As the city looks toward a number of projects to protect the waterfront from high tides and storms, the Santa Barbara City Council voted Tuesday to support proposed legislation for a California Climate Superfund that could help fund waterfront preservation and adaptation projects. 

The council discussed how sea level rise could impact the waterfront and options for projects to preserve Santa Barbara beaches and the harbor.

Ethan Maday, a Santa Barbara High School sophomore, who’s been leading a local “make polluters pay” movement, was one of several local students who advocated for the climate superfund support resolution. 

If the superfund act is approved by the State Senate, it could make fossil fuel companies help pay for climate-related damages in California.

“‘Make polluters pay’ will hold those accountable for the problems they cause,” Maday said. “This isn’t anything unfair — you make a mess, you clean it up. That’s a rule of life, and polluters should be held to that same standard.”

The resolution was approved after city staff discussed numerous waterfront projects that are part of the developing Waterfront Adaptation Plan, which is meant to come up with solutions to address coastal flooding and erosion for the next 30 years.

Short-term projects include restriping parking lots to add missing portions of the walking and bicycle path, raising the path to prevent inland flooding and deploying flood proofing.

The waterfront is a 3-mile area that extends from Leadbetter Beach to the Bellosguardo Foundation Clark Estate on the eastern end of Cabrillo Boulevard that includes harbor operations, commercial fishing and recreational beaches. 

Due to its low elevation and exposure to waves, the waterfront is particularly vulnerable to coastal flooding, storm impacts and erosion.

Timmy Bolton, the city’s senior climate adaptation analyst, said high waves are regularly impacting infrastructure and operations at the waterfront.

Bolton shared that East Beach has seen the most significant impact in the past 20 years, with 5 feet eroded a year in some areas.

Councilwoman Wendy Santamaria said that particularly concerned her and that she was “wholeheartedly” in support of the superfund resolution.

“There’s no way that we can look at the effects that climate change is having on our community, see that we have an opportunity to make these polluters pay, and then still say no,” Santamaria said. “I don’t see a world where we could ever do that.” 

Erosion and flooding also cause costly infrastructure repairs. As recently as 2023, storm damages cost the city $3 million after the storm led to flooding in waterfront parking lots and the harbor commercial area.

Bolton outlined numerous quick and long-term actions for Leadbetter Beach, the harbor, West Beach and East Beach.

Quick actions for Leadbetter Beach include adding the missing portion of the walking and bike path, adding a low-curb wall to address coastal flooding and erosion impacts, and using deployable flood proofing during storms to protect the Shoreline Café.

More long-term actions include moving the facilities and walking and bicycle path inland, improving stormwater drainage, and raising the walking and biking path to protect the path to prevent flooding during storms and high waves, according to Bolton.

Quick actions for the harbor include improving drainage, adding a low-curb wall, adding the missing portion of the walking and bicycle path, and using deployable flood proofing during storms. 

Long-term actions include enhancing and raising the walking and bike path, improving boat storage, the launch area, boating facilities and public access, and build a retaining wall with a walking path on top in front of the harbor commercial area to prevent wave impacts, according to Bolton.

At West Beach, short-term actions include relocating storm drains, adding restrooms, facilities, concessions and a park area, and raising the walking and bicycle path. 

At East Beach, some short-term actions include converting a park area to beach, moving the walking and bike path inland, and raising the path to protect the Cabrillo Pavilion. 

The council was generally supportive of the plan and climate superfund resolution, acknowledging that the funding could help with some of the waterfront projects. 

“We can’t do anything we talked about today unless there is funding. It shouldn’t be borne just on the residents of Santa Barbara,” Councilman Eric Friedman said.

Funding for the projects will be discussed next year when the council will be asked to approve the full Waterfront Adaptation Plan.