Leadbetter Renovation: Hooray, a pause!...and Access Advisory
Hooray! Thank you all for your steadfast work - supporting this influential petition, Public Comments at City meetings, much research, contacting elected/ appointed officials, and more! Our collective efforts have led to an initial WIN for our movement - indefinite postponement of the Leadbetter renovation project.
And, this is not the end! Please keep sharing the petition - let's get to 500 signatures. Today, Friday, Feb 23 the project will FINALLY be seen by Access Advisory Committee (as it should have in the planning process) for review of ADA access in proposed construction.
Our voices and Op Eds have successfully raised public, City Council, and Harbor Commission awareness. Importantly, at last week's Harbor Commission, several of the commissioners spoke out regarding the flawed process that has bypassed stakeholders, and the flawed design that has upset so many of us. None of them spoke in favor of moving ahead on the project immediately.
"There's an elephant in the room here, the design of the project doesn't work for the primary and principal users of the facility. Doesn't seem we are concerned enough about that...its no small thing, hundreds of names on a petition...They are organizing to say (City) didnt do our job, (City) made some mistakes here..." - Commissioner
Watch the discussion after staff capital projects presentation at 3:43:00 here: February Harbor Commission or full meeting
(Announcement from City of Santa Barbara)
To the Leadbetter Beach recreational community -
Thank you for your input and consideration of the Leadbetter Restroom Renovation Project. In response to all the concern we plan to postpone this project indefinitely and will continue to maintain it in its current condition. Over the coming year we will further evaluate this project to ensure that the ultimate solution addresses ADA and safety concerns while maximizing benefit to the users. For now, we will likely repurpose these funds for different capital needs. Staff was scheduled to take the project to the Access Advisory Committee (AAC) this coming Friday 2/23. Even though the project is being postponed we will still take it to AAC this Friday to gather input for any future design considerations. Thank you.
(end City announcement)