June 30. A separate project involves a local art gallery owner trying to convert two vacant business park buildings at the Bluffs to worker and affordable housing. That proposal is still under consideration. The Surfliner Inn will be considered by the Planning Commission September 21. The controversial proposed hotel would effectively eliminate parking lot #3 to build a boutique hotel next to the railroad tracks. 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.
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 Apiary is expanding to Santa Barbara, with plans to open a new story on Chapala Street downtown. Ojai Rotie continues preparing for its opening later this year. There are now signs out front that say “Opening ASAP!” The nonprofit Carpinteria Ceramics Collective is coming to the corner of Linden and Carpinteria Avenues, where the soap and candle shop used to be. Rincon Designs has reopened at its old location on Linden Avenue. The store hosted a ribbon-cutting June 23. No word yet what the new restaurant at 4745 CarpinteriaAvenue will be.
Ongoing: Registration for summer workshops. Sept. 19: Free Concert, Mestizo 6pm 865 Linden Avenue, call 805-684-7789.
Ongoing: Improv, Tuesdays 7pm, $10 at the door. August 19-27: Movies 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.
August 21: Kole Kona Uke Island Brewing 6pm
August 22: The Rincons, Island Brewing 7pm
August 28: The Vonettes, Corktree Cellars 7pm