Two Week Office Closure Planned for City of Santa Barbara

Offices will reopen on Tuesday, January 3, 2012. The Central and Eastside Libraries will be closed Saturday, December 24 and Sunday, December 25, 2011; and Saturday, December 31, 2011, and Sunday, January 1, 2012.

To close the City’s budget deficit, all City employees agreed to significant labor concessions. For many groups, these concessions included a furlough or unpaid leave during the holidays and key dates throughout the year.

While most offices will be closed, many services will continue to be available. Police, fire and harbor patrol emergency services will be fully staffed throughout the office closure. The 9-1-1 emergency service will continue to dispatch calls 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The following facilities will remain open during the furlough period:

· Central and Eastside Libraries

· Marina, Harbor, and Waterfront Offices

· Police and Fire Stations

· Public Parking Lots

· Libraries in Goleta, Montecito, Carpinteria, and Solvang

· Recreation Facilities: Golf Club, Los Baños Pool, Westside Community Center, Carrillo Gym, Carrillo Recreation Center Ballroom, Cabrillo Arts Center, and Cabrillo Bathhouse

Repair requests will be monitored and resolved in order of priority during the office closure. The public can call 560-7505 to report damage or repairs needed for water or sewer mains, water meters, graffiti, streets and sidewalks, traffic signals, street lights, street signs, or trees.

Water, sewer, and trash bill payments can be mailed or left in the night drop box at City Hall. Payments will be processed and credited to accounts throughout the closure period. Cash payments will be accepted at the Cashier’s Office at City Hall through December 16 or when offices reopen on January 3.

There will be limited inspection staff available for Building and Safety Plan Check and Inspections during the week of December 19 (Monday – Thursday) and the week of December 26 (Tuesday – Friday). Normal business hours will resume on Tuesday, January 3, 2012. Use the inspection request line by calling 564-5492. If at all possible, please postpone inspections until after the office re-opens.

If an escrow opens and closes during the office closure, agents are still required to submit an application as soon as possible. Continue to mail in Zoning Information Reports (ZIR) and staff will begin working on applications when the office re-opens on Tuesday, January 3. The double “after the fact” ZIR fee will be waived if valid escrow instructions are provided to verify the escrow opening and closing dates occurred during the closure. Call 564-5578 for more information.

LiveScan fingerprinting will not be conducted during the furlough period and will resume on January 3, 2012.