HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 4d. Consideration of the 2025 General Plan Annual Report
PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDA REPORT
SUBJECT: CONSIDERATION OF THE 2025 GENERAL PLAN ANNUAL REPORT
BY: Ethan Estrada, Assistant Planner FROM: Tyler Corey, Deputy Director
Phone Number: (805) 781-7576 Phone Number: (805) 781-7169
Email: ejestrad@slocity.org Email: tcorey@slocity.org
RECOMMENDATION
Receive and file the 2025 General Plan Annual Report for final review and acceptance
by the City Council.
1.0 COMMISSION'S PURVIEW
The Planning Commission provides input on long range planning efforts, such as specific
plans, community plans, and all elements of the General Plan. The purpose of this agenda
item is to provide an opportunity for the Planning Commission to review the 2025 General
Plan Annual Report before forwarding to the City Council for acceptance.
2.0 SUMMARY
California Government Code Section 65400 requires cities to submit a n annual report
(Attachment A) on the status of their General Plan and progress in its implementation to
their legislative body (City Council), the Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate
Innovation (previously known as the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research), and
the California Department of Housing and Community Development. Prior to submi ssion
to the State, the annual report must be presented to the City Council for review and
acceptance. As a procedural matter, staff is presenting this annual report to the Planning
Commission for receipt and acceptance prior to its presentation to the City Council, given
the Commission’s role as an advisory body to the Council in planning matters, including
implementation of the General Plan. Preparation of the General Plan Annual Report
(GPAR) is also consistent with General Plan Land Use Element Policy 11.3, discussed
below.
The GPAR is strictly a reporting document and does not create or modify any City goals,
policies, or programs found within the General Plan.
3.0 PREVIOUS REVIEW
According to Land Use Element Policy 11.3, the City shall prepare an annual report on
the status of the General Plan, which is to include the following items:
A) A summary of private development activity and a brief analysis of how it helped
achieved General Plan goals.
Meeting Date: 3/11/2026
Item Number: 4d
Time Estimate: 30 minutes
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B) A summary of major public projects and a brief analysis of how they contributed to
achieving General Plan goals.
C) An overview of programs, and recommendations on any new approaches that may
be necessary.
D) A status report for each General Plan program scheduled to be worked on during
that year, including discussion of whether that program’s realization is progressing
on schedule, and recommendations for how it could better be kept on schedule if
it is lagging.
E) A status report on how the City is progressing with implementing its open space
preservation policies and programs.
F) Updated population or other information deemed important for the Plan.
The GPAR has been prepared and presented to Council annually. Said reports have been
prepared in accordance with the above topics per Land Use Element Policy 11.3.
4.0 PROJECT ANALYSIS
The General Plan is a comprehensive statement of the City’s goals and guides the use
and protection of various resources to achieve those goals. It consists of numerous
policies covering a range of City activities, including the creation and/or maintenance of
public programs, guidelines on land use and development standards, and other related
actions.
The GPAR is an opportunity for the City to evaluate how well the Plan continues to meet
its goals. It also allows the City to assess how well programs identified in the Plan are
being implemented and to determine whether they remain relevant to the City’s goals and
policies.
The 2025 GPAR is organized around the following key implementation areas:
Planning and Building Activity
Residential Growth
Non-Residential Growth
Housing Element Program
Implementation
Regional Housing Needs
Allocation (RHNA) Progress
Homelessness Solutions
Coordination with Other Agencies
Area Plan and Specific Plan
Development
Municipal Code Updates
Climate Action Plan
Economic Development
Policy Initiatives
Water Supply
Transportation and Circulation
Safety Services
Neighborhood Wellness
Conservation and Open Space
Parks & Recreation
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Below is a review of key highlights from the 2025 GPAR:
Development Activity and Trends
Residential Development
The 2025 GPAR presents a variety of data collected by the City to provide insight into
development activity and trends over several years. Based on CDD’s residential building
permit data, the City permitted 83 single-family residences and 11 multifamily units in
2025, for a total of 94 new residential units. This represents a decrease compared to 353
units in 2024 and 284 units in 2023. A total of 104 accessory dwelling units were permitted
in 2025, an increase compared to 96 in 2024 and 86 in 2023.
LUE Policy 1.11.2, related to residential growth, states that the City’s housing supply shall
grow no faster than an average of one percent per year, based on the established
thresholds in Table 3 of the Land Use Element (LUE). Dwellings affordable to residents
with extremely low, very low, low, or moderate incomes, as defined by the Housing
Element; new dwellings in the Downtown Core; and legally established accessory
dwelling units are exempt. The intent of this policy is to ensure that the rate of population
growth does not exceed the City’s ability to accommodate new residents and provide
municipal services consistent with the maximum growth rates established in the General
Plan.
Each year, the City calculates a rolling average of housing units produced since 2015 (the
year the Land Use and Circulation Element was adopted). In 2024, for the first time since
adopting this provision, the City had exceeded this threshold, producing an average
annual growth rate of 1.03 percent. Staff attributed this to the completion of several
specific plan areas, which significantly increased the number of residential units added to
the total housing stock. However, staff also acknowledged that, with the completion of
these planned areas, the number of residential units being permitted was expected to
decrease.
In 2025, staff calculated the current average annual growth rate to be 1.00 percent per
year since 2015. As anticipated, the decrease in the number of residential units permitted
in 2024 and again in 2025 resulted in the average annual residential growth rate falling
back within the one percent threshold.
Non-Residential Development
Non-residential development increased in 2025, with a net annual growth rate of 1.47
percent, compared to 0.60 percent in 2024. Based on “finaled” permits for non-residential
development, 176,673 square feet of floor area was added in 2025, yielding a five-year
net non-residential growth rate of 3.15 percent.
This substantial increase in non-residential development is attributed to the completion of
the Marriot hotel project in the San Luis Ranch Specific Plan area, which accounted for
more than 120,000 square feet of the non-residential floor area added to the City in 2025.
LUE Policy 1.11.4 states that the City Council shall consider establishing limits on the rate
of non-residential development if the increase in non-residential floor area exceeds five
percent over any five-year period. The City remains below this threshold and is not
required to consider a non-residential growth limit at this time.
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Homelessness Solutions
The City’s 6th Cycle Housing Element includes policies and programs to reduce
homelessness under Goal 1, Safety, and Goal 8, Special Housing Needs. Homelessness
Response was also identified as a Major City Goal as part of the 2025-27 Financial Plan.
In 2025, the City responded to 104 encampment fires and 941 medical incidents , removed
47 tons of trash, and posted, conducted outreach, and cleaned up 247 illegal
encampments. Homelessness response activities in 2025 included regional collaboration
to pursue state funding opportunities for the development of interim and permanent
supportive housing, as well as partnerships with community and faith-based organizations
to implement a Community Safe Parking Pilot Program model.
Other programs, including the Human Services Grant Program, Community Action Team,
Mobile Crisis Unit, and collaborative efforts with Downtown SLO and CAPSLO , continued
throughout 2025.
Policy Initiatives – Historic Preservation
In 2025, Phase 1 of an update to the City’s Historic Resources Inventory was completed
as part of implementing the Cultural Vitality, Economic Resilience, and Fiscal
Sustainability Major City Goal. Phase 1 included updates to the City’s Historic
Preservation Ordinance and Historic Context Statement.
Major updates to the Historic Preservation Ordinance included revisions to historic
resource designations and evaluation criteria for historic significance to ensure greater
consistency with guidance from the National Park Service and the California Office of
Historic Preservation.
The Historic Context Statement was updated to provide a more inclusive approach to the
preservation of the City’s resources by expanding the discussion of themes related to
minority and ethnic communities and integrating the contributions of San Luis Obispo’s
Chinese, Japanese, African American, Filipino, and other communities into the relevant
temporal and thematic contexts of the City.
Safety Services
Climate Adaptation and Safety Element (CASE) Policy OP -7.1 requires adequate
planning, organization, and resources for emergency preparedness and emergency
response. City staff made several accomplishments in 2025 to implement this policy.
Fire Department
The San Luis Obispo Fire Department (SLOFD) responded to 7,344 incidents from four
strategically located fire stations throughout the City in 2025. SLOFD’s Urban Search and
Rescue (USAR) Team continued to play a vital role in protecting the lives of both visitors
and residents, responding to 13 technical rescues and medical emergencies in open
space areas in and around the City.
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SLOFD’s Mobile Crisis Unit (MCU) continued to respond to behavioral health incidents,
handling 143 calls for service and conducting 2,234 field contacts, which resulted in 69
transports to alternate facilities. Working with stakeholders, the MCU Team also facilitated
the reunification of 25 individuals with family members, friends, or other out-of-area
support networks.
An update to the City’s Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMP) was completed in 2025 as part of
the Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan update led by San Luis Obispo County.
The HMP provides guidance on reducing the community’s vulnerability to natural hazards.
Maintaining an updated HMP, as required by law, allows the City to apply for state and
federal funding for proactive mitigation projects and to seek reimbursement in the event
of a disaster. The updated HMP will be presented to the City Council for adoption following
review and approval by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
In 2025, the State released updated Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps identifying area s of
elevated wildfire risk within the City. These maps serve as the regulatory basis for future
wildfire-related planning, development standards, and community risk -reduction efforts.
The updated maps identified more than 2,800 parcels within the City as being in the Very
High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, whereas fewer than 50 parcels were identified within
that zone under the previous maps. In addition, the 2025 CA Wildland-Urban Interface
(WUI) Code was issued at the state level for adoption by local jurisdictions. The City
Council formally adopted the WUI code on December 2, 2025.
Police Department
In 2025, the San Luis Obispo Police Department (SLOPD) completed the second year of
of its five-year strategic plan. Accomplishments included completion of a department-wide
staffing study; implementation of data-driven policing tools to reduce crime; establishment
of an online recruitment portal; improvements to the Department’s physical fitness facility;
development of a centralized resource guide for employee wellness information; updates
to body-worn and in-car camera systems; enhancement of community communication
strategies; and improvements to the Department’s training program.
SLOPD’s Community Action Team (CAT) continued to identify problems and crime trends
negatively impacting residents, business owners, and visitors. In 2025, CAT engaged with
798 individuals and made 164 treatment referrals to mental health and substance abuse
services. Additionally, CAT facilitated two family reunifications for individuals
experiencing homelessness.
SLOPD’s Community Service Officer (CSO) program continued to deliver personalized
services to residents, business owners, and visitors. In 2025, CSOs issued 443 citations
for offenses such as public alcohol consumption, littering, smoking, and unregistered
vehicles, along with 189 cite-and-release arrests related to alcohol, drugs, theft, vehicle
tows, and trespassing.
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Conservation and Open Space
The General Plan contains many goals, policies, and programs focused on open space
protection. The policies apply to sensitive lands within the City’s urban reserve as well as
land in the San Luis Obispo Greenbelt area protected for its biological, agricultural,
aesthetic, and/or watershed protection value. These policies are further detailed in the
Land Use and Circulation Element and the Conservation and Open Space Element of the
General Plan. Some highlights for 2025 include:
In May 2025, the City hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Righetti Hill Open
Space, officially opening the 51-acre property to the public. The site features more
than two miles of sustainably built trails.
City staff continued invasive vegetation control efforts along Froom, Prefumo, and
San Luis Obispo Creeks, including the planting of native plants and trees.
City staff partnered with the California Conservation Corps through the
Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund program to implement the Wildland -Urban
Interface and Integrated Vegetation Management Plan for the Open Space Land
of San Luis Obispo. This work included activities in Bowden Ranch, as well as
major fuel reduction and cleanup efforts along the WUI.
5.0 ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) does not apply because the GPAR
does not constitute a “Project” under CEQA Guidelines Section 15378.
6.0 OTHER DEPARTMENT COMMENTS
The 2025 General Plan Annual Report was a collaboration of many City departments and
divisions, including Community Development, Public Works and Utilities, Parks &
Recreation, Administration, Fire, and Police.
7.0 ALTERNATIVES
Continue the item and direct staff to make revisions or include additional information.
Staff does not recommend continuation, as the GPAR is required to be approved
by the City Council and submitted to the state in early April.
8.0 ATTACHMENTS
A – 2025 General Plan Annual Report
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City of San Luis Obispo
2025 General Plan Annual Report
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General Plan Annual Report 2025
ii
Community Development Department
Our Mission Statement
Our mission is to serve all persons in a positive and courteous manner while helping ensure that
San Luis Obispo continues to be a healthy, safe, attractive, and enjoyable place to live, work, or
visit. We help plan the City’s form and character, support community values, preserve the
environment, promote wise use of resources, and protect public health and safety.
Our Service Philosophy
The City of San Luis Obispo Community Development Department (CDD) staff provides high
quality service when you need it. We will:
• Listen to understand your needs;
• Give clear, accurate and prompt answers to your questions;
• Explain how you can achieve your goals under the City’s rules;
• Help resolve problems in an open, objective manner;
• Maintain high ethical standards; and
• Work to improve our service.
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iii
Acknowledgements
City Council
Erica A. Stewart, Mayor
Emily Francis, Vice Mayor
Michael R. Boswell
Jan Marx
Michelle Shoresman
Planning Commission
David Houghton, Chair
Eric Tolle, Vice Chair
Justin Cooley
Sheryl Flores
Robert Jorgensen
Steven Kahn
Juan Munoz-Morris
City Manager
Whitney McDonald, City Manager
Project Management Team
Project Lead: Ethan Estrada, Assistant Planner
Delaney Ginn, Intern IV
The 2025 General Plan Annual
Report was prepared by the
Community Development
Department for review by the
Planning Commission and
acceptance by City Council.
The Community Development
Department’s Planning
Division often takes the lead
on staff work related to the
General Plan. However, all
City departments and advisory
bodies are involved in General
Plan implementation and have
contributed to the 2025
General Plan Annual Report.
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iv
Staff Contributors
Aaron Floyd, Public Works and Utilities Director
Adam Fukushima, Active Transportation Manager
Alexander Fuchs, Mobility Services Business Manager
Brian Amoroso, Deputy Chief - Administration
Bryan Wheeler, Transportation Planner/Engineer III
Chris Read, Sustainability Manager
Christine Wallace, Neighborhood Outreach Manager
Daisy Wiberg, Homelessness Response Manager
David Amini, Senior Planner
Devin Hyfield, Recreation Manager
Donna King, Parking Program Manager
Doug Carscaden, Recreation Supervisor
Freddy Otte, City Biologist
Greg Avakian, Parks and Recreation Director
Ivana Gomez, Cannabis Business Coordinator
Jennifer Rice, Public Works Deputy Director of Mobility Services
Joe Little, Emergency Manager
John Mezzapesa, Code Enforcement Supervisor
Joshua Daniel, Fire Marshal
Luke Schwartz, Transportation Manager
Lucia Baesemann, Sustainability and Natural Resources Analyst
Matt Horn, Major City Projects Manager
Matheson Bliss, Hazardous Materials Coordinator
Meghan Tolley, Recreation Manager
Laura Fiedler, Economic Development & Tourism Manager
Nicole Vert, Business Analyst
Rick Scott, Police Chief
Robert Hill, Sustainability & Natural Resources Official
Sammy Fox, Deputy Fire Chief
Sarah Cooper, Administrative Specialist – Homelessness Response
Shawna Scott, Assistant Director of Utilities
Timmi Tway, Community Development Director
Randy Harris, Interim Fire Chief
Tyler Corey, Deputy Community Development Director
Vanessa Nichols, Permit Services Supervisor
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v
Table of Contents
Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 1
Background ..................................................................................................................................... 2
Planning and Building Activity ........................................................................................................ 3
Residential Growth ......................................................................................................................... 5
Non-Residential Growth ................................................................................................................. 6
Housing Element Program Implementation ................................................................................... 7
Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) Progress .................................................................. 10
Homelessness Solutions ................................................................................................................ 12
Coordination with Other Agencies ............................................................................................... 15
Area Plan and Specific Plan Development .................................................................................... 16
Municipal Code Updates ............................................................................................................... 23
Climate Action Plan ....................................................................................................................... 24
Economic Development ................................................................................................................ 25
Policy Initiatives ............................................................................................................................ 26
Water Supply ................................................................................................................................. 27
Transportation and Circulation ..................................................................................................... 29
Safety Services .............................................................................................................................. 34
Neighborhood Wellness................................................................................................................ 46
Conservation and Open Space ...................................................................................................... 48
Parks & Recreation ........................................................................................................................ 51
Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 64
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List of Figures
Figure 1 - Total Planning Applications Received per Calendar Year, 2023-2025 ............................ 3
Figure 2 - Net Annual Growth Rates of Non-Residential Sectors, 2021-2025 ................................ 6
Figure 3 - Monthly Noise Party Calls for Service, 2025 ................................................................. 48
List of Tables
Table 1 – Plan Check Applications Submitted, 2023-2025 ............................................................. 3
Table 2 – Building Permits Issued, 2023-2025 ................................................................................ 4
Table 3 – Valuation of Construction, 2023-2025 ............................................................................ 4
Table 4 – LUE Table 3, One Percent City Population Growth Projection ...................................... 5
Table 5 – Residential Growth Rates, 2015-2025............................................................................. 5
Table 6 – Highlights of Housing Element Program Implementation Progress, 2025 ..................... 7
Table 7 – Progress Towards 6th Cycle Quantified Objectives, 2019-2028 .................................... 10
Table 8 – Active BMR Housing Projects in the Pipeline ............................................................... 11
Table 9 – Margarita Area Development Status, 2025 .................................................................. 16
Table 10 – Orcutt Area Development Status, 2025 ...................................................................... 17
Table 11 – Airport Area Development Status, 2025 ..................................................................... 18
Table 12 – Avila Area Development Status, 2025 ......................................................................... 20
Table 13 – San Luis Ranch Area Development Status, 2025......................................................... 23
Table 14 – City Water Resource Availability, 2025 ....................................................................... 27
Table 15 – Code Enforcement Statistics, 2021-2025 .................................................................... 47
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1
Introduction
General Plan Annual Report
The General Plan is a comprehensive statement of the City’s goals and guides the use and
protection of various resources to achieve them. It consists of numerous policies covering a range
of activities, including the creation and/or maintenance of public programs, guidelines for land
use and development standards, and more. The General Plan is adopted and amended by the
City Council after considering recommendations from citizens, appointed advisory bodies, other
agencies, and City staff.
As required by California Government Code Section 65400 and Land Use Element Policy 11.3 of
the General Plan, the City publishes an annual report on the status of its General Plan and efforts
to implement its policies. This report provides an opportunity to gauge the efficacy of both the
actions taken to implement these policies and the policies themselves. Land Use Element Policy
11.3 stipulates that the annual report shall include the following:
A) A summary of private development activity and a brief analysis of how it helped achieve
General Plan goals;
B) A summary of major public projects and a brief analysis of how they contributed to
achieving General Plan goals;
C) An overview of programs, and recommendations on any new approaches that may be
necessary;
D) A status report for each General Plan program scheduled to be worked on during that
year, including discussion of whether that program's realization is progressing on
schedule, and recommendations for how it could better be kept on schedule if it is
lagging;
E) A status report on how the City is progressing with implementing its open space
preservation policies and programs;
F) Updated population or other information deemed important for the plan.
Housing Element Annual Report
The City completes a separate Housing Element Annual Report that is submitted concurrently
with the General Plan Annual Report as required under Government Code Section s 65400 and
65700. The Housing Element Annual Report contains detailed information on issued and/or
completed residential building permits from the previous year. This information can be accessed
on the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) website.
