E ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND REVITALIZATION
STANDING COMMITTEE MEETING
June 8, 2023
9:30 – 11:00 AM
City Hall – Conference Room 1
130 Cremona Drive, Suite B
Goleta, California
Councilmember James Kyriaco
Councilmember Luz Reyes-Martín
Robert Nisbet, City Manager
Jaime Valdez, Neighborhood Services Director
Ryan Kintz, Assistant to the City Manager
OPTIONS FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION WILL BE IN PERSON OR ONLINE VIA ZOOM
If you wish to make a general public comment or to comment on a specific agenda item, the following methods are available:
Distribution to the Economic Development and Revitalization Standing Committee - Submit your comment via email prior to the Economic Development and Revitalization Standing Committee meeting. Please submit your comment to Shannon Kirn at:
[email protected]. Your comment will be placed into the record and distributed appropriately.
Please register for Economic Development and Revitalization Committee Meeting on June 8, 2023, at 9:30 AM. PDT at:
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AGENDA
I. Public Comment
II. Economic Development Strategic Plan Presentation
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: June 8, 2023
TO: Economic Development & Revitalization Standing Committee FROM: Robert Nisbet, City Manager
Ryan Kintz, Assistant to the City Manager
SUBJECT: Economic Development Strategic Plan
RECOMMENDATION:
Review the draft Economic Development Strategic Plan, provide final feedback to staff, and recommend adoption of the Plan to the City Council.
BACKGROUND:
On March 24, 2023, the Committee participated in the second Economic Development Strategic Plan Advisory Team check-in meeting and provided feedback to staff on areas of the Plan developed to date including: Strategic Imperatives, Objectives (success measures), and Initiatives.
Following the March 24, 2023 Committee meeting, staff, consultant and the Economic Development Strategic Plan Core Planning Team reviewed the Committee’s input and incorporated it into the draft Economic Development Strategic Plan (Plan). Two additional Core Planning Team meetings were conducted in March and May of 2023 to develop the actionable strategies and fine tune all the elements of the Plan. In addition, the City released a Community Survey and conducted a Community Forum in April to gather final input from the public. This final input was incorporated and resulted in the version of the draft Plan provided in Attachment
1. A summary version of the Plan is provided in Attachment 2.
On June 8, 2023, staff and consultant will present the latest version of the Plan including the newly developed actionable strategies. Staff is recommending the Committee review the draft Economic Development Strategic Plan, provide final feedback to staff, and recommend adoption of the Plan by the City Council.
DISCUSSION:
The development of a new 5-year Economic Development Strategic Plan for the City of Goleta is nearing completion. The creation of the Plan has been conducted using a phased approach which includes three phases as shown in Figure 1. The Get Clear phase was completed in December and resulted in the development of a Situation Assessment or strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats analysis which included significant community engagement and data analysis. This resulted in robust quantitative and qualitative findings that served as the foundation for the development of the Plan. The Get Focused phase is coming to an end and will result in the City Council adoption of an Economic Development Strategic Plan. The final phase of the plan, the Get Moving phase, will include developing an implementation roadmap that will augment staff’s ability to begin implementing the Plan.
Project Timeline and Next Steps
The final step of the Get Focused phase includes presenting the Plan to the City Council on June 20, 2023. Once the Plan is adopted by the City Council, the Get Moving phase will commence. In the Get Moving phase, which will begin in July of 2023, staff, stakeholders and the consultant will prioritize the work ahead, organize for implementation, and focus on organizational needs and capacity. Figure 1 below provides a visual summary of the work efforts completed to date and the project’s next steps (bold items are work efforts that have yet to be completed).
Figure 1: Project Phases Progress
Figure 2 below provides a detailed view of the project timeline. The Get Moving phase includes two planning sessions, which are summarized below:
Session 1 – Core Planning Team (3 Hours)
• Plan Management Best-Practices
• Review and Discussion of Collective Impact Model
• Strategy Sequencing & Capabilities/Complexity Assessment Session 2 – Participation TBD based on results of Session 1 Strategy Sequencing & Capabilities/Complexity Assessment (3 Hours)
• Year 1 Initiative Action Planning
o Initiative Scoping & Teaming
o Development of Strategy Milestones/Gates and Detailed Action Steps o Strategy Resource Discussion
These planning sessions will be used to develop a robust Implementation Roadmap (Roadmap) that will allow the City to act quickly in the new Fiscal Year 2023-24 to implement the strategies of the Plan. In addition, this Roadmap will identify the stakeholders and additional resources that will be leveraged over the 5-year horizon of the Plan to complete the actionable strategies. This phase of the project is vital to creating an organized methodology of implementation. The Implementation Roadmap will ensure the strategies in the Plan are accomplished and the City and its partners are producing measurable results. In addition, the Roadmap will ensure the actionable strategies in the Plan are moving the needle towards achieving the vision of the Economic Development Strategic Plan.
