City Council — October 6, 2026

you ♪ Thank you. ♪

Thank you. We can have roll call.

would please come up and introduce yourself? Good evening we have interpretation into Spanish available if anybody prefers we have headsets over here thank you gracias.

Thank you okay at this time we'll have a report from closed session

Thank you, Mayor. So for the one closed session item that was read into the record at 430 there is no reportable action this evening.

All righty at this time we'll also have public forum anybody that wishes to speak to anything that's not on our agenda this evening?

Yes thank you Madam Mayor for those of you on the zoom webinar who should speak to a non-agenda item please use the raised hand icon and I will call on you. I do have four speaker slips pardon me five speaker slips our first speaker is Dan O All speakers will have three minutes.

Hello, I'm Dan O representing the Gilead Education Foundation. Would it be okay to introduce Bethany also? We're with the same organization so Bethany Southern-Sakota is our Executive Director of the Gilead Education Foundation and I'm the President of the Board of the Gilead Education Foundation And the most important thing that we're doing today is thanking, kind of a long overdue in-person thank you to the city and to the council and to the staff. We had a terrific lemon run some of you were there in support but it's been a great partnership with us, The Education Foundation that raises resources for the Goleta schools here It was so we're sort of the fundraising arm, but we have to compete and we have to you know really be good champions for our local students.

We have almost 3,500 students in our Goleta schools So it's great and this was a former board member and the trustees of the Goleta Union School District Board As well so we have great company here. Great participation, but the partnership and really the investment that the city provides us and school district is really is really critical for us to put on a great run, but also to raise resources which is what we want to do in support of The great education and welfare of our students in Goleta.

And so again, thank you so much for doing that. I want to give Bethany a little bit of time to highlight maybe one or two things that sheds a little more light on what we do.

Thank you Dan and thank you to City Council, to the Mayor. Thank you for all of your investment in support of our Goleta schools since City of Goleta has been a key sponsor for the Lemon Run in 2022 we've seen nothing but an increase in community engagement and our students and our families coming out and seeing our local representatives serving our kids and our parents it is truly the most Heartwarming thing and I am humbled every year when I see our numbers grow. We had over 865 runners this year, it's our biggest run yet we are kicking off strong for many strong lemon runs in the future and i just wanted to give a highlight and thank you for what that funds in our schools so we are the only non-profit that is dedicated to supporting our Goleta Elementary Schools as a whole.

We serve all nine elementary schools TK through six now that we have universal TK And the Lemon Run this year in particular we raised $65,000 through our sponsorships and through registrations that all go back to supporting our programs. We fund the STEAM initiatives. There's STEAM labs at every school. We fund dual language immersion and literacy programs supporting our students and our families that need that support the most.

We have science camp scholarships, we've got a unified band program. We've got educator grants funding classroom needs and this year we also bought fans and shades for our heat wave so those are actually purchased at the event and are now distributed at the school. So from the bottom of my heart and on behalf of the students and families of the Goleta schools thank you and thank you for making our run successful every year.

Our next speaker for public forum is Bethany Sutherland-Sakota. Oh, thank you. Our next speaker is Carter Morgan.

Good evening.

Good evening, Mayor Pierotti and City Council members. My name is Carter Morgan. My wife and I have lived on Camino Queseta in the Lake Los Carneros area for 33 years where we raised our two daughters. With its proximity to Lake Los Carneros and the Stowe House this is a very special place and we care deeply about its future. I'm here to oppose the proposed development at Covington and Los Carneros because it is fundamentally incompatible with this neighborhood and poses serious safety and traffic concerns.

You have heard from other neighbors who also oppose this development, and in August the Planning Commission agreed with this sentiment and denied the project. It was a clear 3-1 vote. At that August meeting Mike Ryder, a spokesperson for the applicant Anthem Chapel explained that his group had looked at multiple other sites that were preferable to this one. He went on to state they were settling for this location.

Later, Planning Commissioner Fullerton referred back to this comment by saying this proposal is like quote trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. I agree with her. This project is really an event center when you consider the proposed high usage not just on Sundays but throughout the week When the Planning Commission assessed the project in terms of the building footprint, parking, traffic, safety, noise, lighting and size they determined it is not compatible with our neighborhood. The applicant has now appealed. We hope that the City Council will follow the commission's recommendation and deny this project. I believe that it would set a dangerous precedent to do otherwise.

