Concerned Citizens for Avila
A Community Action Group
July 24, 2018
Together we can protect the natural environment, 
safety and accessibility of Avila.
Reporters  Hear CC4A's Concerns
Tribune and New Times reporters met on separate occasions with CC4A Board members to review plans for large developments proposed for Avila.  Emphasized was that plans should be on hold until completion of the community plan Update for guiding future development.

Also stressed was that traffic from Harbor Terrace, an approved RV resort, is yet to be experienced. CC4A hopes to bring more media attention to the drastic changes expansion will bring.

Watch for articles in future issues of these publications. 
Monica Vaughan, reporter for the SLO Tribune, 
looks at maps of potential large developments in Avila.
Snack & Chat and
Envision Avila Meeting 
Topics for the Envision workshop on June 28 for updating Avila's community plan were the Port, Cave Landing/Ontario Ridge, Avila Valley and San Luis Bay Estates. Attendees were grouped and rotated to four tables for discussions on the four topics.

A social gathering was held before the meeting by Concerned Citizens for Avila. Donations by members of CC4A's Board funded the social. In addition to socializing, plans were viewed for recently submitted large development projects. 
Map Shows Possible Development 
Dominating Avila Beach
Created by CC4A's President, Betty Hartig, the map below generated alarm at the recent Snack & Chat by showing just how extensive development could be if approved (Harbor Terrace is already approved). The circled areas show the size of each project; all are within a one-mile radius.
Diablo Decommissioning:
Meetings and Tours
by Panel Member Sherri Danoff
Here are some opportunities to receive information, ask questions, and make comments.

Meetings:

The next public meeting of the Diablo Decommissioning Engagement Panel is  July 25. T he topic is "Financing Decommissioning." 

6 to 7 p.m.: The "poster session" for the public to speak with experts about decommissioning.

7 to 9:30 p.m.: The Panel's meeting, a t the County Government Center,  1055 Monterey St., SLO , in the Board of Supervisors chambers. An adjacent conference room will be used for the poster session.

Future public meetings:
  • August 29: Future Use of Diablo Open Space-Agricultural Lands.
  • September 26: Repurposing of Diablo Facilities.
Times and place: Same as for July meetings.

Tours

Tours for the public of Diablo Lands are scheduled for:
August 7, 8, 11, 14, 15, 18, 21, 22, 28, 29.
September 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19, 26.

Tours leave the PG&E Center on Ontario Road at 9 a.m. and return at noon.
Additional tours from 1 to 4 p.m. are scheduled on August 11 and 18.
Contact Diana at PG&E for arrangements, DKT4@PGE.com or 805.546.5243.
Large Projects Update
Current large projects proposed for Avila Beach are growing in number and scope. These are the projects with applications submitted:
  • Chevron's resort application for Avila Point, which overlooks and is 1.5 times the size of the beach town.
  • King's resort application for property off Ontario Road.
  • Golf course resort application for accommodations, lake, campground, event facilities, access to 40 parking spaces from Bob Jones Trail, etc.
  • Somera 50 cottages resort application for a site adjacent to the timeshare hotel.
Projects above are on "information hold" until additional information requested by the County is supplied to enable continued application processing.
Smaller projects we also are watching:
  • A new application for 22 clustered residential units off Ontario Road.
  • Numerous small projects in Avila's beach community, particularly those which include vacation rentals.
The much-discussed project for which there is not yet an application:
  • Wild Cherry Canyon for 1,500 to 15,000 homes, plus commercial.
Concerned Citizens for Avila successfully advocated a Community Plan Update and Envision Avila is underway. However, large development should be on hold until the Update is adopted to fulfill the Update's purpose of guiding future development.
Simultaneous Events Can
Cause Unsafe Traffic Conditions
Many of us received this Avila Alert:  "Expect Heavier Traffic this Friday, July 20th due to concert at Avila Beach Golf Course...Gates open at 5pm...end at 10 pm." 

One of the  reasons golf course events need to obtain a permit, as required by ordinance, is for avoiding simultaneous events. The long-permitted Avila Farmers Market on Fridays often experiences parking shortages. When the golf course has held a simultaneous concert, there has been exacerbated parking shortage and traffic congestion. 

In Avila, traffic congestion is always unsafe because of one-way in and out and the unique cluster of hazards.
Avila Beach Drive Bridge Retrofit
Seismic retrofit of the bridge over San Luis Obispo Creek, located between the beach town and port, is commencing with work underneath the bridge.
After Labor Day in September work will begin on the roadway.