Figure 2: Updated Project Timeline
Attachments
1. Draft Economic Development Strategic Plan
2. Economic Development Strategic Plan Summary – Two-Pager Attachment 1
Draft Economic Development Strategic Plan
2023 - 2028 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC PLAN
City of Goleta
June 2023
In May of 2021, the Goleta City Council identified economic development as a major priority for the City at its annual Strategic Planning and City Manager Department Priority Setting Workshops. At the time, the City was still responding and recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic which exposed deep inequities that have long existed in our communities. However, the pandemic also created an opportunity for positive change. Goleta’s leadership recognized that a strategy was needed to address the long-term recovery of the City that would benefit all affected communities and those most impacted by the pandemic: low-income residents, people of color, and women. Goleta’s leaders made a strategic investment in a planning process that would help initiate the City’s recovery and chart a course toward a more equitable, vibrant, and resilient future for all.
The City commenced the process of developing an Economic Development Strategic Plan (Plan) in February of 2022 to guide economic development efforts over the next five years. To create an economic development roadmap that is aimed at improving the economic outcomes for all, the City made significant efforts for the Plan to be community driven and to gather input from diverse community members.
Stakeholder engagement was an essential part of the process to inform the development of Goleta’s Economic Development Strategic Plan. Various outreach methods were used to leverage the combined talents, experience, and passion of a diversity of people and organizations, including residents, businesses, government agencies, community and regional leaders, and subject matter experts.
The Core Planning Team, which performed the heavy lifting of drafting the Plan, consisted of key community leaders with diverse backgrounds. This team focused their knowledge and skillsets to develop a plan that enhances existing efforts, maximizes assets, partnerships and opportunities, and mitigates or changes perceived and real constraints to equitable economic growth. The strategies outlined in this Plan are the culmination of months of their hard work.
This Plan is a shared blueprint for action and will play a vital role in advancing strategies that foster economic growth and resilience in the City of Goleta for the next five years. The City looks forward to working with all of our partners to make this Plan a reality and achieving the vision of the plan to make Goleta a place for all to thrive.
Mayor Paula Perotte
Councilmember
James Kyriaco
Mayor Pro Tempore
Kyle Richards
Councilmember
Luz Reyes-Martín
Councilmember
Stuart Kasdin
City Manager
Robert Nisbet
City of Goleta Economic Development Strategic Plan | 3
City of Goleta Economic Development Strategic Plan | 4
League of Oregon Cities Organizational Economic Development Economic Development Strategic Plan | 5 Acknowledgements
This community driven plan could not have been possible without the many volunteer hours of key leaders in the Goleta Community. A special thank you to our Core Planning Team and Advisory Team Members.
Core Planning Team
• Kathy Janega-Dykes, President/CEO, Visit Santa Barbara • Kristen Miller, President CEO, South Coast Chamber of Commerce • Jacqueline Inda, Greater Santa Barbara Hispanic Chamber of Commerce • Lori Goodman, Executive Director, LEAP
• Bruce Stenslie, President and CEO, Economic Development Collaboration • Francois DeJohn, Partner, Hayes Commercial
• Mark Ingalls, Property Manager, Camino Real LLC
• Kathy Odell, CEO, Women’s Economic Ventures
Advisory Team
• Luz Reyes-Martin, City of Goleta Council Member, Economic Development and Revitalization Committee Co-Chair
• James Kyriaco, City of Goleta Council Member, Economic Development and Revitalization Committee Co-Chair
• Hazel Davalos, Co-Executive Director, Central Coast Alliance United for A Sustainable Economy • Barry Dorsey, General Manager, The Leta Hotel
• Danny Fitzgibbons, Founder, Equalitech
• Chad Hine, COO, Sansum Clinic
• Melissa James, President and CEO, REACH Central Coast • Alma Janabajab, Business Services Strategist, County of Santa Barbara Workforce Development Board • Trevor Large, Founding partner of Fauver, Large, Archbald & Spray LLP/Immediate past Chair, South Coast Chamber of Commerce
• John Longbrake, Associate Vice Chancellor for Public Affairs & Communications, UC Santa Barbara • Kirsten Z. Deshler, Director of Governmental Relations, UC Santa Barbara • Jasmine McGinty, Principal Analyst Legislative Affairs, County of Santa Barbara • Mike Medel, Director of Admissions, Santa Barbara City College • Pedro Paz, Executive Director, Santa Barbara Education Foundation • Diana Roybal, Superintendent, Goleta Union School District City of Goleta Economic Development Strategic Plan | 5
Table of Contents
07 About this Plan
08 Overview
10 Strategic Clarity
12 Strategic Focus and Action
About This Plan
This Strategic Plan provides a north star for the City of Goleta as it carries out its economic development mission over the next five years. The content of this Plan was informed by the following:
• The December 2022 comprehensive Situation Assessment, which included significant community engagement and data analysis, resulting in robust quantitative and qualitative findings. • A series of work sessions with a Core Planning Team comprised of City staff and community stakeholders.
• Feedback sessions with a broader Advisory Committee, which included more than 15 economic development, business, and community partners.
• An in-person community forum and an online resident feedback survey.
Six Imperatives—broad areas of focus that must be accomplished if the Plan is to be successful—are at the center of the Plan. Each Imperative is supported by a set of Strategies—initiatives or actions designed to achieve Plan goals—and Objectives that will help the City measure progress and success.