Cyclist and pedestrian safety is a major concern. At one point in the application process, it was suggested that the northbound bike lane on Los Carneros could serve as an additional turning lane into the event center's parking lot. This is deeply troubling and seems in conflict with an aspect of the city's general plan which requires a building project to preserve or enhance public safety, health and peace. My wife and I are recreational cyclists who regularly use Los Carneros enhancing our own health and peaceful state of mind. Many others do as well because this road is the safest passage between Cathedral Oaks, Calle Real, Hollister Avenue and UCSB. It is much safer than Patterson, Fairview and Stork roads which have high volumes of speeding traffic.

Los Carneros is therefore the chosen crosstown route for most cyclists yet even on this safer road a skateboarder was recently killed in a collision with a car right next to where this project is proposed I applaud the Planning Commission for recognizing these concerns and urge a denial of this appeal. I do support Anthem Chapel's search for a home for their congregation, however this project is too large, too dense and fundamentally incompatible with our neighborhood's character and safety. Thank you for your time and your thoughtful consideration.

Our

next in-person speaker is Wendy

Morgan

Good evening Mayor Parodi and City Council members. I'll just be brief, but as a neighboring homeowner obviously partner to Carter, I strongly oppose this proposed building project for three critical reasons. First, neighborhood compatibility. Despite drawings suggesting the buildings fit with the adjacent Lutheran Church, the story polls clearly show these buildings will be massive and out of scale.

I don't believe that this project meets a requirement of the Goleta General Plan which states that any new building must preserve the neighborhood character. Second, emergency safety. The general plan also requires maintenance of the safety and welfare of our neighborhoods. The 117 car parking lot will flood Los Carneros with well over 100 vehicles six times each Sunday morning.

This traffic will also take place every weekday with the 110 families coming to drop off children in their daycare and preschool. This creates dangerous congestion that could block emergency vehicles from the adjacent fire station, critical in this high-fire hazard zone where seconds count. It is also traffic that will impact the children riding their bikes and e-bikes to the junior high during the week as well as the many walkers, runners and cyclists out for exercise and enjoyment of the lake and vicinity.

Third, community impact. This lot historically serves the Stowe House, Lake Los Carneros and the Railroad Museum. While Anthem promises continued access heavy church usage will eliminate most weekend availability pushing parking onto our streets. We support giving Anthem a facility but why not repurpose an existing empty building with built-in parking? A church of this large scale doesn't belong here and could set a dangerous precedent for similar projects throughout Goleta.

For these reasons, I urge a denial of this project. Thank you for listening.

Hello, my name is Will Bremen. I worked at Anthem Chapel directly under Nate Wagner from 2018 to late 2020 as one of their primary worship leaders. I'm here to speak about their building project based on my firsthand experience working there. I have a lot to say but tonight I want to focus on the size of Anthem's congregation and what I believe is a discrepancy between their stated attendance and what I personally experienced Since its founding, Anthem has held services at Goleta Valley Junior High which is publicly listed at 630 seats. When I started there in March 2018, services already were filling half to three quarters of that room and by the end of 2019, I recall overflow seating was often used in the foyer and I believe other rooms on campus for live streaming.

Anthem also repeatedly has rented transportation to bus students in from the colleges which raises another question about how their relatively limited proposed parking will accommodate buses as well as this congregation. During the pandemic when we held services under the tent at Christ Lutheran overcrowding was a constant issue. My team and I regularly feared for our health and safety yet we were pressured to continue performing weekly. In November of that year, I recall being informed an outbreak occurred in the congregation and that more than half the paid leaders staff and volunteers including as I recall Nate himself either had COVID or were exposed based on this i believe Anthem's actual attendance is substantially higher than the three to five hundred person estimates they've made previously I believe an independent review should be done before they seek approval on this project.

Early on in this process, News Hawk reported Nate saying he wants to expand to three services per Sunday once their proposed 500-person building is constructed. If there isn't already a glaring need for that capacity, why is Anthem planning for that expansion now? That becomes more important knowing Anthem has not meaningfully reduced the size or scale of this project. Parking was a major reason the Planning Commission denied it in June of this year and codified that denial in August. They specifically noted Anthem is starting with limited parking while intending to grow to as many as 1,500 members. That would inevitably push cars into surrounding neighborhoods and create traffic and parking problems all week Even the DRB, despite approving the design expressed concerns about the size and scope.

