| Welcome
to the Coalition of Labor Agriculture & Business of
San Luis Obispo County.
COLAB’s
mission is to promote the common business interests of
its members by providing information and education on
issues which have or may have an impact on its membership.
To achieve its mission, COLAB will engage in policy analysis and recommendations which promote those common business interests and in doing so foster a positive image for agriculture, business and labor in the community.
COLAB shall represent its members before the San Luis
Obispo Board of Supervisors and any other local or national
governing body and if necessary take legal or administrative
action for the mutual benefit of the members.
For more information about COLAB, please "CLICK
HERE"
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| ALERTS |
COUNTY UPDATES OCCUR MONDAY’S AT 4:30 PM
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This
Weeks SLO County Weekly Update
May 4th thru May 10th 2025
-Detour runs through tension
-Two year morritorium on a fire hazard?
- 8.3 million dollar lack of curiosity
-Rules for presentations revisited
-Fire map – the gift that keeps on giving
-We won’t be leaving the light on for you in Cayucus
-Housing woes go on and on
-Phillps 66 appeal continued |
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING
| After a three-week gap due to the Easter break and the CSAC meeting in Sacramento, the SLO County Board of Supervisors convened again on April 29 with what appeared to be a relatively light agenda having nly 8 items of business beyond the consent calendar. However, after the usual proclamations, resolutions and acknowledgements were dispensed with, several of the seemingly benign items inspired some interesting discussion. |
Detour Runs Through Tension
Board Chairwoman Ortiz Legg had strong apprehension with an item on the consent calendar to receive and file an update on the Avila Beach Drive at US 101 Interchange. This is a very disruptive 6-month roundabout project planned for the canyon road that provides access in and out of Avila Beach. Anybody that has driven to Avila on a pleasant day has probably experienced back up from too much traffic on the road that was not designed for heavy volume, and it only gets more congested in the summer.
Understandably, Ortiz Legg’s frustration was focused on the fact that Public Works has slated the project to begin smack dab at the height of summer tourist and special event season in July. She expressed concern for the businesses in Avila, as they rely heavily on summer visitor commerce, and she pointed out that there are a couple of annual events in July that attract thousands of visitors. She requested Public Works revisit the scheduling and ascertain whether the project could be moved to the end of August.
At this point, Supervisor Gibson weighed in suggesting that Public Works was fully capable of handling the project and mitigating the traffic challenges. Ortiz Legg, however, was not interested in Gibson’s council and intensely pushed forward with a request that Public Works examine the scheduling options and report back. Motion passed 5-0. She makes a good point and it’s nice to see a flash of common sense in matters like this |
Two Year Moratorium On A Fire Hazzard?
| In the public comment period, about a dozen Morro Bay residents spoke on a proposal they would like the Board to take up that would establish a two-year moratorium on Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) throughout San Luis Obispo County. They cite seven BESS fires that have occurred in California over the last 18 months, and point out the high level of toxicity resulting from such fires. Not only does the smoke and fumes from these fires create air quality hazards for many miles downwind, but the residue fall-out has damaged agricultural fields for many acres surrounding them. While BESS facilities have already been established in SLO County, the speakers pointed out that there are no standards outlining safety precautions or wise planning procedures for the construction of such installations. It remains to be seen how the Board will proceed. |
$8.3 Million Lack Of Curiosity
Item 22, a consent item involving an $8.3 million contract with the state brought about only a few questions from one Supervisor. The request was to 1) approve a retroactive agreement with the California Department of State Hospitals for the period of July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2028 in the amount of $8,304,000 to continue services started with the initial funding under the diversion program pilot grant and move to ongoing funding to provide treatment for individuals deemed incompetent to stand trial; and 2) delegate authority to the Health Agency Director or designee to, sign any amendments, subcontracts, or documents related to the agreement that do not increase the level of General Fund Support required by the Health Agency.
Only Supervisor Moreno asked follow up questions regarding the services expected to be delivered or past performance of the program. While the answers to Moreno’s querries seemed a bit vague, at least there was some minor accountability exercised. Motion passed 5-0. |
Rules For Presentations Revisited
Item 40, a consideration of amendments to the Board of Supervisor’s Rules of Procedure pertaining to the use of County equipment for public comment, and discussion regarding presentations at Board of Supervisor regular meetings was brought forth by Supervisor Moreno. The discussion was about two different issues.
The first is the lack of structure, guidelines or policies regarding the public recognition period during Board meetings. Moreno pointed out that there is no system in place to define who could be recognized, and how long such recognition efforts should go on. Her main point is that many county personnel are required to attend Board meetings if anything impacting their county division is on the agenda. Those staff members, sometimes measuring a couple dozen, must sit through presentations that can take over an hour before the Board gets down to business. This amounts to many wasted hours of staff time by county employees.