Over the course of the next five years, Goleta City Council and City staff, in partnership with local and regional economic development stakeholders and the City’s Economic Development and Revitalization Committee, will commit resources to the implementation of each Strategy, annually prioritizing workload. These Strategies are not meant to be an inflexible to-do list. Rather, they serve as a roadmap and will be reviewed regularly to ensure the work specified continues to meet the Objectives tied to each Imperative.
Overview
City of Goleta Economic Development Strategic Plan | 8
The City of Goleta embarked upon the development of a five-year Economic Development Strategic Plan to ensure it is best positioned to meet the needs of residents, businesses, entrepreneurs, and visitors. The City of Goleta engaged Coraggio Group and Destination Analysts to support this important work through analysis and facilitation.
One of the first steps in this strategic process was conducting a comprehensive assessment of Goleta’s economy.
Data collection and stakeholder perspectives were captured through the following efforts and research:
• Stakeholder and Community Engagement (survey, one-on-one interviews, focus groups) • Economic Trends and Data Analysis
• Competitive Set Program Benchmarking
• Potential Visitor Analysis
• Visitor Profile and Tourism Impact Analysis
Together, these efforts helped ground the development of the new five-year Economic Development Strategic Plan in a clear understanding of the current state and sentiment, including economic development opportunities and challenges, community priorities, and potential strategic initiatives and actions. Ten key themes emerged from this outreach and analysis, forming the foundation of the Situation Assessment:
1. The City of Goleta has the opportunity to align stakeholders and residents around a shared communitydriven economic vision.
2. Overwhelmingly, stakeholders are worried about the rising cost of living and would like to see Goleta address housing and childcare availability and affordability.
3. Investing in Goleta’s infrastructure will be key to community livability, economic growth, and destination development.
4. A focus on placemaking and downtown redevelopment is needed to help create a sense of place, enhance local amenities, and improve Goleta’s visitor experience.
5. Goleta does not have a strong tourism identity and lacks the necessary support structures to position itself as a true visitor destination.
6. The business community in Goleta does not feel supported, particularly small business owners and entrepreneurs.
7. The lack of industry diversification and middle-wage jobs is a potential threat to Goleta’s long-term economic resilience.
8. Residents are worried that Goleta’s growth will impact their quality of life and change the city’s unique character.
9. The University of California, Santa Barbara has the potential to be a major economic driver and should be further leveraged to help grow the local economy beyond the tourism industry and its impact on hotel occupancy.
10. The City’s economic development strategy should continue to prioritize historically disadvantaged communities to ensure equitable growth and shared prosperity.
With this current-state context as a foundation, the elements of Goleta’s Economic Development Strategic Plan include:
Strategic Clarity
IMPERATIVES
What must Goleta accomplish over
the five-year planning horizon?
OBJECTIVES
How will we know when we are successful?
What will we measure?
STRATEGIES
What finite-duration, discretionary projects
or programs, outside of our organizations’s
day-to-day operational activities, will we
take on?
COMPETITIVE POSITION
What unique and sustainable value does
Goleta deliver to visitors, talent/workforce,
and businesses?
LONG-TERM ECONOMIC VISION
What is the ideal future state we are trying
to create for Goleta as a destination, a
community, and an economy?
Strategic Focus & Action
City of Goleta Economic Development Strategic Plan | 9
Strategic Clarity
City of Goleta Economic Development Strategic Plan | 10 Goleta’s Competitive Position
• Home to vibrant innovation and technology-based sectors, such as photonics, infrared, quantum computing, bio-med, software, nanotech, and defense/space, as well as a leading-edge research university.
• A strong sustainability ethos, positioning Goleta to attract and retain students, businesses, and entrepreneurs focused on addressing our most pressing climate change and natural resource challenges. • Small-town amenities but with easy access to and from major metropolitan areas via a convenient regional airport, highway system, and rail connections. • Uniquely situated between California's coastal mountains and the Pacific Ocean, residents and visitors can explore the Gaviota Coast, one of the last undeveloped coastlines in California. • Access to some of the most stunning scenery, weather, and outdoor recreation opportunities in the United States.
• A playground for residents and visitors to enjoy, with convenient access to top-tier golf destinations, entertainment venues, and world-renowned viticultural areas. • A high quality of life, with exceptional schools, accessible transportation options (inbound and in-market), top-notch medical care, and safe neighborhoods, making it a community in which a diversity of people want to live.
Goleta’s Long-Term, Aspirational Economic Vision
Goleta is alive with possibility—local businesses grow and thrive, visitors are charmed, and residents are proud of the vibrant city they call home.
A reinvigorated Old Town is the center of activity and the heritage-centered pride of the city. Local businesses— restaurants, retail, and entertainment—create an activated district that draws locals, students at the University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB) and Santa Barbara Community College (SBCC), and visitors. Local makers sell their wares, restaurants create signature dishes with local produce, and events and festivals draw crowds on targeted weekends. Because the City has supported business-friendly policy changes, invested in infrastructure upgrades and public/private development, and leveraged incentives for small, BIPOC-owned and women-owned businesses, more businesses than ever are springing up in this vibrant area—and throughout the city. This commitment has resulted in economic opportunity that is equitably shared across all communities within Goleta.
