State Parks Seeks Public Input on Future of El Capitán, Refugio, and Gaviota

After four decades, California State Parks is rewriting the general plans governing El Capitán State Beach, Refugio State Beach and Gaviota State Park — an update driven by climate change, coastal erosion, and the visible toll of this winter’s storms. 

At the same time, the agency finds itself reviewing an unrelated but consequential request: whether to grant Sable Offshore Corp. an easement for an oil pipeline segment that crosses Gaviota State Park, a necessary step before the company can restart oil production halted after the 2015 Refugio Oil Spill. 

State Parks’ planning effort was formally announced May 2, 2024, and is expected to take approximately two years to complete. When finalized, it will replace the original 1979 general plans that have guided management of the three parks.

Those original plans were adopted before sea levels rose roughly eight inches along California’s coastline, winter wave heights increased by more than a foot, and extreme storm events that state climate scientists now link to global warming became more frequent.

This winter emphasized those changes.

Heavy storms in January flooded the campground at Gaviota State Park after Gaviota Creek overflowed, damaged roads at Refugio State Beach, and further limited public access along one of Santa Barbara County’s most heavily used stretches of coastline.

State Parks is now soliciting public input as it develops a new general plan that will guide management, infrastructure, and environmental protections at the three parks for the next several decades.

The first in-person meeting on the El Capitán, Refugio and Gaviota (ECRG) General Plan Update Project was held February 12 in Gaviota. A virtual meeting is scheduled for March 4 from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

General plans function as the governing documents for state parks, establishing long-term frameworks for land use, visitor access, infrastructure, natural resource protection, and cultural preservation. According to State Parks, the updated plan will include draft declarations of purpose, vision statements for each park, and proposed management zones.

The process will also require environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and must ultimately be approved by the State Park and Recreation Commission.

In materials released for the update, State Parks cited several factors driving the need for revision: ongoing storm damage, projected sea-level rise, aging utilities and roads, increased recreational demand, and the acquisition of additional parkland not covered in the original plans.

El Capitán State Beach contains 143 campsites — the most of the three parks — and more than 2,500 acres of inland backcountry north of Highway 101 bordering Los Padres National Forest. That inland acreage was not incorporated into the 1979 general plan and remains vulnerable to wildfire, according to project documents. 

Additionally, El Cap remains closed to vehicles and camping for construction related to its Entrance Improvement Project; only pedestrian access is currently allowed.

Refugio State Beach faces chronic drainage problems that contribute to flooding and beach closures. Portions of its campground remain closed because of infrastructure damage.

At Gaviota State Park, erosion along Gaviota Creek has destabilized banks and increased flood risk, while utility systems are operating near capacity. Trail connections to the regional network are limited, and access through some areas has been described as constrained or unsafe in planning materials.

“The Gaviota Coast saw some of the heaviest rainfall, and the damage is serious,” wrote Doug Kern of The Nature Conservancy in a recent statement addressing storm impacts along the coast.

The general plan process is expected to unfold over several months, with opportunities for written public comment in addition to the March 4 meeting.

State Parks says the goal is to develop a framework that prepares the three parks for the next 30 years, addressing climate impacts while maintaining public access and protecting natural and cultural resources.

Public comments may be submitted through the project website here or by email to info@ECRGplanupdate.com.

While the general plan update focuses on long-term recreation and resilience planning, State Parks is simultaneously reviewing a separate request related to oil infrastructure in the region.

Houston-based Sable Offshore has applied for an easement to operate a segment of pipeline that crosses Gaviota State Park. The pipeline has been shut down since the 2015 Refugio Oil Spill. Sable acquired the dormant infrastructure in 2022 as part of a broader effort to restart production at the offshore Santa Ynez Unit. While federal regulators have weighed in on pipeline oversight, a portion of the onshore system runs through state park property — meaning Sable cannot restart operations without State Parks approval. 

“The General Plan for El Capitán, Refugio, and Gaviota does not include the Sable Offshore project,” said Jorge Moreno, southern communication manager for California State Parks.

Moreno confirmed that Sable must secure an easement before restarting operations.

“Sable still needs to obtain an easement for the portion of the pipeline on State Parks land prior to restarting operations,” Moreno said. “On November 13, 2025, State Parks informed Sable it will be preparing an Initial Study to determine the proper CEQA documentation for Sable’s easement request at Gaviota State Park.”

That Initial Study will determine whether the easement requires a full environmental impact report or another level of environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act. 

Although legally separate, the general plan update and the easement review both place State Parks at the center of decisions affecting the long-term future of the Gaviota Coast.