[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6479984,"mediaKeyId","5691969-0a90375cf9ba00100a9410ab884ecd6f","parentId",5691969,"title","Fire and Police Commission approves July 24 meeting minutes","audioSeconds",52,"startMs",362000,"endMs",414000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5691969-0a90375cf9ba00100a9410ab884ecd6f&start=362&end=414","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5691969-0a90375cf9ba00100a9410ab884ecd6f/thumbnail_362000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6479984/Santa-Barbara-City/Santa-Barbara-County/California/Fire-and-Police-Commission-approves-July-24-meeting-minutes","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6479984-34b913f712e7bffe9f6ee39cc953a402/orig.mp4?Expires=1770517977&Signature=BwEYBmLglWxrrjUxpOrKPkLhs2elt1PJ8I2z2NOHzhwrdB3mX1ow2H~tg-Q~lH3KagQ9iUsugYdRxW5Z9MEf7s89fEehMP56LJqOp1GM072N~kDSaU-aTpTsd7KRGAdcmfM8~yYxlmbQ16xTIg84puV-obTDC-0fHM1RlRnUjLeqNs5aVWqPPPXOb91jjtL7D5pF9F7akvNlb8Akls6ihFPeZVG-kBkyD9DM0WHuJJflTlr6~ik0saU8vpoZNgOpYmQmYyvJQPRrBhSvjqstBScZb2sN1CQhl6gpSMOkvZNJpV4XtRrgYjABpE2KI5fttBPTeCzGkOmwdl5BCynEVQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Santa Barbara, CA","date","2025-08-29T00:21:54.393Z","article","The Santa Barbara Fire and Police Commission approved the meeting minutes from July 24 in a voice vote. Commissioner Dozer moved to approve the minutes; Commissioner Lapuz seconded the motion. Chair Herringer called for a vote and the motion passed, with no further roll‑call detail provided in the transcript.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Fire and Police Commission - August 28, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The commission approved the minutes from its July 24 meeting. Commissioner Dozer moved to approve; Commissioner Lapuz seconded and the motion passed.","taxTitle","Santa Barbara City, Santa Barbara County, California","taxId",4209,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6479989,"Police outline agreement with grand jury e‑bike recommendations, propose quarterly reporting and expanded youth education",820,3600000,4420000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5691969-0a90375cf9ba00100a9410ab884ecd6f&start=3600&end=4420","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5691969-0a90375cf9ba00100a9410ab884ecd6f/thumbnail_3600000.jpg","/articles/6479989/Santa-Barbara-City/Santa-Barbara-County/California/Police-outline-agreement-with-grand-jury-ebike-recommendations-propose-quarterly-reporting-and-expanded-youth-education","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6479989-b5eb26b7848c2a3bf9eb050865d166f5/orig.mp4?Expires=1770517977&Signature=N-Okj0Dfh5SpZtyXwWtaMGVQycaKqrEC25cOq9uLyWmUq7NSsz9KhP-wpyF7E6Zmy39tpwwV0qpv3x2h7kgxHzUdcfomFgYJRhCjDLF9DDd8PLZs~JZEVaqzWdBzLAEVDgq~QSB1BOHr6xEm8gaSd38r~YK0raZYPfTDphuAVR1opL5BaaUyP8Vrxu01VqRFObNDe~n2j-we58n18XnFkFEXKSgI7v~6Tal4495NjVXLyjp~aI8pTzWG9pzEwAyOA9Qs1Gyu1lj~0NMkGesuj-QqPCFL09BtI1uY0R07aCKHV~DgR04tw~iPGQRp5lIMUOxguAG9eipq-FsdzXHZew__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Commander Chris Payne, patrol division commander for the Santa Barbara Police Department, told the Fire and Police Commission that the department reviewed the Santa Barbara County Civil Grand Jury report on e‑bikes and \"agree[s] with most of the report,\" and described steps the department has taken and plans to take to improve safety and awareness.

Payne said the department has already deployed enforcement through its traffic unit and the Community Action Team (officers who ride bicycles). He described a rotating deployment strategy intended to make enforcement less predictable while providing positive public contacts: \"we're trying to do 2 hours a day, between the 2 units,\" he said.

On the grand jury’s recommendation that the police provide monthly reports to the City Council on e‑bike accidents and enforcement activity, Payne said the department prefers a quarterly public update to the Fire and Police Commission instead of monthly reporting to council. He said the first quarterly report to the commission will begin no later than Dec. 1. Payne explained that quarterly reporting will better allow the department to observe and respond to patterns.

Payne acknowledged that the new ordinance and related enforcement duties add responsibilities and that the department will perform an internal resource and workload assessment in partnership with the city administration and finance department to determine whether additional funding or staffing is required; he proposed completing that assessment by April 1, 2026.

On public outreach, Payne said the department has taken steps to expand education. The department applied for and received an Office of Traffic Safety grant and will partner with Move Santa Barbara County to deliver education in local elementary, junior high and high schools. Payne said the grant takes effect in October and identified two school classes planned outside the grant: Sept. 3 at Peabody and Sept. 24 at La Cumbre Junior High. He also said the department has worked with the RadBike e‑bike company, the Santa Barbara Unified School District and the Sheriff’s Office (for Goleta) on trainings and outreach.

