After several years of preparation and review, the City Council adopted Resolution 22-10 on April 5, 2022, and introduced Ordinance 22-05 on first reading. Council Resolution 22-10 approved the Context Statement, adopted the Historic Resources Inventory with 29 properties, and designated 7 structures as Goleta Landmarks.  

On April 19, 2022, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 22-05 which became effective on May 20, 2022.

Further at the April 5th meeting, the City Council asked staff to investigate the property located at 290/295 Ellwood Canyon Road for historical significance. Staff completed its analysis and recommended that the Ellwood Queen Eucalyptus tree, and the 1912 house and barn found on the property be added to the Historic Resources Inventory. On June 21, 2022, the City Council added these features at the 290/295 Ellwood Canyon Road to the Historic Resources Inventory. Council Resolution 22-25 can be accessed here.

As a part of the implementation of the Historic Preservation Ordinance, the City is currently in the process of establishing the Historic Preservation Commission. Applications for the HPC are being taken between now and September 9, 2022.  If you are interested in serving on the HPC, please fill out the online application form here and submit it to the City Clerk’s office before the deadline. 

As stated in prior updates, the purpose of the Historic Preservation Ordinance is to preserve and protect resources that, once lost, cannot be replaced, or replicated. Generally, the ordinance:

• Creates a Historic Preservation Commission.
• Creates historic designation categories and establish a process to designate properties as a historic resource based on eligibility criteria.
• Establishes regulations and processes regarding alterations to designated properties, recission of designations, demolition, maintenance requirements, and Mills Act incentives to maintain designated historic resources.
• Establishes processes and criteria when any earth-disturbing activities in native soils (i.e., previous not graded or disturbed soils) are proposed. The purpose is to check for subsurface archaeological or tribal cultural resources in order to preserve and protect these resources. A list of project types and circumstances that would be exempt from the requirements is included.
• Establishes development standards that would apply to earth-disturbing activities in case subsurface archaeological or tribal cultural resources are found during construction.
• Added thirty-four definitions related to Historic Preservation and Archaeological and Tribal Cultural Resources to the Goleta Municipal Code.
• Made other changes to various portions of the Goleta Municipal Code to reflect the requirements of Chapters 17.33 and 17.43 for consistency in City regulations.

The Historic Preservation Ordinance includes regulations that may affect some property owners, especially property owners of designated Historic Resources. The regulations regarding Archaeological and/or Tribal Cultural Resources could potentially affect any property owners who are contemplating work involving earth-disturbing activities (i.e., trenching for utilities, digging for new foundations, etc.). The goal of the proposed regulations is to foster preservation while allowing development to occur.

 In adopting the ordinance, the City Council sought to balance the need to protect sensitive, buried archaeological and cultural resources with the burden on property owners. It considered this issue carefully with input from a range of stakeholders, including Goleta residents, archaeologists and historians, and Chumash Tribal representatives.

The City Council will conduct the continued public hearing regarding the Historic Preservation Project on April 5, 2022. The meeting will start at 5:30 pm and will be conducted as a hybrid in-person/virtual meeting. The Agenda for the meeting can be accessed here and  has the instructions for attending the meeting virtually. The staff report and attachments can be accessed here.  For details regarding the Project, please refer to the previous Updates.

If you have questions, please contact Current Planning Manager Lisa Prasse at 805-961-7542 or lprasse@cityofgoleta.org.

Hearings           

On December 7, 2021, the City Council commenced review of the Historic Preservation and Archaeological and Tribal Ordinance. Watch the four- hour Council discussion here .  The City Council did not act on the proposed ordinance and continued its review to February 15, 2022.  The City Council directed staff to provide the following additional information when the item returned for further consideration:

1. Specific findings for each of the 29 properties proposed to be added to the Historic Resources Inventory and findings for the 6-7 properties that may be designated as Goleta Landmarks.
2. Make refinements to the exemptions from the Archaeological and/or Tribal Cultural provisions to be simpler and clearer to the public.
3. Provide cost estimates for different levels of archaeological reports and provide an estimate how many of these could be required in the course of a year.

The matter was not heard by the City Council on February 15, 2022, because of other time sensitive matters that needed to be considered by the City Council at that meeting.  Because there was not sufficient time available on the agenda to take back up the Historic Preservation and Archaeological and Tribal Cultural Resources ordinance, the public hearing was continued further to April 5, 2022.

As stated in prior updates, the goal of the Historic Preservation Ordinance is to preserve and protect resources that, once lost, cannot be replaced, or replicated. On November 8, 2021, the Planning Commission reviewed the ordinance and recommended adoption. Generally, the proposed ordinance would:

• Create a Historic Preservation Commission.
• Create historic designation categories and establish a process to designate properties as a historic resource based on eligibility criteria.
• Establish regulations and processes regarding alterations to designated properties, recission of designations, demolition, maintenance requirements, and Mills Act incentives to maintain designated historic resources.
• Designate six (6) -seven (7) structures as Goleta Landmarks and place a total of 29 structures (including the 7 proposed to be Goleta Landmarks) on the inaugural Historic Resources Inventory (HRI). It is expected that the HRI will be expanded over time.
• Establish processes and criteria when any earth-disturbing activities in native soils (i.e., previous not graded or disturbed soils) are proposed. The purpose is to check for subsurface archaeological or tribal cultural resources in order to preserve and protect these resources. A list of project types and circumstances that would be exempt from the requirements is included.
• Establish development standards that would apply to earth-disturbing activities in case subsurface archaeological or tribal cultural resources are found during construction.
• Add thirty-four definitions related to Historic Preservation and Archaeological and Tribal Cultural Resources to the Goleta Municipal Code.
• Make other changes to various portions of the Goleta Municipal Code to reflect the requirements of Chapters 17.33 and 17.43 for consistency in City regulations.

