Front Page  »  

Soil contamination increases cost of Santa Barbara police station

October 29, 2025

By KAREN VELIE

The Santa Barbara City Council last week approved a $4.7 million budget adjustment for the new East Cota Street police station because of soil contamination.

After breaking ground in the spring, soil samples showed elevated levels of natural occurring arsenic. The contamination led to the removal of 10,000 cubic yards of soil.

Initially, the project was expected to cost $122 million with $10.2 million in contingency funds. During permitting, that number was raised to $135 million with $12.2 million in contingency funds.

The cost of the soil contamination will be funded through contingency funds.

 


Loading...
Subjects:         
Related:


4 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

How in this world can you spend $135 million for police station in a medium sized city like Santa Barbara? Who can defend that kind of spending?

Another shining example of a government out of control. I would love to go through the books on this one!

The State and these municipalities are already financially cooked. They think they can just raise taxes and fees forever.

The day of reckoning for California and it’s financial inflow – outflow is coming sooner than later.


1

I sure hope so.


1

Why worry, it’s only taxpayer’s money, there is always more of it if needed.


10

More government waste, Do we need lavish buildings for our public servants? No


8