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Background
State law requires each city and county to adopt a general plan that
addresses seven topics, typically referred to as “elements.”
Additional topics, or general plan elements, may be included. The law
also requires general plans to be comprehensive, internally
consistent, and provide a long-term perspective. The California
Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR) publishes General
Plan Guidelines, which include the following basics:
• Geographic Comprehensiveness: The general plan must cover all
territory in the jurisdiction’s boundaries.
• Regional Context: The general plan must consider regional plans
for transportation, air quality and water quality, and must spell
out measures needed to meet federal or state standards for the
region.
• Issue Comprehensiveness: General plans must address the
jurisdiction’s physical development over the long term, but
because the general plan is the most comprehensive expression
of the general welfare, it should also recognize social and
economic concerns.
• Internal Consistency: All general plan elements must be
internally consistent. Each element’s data, analyses, goals,
policies, and programs must be consistent and complement one
another. This includes consistency with area and specific plans.
• Long-Term Perspective: The general plan must address the
welfare of current & future generations, although the
timeframes may vary between elements. The Housing Element,
for instance, must be updated every five to eight years.
State law requires that a city’s general plan be kept current. The City
of San Luis Obispo does so through this annual review process,
comprehensive updates, and amendments. Updates to entire
elements are done as needed and include an evaluation of underlying
conditions and community preferences. Amendments are typically
smaller in scope and involve changing one part in a way that fits
within the overall framework. Consideration of amendments is
triggered by private applications or by direction from the City Council.
Changes to the City of San Luis Obispo General Plan require hearings
by the Planning Commission and by the City Council. The type of
notice provided for the hearings depends on the type of proposed
change but always includes a descriptive item on the meeting
agenda, which is published in the newspaper. The City’s website and
public access television channel provide additional information.
City of
San Luis Obispo
General Plan
Elements
Land Use
Update Adopted 2014
Circulation
Update Adopted 2014
Housing
6th Cycle Adopted
2020, certified 2021
Conservation and
Open Space
Revised 2014
Climate Adaptation
and Safety
Revised 2023
Parks and
Recreation
Adopted 2021
Water and
Wastewater
Revised 2025
Noise
Adopted 1996
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Planning and Building Activity
Application totals are tracked in real-time via Community Development’s EnerGov permitting
system. This data can serve as an indicator of development trends in the City, assist with budget
forecasting, and provide insight into how this development has contributed to achieving General
Plan goals.
Yearly Planning Applications Received
Figure 1 indicates all planning applications
received in 2023, 2024, and 2025. This may
include use permits, development reviews,
subdivisions, zoning amendments,
environmental reviews, and administrative
actions. In 2025, the total number of
planning applications received was 222, a
decrease of approximately 16% from the
previous year.
Building Permits and Plan Reviews
Building permits are issued for various projects, ranging from the relatively simple projects (e.g.,
water heaters, window change-outs, reroofing) to more complex projects (e.g., additions and
new buildings). Plan reviews are typically required for the more complex projects, as it is
necessary to examine submitted plans for code compliance.
Table 1 shows the number of plan check applications conducted by the Building Division over the
past three years. In 2025, plan check applications were roughly the same as in 2024, with no
major increase or decrease.
Table 1 - Plan Check Applications Submitted, 2023-2025
2023 2024 2025
Plan Check Applications Submitted 1,479 1,049 1,079
Source: Community Development Department, 2025
Figure 1 – Total Planning Applications Received per Calendar Year,
2023-2025 (Community Development, 2025)
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Table 2 shows the number of building permits issued for residential and commercial projects, as
well as the number of expected residential units associated with these permits, over the past
three years. In 2025, the City continued to see a gradual decline in the number of permits issued
and a significant decrease in the total number of residential units. This decline is primarily due to
a reduction in new multifamily and mixed-use permit issuances compared to the previous two
years, while a steady decline in single-family permits continues as well.
Table 2 - Building Permits Issued, 2023-2025
BUILDING PERMITS ISSUED
2023 2024 2025
Permits Units Permits Units Permits Units
New Single-Family 136 136 119 119 83 83
New Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)1 73 86 88 96 99 104
New Multifamily & New Mixed-Use 7 148 13 234 6 11
Demolitions2 20 -3 25 -7 16 -6
New Commercial 6 - 5 - 6 -
Residential Additions / Alterations 236 - 216 - 257 -
Commercial Additions / Alterations 122 - 108 - 83 -
TOTAL 600 367 574 442 525 192
Source: Community Development Department, 2025
1ADU unit totals come from ADU permits and new single-family permits, 2includes units lost from demolitions
Valuation of Construction
Construction valuation is a useful indicator of the level of private investment in building
construction in the City. Table 3 shows the annual construction valuation over the past three
years and indicates that total valuation has declined compared to last year. This decline is largely
due to a reduction in permits issued. However, valuation for single-family and commercial
addition/alterations increased, despite fewer permits issued, likely reflecting rising construction
costs.
Table 3 - Valuation of Construction, 2023-2025
VALUATION OF CONSTRUCTION 2023 2024 2025
Single-Family $31,956,590 $16,693,300 $22,705,700
Multi-Family $26,914,510 $57,011,615 $1,400,000
Commercial $41,871,000 $27,075,000 $12,140,000
Residential Additions / Alterations $11,494,439 $23,631,968 $12,531,181
Commercial Additions /
Alterations $26,659,996 $30,689,344 $48,720,537
Total Valuation $138,896,535 $155,101,227 $97,497,418
Source: Community Development Department, 2025
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Residential Growth
The Land Use Element policy related to residential growth (LUE . . ) states that the City’s
housing supply shall grow no faster than one percent per year, on average, based on the
thresholds shown in Table 4 (Table 3 in the Land Use Element). Affordable dwellings restricted
to residents with extremely low, very low, low, or moderate-incomes, new dwellings in the
Downtown Core (including the C-D zone), and legally established accessory dwelling units are
exempt from these regulations (M.C. 17.144.020.D).
Table 4 – LUE Table 3, One Percent City Population Growth Projection
Year Approximate Maximum
Number of Dwellings* Anticipated Number of People
2013 20,697 45,541
2015 21,113 46,456
2020 22,190 48,826
2025 23,322 51,317
2030 24,512 53,934
2035 25,762 56,686
Estimated urban reserve capacity: 57,200
Source: Land Use Element, City of San Luis Obispo General Plan, Table 3, page 1-37.
*2013 population based on CA Department of Finance data. Projected numbers are based on a one
percent annual growth rate.
As shown in Table 5, the City has maintained an average annual residential growth rate of 1.00
percent in dwellings since 2015. In 2024, the average annual residential growth rate exceeded
the one-percent threshold by 0.03 percent. Staff attributed this to the near completion of several
specific plan areas and anticipated that, once completed, the City would see a decline in the
number of residential units produced, resulting in the average residential growth rate falling back
below the one-percent threshold within the next few years. As shown in Table 2 (Building Permits
Issued, 2023-2025), residential permits have continued to decline and are expected to continue
this trend.
Table 5 – Residential Growth Rates, 2015-2025
Calendar Year
Period New Units Average Annual
Growth Rate
Total Units in the
City in 2025
LUE Estimated Units
in 2025 (1% Growth)
2025 174*
1.00% 23,292* 23,560
2015 - 2025 3,588
Source: 2025 Building Permits Finaled, Community Development Department
*These totals exclude deed-restricted affordable units, accessory dwelling units (ADUs), and new dwellings in the
Downtown Commercial (C-D) Zone. The all-encompassing unit total in 2025 was 24,399 units.
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From 2015 to 2025, the City granted occupancy to 3,588 newly constructed residential units,
accounting for the 47 units demolished during that period. Of the 3,588 units constructed
between 2015 and 2025, 2,522 were subject to growth management limitations. Of the units
exempt from the Growth Management Ordinance, 589 units were deed-restricted affordable
housing units, 497 were accessory dwelling units or junior accessory dwelling units, and 60 were
located within the Downtown Commercial (C-D) zone. As of 2025, there are 23,292 residential
units subject to the Growth Management Ordinance within the City (as shown in Table 5),
compared to the 23,322 units projected for 2025 in the 2015 LUE.
The City updated the General Plan Land Use and Circulation Elements in 2015; however, some of
the housing construction occurring today within the Orcutt Area and the Margarita Area was
planned for in the previous General Plan. Due to a variety of factors, some of the development
originally planned in the 1994 General Plan is only now under construction. LUE Policy 1.11.2
(Residential Growth Rate) states that approved specific plan areas may develop in accordance
with the phasing schedule adopted by each spe cific plan, provided that the thresholds
established by LUE Table 3 are not exceeded. Of the 3,588 units granted occupancy from 2015 to
2025, 1,971 were located within Specific Plan areas.
Non-Residential Growth
Based on final building permits, 176,673 square feet of net new non-residential floor area were
added to the City in 2025, resulting in an annual growth rate of 1.47 percent. Most of this increase
is due to the completion of the Marriott hotel project in the San Luis Ranch Specific Plan area,
which contains just over 120,000 square feet of non-residential floor area. Figure 2 illustrates the
net annual non-residential growth rate from 2019 to 2025. Non-residential growth includes
office, services and manufacturing, retail, hotel, and institutional uses.
Figure 2 - Net Annual Growth Rates of Non-Residential Sectors, 2019-2025
Source: Building Permits Finaled, Community Development Department, 2025
Note: Demolition of nonresidential square footage included in calculations.
0.44%
0.29%
0.56%
0.71%
0.35%
0.60%
1.47%
0.00%
0.20%
0.40%
0.60%
0.80%
1.00%
1.20%
1.40%
2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Gr
o
w
t
h
R
a
t
e
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7
Land Use Element Policy 1.11.4 states that each year the Council will evaluate the actual increase
in non-residential floor area over the preceding five years. The Council shall consider establishing
limits on the rate of non-residential development if the increase in non-residential floor area for
any five-year period exceeds five percent. The five-year net non-residential growth rate from
2021 through 2025 was 3.15 percent.
Each year, the City Council has considered implementing limits on new non-residential floor area
and has decided against establishing such limits. If limits are established, they would apply only
to certain types of new commercial floor area, such as new offices or new retail establishments
outside the downtown core. Since the five-year growth rate is less than five percent (3.15
percent), establishing limits on new non-residential floor area is not necessary at this time.
Housing Element Program Implementation
Since adopting the Housing Element in November 2020, City staff has implemented numerous
Housing Element Programs in alignment with the Housing and Homelessness Major City Goal s.
Table 6 displays a list of programs that were implemented or started in 2025.
Table 6 – Housing Element Program Implementation Progress, 2025
Safe Housing and Renter Protections
Renter Protections Study Session: On October 28, 2025, City Council held a Study Session on
Renter Protections. Staff presented Council with an overview of the various tenant protections
in state law, as well as a variety of potential tools to improve conditions and protections for City
renters, including a potential rental registry program.
Healthy Housing and Innovation Cohort: In August 2024, the City was selected to join the
National League of Cities Healthy Housing and Innovation Cohort to advance health outcomes
and equity through improving healthy housing programs. The City’s team competed with other
cities across the country, and won the second place prize of $20,000 in October of 2025 for the
Green and Healthy Homes pilot program, which focused on creating a concierge service to
provide energy upgrades to manufactured housing residents in the City.
Program 1.6
Continue code enforcement to expedite the removal of illegal or unsafe dwellings, to eliminate
hazardous site or property conditions, and resolve chronic building safety problems. Code
Enforcement staff shall continue to provide property owners and tenants with information on
how to rectify violations, who to contact in Code Enforcement for assistance, and other resources
that may be pertinent to the citation.
Policy 9.1
Residential developments should promote sustainability consistent with the Climate Action Plan
(CAP) and California Building Energy Efficiency Standards (Title 24) in their design, placement,
and functionality.
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Support Housing Solutions
Maxine Lewis Apartments: In December 2025, the Maxine Lewis Grove Apartments opened,
providing 40 new permanent supportive residential units.
Tiburon Place: In July 2025, the Tiburon Place Apartments opened, providing 68 new permanent
supportive housing units.
Waterman Village: On December 11, 2024, the City Planning Commission approved the 20-unit
below market rate tiny manufactured unit project on the site of the City-owned Rosa Butron
historic adobe known as the Waterman Village. City Council upheld the Planning Commission’s
approval of the project on March 5, 2025. The project is currently in the building permit submittal
process.
Housing Trust Fund Support: The City continues to provide $40,000 in operational support for
the SLO County Housing Trust Fund’s efforts to provide below -market financing and technical
assistance.
Program 2.5
Continue to manage the Affordable Housing Fund so that the fund serves as a sustainable
resource for supporting, at a minimum, 4 new affordable housing developments during the
planning period. The fund shall serve as a source of both grant funding and belo w-market
financing for affordable housing projects; and funds shall be used to support a wide variety of
housing types at the following income levels: extremely low, very low, low, and moderate, but
with a focus on production efficiency to maximize housing benefits for the City’s financial
investment, and to support high-quality housing projects that would not be feasible without
Affordable Housing Fund support
Program 2.9
Assist with the issuance of tax-exempt bonds, tax credit financing, loan underwriting or other
financial tools to help develop or preserve at least 20 affordable units annually through various
programs.
Program 2.11
In conjunction with the Housing Authority and other local housing agencies, continue to provide
on-going technical assistance and education to tenants, property owners and the community at
large on the need to preserve at-risk units as well as the available tools to help them do so.
Program 2.14
Continue to support density bonuses for residential projects above the state density bonus
allowance of 35% to promote the development of units for extremely low, very low, and low -
income households.
Policy 3.3 Encourage the construction, preservation, rehabilitation or expansion of residential hotels, group
homes, integrated community apartments, and single-room occupancy dwellings.
Policy 3.9
Work annually with non-profit organizations, faith-based organizations, or the Housing
Authority of the City of San Luis Obispo to encourage rehabilitation of residential, commercial,
or industrial buildings to expand extremely low, very-low, low-, or moderate income rental
housing opportunities.
Program 6.14
Continue to provide City resources, including $40,000 annually for operational support, to
support the SLO County Housing Trust Fund’s efforts to provide below -market financing and
technical assistance to affordable housing developers to construct or prese rve five affordable
housing units per year in the City of San Luis Obispo.
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Homelessness Response
Assisting the homeless and those at risk of becoming homeless : The City’s Homelessness
Response Team continued to implement the 2024-2026 Homelessness Response Strategic Plan,
which was adopted by the City Council on June 18, 2024. The Strategic Plan outlines objectives
and key tasks to prevent and address homelessness in alignment with the Countywide Plan to
Address Homelessness. More details are included in the following section.
Community Safe Parking Pilot Program: On January 22, 2025, the Planning Commission
approved Director’s Action applications for five sites as part of the Community Action
Partnership of San Luis Obispo’s (CAPSLO) Community Safe Parking Pilot Program. CAPSLO
implemented the pilot program in September 2025, utilizing three City-owned sites and three
sites operated by faith-based organizations, including one faith-based site that is located outside
of City limits. The program provides overnight safe parking for registered participants from 7
p.m. to 7 a.m. The long-term objective of the pilot program is to develop a safe parking model
that can be replicated countywide to expand safe parking services throughout the County.
Transitional and supportive tiny-unit housing: The City, as a California Encampment Resolution
Grant subrecipient, continued to work closely with the County of San Luis Obispo on the
Welcome Home Village project. The project will provide 14 interim and 40 permanent supportive
manufactured housing units located within the City at the County Health Agency campus. On July
1, 2025, the City’s subrecipient agreement went into effect, and the City’s outreach teams began
collaborating with the County and the project’s service provider, Good Samaritan Shelter, on
encampment outreach and engagement efforts. The Welcome Home Village is projected to open
in early May 2026.
Permanent supportive housing motel conversion : The City and People’s Self-Help Housing
(PSHH) continued to implement the Beacon Studios project, which will provide 75 permanent
supportive housing units. The project is funded through the California Department of Housing
and Community Development, which awarded the City and PSHH a $19.4 million Homekey
Round 3 grant to convert the Motel 6 North into permanent supportive housing. The Beacon
Studios project is projected to open in July 2027.
Program 1.7 Continue to support local and regional solutions to homelessness by funding supportive program
services and housing solutions.
Policy 8.10
Assist the homeless and those at risk of becoming homeless by supporting 40 Prado Homeless
Services Center and other local service providers, as well as advocating for additional safe
parking, interim housing, and permanent supportive housing opportunities Countywide.
Source: Community Development Department, 2025
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Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) Progress
Quantified Objectives
California cities and counties must develop programs to meet their share of regional housing
needs across all income groups. The California Department of Housing and Community
Development (HCD) determines each region’s housing need, and councils of governments
allocate those units among their member jurisdictions through the Regional Housing Needs
Allocation (RHNA) process. RHNA ensures that each jurisdiction plans for housing consistent with
its physical and financial capacity. State housing law clarifies that these allocations are planning
goals, not production quotas. The allocations are incorporated into each jurisdiction’s Housing
Element to guide policies and standards during the planning period.
The City’s 6th Cycle RHNA allocation is 3,354 housing units, with 10 years to meet the
requirement. The City counts building permits issued between January 1, 2019, and December
31, 2028, toward this allocation. Beginning in 2020, HCD also authorized the City to count half of
all newly issued accessory dwelling unit (ADU) permits toward the low -income category, based
on a market study conducted by the County of San Luis Obispo. Table 7 summarizes the City’s
progress toward meeting its RHNA allocation.
Table 7 - Progress Towards 6th Cycle Quantified Objectives, 2019-2028
Income Level
(% of County Median
Income)
6th Cycle
RHNA
Allocation
Building Permitted Units Issued by Affordability Total
Units by
Income
Level
Total Units
Remaining
by Income
Level
Years 1 - 3
(2019-2021)
Year 4
(2022)
Year 5
(2023)
Year 6
(2024)
Year 7 of 10
(2025)
Extremely
Low
Deed
Restricted
825
14 36 0 123 0 173
500
Non-Deed
Restricted 0 0 0 0 0 0
Very Low
Deed
Restricted 56 14 22 60 0 152
Non-Deed
Restricted 0 0 0 0 0 0
Low
Deed
Restricted 520
42 21 5 15 0 83
211 Non-Deed
Restricted 76 50 0 48 52 226
Moderate
Deed
Restricted
603
22 2 4 13 1 42
518 Non-Deed
Restricted 0 0 43 0 0 43
Above
Moderate - 1,406 1,411 439 293 190 145 2,478 0
Total Units 3,354 1,621 562 367 442 198 3,190 1,229
Source: Community Development Department, Building Permits Issued, 2025
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The City has met its total allocation for above moderate housing units. This leaves 1,229 affordable
units needed to meet the 6th Cycle RHNA allocation by the end of the 2028 calendar year. Of the
remaining allocation, 39 percent of the units must be reserved for very low and extremely low
incomes, 21 percent for low incomes, and 40 percent for moderate incomes.
Below Market Rate (BMR) Housing (Commonly Known as Affordable Housing)
In , the City followed the State’s lead in rebranding the often misunderstood term "affordable
housing" as “Below Market Rate Housing.” Below Market Rate (BMR) means that the affordability
level of a dwelling unit is below the cost of a comparable market-rate unit and includes a deed
restriction to ensure the unit remains affordable to extremely low, very low, low, or moderate-
income households.