The proposed Historic Preservation Ordinance includes regulations that may affect some property owners, especially property owners of designated Historic Resources. The regulations regarding Archaeological and/or Tribal Cultural Resources could potentially affect any property owners who are contemplating work involving earth-disturbing activities (i.e., trenching for utilities, digging for new foundations, etc.). The goal of the proposed regulations is to foster preservation while allowing development to occur.

In recommending adoption of the ordinance, the Planning Commission sought to balance the need to protect sensitive, buried archaeological and cultural resources with the burden on property owners. It considered this issue carefully with input from a range of stakeholders, including Goleta residents, archaeologists and historians, and Chumash Tribal representatives.

Hearings

On November 8, 2021, the Planning Commission reviewed the proposed regulations as one unified ordinance and recommended adoption to the City Council. The item had been originally scheduled to be heard on October 25, 2021 but was continued to November 8^th due to the lateness of the hour.

On December 7, 2021, the City Council will commence review of the materials including the adoption of the Historic Resources Inventory.    The staff report and Ordinance will be available here (make this a hot link or insert the URL ) at least 72 hours before the Council Meeting. Final action on the Ordinance is the responsibility of the City Council. 

Ordinance Provisions

Staff has prepared a comprehensive Ordinance that would establish and/or implement provisions needed associated with the Historic Preservation project and either amends or adds the following Chapters/Sections to the Goleta Municipal Code (GMC):

• Chapter 2.16: Historic Preservation Commission. The proposed addition would establish the Historic Preservation Commission, outlines the membership make up, meeting schedule etc.

• Chapter 12. 13: Public Nuisances Designated. The proposed change adds that failure to maintain a designated historic resource constitutes a public nuisance.
• Chapter 17.29:Demolition, Relocation and Loss of Dwelling Units. This Chapter has been amended to clarify language regarding process and to ensure compatibility with the demolition provisions in Chapter 17.33.

• Chapter 17.33: Historic Preservation Resources.This new Chapter would establish regulations and processes associated with Historic Resources in Goleta.

• Chapter 17.43: Archaeological and Tribal Cultural Resources.This new chapter would establish regulations and process associated with Archaeological and Tribal Cultural Resources in the City of Goleta.Any project that could undertake earth disturbing activities would be subject to the provisions.

• Chapter17 50: Review Authority. This Chapter is amended to amend the responsibilities of City Council, Design Review Board, and the Planning and Environmental Review Director to implement the provisions of Chapter 17.33 and Chapter 17.43.
• Section 17.73.010 and 020: List of Terms and Definitions.This Section is amended to incorporate over 20 new definitions 

Context Statement and Historic Resources Inventory

In addition, to the proposed Ordinance, the City Council will be asked to adopt the Resolution formally adopting the Context Statement which has been updated to include the Eligibility Criteria (link here), the designation of seven (7) properties as Goleta Historic Landmarks, and the establishment of a Historic Resources Inventory.    

The properties proposed to be designated as Historic Landmarks and included on the Historic Resources Inventory are:

1. Barnsdall-Rio Grande Gasoline Station located at 7825 Hollister Avenue; APN 079-210-059
2. Bishop Ranch located at 96 Glen Annie Road; APN 077-020-045
3. Daniel Hill Adobe located at 33 S. La Patera Road; APN 073-050-034
4. Goleta Depot located at 300 N. Los Carneros Road; APN 077-210-059
5. Sexton House located at 5490 Hollister Avenue; APN 071-330-009
6. Shrode Produce Packing House located at 265 La Patera (partially demolished); APN 073-010-005
7. Stow House located at 304 N. Los Carneros Road; APN 077-1660-057

In addition, the following properties are proposed to be placed on the Historic Resources Inventory and would be eligible for Historic Landmark designation based on the process proposed in Chapter 17.33 of the GMC:

1. 5728 Aguila Avenue; APN 071-003-012
2. 550 Cambridge Drive; APN 069-560-030
3. 175 Chapel St.; APN 071-101-013
4. 75 Coromar Dr.; APN 073-150-014
5. 6595 Covington Way; APN 077-160-022
6. 598 N. Fairview Avenue; APN069-090-052
7. 5444 Hollister Avenue; APN 071-330-003
8. 5555 Hollister Avenue; APN 071-140-056
9. 5681 Hollister Avenue; APN 071-130-009
10. 5757 Hollister Avenue; APN 071-121-003
11. 5784 Hollister Avenue; APN 071-061-013
12. 5838 Hollister Avenue; APN 071-053-014
13. 6769 Hollister Avenue; APN 073-610-001
14. 110 S. Kellogg Avenue; APN 071-340-001
15. 170 Magnolia Avenue; APN 071-053-017
16. 170 Nectarine Avenue; APN 071-061-015
17. 171 Nectarine Avenue; APN 071-053-010
18. 5399 Overpass Road; APN 071-220-036
19. 195 S. Patterson Avenue; APN 071-102-005
20. 130 Robin Hill Road; APN 073-050-015
21. 6260 Shamrock Avenue; APN 077-222-007
22. 10 Winchester Canyon Road; APN 079-121-007

General Plan Amendment

A General Plan Text Amendment to the Visual and Historic Resources Element is also proposed to maintain consistency between City policy and City regulations. The work done on the Ordinance has used the General Plan as the guiding document and fulfills its intent, minor changes to the specific language of the General Plan are needed.  Given the differences (albeit minor), an amendment to the General Plan was initiated by the City Council on April 4, 2021. 

