Good things come to those who wait”is an appropriate adage for the Christmas season, as many count down the days to when they can open their pres- ents; however, it was also apt for this year’s Winter Fest in Buellton, but for different reasons.

During the annual event on Sunday, Dec. 7, which capped a four-day period of Christmas events all over the Santa Ynez Valley, folks arriving to River View Park to enjoy the “20 Tons of Snow” — a trademark of the Winter Fest — came upon workers from the snow supplier halfway through spraying the white stuff on the corner of the park lawn as a line formed.The ice company that supplied the snow was held up at a previous assignment, according to Buellton Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Kathy Vreeland. 

Fortunately, the crew was able to complete the “20 ton” layer pretty quickly and locals were able to enjoy their own temporary winter wonderland for the evening. 

Later, the lighting of the now-permanent tree in the middle of the park also hit a snag. As Buellton Mayor David Silva and Councilmember Carla Mead counted down to the lighting, when it hit zero, the tree stayed unlit. As someone tried to fix the connection, Silva did what he called his “best crowd work,” and then led a sing-along of “Jingle Bells,” and in the middle of that, the lights came on, revealing a colorful display with Santa and Mrs. Claus, present to pose for pictures, applauded. 

Despite those two hiccups, the Winter Fest was considered a success. Attendees not only enjoyed the snow and the tree-lighting, but also a small amusement area with a few rides, including a small train on wheels that went through the park, rows of vendor booths, and good grub offered by some food trucks that rolled in. 

“Despite the temporary problem with the lights, I think this Winter Fest is going well, and everyone seems to be enjoying themselves,” Silva said. “There were a lot of events going on all around the Valley, and we wanted to close the weekend with something that our Buellton locals could get together for.” 

The Winter Fest was put on jointly by the Buell- ton Chamber of Commerce, Buellton Parks and Rec, and SYV Community Outreach. 

The weekend saw a couple of other tree light- ing events, as well as the Solvang Julefest Parade, starting on Thursday, Dec. 4, which heralded the start of the holiday season. 

On Friday, Dec. 5, Solvang kicked off its Julefest monthlong holiday celebration with its annual tree-lighting ceremony, drawing a huge crowd to Solvang Park. Those in attendance were treated to a concert from the Santa Ynez Valley Wind Ensemble, performances from the Fossemalle Dance Studio, singers from the Joyce Michaels Voice Studio, and musician Dewey Roberts. 

Father and daughter Dean Klitgaard and Susan Lee, both of the Solvang Visitors Center, again served as emcees for the ceremony.The two addressed the crowd on the Danish customs and terms like “hygge,” defined as a quality of coziness and comfort that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being.” Klitgaard also reminded the crowd the correct pronunciation of Julefest (that’s “yoo-la-fest” not “jewel-fest”), and he and Lee conducted a crowd chant where half yelled “yoo- la” and the other half yelled “fest.” 

Finally, Klitgaard and Lee led the crowd in a countdown that ended with the lighting of the tree, which cycled through different colors as the crowd cheered. 

Of course, the tree-lighting is just part of the annual Julefest, which lasts until the Christmas tree burning at the mission on Jan. 9. For a schedule of event, go to solvangusa.com/things-to-do/ solvang-julefest/. 

The run of holiday events began on Thursday, Dec. 4, as the Santa Ynez Chamber of Commerce held it tree lighting on Sagunto Street. The event featured the Santa Ynez Valley Jazz Band playing outside on its bandwagon, while the Fossemalle Studio dancers performed inside the Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum. Those attending were also welcome to stop in the local stores, and food and drink was offered inside the museum, and horse carriage rides were offered through town before the crowd gathered at approximately 5:30 to light the 55-plus-foot tree. 

The post Trees light up all over SY Valley to start holiday season  appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

Amid a few other items of business, the Buellton City Council took the first step in establishing a more thorough ordinance on the planting and care of trees on public property, at its Thursday, Nov. 13, regular meeting.

The meeting, the City Council’s only one for the month of November, included Vice Mayor Elysia Lewis attending remotely from home because of what was termed a “contagious illness.”

The meeting was also marked by a proclamation from the council recognizing National Native American Heritage Month. In the Council Chambers audience were several members of the Valley’s Chumash community. Some also spoke to council, among them Chris Stephenson, who spokes of the tribe’s work with the Buellton Rotary to put on a wellness event in town.

“We were able to share our cultural healing ideas with the public,” he said. “They were given to us to share. You guys have given us that opportunity to do so. We thank you.”

Mayor David Silva then read the proclamation, which culminated with “Today, as we honor National Native American Heritage Month, we celebrate the enduring spirit, wisdom, and contributions of Native peoples — past, present, and future.”

The council moved Item 8, business item Deep Dive: Tree Policies, Procedures, and City Ordinance Information up in the agenda because of its relevance to Item 6, the tree planting ordinance. City Manager Scott Wolfe said he moved it up because he wanted the council to discuss existing policy on the planting of trees on public property. Planning Director Andrea Keefer, who presented the report, said it was to “let council know policy, and see if you want to change anything.”