The City continues to implement its Inclusionary Housing Ordinance and promote opportunities to
collaborate with non-profit partners to develop BMR housing projects. In 2025, two 100 percent BMR
housing projects were completed (Maxine Lewis and Tiburon Place), resulting in 108 new units
reserved for lower-income households. The City continues to assist in completing the three BMR
projects currently under construction (Bridge Street, Beacon Studios, and Monterey Senior/Family),
which will result in 275 units for lower-income households. Staff is also working on several new
projects to ensure more BMR housing is provided in the City. These projects are listed in Table 8
below and show that, as of 2025, 357 new BMR units are planned for lower-income households.
Table 8 – Active BMR Housing Projects in the Pipeline
Projects Address Dwellings Status
Bridge Street Mixed-
Use 279 Bridge Street 94 Phase 1 – Under Construction
Phase 2 and 3 – Seeking Financing
Monterey Mixed-
Use (Senior Phase
and Family Phase)
1422 and 1424
Monterey Streets 106
Senior Phase – Under Construction
Family Phase – Permitted, beginning
construction March 2026
Avila Ranch –
Sendero Apartments 165 Cessna Court 60 Planning Entitlements – Approved
Building Permits – Awaiting Submittal
Waterman Village 466 Dana Street 22 Planning Entitlements – Approved
Building Permits – Under Review
Beacon Studios 1433 Calle Joaquin 75
Planning Entitlements – Approved
Building Permit – Issued,
Under Construction
Total 357
Source: Community Development Department, 2025
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Third Party Below Market Rate Administrator
The City of San Luis Obispo’s BMR housing programs are expanding, and oversight and enforcement
are increasing to ensure that local affordable housing programs comply with State law. In 2021, the
City contracted with HouseKeys to serve as the City’s BMR Housing Administrator and to manage its
growing Affordable Homeownership and Rental Programs. This work ensures that units are marketed
to the community in a fair and equitable manner and occupied by eligible households. HouseKeys
also provides community members with the knowledge and support needed to successfully access
homeownership and rental housing opportunities.
Through HouseKeys, the City has conducted 58 Opportunity Drawings for inclusionary housing units
across the City, including 24 drawings for homeownership opportunities and 34 drawings for rental
opportunities.
Funding and Grant Programs for Housing
1. Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG): The CDBG program provides
annual funding for eligible affordable housing projects and support for the 40 Prado
Homeless Services Center. Over the past decade, the CDBG Program has allocated over
$3,710,000 towards affordable housing and $1,160,000 towards homeless services.
Projects funded for the upcoming 2025 Program Year include funding for CAPSLO and
People’s Self-Help Housing for homeless services and homelessness prevention, funding
toward the Monterey Family Housing project by the Housing Authority of San Luis Obispo,
and funds to further implement the 6th Cycle Housing Element.
2. Prohousing Incentive Program Funding: In 2024, the City received designation as a
Prohousing jurisdiction, which provides incentives to cities and counties in the form of
additional points or other preferences in the scoring of competitive housing, community
development, and infrastructure programs. Subsequently, the City applied for and was
awarded $750,000 from the Prohousing Incentive Program. In 2025, the City successfully
disbursed $400,000 of Prohousing Incentive Program funds to affordable housing
projects, with additional disbursements anticipated in 2026.
Homelessness Solutions
The City’s 6th Cycle Housing Element includes policies and programs to reduce homelessness
under Goal 1, Safety, and Goal 8, Special Housing Needs. Additionally, Homelessness Response
remains a Major City Goal as part of the 2025-2027 Financial Plan. With the continued rise in
homelessness across California, the City Council prioritized funding programs and resources to
prevent and address homelessness in collaboration with the County of San Luis Obispo and local
service providers. In local government, counties are primarily responsible for leading efforts to
address homelessness; however, the impacts often are borne directly by cities.
In 2025, the City responded to 104 encampment fires and 941 medical incidents involving people
experiencing homelessness, removed 47 tons of trash, and posted, conducted outreach, and
cleaned up 247 illegal encampments, with $49,879.20 in City funds spent on related cleanup and
maintenance activities. The City also provided $412,005 to CAPSLO for programs and operations
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at the 40 Prado Homeless Services Center, including the 40 Prado Safe Parking Program, a hotel
and motel program, the 40 Prado Warming Center, and the Community Safe Parking Pilot
Program.
Strategic Planning for Homelessness
In June 2024, the City Council approved an updated version of the City’s Homelessness Response
Strategic Plan for 2024-2026. The plan outlines objectives and key tasks to prevent and address
homelessness in the City of San Luis Obispo . The Strategic Plan aligns with the San Luis Obispo
Countywide Plan to Address Homelessness, which outlines key lines of effort to reduce
homelessness by 50 percent between 2022 and 2027. Key components of the City’s plan include
Regional Collaboration & Engagement, Communications, Data, Pilot Programs, and Funding
Opportunities.
Homelessness response activities in 2025 included regional collaboration on state funding
opportunities to develop interim and permanent supportive housing; partnerships with
community and faith-based organizations to implement a Community Safe Parking Pilot Program
model; and distribution of the City’s Homeless Resources Pocket Guide, updated in English and
Spanish, which contains critical information on how to access community resources for
individuals experiencing homelessness. Staff also received and responded to 244 AskSLO
requests from community members regarding transient activity on City property and general
homelessness-related concerns. These requests were addressed through encampment cleanups,
enforcement actions, and/or field outreach, and outcomes were communicated back to the
reporting parties.
Human Services Grant Program
The City’s Human Services Grant (HSG) Program, overseen by the Human Relations Commission,
provides financial support to non-profit organizations that promote the economic and social well-
being of the community. The program’s funding criteria focus on homelessness prevention,
including affordable and alternative housing, supportive services, and transitional housing. Other
funding priority areas include hunger and malnutrition prevention ; supportive physical and
mental health services; services for seniors, veterans and/or people with disabilities; supportive,
developmental, and care services for children and youth; and services that encourage diversity,
equity, and inclusion initiatives, including access to language services. The Human Services Grant
Program is highly competitive and received total funding requests of $419,942, which was
$269,942 more than funds available to the program.
The Human Relations Commission reviewed 27 applications and recommended full or partial
funding for 12 different organizations. The City has issued $150,000 in grants to those
organizations since the approval of these funding recommendations.
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Community Action Team
The San Luis Obispo Police Department’s Community Action Team (CAT) consists of one CAT
officer, one Community Services Officer, one Licensed Psychiatric Technician from County
Behavioral Health, and one Community Resources and Services Specialist. The team works to
identify problems and crime trends that negatively impact the quality of life for residents,
business owners, and visitors to the City of San Luis Obispo.
In 2025, the CAT team engaged with 798 individuals, with 164 individuals electing to receive
referrals to mental health and/or substance abuse services. Additionally, CAT facilitates family
reunifications, and in 2025 reunited two individuals with family members across the United
States. CAT works in collaboration with County Behavioral Health, social services agencies, local
nonprofit organizations, and other City departments, utilizing a trauma-informed care approach
to connect the City’s most vulnerable residents to resources and services.
Partnerships with Downtown SLO and CAPSLO
The City provides funding for the Downtown
Clean & Safe Program, which is administered
by Downtown SLO. The Downtown SLO Clean
Team works to ensure that downtown is clean,
safe, and welcoming to visitors — whether
they’re living, working, shopping, or exploring
downtown.
The Clean Team provides cleaning services for
sidewalks and alleys within the boundaries of the 24-block service area. This includes, but is not
limited to, the removal of trash, graffiti, stickers, and human waste.
In 2024, the Downtown SLO Board of Directors explored alternative options to further enhance
the efficiency and effectiveness of the Downtown Ambassador and Clean & Safe Programs.
Downtown SLO transitioned to a dedicated contractor cleaning service with CityWide Solutions
to oversee cleaning duties. This shift allowed Downtown SLO to focus on maintaining a cleaner
and more welcoming environment while ensuring consistent, high -quality service without the
need to manage the day-to-day operations, hiring, and training of the Clean Team. By leveraging
professional cleaning expertise, Downtown SLO can better meet the needs of the community and
uphold the standards of cleanliness and safety essential to our shared spaces.
In 2025, the Clean Team operated for a total of 1,672 hours and removed 7,741 pounds of trash;
removed 693 graffiti tags; responded to and cleaned 1,394 cases of urine, vomit, and feces;
cleaned public trash cans a total of 8,445 times; removed 2,744 pieces of gum; removed 18,696
cigarette butts; removed 1,658 stickers and flyers; and cleaned tree grates and wells a total of
2,277 times.
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The City also provides funding to CAPSLO for the 40 Prado Homeless Services Center, which
provides overnight shelter and day services for unhoused community members, including
housing navigation and case management. The Homeless Services Center also offers access to
meals, showers, laundry facilities, healthcare, internet, and other supportive services. The City
provides funding for the 40 Prado Safe Parking, Community Safe Parking, Warming Center, and
Hotel & Motel Programs, which offer overflow capacity, services, and shelter for unhoused
community members.
Mobile Crisis Unit
Embedded within the City’s Fire Department, the Mobile Crisis Unit (MCU) pairs a Community
Resource and Services Specialist with a Licensed Psychiatric Technician (LPT) contracted through
County Behavioral Health, as well as a part time Fire Department intern. The team responds to
calls for service within the City and provides crisis support services to individuals experiencing
non-emergency mental health challenges, drug and alcohol addiction, and chronic homelessness.
In 2025, the MCU established 2,234 contacts with individuals experiencing homelessness;
reunified 25 homeless individuals with agencies or family; provided 69 transports to services or
alternate facilities; and responded to a total of 143 mental health crisis intervention calls for
service.
Inspection of Homeless Shelters (AB 362)
Under AB 362, the City must follow up upon receiving a complaint from an occupant of a
homeless shelter alleging that the shelter is substandard pursuant to California Health & Safety
Code Section 17920.3. Code Enforcement received one complaint regarding the 40 Prado
Homeless Services Center in June 2025. An inspection was conducted, and the complaint was
determined to be unfounded.
In June 2025, state legislature passed AB 130, which requires cities and counties to perform an
annual inspection of every homeless shelter in their jurisdiction, even if no complaints have been
filed by occupants. Code Enforcement conducted an inspection in December 2025 and found no
violations. The Housing Team will file these inspection findings to HCD before the April 2026
reporting deadline.
Coordination with Other Agencies
City staff has continued to engage with other agencies and jurisdictions to foster collaboration
aimed toward implementing General Plan policy:
Regional Housing Action Team
Representatives from San Luis Obispo County and its cities, including the City of San Luis Obispo,
continue to implement the county’s first regional housing action team , as outlined in their
respective Housing Elements. This collaboration has helped housing professionals in each
jurisdiction navigate evolving housing issues and new state legislation aimed at removing housing
barriers. Coordination through SLOCOG also facilitates the sharing of housing and transportation
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16
infrastructure data in preparation for the Regional Transportation Plan and future Regional
Housing Needs Assessment allocations.
Area Plan and Specific Plan Development
The General Plan requires the approval of specific plans as a precursor to development of the
City’s major expansion areas. Specific plans typically contain more detailed land-use and design
standards than the General Plan and address the timing and financing of public facilities. Specific
plans can supersede the Zoning Regulations or lead to amendments to the Municipal Code. The
process of adopting a specific plan is similar to the process of adopting or amending a section of
the General Plan.
Margarita Area Specific Plan
The Margarita Area Specific Plan (MASP) is
located in southern San Luis Obispo, bounded
by South Higuera Street, Broad Street, Tank
Farm Road, and the South Hills ridge. Under
Land Use Element (LUE) Policy 8.1.3, the MASP
provides for residential units, a business park,
a neighborhood park, sports fields, and open
space. Over 40 percent of the land area is
designated as open space, including 56 acres of
parks. The policy also states that the City may
consider the area appropriate for additional
housing, but revisions to the MASP are
required if development exceeds the plan’s
current residential capacity
The Airport Land Use Plan (ALUP) was amended in 2021. In response, City staff selected a
consultant in 2024 to prepare amendments to the MASP to evaluate increased residential
densities on already zoned land, encourage “Missing Middle” housing types, and allow mixed-
use development on commercially zoned land. In 2025, staff continued working with the
consultant on potential MASP amendments. Table 9 summarizes the status of current
development projects within the MASP.
Table 9 - Margarita Area Development Status, 2025
Projects Address Commercial Dwellings Status
Prado Business
Park 301 Prado 159,663 -
Planning Entitlements – Approved
Public Improvements - Under Review
Building Permits – Expired
365 Prado Rd.
Mixed-Use Project 365 Prado 100,000 222 GP and SP Amendments – In Process
Planning Entitlements – In Process
Total 259,663 222
Source: Community Development Department, 2025
Coversheet of Margarita Area Specific Plan
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Orcutt Area Specific Plan
Nestled at the base of the Santa Lucia foothills, the Orcutt Area offers a variety of scenic resources
for both residents of the area and travelers along Orcutt Road and Tank Farm Road, including
views of Righetti Hill, Islay Hill, and the Santa Lucia foothills.
Located along the southwestern edge of the city limits and bounded by Orcutt Road, the railroad,
and Tank Farm Road, the area encompasses 230 acres at the base of Righetti Hill. The Orcutt Area
Specific Plan calls for a residential
neighborhood with up to 979 homes,
a variety of housing types, parks,
hiking trails, and recreational
opportunities. These opportunities
include bicycle and pedestrian paths,
as well as protection of natural
habitats and visual resources in
nearby open space areas. Table 10
below shows the status of
development in the Orcutt Area.
Table 10 - Orcutt Area Development Status, 2025
Projects Address Dwellings Commercial
Sq. Ft. Status
Bullock Ranch 3580 Bullock 192 585
Planning Entitlements – Approved
Public Improvements - Under Review
Building Permits – Awaiting Submittal
Pratt Property 3750 Bullock 35 3,400
Planning Entitlements - Approved
Townhome Construction - Complete
Live / Work units – Under Construction
Building Permits for Commercial – Awaiting
Submittal
Enclave at Righetti 3805 Orcutt 34
Planning Entitlements - Approved
Public Improvements – Substantially
Complete
Building Permits Issued – Under Construction
Jones Mixed-Use 3806 Ranch
House 15 7,600
Planning Entitlements – Approved
Building Permits Issued – Under
Construction; Three (3) affordable for-sale
units construction complete
Total 276 11,585
Source: Community Development Department, 2025
Linear Park Detail from Orcutt Area Specific Plan
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Airport Area Specific Plan
Located approximately . miles south of Downtown San Luis Obispo, within the City’s Urban
Reserve, the Airport Area Specific Plan (AASP) encompasses 1,500 acres adjacent to the San Luis
Obispo County Regional Airport and is bordered by the Margarita Area, South Higuera Street,
South Broad Street, and Buckley Road.
The AASP envisions a mixture of open space, agriculture, business parks, and industrial
development, as well as limited residential development. Plans for the Airport Area include the
reuse and regeneration of the natural and built environment; enhancement of public, private,
and environmental value; and smart, sustainable growth that benefit the community
economically, aesthetically, and environmentally. Table 11 shows the status of development
within the AASP in 2025.
In 2025, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 1747 (2025 Series), amending the AASP to allow
mixed-use development in the Service Commercial (C-S) and Manufacturing (M) zones with a
minor or conditional use permit where appropriate and consistent with the 2021 updated San
Luis Obispo County Airport Land Use Plan (ALUP). The adoption of these amendments fulfilled
Major City Goal of Housing and Homelessness work program 3.1.c. of the 2023-25 Financial Plan,
which states: “Initiate an update to the Airport Area Specific Plan to allow mixed-use residential
development, where appropriate and consistent with the County Airport Land Use Plan.”
Table 11 – Airport Area Development Status, 2025
Projects Address Dwellings Commercial
Sq. Ft. Status
Tank Farm
Commerce Park 179 Cross - 29,280 Planning Entitlements - Approved
Under Construction
650 Tank Farm
Mixed-Use 650 Tank Farm 239 18,600
Planning Entitlements – Approved
Building Permits – Awaiting Submittal
Public Improvements - Under Review
600 Tank Farm
Mixed-Use 600 Tank Farm 280 12,500
Planning Entitlements – Approved,
Modification in Process
Public Improvements - Under Review
SLO Airport Hotel 950 Aero 204 Rooms - Planning Entitlements – Approved
Building Permits – Under Review
Conserv Fuel
Station 4600 Broad - 4,800 Planning Entitlements - Approved
Under Construction
U-Haul Personal
Storage and
Warehouse
1109 Kendall;
4805 Morabito - 114,368;
24,498
Planning Entitlements – Approved
Under Construction
Aerovista Medical
Services and Offices 832 Aerovista - 41,007 Planning Entitlements – Approved
Building Permits – Pending Submittal
Earthwood Lane –
Lots 16 and 17
4185 and 4195
Earthwood - 3,694;
3,764 Planning Entitlements – Under Review
Total 519 252,511
Source: Community Development Department, 2025
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Avila Ranch Development Plan
In 2017, the City Council approved
the Avila Ranch Development Plan to
allow the development of 720
residential units and 15,000 square
feet of neighborhood commercial
uses on a 150-acre site located north
of Buckley Road and within the
boundaries of the Airport Area
Specific Plan (AASP).
Major Development review of the R-
2 portion of Phases 1-3 and the R-1
portion of Phase 5 were approved by
the Planning Commission in 2021.
The R-2 area includes up to 297 detached for-sale dwelling units. Building permits for this part of
the project have been issued, and construction of the residential units and public improvements
is underway. Approximately 200 residential units in Phases 1 and 2 have been completed and
occupied to date. The R-1 portion includes 101 detached for-sale dwelling units, which have
received entitlements but have not yet been constructed.
An application for Major Development Review for the multifamily R-4 portion of Phase 3 was
approved by the Planning Commission on February 14, 2024. The application included a density
bonus request to add 20 affordable units to the site, bringing the total R-4 unit count to 85
market-rate rental units and 60 affordable rental units. Applications for Major Development
Review and a Tentative Tract Map for condominium purposes for the multifamily R-3 portion of
Phase 4 were approved by the Planning Commission on December 10, 2025. A total of 194
townhome-style residential units are included in Phase 4. With the approval of the R-4 density
bonus, the total number of residential units entitled at Avila Ranch is currently 737. Phases 3 and
4 are fully entitled but have not yet begun construction.
Conceptual Residential Street Scene from Avila Ranch Dev. Plan
Phasing Map from the Avila Ranch
Development Plan
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Mass grading for Phases 2-6 has been completed. Public improvements, including certain onsite
improvements such as internal roads, utilities, and park and landscape areas, as well as certain
offsite improvements, including the Buckley Road extension, have been substantially completed.
