The City of Santa Barbara and the Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) are requesting public feedback on the Airport Climate Adaptation Plan (CAP). The plan outlines a proactive strategy to safeguard the airport and its surrounding coastal areas, including the valuable Goleta Slough wetlands, from mounting climate change threats like sea level rise and severe flooding.
Community members are invited to submit their comments via email to [email protected] by November 13, 2026.
The Santa Barbara Airport is particularly vulnerable to flooding due to its low-lying location adjacent to Goleta Slough. Current projections indicate that without intervention, the annual likelihood of the airport closing due to flooding could increase from the present 20 percent to 60 percent by 2076. The airport experienced three separate closures last winter alone because of severe flooding.
Airport Director Chris Hastert underscored the urgency of the situation, stating, "Flooding at the airport is a present-day reality that requires immediate action." He added that the CAP serves as a guide to both protect essential infrastructure and ensure responsible stewardship of the local natural environment.
The CAP prioritizes multi-benefit solutions that not only shield crucial airport operations but also preserve and enhance the Goleta Slough's wetland habitats. This approach considers both the functional needs of the airport and its ecological responsibilities.
SBA is currently in the second of three phases for this adaptation process. The initial phase, the Vulnerability Assessment, was completed in 2024. This phase identified specific climate hazards, assessed the airport's vulnerabilities to these threats, and pinpointed critical assets that require protection. The ongoing second phase, Adaptation Strategies, is focused on developing and evaluating various strategies to mitigate identified risks, with public input being a key component of this stage. The final phase, targeted for completion in 2026, will integrate the chosen adaptation strategies into a comprehensive plan and outline their implementation.
The development of the Airport Climate Adaptation Plan is a collaborative effort, jointly funded by the California Coastal Commission and the City of Santa Barbara.
Owned and operated by the City of Santa Barbara, the Santa Barbara Airport has provided commercial and general aviation services to the tri-county region for over 90 years. SBA facilitates travel for more than 1.4 million passengers annually. It is served by five major airlines—Alaska, American, Delta, Southwest, and United—which offer daily nonstop flights to 13 domestic destinations, including cities such as Chicago, Denver, Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, and Seattle, with connections to thousands more destinations worldwide. The airport remains a vital transportation hub for both residents and visitors.
