Renovations set for Santa Barbara Fish Market

SANTA BARBARA—A three-week renovation of Santa Barbara Fish Market was one of several agenda items at the Feb. 20 Santa Barbara Harbor Commission meeting. Commissioners also discussed dredging, the city’s Underground Storage Tank Replacement Project, mandatory boater education requirements, vessel registration and a local White Abalone Recovery Program.

Santa Barbara Fish Market, which opened as a “cutting room” at the harbor in 2001, will have a revamped interior. The market’s owner, Brian Colgate, announced he is overhauling the interior to feature new flooring, new freezers, renovated kitchen area, remodeled customer area and a new paintjob.

Work is expected to take three weeks to complete. Santa Barbara Waterfront Department staff stated the market’s renovation would be completed in early March.

Renovations were timed to coincide with the city’s Underground Storage Tank Replacement Project. Santa Barbara is updating its fuel dock area as part of the tank replacement project. Final approvals and permits for the replacement project were awarded to Santa Barbara Fuel Dock, Inc.; work began on Feb. 18.

The fuel dock will be closed during the tank replacement project. All boaters at Santa Barbara Harbor will be able to fuel up at the east end of the City Pier, adjacent to Hoist 4.

“Santa Barbara Fuel Dock, Inc. will provide fueling from trucks at predetermined times. Fuel will be available from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. for the first week of construction. Depending on weather and demand, fuel may be available at more restricted times,” city staff said in a report to harbor commissioners. “The Waterfront will provide regular construction updates and fuel availability times to the harbor community via email, Blackboard Connect texts, and the website.”

The tank replacement project will be noticeable to anyone visiting the harbor or waterfront.

“Access to the Harbor Commercial area will be severely restricted for the duration of the project, approximately 8-10 weeks. Staff will meet regularly with [the contractor] to monitor construction progress and determine when access can be incrementally restored to minimize impacts to businesses,” Santa Barbara city staff said.

Notable actions from the commission’s Jan. 16 meeting include:

• Reappointment of Commissioner Merit McCrea, whose term on the commission will now run through Dec. 31, 2023;
• Appointment confirmed for new commissioner, Michael Nelson. His term will also run through Dec. 31, 2023;
• Michael Wiltshire, Santa Barbara’s new Waterfront Director, was formally introduced. He started his position as Scott Reidman’s successor on Feb. 1.

The Log went to press before the Harbor Commission’s Feb. 20 meeting. Reporting on the commission’s various discussions at that meeting will be provided in either the March 6 or March 20 issue of The Log.