Visitors to Goleta find a range of choices for accommodation, including high-end hotels, a variety of short-term rental properties, and more economical options. While they are in town, they can take advantage of expanded beach access at Goleta Beach, provided through a partnership between the City and the County. Expanded hiking trails and upgraded sports facilities draw both visitors and residents, and sports tournaments pull in youth athletes and professional golfers, increasingly exposing people to Goleta and its many natural, cultural, and community assets.
An expansion of venues has allowed Goleta to host more meetings and small conferences, as well as performing arts events. The Lemon Festival has become a signature event that bolsters local pride while also drawing overnight visitors and promoting the image of the city.
Meanwhile, the community, businesses, and City government are equally committed to fostering a high quality of life in Goleta. Business-forward policies and streamlined processes make it easier for entrepreneurs to get started here. A secure water supply, strong last-mile broadband, and other infrastructure investments ensure stability for businesses and the community, while flexible zoning and collaborations with UCSB, SBCC, Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB), and other organizations spur innovation and new businesses in technology and other sectors.
The confluence of so much technological know-how and the sustainability focus of the city has resulted in Goleta's emergence as a "smart city" that leverages technological tools to support a sustainable way of life. This prominent profile draws tech and manufacturing businesses to Goleta to be a part of this movement.
With an economy that supports middle-wage jobs, provides plentiful housing options, and offers high-quality schools, Goleta is an inclusive and welcoming community of choice for a diversity of people, families, and businesses.
City of Goleta Economic Development Strategic Plan | 11 City of Goleta Economic Development Strategic Plan | 11 Strategic Focus
and Action
City of Goleta Economic Development Strategic Plan | 12
IMPERATIVES
Amplify the reputation of Goleta as a world-class center of innovation and technology.
OBJECTIVES
• Increased number of jobs in technology-based and innovation-led sectors • Increased brand recall/awareness for Goleta as a center of innovation and technology • Increased number and dollar amount of local financing deals (angel, seed, venture capital,
SBIR/STTR)
STRATEGIES
Re-envision and expand the GEM program to
better support high-growth startups. Originally
launched in 2012, the Goleta Entrepreneurial Magnet
(GEM) program is a collaboration between the
City of Goleta and UCSB. A lot has changed since
the program was launched more than a decade
ago. Opportunities exist to modernize GEM to
better support local technology entrepreneurs and
UCSB spin-off companies, including increasing the
accessibility of the program to minority founders
and better leveraging the federal government’s
Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and
Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR)
commercialization grant resources.
Potential Partners: UCSB, Santa Barbara South
Coast Chamber of Commerce, UCSB Latinx
Business Association.
Support marketing and branding campaigns
designed to position Goleta as a technology
and innovation hub. The success of Goleta and
the broader Santa Barbara region as a technology
and innovation hub are often overshadowed by
the Bay Area to the north and Los Angeles to
the south. However, Goleta is home to a nascent
startup community and nationally competitive
technology and innovation sectors, such as photonics,
infrared, quantum computing, bio-med, software,
nanotech, and defense/space. A commitment to
branding and marketing will help position Goleta
globally, improving talent attraction, business
investment, and startup success.
Potential Partners: UCSB, Santa Barbara South
Coast Chamber of Commerce, Local Innovation
and Technology Companies
Update local zoning to encourage the development
of light industrial space. Light industrial space is
designated for the assembly, production, and storage
of goods commonly associated with technology and
innovation-based sectors. Goleta’s growing photonics,
infrared, quantum computing, bio-med, software,
nanotech, and defense/space industries rely on light
industrial properties for their manufacturing needs.
Ensuring a robust supply of light industrial space will be critical for future growth. An evaluation of local
zoning is the first step in the development process.
Potential Partners: City of Goleta Planning &
Environmental Review Department, Local Real
Estate Developers, Local Innovation and
Technology-Based Companies
Study and launch a publicly backed equity
investment fund. Access to capital for highgrowth startups is critical to building a competitive entrepreneurial ecosystem. Unfortunately, private
angel, seed, and venture capital investors still tend
to invest in major startup hubs like San Francisco,
Seattle, Austin, and New York City, making it difficult for entrepreneurs in smaller markets to attract the
investment capital they need to grow. Increasingly,
local governments are stepping up to fill this gap. An
opportunity exists for the City of Goleta to research
best-practices and study the feasibility of launching a publicly backed startup investment fund to help close
local startup capital gaps.
Potential Partners: UCSB, Santa Barbara South Coast
Chamber of Commerce, Local Angel and Seed Funds/
Investors, Local Entrepreneurs and Startups
City of Goleta Economic Development Strategic Plan | 13
IMPERATIVES
Improve access to economic opportunity by increasing
the availability of livable-wage jobs and enhancing
support for local BIPOC and women-owned small
businesses and entrepreneurs.
OBJECTIVES
• Increased number and size of grants, loans, and investments from City supported programs to minority-owned small businesses
• Increased number of BIPOC-owned and women-owned small businesses • Decreased underemployment of historically marginalized populations in the city
STRATEGIES
Establish a micro-enterprise loan fund to
help close capital access gaps for local small
businesses. Small businesses are vital to the
health of Goleta’s economy, ranging from main
street retail shops and local restaurants to construction businesses and small manufacturers. These small
businesses provide income for families and create
jobs for residents. For many small business owners,
particularly those from marginalized populations, their idea, service, or product is marketable, but operating
capital is out of reach. This issue is even more
acute for early-stage businesses that have difficulty
qualifying for private bank loans. A publicly backed
micro-enterprise loan fund can help small businesses
get started, ensuring that they remain a critical
component of Goleta’s economy.
