More Childcare Could Be Coming to Goleta

In recent years, the City of Goleta has made incentives for developers to include childcare facilities in their plans. For the first time since those passed, the Wynmark Company has proposed two new medical buildings with childcare included.

The two-story office buildings would be near Ice in Paradise and Girsh Park and “for providers of medical and wellness services, with an accessory childcare facility,” according to the city’s press release. It would have an indoor and outdoor “play yard” that future employees could bring their children to.

On Tuesday, May 23, the city’s Design Review Board will have their Conceptual and Preliminary Design Review hearing for these buildings. If approved, these buildings would take up a little more than four acres of land and would include a 175-space parking lot.

“When that project is built, that’ll be an opportunity for people that already live somewhere to be able to have childcare available on site and not have to drive or get on a bus and transfer and then take another transfer to actually go to their job and then repeat the process,” said James Kyriaco, the councilmember who represents Goleta’s District 2.

This comes at a good time — currently, there are only four dedicated daycare centers in Isla Vista and Goleta. There are also two youth organizations and one preschool, along with a handful of people using their own homes. Additionally, having on-site child care would help to reduce vehicle travel, an important factor in fighting climate change.

It’s still in the early stages and isn’t a confirmed project, but Kyriaco is “excited to see developers in the city taking advantage of the new zoning rules,” he said. “The city provided incentives to add child care to projects that might otherwise not have it.”

The proposal highlights electric car charging stations, bicycle parking, and a few outlets for e-bikes, as well as landscaping that includes “drought-tolerant and low-maintenance trees, shrubs, and ground cover.”

If the proposal is approved next Tuesday by the Design Review Board, then the Planning Commission and City Council will consider changing previous zoning plans for the area so the buildings can be made. Questions and comments about the project and hearing can be sent to Associate Planner Christina McGuire at cmcguire@cityofgoleta.org.