The crux of the questions and discussion was that the current policy on trees was rather broad and seemed to be based mainly on guidelines rather than requirements. Councilmember Carla Mead noted that there was a list of acceptable trees to be planted in the city, and that she didn’t realize the list existed. Councilmember Hudson Hornick referred to a guideline that a tree be planted at least 50 feet from a structure and believed that was too long. “Fifty feet is a couple doors down in my neighborhood,” he said.

Lewis said she was fine with guidelines in the policy, as long as they were considered suggestions. “I’m against anything leaning toward requirement,” she said. “I’d lean away from telling people what to do.”

Silva, however, express a caveat toward that thinking. “I don’t like the idea of ‘should,’ when many think it means ‘I don’t have to.’”

From there, council went to Item 6, which covered not only the planting and care of trees, but the removal of trees on private property that invade and can possibly damage public property.

Wolfe said a new tree ordinance is part of Buellton’s effort to get designation as a Tree City USA, a program that sets the framework necessary for communities to manage and grow their public trees.

“We have a template from National Arbor Day Foundation for our ordinance,” he said. “To get a Tree City USA designation, the city must have tree ordinance; our code doesn’t have that.”

Wolfe also said that a tree and landscape committee is being formed with the Planning Commission toward getting that designation.

During discussion, Hornick asked whether the removal of trees on private property could have a conflict of jurisdiction between the planning and public works director. Wolfe said there would be no conflict, as with a tree being on private property, it would be the responsibility of the public works director.

Silva said in the case of removal, a requirement that the tree be replaced should be included. Wolfe said that was not on the current proposed ordinance, but it could be added by council at the second reading.

Ultimately, Lewis moved to approve the ordinance, with Hornick seconding, and the item passed 5-0. The item was a first reading of the ordinance, which means it will be back before council in the next meeting to be officially approved.

In other business:

The council OK’d consultant contracts for Sargent Town Planning, Atlas Planning Solutions, and Circlepoint for further research into the city’s General Plan update. Circlepoint’s contract was for a community survey on uses for the Hundred Hills school site by the library for $5,855, a cost that did not sit well with Councilmember John Sanchez.

“We’re pending money on something that we don’t know what will happen in five years,” Sanchez said. “It’s a changing thing by the day. And we’re spending money for consultants on this?”

Wolfe replied that the survey was being done to see what the public wanted to do with the land. In the approval of the Hundred Hills School site earlier this year, many residents expressed their objections to them not being informed of details of the use of the former Wilhelmsen property.

“Not keen on throwing away money,” Hornick answered. “However, the public feels they are not involved of the process, and we need to let them know they’re being informed, and a part of this process.”

Ultimately, after Silva moved to approve the item, and Hornick seconded, the item passes 4-1 with Sanchez dissenting.

The next Buellton City Council meeting will be on Thursday, Dec. 11, at 6 p.m.

The post Buellton City Council moves new tree ordinance forward appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

In a further step toward the Santa Ynez Valley Community Connector trail, more familiarly known as the River Trail, the Solvang City Council approved a $30,000 payment to help find pathways and connectors through the project’s segment through Solvang during the council’s regular meeting on Monday, Nov. 24.

The River Trail project proposes the development of a 10-mile Class I multi-use path connecting Camp 4, the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians (SYBCI) Reservation, Santa Ynez, Solvang, and Buellton

SBCAG requested a $30,000 contribution from Solvang to support the regional planning phase. City staff strongly recommends participating in this valley-wide effort, as the project aligns with the City’s Active Transportation Plan and General Plan goals to enhance multimodal connectivity for residents and visitors. 30% Conceptual Design and Public Outreach The 30% Conceptual Design will include:

• Engineering and surveys to meet design objectives

• Development of corridor strip maps and segment design options

• Typical cross-sections and right-of-way impact analysis

• Identification of ADA requirements, utilities, and structural needs

• Project cost estimates by segment and overall

After giving the item report, Solvang Public Works Director Bridget Paris introduced Michael Becker of SBCAG, who gave a presentation on the River Trail and Solvang’s role in it.

Becker began by describing the trail as something that can be a transportation resource, recreation resource, and tourist attraction. Becker recalled a personal observation that brought about the idea of a trail while staying at Buellton’s Flying Flags RV Park with his family for his daughter’s birthday.

“While were there, I saw all these RVs with bicycles attached to them, and I figured every one of them went to Solvang at one point while they were there,” he said. “And I thought ‘wouldn’t it be great if they could go there and back on bicycle.’”

Becker said the $30,000 would give Solvang “some skin in the game,” to find some solutions.

During council questions, Councilmember Mark Infanti asked how they would go about finding connectors and paths through Solvang.

“The biggest question for Solvang: any path has to go through city streets, $30,000 is nice, but it’s going to cost a bloody fortune. How do we work on that?” Infanti said.

Councilmember Elizabeth Orona brought up grants sought by Solvang in the past that were rejected, and asked why there was trouble getting them.

“The problem with that is the state program where we would get most of our money focuses on disadvantage communities, and this area doesn’t have many disadvantaged communities,” Becker said.

During Public Comment on the item, two people spoke.

Dennis Beebe noted that talk on the project is focused on constructions costs, but no one is talking about who’s going to do maintenance once the project is done.

