Santa Barbara limits cruise ship visits to 20 annually

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Santa Barbara City Council voted to adopt new rules and regulations for visiting cruise ships including capping the number of ships to 20 per year Tuesday. 

The city currently prohibits cruise ship visits from Memorial Day through Labor Day and on weekends year-round and the city council formalized this current practice.  

Since 2002, the city's cruise ship program has welcomed an average of 15 to 30 visits per year, bringing $3-$5 million to local businesses to aid the economy. 

Tuesday's 6-1 vote comes after months of discussion with community members on evaluating the environmental, economic impacts and regulations that govern the visiting cruise ships. 

The Harbor Commission formed a Cruise Ship Workgroup in April 2022 to review the cruise ship program and provide recommendations on how to improve the program. 

In addition to the annual cap, the city council supported the new law with recommendation of improving how visiting cruise ships handle wastewater. 

The council directed staff to negotiate and require all visiting cruise ships to be equipped with Advanced Wastewater Treatment Systems (AWTS) by Spring 2025. 

The council also formalized the local requirement of no discharge of any kind within 12 nautical miles of Santa Barbara and reduce speeds when possible, to 10 knots or less within the Santa Barbara Channel Vessel Speed Reduction Zone between May 1 and December 15. 

Council directed staff to work with the Harbor Commission to create a packet of environmental best practices including a template for minimal requirements using industry ratings and scorecards.

The council also asked the Harbor Commission to further discuss the use of pilots for the cruise ships in the channel as well as requirements for smaller ships and the use of cleaner fuel. 

Mayor Randy Rowse supported most of the Harbor Commission's recommendations but ultimately voted no. Rowse expressed worry that the annual cruise ship limit will "take away the competition rather create competition."