Viewpoint Article

by Dave Romero

To Honorable Mayor and City Council

The Board of Supervisors will soon be considering proposals for development of the Dalidio property. If the property develops, there is general agreement that it is better that it develop within the city. A likely action of the Board would be to refer the item back to the City for one last consideration prior to County processing.

 

The project being presented to the Board contains less open space than is shown on the City General Plan and previously considered by the City, and the layout is considerably different. As the project is processed by the County, the City will have no direct control over the design, uses, public improvements and retail mix. In addition, if the project is finally approved by the County, the City will suffer all of the adverse effects (loss of ag land and view shed, increased traffic and air pollution, loss of potential water supply) and receive none of the Transient Occupancy Tax and Sales Tax, estimated at hundreds of thousands of dollars per year.

 

There is no assurance that the Board will approve the project, but they just might; and as occurred with Home Depot, the City’s bargaining position will then be practically non-existent. Are the citizens of San Luis Obispo well served by the City Council taking such a risk?

 

The time is fast approaching when the City will have one last opportunity to decide whether the Dalidio property will develop in the City or in the County. I hope for the citizens of San Luis Obispo that the City Council will make the right decision.