History of Goleta Beach Park

1. Goleta Beach Park 29 acres, free parking, one restaurant, 1.5 million estimated visitors/yr managed by SB County Parks Dept
2. Some 90% of park protected by rock revetment 
3. Major storms recorded since 1943 have penetrated both the beach and park with substantial damage to County assets (see picture)
4. Storms 2002-05 required “emergency permitted” rock revetment placements to stop further erosion
5. 2nd District County Supervisor set up a task force (Goleta Beach Working Group) several years ago with summary findings (wave mitigation, wider beach, park protection)
   1. Consisted of County staff, private citizens, geologist from UCSB, Surf Riders, EDC
6. Supported the recommended environmentally superior plan of a expansion of a recreational facility, Goleta Pier 
   1. Environmental review conducted and County Supervisors approved
7. Coastal Commission staff review Jan 2008 – June 2009
   1. Staff recommended approval
8. CCC voted 9-1 to turn down plan July 2009 - only approve a “Managed Retreat” plan
9. County withdrew project
10. County Supervisors established Goleta Beach 2.0 Concept Planning Process Oct 2009
11. County Parks publically announced new concept Feb 2010
    1. Remove ~900 linear feet of “emergency rocks” currently not permitted
    2. Remove ~170 parking spaces and relocate offsite
    3. Relocated essential utility lines farther back 
    4. Expand rock revetment zone to protect sanitary outfall vault next to restaurant
12. Freiends of Goleta Beach Park, i.e. the majority of the old Goleta Beach Working Group, assessment today:
    1. Some County Decision Makers “afraid of” EDC lawsuit or CCC threat of removing unpermitted rock revetments
    2. CCC (Section 30235) allows for construction altering natural shoreline
       1. Just approved emergency permit rock revetment for Broad Beach Malibu residence
    3. Managed Retreat is an experiment and Goleta Beach Park is the first CCC project
    4. All rock revetments on western side of park have been placed above the high high water line (HHWL) with no evidence of sand erosion by such structure nor loss of sand to down coast beaches
    5. Natural sand nourishment today comes from ocean currents (Pacific Decadal Oscillation) vs  sediment transport creeks and rivers dammed 
    6. Rock revetments are a major backstop to prevent El Nino storms (no loss of property since 2005)
    7. CCC needs a victory and we are their guinea pig