And Mike Hecker, who is a “life-long” bicycle rider and said he is very much in demand as a bicycle race announcer, strongly advocated for the project to encourage bike riding.

“In my travels as an announcer, I see outstanding, beautiful bike paths — all sorts of people enjoying them,” he said. “The reason we don’t have kids riding bikes here is there’s no infrastructure. We’re here in Solvang, the Danish capital of the U.S., and we have 50% of people in Copenhagen — your sister city! — commuting solely by bike. Embrace the bicycle, like Denmark. Stop jabbering!”

When the item went back to council, Mayor David Brown asked City Manager Randy Murphy if there were funds available, and Murphy assured that their were.

With that, Elizabeth Orona moved to approve the funding, with Claudia Orona seconding. The motion passed unanimously.

The City Council will meet next on Monday, Dec. 8, at 6:30 p.m. It will be the last meeting of the year, as there will be none on Dec. 22.

The post Solvang City Council approves $30K payment toward River Trail appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

The Veterans Day holiday was commemorated in the Santa Ynez Valley this month, with multiple events to honor the people who have served in the armed forces.

A week of celebration culminated in the annual Veterans Day Ceremony held at the aptly named Solvang Veterans Hall on Saturday, Nov. 11.

Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7139 Commander Alvin Salge (Air Force) welcomed a packed house to the Veterans Hall for the ceremony and directed the crowd outside for the flag raising, led by American Legion Post 160 Commander and Marine Corp Sgt. Jeff McKeone, performed by Legion members Lance Brown (Navy) and Alejandra M. Sanchez (Navy). Bugler Michael Roberts played “To the Colors” and taps during the raising.

After the audience returned to the hall, Salge made his opening remarks, reminding the crowd why they were there.

“Remember that when veterans signed up for military service, they pledged to protect the United States even willing to give their lives if necessary,” he said. “Today we honor and salute all veterans who answered the call to protect us and our freedom.”

Col. Michael Jewell, vice commander of Space Force Launch 30 at Vandenberg Space Force Base, was the keynote speaker.

Noting that the U.S. Military has been an all-volunteer force since 1973, Jewell began by thanking the veterans in attendance “regardless of how long you served: four years, 20 years, or 30 years, thank you.”

“No matter your job, how long you served, if you were guard or reserves, you made an impact,” Jewell continued. “As President Ronald Reagan once said: ‘Some people live an entire lifetime and wonder if they have ever made a difference in the world. A veteran does not have that problem.”

Jewell went on to note the sacrifices veterans make to serve their county, and reminded the audience that their efforts don’t always come in times of war.

“The wartime efforts that our veterans have been a part of are widely known, but our military also answers the calls for help, leading to great feats of humanitarian aid,” he said, citing instance such as the Berlin Airlifts in the late 1940s, and the military delivering aid to Turkey earlier this year after a devastating earthquake.

Later, the attendees hear from the featured speaker, Marine Corps veteran Steven Kester, who told of his experiences in the Vietnam War after enlisting as an 18-year-old in 1968.

“My family includes a long line of warriors,” he said, mentioning his grandfather, father and two uncles who fought in World War II, and two uncles who saw action in Korea. “Military service is what my family did.”

Kesler went on to recount three specific experiences that shaped his time in Vietnam after he was assigned to Lima Company as a radio operator for the artillery unit.

The first incident involved him hitching a ride on a helicopter during a supply run and then unceremoniously getting kicked off the copter, leaving him with a unit didn’t know what to do with him.

“As it turned out, the FO was not in need of a radio operator so it was settled that I would be the radio operator for the Artillery Scout,” Kesler said. “The principal problem with that was the physical location of the artillery scout. He was positioned on a ridgeline with the Point Platoon about 500 meters outside the company perimeter.”

The second incident happened about a month later when his battalion suffered losses in a battle at a valley named Hiep Duc, and he was tabbed to replace the injured artillery scout. The third incident later was when his unit was doing recon patrols and the spotting of people working on a rice paddy became a sudden firefight, one he just barely escaped without injury.

While suffering from a second bout of malaria, Kesler was transferred stateside, to Camp Pendleton in San Diego, where his stint met an ironic end.

“While there I was injured playing basketball. Tore all the ligaments in my right ankle,” he said. “It was operated on, but only partially successfully. After three months in a full leg cast, my time on active duty came to an abrupt end, and I was medically discharged.”

In addition to the speakers, the ceremony also included a proclamation from Solvang Mayor Mark Infanti, invocation and benediction from Bethania Lutheran Church Pastor Chris Brown, and musical performances from the Santa Ynez Valley Chorale, directed by David Torres, and the Santa Ynez Wind Ensemble, led by Sharon Jeskey.

The Veterans Hall Ceremony wasn’t the only event during the week in the Santa Ynez Valley. Seven days earlier (Nov. 4), the Santa Barbara County Veterans Foundation held its third annual Salute to the Vets event, starting with a parade down Sagunto Street in Santa Ynez, and a gathering at the Maverick Saloon on that same street that including live entertainment, the arrival of three skydivers, vendors, and more.

