The City's first General Plan/Coastal Land Use Plan was adopted on October 2, 2006 and became effective on November 1, 2006. The plan governs land use and physical development within the geographic area of the incorporated city limits. The plan strives to create a coherent vision for the city’s future. This overall community vision forms the foundation for the plan’s goals, objectives, and policies. The General Plan/Coastal Land Use Plan and associated reference material is provided below.

More information on the General Plan/Coastal Land Use Plan can be found here.

The City must update its Safety Element, Open Space Element, and either add an Environmental Justice Element or add related goals, policies, and objectives integrated in other elements in order to comply with State Planning Law. 

More information on the various required amendments can be found on the General Plan Updates project page here.

Below are links to ongoing Advance Planning Division projects related to the Housing Element and implementation of Housing Element Programs: 

Housing Element Update (2023-2031)

Objective Design Standards (Multiple-Unit and Mixed-Use Development)

Affordable Housing Fees (2021)

• Resolution No. 21-45 (Establishing Affordable Housing In-Lieu Fees).  The Resolution includes the associated Residential Affordable Housing In-Lieu Fees Analysis and Recommendations (August 2021) prepared by Keyser Marston and Associates, Inc.
• Resolution No. 21-46 (Establishing a Non-Residential Affordable Housing Development Impact Fee). The Resolution  includes the associated Non-Residential Affordable Housing Fee Reports (August 2021) prepared by Keyser Marston and Associates, Inc.
• Ordinance No. 21-10 (Amending Title 17 to implement the above Resolutions)

The City's Local Coastal Program (LCP) project includes the preparation of the City's LCP package for the California Coastal Commission’s review and ultimately, certification. 

More information on this project can be found on the project page here.

Below are links to City documents related to climate action planning:

• Climate Action Plan (July 2014)
• Energy Efficiency Action Plan (Sept. 2012)
• Coastal Hazards Vulnerability Assessment and Fiscal Impact Report (Nov. 2015)
• Community Wildfire Protection Plan (March 2012)
  • Figure 1: City of Goleta Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Areas
  • Figure 2: City of Goleta Historic Sites
  • Figure 3: South Coast Bioregion
  • Figure 4: South Coast Wildfire History
  • Figure 5: City of Goleta Wildland Urban Interface
  • Figure 6: CALFIRE FIRE Hazard Severity Zones
  • Figure 7: Fuel Models within Goleta
  • Figure 8: Wildfire Hazards and Risks
  • Figure 9: Crown Fire Potential
  • Figure 10: Water Sources
  • Figure 11: Vegetation Management Units
  • Figure 12: April 2011 Monarch Butterfly Aggregation Sites

City of Santa Barbara Airport

Although the City of Goleta does not have jurisdiction over the City of Santa Barbara’s Airport located at 500 Fowler Road, the Airport lies adjacent to the boundary of the City of Goleta and decisions on the future use and development of the Airport impact the City.

Airport Master Plan and Industrial Area Specific Plan (Link to Santa Barbara Airport website)

Santa Barbara Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan (Jan. 2023) (appendices not included)

Airport Noise 

City Letter to the City of Santa Barbara Regarding Santa Barbara Airport Aircraft Noise Action Plan (January 17, 2023)

City of Santa Barbara Response Letter (September 12, 2023)

City Assist with Link to Airport Aircraft Noise Complaint Website and Noise Advisory Hotline 

UCSB Long Range Development Plan (LRDP)

UC Santa Barbara's Long Range Development Plan (LRDP) details how the campus will develop to the year 2025. The 2010 LRDP and accompanying Environmental Impact Report (EIR) were circulated in Spring 2008 and recirculated in 2009. The LRDP and Final EIR (FEIR) were approved by the UC Board of Regents in September 2010.  The California Coastal Commission approved the LRDP with modifications at their November 2014 hearing.  More information can be found by reviewing UCSB's LRDP here.

Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG)

SBCAG is an independent public agency governed by a 13-member board of directors consisting of all five county supervisors and one city council member from each of the eight cities within the County.  SBCAG distributes local, state, and federal transportation funds and acts as a forum for addressing regional and multi-jurisdictional issues. 

SBCAG is responsible for the multi-modal transportation planning, programming, and fund allocation required by state statutes.  As part of this responsibility, SBCAG produces a Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) for the County.  The RTP is a long-range planning document that defines how the region plans to invest in the transportation system over 20+ years based on regional goals, multi-modal transportation needs for people and goods, and estimates of available funding.  The RTP includes a Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS) as required by SB 375.

The SCS sets forth a forecasted development pattern for the region, which, when integrated with the transportation network and other transportation measures and policies, will reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from passenger vehicles and light trucks to achieve the GHG reduction targets set by the California Air Resources Board.  The future land use and transportation scenario presented in the SCS must accommodate forecast population, employment, and housing sufficient to meet the needs of all economic segment of population.

For more information on the RTP and SCS, please visit SBCAG’s website here.

On March 3, 2020, City Council adopted the New Zoning Ordinance (NZO). The NZO took effect on April 3, 2020 and is codified as Title 17 of the Goleta Municipal Code. Title 17 can be viewed here.

For information on the NZO adoption process, view the NZO project website here. 

To view City spatial data, please access the City mapping portal here.

To submit a request for GIS data, please fill out the following form and submit to awells@cityofgoleta.org: GIS Indemnification Statement

• Ellwood-Devereux Coast Open Space and Habitat Management Plan (Sections 1-3)
• Ellwood-Devereux Coast Open Space and Habitat Management Plan (Sections 4-6)
• Lake Los Carneros Management Plan
• Lake Los Carneros Natural and Historical Preserve
• Goleta Old Town Heritage District Architecture and Design Guidelines
• Old Town Revitalization Plan
  • Map of Land Uses