Board member Schumacher went so far as to straight up ask why this site? And Anthem's response has been inadequate. Their most recent parking and traffic plan proposed parking monitors who from my experience have been children from their youth group A phone and email line Anthem Controls, a rideshare app that they expect up to 1,500 people to use weekly. And potentially contracting for off-site parking including at Goleta Valley Junior High which would defeat the purpose of this project.

Based on my experience I don't believe this site can accommodate them now. It certainly couldn't accommodate the growth it openly intends to pursue and I urge you to deny this project when it comes up thank you.

We will go to our online speakers. We have one hand up, Kyle Richards. If you please unmute yourself, we'll have three minutes.

Thank you. Good evening Mayor and City Council members. Good evening. Good to see you tonight, Mayor. I'm speaking tonight as a resident of Old Town to bring attention to a couple of projects in Old Town that I believe would go far to help create a sense of place in the area. And by sense of place, I mean the closeness that a person feels by being in an area. The human connection that is made with the unique sights, sounds, history and culture that give a location its personality. I believe my suggestions would be in line with the City's strategic plan including promoting community vitality through the arts and strengthening Old Town. First, it is exciting to see the progress on the roundabouts along Hollister at the 217. Already the traffic is flowing much better at these intersections.

What I would like you to consider is to allow for some artistic treatments and aesthetic improvements to the 217 underpass You may have noticed that the City of Santa Barbara has incorporated the artistic ironworks of Jeff Shelton at the State Street underpass of the 101. This project features iron guardrails, kaleidoscope-tiled columns and flower inspired lamps. Similarly, the 101 underpass at Milpas also incorporates aesthetic design elements like artistic images of corn to tie into the translation of Milpas to mean corn or cornfields.

I would suggest something more modest in Goleta perhaps murals on the sides of the walls or a light installation on the concrete columns or on the underside of the freeway. A mural has already been installed next to the 7-Eleven and another one is planned for the side of the Carpinteria building, so this would fit right in. You might also want to get inspiration from the Pardal Bike & Pedestrian Underpass which connects UCSB and Isla Vista. There, an artistic light project was designed by UCSB arts professors as a commemoration in tragedy in Isla Vista. More than a decade later, the installation continues to light the way and provide a pleasing passage through an otherwise dreary underpass.

Similarly I would also like you to consider hiring a landscape architect to draw up plans for a repurposed area in front of the community center This grassy area already functions as a small park with more than a dozen mature trees. As beautiful as this area is, I believe it is underutilized and could serve a better purpose. I suggest considering a more open plaza area instead of the gazebo surrounded by plenty of seating and benches while keeping the trees and even adding more. As you know, the community center building is a historic landmark turning 100 next year but the gazebo was not. It was put in much later and does not hold the same historical significance perhaps a sunken bowl area or other open space to allow performances while at the same time providing a place for people to bring lunch or simply enjoy a shaded retreat in the middle of bustling Old Town that would make a perfect spot for a sculpture garden as well Thank you very much.

I appreciate your consideration and thank you again for your service.

Thank you, Mayor.

We don't have any adjustments for tonight's meeting I am stepping in for our City Manager Robert Nisbet who is enjoying a much-deserved vacation on the East Coast so I will be with you for this evening in this capacity and with that we did want to show a video that's hot off the Editing floor for the Goleta Lemon Festival. So if Mr. Kutay could help with that, I'd like to start with that.

Make some noise for our final band, the Goodlanders! Yeah.

So much fun. You have any other thing to report?

That was it, just wanted to say thank you to our city staff and all the volunteers who came out as well as the council for attending. We had a really great event and looking forward to next year.

It was a lot of fun. Okay. Anybody else have any comments? No question okay alright then we'll move on to consent calendar

Yes, thank you Madam Mayor. That will be Item A1 Approval of the City Council Meeting Minutes of September 15th 2026. Item A2 Acceptance of the August 2026 Check Register. Item A3 Acceptance for the August 2026 Investment Transaction Report. Item a4 Resolution Supporting Biodiversity Conservation and item A5 Goleta Train Depot Project Utility Easement Dedication to the Goleta Water District and Budget Appropriation

Council wish to pull any item from consent?

I wanted to pull Item A5.