Construction of the interim fire station at Avila Ranch is required to be completed by the
developer prior to final occupancy of the 361st residential unit, which is currently anticipated in
2028. Table 12 shows the status on development in the Avila Ranch area.
Table 12 - Avila Area Development Status, 2024
Projects Address Dwellings Commercial
Sq. Ft. Status
Avila Ranch SFR
Phases 1, 2, & 3 (R-2) 175 Venture 297 -
Planning Entitlements - Approved
Public Improvements – Under Construction
Building Permits Issued – Under
Construction
Avila Ranch
Phase 3 (R-4) 175 Venture 145 -
Planning Entitlements – Approved with 20-
Unit Density Bonus
Public Improvements – Pending Submittal
Building Permits – Pending Submittal
Avila Ranch
Phases 4 (R-3)
175 Venture
194 -
Planning Entitlements - Approved
Public Improvements – Pending Submittal
Building Permits - Pending Submittal
Avila Ranch
Phase 5 (R-1)
175 Venture
101 -
Planning Entitlements - Approved
Public Improvements – Under Construction
Building Permits – Under Review
Avila Ranch Phase 6
(Neighborhood
Commercial)
175 Venture - 15,000 Future Phase
Total 737 15,000
Source: Community Development Department, 2025
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Froom Ranch Specific Plan
A major component of the Froom Ranch Specific Plan is a Life Plan Community (LPC) known as
Villaggio, which would provide 366 independent senior units, 38 assisted living units, 51 care
facility beds, and a wellness center with ancillary services. In addition to the LPC, the Specific
Plan includes approximately 174 multi-family units; 100,000 square feet of commercial retail
uses; a 3.6-acre trailhead park that would incorporate onsite historic structures; and over 60
acres of land designated for conservation/open space. Consideration of the project included
preparation of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR).
The City Council certified the Final EIR and
approved the Specific Plan, General Plan
Amendment, pre-zoning of the property,
and the Vesting Tentative Tract Map. The
City Council authorized submittal of an
annexation application to LAFCO in
September 2020. An annexation
application was filed in February 2021 and
was approved by LAFCO in October 2021.
The LAFCO conditions of annexation were
completed, and the site was annexed into
the City of San Luis Obispo in November
2023. Public improvement plans for on-
and offsite roadway and utility
improvements were submitted to the City
for initial plan check in June 2023.
The Froom Ranch project has been on hold
for the past several years due to
ownership changes and potential requests for modifications to the approved project
entitlements. An application to initiate a Specific Plan amendment was recently submitted by the
property owner, and City staff is currently evaluating the proposed changes. The City Council’s
consideration of initiation of the proposed Specific Plan and General Plan amendments is
expected to be scheduled for a public meeting late 2026 to determine whether the proposed
legislative amendments should be accepted for processing.
Froom Ranch Site Plan
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San Luis Ranch Specific Plan
The San Luis Ranch Specific Plan project includes a mix of 654 residential units, 145,500 square
feet of commercial, retail, and restaurant space; 100,000 square feet of office development; and
a 200-room hotel. The public improvements have been completed, including utilities,
landscaping, and the extension of Dalidio Drive and Froom Ranch Way. Building permits were
issued in 2022 for the hotel, and
construction was completed in
2025. The Agricultural Heritage
and Learning Center (now known
as SLO Ranch Farms and
Marketplace) is open to the
public and includes several new
commercial buildings with
restaurants, retail, and
agricultural processing uses,
along with the rehabilitation of
historic structures.
A total of 577 residential units have been completed and occupied within the San Luis Ranch
Specific Plan area, including 296 multifamily units and 281 single-family units. Construction has
not yet begun on the 64 to 77 affordable
housing units required as part of the Specific
Plan.
In December 2024, the City Council
authorized initiation of the processing of
General Plan and Specific Plan amendments
for San Luis Ranch to modify the uses
planned for “Lot 7,” a vacant .44-acre
commercial parcel. The developer has
proposed replacing approximately 100,000
square feet of planned commercial uses
with an additional 276 market-rate
multifamily units. The project developer has
not yet submitted applications for these
amendments. Table 13 below displays the
status of development in the San Luis Ranch
Area.
San Luis Ranch Site Plan
Conceptual Rendering of the Agricultural Heritage and Learning Center (now
known as SLO Ranch Farms and Marketplace)
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Table 13 – San Luis Ranch Area Development Status, 2025
Projects Address Dwellings Commercial
Sq. Ft.
Hotel
Rooms
Office
Sq. Ft. Status
Commercial
Center
1035
Madonna
77 114,300 - -
Planning Entitlements –
Amendments in Process
Public Improvements – Partially
Complete
SpringHill
Suites
Hotel
- - 200 - Construction - Complete
NG-10
Single-Unit
Residences
198 - - - Construction - Complete
NG-23
Single-Unit
Residences
83 - - - Construction - Complete
NG-30, The
Orchard
Multifamily
Residential
296 - - - Construction - Complete
Agricultural
Heritage
and
Learning
Center
- 31,200 - - Construction - Complete
Office - - - 100,000 Future phase, no building
permits issued
Total 654 145,500 200 100,000
Source: Community Development Department, 2025
Municipal Code Updates
Energy Code & Reach Code Updates (Clean Energy Program for New Buildings)
The City has a long history of local requirements for new construction that cost -effectively reduce
greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. On October 3, 2023, the City Council
adopted an energy reach code for new buildings, which began enforcement on January 1, 2024,
and is expected to result in lower building emissions. The reach code will remain in effect through
December 31, 2025, when a new state energy code will be adopted. In 2024, the City Council
adopted an energy reach code for major additions and alterations to single-family homes, which
went into effect in early 2025 and also expired on December 31, 2025. Staff adopted an update
to the additions and alterations reach code for enforcement in 2026 and will be working on
updated new building reach codes throughout 2026.
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Amendments to Titles 16 & 17 Regarding ADUs and Urban Lot Splits
On April 1, 2025, the City Council adopted a series of updates to the City’s accessory and junior
accessory dwelling unit regulations, along with other miscellaneous items in the Zoning
Regulations. These changes were made to maintain compliance with state law, provide
clarifications, and identify and remove obvious barriers to housing development. This update also
included revisions to the City’s Urban Lot Split regulations in Title 6 of the Municipal Code,
implementing recent changes to state law.
Climate Action Plan
The General Plan includes climate action initiatives in the Land Use, Circulation, Conservation and
Open Space, and Water and Wastewater Elements, including:
• Land Use Policy 9.4 - Climate Action Plan: The City shall maintain and implement its
Climate Action Plan to reduce community and municipal GHG emissions consistent with
state laws and objectives.
• Conservation and Open Space Policy 2.2.1 - Atmospheric Change: City actions shall seek
to minimize undesirable climate changes and deterioration of the atmosphere’s
protective functions that result from the release of carbon dioxide and other substances.
• Conservation and Open Space Policy 2.2.5 - Model City: The City will be a model of
pollution control efforts. It will manage its own operations to be as pollution free as
possible. The City will work with other agencies and organizations to help educate citizens
in ways to prevent air pollution.
In 2020, the City Council adopted the Climate Action Plan for Community Recovery (CAP) and set
the goal of achieving community carbon neutrality by 2035 (Resolution No. 11159,2020 Series).
The City Council also adopted the Lead by Example Plan for Carbon Neutral City Operations in the
summer of 2021 (Resolution No. 11263, 2021 Series), which established the goal of carbon-
neutral municipal operations by 2030. As part of the 2023-25 Financial Plan, climate action was
also identified as a Major City Goal (Climate Action, Open Space, and Sustainable Transportation),
as well as in the new 2025-27 Financial Plan (Open Space, Climate Action, and Resilience).
On December 13, 2022, the City Council adopted the Climate Action Plan 2023-27 Work Program
(CAP Volume 3). In late 2025, staff initiated an update to the Climate Action Plan, which is
expected to be completed in early 2027.
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Economic Development
The City’s Economic Development Strategic Plan (EDSP) was adopted by the City Council in 2012,
revised in 2015, and fully updated in 2023. The overarching goal of the plan is to advance the
economic vitality of the City of San Luis Obispo and develop strategies that strengthen the City's
economic development efforts while integrating the principles of sustainability, diversity, equity,
and inclusion. Additionally, the EDSP emphasizes the retention of current businesses, the
continued expansion of the arts and culture scene, and ongoing efforts to enhance the vibrancy
of the Downtown area. The City has also recognized the need to expand the traditional scope of
economic development to include practices that incorporate sustainability and social equity to
maximize the community’s economic vitality. The EDSP establishes broad themes encompassing
three key pillars and their associated action plans: Business & Entrepreneurship Vitality,
Placemaking & Promotion, and Talent Development & Attraction. These pillars are intended to
reflect the City’s priorities, as appropriate, while responding to its ever-evolving economic
landscape. Careful consideration was given to ensure that the recommendations that follow fall
within the scale and scope of the City’s economic development function.
Many of the strategies in the EDSP are aligned with the policies in the Land Use Element. Progress
on the implementation of the EDSP is published quarterly on the City’s website: Economic
Development Strategic Plan | City of San Luis Obispo, CA.
Tourism and Community Promotions
The importance of the City’s Tourism and Community
Promotions activities as an economic development
function continued to be evident in Fiscal Year 2025
(FY25). As a result, the City collected a record-breaking
$11.4 million in transient occupancy tax (TOT). This
represents a 4.6 percent increase in revenue compared to
Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24), which had previously been the
best performing year in the City’s history. FY25 produced
five $1 million revenue months – April, May, June, July,
and August. This contribution of TOT revenue to the City’s
General Fund is a direct benefit of tourism, as the full
collection of TOT revenue is retained by the City. The FY25
occupancy level in the City was 2.9 percent higher than
FY24, with an average occupancy rate of 70.05 percent for
the year.
During this same period, the Promotional Coordinating Committee (PCC) continued its
commitment to enhancing the San Luis Obispo experience for residents and visitors. In October
2025, the PCC celebrated the third annual ARTober, a celebration of National Arts & Humanities
Month. The events highlighted various arts, culture, and humanities experiences in San Luis
Obispo. The PCC also continued the City’s Cultural Arts & Community Promotions (CACP)
program, which provided $100,000 in vital promotional grants to local nonprofit organizations
Visit San Luis Obispo Logo
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for programs that enrich the social, cultural, and diverse community events and activities
available during this time.
Also in FY25, the PCC directed the “Support Local” campaign through the Economic Development
program, which included a multi-channel paid advertising plan, local public relations, a social
media content strategy, and business support. In addition to implementing the sixth year of the
Buy Local Bonus promotion, the City supported SLO Restaurant Month in January 2025.
Policy Initiatives
Cannabis Business Program
Tax Revenue: The revenue generated from the City’s Cannabis Program helps support a variety
of the City’s core services. This revenue is collected through taxes, licensing fees, and other
financial mechanisms associated with the legal cannabis market. The City collected roughly
$815,000 in tax revenue in Fiscal Year 2024-25 and is budgeting approximately $1 million in
revenue for Fiscal Year 2025-26.
Program Updates: Since the adoption of the Cannabis Program, staff has provided annual
updates to the City Council, including policy recommendations to improve commercial cannabis
administrative and operational processes. In 2025, staff presented the Annual Cannabis Business
Program Update to the Council, including a review of operator permit changes, updates to
cannabis tax and permit fee revenue forecasts, and recommended amendments to the cannabis
zoning code to improve clarity in the Municipal Code and ensure consistency with state law.
Historic Preservation
An update to the Historic Resources Inventory was included as an implementation task under the
City’s Major City Goal for Cultural Vitality, Economic Resilience, and Fiscal Sustainability in the
2023-25 Financial Plan. In 2025, Phase 1 of the project was completed. Phase 1 included updates
to the City’s Historic Preservation Ordinance and Historic Context Statement. The City’s Historic
Resources Inventory includes over 760 properties, the majority of which were added more than
30 years ago.
The Historic Preservation Ordinance and Historic Context Statement provide the framework and
regulatory guidance for determining which properties qualify as historically significant. Major
updates to the Historic Preservation Ordinance included revisions to historic resource
designations and evaluation criteria for historic significance to ensure greater consistency with
guidance from the National Park Service and the State of California Office of Historic Preservation
regarding the definition and evaluation of historic resources.
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The Historic Context Statement was revised to provide a more inclusive approach to preservation
of the City’s resources and to align with updates to the Historic Preservation Ordinance. The
updates expanded the discussion of themes related to minority and ethnic communities and
integrated the contributions of San Luis Obispo’s Chinese, Japanese, African American, Filipino,
and other communities into the relevant temporal and thematic contexts. Th ese changes
recognize members of these groups as
significant contributors to the City’s
development whose social, economic,
and cultural experiences are relevant to
and reflective of broader themes.
With the update of these documents,
the City now has an updated framework
and guidance for the next phase of the
project (Phase 2), including review of
the current Historic Resources
Inventory, future surveys, and
continued effective implementation of the City’s Historic Preservation Program . Staff will initiate
Phase 2 of the project in mid-2026, and the project is expected to take 12-18 months to complete.
The Historic Resource Inventory (HRI) Update project is consistent with various policies in the
Cultural Heritage (Chapter 3) section of the Conservation and Open Space Element , including
those related to the identification and preservation of historic resources. The project directly
implements COSE Goal 3.2, which calls for the City to expand community understanding,
appreciation, and support for historic and architectural resource preservation to ensure long-
term protection of cultural resources.
Water Supply
In 2025, the City obtained water from four sources: the Salinas Reservoir (Santa Margarita Lake),
the Whale Rock Reservoir, the Nacimiento Reservoir, and recycled water from the City’s Water
Resource Recovery Facility (WRRF).
Table 14 - City Water Resource Availability, 2025
Water Resource 2025 Annual Availability
Salinas Reservoir (Santa Margarita Lake) and
Whale Rock Reservoir 4,910 AF Safe Annual Yield1
Nacimiento Reservoir 5,482 AF Dependable Yield2
Recycled Water 354 AF 2024 Annual Usage3
Siltation to 2060 (500 AF) WWME Policy4 A4.2.24
TOTAL 10,246 AF
Source: Public Works and Utilities Department, 2025
View of San Luis Obispo, Looking West
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1Safe Annual Yield is the quantity of water which can be withdrawn every year while operating both reservoirs in coordinated operations under
critical drought conditions. The City’s Safe Annual Yield Model was updated in 8 to reflect drought conditions that ended in 7.
2Dependable Yield is the contractual amount of water the City has right to from Nacimiento Reservoir. During the 2025 calendar year, the
Nacimiento Pipeline was offline for a portion of the year, during those periods the City did not receive source water from the Nacimiento
Reservoir. City water supply was provided from the Whale Rock and Salinas Reservoirs, which provided sufficient supply for the City.
3The quantity of recycled water included is the actual prior year’s recycled water usage ( 243) per WWE A7.2.2.
4Reservoir siltation is a natural occurrence that reduces storage capacity over long periods, resulting in the reduction of safe annual yield.
For 2025, availability from the
City’s water sources totaled
10,246 acre-feet, as shown in
Table 14. This supply meets the
projected primary water supply
need at General Plan buildout of
7,496 acre-feet, plus an
additional 1,298.35 acre-feet
for a reliability reserve and a
secondary water supply of
1,452 acre-feet.
The primary water supply was calculated using the City’s buildout population ( 7, people)1
and a water use rate of 117 gallons per capita, pursuant to Water and Wastewater Element Policy
A 5.2.1 (Water Use Rate). The reliability reserve was calculated using the City’s estimated 2025
population (49,534) and 20 percent of the aforementioned water use rate. The secondary water
supply includes the remaining water resources. Additional information is available in the City’s
annual Water Supply and Demand Assessment.
1The City’s population projection of 7, persons, from the General Plan Land Use Element, is based on 1 percent growth annually between
2014 and 2035. By policy, certain housing types and areas are excluded from this growth rate and projection (affordable housing, etc.). The
City’s estimated Primary Water Supply need is based on projected population but encompasses all water demand in the City (residential, non-
residential, and irrigation).
Whale Rock Reservoir
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Transportation & Circulation
Sustainable Transportation was identified as a Major City Goal (Climate Action, Open Space, and
Sustainable Transportation) as part of the Fiscal Year 202 2-23 Financial Plan and again in the
2023-25 Financial Plan. The following transportation planning and engineering projects and
programs were implemented in 2025 as part of the City’s Sustainable Transportation Major City
Goal, consistent with the Circulation Element of the General Plan.
Vehicular
Numerous traffic safety improvements were
implemented as part of the City’s Traffic Safety
Program to address collision trends and resident
safety concerns. These improvements included
striping modifications, sign replacements, and
sight distance improvements at several
intersections. Additionally, the City’s first Vision
Zero Action Plan was released in draft form for
public review in 2025. The Action Plan provides a comprehensive summary of current safety
trends and a blueprint to guide priorities in engineering, enforcement, education, and post-crash
care to improve traffic safety citywide. The final Action Plan is scheduled for City Council review
in the spring of 2026.
Additional vehicular projects and programs implemented in 2025 include:
• Numerous traffic signal and intersection optimization improvements were completed as part
of the City’s ongoing traffic signal management responsibilities. Traffic signal timings were
adjusted at all City signals, and optimized signal coordination plans were implemented on the
Johnson, Broad, Madonna, and Los Osos Valley Road corridors.
• “Daylighting” improvements were
implemented at intersections across the
City. Daylighting prohibits vehicles from
parking within 20 feet of marked and
unmarked crosswalks, per State
Assembly Bill 413. This improves safety at
intersections by creating a clearer line of
sight between drivers and pedestrians in
crosswalks.
• Traffic signal modifications were
completed or are in progress at several
intersections to address collision trends
and improve pedestrian accessibility.
These modifications include the addition of lead pedestrian crossing intervals and ADA-
compliant audible pedestrian push buttons at multiple intersections.
Striping and flex-post parking restriction to allow for
pedestrian “Daylighting”
Vision Zero Traffic Safety Program
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• Design for the roundabout at California and Taft Streets is complete, and acquisition of the
remaining right-of-way is in progress, with construction expected to begin in 2026.
• Prepared 38 Engineering and Traffic Studies to maintain enforceable speed limits and
implemented speed limit reductions and/or speed limit visibility enhancements on 30 street
segments, where permitted under California Vehicle Code requirements.
• Issued 28 permits allowing residents to paint red curbs at their driveway entrances to improve
sight distance.
• Progress continues with preliminary engineering and environmental review for the Prado
Road/US 101 Interchange Project, with a targeted construction start in 2029.
• Final design, permitting, and right-of-way work continues for the Prado Road Bridge
Replacement over San Luis Obispo Creek Project. Construction of the Prado Bridge Project is
anticipated to begin in 2027 and is expected to be completed before the start of construction
for the Prado Interchange Project.
Bicycle/Pedestrian
The 2024 Paving Project was completed in early
2025. The project included numerous traffic
safety elements to improve mobility for all
roadway users on Grand Avenue, Johnson
Avenue, and various neighborhood streets,
consistent with the Circulation Element, Active
Transportation Plan, and Vision Zero Policy. It
included the installation of a pilot road diet with
new protected and buffered bike lanes and
pedestrian/bicycle crossing enhancements on
Grand Avenue; permanent improvements to
retain a previous pilot road diet on Johnson
Avenue; installation of an uphill bike lane on
Highland Drive approaching Santa Rosa Street; Protected bicycle lanes and beacon crossings added to Grand
Avenue
Rendering of the Prado Road / Highway 101 Overpass
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and other minor complete street and safety improvements.
Public outreach and design work continued through 2025 for the Higuera Complete Street
Project. The project includes multimodal transportation and safety improvements along the
Higuera Street corridor from Marsh Street south to the City limits. These improvements include
several miles of protected bike lanes, more than 70 ADA curb ramp upgrades, enhanced
pedestrian crosswalks at 40 locations, pavement repairs, traffic signal upgrades, and updated
pavement surfaces and roadway markings. The project is supported by over $9 million in external
grant funding. Environmental review and design are complete, and the project will be brought to
the City Council for approval to advertise for construction in early 2026.