Meanwhile, in the middle of the week, Wednesday, Nov. 8, to be exact, Santa Ynez Valley Union High School welcomed veterans into classrooms, providing students the unique opportunity to engage with local heroes and hear their stories first-hand. Veterans from across the armed services visited classrooms and shared their personal stories, experiences, and valuable insights with students.

SYVUHS Interim Principal Torina expressed his enthusiasm about the event, saying, “We are honored to have our local veterans visit our school and interact with our students. Students gain a deeper understanding of the sacrifices made by those who have served in our armed forces and the values of service, integrity, and dedication that our veterans embody.”

Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District Superintendent Andrew Schwab, an Army veteran himself, said, “We are very grateful to be able to connect our students with local veterans and have the opportunity to learn about the importance of Veterans Day in a meaningful way.”

The post Those who served: Veterans Day celebrated in Solvang ceremony appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

The fifth annual Buellton Fall Festival returned to the Avenue of the Flags in Buellton the weekend of Nov. 7-9, turning the area north of 246 and west of 101 into a three-day event that was a music festival, street fair, shopping bazaar, and a “restaurant row” all in one. 

And according to Buellton Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Kathy Vreeland, it was the most successful one yet. 

“I talked to Andres (Nuno) from En Fuego Events, and he said we had our biggest year yet for this event, though we don’t have specific numbers,” Vreeland said. “It really worked out well for us with the weather and the bands we’re just great. Plus, I’m hearing from the city, that the Fall Fest helped outside the event with people spending money at businesses and staying in hotels.” 

The family-friendly, free-admission event featured a carnival with rides and games, over 40 bands on two stages, and over 60 food and merchant vendors. 

This year, each night was split into themes with like-minded bands playing for the crowds. 

On Friday, it was an ’80s and ’90s Dance Party on the Rio Vista Chevrolet Main Stage featuring local favorite, The Molly Ringwald Project, with its renditions of 1980s tunes. Also playing were the 90s Babies, Smelly Cat, and The Last Decade to represent the 1990s.

Saturday brought the “Funk ’n’ Rock the Block Party,” with Nautical Thrust, The New Vibe, and False Puppet, going into Reggae Night on Saturday evening with local band Cornerstone, and reggae legend and icon Pato Banton, a Grammy-nominated reggae legend who has recorded and toured the world with The English Beat, Steel Pulse, UB40, and Sting, among many others. The audience was treated to the headliner a little bit early, as Banton joined Cornerstone for a couple of songs at the end of that band’s set. 

Then Banton took the stage with his own band, giving the crowd the upbeat, positive, energetic, and family-friendly show he’s known for to close out the second evening. 

Sunday started with Fiesta Sunday, featuring Traviesos Jr., Equipo Marcado, and Equipo Elite, whose energetic playing turned the entire lawn in front of them into a huge outdoor dance floor. The fest ended with Country Night, featuring the Jimi Nelson Band, and local favorites Agin Brothers and Territorial Law, and Jayden Secor. 

The event was co-sponsored by the City of Buellton, Discover Buellton, the Buellton Arts and Culture Program, and Rio Vista Chevrolet, and was put on by En Fuego Events, a well-known event organizer in these parts. 

While the music was going on from two stages, there was a lot happening outside of that also. Off to the right was the carnival, featuring midway games and, of course, numerous rides, some with thrilling names like Star Dancer, Kamikaze, and Sea Ray. 

Also, for those clamoring for a bite to eat, several food trucks were parked along the avenue with all sorts of delicacies, whether its burgers, tacos, hot dogs, or noodles. There was even a local vendor from nearby Solvang fixing that town’s signature dish, the aebleskiver.

“I don’t actually have a restaurant there or anything,” said 

Thorn Kinersly, who was working at his first Fall Fest and serving up the “pancake balls.” “I was able to acquire the recipe for this one, and I’ve been serving it for people. I like to bring this around to different places. I’ve taken this as far as Oregon.” 

The Fall Fest was a destination for folks in the Valley, as, in its fifth year now, it’s becoming a bit of a staple in the area. But it has been drawing people from surrounding areas also. 

“We just got here and it’s our first time, but it seems really fun, it’s like a street fair,” said Kalli Brinson, who came with her husband, Shawn, and young son, Zane. “Just thought it would be a great place to hang out and have some fun as a family.” 

Back to the bands, while many of the big names and crowds drifted to the bigger Rio Vista Chevrolet stage on the south end, the smaller stage had its share of young hungry music groups trying to make a dent. 

One of them was a trio called Simeon, Werre, and Matthes played their brand of what guitarist/lead singer Chris Simeon calls “soul rock.” 

“I live in Oxnard, and play around there, but we got a chance to come up here and it’s been great,” said Simeon, whose band- mates are, of course, (Dave) Werre and (Sean) Matthes. “Actually, we haven’t been together that long. I think it’s been just a few weeks ago we were jamming, it felt good, and now we’re giving it a shot. It’s just a matter of getting gigs. 

“But we got a good vibe here from the crowd, and hopefully we’ll be back.” 

And the Fall Fest should be back in 2026, most likely the first or second weekend in November. 

The post Residents, visitors live it up at Buellton’s Fall Fest  appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

The Buellton City Council was in a giving mood during its regular meeting on Thursday, Oct. 23, as it granted funds to two arts programs in Buellton, and also pledged its share of money toward a new aquatic center on the Santa Ynez High School campus.

