Recreation and Parks Department
What are the age limits to participate in aquatics programs?
Age limits are based on the American Red Cross standards and recommendations. To enroll in Supertot, the child must be 3 years old before they take the class. To advance to level 1, the child must be 5 years of age.
What are the age limits for adult sports?
Volleyball participants must be at least 16 years of age during the summer season (June 1 to August 31, 2006).
Are uniforms required for volleyball or softball leagues?
There are no informs required for our volleyball/softball leagues. Basketball teams however, must wear same color shirts with permanent numbers placed on the back.
What is the basis for fees for the adult leagues?
League fees are used to pay for scorekeepers, staffing, facility maintenance, equipment, and the awards given to the top two teams in each division. Compared to other communities, our fees are still considered affordable.
What should I wear and bring when participating in youth sports?
It is recommended that participants wear comfortable gym clothing such as shorts, sweatpants, t-shirts, and tennis shoes. A water bottle is also highly recommended. Jewelry should not be worn during class time in order to prevent lost valuables.
My child is younger/older than the specified age requirement for a class. Can I still register her/him?
Each class requirement varies. The Recreation and Parks Department would need the approval of the instructor before accepting anyone who is not the required minimum/maximum age that is specified for each class.
Police Department
Whom do I contact to schedule a Live Scan (fingerprint) appointment?
You may contact our Records Bureau at (805) 928-3781, ext. 359; they can schedule the appointment for you. Live Scan fingerprinting requires an appointment, however, regular fingerprint cards do not. Regular fingerprint cards are done only on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday between 3:00 and 4:00 p.m.
How much will a copy of my police report cost?
Costs for copies of police reports are $0.15 per page.
How can I pick up my vehicle that has been impounded/stored?
You must be the registered owner of the vehicle. If you are not the registered owner, you must have a notarized letter from the registered owner authorizing the release to you. The vehicle must have current registration and you must have a valid driver's license. There is a $147.70 fee for release paperwork, which does not include the fee that will be charged by the tow yard for towing and storage.
My friend/family member was arrested (just now, today, yesterday or last week), are they in your custody and when will they be released?
The Santa Maria Police Department does not have a jail facility. If someone is being held for questioning, we do not release that information. However, if they are being held for questioning, they will not normally be retained beyond four hours. If they are to be arrested, or have already been, you would need to inquire at the Santa Barbara County Jail, (805) 934-6159, as to when they might be released.
Where do I go to pay my ticket? How can I contact the court about my ticket?
Fines for traffic citations are collected by the Superior Court of California, Santa Barbara County. You may either go in person to the court located at Cook and Miller streets, or you may contact the Court at (805) 614-6590.
How do I dispute a citation if I do not think I was wrong?
Citations must be disputed through the Superior Court. You may request a court trial (where both you and the officer appear in person in front of the Traffic Referee and each give your side of the situation); or, you may request a trial by declaration (where both you and the officer send in your individual written statements to the Traffic Referee, who will review both statements and render a decision in writing). The Court will provide you with all of the necessary information. Once the officer issues a citation, the proper forum to dispute the citation is through the court process.
Fire Department
My smoke detector keeps going off and I don't know why. Can you help?
If the smoke detector is sounding an intermittent beep, this typically indicates that the battery is low and needs to be replaced.
If the smoke alarm is going off and you do not see or smell smoke:
- Try changing out the battery. Most smoke detectors will beep when they detect a low battery to let you know that you need to change out the battery. If that does not work;
- Try vacuuming the smoke detector. Occasionally dust or cobwebs will block the sensor, causing the smoke detector to activate. Take the cover off the smoke detector and carefully vacuum it with the crevice tool attached to your vacuum. If the smoke alarm continues to sound;
- Call 9-1-1. There may be smoke in an attic or crawl space that you have not seen or smelt. The 9-1-1 dispatcher will dispatch an engine company to come and investigate.
The Fire Department advises that you change out your smoke detector batteries twice a year in conjunction with daylight savings time. We also recommend that you test your smoke detector the first Saturday of each month. Most detectors have a "Test" button to press to let you know that the detector is still working.
What type of fire extinguisher should I get and where should I put it?
The Fire Department recommends a 2A10BC fire extinguisher for your home. Typically the extinguisher would be mounted near the kitchen where it is readily available and easily accessed.
