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Isla Vista public works report: new waste ordinance, Measure A sidewalks funding and sustainability gains
Summary
The Public Works & Sustainability annual report presented May 12 summarized neighborhood improvements, a new waste ordinance shifting service responsibility to property providers (effective roughly July 1), a Measure A award of nearly $600,000 for sidewalks, plus program metrics including 12,000 pounds of food scraps diverted and 770 pounds of trash collected.
The Isla Vista Community Services District presented its first consolidated Public Works & Sustainability annual report at the May 12 meeting, highlighting program expansion, an enacted waste ordinance, Measure A sidewalk funding and several operational metrics.
Jenna, who delivered the report, said resident web reports to the district had increased dramatically this year and that staff had redirected many resident requests to the appropriate agency when necessary. “By far this is our most successful year,” she said, reporting a roughly 600% increase in resident submissions to the district’s website.
Program metrics in the presentation included 770 pounds of trash collected and 201 piles of glass removed; the district also reported diverting approximately 12,000 pounds of food scraps through its Compost Collective and collecting 2,608 pounds of donated items for resale. Jenna said the district had abated about 340 instances of graffiti, a significant reduction from earlier years.
On waste policy, staff summarized a recently passed local ordinance that changes service responsibility from tenants to property providers, updates minimum service levels (moving from small bins to larger carts with lids and year‑round container service), and adds enforcement mechanisms; staff said the ordinance is expected to take effect around July 1.
Infrastructure items included a nearly $600,000 Measure A award the district secured for sidewalk projects in multiple priority locations. Jenna said the application scored highest among applicants and will fund sidewalk extensions and ADA improvements in identified corridors.
The presentation also described volunteer and outreach programs: an adopt‑a‑block program, power washing of public right‑of‑way (about 25 tags power washed this year), expansion of food‑scrap drop‑off from two to four 24/7 locations, and a new off‑street parking marketplace the district said lists roughly 1,000 unused off‑street parking spaces.
Board members praised the consolidation of public‑works activities under one department and the heavy emphasis on data collection to measure program effects. Staff said next steps include implementing phase 1 of private‑property graffiti abatement, developing a progress dashboard, and following up on Measure A project scheduling. The meeting proceeded to closed session for personnel evaluations after the public agenda.