Annual transportation safety educational activities continued in 2025, particularly with the
development of the “Roll and Stroll” Bike and Pedestrian Resource Hub, which shares maps,
information, tips, and how-to videos on biking and walking in San Luis Obispo. The Hub covers
safety basics, understanding new facilities, and where to find additional education resources ,
including in-person classes. Activities in 2025 included Walk & Bike to School Days, Bike Month,
Walktober, reflective Halloween bag distribution, Bike Light Education Pop-Up events, and other
educational programs coordinated with Bike SLO County. Additionally, the City released a series
of educational videos on bike and pedestrian safety topics, which will continue into 2026 and
cover subjects such as safe riding and how to use new bikeway and pedestrian facilities.
The City’s supply of short- and long-term bicycle
parking continued to expand. Six new BikeLink lockers
were installed at the parking lot at 1166 Higuera
Street, providing secure and affordable long-term
parking options in the downtown area. This brings the
total to twelve such lockers in the downtown, in
addition to the Marsh Street Parking Lot location.
Bike valet parking service continued to be offered at
the Farmer’s Market, Concerts in the Plaza, and other
events, with a total of over 2,500 bikes parked in 2025.
BikeLink Lockers at 1166 Higuera
Rendering of the Planned Higuera Complete Streets Project
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SLO Transit
SLO Transit operations in 2025 included the following:
• In April 2025, the City Council adopted SLO
Transit’s FY 6-30 Short-Range Transit Plan.
The plan outlines service, program, and fare
change recommendations aimed at meeting the
City’s current and future public transit needs.
Notable service change recommendations
include the reinstatement of services suspended
during the pandemic, more frequent service on
Routes 2A/B, implementation of a new direct
service to the Avila Ranch Specific Plan area, and
a two-year microtransit pilot program.
• In May 2025, the City took delivery of six new
battery-electric buses to replace older diesel-
powered buses. This purchase positions the City
ahead of the state’s zero-emission mandates and
advances its goal of achieving carbon neutrality
by 2035.
• Ridership continues to recover post-pandemic.
SLO Transit reported over 660,000 passenger
trips in Fiscal Year 2024-25, representing a
seventeen percent increase compared to the
previous fiscal year.
• In August and September 2025, staff attended events at Laguna Middle School and Cal Poly
to promote SLO Transit’s services, including the Laguna Tripper, which provides service to the
middle school, and the 6 Express, which provides direct service between the campus and
downtown on Farmers’ Market nights.
• In November 2025, the City Council approved the release of a Request for Proposals (RFP) for
transit operation and maintenance services. The RFP’s scope of services includes the service
changes recommended by the Short-Range Transit Plan. Staff anticipate returning to the
Council in April 2026 to award the contract, with service beginning July 1, 2026.
• In December 2025, the City partnered with Rideshare’s Know How to Go campaign to offer
free rides on the Holiday Trolley. During the 30-day holiday service period, more than 1,000
trips were provided at no cost to riders.
New Battery-Electric Bus
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Parking Services Program
Parking Services Program’s major focus areas in 2025 included:
• Completion of the Technology Roadmap implementation, updating the parking technology
used downtown to improve the customer experience. Improvements included digitizing
garage permits, adopting a single mobile payment app for on-street parking, installing a
consistent gated system in all public parking garages, adding new parking pay stations
downtown, and enhancing security and customer service at all public parking garages.
• In conjunction with the Technology Roadmap implementation, signage, equipment wraps,
and public educational materials were standardized to improve communication and provide
a consistent, easily recognizable downtown parking experience.
• The final lighting, landscape, and striping improvements, as well as the demolition of the
building and installation of six new BikeLink lockers, were completed at Lot 11, located at
1166 Higuera Street. This public parking lot provides long-term paid parking spaces on the
eastern side of downtown.
• The City continued construction of the Cultural Arts District Parking Structure, located at the
corner of Palm and Nipomo Streets. This will be the City’s fourth parking garage and is
expected to be completed in spring 2026.
• Parking Services and the Mobility Services Communication Coordinator continue to
collaborate with organizations such as Downtown SLO, the SLO Chamber, the Parking
Steering Committee, and local business owners to keep them informed on all aspects of
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parking. This collaboration included the creation of informational flyers, business toolkits,
and presentations. Staff have also provided ongoing public outreach through press releases,
media campaigns, social media posts, flyers, updated signage, and in-person events.
Safety Services
Fire Department
Climate Adaptation and Safety Element Policy OP-7.1 states that there should be adequate
planning, organization, and resources for emergency preparedness and emergency response.
Staff made several accomplishments in 2025 to meet this policy and has highlighted some of
them below.
Administration
Public Information: In 2025, the San Luis Obispo Fire Department (SLOFD) continued to expand
its Public Information services by increasing the Department’s communications capacity and
public outreach efforts. This included an expanded social media presence , supported by a
comprehensive social media calendar integrated into the City’s master communications
calendar. The Department’s Administrative Specialist was responsible for social media content
creation and external written communications, while the Emergency Manager conducted in-
person television and radio interviews and served as the primary public-facing spokesperson. The
Department also continued preparedness and safety interviews on KVEC and KNEWS radio. Since
the Public Information Officer (PIO) role was formalized in late 2019, SLOFD has steadily improved
its ability to deliver accurate, timely, and reliable information to the media and the public.
Effective public information plays a critical role in reducing the severity of emergencies by
educating the community in advance and enabling informed decision -making during incidents.
Department social media analytics indicate that nearly percent of SLOFD’s followers are
residents of the City of San Luis Obispo, demonstrating strong local reach and eng agement.
Operations
Emergency Response: In 2025, SLOFD responded to 7,344 incidents from four strategically placed
fire stations throughout the City. This number is 4.85 percent higher than in 2024. Emergency
response was accomplished with a daily minimum staffing of fourteen sworn personnel. To help
maintain this daily minimum, the City continued its investment in two important programs: a
functional movement program to reduce the occurrence and severity of physical injuries , and a
Peer Support Team Program to maintain the mental health and well-being of department
personnel.
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Open Space Rescue Operations: In 2025, the
Fire Department’s Urban Search and Rescue
(USAR) Team continued to play a vital role in
protecting the lives of both visitors and
residents. Members of the USAR Team receive
specialized training in complex and technical
rescue operations and participate in the San
Luis Obispo County Regional USAR Team. The
team consists of nine members, which
increases the likelihood that multiple USAR
specialists will be on duty on any given day,
thereby increasing the Fire Department’s
operational readiness. The Fire Department, along with its USAR Team members, responded to
thirteen technical rescues and medical emergencies in open space areas in and around the City
during 2025. Significant incidents included rescues on Cerro San Luis (Madonna Mountain),
Bishop Peak, Irish Hills, Cal Poly, and Reservoir Canyon.
The Fire Department’s open space rescue programs continue to evolve. Many of these rescues,
particularly around Bishop Peak, require the use of a helicopter to locate, access, and transport
victims. The Fire Department works closely with, and trains frequently alongside, the California
Highway Patrol, which operates the rescue helicopter in the county. In addition to this
collaboration with CHP for air resources, two key contributors to the continued success of the
Fire Department’s open space rescue program have been the E-Bike Program and the Utility
Terrain Vehicle (UTV) program. Both pieces of equipment have been invaluable in locating,
transporting, and caring for people in open space in a timely manner. The UTV program is also
utilized through Mutual Aid to assist neighboring fire departments.
Mobile Crisis Unit: The Mobile Crisis Unit
(MCU) responds to behavioral health
incidents both proactively and reactively.
Law Enforcement (LE) and Fire Service (FS)
resources are often called to assist
individuals in crisis, serving as a one-size-
fits-all solution for issues ranging from
homelessness to mental illness and
addiction. As a result, many individuals are
not connected to the most appropriate
resources available. To provide more
tailored support, the MCU pairs a
Community Resources Services Specialist
with a Fire Department intern and, as of October 2024, a Licensed Psychiatric Technician from
County Behavioral Health. This model enhances service for those in need while reducing reliance
on LE and FS resources, which have limited tools to address individuals in crisis.
The MCU is staffed during peak activity hours, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday,
based on current SLOPD and SLOFD response data. Implementation of a 24/7 service may
Open Space Rescue and Expanded Technical Rescue Team
Mobile Crisis Unit
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eventually be warranted, depending on the program’s ability to meet community needs, reduce
LE and FS resource impacts, and decrease hospitalization and arrest/jail time.
In 2025, the MCU responded to a total of 143 calls for service and 2,234 field contacts. These
field contacts enabled the MCU to provide transport to alternate facilities (other than local
hospital emergency departments) a total of 69 times. Working with stakeholders, the MCU Team
also facilitated the reunification of 25 individuals with their family, friends, or other out-of-area
support networks.
Training
Climate Adaptation and Safety Element (CASE) Program OP-7.18 “Staff Training,” states that the
City will train firefighters, police officers, building inspectors, and public works and utilities staff
to levels appropriate for their tasks and responsibilities. As of 2025, the Fire Department
employed 49 sworn positions and 12.5 non-sworn positions for a total of 57.5 full-time
employees.
Fire Department employees logged nearly 19,121 hours of training in 2025. Employees eligible
to participate in the Joint Apprenticeship Committee (JAC) registered a total of 9,942 hours in
2025. The JAC provides reimbursable funds back to the department. JAC training resulted in over
$47,000 in funds returned to the department in 2025, a $15,000 increase from 2024. These funds
are held by the JAC program and can be used to support the department’s training program upon
approval from the sub-JAC committee, which is comprised of department and labor group
leadership. The department has also reached an Instructional Service Agreement (ISA) with Allan
Hancock College, which allows it to receive compensation for the training of personnel who do
not qualify for the JAC program.
Non-sworn employees attended several key training courses in 2025 to maintain skill levels
appropriate for their tasks and responsibilities. Some of this training included attendance at the
biannual California Conference of Arson Investigators and State Fire Investigation training. Our
Fire Mechanic staff attended training to maintain their certifications and to learn about new
technologies in fire apparatus, including electric fire apparatus, which are becoming more
common across the nation.
Training Officer: The Training Captain oversees the Injury Prevention Program , which has
continued to show success in reducing hours lost to work-related injuries. Prior to the start of the
program in 2019, the Fire Department recorded 11,550 hours of work comp time lost. In 2025,
comp time hours lost decreased to 3,487 hours, a 70 percent reduction. The new positions help
provide consistent and reliable administration and coordination of all mandatory, recertification,
and recommended in-service training and safety programs for emergency response, which is
necessary as the increasing complexity and evolving service demands call for specialized
instruction. In addition, the Fire Training and Safety Officer respond s to emergency incidents in
the primary role of operational support and as the incident safety officer , identifying and
addressing preventable accidents or potentially unsafe situations.
The Training Captain oversaw a four-person recruit academy and continues to provide oversight
of probationary firefighters during their rotations and testing at the six- and twelve-month marks
of their probation.
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As part of the Injury Prevention Program, a new vendor,
Pinnacle Fitness, provides more comprehensive physical
examinations for all suppression members and fire
prevention staff. The vendor offers in-house blood
testing, physical exams, fitness assessments, cancer
screening, hearing screening, and vision screening. The
increased cancer screening aligns with NFPA
recommendations for professional firefighters.
The Deputy Chief manages the Fire Intern Program. In
2025, the Fire Department employed five interns,
sponsoring two interns through a Firefighter 1 academy
at Allan Hancock College. The program was expanded to
include the fire prevention bureau, mechanic shop,
MCU, and emergency management division. Fire interns
were able to interview for areas in which they had particular interest or experience. Through the
internship program, the Fire Department is a certified internship site for Cal Poly psychology
students, currently providing a six-month internship for a psychology student.
Interagency Training: The Training Division coordinated joint training with inter and intra-
departmental entities, preparing our employees for all types of emergencies. Those included:
• USAR H70 Helicopter Training - Irish Hills
• Open Space Mapping - City GIS Department
• County Structure Burn: Prepares members to extinguish and rescue victims from live
structure fires.
• Cal Poly Response: Training on Cal Poly Campus for various disciplines including open space
rescue, technical rescue on campus, industrial accidents at the new dorm construction site,
and large scale MCI response.
Wellness and Fitness Initiative (WFI): The WFI program was created in 2018 to enhance the
fitness, health, and wellness of Fire Department emergency response staff, strengthening the
department’s ability to provide service to the community. In 2025, the wellness team helped
provide funding for more comprehensive annual physical exams.
California Incident Command Certification System (CICCS): The California Incident Command
Certification System (CICCS) is a cooperative effort between the State Fire Marshal’s Office and
the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services, Fire and Rescue Branch. CICCS is an all -
hazard qualification and certification system that enhances the State of California’s ability to
deploy firefighting resources to complex and catastrophic incidents with trained and qualified
personnel. The system includes the development of personnel in key field positions of the ICS
system, as well as minimum training standards, qualification s, and experience requirements
when assigned to wildland/urban interface incidents.
To achieve these standards and qualifications, personnel must meet the minimum requirements
for each ICS position they choose to work in. Prospective candidates are required to complete
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multiple week-long classes, then submit an application that includes certifications from the
required classes, documentation of experience, and a letter of support from their respective fire
department. This application is reviewed by the CICCS committee for approval to become a
trainee in the position. Trainees are then required to open a task book, which involves
participating in all-hazard incidents under the supervision of a trainer. During this period, trainees
are taught and evaluated on specific aspects of the position. Completing the task book often
takes two or more years and multiple incident assignments. Once the task book is complete, all
documentation is submitted to the CICCS committee for final review and approval to work in the
position.
These expanded roles provide personnel with greater depth of knowledge and qualification s,
which further enhance departmental capabilities. By being qualified in multiple ICS positions,
personnel can serve both within their department and in other jurisdictions in the event an
incident, improving overall emergency response capacity.
Emergency Management
Climate Adaptation & Safety Element (CASE) Policy OP-7.1, Emergency Preparedness and
Response, ensures that the City of San Luis Obispo and all relevant City departments maintain
adequate planning, organization, and resources to effectively prepare for and respond to
emergencies. In 2025, City staff made significant progress toward meeting this po licy through
coordinated planning, training, public education, and emergency readiness initiatives, as
summarized below.
Coordinated Emergency Planning & Training: CASE Program OP-7.15 directs the City to operate
within the Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS), the National Incident
Management System (NIMS), the National Response Framework (NRF), and to participate in
periodic, multi-jurisdictional disaster response exercises. CASE Program OP-7.18 further requires
the City to conduct Emergency Operations and Emergency Services response exercises for non -
nuclear hazards, while also coordinating participation in requ ired nuclear disaster preparedness
exercises.
In , the City’s Emergency Manager ensured that the Fire Department maintained an effective
and comprehensive emergency management program, including emergency planning, training,
staff preparedness, community preparedness, and hazard mitigation project support. During the
year, the Emergency Manager and San Luis Obispo Fire Department staff participated in multiple
functional and full-scale emergency exercises, including a FEMA-evaluated Emergency
Monitoring and Decontamination (EMAD) drill coordinated by the San Luis Obispo County Office
of Emergency Services, a Cal Poly full-scale Emergency Operations Center (EOC) exercise, a City
of San Luis Obispo EOC drill, and a First Responder Point of Distribution (FRPOD) drill focused on
vaccine administration. These exercises strengthened interagency coordination, tested
emergency communications and decision-making processes, and reinforced operational
readiness across departments and partner agencies.
The Fire Department continued close coordination with all City departments to ensure that
employees, including City Council members, completed required SEMS and NIMS training.
Completion of this training is a prerequisite for eligibility for Federal Emergency Management
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Agency (FEMA) disaster assistance. Staff also worked closely with Human Resources to integrate
required disaster training into onboarding for new employees. This program will continue to
expand with additional Disaster Service Worker (DSW) training citywide.
The Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) describes the City of San Luis Obispo’s policies and concept
of operations for responding to major emergencies or disasters that could affect the health,
safety, and property of the public within the City and exceed the capabilities of day-to-day city
operations. The EOP includes hazard-specific annexes, including Earthquake, Hazardous
Materials, Multiple Casualty, Transportation, Fire, Civil Disturbance-Terrorism-Active Shooter,
Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, Adverse Weather, Extended Utility Disruption, and
Pandemic. This plan will be reviewed and exercised periodically and revised as necessary to
satisfy changing conditions and needs.
Preparedness Education: CASE Program MH-1.10
directs the City to work with community
organizations to educate residents and households
on strategies to increase preparedness for
emergency events and climate-related impacts. In
2025, the Fire Department conducted a broad range
of public education and outreach efforts to improve
community disaster readiness. These efforts included
wildfire preparedness events, community flood
readiness outreach, the Fire Department’s annual
Fire Prevention Week Open House, participation in a
Parks & Recreation Monday Meet-Up event, and
continued support of Firewise neighborhood
education and engagement activities, including the
countywide AlertSLO public notification program.
In addition, the Emergency Manager conducted
multiple preparedness-focused radio and television
interviews to provide timely safety messaging and
emergency preparedness information to the public.
Staff also delivered preparedness presentations to
the Downtown Business Association, church groups,
and other community organizations, helping to
extend preparedness messaging to residents, businesses, and vulnerable populations.
Staff continued to disseminate preparedness flyers and videos developed through the Prepare
SLO campaign to ensure the public had access to current and reliable information. These
resources are available through the Fire Department’s website and social media platforms and
support ongoing community awareness and resilience efforts.
SLO Fire Dept. Preparedness Education
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Risk Reduction and Fire Prevention
Hazard Mitigation: The most recent update of the City’s
Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMP) was completed in 2025 as the
Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan, which is
pending adoption by the City Council after review and
approval by the Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) and the California Office of Emergency Services
(CalOES). This HMP serves as the mandatory update to the
City’s 2020 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan. The HMP is
incorporated by reference into the CASE and should be
consulted when addressing known hazards to ensure the
general health and safety of people within the City of San
Luis Obispo. It provides guidance on how to reduce the
community’s vulnerability to natural hazards. The plan calls
for annual stakeholder meetings at the County level to
review progress and identify collaborative opportunities.
The City is required to maintain a current HMP, which must be updated every five years, and in
2023 signed a letter of commitment to participate in the 2025 MJHMP update with the County
of San Luis Obispo. Maintaining a current HMP allows the City to apply for State and Federal
reimbursement in the event of a disaster.
Program FI-5.12 of the CASE states that the City should continue to implement the City’s
Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) to reduce wildfire risk in the City’s wildland-urban
interface, including implementation of the CWPP Tactical Policy Measures that focus on four key
policy areas: community education, fuels management, planning, and emergency response
preparedness. As part of hazard mitigation, SLOFD finalized the City’s first CWPP in July 9. The
CWPP is a collaborative plan designed to guide the City in addressing fire protection planning
efforts to minimize wildfire risk to watershed lands, assets, firefighters, and the public. It presents
the City’s physical and social characteristics, wildfire history, and evaluates landscape -scale fire
hazard variables; utilizes priority landscape datasets to assess wildfire risk; identifies strategic
measures for reducing structural ignitability; provides guidance for public education and
outreach; and identifies fuel reduction goals and techniques for minimizing wildfire risk. The
CWPP is intended to be a living document , managed and updated by the Fire Department with
stakeholder input and involvement.
