“The city does not listen to its residents!” wrote one attendee of Goleta’s Environmental Justice Open House. The workshop was held on October 9 to get public input in a number of areas that fall under the “environmental justice” category. While a dozen people signed into the meeting, roughly five to six people were roaming the room at the Goleta Valley Community Center at any one time during the 90-minute session. The majority were residents of Goleta districts 3 and 4, encompassing the western half of the city, in which elections are being held for councilmembers.
The event featured interactive stations employing sticky notes, polka dots, and gold coins to gauge community priorities, with city planners on hand for discussions. One display described environmental justice to be about “equal access to clean air, water, land, and other resources.” Participants were asked to place dots on what they viewed as the three most important among: air quality and pollution, safe housing, public facilities and services, physical activity, healthy food, and public input.
Before diving into the voting process, visitors were briefed on California’s definition of “environmental justice”: ensuring fair treatment and participation for all people regardless of race, income, culture, and so on in environmental matters. Wednesday’s Community Open House was the city’s first step in shaping these new policies.