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(Santa Barbara, Calif.) – Due to emergency storm response and beach nourishment operations, Santa Barbara County will close the eastern end of Goleta Beach Park and Goleta Pier beginning February 20, 2024. Public access to the west end of Goleta Beach will remain open. Site preparation is expected to begin on February 13, and operations will start on February 20. There may be intermittently closed areas of the Park during site preparation between February 13 and February 20 but the Park will remain open for weekends of February 10 - 11 and 17 - 19. When full operations begin on February 20, 2024, the east end of the Park and Goleta Pier will be closed to public access. Work will continue until the storm response is complete and could occur 10 hours a day, six days a week (Monday-Saturday). More specific Park hours and closure information will be updated at the County Parks Department website www.sbparks.org
The February 2024 beach operations involve sediment from the Goleta Slough watersheds only. The flood-control channels surrounding the Santa Barbara Airport, Old Town Goleta, and parts of the Eastern Goleta Valley have accumulated excess sediment due to winter storms. The channels and basins are designed to capture sediment and floodwaters to protect the community; however, the sediment must be removed to regain flood control protection. Goleta Beach is the designated transport site for the sediment to be re-purposed as beach nourishment.