Staff utilized the plan to act in 2025 to guide public education and fuel reduction efforts. City staff
continued to provide wildfire preparedness tools to the community through news releases,
webinars, social media, and a Wildfire Readiness Night held in June. The Fire Department also
coordinated with the Office of Sustainability and Natural Resources and the Parks and Recreation
Ranger Service to conduct fuel reduction efforts along San Luis Obispo Creek, the Irish Hills Open
Space, San Luis Drive, and Cerro San Luis Open Space.
Multi-Dwelling Property Inspection Program: Under the direction of the Fire Marshal, the Fire
Prevention Bureau inspects all multi-dwelling properties (three or more units) in the City to
ensure that they meet fire and life safety standards set by the California Fire Code. This state-
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mandated program helps safeguard residents and visitors who patronize local hotels and
generates approximately $350,000 in annual revenue to offset implementation costs. The Fire
Prevention Bureau conducted inspections of apartments, hotels, and fraternity and sorority
houses in 2025, achieving 100 percent compliance.
Fire and Life Safety Inspections: In 2025, 1,800 inspections were completed in the City of San
Luis Obispo. These inspections included new and existing businesses, annual inspections, and fire
and life safety systems. The Fire Prevention Bureau (FPB) maintained a 97 percent compliance
rate for all fire and life safety systems in the City. Life safety systems include fire sprinklers, fire
detection systems, and commercial kitchen hood systems. FPB staff also completed 428.66 hours
of plan review. A portion of these inspections resulted in Fire Code operating permits, generating
approximately $100,000 in annual revenue.
Hazardous Materials Inspections: The Fire Prevention Bureau serves as a “Participating Agency”
in the County’s Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA). Businesses that use or store hazardous
materials in appreciable quantities, generate hazardous waste, or operate underground or
aboveground petroleum storage tanks are subject to inspection. The Hazardous Materials
Coordinator conducted 325 facility inspections in 2025, an increase from 288 in 2024; of these,
109 were also Fire Department Operational Permitted Programs. The overall program generated
approximately $214,000 in revenue in fiscal year 2024-2025.
Vegetation Management: In July 2025, the
Fire Prevention Bureau took a proactive
role in weed abatement. The Bureau
mailed 76 courtesy letters to property
owners with a history of enforcement. Due
to the early notification, only two dozen
follow-up enforcement actions were
required, resulting in compliance within 30
days. Vegetation management achieved
100 percent compliance across the City.
The Fire Department continued to support
the Natural Resources and Parks and
Recreation Ranger Service in fuel-
reduction projects within City-owned open
space and creek corridors. In 2025, City staff conducted fuel reduction work along the Bob Jones
Bike Trail and San Luis Obispo Creek between Prado Road, Los Osos Valley Road, and San Luis
Drive. Staff removed dead and downed material and smaller vegetation from the creek, creating
a shaded fuel break along the creek corridor behind the Water Resource Reco very Facility and
other nearby critical facilities.
Fuel reduction efforts also continued in the Bowden Ranch Open Space and Cerro San Luis
Natural Reserve, with support from Ranger Service’s Open Space Technicians (supplemental staff
positions) and assistance from California Conservation Corps crews. In the fall of 2024, staff
received notification of a grant award from CalFIRE to purchase two large woodchippers to
Bob Jones Trail
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support hazardous fuel reduction in high-fire-risk creek areas. The chippers were received in late
2025 and will be fully implemented in 2026.
In 2025, the Fire Department worked closely with the County Fire Safe Council to support
vegetation management projects through 2026, including planning and fuel-reduction efforts to
reduce wildfire threats surrounding the City, with a strong focus on the Irish Hills, Miossi Ranch,
and Reservoir Canyon areas. Grants secured through the Fire Safe Council funded hazardous tree
removal throughout the City and grazing along San Luis Obispo and Prefumo creeks.
Fire Hazard Severity Zones and WUI Code Implementation: In March 2025, the State of California
released updated Fire Hazard Severity Zone (FHSZ) maps reflect ing the latest science on wildfire
behavior, climate conditions, topography, and vegetation. These updated maps identify areas of
elevated wildfire risk within the City of San Luis Obispo and serve as the regulatory basis for future
wildfire-related planning, development standards, and community risk-reduction efforts. The
maps identify more than 2,800 parcels within the City limits that fall within the Very High Fire
Hazard Severity Zone (VHFHSZ).
Following the release of the maps, the 2025
California Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI)
Code was issued at the state level for
adoption and implementation by cities
beginning in January 2026. In October, City
staff held a public study session with the City
Council to explain the updated fire hazard
maps and WUI code requirements and to
clarify how state standards are applied and
interpreted locally. This session was
intended to support transparency, technical
understanding, and informed policy
decision-making.
In November 2025, the City Council formally
adopted the 2025 California WUI Code,
along with the updated 2025 California
Building and Fire Codes. Before and after
adoption, the City leveraged publications,
public messaging, and community outreach to inform residents, property owners, and
development professionals about the changes and their future implications.
To further support community preparedness and compliance, the Fire Department was awarded
a FEMA Fire Prevention and Safety Grant in 2025. This funding enables the Department to begin
offering voluntary Detailed Home Assessments to property owners, providing site-specific
guidance on defensible space and home-hardening measures. These assessments are intended
to help residents prepare for future wildfire resilience requirements, including anticipated
legislation related to Zone 0 ember-resistant standards.
2025 Local Responsibility Area Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map
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Critical Facilities Locations and Reducing Structural Hazards:
CASE Program OP-7.12 identifies City facilities that are essential
to community function and emergency response and directs the
City to avoid locating new critical facilities within designated
flood hazard areas, wildfire hazard zones, earthquake fault zones,
or other special hazard areas. Where critical facilities are already
located within these zones, the program requires the City to
identify and, where feasible, implement mitigation strategies to
reduce associated hazard impacts.
In 2022, City staff initiated a project in coordination with the
California Joint Powers Insurance Authority (CJPIA) to install
seismic sensors in select critical facilities to support rapid post-
earthquake assessment of potential structural impacts. The
sensors were installed, and the project was completed in 2024. In 2025, the devices were
removed following the evaluation period, with lessons learned informing future approaches to
post-earthquake structural assessment and critical facility resilience.
Police Department
CASE Program 9.4 states that the City will train police
officers and other City employees to levels appropriate
for their tasks and responsibilities. In 2025, the Police
Department employed 63 sworn positions and 34 non-
sworn positions, for a total of 97 full-time employees.
As noted in the 2018 Capital Facilities Fee Program
Nexus Study (i.e. AB 1600 Nexus Study), the service
population totals a combined 72,800 workers and
residents. With the current 63 sworn officers, the service
level is a ratio of 0.87 sworn officers per 1,000 service
population. At General Plan buildout, the service
population is forecasted to grow by approximately 15,500 persons. If the same service level ratio
is applied, the City would need 13 additional sworn officers by 2035.
The Police Department had 59 sworn officers back in 2002 and has not experienced significant
sustained growth in personnel over the past 20 years, while the City has continued to grow in
area and population. In 2024, the Police Department completed a comprehensive staffing study
that was presented to the City Council in January 2025. The study recommended 55 action items
for the Department, including the addition of 14 full-time employees to enhance service delivery
to the community, 11 of whom would be police officers.
In 2025, the Police Department completed its second year of work effort on the five-year
strategic plan. Year 1 and 2 action items included completion of a department-wide staffing
study; use of data-driven policing tools to reduce crime; establishment of an online recruitment
portal to enhance hiring efforts; improvements to the Department’s physical fitness facility;
development of a central resource guide for employee wellness information; updates to body-
SafeHub Seismic Sensor
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worn and in-car camera systems; exploration of options to enhance community communication;
expansion of community presence; and enhancement of the Department’s training program.
Staff Training: The California Commission on Peace
Officer Standards and Training (POST), which mandates
minimum content and hours for basic and in-service
training, also regulates the training of police officers and
communication technicians. In 2025, the Police
Department maintained compliance with POST
requirements for in-service training hours by sending
employees to POST-certified courses on various topics -
costs of which were reimbursed by POST - and by
providing in-house training. Employees utilized a
combination of online, in-person, and SLOPD-hosted
training to ensure all staff maintained their required
training hours.
In 2025, the Department continued its commitment to having 100 percent of staff trained in Crisis
Intervention Training (CIT). New employees are sent to CIT training as soon as possible to
maintain a fully trained CIT staff. The primary goal of CIT is to reduce injuries to officers and
mental health consumers during interactions, while appropriately redirecting consumers from
the judicial system to services and support needed to stabilize them and reduce future police
contact. CIT training ranges from 8 to 40 hours depending on the course, and the San Luis Obispo
Police Department is committed to ensuring all staff receive the full 40-hour course as soon as
possible.
The San Luis Obispo Police Department (SLOPD) also conducts in-house training using employees
who are certified instructors in a variety of police-related functions, including defensive tactics,
mobile field force, active shooter response, and firearms use. In addition to standard police
training, the Department continues to support training efforts related to the Peer Support Team,
which was created to assist officers following tragic or traumatic events. The Peer Support Team
is trained to address a wide variety of issues and can provide direct counseling or refer individuals
to appropriate resources. The team also produces a monthly employee wellness newsletter to
provide ongoing outreach and information to staff. Additionally, Peer Support has shared its
expertise and experience with surrounding law enforcement agencies in response to critical
incidents in those jurisdictions.
Mutual and Automatic Aid – Police: Section 9.10 of the CASE indicates that the City will work
with other jurisdictions to obtain and maintain adequate mutual-aid and automatic-aid
agreements. The Police Department provides officers to assist surrounding law enforcement
agencies with various special events, including parades, protests, and large-scale investigations.
Typically, officers assist many local police departments, including Santa Maria, Pismo Beach, Paso
Robles, Morro Bay, Atascadero, the California Highway Patrol, and the County Sheriff’s
Department. In return, many of these agencies assist SLOPD with several of its large-scale events,
including St. Patrick’s Day and the annual Holiday Parade.
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Since 2008, the City has participated in a regional Special Weapons and Tactics Team (Regional
SWAT). The Regional SWAT team allows participating cities to leverage limited resources and
maximize coordination and specialized expertise during critical incidents. The SWAT team
responds to incidents throughout the county and conducts twice-monthly training exercises,
along with scenario-based training days in conjunction with the City’s Crisis Negotiation Team.
Community Action Team (CAT): The CAT Team continues to identify problems and crime trends
that negatively impact the quality of life for residents, business owners, and visitors. The Team
works collaboratively with patrol officers, investigators, the Neighborhood Outreach Manager,
other City departments (Fire, Ranger Service, Public Works and Utilities, Community
Development), social service providers, business groups, and other governmental agencies as
appropriate to provide a trauma-informed care approach that connects the City’s most
vulnerable residents to resources and services. The CAT Team has focused on individuals involved
in adverse and repetitive criminal activities that negatively affect the community. In 2025, CAT
engaged with 798 individuals and made 164 treatment referrals to mental health and substance
abuse services. Additionally, CAT facilitated two family reunifications for individuals experiencing
homelessness.
The CAT Team includes one police officer, a Community Resources Officer, a Licensed Psychiatric
Technician from County Behavioral Health, and a Community Resources and Services Specialist.
Community Service Officers: The growth and
rebranding of the Community Services Officer
(CSO) program, formerly known as Field Service
Technician (FST), was a strategic expansion aimed
at tripling the program's capacity and enhancing
the City’s commitment to the well-being of the
Downtown Core and the broader community.
Since then, the CSO program has played a pivotal
role in delivering personalized services to the
business community, residents, and visitors.
The primary objective of CSOs is to address
quality-of-life issues efficiently. These non-sworn
officers promptly respond to both non-criminal
and criminal infractions, including, but not limited
to, drinking, smoking, noise disturbances, blocking
the right-of-way, and minor disturbances of the peace. In 2025, the CSO program demonstrated
significant impact and success in addressing crime and quality-of-life issues. CSOs have effectively
responded to infractions and misdemeanors, contributing to a safer and more harmonious
downtown environment. That year, CSOs issued 443 citations for offenses such as public alcohol
consumption, littering, smoking, and unregistered vehicles, along with 189 cite-and-release
arrests for alcohol, drugs, theft, tows, and trespassing. While many of these incidents reflect their
dedicated efforts downtown, enforcement has been carried out citywide, and their presence has
been felt through the rapid resolution of incidents.
Community Service Officer Team, 2024
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CSOs have actively engaged in building effective partnerships with various community
stakeholders. This collaborative approach not only fosters a sense of community but also allows
sworn police officers to concentrate on more serious calls for service. The CSO team maintains a
visible presence in the community, utilizing a range of patrol tactics, including bikes, vehicles, and
predominantly foot patrols. CSOs have proven to be a force multiplier for the Police Department,
and the strategic allocation of these resources has improved overall service delivery, providing
assistance more efficiently.
The success of the expanded CSO program over the past few years represents a significant step
toward creating a safer, more vibrant downtown community. This initiative has strengthened the
bond between law enforcement and the community, fostering a collaborative and secure
environment for all.
Neighborhood Wellness
Land Use Element Program 2.14 states that the City will help identify neighborhood problems
and undertake a wide range of focused development review, capital improvement, and code
enforcement efforts to help residents preserve and enhance their neighborhoods.
Neighborhood Officer Program – Police Department
In 2013, the Police Department launched a Neighborhood Officer Program that divides the City
into distinct “neighborhoods,” each with dedicated patrol officers assigned to address
neighborhood issues. The Neighborhood Officers act as liaisons between the Police Department,
the community, and various City agencies. They have continued to serve as a consistent point of
contact for residents needing assistance with a variety of quality-of-life concerns. Residents can
contact their Neighborhood Officer directly through the City website.
Code Enforcement – Community Development Department
The City’s Code Enforcement Office reports directly to the Community Development
Department’s Chief Building Official and is responsible for prioritizing, responding to,
investigating, and enforcing the validity of all reported violations relating to several regulations.
It is the goal of code enforcement to gain compliance utilizing the lowest level of enforcement
mechanisms and techniques possible. Staff is responsible for ensuring compliance with state and
local laws relating to:
• Building and Zoning Requirements
• Property Maintenance
• Graffiti
• Abandoned Shopping Carts
• Conditional Approvals and Permits
• Setbacks, Fence Height
• Polystyrene/ Straws/Water bottle
• Signs
• Land Use
• Health & Safety Concerns
• Unpermitted Construction
• Improper Occupancy
• Substandard Buildings
• Dangerous or Unsecured Buildings
• Animal & Waste
• Noise & Odor
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In 2025, Code Enforcement staff responded to 1,259 requests for investigation. This represents
a 9.9% decrease compared to the previous calendar year; however, compared to the last five
years, it represents a 121% overall increase from 2021-2025. In total, 163 Neighborhood
Preservation cases and 183 additional Code Enforcement cases were opened during 2025.
Additionally, 278 investigation requests resulted in confirmed violations and were resolved
without escalated enforcement, resulting in a total of 624 cases addressing confirmed violations,
as shown below in Table 15.
Table 15 - Code Enforcement Statistics, 2021-2025
Source: Community Development Department, 2025
Neighborhood Outreach – Police Department
Police Department SNAP employees (Student Neighborhood Assistance Program) continue to
conduct parking enforcement and respond to noise complaints in neighborhoods during evening
hours. In 2025, SNAP responded to 570 noise complaints and issued 300 Disturbance Advisement
Cards (DACs). DACs are formal warnings that carry no financial penalty but place the property on
the noise “no warning” list; future noise complaints are investigated by patrol. SNAP also
continued parking enforcement in residential districts, issuing 3,626 citations in 2025 for
violations such as no permit, fire lanes, blocking hydrants, and parking in disabled spaces without
placard.
In June 2025, Wilshire Community Services declared bankruptcy and closed. The SLO Solutions
community mediation program, run by Creative Mediation was part of Wilshire, ceased
operations with the closure. In December 2025, the Police Department, in collaboration with City
Administration, Cal Poly, and Cuesta College, began discussions on revitalizing the community
mediation program.
Data for the first six months of 2025 for the SLO Solutions program was not available.
Noise abatement in neighborhoods continues to be a priority for maintaing civility and
community wellness. Figure 3 below provides a monthly overview of noise complaints
throughout the year.
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Figure 3 - Monthly Noise Party Calls for Service, 2025
Voluntary party registration remains an effective tool for residents hosting social gatherings at
their homes. Registration allows residents to notify SLOPD of their event so that, if a noise
complaint is received, police dispatch can call the host and issue a 20-minute warning to reduce
noise. In 2025, 4,453 party registration applications were received, 353 applications were
approved, 50 warning calls were made, and six citations were issued to party hosts who did not
heed their warning.
Conservation & Open Space
Conservation and Open Space Protection was identified as a Major City Goal (Climate Action,
Open Space, and Sustainable Transportation) in the Fiscal Year 2023-2025 Financial Plan, as well
as the new 2025-27 Financial Plan (Open Space, Climate Action, and Resilience). The General Plan
includes numerous goals, policies, and programs focused on open space protection. These
policies apply to sensitive lands within the City’s urban reserve , as well as to land in the San Luis
Obispo Greenbelt that is protected for its biological, agricultural, aesthetic, and watershed
protection value. Further details are provided in the Land Use and Circulation Element and the
Conservation and Open Space Element. Highlights for 2025 include:
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• Righetti Hill: On May 13, 2025, the
City hosted a ribbon-cutting
ceremony for Righetti Hill Open
Space and officially opened the 51-
acre property to the public. The site,
one of San Luis Obispo’s striking
Morros, features over two miles of
sustainably built trails. The City
received a dedication of Righetti Hill
within the Orcutt Area Specific Plan
and Natural Resources, along with
the Ranger Service staff to establish
a new open space and trail system. The Righetti Hill Open Space Conservation Plan was
adopted by the City Council in 2023. Phase 1 of the trail system and trailhead was completed
in early 2024, with additional trails finished in 2025.
• City Farm SLO: The City continued to support and partner with City Farm SLO to deliver
sustainable agriculture education for students and the community, while producing healthy
local food. In early 2022, a 40-year lease extension was granted to City Farm SLO reflecting
the successful long-term partnership and City Farm SLO’s plans for significant capital
improvements at the property. In 2024, City Council authorized a financial contribution by
the City of San Luis Obispo to complete additional road maintenance on the driveway access
from the end of Calle Joaquin to provide a 20-foot-wide all-weather access road on the City
owned property. City Farm is currently constructing a 2,000 square foot agricultural pole
barn structure onsite for storage and wash/pack operations for the farm. Architectural
review was completed by the City in 2025 and 2026, as required by the lease agreement,
and Building permits were issued for the new structure. The pole barn is being funded by a
grant from the State of California Department of Food and Agriculture. The City will continue
to further augment the efforts on the City Farm site with in-kind services and support as part
of the Major City Goal work program.
• Invasive Species and Restoration: The City continued invasive species vegetation control,
focusing on French broom along Froom, Prefumo, and San Luis Obispo Creeks. Once the
invasive plants were removed, native trees and vegetation were planted to restore habitat.
Restoration efforts included the installation of butterfly gardens in City and neighborhood
parks and medians to support the Mayor’s Monarch Pledge, a partnership with the National
Wildlife Federation. With the installation of educational signage (in English and Spanish) and
a demonstration nectar garden in Mission Plaza to educate visitors, staff plan to expand
planting and educational efforts along the Mission Plaza Walkway with grant funding
secured.