A5? Yes. Okay, and I'm going to pull A4. And

we do have three speaker slips for A4

okay good thank you. I have no questions about it. I'm just curious, I understand there's somebody here that might want to speak to it, A4? If you could read into the record what we're talking about.

Item A4, resolution supporting biodiversity conservation.

Thank

you. And then for our first speaker for this item will be Stephanie Diaz. Anyone else would like to speak to item A4 please use raised hand icon and I will call on

Is

this

already on?

It moves if you need to, there you go.

Good evening Mayor and City Council members I'm Stephanie Diaz representing, I used to work with them. Representing the land trust for Santa Barbara County and the land trust appreciates very much that the City of Goleta's resolution supporting biodiversity and climate resilience. This recognizes that biodiversity is essential for ecosystem protection, climate mitigation, and community vitality.

The Land Trust is a community-based organization that's been around for 40 years and preserving about 60,000 acres of land. And natural resources, open space and agricultural lands which all feed into biodiversity. As a matter of fact protecting and restoring biodiversity is central to our considerations in our conservation work. We're also a partner of the 50-member Biodiversity Working Group, which you'll hear from more and it's been convened by the Botanic Garden and these 50 members along with the land trust share a group vision for biodiversity conservation throughout the Central Coast area Goleta, we're very excited to know about, has an exceptional diversity of natural resources. There's wetlands, there's riparian, there's oak woodlands, coastal ecosystems, monarch butterfly habitat, native grasslands and your protected open spaces.

Coronado Butterfly Preserve, the Elwood Mesa, the Lake Los Caneros The Land Trust values partnerships to enhance conservation and biodiversity. We look at local governments, Chumash community, conservation organizations, educational institutions and research scientists. As partnership is essential To advancing biology, biodiversity. We look forward to continued collaboration with the city of Goleta and to expand habitat conservation and land stewardship with Goleta.

This resolution affirms Goleta's commitment to protecting and restoring Regional flora, fauna and marine ecosystems. These actions translate into biodiversity goals that become community benefits. The Land Trust thanks the City of Goleta for this resolution supporting biodiversity and conservation of Goleta's natural resources. Thank you.

Our next in-person speaker is Lane Boutani Goddard.

Hello, good evening Mayor and City Council members my name is Lane Boutani Goddard and I have recently joined the board of the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden and I also work at the Food Bank of Santa Barbara County as a direct result I spend most of my day thinking about what makes our community healthy resilient and able to thrive On behalf of the garden and our partners on the biodiversity working group, I want to thank the City of Goleta for bringing forward this resolution recognizing the importance of biodiversity conservation and climate resilience.

The Garden's mission is to conserve native plants and habitats for the health and well-being of people and our planet. Native plant diversity supports everything from insects and birds to soil health, water retention, and resilience to drought and fire which I am sure are top of mind for all of us as we navigate this current heat wave. We are in the midst of a biodiversity crisis. We are witnessing the loss of more species at a rate faster than we've seen in millions of years. The solutions are at our fingertips, and collaboration is key. It will take partners from the local to the state levels and beyond to turn the tide. Thank you so much for your leadership. We encourage your adoption of the resolution.

Our last in-person speaker will be Helene Schneider. And a last call for those of you on the Zoom webinar, please use raised hand icon if you wish to speak to this item.

Good evening Mayor Parodi and council members. Great to see you. Good to be back. Every six months maybe we could do something moving the needle forward a little more. I really want to appreciate first the resolution on Earth Day back in April and being back here again for this resolution on biodiversity You're joining the Santa Barbara County, City of Santa Barbara, City of Carpentaria, Guadalupe, Bealton. I know I'm missing some of them. Not every single city yet, you're not the last one so but the whole South Coast which is great. No it's all happening all at once which is very exciting and what's also very exciting is now cities in Ventura County are starting to talk to the biodiversity working group over 50 organizations from the region Working together on this issue.

And I think that's really part of what makes us so strong is that public-private partnership, working with nonprofits, working with agencies, working with local governments. Steve Winhanger our executive director had a prior commitment and Eric Cardenas who I know you work with our Director of Impact and Advocacy also couldn't make it tonight do a personal commitment he was just at the California 30 by 30 initiative where they announced there is a goal as you know of preserving 30% of the state's lands and waters by 2030. And they announced at that conference that we are currently at 27% of our lands and 22% of our waters that are protected, and each of us playing our part can really make such a big difference. You're already doing so much.

