Community Disregarded in Leadbetter Beach Plan

On Wednesday, February 7, Santa Barbara Waterfront Director Mike Wiltshire held a community meeting concerning the Leadbetter Restroom ADA Renovation. He said the city 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 Mike Wiltshire?

More importantly 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?

Leadbetter 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 at this location, is an ideal launching point for both small craft and the human body. Ocean swimmers, surfers, kayakers, stand-up paddleboarders, SBCC surfing and ocean swimming classes, children attending summer camps, beach goers, Nite Moves, and the list goes on.

The Leadbetter Restroom ADA 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 ABR. 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 December 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 percent of the non-ADA bathroom stalls. See the plans here: https://bit.ly/LeadbetterADAproject

Three bathroom stalls replacing five? No outdoor changing area? Imagine the long lines of people waiting to use the bathroom 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 the disabled. This committee is used by ABR and HLC 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 they can’t provide any concrete statistics. When asked for the incident reports, the waterfront director 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 City PD 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.

What Now?

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 333-plus who want to preserve existing amenities. Sign this petition to save the Leadbetter Beach changing area and showers: https://bit.ly/LeadbetterProject