Righetti Hill Open Space Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony
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• Cultural Fire: In December 2025, the City
hosted a cultural burn at Johnson Ranch
Open Space. The burn was conducted by the
yak titʸu titʸu yak tiłhini Northern Chumash
Tribe (ytt) with support from CalFIRE. It was
the third Indigenous-led cultural fire hosted
on City Open Space since the first burn in
June 2024. In 2022, the City adopted the
Climate Adaptation and Safety Element
(CASE), which aims to incorporate
traditional ecological knowledge - such as
cultural burns - to help the community adapt
to climate change. Good fire reduces fuel
loads and decreases the likelihood of catastrophic wildfires that can cause safety risks,
property damage, and poor air quality. Tinɨtyu ("Good Fire") can also enhance biodiversity,
increase the abundance of foraged food, encourage the growth of high -quality plant
material, reduce plant diseases and insect infestations, and improve hunting conditions.
• Johnson Ranch Riparian Restoration: In
2025, the City continued implementing
restoration work at Johnson Ranch. This
project is funded by a $250,000 grant from
the Wildlife Conservation Board and Point
Blue Conservation Science. The approach
relies heavily on City partners, such as ytt,
who are leading perennial grassland
restoration efforts on the banks of Dry
Creek, while Nature’s Engineers installed
and are maintaining 30 Beaver Dam Analogs
(BDAs) in Dry Creek to retain water longer into the dry season, improve groundwater
recharge, and improve steelhead habitat. ECOSLO is leading volunteer-driven native tree and
shrub plantings in the creek corrridor. Together, these restoration activities sequester
carbon while making Dry Creek and Johnson Ranch more resilient to climate change. Staff
also continue to engage Cal Poly professors and students to provide hands-on education through
the “Learn by Doing” approach in open space monitoring and restoration projects.
• Staff continued to support the Public Works and Utilities Department in implementing the
Stormwater Management Program as required by the Regional Water Quality Control Board
(RWQCB). The program focuses on improving stormwater quality through Best Management
Practices (BMPs), including construction site monitoring, municipal operations,
development review, litter control, installation of projects addressing the Pathogen TMDL,
and public participation to reduce pollution runoff.
Johnson Ranch Open Space
Cultural Burn at Johnson Ranch Open Space
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• Staff continued steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and Pacific lamprey (Entosphenus
tridentatus) surveys along San Luis Obispo and Stenner Creeks with biologists from the
California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
(USFWS). Staff collaborated with CDFW to tag juvenile steelhead to better understand
migratory patterns, timing, and population trends, and to expand future monitoring efforts.
• Staff also began cataloging potential sites for new oak trees planting and initiated installation
of oaks to expand the existing oak forest on several City open space properties, including
Terrace Hill, Bowden Ranch, and Cerro San Luis. These projects were completed in
collaboration with Rotary clubs, volunteers, and the California Conservation Corps and will
support the City’s “ Tall” goal of planting , trees by .
• City staff partnered with the California Conservation Corps (CCC) through the Greenhouse
Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) program to help implement the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI)
and Integrated Vegetation Management Plan for Open Space Lands of San Luis Obispo.
Through this partnership, CCC members worked in Bowden Ranch to remove dead, downed,
and burned material as well as ladder fuels following the October 2023 Lizzie Fire. Staff also
collaborated with the FireSafe Council and PG&E on a major fuel reduction and cleanup
effort in response to the fire and continue to additional projects to enhance community
protection along the WUI.
Parks & Recreation
Throughout 2025, the Parks and Recreation Department offered programs and activities in
senior programming, youth activities, and family-friendly community events, with an emphasis
on community building to support objectives associated with the Parks and Recreation Blueprint
for the Future (Element and General Plan), Major City Goals, and Local Revenue Measure G . The
following sections highlight the divisions and programs that support the Major City Goals and the
Parks & Recreation Blueprint for the Future.
Community Programming
Youth Sports: The City provides accessible recreational youth sports opportunities for children of
all abilities and experience levels through instructional clinics and sports leagues that focus on
building confidence, teamwork, integrity, and leadership skills. The City continues to work
collaboratively with local youth sports groups, the San Luis Coastal Unified School District
(SLCUSD), and the SLO County YMCA to meet community needs.
Youth Sports Clinics, offered by Parks and Recreation staff, continued to provide a variety of
sports and fitness activities in 2025. Throughout the year, eight separate clinics were offered
twice a week, including pickleball, soccer, basketball, t-ball, and volleyball, serving over 125 youth
athletes.
Community Services staff provided two and a half weeks of full-day Summer Sports Camp during
the summer, with 180 youth participants. This camp has quickly become a favorite summer
option and is offered during the weeks when the Youth Services traditional summer camp is not
in session, providing continuous childcare opportunities for the community.
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The Sports Division continued the long-
standing San Francisco Junior Giants
summer program (baseball and
softball), serving 175 youth athletes and
over 50 volunteer coaches. This free,
non-competitive, eight-week program
focused on skills and drills, training,
gameplay, and weekly Junior Giants
topics designed to build resiliency.
Other annual youth leagues, offered in
partnership with the Channel Islands
YMCA (San Luis Obispo County), include
the Basketball and Futsal leagues. The
winter youth basketball league enrolled nearly 700 children, with 110 volunteer coaches. City
staff served as weekly referees for Saturday games at five locations throughout the City. The
spring Futsal program had over 370 youth participants and 55 volunteer coaches. The Division
also provided focused, hands-on sports officials training before the start of the season and
distributed communications to families and coaches outlining expected and appropriate conduct.
Adult Sports: Adult recreational sports
continue to provide the community with
a variety of activities for both adult and
senior populations. These activities
include drop-in opportunities such as
boomer softball, ultimate frisbee, table
tennis, volleyball, dodgeball, and
basketball. Scheduled community sports
programs include adult soccer, offered
in partnership with Central Coast Soccer,
and affordable pickleball lessons
through the SLO Pickleball Club. New in
2025, the Division launched an adult
volleyball league, serving 80 players across 10 teams.
The largest and most staff-intensive adult league is the year-round softball league, which consists
of three seasons (Spring, Summer, and Fall) serving between 700 and 730 participants with 45-
50 teams per season. Games are held four nights per week, with Sports staff serving as umpires
at all locations throughout the City.
Softball League Champions
Youth Futsal Game
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Community Building Programs:
The Department continued to assess and
expand accessible, low-cost activities that allow
the community to connect and enjoy all that San
Luis Obispo has to offer through enhanced year-
round programming.
Throughout 2025, staff coordinated popular
community events, including the Leprechaun
Lost event at the Farmer’s Market in March, the
Spring Fling and Egg Hunt at Meadow Park, and
the summer “Monday Meet-Up” nights at local
parks, featuring music, food trucks, public art
and activities. Highly attended fall events
included the September Scramble, with over
600 participants, and the October Boo Bash,
which featured a movie and haunted house and set a record attendance of over 600 community
members of all ages.
Contract Classes: The City’s external instructor partners offer a range of classes for youth and
adults. Parks and Recreation staff coordinated over 750 class registrations for courses in art,
dance, fitness, financial planning, and even surfing.
Community Gardens: The five Community Gardens in the City continued to bloom with the
support of staff through regular maintenance. Staff coordinated six volunteer workdays, as well
as free composting days for gardeners through the City’s Hitachi Zosen Inova (HZI) program. With
support from the garden intern, a quarterly gardening newsletter was produced, providing
important reminders, seasonal tips and tricks, recipes, service opportunities, and highlighting a
“favorite” garden plot.
SLO Senior Center: The City continued
to support senior programming and the
Senior Center Board with a half-time
Coordinator who continues to expand
programs and services in partnership
with the Senior Board. In 2025, City
funded and coordinate programs
included:
• Family Trivia Nights: a multiage event
held 19 times throughout the year.
• Around-the-Town staff led tours; six
different tours led throughout the year, including Dalidet Adobe Gardens and a
downtown public art tour.
• Family Barbecue events during the summer and winter.
Leprechaun Lost Event at the Farmer’s Market
Family Barbecue Event
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• Music and dancing events: six events including a partnership with the SLO Winds
Orchestra.
• Hiking and Walking Program: 12 SLO Hikers events and 10 SLO Walkers events, each led
by City staff.
• New Yoga for Seniors (and all ages) 11-month program.
Jack House and Gardens: The Jack House Gardens event season was closed for most of 2025 due
to a roofing project from March to August. During this time, the Volunteer Coordinator worked
with the Jack House docents to inventory house items, prepare for upcoming tours, research
other historical properties, and develop a framework for succession planning for a program that
relies heavily on a volunteer docent coordinator. When the House reopened in the winter, it
hosted the annual Holidays at the Jack House over a two-month period, with weekly attendance
exceeding historical numbers, including over 120 visitors on any given Sunday.
Youth Services
School Year Childcare: During the 2024-2025 school year, childcare continued to be offered
before and after school to children enrolled in grades TK through 6th grade at five San Luis Coastal
Unified School District (SLCUSD) elementary school sites: Bishop Peak, CL Smith, Hawthorne,
Pacheco, and Sinsheimer Elementary Schools (except for Teach Elementary, whose students are
bussed to the nearby Pacheco Elementary site). To keep childcare costs low, increase access, and
promote inclusion, staff continued to use a drop-in care registration system, allowing families to
pay only for the time their child attends rather than registering by week or month. While this
system requires more staff time and administrative effort, it benefits families by charging only
for care used, rather than a flat “use it or lose it” rate, and allows more children to enroll despite
fluctuating schedules.
Programs continued to operate during
traditional time frames: before school,
midday for TK and Kindergarten
students, and after school. Due to
limited facility space at each campus,
waitlists were managed throughout
the school year. District construction
projects at all of the school sites
continued, resulting in shifting spaces to provide care. At two school sites, the licensed childcare
program operated on the school stage, creating additional challenges, as the stage is a central
location used for lunch, PE, or other programming while children were present.
For the 2024-2025 school year, the District continued its partnership with the City to support
younger students. Instead of the City providing family-paid childcare during traditional TK/Kinder
program hours (8:30 a.m. to the start of the school day and from school dismissal until 2:50 p.m.),
the District used Extended Learning Opportunity Program (ELOP) funds to cover childcare for all
TK/Kindergarten students during this time. The District also extended the school day for
Kindergarten students. This arrangement resulted in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU),
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with the District paying directly for the costs associated with children attending during these
program hours.
During the 2024-2025 school year, 564 children were enrolled into the City’s licensed before- and
after-school program (paid for by families or subsidized through CAPSLO or City scholarships),
with 777 time slots of care provided. In addition, 438 TK/Kindergarten children received care
during the District-paid hours (8:30 a.m.– 2:30 p.m.). Combined, the City provided daily care to
more than 863 children - the highest number to date.
Challenges in increasing attendance continued, as the school district is currently undergoing
construction at all school sites using funds from a recent bond measure. As a result, some
childcare programs have been confined to operating on a stage in a multipurpose room or sharing
a classroom, with the understanding that opportunities for growth will follow once construction
is complete.
Summer and School Break Care:
In summer of 2025, the City provided two camp models: the traditional summer camp program
(Ultimate Day Camp, or UDC) and a summer school option offered in partnership with SLCUSD
(Summer Fun Day Camp, or SFDC). UDC included seven weeks of full-day camp for approximately
105 children each week, featuring field trips, swim outings, and special on-site events.
Staff coordinated field trips to locations
throughout the City and County, including
Mustang Waterslides, Avila Beach, the Santa
Barbara Zoo, Boomers, and Mustang Lanes,
as well as biweekly trips to the SLO Swim
Center and Sinsheimer Park. Since the
pandemic began, City transit and local buses
have not been available for summer camp
transportation. As a result, the program
incurred additional costs to hire a charter
bus, allowing children to participate in
traditional field trips, including twice-weekly
visits to the SLO Swim Center. Prior to the
pandemic, the camp was held at Sinsheimer
Elementary School, which allowed campers to walk to the SLO Swim Center. However, in summer
2025, Sinsheimer was unavailable due to construction, requiring the use of a charter bus for swim
trips. For many campers, these outings provide their only opportunity to swim recreationally
during the summer, as their families work and are unable to take them outside of camp hours.
Ultimate Day Camp Attendees
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Enrollment in the package-price program
decreased slightly in 2025, while
participation in the District’s free summer
school program increased. For SFDC,
enrollment grew as the City partnered with
the District to provide before- and after-
summer-school care at two school sites.
Although the program was free for
participating children, the District paid the
City directly for services using ELOP funds,
with more than 400 children participating at
the two sites before and after summer
school.
New this year, the District asked childcare
staff to provide a two-week “extended day”
program at SFDC. During this period, City
staff delivered curriculum for summer
school students as part of their educational
experience, rather than solely providing
before- and after-school care, Due to the
District’s need for additional staffing
support. For those two weeks, the City
served nearly 200 registered children and an additional 400 non-registered students for the full
day, while also continuing to operate the full-day UDC program.
Other programs during the school year included Teacher Workday Camps and a week-long Spring
Break Camp for school-aged youth, collectively serving 285 participants. In addition, the Division
provides extended childcare hours during the District’s early release days, as well as numerous
onsite special events. The Division also hosted its third annual “Family Fest” in December, where
families made gingerbread houses and participated in a silent auction featuring items donated
by local businesses, with all proceeds supporting Youth Scholarships.
Subsidized Childcare: The City continues to partner with Community Action Partnership (CAPSLO)
and Childcare Resource Connection to provide subsidized childcare. Children who qualify through
CAPSLO may attend childcare at no cost, and the City applies to CAPSLO for reimbursement
(unlike other participants, who are required to pay prior to attendance). In 2025, 62 children
received subsidies through CAPSLO.
The Youth Services Division also manages a registration scholarship program. In the 2023-2025
Financial Plan, the City Council approved $20,000 for youth scholarships. In 2024-2025, 38
families received $33,500 in scholarship support.
Childcare Staff: All Youth Services programs are supported by up to 70 supplemental staff,
ranging from entry-level Childcare Aides to Childcare Head Teachers and full-time Site Directors.
Staff turnover since fall 2024 has resulted in the hiring of 200 part-time staff members during the
year. Each time a supplemental staff member is onboarded, the Youth Services administrative
Summer Camp 2025 Enrollment Advertisement
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team and Parks and Recreation administrative staff spend approximately 60 hours total per
employee on onboarding and training.
Staff receive ongoing instruction to ensure programs remain consistent with Department and
State licensing standards. Training topics include Positive Guidance, Safety and Accountability,
Mandated Child Abuse Reporting, and Pediatric CPR/First Aid. In addition to supplemental staff,
each school site is supervised by a Site Director who is responsible for up to 150 children
throughout the day, ensuring state licensing compliance and staff oversight. Due to current staff
shortages, all Site Directors, along with full-time positions such as Program Assistant, Recreation
Coordinator, and Recreation Supervisor, are providing direct care to children.
Volunteers & Training
The Citywide Volunteer Program continued to
expand under the leadership of the
Coordinator. Volunteers support the
advancement of City projects and Major City
Goals, working alongside staff on a regular
basis, at single-day events, and through
recurring opportunities. In 2025, an average
of 150 volunteers served each month,
contributing more than 8,600 volunteer
hours. Fifteen different City teams engaged
volunteers throughout the year.
Volunteer opportunities included recurring
administrative support across several
departments, regular Trail Service Days with the Rangers, and service with the dedicated Jack
House docents. Several groups continued to participate in the Adopt-A-Park program, and due
to its success under the Volunteer Coordinator’s management, additional initiatives expanded to
include Adopt-A-Trailway and Adopt-A-Storm Drain.
Volunteers served throughout the City as visual arts volunteers, supported graffiti abatement
efforts, assisted at Whale Rock Reservoir, promoted recycling education at downtown events,
and provided coaching through sports leagues, among many other roles. Single Day of Service
opportunities included Pumpkin Smash, September Scramble, Boo Bash, Leprechaun Lost, garden
service days, public art maintenance, and more.
Open Space Maintenance
The Ranger Service accomplished significant goals in 2025, including creating new and upgraded
trails, and continued to provide educational and recreational opportunities to the San Luis Obispo
community. The City's 4,050 acres of designated open space and more than 68 miles of trails are
designed to provide access for a variety of abilities and experiences, ranging from easy to rugged
hiking trails, introductory to advanced mountain biking, and scenic pathways located within
minutes of residences and businesses.
City Volunteer Assisting with Administrative Duties
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The Ranger Service led monthly educational hikes throughout City open spaces, hosted more
than 50 community and volunteer workdays, promoted educational “Wilderness Wednesdays”
through social media to engage and educate the community, and conducted Junior Ranger
Camps during the summer. In 2025, more than 1,000 hours were devoted to public education,
focusing on conservation and the local history of flora and fauna specific to each open space
property.
Dedicated community volunteers worked alongside Ranger staff on trail maintenance projects at
Johnson Ranch and Miossi Open Spaces, the Irish Hills Natural Reserve, and a new switchback
trail in Bowden Ranch. Ranger staff also partnered with Natural Resources and the Fire
Department to support a second collaborative cultural burn with the Chumash Tribes at Johnson
Ranch Open Space in fall 2025.
A major internal project - the creation of the first
formal bike park at Laguna Lake Park - continued into
2025 with additional phases and upgrades. The project
fulfills a key objective outlined in the Parks &
Recreation Blueprint for the Future (Master Plan and
General Plan Element), as bike park amenities ranked
among the top five community requests.
The bike park includes the Mountain Bike Loop, a Kids
Pump Track, and two jump lines (Progressive and
Advance). The next phase will add an intermediate (all-
ages) pump track. In fall 2025, the Laguna Lake Bike
Park received a Facility Design Award for Innovation
from the California Parks and Recreation Society,
District 8.
The popular Winter Evening Access (WEA) Program at
Cerro San Luis Natural Reserve allows for extended evening hours of passive recreational use
along approximately 4.9 miles of City-managed trails during the winter months (November –
March), when daylight savings time is not in effect. During this period, public use is extended to
one hour before sunrise and until 8:30 p.m. During daylight saving time, public use hours return
to one hour before sunrise through one hour after sunset. Nighttime use is by permit only and
limited to 65 people per evening, based on prior conservation review. Free permits for biking and
hiking are available up to one week in advance through the City website. Ranger staff are present
at the trailhead to check permits and educate the public during the Winter Evening Access
program.
Mission Plaza Concessionaire Kiosk
After bringing the RFP forward for approval in May 2025, the City received nine vendors, five of
which were selected to move forward with in-person interviews. In late August 2025, a
committee of City staff, SLO Chamber of Commerce representatives, and Downtown SLO staff
selected Linnaea’s Café as the preferred vendor for the kiosk. The lease agreement was finalized
in December 2025. Staff anticipate that tenant improvements to the kiosk will take 3-4 months,
Laguna Lake Bike Park
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with a projected opening in Summer 2026. The concessionaire will collaborate with organizations
hosting special events in the plaza to support plaza activation.
Laguna Lake Dog Park
The long-awaited new dog park project
was approved for construction in fall 2024
and opened in May 2025. The three-acre
park features full perimeter fencing with
separate areas for small and large dogs.
Each area includes ground improvements
such as turf and mulch, as well as an
improved drainage system for year-round
use. New dog agility structures were
assembled through a partnership with
local organizations and schools to provide
features for play and training. The project
received a park design award from the
California Parks and Recreation Society
District 8 in November 2025.