Potential Partners: Santa Barbara South Coast
Chamber of Commerce, Greater Santa Barbara
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Local Banks,
Local BIPOC-Owned and Women-Owned Small
Businesses and Entrepreneurs
Invest in relationship development with and
support of culturally focused organizations to
better support women-owned and BIPOC-owned
small businesses. Closing economic gaps and
disparities starts with bringing the populations you
are seeking to serve to the decision-making table.
This cannot occur without relationships and trust. To
better support small businesses owned by historically
marginalized people, the City is focused on developing
authentic relationships with organizations or affinity
groups already supporting these community members
and businesses.
Potential Partners: Greater Santa Barbara Hispanic
Chamber of Commerce, Women’s Economic Ventures,
UCSB Latinx Business Association, Santa Barbara
Foundation, Local Women-Owned and BIPOC-Owned
Small Businesses, Visit Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara
South Coast Chamber of Commerce
Partner with local workforce development
stakeholders to support career pathway
opportunities for historically marginalized
populations. Workforce development and access to
livable-wage jobs are essential for the economic health and prosperity of a community. To help achieve this
goal, the City is committed to partnering with existing workforce development organizations and employers
to identify critical skills gaps, support local on-the-job (OJT) training programs and dislocated worker career
services, and develop sector-specific career pathways,
particularly for historically marginalized people.
Potential Partners: County of Santa Barbara Workforce
Development Board, Santa Barbara City College,
Santa Barbara County Department of Social Services,
Santa Barbara Foundation, California Employment
Development Department, The America’s Job Centers
of California, Local Employers
City of Goleta Economic Development Strategic Plan | 14 City of Goleta Economic Development Strategic Plan | 15
IMPERATIVES
Position Goleta as a local leader of high-quality,
innovative affordable child-care and housing solutions.
OBJECTIVES
• Increased number of housing units accessible to residents with Area Medium Income (AMI) or less for a family of four
• Decreased deficit of affordable childcare slots by 2028
STRATEGIES
Partner with local employers to identify innovative
solutions and funding opportunities to increase
the availability of workforce housing. In a recent
City survey, 78 percent of respondents identified
improving access to affordable housing for middleand working-class families as a top community priority.
Access to housing is a talent attraction and retention
issue for many employers. This issue is particularly
critical for communities like Goleta, where the cost
of housing has skyrocketed in recent years. Publicprivate partnerships will be required to effectively tackle the housing availability issue, both in the
near-term and in the long-run.
Potential Partners: Local Real Estate Developers,
Local Employers, City of Goleta Planning &
Environmental Review Department, California
Department of Housing and Community Development,
UCSB, Housing Authority of the County of Santa
Barbara
Evaluate and streamline local zoning and
permitting processes to increase the diversity
and availability of housing. To increase the
availability and diversity of housing options in Goleta at all price points, it will be important to evaluate local zoning, building codes, and the permitting process to
better incentivize the development of housing. This
effort will look at opportunities to expand the range
of options—multifamily, single family, mobile homes,
tiny homes, accessory dwelling units, co-living, etc.—
available to current and future residents while at the
same time protecting what has made Goleta
an attractive place to live and work.
Potential Partners: Local Real Estate Developers,
City of Goleta Planning & Environmental Review
Department, California Department of Housing and
Community Development, UCSB, Housing Authority
of the County of Santa Barbara
Explore innovative solutions, best practices,
and legal pathways to reserve affordable
housing for Goleta’s childcare workforce. One of
the more significant issues related to the current lack of affordable housing is the reality that many childcare providers cannot often afford to live in or near Goleta.
Many childcare providers are forced to commute long
distances to provide essential services. To expand
affordable childcare options locally, it will be essential to ensure that childcare providers have access to
affordable housing.
Potential Partners: Housing Authority of the County
of Santa Barbara, California Department of Housing
and Community Development
Partner regionally to identify actionable strategies
to improve access to affordable childcare. In a
recent City survey, 73 percent of respondents identified supporting and expanding afterschool programs and
affordable early childhood/childcare programs as a
top community priority.1
For many families, including
those of small business owners, the lack of affordable
childcare is a barrier to employment and/or starting a
business. Near-term, actionable strategies are needed
to improve access to affordable childcare.
Potential Partners: United Way of Santa Barbara
County, Children’s Resource & Referral of Santa
Barbara County
1 https://www.cityofgoleta.org/live/goleta-s-next-20
City of Goleta Economic Development Strategic Plan | 16 Partner with local organizations with the
shared mission to incentivize employers to
invest in childcare options, particularly for
lower-income residents. Like addressing the
housing affordability issue, the lack of affordable
childcare is a barrier for employers to attract and
retain talent. It is critical that local employers are
part of the solution by offering onsite childcare or
advocating for an increase in the availability of
affordable childcare options community wide.
