The Santa Barbara Harbor Commission spent the bulk of its November meeting discussing a staff-led strategic review of revenue options intended to shore up waterfront finances and pay for rising capital needs.

Waterfront Director Mike Wilshire presented a three-tier menu of possibilities, from near-term administrative changes to long-range redevelopment. "Raising our market rate could raise anywhere from $1,000,000 to $3,000,000 a year," Wilshire said, adding that the figures shown were rough placeholders to illustrate scale and would require further vetting.

Why it matters: waterfront staff cited several large liabilities — a much larger Stearns Wharf insurance deductible, uncertain dredge funding and planned replacement of multiple marinas — that together make fiscal sustainability a top priority for the department.

What staff proposed: Tier 1 items Wilshire emphasized included increasing monthly slip fees toward market rates; raising hourly parking; testing RV campsites in a municipal lot; expanding event rentals; and reengaging cruise-ship business that had trended down after previous policy uncertainty. Wilshire framed these ideas as starting points for discussion rather than decisions to implement immediately.

Commissioners pressed on process and fairness. Several members asked for a formal market-value analysis and public-facing evidence before moving forward. "We need to show the public the evidence — here's the gap and here's why we are pursuing these targets," Commissioner Nelson said, urging that the commission develop a market-analysis packet and an outreach plan before pushing fee increases. Commissioners also raised the distributional effects on longtime slip holders and recent buyers, and discussed phasing changes over time.

Staff cautioned about legal and practical limits. Wilshire noted that the State Lands Commission discourages allowing private profit from public slips and that fee changes must follow the city's budget and fee-resolution process and, where required, additional public outreach.

Votes at a glance: The only formal vote tied to the meeting was on the consent calendar earlier in the agenda. The commission unanimously approved the minutes from Oct. 16, 2025 and recommended to the City Council a three-year lease with the Santa Barbara Sailing Club for 8,677 square feet of dry boat storage in the harbor (motion by Commissioner Nelson; second by Vice Chair Stedman; unanimous vote).

Next steps: Staff will capture the commission's feedback, refine the revenue-options list and return with prioritized proposals at a budget/priority-setting workshop in January. Wilshire said the department did not expect a vote on revenue measures at the November meeting and emphasized the need for months of outreach and work-group deliberations before any fee changes go to City Council.

The commission did not adopt any new fees at this meeting; further study and stakeholder engagement were requested.