In fact, the council upped the ante by passing a motion to increase its pledge on the condition that the City of Solvang matches it. The aquatic center is a joint undertaking involving the cities of Buellton and Solvang, the Santa Ynez Valley Aquatics Foundation, a local nonprofit organization, the Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District (SYVUHSD), and the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians.

The item on the aquatic center was heard without Vice Mayor Elysia Lewis, who was recused due to her management position with SYVUHSD.

In introducing the item, City Manager Scott Wolfe explained that the proposed aquatic center would consist of a second pool, to be used as a recreation facility, to add to the current pool, which is used for competition but is currently not up to standards. A stainless steel pool structure was purchased by the Aquatics Foundation several years ago and is currently in storage awaiting a location to be constructed. Fundraising efforts are underway to raise in excess of $13 million needed to make the necessary improvements to the SYHS campus to install the new pool and renovate the existing pool.

The Aquatics Foundation has asked that Buellton and Solvang make pledge for funds at $450,000 to, as Wolfe put it out, “have some skin in the game.” Solvang had approved their $450,000, which would be paid upon the future groundbreaking of the facility, at a council meeting earlier this year.

The proposed facility, and Buellton contribution to it, were universally endorsed by public speakers and councilmembers, citing the benefits of a proper competition pool for local athletes, a place for people to take a dip and cool off on a warm day, and a nearby location where kids could learn to swim.

“When I grew up there was no pool, nothing,” said former Buellton Mayor Judith Dale in public comment. “Growing up, raising kids here, if I wasn’t working at UCSB, my kids wouldn’t have had a place to learn to swim. Please accept this pool.”

Solvang City Manager Randy Murphy was also present, speaking as a member of the fundraising committee for the pool. “We accepted the amount to encourage the Chumash and private entities to make donations. We had given $450,000 to the Solvang Senior Center, and I thought aquatic complex was worth that, too.”

During the discussion, Councilmember John Sanchez was the first to suggest that Buellton raise the amount of their pledge from the suggested $450,000 to $550,000

“It’s big value to have our skin in the game,” Sanchez said. “I would consider going to $550,000 so we would have more than Solvang. It’s a nice message to donors to show if they’re not messing around.”

Mayor David Silva said he would agree to that if Solvang also would, saying that both cities should pledge the same amount. After discussion among Silva, Wolfe, and Murphy, it was agreed that Buellton would pledge $500,000 toward the project to make it an even $1 million between the cities. Murphy said he would bring the increase to the Solvang City Council at a future meeting of theirs.

The motion by Silva to pledge the $500 million, with a provision suggested by Councilmember Carla Mead that Buellton be involved with the management and programming of the aquatic center, passed by a 4-0 vote, with Lewis recused.

Earlier in the meeting, the council passed a motion awarding funds to two Buellton arts programs.

Alison Firey of Buellton Parks and Rec introduced both programs, the first being the Buellton String Project, where local kids signed up to learn the violin or cello through instruction at the Buellton Recreation Center. With the presentation, the council and audience even got to see a brief concert as program instructor Mary Woodruff and 6-year-old Coco, whom Woodruff identified as the “youngest, and best” student in the class, played what Woodruff called the “Pepperoni Pizza version” of “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.”

While staff recommend a grant of $15,000 for the program, the City Council decided that was too low.

“This is the exact intent of the Arts and Culture Committee,” said Councilmember Hudson Hornick. “I think we should fund their full ask, more than staff recommends.”

With that Lewis moved to award $20,000, the amount request by Firey, and the motion passed 5-0

In the same item, Firey introduced the Buellton Mosaics Project brought by Veronica Medina and Stacy Curry, owners of Community Clayworks.

Medina and Curry, whose mosaic work on the wall of the Buellton Post Office is visible to motorists traveling into the city on Highway 246, proposed the creation of two new large-scale public mosaics celebrating native California wildflowers, continuing their mission to enhance the visual landscape of Buellton with vibrant and meaningful public art. The two requested $30,940, an increase over the $22,060 they received in 2024. One reason the pair gave for the increased amount of the request was that they felt they “lowballed” the worth of their work the previous year, an opinion Silva agreed with.

“We should be thoughtful about paying business a fair amount,” the mayor said. “We would like [the staff] to do the numbers, so we’re paying a business accurately.”

Silva moved to award the $30,940 request with staff directed to work with the applicants for a separate business item to discuss further disparity between the project as funded and the actual cost. The motion passed 5-0.

The City Council will next meet on Thursday, Nov. 13, at 6 p.m.

The post Buellton pledges more money toward Valley aquatic center appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

The City of Solvang may be looking for a site to place a new City Hall. 

At the regular City Council meeting on Monday, Oct. 27, City Manager Randy Murphy brought a discussion item asking for direction to find a way to fund a new building to serve as Solvang’s City Hall.

In his staff report, Murphy noted the plaque on the front of the building said the current Solvang Municipal Center (aka City Hall) was completed in 1969. 