Potential Partners: Santa Barbara South Coast
Chamber of Commerce, Local Employers,
United Way of Santa Barbara County, Children’s
Resource & Referral of Santa Barbara County
City of Goleta Economic Development Strategic Plan | 17
IMPERATIVES
Enhance the experience of Goleta for both residents and visitors by leveraging Old Town’s unique historical and cultural identity and investing in district placemaking.
OBJECTIVES
• Annual increase in service and retail sales in Old Town • 5-year increase in the number of visitors to Old Town as measured by cell phone location data • Increased positive neighborhood perception of businesses in Old Town as measured by an annual business survey
STRATEGIES
Identify incentives to encourage property
owners and businesses to activate underutilized
properties in Old Town. Empty commercial real
estate—often referred to as “missing teeth” in an
urban context—depresses the attractiveness of
a neighborhood for visitors and residents alike.
Reversing this trend will help a neighborhood achieve
critical mass and build momentum as a thriving
business district. This strategy seeks to foster a vibrant Old Town by encouraging the use of properties on the
supply side (property owners) and on the demand side
(small businesses).
Potential partners: Santa Barbara South Coast
Chamber of Commerce, District Property Owners,
District Businesses
Invest in infrastructure and streetscape amenities
in Old Town. Activating a commercial district requires
amenities that make it a comfortable place to visit
by non-motorized means and an inviting place to
walk around and explore. Attractive streetscape
improvements such as benches and plantings,
combined with pedestrian amenities such as safe
crosswalks and wider sidewalks, support the
pedestrian experience, while protected bicycle lanes
encourage non-motorized transport and reduce the
need for parking augmentation.
Potential partners: City of Goleta Planning &
Environmental Review Department, City of Goleta
Public Works Department, Santa Barbara South Coast
Chamber of Commerce, District Property Owners,
District Businesses
Activate the implementation of existing Old Town
visions and plans. There have been several planning
efforts that have envisioned the future of Old Town
and pointed to improvements that are necessary to
reinvigorate the neighborhood. This strategy seeks to
put energy behind those initiatives while recognizing
that there is no need to “reinvent the wheel.”
Potential partners: City of Goleta Planning &
Environmental Review Department, District
Property Owners, District Businesses
Activate Old Town by studying the feasibility
of relocating City services to the district and/
or investing in community infrastructure. The
presence of an office workforce in a commercial area
provides a reliable daytime base for local businesses
that might not be able to survive on evening business
alone. The relocation of some City services to the
neighborhood would both send a signal that the City
is serious about improving Old Town and would have
very real positive impacts on the ability of businesses to thrive in the neighborhood. This may be combined
with City investment in public amenities such as a
plaza or park where outdoor events can be held,
further enlivening the neighborhood.
Potential partners: City of Goleta Planning &
Environmental Review Department, District
Property Owners, District Businesses
City of Goleta Economic Development Strategic Plan | 18 Explore the feasibility of a Business Improvement
District (BID) through the Old Town Visioning
Process. A Business Improvement District is a legal
structure that provides businesses a way to voluntarily add an assessment to their sales of goods or services
to create a collective pool of funds that can be used
for improvements within the district, such as safety
and security, cleaning, wayfinding, and pedestrian and
streetscape enhancements. A BID in Old Town has the
potential to provide merchants and other businesses in
the area with some local control and funds for making
the neighborhood a better place to do business. One
issue to be resolved as the district is created is to what degree building owners or business owners will have
priority in decision-making.
Potential partners: District Property Owners,
District Businesses
Study, identify, and implement anti-displacement
tools and strategies for Old Town businesses
and residents. As improvements take place in Old
Town, the City and its partners must take careful
steps to minimize the displacement of residents and
businesses. As a neighborhood improves, rents
will climb for both commercial and residential units.
Identifying and implementing creative ways to enable
businesses and residents to stay in the neighborhood
despite these likely cost increases will preserve the
unique character of Old Town while allowing for the
growth and development that will create and maintain
many jobs in Goleta.
Potential partners: District Property Owners,
District Businesses, District Residents
City of Goleta Economic Development Strategic Plan | 19
IMPERATIVES
Promote and advocate for smart investments
in essential community infrastructure.
OBJECTIVES
• Increased capacity to accommodate higher resident use and hosting of youth sports tournaments at Goleta’s parks and sports-related facilities
• Decreased number of blackouts and maintenance outages of the electricity supply • Increased ridership of public transit options and use of active transportation such as bicycles, scooters, walking, etc.
• Increased percentage of residents who access high-speed internet (data disaggregated by demographics)
STRATEGIES
Prioritize the implementation of existing City of
Goleta Parks and Recreation plans to maximize
the use of recreation and sports facilities. Goleta’s
public recreation and sports facilities are amenities
that contribute to the livability of the city. However, many of these facilities aren’t used to their full potential due to limits in availability, lack of coordination between public agencies, or other challenges. Identifying
opportunities to better use facilities and formulating
a coordinated plan to fill those gaps will maximize
the value of the public dollars invested.
Potential partners: Goleta Union School District,
City of Goleta Parks, Recreation & Open Space
Department, Girsh Park
Increase incentives and streamline the process
for green alternative energy projects that improve
the stability of electricity supply. To grow Goleta’s
technology and manufacturing sectors, a stable and
reliable electricity supply is imperative. Enabling green energy projects to come online faster will relieve
the strain on electricity production capabilities, and
building energy storage systems into the network
will help smooth availability.