The policies proposed for revisions are landmark designation (VH 5.1); eligibility criteria (VH 5.2); alterations (VH 5.5); and demolition (VH 5.6).  The changes are designed to have the General Plan policies language be more encompassing and general in nature. These changes are needed to ensure consistency between the General Plan and the Ordinance, with the General Plan outlining City policy and the Ordinance enacting the regulations. None of the edits change the intent of what was originally adopted.  Instead, they propose policy revisions to reflect current best practices and the City’s adoption of a Historic Resources Inventory.  

On June 14, 2021, the Planning Commission reviewed the proposed GPA and recommended Council adoption of the minor language change to the above referenced General Plan Policies.  Planning Commission Resolution No. 21-05 provided below, outlines the revised language of the policies.

Staff Contact

For more information regarding this project, please contact Current Planning Manager Lisa Prasse at lprasse@cityofgoleta.org.

Meeting/Documents Links:

November 8, 2021, Planning Commission Materials 

December 7, 2021, City Council Materials – to be posted at http://cityofgoleta.org/goletameetings

December 7, 2021,  City Council Hearing Notice – English  

December 7, 2021, City Council Hearing Notice – Espanol

Hearings

On December 14, 2020, the Planning Commission commenced review of the draft Historic Preservation Ordinance materials. At that meeting the Planning Commission and the public reviewed and provided input on the proposed Historic Preservation regulations and Historic Resources Inventory.   A second review on these topics occurred on March 29, 2021, after staff had revised the associated provisions.  On June 28, 2021, the Planning Commission took up the topic of Archaeological and Tribal Cultural Resources.  The Planning Commission and the public provided input on the draft regulations at that meeting and then again on August 23,2021 after staff had refined the proposed regulations.   Links to the materials shared at those meetings along with the videos of those discussions are provided below.   

On October 25, 2021, the Planning Commission at a noticed public hearing, will review all the proposed regulations as one unified ordinance and will be asked to make a recommendation to the City Council.   The staff report and Ordinance will be available here at least 72 hours before the Planning Commission meeting. Final action on the Ordinance is the responsibility of the City Council.  A date for the future City Council meeting has not been established at this time but could occur as early of mid-November.

Ordinance Provisions

Staff has prepared a comprehensive Ordinance that would establish and/or implement provisions needed associated with the Historic Preservation project and either amends or adds the following Chapters/Sections to the Goleta Municipal Code (GMC):

• Chapter 2.16: Historic Preservation Commission. The proposed addition would establish the Historic Preservation Commission, outlines the membership make up, meeting schedule etc.

• Chapter 12. 13: Public Nuisances Designated. The proposed change adds that failure to maintain a designated historic resource constitutes a public nuisance.
• Chapter 17.29:Demolition, Relocation and Loss of Dwelling Units. This Chapter has been amended to clarify language regarding process and to ensure compatibility with the demolition provisions in Chapter 17.33.

• Chapter 17.33: Historic Preservation Resources. This new Chapter would establish regulations and processes associated with Historic Resources in Goleta.

• Chapter 17.43: Archaeological and Cultural Resources. This new chapter would establish regulations and process associated with Archaeological and Tribal Cultural Resources in the City of Goleta.  Any project that could undertake earth disturbing activities would be subject to the provisions.

• Chapter17 50: Review Authority. This Chapter is amended to amend the responsibilities of City Council, Design Review Board, and the Planning and Environmental Review Director to implement the provisions of Chapter 17.33 and Chapter 17.43.
• Section 17.73.010 and 020: List of Terms and Definitions. This Section is amended to incorporate over 20 new definitions

Context Statement and Historic Resources Inventory

In addition to the proposed Ordinance, the Planning Commission will be asked to make a recommendation on the Resolution formally adopting the Context Statement which has been updated to include the Eligibility Criteria here, the designation of seven (7) properties as Goleta Historic Landmarks, and the establishment of a Historic Resources Inventory here.    

