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Santa Barbara launches parkway retrofit pilot to capture sidewalk and street runoff
Summary
Creeks Division staff described a pilot parkway retrofit to intercept sidewalk/street runoff, a citywide analysis estimating 155 acres of sidewalk runoff capture potential, a $6,400 pilot installation and $50,000 in FY funding for the program.
City of Santa Barbara Creeks Division staff presented a parkway retrofit pilot and a citywide analysis of stormwater capture opportunities to the Creeks advisory committee on Jan. 18, 2025.
Tim Burgess, project planner in the Creeks Division, said parkways—the strips of public right-of-way between sidewalks and private property—can be retrofitted to capture and infiltrate stormwater that currently runs quickly into gutters and creeks. Burgess said parkway retrofits reduce peak flows that erode creek banks, increase infiltration to sustain base flows and filter pollutants before they reach streams.
Staff presented a pilot project on a volunteer property with a nine‑foot wide parkway. The proposed construction includes two curb cuts, soil amendment and subsurface cobble to create temporary storage and infiltration. Burgess said the contractor will be Wilson Environmental, the installation cost is estimated at $6,400, the installation is scheduled for mid‑July 2025, and the resident will maintain the plantings. The Creeks Division will monitor the site for functionality and infrastructure impacts.
Burgess explained a citywide inventory: roughly 27,000 parcels with typical 50-foot frontages imply about 155 acres of sidewalk area that could be used to capture runoff if paired with parkway retrofits. Staff described a tiered approach to designs: a basic soil‑amendment retrofit to accept sidewalk runoff; a second tier for sites where parkway pavement can be removed; and a higher tier that accepts street runoff via curb cuts.
Committee members praised the concept and asked about budgeting, program scale and design templates to streamline permitting and costs. Staff said initial pilot funding is available and that $50,000 is allocated in the current fiscal year for parkway retrofit work; staff said they can scale the program based on public interest and demand and plan to develop standardized design templates to lower per‑site costs.
Public comment supported prioritizing capture of city‑owned impervious surfaces. Resident Chris Dahlstrom said he captures runoff on his property but urged staff to consider capturing runoff from city streets and sidewalks citywide. Staff said they will proceed with outreach to property owners, create design templates and evaluate additional public right‑of‑way opportunities such as medians.
The advisory committee did not take a formal vote; staff said they will proceed with the pilot installation, monitor results and return findings to the committee and other city bodies as the program develops.