Potential partners: Local Businesses, Southern
California Edison, Central Coast Community Energy
Prioritize investments in transit, bicycling, and
pedestrian infrastructure city-wide. Reducing the
need for personal vehicular travel has many benefits
for the livability of a community and will enhance
Goleta’s position as a highly sustainable city. Among
the benefits of reduced vehicular traffic are fewer
greenhouse gas emissions and lower particulate
pollution, less noise, reduced cost of road and
parking improvements, and a decreased urban heat
island effect through a reduction in paved surfaces.
Working in partnership with the Goleta Public Works
Department, the Economic Development team will help
identify where investments in human-powered and
mass transit will have the greatest economic benefit.
Potential partners: City of Goleta Public Works
Department, Local Active Transportation Stakeholders
Promote stronger collaboration with the
Santa Barbara Airport to foster industrial land
opportunities. As Goleta seeks to grow its technology
and manufacturing sectors, the availability of industrial land becomes a limiting factor. Fostering a strong and
deliberate partnership with the Santa Barbara Airport,
which holds significant parcels of land, will enable the development necessary to keep growing
Goleta’s economy.
Potential partners: Santa Barbara Airport
Partner with broadband providers to support
access to high-speed internet for small
businesses and low-income residents.
High-speed internet is currently available throughout
Goleta. However, adoption is uneven, particularly
for lower-income households and small businesses.
This strategy calls for partnerships with broadband
providers to do the promotion and, if necessary,
subsidization to enable these households and
businesses to better access broadband.
Potential partners: Cox, Spectrum, T-Mobile, Frontier
and Other Broadband Providers
City of Goleta Economic Development Strategic Plan | 20
IMPERATIVES
Improve City Government support of local businesses and relationships with economic development stakeholders.
OBJECTIVES
• Increased business retention rates
• Increased number of new businesses locating in Goleta • Increased resident and business community sentiment of Goleta as a place to do business
STRATEGIES
Collect and direct business license fees to support
local businesses. Dedicating a revenue stream to
support local businesses by effectively creating a
virtuous cycle of business fees will support the growth of the business community, resulting in more available
business fee revenue. The City will continue to collect these fees but will focus them on programs, grant
funds, or personnel that support the creation and
growth of local businesses across all economic sectors.
Potential partners: Local Businesses, Santa Barbara
South Coast Chamber of Commerce
Dedicate an economic development staff position
within the City Manager’s Office. To truly accelerate
Goleta’s economy, creating a focused economic
development staff position is needed to improve direct
engagement with the business community. Embedding
the position within the City Manager’s Office will give that role the authority and direct line to resources it will need. This role will also be responsible for stewarding the ongoing implementation of this Economic
Development Strategy.
Potential partners: City Manager, City Council,
Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce.
Partner with a third party to create an assistance
program for businesses navigating City and other
government entity processes. Based on what was
learned during stakeholder outreach, it is challenging
for small businesses to navigate the processes and
regulations of setting up a new business. Providing
a go-to resource for small businesses will help make
new business creation more efficient. Respondents to
the stakeholder outreach felt that having this resource available outside the City government would lend thirdparty independence to the process and enable speed and flexibility.
Potential partners: Santa Barbara South Coast
Chamber of Commerce
Analyze the City permitting process to identify
and implement opportunities to improve efficiency
and ensure appropriate staffing levels. Business
permitting is often cited as a barrier to small business development, as the longer the process to start a
business, the higher the cost to the company. In many
cases, extended permitting processes effectively
prevent business creation for owners who can’t afford
the long timeframes. Reviewing the best practices
of other cities and then identifying and implementing
opportunities to streamline Goleta’s processes to
better support businesses will help close this gap.
Potential partners: City of Goleta Permits and Licenses Divisions, City of Goleta Planning & Environmental
Review Department
Sign an intergovernmental agreement to fund
regional tourism. The visitor economy in Goleta
is primarily centered around accommodations that
support the draw of Santa Barbara and the larger
South Coast region. It will take some time for Goleta
to develop the attractions, assets, and amenities to
make its visitor economy more self-sufficient. In the
meantime, the regional strategic partnership that
funds Visit Santa Barbara drives overnight
accommodations in Goleta and provides that
ongoing tax base. Formalizing this partnership with
an Intergovernmental Agreement will give all parties
involved the confidence to continue to invest in this
critical and growing sector.
Potential partners: City of Santa Barbara,
Santa Barbara County, Visit Santa Barbara
City of Goleta Economic Development Strategic Plan | 21 City of Goleta Economic Development Strategic Plan | 22
Attachment 2
Economic Development Strategic Plan Summary
IMPERATIVES OBJECTIVES STRATEGIES
Amplify the reputation of Goleta as a
world-class center of innovation and
technology.
• Increased number of jobs in technology-based
and innovation-led sectors
• Increased brand recall/awareness for Goleta as a
center of innovation and technology
• Increased number and dollar amount of local
financing deals (angel, seed, venture capital, Small
Business Innovation Research/Small Business
Technology Transfer)
• Re-envision and expand the Goleta Entrepreneurial Magnet program to better support high-growth startups. • Support marketing and branding campaigns designed to position Goleta as a technology and innovation hub. • Update local zoning to encourage the development of light industrial space. • Study and launch a publicly backed equity investment fund.