The properties proposed to be designated as Historic Landmarks and included on the Historic Resources Inventory are:

1. Barnsdall-Rio Grande Gasoline Station located at 7825 Hollister Avenue; APN 079-210-059
2. Bishop Ranch located at 96 Glen Annie Road; APN 077-020-045
3. Daniel Hill Adobe located at 33 S. La Patera Road; APN 073-050-034
4. Goleta Depot located at 300 N. Los Carneros Road; APN 077-210-059
5. Sexton House located at 5490 Hollister Avenue; APN 071-330-009
6. Shrode Produce Packing House located at 265 La Patera (partially demolished); APN 073-010-005
7. Stow House located at 304 N. Los Carneros Road; APN 077-1660-057

In addition, the following properties are proposed to be placed on the Historic Resources Inventory and would be eligible for Historic Landmark designation based on the process proposed in Chapter 17.33 of the GMC:

1. 5728 Aguila Avenue; APN 071-003-012
2. 550 Cambridge Drive; APN 069-560-030
3. 175 Chapel St.; APN 071-101-013
4. 75 Coromar Dr.; APN 073-150-014
5. 6595 Covington Way; APN 077-160-022
6. 598 N. Fairview Avenue; APN069-090-052
7. 5444 Hollister Avenue; APN 071-330-003
8. 5555 Hollister Avenue; APN 071-140-056
9. 5681 Hollister Avenue; APN 071-130-009
10. 5757 Hollister Avenue; APN 071-121-003
11. 5784 Hollister Avenue; APN 071-061-013
12. 5838 Hollister Avenue; APN 071-053-014
13. 6769 Hollister Avenue; APN 073-610-001
14. 110 S. Kellogg Avenue; APN 071-340-001
15. 170 Magnolia Avenue; APN 071-053-017
16. 170 Nectarine Avenue; APN 071-061-015
17. 171 Nectarine Avenue; APN 071-053-010
18. 5399 Overpass Road; APN 071-220-036
19. 195 S. Patterson Avenue; APN 071-102-005
20. 130 Robin Hill Road; APN 073-050-015
21. 6260 Shamrock Avenue; APN 077-222-007
22. 10 Winchester Canyon Road; APN 079-121-007

General Plan Amendment

A General Plan Text Amendment to the Visual and Historic Resources Element is also proposed to maintain consistency between City policy and City regulations. The work done on the Ordinance has used the General Plan as the guiding document and fulfills its intent, minor changes to the specific language of the General Plan are needed.  Given the differences (albeit minor), an amendment to the General Plan was initiated by the City Council on April 4, 2021. 

The policies proposed for revisions are landmark designation (VH 5.1); eligibility criteria (VH 5.2); alterations (VH 5.5); and demolition (VH 5.6).  The changes are designed to have the General Plan policies language be more encompassing and general in nature. These changes are needed to ensure consistency between the General Plan and the Ordinance, with the General Plan outlining City policy and the Ordinance enacting the regulations. None of the edits change the intent of what was originally adopted.  Instead, they propose policy revisions to reflect current best practices and the City’s adoption of a Historic Resources Inventory.  

On June 14, 2021, the Planning Commission reviewed the proposed GPA and recommended Council adoption of the minor language change to the above referenced General Plan Policies.  Planning Commission Resolution No. 21-05 provided below, outlines the revised language of the policies.

Staff Contact

For more information regarding this project, please contact Current Planning Manager Lisa Prasse at lprasse@cityofgoleta.org.

Meeting/Documents Links:

Historic Preservation Ordinance Regulations and Historic Resources Inventory

December 14, 2020, Planning Commission Staff Report Materials (Agenda Item B.1
     Link to Video of Planning Commission Meeting of December 14, 2020 here.

March 29, 2021, Planning Commission Staff Report Materials (Agenda Item C.2)
     Link to Video of Planning Commission Meeting of March 29, 2021 here.

 Archaeological and Tribal Cultural Resources

June 28, 2021, Planning Commission Staff Report Materials (Agenda Item B.1)
     Link to Video of Planning Commission Meeting of June 28, 2021 here.

August 23, 2021, Planning Commission Staff Report Materials (Agenda Item B.1)
     Link to Video of Planning Commission Meeting of August 23, 2021 here.

General Plan Amendment Initiation Consideration - City Council Review 

April 6, 2021, City Council General Plan Amendment Initiation Consideration (Agenda Item C.1)
      Link to Video of City Council Meeting of April 6, 2021 here.

• Planning Commission Resolution 21-05
• Planning Commission October 25, 2021, Hearing Notice – English  
• Planning Commission October 25, 2021, Hearing Notice – Espanol

Draft Historic Preservation Ordinance, Context Statement, and Historic Resource Inventory List

In February 2019, the City Council accepted the Comprehensive Context Statement, available on the project page. The Context Statement was purposely not adopted at that time pending development of Eligibility Criteria (a component of the Ordinance). Following the Council acceptance in February 2019, the Planning Commission held three workshops/study sessions (between April – June 2019) to provide staff with guidance regarding the topics to be covered in the Ordinance.

While Historic Resources Group (HRG) was able to prepare a draft ordinance following the Planning Commission workshops in the summer/fall of 2019, the assigned City staff for this project was diverted to the Vehicle Miles Traveled California Environmental Quality Act Threshold Project (VMT CEQA Thresholds).  The VMT CEQA Threshold project took precedent as it had firm deadline for implementation in July 2020. 

