SANTA BARBARA — Visiting boaters will soon notice a significant change off East Beach as the City of Santa Barbara moves forward with plans to replace its seasonal anchorage area with a new short-term public mooring field designed to better protect critical underwater infrastructure while providing a safer alternative to anchoring.
The project, which has been under development for the past 18 months, will convert the existing seasonal anchorage east of Stearns Wharf into a City-owned mooring field featuring approximately 17 rental moorings. While an earlier notice to boat owners anticipated construction beginning in mid-June with completion by late July, Harbor Operations Manager Nathan Aldredge said the project has experienced delays and work has not yet begun.
“The initial goal was to have the project completed by late July, 2026, but work has not commenced yet, so boaters are still allowed to anchor in the area until work begins,” Aldredge told The Log.
Once installation starts, the seasonal anchorage area will permanently transition to a permit-only short-term mooring field. The seasonal operating dates, however, will remain the same, with the area open to recreational boaters from April 1 through Oct. 31, 2026, and closed during the winter months because of storms and swell.
The new mooring field represents a compromise between protecting public infrastructure and maintaining boating access.
“The main driver for the project is to protect the City’s desalination intake and wastewater outfall pipeline and infrastructure that runs directly underneath the existing seasonal anchorage,” Aldredge said.
According to Aldredge, the City’s Public Works Department identified damage to the desalination intake structure several years ago that was attributed to vessels anchoring in the area.
“They approached the Waterfront and expressed concern with anchoring over desal and wastewater infrastructure and requested no anchoring in this area at all,” Aldredge explained.
Rather than eliminate overnight accommodations for visiting boaters altogether, the Waterfront Department proposed installing permanent mooring balls.
“As a compromise, the Waterfront proposed installing fixed mooring balls which protect Public Works infrastructure and provide a desirable service to boaters that doesn’t exist today,” Aldredge said.
In addition to safeguarding underwater infrastructure, officials believe the project will improve safety for boaters visiting Santa Barbara.
“Fixed mooring balls provide a much safer alternative to anchoring and will also result in fewer boats dragging anchor or coming ashore, which has been a targeted issue over the years,” Aldredge said.
Revenue generated through nightly, weekly and monthly mooring rentals will also help offset permitting, installation and long-term maintenance costs, according to the city.
The new mooring field will be located east of Stearns Wharf in what has traditionally served as the seasonal anchorage area. Once completed, boaters wishing to use the moorings will need to complete a permit application through the Harbormaster’s Office, provide proof of vessel liability insurance and have their vessel inspected by Harbor Patrol before receiving a permit.
The City-owned moorings will be available for $30 per night, $200 per week or $500 per month.
While anchoring will no longer be permitted within the new mooring field once it becomes operational, Aldredge emphasized that other public anchorage options are not changing.
“The other mooring and anchoring areas further to the east — the Long Term Mooring Area and Year-Round Free Anchorage — remain unchanged,” he said.
Those areas currently include approximately 40 year-round mooring sites, although boaters are responsible for providing their own ground tackle. The new short-term moorings, by contrast, will be purchased, installed and maintained by the City.
The project has received unanimous support from the Santa Barbara Harbor Commission after being presented on three separate occasions. Aldredge said the City has also secured permits from both the California Coastal Commission and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
“The hope is to begin installing City-owned moorings that can be rented nightly, weekly or monthly within the next two to three months,” he said.
For visiting cruisers, the changes will provide a new short-term mooring option while eliminating the need to anchor over sensitive underwater infrastructure. City officials believe the project strikes a balance between protecting essential public facilities, reducing the risk of vessel groundings and continuing to provide convenient public access for recreational boaters visiting Santa Barbara Harbor.
