Parents feel blindsided by gun shop relocation
GOLETA, Calif. (KEYT) An Nextdoor.com thread about Goodland Guns moving from Old Town Goleta to a new location next the Here We Grow Early Learning Center on Hollister Ave. led to a community meeting in a park near Ellwood Elementary.
Dr. Daniel Mizrahi said parents feel blindsided.
“I am encouraged by the amount of people that came out, the conversation that we had that was very civil, the conversation needs to continue but I think our councilmembers specifically James Kyriaco said it pretty plainly that these are two incompatible uses next to one another, a day care next to a gun store so we need to find a solution that is viable but this isn’t about gun rights, it is about both businesses being able to exist successfully but maybe not next to each other” said Mizrahi,” and the city needs to step up and revise their rules and take accountability for their lack of action and also get involved with helping relocate the Goodland Guns store to an acceptable space.”
Councilmember, the school board president, and both business owners showed up, too.
Goodland Guns CEO Daniel Ashton said he found the new place after his Old Town landlord doubled the rent.
“You know when we secured 7443 Hollister Ave. this property sat vacant for years, plagued by trespassing, drug use vandalism, defecation right beside the preschool property line. Since taking over and installing our security fence alongside other security infrastructure the behavior has completely ceased,” said Ashton.
He told the crowd he signed a 25 year lease with a new landlord who lives in San Diego.
Goleta Union School District Board President Ethan Bertrand understands the emotions running high in a community that has experienced gun violence nearby.
“We are community that has experienced gun violence we have a lot of families that are on edge and I am really counting on the city and all of us as a community to come together to try to make sure that this doesn’t go through,” said Bertrand.
Bertrand who also works for State Assemblymember Gregg Hart, said Hart ran a daycare for decades and may be able to help from Sacramento.
Councilmember Stuart Kasdin took a lot of heat as he explained that he was blindsided, too.
“I think staff interpreted this as just another sporting goods store and so there wasn’t a recognition that there might not a lot more public concerned about it particularly next to a preschool,” said Kasdin.
He said he only found out about the issue a few days ago.
Kasdin said the zoning allows for a sporting goods store and that Goodland Guns falls into that category.
Goodlad Guns signed a 25 year lease with an out of town landlord.
The shop is planning a soft opening on Sept. 5.
Even so parents say they are not giving up.
They have started a couple of petitions and hope that parents and neighbors will sign them.
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