Since August of this year, HRG and City staff have been able to re-engage on this project. While the topics covered in the Ordinance includes both Historic Preservation and Cultural Resources, the Historic Preservation portion is much further along than the Cultural Resources provisions.  The Historic Resource portion, along with the draft Eligibility list will be the focus at an upcoming Planning Commission meeting on December 14, 2020 at 6:00 pm.  The highlights of the work efforts on the Historic Preservation portion which have been drafted are:

1. Establishment of a historic property designation process and designation categories; eligibility criteria; review process; establishment of a Historic Preservation Commission; financial incentives for maintenance/upkeep of historic resources, etc.  
2. Development of four proposed  designation category which are Landmark (Individual Buildings), Historic District (Group of Buildings), Points of Interest (Individual Building that doesn’t meet the criteria to be designated a Landmark) and Conservation Overlay (Group of Buildings that do not meet the criteria to be designated a Historic District).   The review process for alterations/additions to a designated Historic Structure would be review for a recommendation by the Historic Preservation Commission to the Design Review Board (DRB).  These standards would be incorporated into the Municipal Code as Chapter 17.33;
3. Completion of the Historic Context Statement to include the designation of certain properties as Goleta Historic Landmarks and establishing a list of eligible properties that such a designation could be sought, following the process outlined in Chapter 17.33.
4. Automatic designation of properties that are already listed in the National Register of Historic Places or the California Register of Historical Resources or were previously designated by the County of Santa Barbara as a historic landmark as a Goleta historic landmark. There are seven properties that meet these criteria (Barnsdall-Rio Grande Gasoline Station, Bishop Ranch, Daniel Hill Adobe, Goleta Train Depot, Sexton House, Shrode Packing House (partially demolished) and Stow House). All other individual properties that are identified as potentially eligible for designation would be placed on an inventory list and would have to undergo the designation process to be formally designated.

In addition, the provisions regarding Cultural Resources are lagging behind the Historic Resource provisions and are not yet ready for public review.  It is anticipated that these provisions will be available for review in the near future. Once a draft is completed, they will be incorporated into the draft Ordinance and will be available for public input and scrutiny before the Planning Commission proceeds with a recommendation.

As mentioned above, the Planning Commission will begin review on the Historic Preservation provisions and the designations/eligibility list on December 14, 2020.    The meeting will start at 6:00 pm and will be held virtually, pursuant to Executive Order N-29-20 issued by Governor Gavin Newsom on March 17, 2020. No one will be in the Council Chambers for the meeting.  

Links the Staff report, and draft Ordinance and other documents are posted below:

• Planning Commission Agenda 12-14-2020 (has information regarding how to participate in the meeting).         
• Staff Report Item B.1 Historic Preservation Ordinance; Case Number 2016-092 OA; City Wide
• Draft Historic Preservation Ordinance
• Revised Context Statement (Adds Appendices A (Eligibility Criteria) and B (proposed Historic Resource Inventory as of Dec. 2020)

The above file is a compressed file due to website file size limitations.  If the resolution is insufficient, please contact us for an uncompressed version.

• City of Goleta proposed Historic Resource Inventory as of Dec. 2020 (Appendix B of Context Statement) 

Context Statement Update

The Revised Citywide Goleta Historic Context Statement is now available for review. on the project page.  On March 12, 2018, the Planning Commission provided input on the draft Context Statement.  The Planning Commission directed that revisions and additional information, where possible, be included in the revised Context Statement.  The additional information/revisions requested by the Planning Commission included: 

• Expansion on topics such as the Santa Barbara Airport, the electronics/aerospace industries, immigrant communities, and influential local women;
• Expansion of the Native American/archaeological chapter to include stories and reflections from the Barbareno Band of Chumash Indians (BBCI), particularly about people and places;
• Removal of subjective language; and
• Recognition of the City’s adopted Urban Forest Management Plan.     

Revisions have been incorporated into the revised document.  In addition, staff and the consultants have worked closely with the Barbareno Band of Chumash Indians and individuals who have interest in the Native American/archaeological portion to augment the Context Statement.  

Lastly, on Monday, January 28, 2019 at 6:00 pm, the revised Historic Preservation Context Statement will be presented to the Planning Commission for their input.  A meeting notification will be sent to all subscribers of the Historic Preservation List when the agenda is available for the January 28 meeting.  If you are not subscribed, please sign up here: https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/CAGOLETA/subscriber/new. 

Questions regarding the Revised Context Statement and the overall project can be directed to Current Planning Manager Lisa Prasse at lprasse@cityofgoleta.org or 805-961-7542. 

Context Statement Update

On Monday, March 12 at 6pm, the Historic Preservation Context Statement (all three chapters together) will be presented to the Planning Commission for their input before the document is presented to the City Council. The agenda, staff report and the entire Context Statement are available here. The meeting can be watched live or replayed at a later date here.

Based on the comments received during the fall workshops, the Context Statement has been revised as appropriate to incorporate information that corrects factual errors, and clarifies or supplements the information within the chapters.  The City Council is tentatively scheduled to review the Context Statement at their March 20, 2018 meeting

Context Statement Update
The third aspect of the draft Goleta Citywide Historic Context Statement, the Tree and Landscape Study, is available on the project page. The Tree and Landscape Study was presented to the Public Tree Advisory Commission for comments at their meeting on November 29th.  The video-taped meeting is available here.

Context Statement Update
The third aspect of the draft Goleta Citywide Historic Context Statement, the Tree and Landscape Study, is now available here for public input.  The purpose of the Context Statement is to highlight trends and patterns critical to understanding how development has occurred in Goleta.  The City has chosen its Context Statement to not only be based upon the built resources, but also archaeological/Native American resources and tree and landscape resources as well. 