“As is often the case with pub- lic buildings, city staff outgrew the available space, and the nearby Masonic Lodge (constructed in 1957) was acquired,” Murphy said. “Only minimal modifications were made to the building prior to commencement of City operations in 2001/02 when Parks & Recreation, Community Development (Planning/ Building), and Public Works were moved across the street into ‘The Annex’. This arrangement continues to this day, which, unfortunately, contributes to multiple inefficiencies between/among staff and the public.” 

Murphy continued to list inadequacies of the building on 1644 Oak St., which the city administration with the Santa Barbara County Fire Department. Moreover, he was making his case on a night the video system malfunctioned, leaving colorful test patterns on the two video screens above the council dais. 

“Building is older and it suffers from a serious lack of technology, as evidenced tonight,” Murphy said, gesturing up to the screens. “An evaluation shows we need about twice of what we have. We need a new City Hall sooner rather than later.” 

Murphy said staff has evaluated options to moving into existing building, but nothing could be found that was feasible. He supplied council with a primary building design for a proposed new building that could be built on the lot across the street. An evaluation determined that a new City Hall would cost between $8.7 million and $10.3 million, and that price tag would increase 5% or more each year. 

“It’s not an inexpensive proposition, but it could included in a bond offering or other opportunities, like grants,” he said. 

Murphy cited other community benefits, such as the Fire Department taking over the space in the building that would be abandoned by the city, and the Solvang Library moving to The Annex when the city leaves that facility. Murphy said both the Fire Department and the library were open to those scenarios. 

“I’m just hoping to get direction from council whether or not this is worth pursuing,” Murphy concluded. 

At first reaction, councilmembers seemed pleased with the idea. 

“I’m interested about bartering with library,”Mayor ProTem Claudia Orona said. “Everybody needs more space; I would like to go forward.” 

Mayor David Brown wondered if Murphy’s floor design really does take care of the “inefficiencies,” of the current setup, questioned the need for an exercise gym that was on there, but Murphy reminded council that the plan was a primary draft he drew himself and could be modified — and said he envisioned the room as a potential child-care area. 

That seemed to appease Brown, but Councilmember Elizabeth Orona warned about the financial consequences of such a project. 

“I feel we have huge costs coming at us already,” she said. “To put unavoidable expenses on the backs of our residents and businesses, we better be really diligent.” 

Elizabeth Orona asked further about the possibility of moving into an existing building and whether it would be cheaper to retrofit a current building. She also brought up the possibility of moving into the former Rite-Aid space at the Valley Fresh Market shopping center. 

Murphy said a new building would actually be cheaper than a retrofit, which was confirmed by Planning Director Rafael Castillo, who also noted that the Rite-Aid space is not set up for the demands of a City Hall-type office and Murphy added that space doesn’t have enough square footage. 

At the end, council instructed Murphy to pursue the matter, and he said he would have something in the next three to six months. 

The City Council will next meet on Nov. 10 at 6:30 p.m. 

The post Solvang to look into building a new site for City Hall appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

Staff Report

Santa Barbara County Executive Officer Mona Miyasato announced on Nov. 7 that Garrett Huff has been selected to be the next fire chief for Santa Barbara County. The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to ratify the appointment at the Nov. 18 Board of Supervisors meeting.

Huff is currently the Deputy Chief of the Santa Barbara County Fire Department. His first day will be Dec. 8. He will assume the duties from Chief Mark Hartwig, who is retiring on Dec. 7 after six years as the Santa Barbara County Fire Chief.

Huff began his career in firefighting in 1999 and came to Santa Barbara County in 2005. Over the past 20 years with the county, he has worked his way up the ranks from starting as a firefighter/paramedic on an engine to most recently the deputy fire chief. In this position, he oversees the county’s Emergency Medical Services and the Regional Fire Communications Center.  In addition, he has served on the Incident Management Team for numerous fires, the Montecito debris flow, the Conception boat tragedy, and the county’s response to the COVID pandemic.

“I am deeply honored to be chosen as the next fire chief of the Santa Barbara County Fire Department,” Huff said. “Having grown up and spent my career serving within this department and county, this opportunity is both humbling and profoundly meaningful. The men and women of this organization embody the highest standards of professionalism, compassion, and dedication. It is a privilege to lead them as we continue to serve and protect the citizens of Santa Barbara County. I look forward to building upon our department’s proud history and working collaboratively to ensure a safe and resilient future for our communities.”

The County Fire Department operates 24/7 with 320 personnel and an operating budget of $130 million.  There are 16 fire stations, and each is equipped with multiple firefighters, engines, and Primary Advance Life Support (ALS) to directly serve about 172,000 people in the unincorporated areas such as Orcutt, Vandenberg Village, and most of the Santa Ynez Valley, along with acting as the fire agency for the cities of Buellton, Goleta, and Solvang.  In addition to fire-station response, the Fire Department utilizes helicopters, bulldozers, rescue watercraft, and hand crews for various disasters. The department oversees the new Regional Fire Communications Center, which dispatches the closest available resource to fire and emergency medical calls throughout the County.  In addition, the Department oversees the Office of Emergency Management which coordinates emergency preparedness, response, and recovery for the entire county.

