Santa Barbara’s 34th annual Parade of Lights canceled due to Covid-19 restrictions

SANTA BARBARA—The Santa Barbara Waterfront Department announced at the Oct. 15 Santa Barbara Harbor Commission meeting the annual Parade of Lights has been canceled this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Santa’s Village and fireworks show will also not take place this year.

“This is just basically due to the Covid restrictions we have in place,” said Harbor Operations Manager Erik Engebretson at the Oct. 15 Harbor Commission meeting.

As of the time this paper went to press, Santa Barbara was in the state’s red tier for Covid-19 risk. Under guidelines for the tier, gatherings are not allowed, with a few exceptions.

This would have been the 34th iteration of the mid-December boat parade, which features boats decked out in holiday decorations. According to a staff report, the Waterfront Department does still have a number of safe activities in the works for the holiday season.

“Staff is looking at other ways to possibly have a virtual parade of sorts to be broadcast on the Waterfront Department’s website,” Engebretson said at the Oct. 15 meeting. “VIPs could submit their votes online we could have folks still decorate their boats and keep them in the slips and we’re also considering a single vote by the general public who could also vote online.”

Details of those events will be posted on the department’s website at santabarbaraca.gov/waterfront when they become available. Updates will also be posted on the department’s social media accounts.

ExxonMobil to temporarily use City Pier

At the Oct. 15 meeting, the Harbor Commission was also informed ExxonMobil will temporarily use the City Pier to conduct their personnel exchanges. According to a staff report, ExxonMobil approached the Santa Barbara Waterfront Department last spring, asking to allow their crew boats use of the City Pier for their personnel exchanges. ExxonMobil has historically done their exchanges at the Ellwood Pier in Goleta.

An ExxonMobile representative said at the Oct. 15 Harbor Commission meeting they are negotiating details of a lease agreement with a private-property owner who owns the land between the Ellwood Pier and connecting road in order to continue using that location for their personnel exchanges. He said that is their preferred long-term location and using the City Pier is a short-term solution until they get the details of the agreement sorted out.

Currently, ExxonMobil’s Santa Ynez Unit is not producing because of the June 2015 incident with the Plains All American Pipeline. However, all equipment remains in place in an operation-ready state, requiring ongoing inspections, maintenance and surveillance. During this period, staff and activity levels at the platforms are greatly reduced from full operation and the platforms currently monitored with a skeleton crew of about 15.

ExxonMobil has a tentative temporary use agreement with the Waterfront Department that will be reviewed every eight weeks by Waterfront staff. According to a staff report, any issues arising from ExxonMobil causing impact to other ocean dependent harbor users will be addressed up to, and, including termination of the agreement. It is unclear how long ExxonMobil will be using the City Pier.

According to a staff report, ExxonMobil would be allotted about 30 minutes, five time per week for their personnel exchanges and would be charged wharfage and docking fees.

“It’s no different than what we’re doing already with other companies,” said Engebretson. “It’s just that this company in the interest of transparency we wanted you folks to know as well that it’s Exxon.”

The presentation at the Oct. 15 Harbor Commission meeting was purely informational, no action was needed or taken by the advisory board.

Santa Barbara Fuel Dock granted lease agreement for waterfront office space

The Harbor Commission also reviewed and approved a recommendation that the City Council approve a five-year lease agreement with Santa Barbara Fuel Dock, Inc., for a 218-square-foot office located at 125 Harbor Way, at a rate of $610.15 per month.

The harbor fuel dock has been leased to Union Oil Company of California (Unocal) since the 1950’s. SB Fuel Dock currently leases office space at 125 Harbor Way on the second floor of the Marine Center Building. The lease expires on Dec. 31, and SB Fuel Dock requested a new lease with the city at an initial rate of $610.15 per month, subject to annual cost of living increases based on changes in the Consumer Price Index. The proposed lease agreement will allow SB Fuel Dock to continue with on-site management of the fuel dock.