We want to be a partner with you. The work you're doing out in Ellwood, I heard former Councilmember Richards talk about the landscaping in front A community center, perhaps you can do similar to what City of Santa Barbara's doing on the 1200 block of State Street and have a native plant demonstration project right there. Just some examples of things moving forward. Big ones, small ones but really just want to express our appreciation and continued partnership moving forward. Thank you so much. Thank you. Our

next in-person speaker is Kalmanogo Caldera if I got that right? Thank you very much.

Good evening Mayor Pierotti, good evening council members and good evening community members. My name is Carlo Macno or Carlo Calderon I'm the Wildlife Program Coordinator at Los Padres Forest Watch. Los Padres Forest Watch along with its 30 000 members supporters and online advocates expresses its strong support for a resolution of City Council of the City Council of the city of Goleta, California supporting biodiversity conservation and climate resilience on California's South Central Coast. Our organization has been an active participant in California's 30 by 30 movement. The central coast is recognized as a global biodiversity hotspot. Our region's public lands particularly the Los Padres National Forest provide essential core habitat that supports countless rare threatened endemic species and wildlife.

As a vital ecological linkage, Los Padres National Forest connects southern California's coastal ranges to northern habitats enabling essential wildlife movement across vast distances. Protecting this critical corridor is fundamental to maintaining healthy connected ecosystems on a regional and statewide scale. For these reasons, we urge the City Council to adopt this important resolution and encourage staff members to identify funding resources for advancing biodiversity efforts in alignment with state and regional conservation plans and goals. Thank you all for your consideration. Thank you.

We will now move to our online speakers. We have one Candace Minigan. If you please unmute yourself, you'll have three minutes to speak

Good evening, Mayor Parodi and Council Members. My name is Candace Mennegan and I am the Executive Director for Coastal Ranchers Conservancy and our mission is to support nature conservation restoration and education along the 76 miles of the Gaviota coast We have joined with over 50 environmental organizations regionally in adopting the community vision and policy platform in support of biodiversity on California's central coast. And as a member of the Biodiversity Working Group, we jointly understand that biodiversity must be woven into the thinking planning and the way of life for equitable communities and dynamic sustainable economies Recently, Coastal Ranchos Conservancy adopted a five-year strategic vision with the primary focus on biodiversity conservation along the 76 miles up the Gaviota coast.

And many of our programs are focused on connecting rivers, lands and communities on the landscape to build resilience within our biodiversity hotspot. We are so heartened that the city is bringing this resolution forward today and that you are recognizing and celebrating the local biodiversity under your charge. This marks in an alignment amongst the member organizations of the Biodiversity Working Group, and the city, and we look forward to continuing to work with the city's agencies to conserve our unique and irreplaceable biological resources which underpin a healthy and resilient city.

We want to thank you for this action And I would also go on to say that, um, I was also fortunate enough. To attend the 30 by 30 partnership summit in San Francisco last week and while we have passed the halfway more. We had several millions of acres to go from point of view this commitment. Really is needed because the next 4 years are going to have to take some audacious and committed leadership.

To meet that target by 2030. Thank you.

I have no more speakers so there's

nothing there. Director Harris —

Yes. Let's see. So 85 is the Goleta train depot. I just had a question for staff. We are excited that we're nearing the completion of the new train people those who regularly are very excited I'm wondering if staff could just share briefly, just the final budget items that are needed as we move into this final stretch. Thank

you very much Mayor Pro Tem. The item for this evening, the first part of it is related to an easement that we are asking to dedicate to the Goleta Water District. That's for their access of ultimately their infrastructure that connect to the building. Very standard thing so that went to the Planning Commission two weeks ago was approved The second part is a budget allocation or appropriation of $350,000. That's to finish up any remaining loose ends as we get into the final strategic delivery project.

We don't necessarily think we're going to spend all of the 350,000 but we're asking for it upfront now in the event that we do need it. A good portion of it that was used was about $270,000 related to utility connections that we need for the service of the facility. One of them was for the Colorado Water District. That was about $170,000. Another one was about $100,000 for Southern California Edison.

So that's the bulk of the request. This is in addition The contingency that was authorized by the City Council when the construction award was provided, I think in July of 2024. So in totality, I think we put it in the staff report. This essentially takes the project from $31.99 million to about $32,300,000 or so. And that's somewhat typical in some of these large-scale projects. This was developed at least two and a half years ago with final designs that went to the City Council for approval. During that time we've also experienced, interestingly enough, a fair amount of tariffs that we did not perceive to happen or include when we went out to bid.