Comments on the Tree and Landscape Study may be submitted in writing to Lisa Prasse, Current Planning Manager, at lprasse@cityofgoleta.org. Please submit comments by Wednesday, December 6, 2017 at 5:30 pm.  This is the same deadline as for comments for the archaeological resource portion of the Context Statement.

The Tree and Landscape Study will be presented to the Public Tree Advisory Commission for comments at their meeting on Wednesday, November 29th, at 5:30 in City Hall Council Chambers.

Workshop #3

Workshop #3 was held on November 15th, 2017 to discuss the archaeological resource portion of the draft Goleta Citywide Historic Context Statement.  A section of the document was prepared by the Cultural Resources Committee of the Barbareno Band of Chumash Indians.  The City of Goleta has significant archaeological resources within its borders and intends to manage those resources in a responsible and sensitive manner.  The archaeological resource portion presents the history of Goleta from prehistory to the middle of the American Period and identifies important periods, events, themes, and patterns of development. 

• Goleta Citywide Historic Context Statement -- Archaeological Resources
• Workshop #3 Presentation Slides -- Historic Context Statement
• Workshop #3 Presentation Slides -- Archaeological Resources
• Public Comment Received   

Context Statement Update
The archaeological resource portion of the draft Goleta Citywide Historic Context Statement is now available for public review here.  A section of the document was prepared by the Cultural Resources Committee of the Barbareno Band of Chumash Indians.  The City of Goleta has significant archaeological resources within its borders and intends to manage those resources in a responsible and sensitive manner.  The archaeological resource portion presents the history of Goleta from prehistory to the middle of the American Period and identifies important periods, events, themes, and patterns of development. 

The historic tree portion of the Goleta Citywide Historic Context Statement will also be released soon.

Workshop #3 

Workshop #3 was held on November 15th, 2017 to discuss the archaeological resource portion of the draft Goleta Citywide Historic Context Statement.  A section of the document was prepared by the Cultural Resources Committee of the Barbareno Band of Chumash Indians.  The City of Goleta has significant archaeological resources within its borders and intends to manage those resources in a responsible and sensitive manner.  The archaeological resource portion presents the history of Goleta from prehistory to the middle of the American Period and identifies important periods, events, themes, and patterns of development. 

• Goleta Citywide Historic Context Statement -- Archaeological Resources
• Workshop #3 Presentation Slides -- Historic Context Statement
• Workshop #3 Presentation Slides -- Archaeological Resources
• Public Comment Received   

Workshop #2 Update 

Workshop #2 was held on October 18, 2017, to discuss the draft of the Goleta Citywide Historic Context Statement and receive input. The Historic Context Statement identifies important historic development patterns, events, and people associated with Goleta’s distinct neighborhoods and historic districts. The statement identifies property types, their associated character-defining features, and development patterns from the Rancho period (1821-1865) to post-World War II development (1946-1969).

• Goleta Citywide Historic Context Statement
• Workshop #2 Presentation Slides
• Workshop #2 Notes
• Workshop #2 Public Comment Received

The Goleta Citywide Historic Context Statement is now available for public review! (Download the document here.) The Historic Context Statement identifies important historic development patterns, events, and people associated with Goleta’s distinct neighborhoods and historic districts. It identifies property types, their associated character-defining features, and development patterns from the Rancho period (1821-1865) to post-World War II development (1946-1969). Comments may be submitted in writing to Lisa Prasse, Current Planning Manager, at lprasse@cityofgoleta.org. The deadline to submit comments is 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 1, 2017.

Since completing the reconnaissance survey, the Historic Resources Group project team has been hard at work compiling data and conducting research on the history of Goleta. Based on information gathered to date, they are working on the first draft of the historic context statement, and preparing for additional field work which will begin at the end of February 2017.

During the course of their research, they have come across several interesting facts about Goleta’s history, including:

• The Development of Two Towns
• Sexton Hall
• Goleta Federated Church
• Goleta Lemon Association
• Kellogg Park Subdivision

During the course of our research, they have come across several interesting facts about Goleta’s history. Here are some of their findings:

The Development of Two Towns  

Map of Goleta and La Patera, 1895. Drawn by Horace Sexton, 1960. Source: Walker A. Tompkins and Horace A. Sexton, Fourteen at the Table: An Informal History of the Life and Good Times of the Sexton Family of Old Goleta (Goleta, California: Goleta Valley Historical Society and Institute for American Research, 1983). 

 During the 1870s, the character of the Goleta area began to shift from sparsely populated cattle ranches to farmsteads and towns. The new farmers required goods and services such as farm machinery, wagons and buggies, blacksmithing, and general supplies. To serve their needs, two towns grew up along the County Road (present-day Hollister Avenue).

La Patera, named for the gathering of ducks in the adjacent marshy slough, was located at the corner of Fairview and Hollister Avenues, and was established in 1869 with the opening of Hiram Hill’s blacksmith shop. Jean Marie Birabent’s hotel and saloon followed, as well as a store and saloon run by Jean Baptiste Deu. St. Raphael’s Catholic Church was built in La Patera in 1890.