Improve access to economic
opportunity by increasing the
availability of livable-wage jobs and
enhancing support for local BIPOC
and women-owned small businesses
and entrepreneurs.
• Increased number and size of grants, loans, and
investments from City supported programs to
minority-owned small businesses
• Increased number of Black, Indigenous, and People
of Color-owned and women-owned small businesses
• Decreased underemployment of historically
marginalized populations in the city
• Establish a micro-enterprise loan fund to help close capital access gaps for local small businesses. • Invest in relationship development with and support of culturally focused organizations to better support women-owned and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color-owned small businesses. • Partner with local workforce development stakeholders to support career pathway opportunities for historically marginalized populations.
VISION COMPETITIVE POSITION
Goleta is alive with possibility—
local businesses grow and thrive,
visitors are charmed, and residents are
proud of the vibrant city they call home.
• Home to vibrant innovation and technology-based sectors, such as photonics, infrared, quantum computing, bio-med, software, nanotech, and defense/space, as well as a leading-edge research university.
• A strong sustainability ethos, positioning Goleta to attract and retain students, businesses, and entrepreneurs focused on addressing our most pressing climate change and natural resource challenges.
• Small-town amenities but with easy access to and from major metropolitan areas via a convenient regional airport, highway system, and rail connections. • Uniquely situated between California's coastal mountains and the Pacific Ocean, residents and visitors can explore the Gaviota Coast, one of the last undeveloped coastlines in California. • Access to some of the most stunning scenery, weather, and outdoor recreation opportunities in the United States. • A playground for residents and visitors to enjoy, with convenient access to top-tier golf destinations, entertainment venues, and world-renowned viticultural areas. • A high quality of life, with exceptional schools, accessible transportation options (inbound and in-market), top-notch medical care, and safe neighborhoods, making it a community in which a diversity of people want to live.
CITY OF GOLETA
2023 - 2028 Economic Development Strategic Plan
IMPERATIVES OBJECTIVES STRATEGIES
Position Goleta as a local leader of
high-quality, innovative affordable
child-care and housing solutions.
• Increased number of housing units accessible to
residents with Area Medium Income (AMI) or less for
a family of four
• Decreased deficit of affordable childcare slots by
2028
• Partner with local employers to identify innovative solutions and funding opportunities to increase the availability of workforce housing.
• Evaluate and streamline local zoning and permitting processes to increase the diversity and availability of housing. • Explore innovative solutions, best practices, and legal pathways to reserve affordable housing for Goleta’s childcare workforce. • Partner regionally to identify actionable strategies to improve access to affordable childcare. • Partner with local organizations with the shared mission to incentivize employers to invest in childcare options, particularly for lower-income residents.
Enhance the experience of Goleta
for both residents and visitors
by leveraging Old Town’s unique
historical and cultural identity and
investing in district placemaking.
• Annual increase in service and retail sales in Old
Town
• 5-year increase in the number of visitors to Old Town as measured by cell phone location data
• Increased positive neighborhood perception of
businesses in Old Town as measured by an annual
business survey
• Identify incentives to encourage property owners and businesses to activate underutilized properties in Old Town. • Invest in infrastructure and streetscape amenities in Old Town. • Activate the implementation of existing Old Town visions and plans. • Activate Old Town by studying the feasibility of relocating City services to the district and/or investing in community infrastructure.
• Explore the feasibility of a Business Improvement District (BID) through the Old Town Visioning Process. • Study, identify, and implement anti-displacement tools and strategies for Old Town businesses and residents.
Promote and advocate for smart
investments in essential community
infrastructure.
• Increased capacity to accommodate higher resident
use and hosting of youth sports tournaments at
Goleta’s parks and sports-related facilities
• Decreased number of blackouts and maintenance
outages of the electricity supply
• Increased ridership of public transit options and use of active transportation such as bicycles, scooters,
walking, etc.
• Increased percentage of residents who access highspeed internet (data disaggregated by demographics) • Prioritize the implementation of existing City of Goleta Parks and Recreation plans to maximize the use of recreation and sports facilities.
• Increase incentives and streamline the process for green alternative energy projects that improve the stability of electricity supply.
• Prioritize investments in transit, bicycling, and pedestrian infrastructure city-wide. • Promote stronger collaboration with the Santa Barbara Airport to foster industrial land opportunities. • Partner with broadband providers to support access to high-speed internet for small businesses and low-income residents.
Improve City Government support of
local businesses and relationships
with economic development
stakeholders.
• Increased business retention rates
• Increased number of new businesses locating in
Goleta
• Increased resident and business community
sentiment of Goleta as a place to do business
• Collect and direct business license fees to support local businesses. • Dedicate an economic development staff position within the City Manager’s Office. • Partner with a third party to create an assistance program for businesses navigating City and other government entity processes.
• Analyze the City permitting process to identify and implement opportunities to improve efficiency and ensure appropriate staffing levels.
• Sign an intergovernmental agreement to fund regional tourism.
CITY OF GOLETA
2023 - 2028 Economic Development Strategic Plan