Last month, the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce submitted a letter to the county Board of Supervisors voicing its concern over the proposed expansion to airport safety zones and the impending limitations to planned growth and development should the new plan be adopted.
The county Airport Land Use Commission (ALUC), a seven-member independent body, has revised and extended the safety boundaries around the San Luis Obispo County Airport. Its recommended changes to the Airport Land Use Plan (ALUP) would dramatically restrict the number of people who can live or work in the area — which would hinder San Luis Obispo’s long-held plans for residential and commercial growth there.
The changes would not only significantly impact the city’s strategic growth plans, they would be in direct conflict with its Climate Action Plan and implementation of the Economic Development Strategic Plan.
The SLO Chamber’s Board of Directors and Economic Development Committee have heard speakers on both sides of the issue. While both bodies agree that ensuring airport safety and reducing noise impacts to surrounding neighborhoods is critical, they determined that the proposed zones significantly exceed state recommendations and will hinder future planned growth.
“The proposed changes would significantly impact many Chamber policies that tie to our economic vision and that are set into place to nurture the success of existing businesses and create space for new companies along with the head of household jobs they bring,” said Charlene Rosales, director of governmental affairs for the SLO Chamber.
San Luis Obispo officials, who are updating the city’s Land Use and Circulation Element (LUCE), have repeatedly asked the Airport Land Use Commission to define the safety zones more clearly and submit a revised plan.
The submitted boundary amendments were plotted on a map using GIS software and were found to be significantly larger than anticipated and therefore have become much more limiting said Kim Murry, San Luis Obispo’s deputy director of long term planning.
“It restricts the city’s ability for infill,” Murry said.
The ALUP recommendations are also at odds with planned projects existing in the current LUCE including the Avila Ranch project and development in the Margarita Area Specific Plan. It would dramatically affect the number of residences scheduled in the strategic plan, said Phil Dunsmore, a San Luis Obispo senior planner.
The proposed amendments also far exceed state recommendations given in the CalTrans handbook for safety and noise even when considering substantially expanded airport service in the future.
“That’s projecting a level of service that will never happen at the airport,” Murry said of the ALUC’s plan.
On Tuesday, March 19, the SLO City Council voted unanimously to support staff’s recommendation to have Mayor Jan Marx draft a letter to the ALUC and voice concerns about the commission’s proposed updates to the Airport Land Use Plan.
In addition, Marx will serve as a liaison to represent the city at any ALUC meetings as needed.
Also at that meeting, Nick Johnson, the city’s airport consultant who also developed the master plan for the Los Angeles International Airport, reinforced the SLO Chamber’s argument that the overreaching zoning changes would impede the city’s vision for the growth and values embodied in the Climate Action Plan, Economic Development Strategic Plan and the work currently being done by the Land Use and Circulation Element task force.
The ALUC is an independent, seven-member board appointed to prepare airport compatibility plans as well as review certain types of county and city plans which may affect the airport area. The commission serves as an advisory body and can be overruled by a four-fifths vote of the San Luis Obispo City Council or the Board of Supervisors. The commission consists of two members appointed by the Board of Supervisors, two appointed by the cumulative cities of the county, two appointed by the airports and one selected by the commissioners.
The ALUC has asked the county to come back with suggested amendments to the plan. The next meeting is scheduled for May 15, 1:30 p.m. at the Board of Supervisors chambers where Bill Robeson, supervising planner with SLO County, will come back with staff recommended changes.
The SLO Chamber will be at the meeting when the changes are made public, and encourages interested Chamber members to attend to voice their concerns.