And then also too, there's just been changes in rates that have been charged by public agencies. So maybe we could've been a little bit more aggressive with the request for the contingency at that time but at the time we didn't see that need to be anticipated. So that's kind of a rundown. This ultimately adds about one, little over 1% to the contingency for construction which is not all that much in the grand scheme of things in our opinion So we welcome to answer any additional questions you may have. For the public, we're expecting to have the construction of the train depot done before the end of the calendar year.

We will have some what they call punch list items that we have to finish up after we open but for the most part, we're expecting it be done before the end of the year.

Great. Thank you. That's my only question.

Do we have any other speakers on this item A-5?

Yes, thank you Madam Mayor. For those who wish to speak to Item A5 please use the raised hand icon and I will call on you. I'm seeing none for this

item. Okay do we have any other speakers or any other item?

Thank You Madam Mayor if any person wishes to speak to any consent item please use raised hand icon and I will call on you I'm seeing none. Madam Mayor, thank you.

Then I need a motion to approve A1 through A5.

I'll move to approve items A1 through A5 I'll

second. Okay roll call vote please.

That takes us to our presentations. First presentation is item B1, a proclamation of the City Council of the city of Goleta California honoring the 60 years of regional partnership through the Santa Barbara County Association of

Governments. I have the honor of presenting this one

I'm

so proud to do this. I see firsthand how the whole board works together well and these two dynamite ladies and their staff are so instrumental on getting things done regionally. So, I have the honor of proclamation of the City Council of the city of Goleta California honoring 60 years of regional partnership through the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments.

Whereas for 60 years, local governments through the Santa Barbara County have partnered regionally to access shared challenges and advance cross-jurisdictional solutions. Whereas upon its incorporation, the City of Goleta joined the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments, SBCAG as its eighth member City building on this tradition of collaboration and whereas establishing in 1966 formation formalized an independent public agency in 2019 90.

SBCAG brings together all five members of the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors and representatives from each of the county's eight incorporated cities. We have Builton, Carpinteria, Goleta, Guadalupe, Lompoc, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria and Solvang. Providing a forum for communities with different needs, priorities and perspectives to work together on issues affecting the region as a whole.

Whereas Santa Barbara County voters demonstrated their commitment to regional transportation investments through the approval of Measure D in 1989, and then Measure A in 2008. Providing locally controlled funding for transportation priorities throughout the county and helping leverage significant state and federal resources And whereas the region has changed, the core principle of SBCAG remains unchanged. Communities achieve more by working together to solve shared regional needs. So now therefore be it resolved that the city of Goleta hereby commemorates the 60th anniversary of SBCAG and celebrates six decades of collaboration among the cities and county of Santa Barbara to address shared regional needs. Approved this sixth day of October, 2026 and signed by myself Paula Perotti Mayor.

Thank you, thank you. And we really, I'm on the board and we really do work together. It's pleasant. I was very fearful when I first came on the board but I soon learned that this board works together quite well so thank you and it has a lot to do with you. So do we want to do a picture? Somebody... Do you want us all? How do you want to do this Marcos?

Okay great.

Okay.

Yes. So I was supposed to be in Santa Maria this evening and I was driving up the 101, had a great drive and as I was getting off Estal Road I got a call from the City of Santa Maria Their meeting was canceled. So I turned around right away and I thought, hey, I can make it to Goleta! But Lauren has prepared so much that I want her the opportunity to speak to the City of Goleta and I'm going to support her.

With that this is Lauren Bianchi-Clemmon from SBCAC.

Thank you Director, well we call it Director Kern, Margie Kern our Executive Director here at SBCAG and she is a wonderful leader for the region and so we're so fortunate to have her working here in Santa Barbara County. Mayor Perotti and members of the City Council, thank you so much for this recognition. It's great to be here tonight and great to be in my hometowns too. So it's a wonderful opportunity.

Goleta may be the youngest member of SPCAG but in the last two decades we certainly have accomplished a lot together And to us, that's what this 60th anniversary really means. What communities can do when they work together and what they can accomplish. Here in Goleta, Project Connect is certainly a great example of that partnership. SBCAG helped bring over $11 million of state transportation funds to that project and nearly $10 million of Measure A into that project as well and so that really shows the power of Measure A, that voter approved transportation sales tax measure that you talked about Mayor Perotti.

