City Council Sell Out

On the night before the Nov 7th election, Goleta residents showed up at the Goleta City Council Meeting to denounce UCSB's controversial plan to build 172, mostly three story units, on the vacant parcel, at the corner of Phelps and Cannon Green, which serves as an entrance to the Ellwood Mesa. In 4 and 1/2 hours, and with standing room only, all, but one Isla Vista resident, spoke out against this project and urged the City Council not to support it. At the conclusion of the meeting, they voted three to one to draft a letter asking the Coastal Commission to delay hearing this matter and stating their objections to the development and scheduled a meeting the next week to finalize the language. In the vote the next day all three incumbents were removed from office. That week a draft letter was put on the City website which said all the things that had been discussed the previous week. When the residents arrived at the meeting, they were given this letter and allowed public comment. Once again, it was overwhelmingly in support of the Council sending such a letter. All of a sudden they called a mysterious break and when they returned Council Member Hawkshurst was gone and they suddenly had a "alternative" letter - one that supported the development instead of opposing it. Those in attendance were outraged as lame duck Council Members Brock and Connell disregard almost 5 hours of public comment and voted to do the exact opposite of what they had agreed to do the following week. With Councilmember Blois absent recovering from a broken leg and Council Member Hawkshurst suddenly absent before the vote, it took just two votes to approve a letter of support and to authorize the signing of an agreement that will tie the hands of the newly elected City Council. This is disgraceful. To the soon to be former Council Members Brock and Connell, who are both married to UCSB faculty, shame on you for breaching the public trust and resorting to back door politics. Shame on you for not upholding your fiduciary obligations to the residents of Goleta. The community will not soon forget your betrayal and you have certainly validated their decision to remove you from office.
The Coastal Commission will be meeting on November 17th to consider this development, help us show them that these two women do not speak for our community. Contact us at phelpscoastalaccess@yahoo.com for a free bus ride to the Coastal Commission meeting.