Earlier this month, Santa Barbara Waterfront Department director Mike Wiltshire held a community meeting concerning the Leadbetter Beach Restroom Renovation Project.

He said the City of Santa Barbara was listening to the Leadbetter Beach community and that the city could agree to keep the wind-protected changing areas.

But that same day, the city put the whole project out to bid — including the demolition of the changing areas.

At this point, how can community members trust the city or Wiltshire?

More important, how can community members feel comfortable working with the city to improve the project for actual users after being labeled “adversarial” simply for stating their opinions and wanting straight answers?

Why are the Leadbetter Beach facilities so important? The beach is an epicenter of the Santa Barbara beach and ocean aquatics community.

This location is bustling with many types of user groups on a daily basis and, due to the relatively calm waters, is an ideal launching point for small craft, ocean swimmers, surfers, kayakers, stand-up paddleboarders, Santa Barbara City College surfing and ocean swimming classes, children attending summer camps, beach goers, Nite Moves, and the list goes on.

The restroom facility’s American Disabilities Act renovation project got off to a bad start.

No Public Notice

A yellow sign notifying the public of the impending project should have been placed at the project site back in 2022 — 10 days prior to the first time it went to the Architectural Board of Review. It wasn’t.

The city’s Planning Application Guide states: “All projects that require a public notice also require a Notice of Development sign to be posted on site. Applicants are responsible for picking up the yellow sign at the city planning counter and installing at the site no later than 10 days prior to the first public hearing date.”

Because the city didn’t follow its own rules, community members had no idea that this project was in the works until Dec. 14, 2023, when a community meeting was finally held.

Late Engagement

This community meeting for the proposed project was held AFTER the city received final approval for the project and AFTER the city had applied for a building permit.

Loss of Facilities

It’s little wonder that community members are shocked and angry about the proposed demolition of the showers, the changing areas, and the elimination of 40% of the non-ADA bathroom stalls.

Three bathroom stalls replacing five? No outdoor changing area?

Imagine the long lines of people waiting to use the restroom while people use the stalls to change out of wet clothes. Imagine when SBCC ocean swimming or surfing classes let out. Or all the young children getting out of summer camp.

Imagine changing on constantly wet floors before returning to school or work.

ADA Poorly Represented

More egregiously, this supposedly ADA-driven project never went to the Access Advisory Committee, the advisory committee related to access for people with disabilities.

This committee is used by the Architectural Board of Review and the Historic Landmarks Commission in reviewing public projects such as this one.

Why didn’t the Waterfront Department loop in this committee when initiating the Leadbetter ADA Restroom Renovation project?

Simply put, this project was not designed to serve the active users of the community and not for those with ADA requirements either.

Supposed “misuse” of the area seems to be the Waterfront Department’s top priority even though it can’t provide any concrete statistics.

When asked for the incident reports, Wiltshire replied, “Don’t you trust me?”

A member of our group has searched Santa Barbara crime maps over the time span of one year and has made a public records request with the Police Department and Harbor Patrol covering a time span of several years. No incident reports have turned up to date.

Regardless of the nuisance “safety and security” issues that may exist at this location, the public benefit offered by the outdoor changing area and wind walls FAR OUTWEIGHS these issues that seem to be more of a nuisance to city maintenance workers, patrols and nearby business than a true threat to public safety.

Now What?

This project needs to be reconsidered. Instead of trying to make needed ADA accommodations to the current building envelope, a project that serves its beach community and serves accessibility, enlarges the restroom facilities, and preserves the changing areas and shower wind walls is wanted and needed.

Let’s get this right!

Join our expanding group of nearly 450 people who want to preserve existing amenities. Click here to sign the petition to save the Leadbetter Beach changing area and showers.