La Goleta, located on the north side of Hollister Avenue at Patterson Avenue, was situated on the southwestern portion of the La Goleta land grant. It, too, was founded in 1869, with the establishment of a general store by I. G. Foster. Benjamin Pettit’s blacksmith shop followed in 1872, along with Rafaela School, Methodist and Baptist churches, and a post office. The post office, situated in Foster’s store (which also served as the town dance hall), was the focal point of La Goleta.

Sexton Hall 

The Sexton family established Sexton Hall in the 1890s, which served as the center of Goleta social life for several decades. Elections, weddings, funerals, dances, graduations, parties, and lodge meetings were held there. The first movie was shown at Sexton Hall in 1897, and two years later, cartoonist, vaudeville comedian, and actor Leo Carrillo is rumored to have made his theatrical debut in the hall.

Photo: Sexton Halll, 5410 Hollister Avenue (demolished). Source: Tompkins, Goleta: The Good Land.

Goleta Federated Church 

On August 12, 1912, the Protestants of Goleta Valley organized into the “United Church” with 85 charter members. However, because the Methodist Conference would not allow their church to become independent, nearly sixty of the members reorganized into “The Federated Church” on September 22, 1913. The Federated Church purchased property at the corner of Hollister Avenue and Chapel Street to build their church; meanwhile, they met at Sexton Hall. After worshipping in Sexton Hall for less than eight months, the Federated Church congregation moved into their new church (5320 Hollister Avenue; demolished) on May 10, 1914. 

Photo: Goleta Federated Church, 1875. Source: Goleta Valley Historical Society

 Goleta Lemon Association

Agriculture in the Goleta Valley transformed during the Great Depression. In the 1930s, a fungus began destroying Goleta’s walnut trees, prompting an upsurge in the acreage devoted to lemons in the Goleta Valley. The reduction in acreage devoted to walnuts also led to a decline in lima bean farming. Although the national economy took a major hit during the Great Depression, lemons continued to command high prices.

The expansion of lemon production created a need for a packing and shipping facility to serve local growers. In response, sixty growers representing 600 acres of lemon groves formed the Goleta Lemon Association in 1935, with a lemon packing plant built the following year on La Patera Lane. The all-wood structure, designed by William W. Ache, spanned 80,000 square feet, and included a 120 x 300 foot washing and packing section, and a two-story, 120 feet by 154 feet storage portion. The storage rooms were insulated with thick redwood planks, while the exterior of the building was painted with aluminum paint to increase solar reflectivity.  During its first six months of operation, the Goleta Lemon Association shipped 306 carloads of lemons across the United States.

Pictured: Goleta Lemon Association packing label. Source: Community Development and Conservation Collection, Special Collections, University of California, Santa Barbara.

Kellogg Park Subdivision 

In 1955, the Kellogg Park Subdivision, was created by the Goleta Development Corporation (owned by Garfield Sorensen and Ralph Beckman).  It was the first post-World War II subdivision in Goleta, prompted by the sudden influx of aerospace workers to the area. Construction of the 118-home tract, roughly bounded by the railroad on the north, Mallard Avenue on the west, Hollister Avenue on the south, and Kinman Avenue on the east, began in November 1956, and was completed in 1957. The Mid-century Modern style homes, designed by Los Angeles-based master architects Jones & Emmons, featured three bedrooms and one-and-one-half bathrooms. Built-in ranges, ovens, and fireplaces were optional. The homes were situated on approximately 6,500 square foot lots, and ranged in price from $13,300 to $16,200. Neighborhood shopping facilities were provided at the intersection of the tract’s main street, Kinman Avenue, with Hollister Avenue. 

Photos by Historic Resources Group, August 2016

On December 7, 2016, the City held its first workshop in a series on the Historic Preservation Project. Click here to see the PowerPoint presentation explaining the project and providing next steps. At the workshop, attendees were separated into break out groups where they identified built resources they thought should be looked at through the Historic Preservation process. These places were then added to a map - click here to see it. Please note, this map does not include comments regarding archaeological resources.  

Be sure to sign up at http://tinyurl.com/goletasubscriptions to receive updates and notifications about future workshops.

GENERAL PROJECT INFORMATION 

Goleta Through the Years
Travel through time to see Goleta's development decade by decade.
See how the City has been developed via subdivisions, or tracts, over time.

Designated Historic Resources
There are a number of Designated Historic Resources in Goleta already, here are some highlights:

The Sherman P. Stow House (1873, Frank Walker; SBCL #6; listed in the National Register of Historic Places) is historically significant because of its association with Edgar Whitney Stow, a prominent agriculturist and ranch owner in Santa Barbara County. Stow made the house his primary residence from 1915 to 1949. During his residency at the Stow House, Stow developed an international reputation for his research into improving the productivity of lemon trees. He was also instrumental in the development of the agricultural cooperative movement in Santa Barbara County. As a State Senator, Stow represented the agricultural interests of independent farmers in Santa Barbara County. (Photo: Stow House, 1885. Source: Goleta Valley Historical Society)

