Community Outreach For Waterfront Adaptation Plan Launching at City Council March 10

The City of Santa Barbara is developing a Waterfront Adaptation Plan to address coastal flooding and erosion over the next 30 years, and we are launching a community outreach process to help shape the plan. 

The Waterfront, stretching from Leadbetter Beach to East Beach, faces growing challenges from beach erosion, flooding, and rising sea levels that are narrowing beaches, disrupting recreation, and costing millions in repairs each year.

The City is evaluating a range of adaptation options that prioritize sandy beaches and recreation, protect the Harbor and inland areas from flooding, create a safe and continuous walking and biking path, and improve the overall experience. 

Sustainability & Resilience Department staff will be presenting preliminary adaptation options to City Council on Tuesday, March 10 (view meeting agenda). Staff will also provide presentations to a variety of City boards and commissions in the coming months.

Beginning in April, there will be additional ways to learn more and share your feedback on these preliminary options, including open house events, an online survey, and at community events including the Earth Day Festival.

Input from City Council, bards and commissions, and community stakeholders will help staff determine which adaptation options are studied further and developed into the Draft Waterfront Adaptation Plan.

To learn more about this project and preliminary adaptation options, and to sign up for project updates, please visit SantaBarbaraCA.gov/WaterfrontAdaptation.

Funding for this project is provided by the California Coastal Commission, the California Coastal Conservancy, and the City of Santa Barbara.