Visitors looking to hook up their RVs at Lake Cachuma still will have to wait as construction continues at the camping area, and as Santa Barbara County prepares to extend the contract itself.

County staff are proposing another extension to the contract for the Lake Cachuma project, which would extend it — primarily for payment purposes — to June 2026 and raise the total cost to $14,103,617.95, with the work to be completed in December. Extending the contract to June would give the county into the new year to pay for the work.

As part of its petition to the county Board of Supervisors, General Services will be requesting an additional $500,000 for the project.

Kirk Lagerquist, director of General Services, said the county hopes to have construction at the site finished by the end of the year, adding that the project was stalled by unforeseen factors that made it difficult to proceed on time.

Among the main problems holding up construction were heavy storms at the end of 2023 and into early 2024. Lagerquist said one of the challenges with the project is that it involved moving a lot of earth.  

“Once the rains came in and we had that ground opened up, things got really soggy out there, and that took months to dry out,” Lagerquist said.

He added that crews also discovered undisclosed septic tanks and systems at the site that had to be removed. The park used to be a mobile home park before it was obtained by the county, he said, and the tanks were not included in the original plans.

The park was originally built in the late 1950s.

He said labor availability also affected the progress of construction, and that has been an issue with other projects in the county.

Lagerquist said the current plan for the park is for construction crews to finish their work in December if the weather does not cause any further delays. Park employees should be able to begin taking reservations beginning in January.

Construction at Lake Cachuma began in December 2023 and was supposed to be finished in summer 2024, but delays pushed back the project. The county previously said the project would be completed in May and cost $13.6 million.

Staff requested an extension to the contract and to raise the contract amount in April. The deadline was pushed back to July, and the total contract was raised to $13.6 million.

Another project extension was granted on Aug. 19, setting the deadline for the contract and the work to December.

The goal of the project was to add new concrete parking pads, electrical hookups, and sewage and water lines for RV hookup sites; improve bathroom facilities; and landscaping.

The Board of Supervisors voted to approve a rate increase at the lake in May. County staff estimated that the new fees will bring in an additional $570,000 in revenue for the park per year.

The additional revenue will be used for debt service, higher salaries and benefits, increases in costs because of the new facilities, and other deferred maintenance.

Construction at the site is 90% complete, according to a staff memo. Lagerquist said the shower and restrooms are currently being completed. Aside from the water main issue, he said crews need to finish paving roads and driveways through that section of the campsite.

“It’s going to be a really nice facility when it is done,” Lagerquist said. “So, hopefully it’s worth the wait.”