The second part of the question involves the public’s use of county Audio/Video equipment for presentations to the Board during Board meetings. This became an issue in the past when one misguided individual thought displaying pornographic pictures on an overhead projector would enhance his presentation. At that point, all public access to county equipment was cut off. While a good round of discussion was had, the Board ultimately requested more time to think through the points raised by Moreno. |
Fire Map – The Gift That Keeps On Giving
| As covered here in previous weeks, the State Fire Marshall has issued its Local Responsibility Area (LRA) Fire Hazard Severity Zones map and presented it to the Board for final adoption. Several frustrated people spoke out on inaccuracies within the map while others expressed concern for homeowners’ insurance policies and rates. Board members expressed unease that the map was drawn up without any local feedback and does not recognize mitigation efforts such as mandatory community wide weed abatement, brush clearing, fuel reduction or even fire safe communities. With no alternative, the Board received the map. |
We Won’t Be leaving The Light On For You In Cayucas
| A proposed small hotel project designed for a vacant lot in Cayucas was approved by the Planning Commission on Oct 4, 2024, but the permit was appealed by local residents to the Board and was heard at this meeting. The four-unit project was designed to meet all County requirements, but neighbors expressed concern over parking, which led to a vigorous discussion led primarily by (Cayucas resident) Supervisor Gibson. Supervisor Peshong stated that he was adamant he would not support the appeal because the developer had followed all the rules. Nobody disagreed with Peshong’s point, but some remained uncomfortable with the plans put forth. After considerable consternation, the Board voted unanimously to continue the appeal until July 8, so that the developer could make changes to parking and design elements. |
Housing Woes Go On And On
Housing availability and costs continue to be a key issue throughout San Luis Obispo County. Whether for low-income workers or highly trained professionals, finding a home is very difficult. Near the end of the meeting, Planning and Building presented a report with progress updates and information relating to Board priorities for the Department of Planning and Building and sought direction as deemed necessary.
Amongst the shuffling back and forth regarding zoning changes and density issues came two nuggets of interest. The first was the odd method that the county has been using to measure its performance towards the goal of seeing more low-income housing construction. While those performance figures are woefully shy of current goals, it turns out that they have been counting new Additional Dwelling Units (ADUs) as low-income housing. This raised a few eyebrows amongst the Supervisors. Certainly, some ADUs probably are used as lower cost rental housing, but many are also used for family member housing and some as vacation rentals. Supervisor Gibson asked whether there were any hard numbers reflecting how many were actually used as low-income housing, but did not get a substantive answer. It would appear that the county counts all ADUs as low-cost housing.
The second nugget is that Building and Planning is hiring a big accounting firm to do an analysis of the SLO county housing market with the hopes that some so far undiscovered pathway to lower cost housing will be revealed. We can only hope that such a report will compile a comprehensive inventory of all the costs associated with local building with a focus on permit and regulatory costs, and will offer comparisons to the same costs in different communities, as well as in different states.
Discussion got off track briefly when Renters Union representatives suggested that we have too many vacation rentals, need a managed registry of all rental properties and perhaps homes that are not occupied full time should be taxed at a higher rate. |
Phillips 66 Appeal Continued
| The Sierra Club appeal of the plans for the cleanup of the closed Phillips 66 refinery in south county has been pushed off until July. Concerns remain that the Sierra Club is looking for measures that would permanently remove the possibility of any commercial or industrial activity from the privately owned refinery property. |
May 6 Board of Supervisors Meeting
Because of the three-week gap between meetings in April, the first Board of Supervisors meeting for May takes place on the 6th. With another seemingly light agenda, a couple items stand out. The first is item 12 on the Consent Calendar. While it is one agenda item, it is a whole hall closet full of unrelated fiscal items. The measure reads as follows:
Request to: 1) approve one new capital project to replace two septic tanks at Biddle Park and one new maintenance project to remodel the Crisis Stabilization Center into a 4-Bed Children’s Crisis Residential Program for youth in foster care; 2) increase funding for two existing capital projects to replace existing cabinets and countertops 6 with laboratory-grade versions at the Water Quality Laboratory and design the bridge for the Templeton to Atascadero Connector; and 3) approve corresponding budget adjustments totaling $491,000 for Fund Center (FC) 230 – Capital Projects and $797,000 for FC 200 – Maintenance Projects, using $131,000 of unassigned funds in FC 230, $797,000 from grant funds in FC 166 – Health Agency – Behavioral Health, $160,000 from FC 405 – Public Works, and $200,000 from FC 247 – Public Facilities Fees using Parks Public Facilities Fees (PFF), by 4/5 vote.
While efficiencies are usually appreciated, lumping so many disparate items into one motion doesn’t do any of them justice. Further, it can make one wonder if there isn’t something hidden or buried in the big conglomerate of issues. |
STEPHEN C. LIEBERMAN TO BE DISTRICT 3 PLANNING
COMMISSIONER
ILLEGAL DUMPING ON FARMS AND RANCHES IS GROWING - WHY CAN’T SENTENCED PRISONERS HELP? FIRE
RISK REPORT: STILL TOO HOT STATE MANDATES FIRE HAZARD SEVERITY ZONES
SMALL CAYUCOS MOTEL IN A COMMERICAL ZONE OPPOSED - BOARD SHOULD REJECT THE APPEAL
PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT REVIEW & FUTURE HOUSING STILL LAGS – VACATION RENTAL UNITS ATTACKED
SIERRA CLUB PRESSURING COUNTY ON PHILIPPS 66 PROPERTY - ANOTHER WEED PARK?
EMERGENT TRENDS
SEE PAGE 17 |
Is California Doomed To Repeat Pension History?
Time To End The Tyranny Of The California Coastal Commission
COLAB IN DEPTH
SEE PAGE 23 |
The California Bullet Train Is A Good Lesson In
Political Deception
 
 
 
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CLICK HERE To DownloadThis Weeks Report PDF
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