PUBLIC SAFETY & EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
STANDING COMMITTEE MEETING
Thursday, August 7, 2025
1:30 – 2:30 P.M.
City Hall – Conference Room 1
130 Cremona Drive, Suite B
Goleta, California
Mayor Paula Perotte
Councilmember Luz Reyes-Martín
Robert Nisbet, City Manager
Jaime Valdez, Assistant City Manager
JoAnne Plummer, Neighborhood Services Director
Lieutenant Frank Vasquez
Sergeant Noel Rivas
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AGENDA
I. Public Comment
II. Emergency Services Division Updates
III. Deltopia 2025 Re-cap
IV. Halloween 2025 Parking Restrictions
V. E-Bike Safety
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: August 7, 2025
TO: Public Safety & Emergency Preparedness Standing Committee FROM: JoAnne Plummer, Director of Neighborhood Services Jason Levy, Emergency Services Coordinator
SUBJECT: Public Safety & Emergency Preparedness Standing Committee Meeting Item I. Public Comment
Receive public comment.
Item II. Emergency Services Division Updates
The Emergency Services Division (Division) completed several key projects during Fiscal Year 2024–25 and continues to lead several ongoing initiatives. These efforts focus on community outreach, internal staff training, emergency planning, infrastructure and technology upgrades, and collaboration with partner agencies.
Preparedness and Outreach Efforts
• On June 30th, 14 Goleta residents successfully completed the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training, equipping themselves with vital skills and confidence to support the community in times of disaster and emergency. This marks the completion of Goleta’s 24th CERT team and the first to graduate since 2019.
• The Division continues to work closely with other City departments on revitalizing the Goleta CERT program. This effort aims to re-engage past participants, enhance training opportunities, and expand community involvement in emergency preparedness.
• In partnership with United Way of Santa Barbara County, the Division offered a LISTOS course this summer. The course was designed to provide practical preparedness steps for community members to protect themselves, their families, and neighbors. Due to current events in our community impacting the target population for this program, the Division decided to postpone the program until later this year.
• The Division actively participated in multiple City of Goleta events to promote emergency preparedness and community resilience.
• The Division is spearheading countywide revisions to the Community Disaster Education (CDE) program, which is implemented across the region. This program serves as a platform for community members to enhance their understanding of emergency preparedness and provides an entry point for accessing training opportunities.
• Looking ahead, September is National Preparedness Month. The Division will announce new training opportunities and unveil a major update to its emergency preparedness website.
Internal Training
• In October 2024, the City conducted its first Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Dam Spill Exercise. The scenario simulated a dam spill at Lake Los Carneros and tested related response protocols. The Division continues to support the Public Works Department with finalizing the Emergency Action Plan for Lake Los Carneros Dam. • In Spring 2025, the Division hosted multiple internal trainings, including a refresher Introduction to Incident Command and Emergency Operations Center operations for all City staff.
• With strong support from City leadership, the Division established the Advanced EOC Team, made up of 24 staff from all City departments. This team is receiving advanced training to build capacity and ensure the City can sustain EOC operations over extended periods and multiple deployments.
Emergency Planning
• In January 2025, the Division began revising the City’s Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) to ensure alignment with local ordinances, City and County protocols, as well as California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) EOP best practices. The updated EOP will serve as the foundation for the City’s emergency management program and is expected to be finalized in Summer of 2026. • The Division contributed thoughtful, in-depth input to strengthen the General Plan Safety Element update. The revision of the Safety Element resulted in the creation of 10 new policy directives for the Emergency Services Division, a 100% increase.
These additions strengthen the City’s commitment to emergency preparedness and resilience.
• In Spring 2025, the Division led several strategic projects, including:
o Review and application of Genasys Mapping tool for the City o Adoption of the Local Area Responsibility Fire Hazard Severity Zones Infrastructure and Technology
• The Division completed a successful technology upgrade to the City’s Emergency Operations Center. Enhancements include multiple large display screens, wireless presentation tools, and video conferencing capabilities. Furthermore, the update incorporated redundant communication mechanisms to enhance system reliability.
• A critical need has been identified to strengthen emergency communications. To address this, the Division is partnering with Public Works and General Services to develop a Citywide Radio Communication System, guided by the Primary, Alternate, Contingent, and Emergency (PACE) model.
• The Division is also reviewing improvements to MarBorg Communication Trailers. A proposal is underway to retrofit these units with battery energy storage systems, enabling them to serve as charging hubs during extended Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) or major disasters. This project is currently in its early planning phase and conceptual only as the division seeks funding opportunities.
Support to Other Departments
• The Division continues to support other City departments and divisions, primarily through the internal Human Resources Safety Committee. For example, several additional AEDs were purchased for the Goleta Community Center and Library Express. The Division is also working on updates to evacuation plans for all city owned facilities and supports a standardized training and maintenance program.
Lastly, the Division continues to collaborate with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Cal OES to secure reimbursement for prior year emergency declarations.
Item III. Deltopia 2025 Re-cap
During Deltopia 2025, the City enacted parking restrictions from noon on Friday, April 4th through 7:00 AM on Sunday, April 6th. Based on observations from prior years, where nonresidents began parking in the area late Friday and proceeding into the Isla Vista neighborhoods.
Following the Deltopia event, this Committee requested to receive a recap of the actions and effectiveness of the program.
Within the parking restrictions zone, law enforcement wrote 14 parking citations mostly around Whittier and Whitman. At the DUI checkpoint in Goleta, 2,595 drivers were contacted, three DUI drivers (all under 21 years of age) were detained, and 12 unlicensed drivers were identified.
One thing that both law enforcement patrols and City staff did notice during the event was the parking restriction forced several vehicles to park north of Highway 101, off the side streets that run along Calle Real as well as further west in areas such as Santa Barbara Shores neighborhood. Law enforcement contacted several subjects hanging out whom noted they were waiting for Ubers to Isla Vista. In addition, it was reported that many of the commercial parking lots did encounter a higher rate of vehicles on the day of the event. The Emergency Services Division received four (4) City Assist tickets and emails from Goleta residents expressing frustration with the restriction program. They reported an influx of travelers parking in their neighborhoods, citing the program's unintended consequences.
Item IV. Halloween 2025 Parking Restrictions
In past years, the City has experienced impacts from unsanctioned events in Isla Vista, particularly during the annual fall Halloween weekend and the spring Deltopia event.
Halloween, an unsanctioned gathering, typically occurs on the weekend closest to October
31. In 2024, due to minimal activity in recent years, the Committee supported the removal of parking restrictions associated with the Halloween event. However, previous Committee discussions noted that Halloween in 2025 falls on a Friday, and there was consensus to reconsider implementing parking restrictions in anticipation of increased activity.
To support this decision-making process, City staff have requested that the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office provide a briefing and update outlining planned enforcement actions.
Item V. E-Bike Safety
The City of Goleta partners with local organizations each January to host workshops, classes, and events during the annual E-Bike Safety Awareness Week. There has also been thought given to moving e-bike awareness efforts to May to coincide with National Bike Month. As e-bike usage continues to grow, the program encourages ongoing dialogue and promotes safe riding practices to address emerging safety concerns.