Located on Hollister Avenue, the Joseph and Lucy Foster Sexton House (1880, Peter Barber; SBCL #14; listed in the National Register of Historic Places) is significant for its association with Joseph Sexton, a pioneer nurseryman and a key figure in the agricultural development of the Goleta Valley. It is also significant for its Italianate style design by Peter Barber, a prominent 19^th-century Santa Barbara architect. The house and its associated features are the only extant structures associated directly with Joseph Sexton and his career as a horticulturist. Sexton earned a reputation as a pioneer horticulturist, and influenced the transformation of southern California's vast cattle ranches into commercial farms and its dusty, semi-arid villages into well-ordered American communities with shaded streets and ornamental gardens. He was an experimenter, and the Sexton Nursery was as much a laboratory for developing stock suited to the southern California environment as it was a supply station. (Photo: Sexton House, 1992. Source: Sexton House National Register Nomination)

Goleta Depot (1901; SBCL #22; listed in the National Register of Historic Places) was built during the completion of Southern Pacific's Coast Line. This coastal route, linking the principal California cities of San Francisco and Los Angeles, came to have a major impact on patterns of settlement, tourism, agriculture, and other forms of social and economic development throughout most of the 20th century. Scores of depots and lesser buildings were erected in the county during these final years of the Coast Line construction. While other original structures and features (e.g., bridges, cuts and fills) endure, Goleta Depot is the only surviving railroad building from that period. (Photo: Goleta Depot, 1912. Source: South Coast Railroad Museum)

The properties proposed to be designated as Historic Landmarks and included on the Historic Resources Inventory are:

1. Barnsdall-Rio Grande Gasoline Station located at 7825 Hollister Avenue; APN 079-210-059
2. Bishop Ranch located at 96 Glen Annie Road; APN 077-020-045
3. Daniel Hill Adobe located at 33 S. La Patera Road; APN 073-050-034
4. Goleta Depot located at 300 N. Los Carneros Road; APN 077-210-059
5. Sexton House located at 5490 Hollister Avenue; APN 071-330-009
6. Shrode Produce Packing House located at 265 La Patera (partially demolished); APN 073-010-005
7. Stow House located at 304 N. Los Carneros Road; APN 077-1660-057

In addition, the following properties are proposed to be placed on the Historic Resources Inventory and would be eligible for Historic Landmark designation based on the process proposed in Chapter 17.33 of the GMC:

1. 5728 Aguila Avenue; APN 071-003-012
2. 550 Cambridge Drive; APN 069-560-030
3. 175 Chapel St.; APN 071-101-013
4. 75 Coromar Dr.; APN 073-150-014
5. 6595 Covington Way; APN 077-160-022
6. 598 N. Fairview Avenue; APN069-090-052
7. 5444 Hollister Avenue; APN 071-330-003
8. 5555 Hollister Avenue; APN 071-140-056
9. 5681 Hollister Avenue; APN 071-130-009
10. 5757 Hollister Avenue; APN 071-121-003
11. 5784 Hollister Avenue; APN 071-061-013
12. 5838 Hollister Avenue; APN 071-053-014
13. 6769 Hollister Avenue; APN 073-610-001
14. 110 S. Kellogg Avenue; APN 071-340-001
15. 170 Magnolia Avenue; APN 071-053-017
16. 170 Nectarine Avenue; APN 071-061-015
17. 171 Nectarine Avenue; APN 071-053-010
18. 5399 Overpass Road; APN 071-220-036
19. 195 S. Patterson Avenue; APN 071-102-005
20. 130 Robin Hill Road; APN 073-050-015
21. 6260 Shamrock Avenue; APN 077-222-007
22. 10 Winchester Canyon Road; APN 079-121-007

Located beside what was once a vast oil field, the Barnsdall-Rio Grande Gasoline Station (1929, Morgan, Walls & Clement; SBCL #29) was the product of a 1928 oil strike, which quickly made the Barnsdall-Rio Grande oil company a major player on the New York Stock Exchange. Almost overnight, they were Goleta’s biggest taxpayer. At one time, Ellwood was the most productive oil field in the world, yielding more than 100 million barrels of oil in over 3 decades. Most filling stations at the time were boxlike structures with little ornamentation. However, when the Barnsdall-Rio Grande decided to build a filling station on the State Highway adjacent to their oil fields, they wanted it to be a showpiece. 

The team from Historic Resources Group has been hard at work out in the field identifying buildings in Goleta that have some sort of significance (i.e. architectural, social or cultural).  Below is an update.

Clockwise from top left: 150 Orange Avenue; 235 Saratoga Avenue, El Encanto Heights; Beck House (now Santa Barbara Humane Society), 5399 Overpass Road; Cambridge Drive Community Church, 550 Cambridge Drive. Source: Historic Resources Group

The project team has completed the initial windshield survey of the City. The windshield survey will be used to inform the development of the historic context statement, and is one of the first steps in identifying properties and neighborhoods for study as part of the historic resources survey. Aided by a map of the city illustrating development by decade, existing information in the city’s files about potential historic resources, and additional research, the project team drove every street in Goleta to look at general development patterns and the types of potentially historic properties in the city. During this process the team compiled a study list of properties and neighborhoods that may be historically significant. Many of Goleta’s oldest buildings are located downtown, along and north of Hollister Avenue between Fairview and Patterson Avenues. There are also buildings from early periods of development scattered throughout the city, representing remnants of Goleta’s vibrant agricultural character. During the post-World War II period, Goleta witnessed the subdivision and subsequent development of several housing tracts, including, Kellogg Park (1955), El Encanto Heights (1957-1959), and Holiday Park (1957-1958).