Goleta Halloween Parking Permits Go Out Friday

Halloween is just 10 days away, and the City of Goleta is gearing up for its first-ever parking restrictions to help curb congestion and disturbances from Isla Vista partiers.

The city will mail out 2,500 permits to residents who live within the boundaries of Cannon Green Drive to Storke Road and from the corner of Hollister Avenue and Storke to the Isla Vista Border.

Janet Berlin has lived about a mile from the small college town for the past 40 years. She has firsthand experience with what happens when Halloween comes around.

“They shoehorn themselves in here and they maneuver until they fit every car that they possibly can in this neighborhood,” she said.

She’s talking about the thousands of partiers who flood the streets of Goleta with their cars and head to Isla Vista for the holiday.

But this year will be different.

“We’re doing everything we can to minimize the impacts to the residents of the city of Goleta,” said Vyto Adomaitis, the Neighborhood Services & Public Safety Director.

Goleta is issuing two permits to the more than 1,200 homes and apartments so that residents can park on the street, but out-of-towners can’t.

Each permit will be numbered and have an address on it. The city is making an effort so the permits aren’t duplicated.

“They tape it to the inside driver’s window of their vehicle that is parked on the street so when officers go through the neighborhoods on patrol, they’d be able to see the permits and identify those vehicles that have a permit and those that don’t,” said Adomaitis.

If a vehicle doesn’t have a permit, it will get towed.

“I think it will help. If they have the manpower to tow the offenders away, they’ll get the message,” said Berlin.

Girsh Park falls within the boundaries of the parking-restricted zone, but to make sure people can still use the park, the parking lot and the Camino Real Marketplace lot will be available during the day.

Ekene Azunna said his street gets so congested during the holiday weekend, it’s hard for him to find a spot.

“Every time during Halloween it’s chaos. People park all over the streets and even park in the bushes. They have to bring out fences every year. It’s a hassle for me and my family,” he said.

Along with permits, law enforcement in Goleta will increase.

On any given night four deputies patrol the city, but for Halloween it will jump to 16.

The permits will be mailed Friday and Saturday. Residents can call the City of Goleta at 805-961-7556 if additional permits are needed.