Payne said the department is considering other education‑oriented activities such as a bike‑skills rodeo modeled after Huntington Beach’s program to provide hands‑on safety instruction for youth. He also said the department will add a direct link on the police department website to the municipal code section that governs bicycles, e‑bikes and e‑conveyances (10.52).

Commissioners asked about tourists and rental e‑bikes on sidewalks; Payne said such issues are difficult to eliminate entirely but that officers take the opportunity to educate riders when they observe unsafe behavior. He noted the city is coordinating internally with departments including Transportation, Streets and Sustainability to expand outreach.

","Commander Chris Payne told the commission the department agrees with most findings of the Santa Barbara County Civil Grand Jury report on e‑bikes, will deploy targeted enforcement, provide quarterly updates to the Fire and Police Commission beginning Dec. 1, and pursue school‑based education funded through an Office of Traffic Safety grant.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6479994,"Fire, building staff describe hoarding as public‑safety, health risk and outline humane, multiagency response",1628,1942000,3570000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5691969-0a90375cf9ba00100a9410ab884ecd6f&start=1942&end=3570","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5691969-0a90375cf9ba00100a9410ab884ecd6f/thumbnail_1942000.jpg","/articles/6479994/Santa-Barbara-City/Santa-Barbara-County/California/Fire-building-staff-describe-hoarding-as-publicsafety-health-risk-and-outline-humane-multiagency-response","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6479994-ef289c4f7aca3fdda8eb23354b7311e2/orig.mp4?Expires=1770517977&Signature=ldgDeNDZfTUNj6CnvtLyYQEyBlVRrRYW~3XZWtnKvoaDZRqcQmXlcWwCcqLmmc-1u2TrB36vxVoAMpdqYce89jyNAHsUEhtFbfeVYrVSSuA5bKFMI2wvyP4GpAs-Q1IhtHJG3sIXNURiAlqD29oBhXuj3ghR5UXu2xiezt6MGr8DSRZKXHgRSsTSCRRDSHOi6vCUHPNL5oOW88n36Kr-323ikHFsIH0tSYNulEHntKKOWRazLUeEdjAk1Mgqa2pdql0JiYAMi0Qrq6waHM8VTGmW3k61eZDuJxMhzl6DC7Ja7HeRt0Qs~g1IjxvOU7hy3ZgPXeFn8TKpRlgmqRR0WA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Chris Mails, the city fire chief, and Battalion Chief Ryan DeGiulio, the fire marshal, told the Fire and Police Commission that the department’s response to substandard housing and hoarding is a prolonged, multiagency process focused first on life safety and then on restoring livable conditions.

\"Hoarding disorder is a mental health condition characterized by an inability to discard certain belongings to the point of unhealthy accumulation,\" DeGiulio said, attributing the definition he used to Harvard. He described a clutter‑to‑hoarding scale used to assess conditions and said the fire department becomes involved when accumulation reaches levels that block utilities, create fire loads or prevent safe access inside a structure.

Mails and DeGiulio emphasized that hoarding cases endanger not only occupants but also first responders and neighboring properties. DeGiulio said firefighters have encountered houses so obstructed by newspapers and debris that crews could not make interior access; he added that many fatal fires the department responds to have involved hoarding conditions.

The fire department said it collaborates with Building and Safety, Planning and the City Attorney’s Office and, when needed, seeks assistance from outside agencies such as County Public Health and Adult Protective Services. The team opens an enforcement case when conditions reach a hazardous level and coordinates monthly multi‑department meetings to review and prioritize cases.

Commissioners asked how cases are initiated; staff said most referrals come from neighbors, family members or field units (engine companies) that discover dangerous conditions while responding to separate calls. Staff said gaining access and consent is often difficult because occupants may be isolated and resistant to government intervention.

If voluntary cooperation cannot be secured, staff described escalating legal remedies. A City Attorney’s Office representative said the city may pursue civil remedies that can include a receivership petition to the court; if the court appoints a receiver, the receiver can abate the hazards and the owner must generally repay costs to recover the property. The representative described receivership as a civil remedy of last resort that can result in a public auction of the property if costs are not repaid.

Chief Mails and DeGiulio described other non‑punitive strategies: working with family and friends to secure cooperation, providing dumpsters or other resources to assist cleanup, and coordinating social services to address underlying mental‑health needs. They said cases can take months or years to fully resolve because the root of the problem is often a mental‑health condition.

Commissioner Dozer asked what citizens can do; staff said neighbors can report concerns to city departments, which will open an enforcement case and coordinate interdepartmental response. The department reiterated its preference for a humane, patient approach that begins with human services and family engagement and reserves civil enforcement for situations that pose ongoing risks to occupants or neighbors.