“After a nationwide search, I’m confident that Deputy Chief Huff will continue to lead the department in the right direction. He has proven leadership skills, solid fire experience and immense respect from myself, County leadership and the staff of the Fire Department,” Miyasato said. “He knows this department from the bottom to the top and has worked throughout the divisions of the Department to have a full understanding of the work the department does and the responsibilities of a fire chief. I value his expertise in this field and servant heart to protect our community.”

Huff received his B.S. in fire and emergency management from Kaplan University, his A.S. in fire technology from Oxnard College, and is continuing his education with completing his Master’s in public administration this coming summer.  Huff also has several certifications for his field and is involved in professional organizations across the state, including serving as a board member on the California 9-1-1 Advisory Board.  Throughout his career, he received multiple recognitions, including being named the 2016 Firefighter of the Year for the County of Santa Barbara.

“I also want to take the opportunity to thank Chief Mark Hartwig. With a career spanning 33 years, he has been a knowledgeable, dedicated and bold leader, always striving to advance the fire service for the betterment of our community and the entire state. We appreciate that he has shared his immense experience and leadership with us over these last six years,” Miyasato said.

For more information on the Santa Barbara County Fire Department, go to sbcfire.com.

The post New fire chief selected for Santa Barbara County appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

The Buellton Planning Commission and the Buellton City Council had a rare joint meeting on Thursday, discussing the city’s General Plan 2050 update.

The council members and commissioners, minus Vice Mayor Elysia Lewis, who was absent, met with consultants Jean E. Ward and Adam Pisarkiewicz of Civic Solutions, as well as Aaron Pfannenstiel from Atlas Planning Solutions. Each consultant discussed a separate subject with the combined panel.

Ward described the General Plan as “a roadmap or a blueprint for future growth and development in the city.” 

She went on to explain the plan needed an update becuase some of its elements were done as long as 20 years ago, and needs to update to keep up with changing needs and conditions of the city. She also said it must address state requirements. 

Required elements or topics to be discussed on the document include: Safety, Housing, Conservation, Land Use, Open Space, Mobility, Noise. Subjects discussed on Oct. 30 included Resources and Conservation (led by Pisarkiewicz) and Noise and Safety (led by Pfannenstiel).The meeting followed a format of the consultant introducing the subject, with the Planning Commission, and then City Council asking questions about the topic. 

Pisarkiewicz began his presentation in resource conservation by bringing up two topics he considered as very important in the Santa Ynez Valley. Air and water quality were brought up first as he pointed out wildfire smoke was the biggest threat to the area. That could greatly affect the air quality as well as water. He asked the Buellton officials what they could focus on. 

Planning Vice Chair Marcilo Sarquilla asked if the city was looking at moving some water through town like he pointed out San Luis Obispo does, and Plan- ning Director Andrea Keefer said that staff was work- ing on it. Planning Chair Shannon Reese followed up on that by asking about the paths along the rivers. 

“At our prior meeting, we talked about scenic and biological resources; pedestrian connections and trials,” she said. “I’d like to explore some standards how trails should look by waterways.”Keefer answered by saying staff had talked to SBCAG about getting some preliminary designs looked at. 

Reese then pointed out the wildfire smoke was a problem in many communities and asked how those cities were able to combat it. Pisarkiewicz said there were some filtration systems that were utilized, but said policies in the safety topic would entertwine with that and help them figure out how to combat. 

After Pfannenstiel elaborated on wildfire smoke and how it must be dealt with, City Councilmembers John Sanchez seemed to push back on the idea that wildfire smoke required radical action. 

“As far as the concern about wildfire smoke; it’s something that will happen,” he said. “ We have the requirement to have smoke monitors. I don’t understand making us put in a new system. I don’t see the point.” Buellton City Manager Scott Wolfe answered by saying the future policy would mean encouraging new developers to put in filtration systems, rather than replace exisiting homes’ systems. 

Mayor David Silva believed protecting your home from fire was the way to go. 

“Requiring defensible space is appropriate for a plan,” he said. 

“The more we acknowledge wildfire, we can look into landscaping with plants that help with fire mitigation.” 

The discussion then went to noise and safety, with Pfaffenstiel leading the dicussion; first he asked the panel what the biggest source of excessive noise was in Buellton. 

Sarquilla said the big one was Highway 246, with cars going too fast and making noise while they were moving. “The only benefit is it helps the air flow.” 

Commissioner Daniel Contreras pointed to noise standards on construction that aren’t being followed, while fellow Commis- sioner Brian Campbell cited the increased launches from nearby Vandenberg Air Force Base as a problem. On the City Council side, Councilmember Carla Mead said complaints in her District 4 included tractor-trailer trucks driving by apartment complexes on McMurray Road. Silva said landscapers and trash trucks that come by at 7 a.m. 

Councilmember Hudson Hornick said that there were instances of noise, but creative ways to combat the noise, like his proposal to add a number of trees in the city to block the noise, and working with Caltrans to narrow 246. “Careful planning is necessary for 246,” he said. 

At the end of the meeting, Ward said they would take the info collected and add it to the input they gave in the last meeting. Even- tually, she said, they would have a draft plan sometime next year. 

