Concerned Citizens for Avila
A Community Action Group
September 21, 2018
Together we can protect the natural environment, 
safety and accessibility of Avila.

Repurposing of Diablo Facilities

Subject of Next DDEP Meeting
The next public hearing of the Diablo Decommissioning Engagement Panel (DDEP) is Wednesday, September 26, 2018, at 6:30 PM at the SLO County Government Center, 1055 Monterey Street, SLO. (A "Poster Session" at 6 p.m. precedes the DDEP meeting in a room adjacent to the Supervisors chambers.)

Topic: The future uses of the facilities and land immediately surrounding the power plant, including the marina area and intake/discharge coves.  CC4A supports uses which, similar to the nuclear plant, generate minimal weekend traffic. 

The panel has already heard from Cal Poly, SLO EVC, Clean Tech Incubator, Pacific Wildlife Care, Port San Luis Harbor District, Cal Energy Development, Perryman Technologies, and yak tityu tityu yak tilhini (Northern Chumash Tribe). These entities have suggested various conceptual reuses. Public comment about the breakwaters mostly suggest keeping in place rather than removal.

Do you have a vision for the future of this area? Your input and attendance is encouraged. Please also consider making suggestions online:  Public Submission Form. 
Big Boost for Conserving
all Diablo Open Space Lands
Betty Hartig and Martin Suits, Aug 17 Diablo Lands Workshop, 
speak to Decommissioning Engagement Panel
Recent enthusiasm for protecting the open space lands around Diablo Canyon is generating feelings that conservation may actually happen this time.  CC4A Board members Betty Hartig and Martin Suits joined Friends of Wild Cherry Canyon advocates Sam Blakeslee and Jenny Langford to  remind the  Diablo Panel of the s trong opposition to developing Wild Cherry Canyon. Sam Blakeslee provided extensive historical and current support for conservation. CC4A reminded the panel of the over 2,000 signatures on the "Hold on Development Petition" submitted to the SLO BOS last spring. CC4A also presented Avila Beach Drive traffic counts showing unsafe congestion many days of the year.  View the slides for the presentation to the Panel  HERE .

In addition, The Wildlands Conservancy said at the workshop it is positioned to acquire all of the lands to hold or turn over to a public agency such as State Parks. The local Land Conservancy stated its interest as well.

Long-time environmental activist Kara Woodruff reminded the group the one simple solution to protect WCC is for PG&E to NOT transfer the fee title to a developer. 

Many CC4A members also attended the Aug 29 public hearing  of the Diablo Decommissioning Engagement Panel  with speakers emphasizing support for conserving the open space lands. 
Passion for Avila Safety 
Top Issue  at Annual Meeting
CC4A Board members, from left: Betty Hartig, Beverly Henry, Martin Suits, Heather Nelson, Sherri Danoff, Carol Goldberg. Missing: Dave Humphreys.
Thank you to the 24 attendees who listened and participated at CC4A's Annual Meeting September 12. After a presentation of accomplishments and challenges, a discussion yielded these i mportant Issues:
  • Dismantling Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant; transportation of materials through Avila
  • Nuclear waste storage
  • Fire, Traffic, Evacuation
  • Water supply; cannot rely on state water during droughts
  • Protecting wild places and species
  • Parking
  • Vacation rentals
  • History
  • Maintaining feel of community; overbuilding
  • Slow update process for Avila Community Plan
  • Permitting events at the golf course
You can view the slide presentation  HERE .

We look forward to working together during the coming year. 
Annual Fundraising Campaign 
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We need your help to continue serving the community!   Concerned Citizens for Avila is an unincorporated nonprofit organization. Our operating costs allow the organization to effectively communicate information to you and include fees for Constant Contact (our newsletter template and email management tools), WebBuilder software, domain names, membership in SPOKES and our post office box.

These tools help meet our goal to promote responsible planning and public awareness.  We wish to continue informing you of current issues and concerns such as traffic, parking, large development, and over saturation of events.  The donations we receive are a community investment.

You can make your donation online using the PayPal button below or you can mail a check to Concerned Citizens for Avila, PO Box 2476, Avila Beach, CA  93424-2476.

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BOS Approves $25k for Cave Landing 
Success! CC4A has been encouraging the SLO BOS to consider improvements to Cave Landing since May 2017. The SLO BOS recently voted 5-0 to fund $25,000 for the design and engineering of a "Cave Landing Parking Lot Management Plan." It is a step in the right direction.
Nolte Project Appeal
Results in Changes
Appealing a decision on a development project to the Board of Supervisors can be worthwhile. Vicki Book and Anne Brown appealed approval of a small residential project that overbuilt the lot and as a result interferes with a public street view corridor for the ocean and has street frontage inconsistent with the neighborhood character. As a result of the appeal, onsite parking was increased and the roof height and use of roof decks was partially improved to address ordinance requirements. Requirements were added prohibiting permanent installations on roof decks, such as awnings, and a CC&Rs restriction that garages must be used for parking.

Insufficient onsite parking is a persistent problem with small projects in Avila with provided parking often difficult to access due to constrained maneuver area. Some parking spaces have been tandem, requiring a vehicle to be moved for the inner vehicle to leave. Experience has shown that difficult onsite parking results in vehicles taking street parking spaces needed for visitors to Avila Beach. Circling for parking spaces adds to already unsafe traffic congestion.
Seismic Retrofit Underway
The seismic retrofit of the bridge between Avila Beach and the Harbor is occurring underneath the bridge.  After completion of certain construction, probably in late September, other work on the bridge will commence that will involve closure of a single traffic lane. You can find updates on the project at the County's website.