","Fire Chief Chris Mails and Fire Marshal Ryan DeGiulio told the commission that hoarding creates extreme fire and access hazards, described a collaborative approach with building, planning and county agencies, and said civil receivership is a last‑resort enforcement tool when occupants refuse help.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6479999,"Neighborhood Improvement Task Force outlines short- and long-term fixes for litter, encampments and lighting",952,423000,1375000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5691969-0a90375cf9ba00100a9410ab884ecd6f&start=423&end=1375","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5691969-0a90375cf9ba00100a9410ab884ecd6f/thumbnail_423000.jpg","/articles/6479999/Santa-Barbara-City/Santa-Barbara-County/California/Neighborhood-Improvement-Task-Force-outlines-short-and-long-term-fixes-for-litter-encampments-and-lighting","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6479999-30c6878a93f522990354b03401712557/orig.mp4?Expires=1770517977&Signature=bO2WjPRV98S5TJutNZ8UWh9KNIrTnU635ntEGgzDjW3tJLxQN5iysBwK-dsylu4S~FG2qGJVBIj4w1cB4q9hED7m1k2hOnoshpReTn55fAvH2N37LfW7SsC-GaaaUCXX~OkHAm7H6GTW0ZNjt6dM8vBK0e3FPtB-LaxfB1eCU5M0wS8wbRA3p6s7kwlJt2iDXQ2DMtkq2KqGCdVt5x7LMFDW9RruxhcpQxYJiI7Q6Z1-8rNXZiLMeG-cUes59j8W-YJ91Vwl13ku4~Dp9n3fO9HhTboEwH2XctQW3D3ORLTiUdpHUgtIfxqbuTRb838JzyOAcyLpa8yBuXxKAaJhQQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Chris Clark, an environmental services specialist in the city’s Sustainability and Resilience Department, told the Santa Barbara Fire and Police Commission that the Neighborhood Improvement Task Force (NITF) coordinates city departments to address neighborhood‑level concerns such as litter, illegal dumping, encampments, lighting and pedestrian safety.

\"The NITF is a city of Santa Barbara multi departmental working group tasked with finding solutions to neighborhood level public concerns related to cleanliness, safety, and enhancement opportunities,\" Clark said. He described a two‑track approach that uses existing departmental resources for short‑term fixes while identifying funding and planning for longer projects.

The task force evaluates each concern against three primary categories—clean, safe and enhanced—and scores candidates using factors that include frequency of reports, estimated cost and community input. Clark said the NITF often does site visits and assigns action items to departments when an issue can be handled by a single unit; multi‑department problems are elevated to the task force for coordinated response.

Short‑term actions, Clark said, are items the city can complete within existing resources, generally within six months. Longer projects require funding and planning; he identified Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds and matching city general funds as typical funding sources for multi‑year work.

Clark showed maps compiled from two years of reports submitted through the SB Connect app and internal staff reports. He said darker map dots indicate higher densities of reports and pointed to Oak Park, the Westside, the Eastside and downtown as areas with elevated concern counts. \"We respond to and address every single complaint that we get,\" he said, describing the department’s effort to close the loop on public reports.

Clark reviewed recent NITF projects the task force considers successes: cleanup, lighting repairs and added trash receptacles at Casique and the Lease House; a temporary closure and cleanup to restore a day‑labor site on Ision and Ali streets; access restriction and cleanup at Dartmouth Field and Dwight Murphy Ballpark; fencing installed in partnership with Caltrans near the Castillo underpass; lighting fixes on Euclid Avenue and removal of an abandoned water pipe that had provided access into a creek area; and ongoing outreach and power‑washing on West Montecito Street and the Bath Street cul‑de‑sac. He said the task force is also coordinating gateway improvements around the Amtrak station.

The group, Clark said, includes representatives from Public Works, Sustainability and Resilience, Community Development, Parks and Recreation, Police, Fire and the City Administrator’s Office; the City Attorney’s Office and other partners join specific projects as needed. Clark said NITF action items are tracked in a matrix that is reviewed at monthly meetings.

Commissioners asked about the scoring and prioritization. Commissioner Jones asked whether all scoring factors must be met for a project to be selected; Clark replied that a candidate needs to touch at least one of the clean/safe/enhancement categories and that priority ranking is determined by the task force’s scoring matrix. Commissioners also asked whether the map normalizes reports by population; Clark said the map shows reports by geographic neighborhood and does not normalize by population.

Clark encouraged public use of the SB Connect app, which accepts anonymous reports and allows users to see report statuses; he said the department maintains a public dashboard with versions of the map and work updates. He also said the NITF is aligning with the Neighborhood Advisory Council: the council has 13 seats, 10 are filled, and it meets monthly at 6 p.m., rotating between the Louise Lowery Davis Center and the Franklin Center.

The presentation concluded with commissioners thanking staff and an open question period; Clark said staff remain open to project recommendations and will continue to prioritize work by the task force’s scoring criteria.

","City staff described how the multi‑department Neighborhood Improvement Task Force prioritizes short‑term fixes and longer projects using community reports and the SB Connect app, and highlighted recent work in West Montecito, Bath Street and other neighborhoods.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Fire and Police Commission approves July 24 meeting minutes

Police outline agreement with grand jury e‑bike recommendations, propose quarterly reporting and expanded youth education

Fire, building staff describe hoarding as public‑safety, health risk and outline humane, multiagency response

Neighborhood Improvement Task Force outlines short- and long-term fixes for litter, encampments and lighting