The post City Council, Planning Commission hold joint meeting on General Plan appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

Residents and visitors to the Santa Ynez Valley took advantage of Halloween to roam the area in their scariest, funniest, and wackiest (or some combination of the three) costumes — or in their regular clothes — to partake in “spooky season” events held in the area.

Chief among those events was the 31st Annual Haunted House and Street Fair in Solvang. For the second straight year, the city’s Parks and Recreation created a scary setup at the Solvang Festival Theater for the week- end of October 24 and 25. 

Reception for the Haunted House was unprecedented as the attraction drew record numbers, with 1,137 people showing up on Friday, and 1,634 on Saturday, when the line to get in went all the way up 2nd Street and around the corner along Copen- hagen Drive. 

“This has been great,” said Candice Libera of Solvang Parks and Rec, who was managing the entrance at the theater. “We had almost 1,200 last night and are expecting more. And everybody’s enjoying the fair we have out here.” 

Yes, the Street Fair. As folks were waiting in line at the theater others were roaming about, many in costumes to check out the street vendors and also grab a bite to eat at the Whiskey and Rye food truck. In addition to delicious dishes, the owners also had a widescreen TV so nobody missed Game 2 of the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays. 

However, the big attraction to the Fair, other than the Haunted House, was a flash mob of locals performing the Michael Jackson “Thriller” dance. The group gathered at approximately 6:30 in zombie makeup to do the dance to the classic tune from the King of Pop. 

Maria Henning of Santa Barbara was one of the volunteers who took part in the performance. 

“I answered an email asking for dancers, and I thought it would be fun,” she said.“We rehearsed for two weeks at the Maverick Saloon, and I think we pulled it off OK.” 

An old aquaintance of Henning’s, Kylie Tigard of Solvang, also participated in the flash mob. 

“Maria and I went to school together over 40 years ago at Santa Ynez High,” Tigard said.“We’re still out doing crazy stuff.” 

Caroline Howe of Solvang was one of leaders of the mob, helping out Vanessa Robertson, a line-dance instructor at the Maverick, who organizes the event every Halloween. 

“I’m just here helping out Vanessa,” Howe said after the early Saturday performance. “She teaches the line dancing at the Maverick, and we’ve been getting the ‘Thriller’ flash mob together for the last five years. We always seem to draw some people, so it should be going next year, and however many years after.” 

A few days after the Haunted House closed up shop for another year, Solvang Parks and Rec took to Facebook to thank everyone: “THANK YOU for making the 31st Annual Haunted House & Street Fair a TREAT! We had a record-breaking weekend!” 

The department credited Fred Lageman for being the “creative genius behind the theme & design,” Jalen, Jenny,Elisa,Candice,TerriandWendy, for the décor at the front of house; and the Parks & Maintenance crew for setup, cleanup and road closures. 

The department also gave credit to volunteers like Vivi and Ken Zigler, Anne and Val Nicholas, Kasi Magu- ire, Ryan Metzger, Athena McCan- dlish, Terri Harmon, Claudia Orona (for makeup), Chantel Green of the Solvang Festival Theater, Kevin McConnell (music and sound), the guides “walking five miles a night” and monsters and the street fair vendors for adding to the fun! The department added that funds raised at the event go back into community programs — keeping them affordable for all. 

Solvang wasn’t the only community hosting a Halloween event on Saturday, Oct. 24 — the Santa Ynez Chamber of Commerce was holding its own Halloween celebration on Sagunto Street. 

While there was no haunted house, there was a street busy with activity as attendees and the still-open businesses on the street greeted trick-or- treaters, took part in a costume contest, and some families sat on hay bales in a viewing area to watch the Disney Pixar movie “Coco” on a big-screen TV. 

Linda Small, executive director of the Santa Ynez Chamber of Commerce, said the organization started this event up again as sort of a trial run after the event was interrupted. 

“We had this going for a number of years, with bounce houses, petting zoos, a lot of things,” Small said. “Then the pandemic hit and we had to discontinue it. This is our first attempt after the pandemic and we thought a movie, the businesses with the trick-or-treat- ing, the restaurants being open, would draw some people. 

“We’re just testing it out now, and we know there are a lot of other things going on tonight. We’ll see how this goes and if we have it again next year, and maybe make it bigger.” 

Among the attendees were the Arias family from Lompoc — Ozzie, Melissa, and their toddler daughter Kaia — who were the winners in the family category of the costume contest. Ozzie wore an inflatable dinosaur on his lower half, making it look like he was riding on top of it, while little Kaia wore a dinosaur onesie and Melissa went with a more understated dinosaur decoration. 

“We heard about this and thought it would be fun; it’s our daughter’s first year that she’s aware of Halloween, so we thought we’d come out here because it’s a little more low-key,” Ozzie said. 

Across the Valley, people had a few more days to vote in the Scarecrow Fest, as businesses’ themed scarecrow display were up for judging, as onlookers were invited to vote for their favorites. 

According to the Scarecrow Fest website (syvscarecrows.com), 52 displays were put up all over the Valley, up from 46 in last year’s contest. A list of winners, as well as the winner of the Harvest Award for the most popular will be shown in a future issue. 

The post Halloween in SYV — Haunts, scarecrows, flash mobs appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.