The requirements for fire extinguishers for businesses varies dependent on the type of business, the size of the building and the layout. Most small business, such as doctors' offices, small stores, etc., require a 2A10BC extinguisher. Extinguishers should be mounted with the top of the extinguisher a minimum of 48 inches from the floor. Extinguishers are typically mounted in an easily accessible area that does not require a person to travel more than 75 feet from any area of the building.
Larger businesses, and those dealing with hazardous materials, have specific requirements for extinguishers and the Fire Department should be consulted for the appropriate size, number, and location.
I was told I need to order a Knox Box for my business. What is a Knox Box and how do I order it?
A Knox Box is a secure box that is mounted to the exterior of your building with a key to your business locked inside. The Fire Department is able to utilize a special key to access the box in case of a fire or other emergency, when a representative of the business is not present. This allows the Fire Department to enter the business without having to break a door or window.
To order a box, you may go to our web site under Fire Prevention/Emergency Management and print a hard copy of the application. Or you can pick up an application at our Fire Administration Office located at 314 W. Cook Street #8, Santa Maria, CA 93458.
Once you have completed the application, you must submit the application, along with a check payable to "Knox Company" or include a credit card # and signature on the form, to our Fire Administration Office. An authorized representative of the Fire Department must sign the application prior to it being submitted to the Knox Company.
The Knox Box will usually be sent within 7 to 10 business days. Once you have received the box you must mount it to the exterior of your building. The box should be located near the main entrance of the business at 84" above the finished grade.
When the box has been installed and you have a spare key to your business (labeled appropriately) available, you would contact our Fire Administration Office at (805) 925-0951 ext. 255 to schedule a time for a Fire Department representative to come out and place the key in the box and lock the cover.
Remember to contact the Fire Department if you change the locks and a new key needs to be placed in the box.
I am buying a new home in Santa Maria and my insurance company is asking me which Fire Department is responsible for responding to my address, where the nearest fire hydrant is located, and what protection class my address falls under?
If the house you are buying is located within the corporate city limits of Santa Maria, the Santa Maria Fire Department will respond to your address.
Fire hydrants are located every 400 feet in residential areas, so you are never more than 200 feet away from a hydrant.
The Santa Maria Fire Department currently has an ISO protection class rating of "4". This rating is determined by the Insurance Services Office and is based on a scale of 1 to 10 with one being the highest level of protection and ten being no fire protection. The Fire Department's rating is based on a variety of criteria, including water supply, fire station locations, 9-1-1 communications, etc.
I am a teacher and would like to bring my class to the fire station for a tour. Is this possible?
In order to schedule a tour of the Fire Station, you will need to contact the Fire Administration Office at (805) 925-0951 ext. 255. We need at least two weeks notice for a tour and you should have at least two dates available. We try our best to schedule tours that meet your schedule, but our firefighters have daily tasks they are responsible for and often have training scheduled. You should be prepared to be flexible with your schedule. We ask that your group be 30 people or less. If you have more than 30 people we will ask you to split the group and schedule a second tour.
Library
How do I get a library card?
You need to bring a government issued picture identification. and something showing your current address (if your I.D. doesn't have it listed.) to the front desk at the library, or you may apply online at www.ci.santa-maria.ca.us/3091.html#cards .
Where is the library located and what are the hours?
The library is located at 421 S. McClelland, Santa Maria, CA 93454
Public hours are:
Monday 10 am to 9 pm
Tuesday 10 am to 9 pm
Wednesday 10 am to 9 pm
Thursday 10 am to 9 pm
Friday 10 am to 6 pm
Saturday 10 am to 6 pm
Sunday Closed
I've forgotten when my books are due. How can I find out?
You can access your record of items you have checked out from your home computer using the Library's catalog or you can call us, or you can check the date due slip we place in every batch of items you check out.
How can I renew my items (via phone or online)?
You may renew books and other library materials twice if there are no holds on the items. You can also renew items using the online library catalog under the "view your own record" option, or by calling (805) 925-0994.
What is a PIN Number?
A PIN (patron identification number) is a unique four-digit combination of numbers and/or letters that you create while placing a hold or accessing your account. The PIN allows you to view your own library account, and to place your own holds, but prevents anyone else from doing so, even if they should have your library card number. The number is encrypted so if you forget your PIN, the Registration Desk can erase your current PIN from your record, but cannot tell you what it is. You will have to create a new one.
