Carpinteria council declares intent to vacate small portion of Olive Avenue to support water‑purification project

The Carpinteria City Council adopted a resolution June 22 declaring its intent to vacate a small, dead‑end portion of Olive Avenue. Staff said the street vacation was requested by the Carpinteria Sanitary District to enable construction of a protective flood wall and electrical work that will support the advanced water purification facility component of the CAP (Carbon Advanced Purification Project).

Staff explained the vacation process requires planning‑commission consistency, surplus‑land act notifications for coastal zones and a formal public hearing; the planning commission reviewed the item on Sept. 2, 2025, and two parties initially expressed interest under the surplus‑land act notice of availability but withdrew after it was clarified the property is city right‑of‑way. The council adopted the intent resolution to start the streets and highways code process; the actual street vacation hearing is tentatively scheduled for July 27.

Craig Murray, general manager of the Carpinteria Sanitary District (speaker 24), told the council the district needs to move existing transformers and switchgear inside a new flood wall so electrical equipment that serves the treatment plant won’t be vulnerable in a flood event. "If the plant doesn't flood, but your electrical gear serving the plant floods, no good," Murray said (speaker 24).

Next steps: the staff timeline calls for a July 27 public hearing to complete the street‑vacation process, and further environmental and property‑title steps required by coastal and surplus‑land rules.