Those are local dollars that are invested here in our cities and counties And are doing even more because we are bringing in state and federal dollars here into our county. We look forward to celebrating the completion of Project Connect next year, but first we are looking forward to the opening of the new Goleta train station at the end of this year. Jaime's leadership is incredible on that SB CAG was proud to secure $18.6 million for that project and it was state rail funding that went into those dollars are available for passenger rail and Goleta was an important piece for the state investment, important place I should say for the state investment Major employment centers like UC Santa Barbara and the Santa Barbara Airport are all nearby along the rail corridor that connects our region with communities throughout the state and beyond.

But a station is only useful if people have trains that work for their lives. But that's why SPCAG is investing Measure A dollars to expand the Pacific Surfliner service, giving people another choice besides sitting behind the wheel on Highway 101 to get to work. A strong transportation system needs both choices and improvements to the roads we rely on. And so it is true what you've heard, Highway 101 is almost done.

That's Margie Kern's coined term. Only the Montecito and Santa Barbara segments remain between Ventura County and the City of Santa Barbara as part of the Highway 101 Carpentaria to Santa Barbara project. We expect to complete the Montecito segment by the end of this year. With the new southbound carpool lane in that area opening as early as the end of November, weather permitting.

We are also on track to complete the full corridor by 2028 and while we talk about all these milestones we are also looking ahead so this week SBCAG, the City of Goleta and the County of Santa Barbara are applying for a state grant to plan for the future of transportation across the greater Goleta Valley From Winchester Canyon to Highway 154. We wouldn't be here at this table without you Mayor Perotti and your leadership on SB CAG to really advocate for us to work forward and apply for this grant funding. We want to understand how people travel today, where are their transportation safety needs, and what improvements should be prioritized for our future? The applications due this Friday, crossing fingers and we expect that the results will be released this spring.

All of this comes back to something pretty simple for the people we serve. Can we get where we need to go? And those trips don't stop at a city limit. That is why regional partnerships matter. The City of Goleta has been an important part of what we accomplished together and what comes next on behalf of SBCCAC board, the staff, Margie Kerner Executive Director thank you for this recognition and for more than two decades of partnership with your city.

Thank you. And don't leave, I just have a quick story and maybe my fellow council members will want to say something but the first time I got involved with Santa Barbara Association of Governments, I was not on the Council, I was just a mom, a proud mom of daughters trying to walk or bike to school And we needed more money for the crosswalks and crossing guards and safe routes to school was the phrase that, and it still is. A lot of people didn't know what safe routes to school meant but you were having at that time we're in measure D and I think it may have not gone through the first time, I'm not sure If I have that correct. Yes,

the renewal of Measure D failed the first time it went to the voters so the second time was called Measure

A. And when we were talking about Measure A, the PTAs and myself were invited to the table not sitting behind the table but sitting at the table with everybody. It was so cool! You listened what was important to the parents And I thank you for that. We got pedestrian safety and safe routes to school, line items. That was critical to getting it passed as well because the parents felt that was needed so I thank you for that.

Well, we thank you back. It takes a village. I mean it takes consensus building and getting people to the table to make these things happen and that's what regional collaboration is all about is getting people to the table listening to the needs and making a decision on how to move forward and that's what SBCAG is all about so thank you.

Thank you any other comments questions do we have any speakers?

Thank you, Madam Mayor. For those of you on the Zoom webinar who wish to speak to this item please use the raised hand icon and I will call on you. I do have one hand up for Kyle Richards if you please unmute yourself you'll have three minutes to speak.

Hello again. Mayor, City Council. I wasn't planning to speak on this tonight but it just caught my attention so I'm very happy to be here. I want to say thank you to Margie and Lauren and all of your staff for all the work that you do. I had the honor of serving sitting in on SB CAG meetings when I was mayor pro tem for the Mayor Parodi. And it was a real privilege to be a part of that and to see how that worked, and to see the organization functioning. And I really appreciate your leadership in particular I appreciate what you mentioned about the support that you have provided for Project Connect and for our train station. And i'm very excited to hear about the potential improvements uh and looking at the 101 corridor That is a definite area of need, and I'm very excited to see that you're continuing to look forward.