Orcutt Area Parks (Righetti Park System)
In July 2021, the City Council approved the development
of a multi-park system as part of the Orcutt Area Specific
Plan, specifically within the Righetti Ranch
Neighborhood. The design process continued with an
in-person community workshop in April 2023, which
provided updated construction designs. The proposed
parks in this area include a comprehensive community
park, a linear park, a pocket park, and a formal trail
junction. An RFP for the project was issued in summer
2025, and the project was approved for construction,
including funding authorization for the first three of five
phases, in December 2025. Construction is set to begin
in late spring 2026, with pickleball courts, a multi-age
playground, restrooms, athletic turf fields, and bike
park features planned for completion in fall 2027. The
recreation amenities support the Parks and Recreation
Blueprint for the Future (General Plan and Element), with future phases to include tennis courts,
basketball courts, additional restrooms and parking, a dog park, and community gardens.
Orcutt Area Park System
A Good Dog Enjoying the New Agility Course
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SLO Swim Center
In 2025, the popular SLO Swim Center continued
to provide a wide range of community-focused
aquatic opportunities, including lap swimming,
recreational swimming, group and private swim
lessons for all ages, aquatic fitness classes,
SCUBA, and various programs for the warm-
water pool. In summer 2025, the Swim Center
partnered with three nonprofit organizations -
GALA, Central Coast Autism Spectrum Center,
and SLO County Friday Night Live - to offer
unique recreational swim opportunities and
modified swim lessons throughout the year,
increasing lesson availability for the community.
The Super Rec Saturdays featured an inflatable obstacle course and family-focused themed
activities, with attendance averaging 500 to 800 participants per event. Staff also partnered with
the SLO Seahawks to operate a snack bar during each event. The Aquatics Division continues to
promote water safety through social media and the “Designated Water Watcher” program,
which can be used at alternate water locations. This program provides tools to enhance water
safety through proper swim instruction and educatio n.
The SLO Swim Center currently serves as the lifeguard training hub for San Luis Obispo County,
with the Aquatic Coordinator acting as the regional Red Cross Instructor Trainer. This prestigious
certification allows the Swim Center to be a focal point for water safety within the region.
Laguna Lake Golf Course
The Laguna Lake Golf Course (LLGC) provides affordable
programs and services seven days per week. During the past
year, community use continued to grow, with just under
25,000 rounds played in 2025. Staff implemented a variety
of community programming at the golf course, including
upgraded mats at the driving range, seating and pitching
area improvements, all-ages golf lessons, Laguna Middle
School PE classes, the SLO High School golf program, Cal
Poly kinesiology classes, free classes for the SLO County
Special Olympics, free youth golf clinics through the First
Tee program, and hosting special events such as the
September Scramble and a county-wide cross-country
youth competition.
General maintenance and operations of the golf course
continue to be impacted by aging irrigation systems, which
require additional maintenance and increase operational
Swim With Pride Rec Swim Event
Upgraded Mats at the Driving Range
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costs, as well as rising water expenses. The Pro Shop facility remains closed due to major flooding
from a significant winter storm in December 2021. Golf Operations are currently conducted from
a temporary onsite office trailer, supporting golf reservations, rentals, and merchandise sales.
Design of the new Pro Shop is scheduled to begin in mid-2026, with construction anticipated in
2026-2027.
Winter 2023 storms created a significant safety hazard for the pedestrian wooden bridge, as
creek embankments were compromised. The bridge connects holes one and two and provides
access to holes three through five. Staff modified the course to provide alternate access and
resume play for golfers. Bridge replacement is currently scheduled for summer 202 6.
Public Art Program
Outreach: The City Public Art Program plays a key role in the community and supports the Major
City Goals of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and Economic Development. City collaborations
included internal partners - Public Works and Utilities, Community Development, Tourism,
Communications, and DEI - as well as external partners and collaborators, including the SLO
History Center, GALA, SLO Arts Council, The Bunker, SLO Senior Center, regional, state, and
nationwide Public Art Administrators groups (all coordinated by the City’s Public Art
Coordinator), numerous local artist groups, the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, and many more.
Public Art staff were invited to speak at both Laguna Middle School and SLO High School during
tutorial periods to provide an overview of the Box Art program, ways to get involved, and
opportunities for careers in the arts. Staff were also invited to present at other local and
statewide events, including the California Parks and Recreation Society Fall Forum.
Box Art Program: 2025 marked the 15th year
of the Box Art program in San Luis Obispo,
the oldest in California. This year also served
as a revitalization of the program, beginning
with the definition of “cultural districts” for
box assignments. A call for artists in the
winter/spring of 2025 resulted in over 80
submissions for 20 spots.
Prior to the close of the call, City staff, along
with local photographers, representatives
from the vinyl wrap company, and tech
experts, held workshops to support artists in submitting their work. A jury of 16 community
members - including representatives from the Chumash Tribe, local Chinese-American
community, GALA, the SLO History Center, downtown businesses, and others - spent a full day
selecting pieces based on cultural representation, diversity of expression and medium, and
overall aesthetics.
15th Anniversary of the SLO Box Art Program
Page 245 of 248
General Plan Annual Report 2025
62
Once all boxes were installed, the City
continued to celebrate the 15th anniversary
with new swag, including playing cards and
coloring books. Additionally, the first-ever
“Meet the Artist” event was held downtown
in October 2025, during National Arts and
Humanities Month, and the annual Artist
Appreciation event in December 2025
recognized both new and deaccessioned
Box Art artists. Throughout the year, City
staff hosted numerous walking tours of Box
Art for the community, with over 20
attendees participating.
Other City installations and projects: The North Chorro Street underpass project was completed,
featuring the mural “In the Shadow of the Mountain” by local group Marmalade Mural Co. and
bronze work by Thiessen Metal
Works. This collaborative mixed
media art installation
celebrates one of the most
locally treasured natural
landmarks, Cerro San Luis
Obispo Mountain. The mural
depicts flora and fauna native
to the surrounding open spaces,
with each column of the
overpass highlighting a vibrant
plant or animal in a night scene
on the north side of the street or
a day scene on the south side.
Public Art staff also spent part of 2025 preparing for the community mural to be installed at
Newport Street, the first-ever community painting project. In addition, staff focused on
developing the first-ever Poetry Walk, celebrating public art in a variety of mediums.
Staff collaborated with SLO Rep staff as they began identifying a piece of art to fulfill private
development requirements, and also guided the developers of San Luis Square through the
installation of a privately funded public art piece, “The Alley Cats - All 9 Lives.”
Community Programming: Continuing the trend of community building, an artist was
commissioned to create an interactive community mural, which was transported to multiple
programs and events throughout the summer, including the four Monday Meet-Up events. This
provided opportunities for discussion and engagement.
Artist Melisa Beveridge with her Box Art Mural
A Portion of “In the Shadow of the Mountain”
Page 246 of 248
General Plan Annual Report 2025
63
For the second year, the City partnered
with the SLO Arts Council to offer a free
summer artist lecture series, featuring
four lectures throughout the season.
New this year, the City hired a local artist
to provide two weeks of daily art lessons
for children attending Summer Fun Day
Camp, in partnership with SLUCSD. The
artist engaged over 200 budding artists,
who created artwork inspired by the
summer camp theme.
In 2025, the City hosted four separate
service days to engage the community
with art. On MLK Day of Service, a group of individuals from the African Black Caucus participated
in cleaning art. In the spring, nearly 20 Cal Poly volunteers worked with City staff and two local
fabricators, learning how to clean and wax all the downtown bronze sculptures. Later in the fall,
City staff led another volunteer group through the cleaning and waxing of the popular Mission
Plaza Bears sculpture. Finally, volunteers spent a day with City staff cleaning downtown Box Art.
Maintenance and Infrastructure: In 2024, an artist was hired to assess and provide
recommendations for artwork with deferred maintenance. In 2025, City staff worked with local
fabricators and repair professionals to determine the priority and costs of needed repairs,
identifying two top projects based on safety concerns and deterioration: The Greys in Between
and Puck. The Seven Sisters railing on the Santa Rosa bridge received a much-needed refresh.
Ongoing graffiti abatement of murals continued throughout the year. As stated above, staff also
worked with volunteers to complete overdue cleaning and waxing of downtown sculptures.
SLOMA Partnership: In 2025, the City entered its third two-year community partnership
agreement with the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art (SLOMA). In February 2025, the public art
piece Along the Way was installed in Garden Street Alley as a temporary installation for one to
two years. SLOMA staff also worked with City staff to prepare for the installation of Shift at San
Luis Ranch, as well as the next temporary sculpture rotation at the Mission Plaza Lawn upon
completion of the Mission renovation project.
City Volunteers Assisting with Cleaning and Waxing Downtown
Bronze Sculptures
Page 247 of 248
General Plan Annual Report 2025
64
Conclusion
The City’s General Plan guides the use and protection of the City’s various resources to meet
community needs. The General Plan reflects consensus and compromise among a wide diversity
of citizen preferences within a framework established by state law. The General Plan is published
as separately adopted elements, each containing its own policies and programs. The 2025
General Plan Annual Report summarizes the progress made in 2025 on major programs specified
in the elements of the General Plan.
One purpose of the annual report is to evaluate whether actions taken during the year indicate
a change in the community’s overall vision that would require a more comprehensive update of
the General Plan. In review of the work reported on in this annual report, such a comprehensive
update is unnecessary at this time. Substantial progress was made by the City in 2025 related to
implementation of key General Plan elements. These efforts were undertaken in pursuit of the
City Council’s Major City Goals for FY 2023-2025. With the end of the 2023-2025 Financial Plan,
the City, with extensive community engagement, established the 2025-2027 Financial Plan with
a new set of Major City Goals that, as per usual, are aligned with the City’s General Plan. With
these new goals, City staff will continue to implement policies and programs related to Cultural
Vitality, Economic Resilience, and Fiscal Sustainability; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion;
Homelessness Response; Housing and Neighborhood Livability – Healthy, Safe, and Affordable;
Infrastructure and Sustainable Transportation; and Open Space, Climate Action, and Resilience.
Progress on implementation of these goals and objectives will be further reported in the 2026
General Plan Annual Report.
Page 248 of 248
2025 General Plan Annual Report
March 11, 2026
Staff Recommendation
2
Receive and file the 2025 General Plan Annual Report for final review and
acceptance by the City Council.
General Plan
Land Use (Updated 2014)
Circulation (Updated 2014)
Housing (Updated 2020)
Noise (Adopted 1996)
Water and Wastewater (Revised 2018)
Conservation and Open Space (Revised 2014)
Parks and Recreation (Updated 2021)
Climate Adaptation & Safety (Updated 2023)
Purpose
Comply with Government Code
Section 65400 and Land Use Element
Policy 11.3
Review results/status of implementing
General Plan Policies and Programs
Planning and Building Activity
Total Planning Applications Received per Calendar Year, 2023-2025
Source: Community Development Department, 2025
Planning and Building Activity
Total Building Permits Issued per Calendar Year 2023-2025
600 574
525
354
442
192
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
2022 2023 2024
Permits Units
Source: Community Development Department, 2025
Residential Growth
Calendar Year
Period New Units Average Annual
Growth Rate
Total Units in the
City in 2024
LUE Estimated Units in
2025 (1% Growth)
2025 174
1.00%23,292 23,560
2015 - 2025 3,588
Table 5 – Residential Growth Rate, 2015-2025
Source: Community Development Department, 2025
Non-Residential Growth
Net Annual Non-Residential Growth Rate, 2019-202
Source: Building Permits Finaled, Community
Development Department, 2025
Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA)
6th Cycle (2019-2028) Progress
Table 7 – Progress Towards 6th Cycle Quantified Objectives, 2019-2028
Income Level
(% of County Median Income)
6th Cycle
RHNA
Allocation
Building Permitted Units Issued by Affordability
Total Units
by Income
Level
Total Units
Remaining by
Income LevelYears 1 - 3
(2019-2021)
Year 4
(2022)
Year 5
(2023)Year 6 (2024)Year 7 of 10
(2025)
Extremely Low
Deed Restricted
825
14 36 0 123 0 173
500
Non-Deed
Restricted 0 0 0 0 0 0
Very Low
Deed Restricted 56 14 22 60 0 152
Non-Deed
Restricted 0 0 0 0 0 0
Low
Deed Restricted
520
42 21 5 15 0 83
211Non-Deed
Restricted 76 50 0 48 52 226
Moderate
Deed Restricted
603
22 2 4 13 1 42
518Non-Deed
Restricted 0 0 43 0 0 43
Above
Moderate -1,406 1,411 439 293 190 145 2,478 0
Total Units 3,354 1,621 562 367 442 198 3,190 1,229
Active BMR Housing Projects
Table 8 – Active BMR Housing Projects in the Pipeline
Projects Address Dwellings Status
Bridge Street Mixed-
Use 279 Bridge Street 94 Phase 1 – Under Construction
Phase 2 and 3 – Seeking Financing
Monterey Mixed-Use
(Senior Phase and
Family Phase)
1422 and 1424
Monterey Streets 106
Senior Phase – Under Construction
Family Phase – Permitted, beginning
construction March 2026
Avila Ranch –
Sendero Apartments 165 Cessna Court 60 Planning Entitlements – Approved
Building Permits – Awaiting Submittal
Waterman Village 466 Dana Street 22 Planning Entitlements – Approved
Building Permits – Under Review
Beacon Studios 1433 Calle Joaquin 75
Planning Entitlements – Approved
Building Permit – Issued,
Under Construction
Total 357
Homelessness Solutions
City response to encampments and
related items
Additional homelessness response
activities:
•Human Services Grant Program
•Community Action Team, Mobile Crisis
Unit, and collaborative efforts with
Downtown SLO and CAPSLO
Area Plan and Specific Plan Development
Margarita Area Specific Plan (MASP)
Projects Address Commercial Dwellings Status
Prado Business
Park
301
Prado 159,663 -
Planning Entitlements – Approved
Public Improvements - Under
Review
Building Permits – Expired
365 Prado Rd.
Mixed-Use
Project
365
Prado 100,000 222
GP and SP Amendments – In
Process
Planning Entitlements – In Process
Total 259,663 222
Area Plan and Specific Plan Development
Orcutt Area Specific Plan (OASP)
Projects Address Dwellings Commercial
Sq. Ft.Status
Bullock Ranch 3580 Bullock 192 585
Planning Entitlements – Approved
Public Improvements - Under Review
Building Permits – Awaiting Submittal
Pratt Property 3750 Bullock 35 3,400
Planning Entitlements - Approved
Townhome Construction - Complete
Live / Work units – Under Construction Building
Permits for Commercial – Awaiting Submittal
Enclave at Righetti 3805 Orcutt 34
Planning Entitlements - Approved
Public Improvements – Substantially Complete
Building Permits Issued – Under Construction
Jones Mixed-Use 3806 Ranch
House 15 7,600
Planning Entitlements – Approved
Building Permits Issued – Under Construction;
Three (3) affordable for-sale units construction
complete
Total 276 11,585
Area Plan and Specific Plan Development
Airport Area Specific Plan (AASP)
Projects Address Dwellings Commercial Sq.
Ft.Status
Tank Farm Commerce
Park 179 Cross -29,280 Planning Entitlements - Approved
Under Construction
650 Tank Farm Mixed-
Use 650 Tank Farm 239 18,600
Planning Entitlements – Approved
Building Permits – Awaiting Submittal
Public Improvements - Under Review
600 Tank Farm Mixed-
Use 600 Tank Farm 280 12,500
Planning Entitlements – Approved,
Modification in Process
Public Improvements - Under Review
SLO Airport Hotel 950 Aero 204 Rooms -Planning Entitlements – Approved
Building Permits – Under Review
Conserv Fuel Station 4600 Broad -4,800 Planning Entitlements - Approved
Under Construction
U-Haul Personal Storage
and Warehouse
1109 Kendall;
4805 Morabito -114,368;
24,498
Planning Entitlements – Approved
Under Construction
Aerovista Medical
Services and Offices 832 Aerovista -41,007 Planning Entitlements – Approved
Building Permits – Pending Submittal
Earthwood Lane – Lots
16 and 17
4185 and 4195
Earthwood -3,694;
3,764 Planning Entitlements – Under Review
Total 519 252,511
Area Plan and Specific Plan Development
Avila Ranch Development Plan
Projects Address Dwellings Commercial
Sq. Ft.Status
Avila Ranch SFR
Phases 1, 2, & 3 (R-2)175 Venture 297 -
Planning Entitlements - Approved
Public Improvements – Under Construction
Building Permits Issued – Under Construction
Avila Ranch
Phase 3 (R-4)175 Venture 145 -
Planning Entitlements – Approved with 20-
Unit Density Bonus
Public Improvements – Pending Submittal
Building Permits – Pending Submittal
Avila Ranch
Phases 4 (R-3)175 Venture 194 -Planning Entitlements - Approved
Public Improvements – Pending Submittal
Building Permits - Pending Submittal
Avila Ranch
Phase 5 (R-1)175 Venture 101 -Planning Entitlements - Approved
Public Improvements – Under Construction
Building Permits – Under Review
Avila Ranch Phase 6
(Neighborhood
Commercial)
175 Venture -15,000 Future Phase
Total 737 15,000
Area Plan and Specific Plan Development
Froom Ranch Specific Plan
The project was on hold throughout 2025
due to ownership changes
Application to initiate a Specific Plan
Amendment submitted
Area Plan and Specific Plan Development
(Pgs. 18-24)
San Luis Ranch Specific Plan
Projects Address Dwellings Commercial
Sq. Ft.
Hotel
Rooms
Office
Sq. Ft.Status
Commercial
Center 1035
Madonna
77 114,300 --
Planning Entitlements –
Amendments in Process
Public Improvements –
Partially Complete
Office ---100,000 Future phase, no building
permits issued
Total 654 145,500 200 100,000
Water Supply
Table 14 – City Water Resource Availability, 2025
In 2025, the City obtained water from four sources: Salinas Reservoir (Santa
Margarita Lake); Whale Rock Reservoir; Nacimiento Reservoir; and
recycled water from the City’s Water Resource Recovery Facility
Water Resource 2025 Annual Availability
Salinas Reservoir (Santa Margarita Lake) and
Whale Rock Reservoir 4,910 AF Safe Annual Yield1
Nacimiento Reservoir 5,482 AF Dependable Yield2
Recycled Water 354 AF 2024 Annual Usage3
Siltation to 2060 (500 AF)WWME Policy4 A4.2.24
TOTAL 10,246 AF
Transportation & Circulation
Vehicular and Bicycle/Pedestrian
highlights from 2025 include:
•Vision Zero Action Plan
•2024 Paving Project
•Transportation Safety Education
Transportation & Circulation
SLO Transit and highlights from 2025
include:
•Received 6 electric buses
•660,000 passenger trips – 17% increase
•Short-Range Transit Plan Update
Safety Services
Fire Department:
•Responded to 7,344 incidents
•Urban Search and Rescue Team and the
Mobile Crisis Unit
•Fire Hazard Severity Zones and WUI Code
Police Department:
•Completed 2nd year of its 5-year strategic plan
•Community Action Team and the Community
Service Officer Program
Conservation & Open Space
Conservation & Open Space
activities:
•Opening of Righetti Hill Open
Space
•Froom, Prefumo, and San Luis
Obispo Creeks invasive species
control
Parks & Recreation
Community Programming
•Youth and adult sports
Laguna Lake Dog Park
Additional highlights include:
•Orcutt Area Parks
Staff Recommendation
24
Receive and file the 2025 General Plan Annual Report for final review and
acceptance by the City Council.