Los Osos Growth (Sewer Related)

Off the Board of Supervisors Agenda for May 17, 2016:

Hearings:

21. Hearing to consider an amendment to the Growth Management Ordinance, Title 26 of the County Code, to update the fiscal year references for the maximum number of new dwelling units allowed for the Nipomo Mesa area for FY 2016-17 and extension of the allocation waiting list for Los Osos; exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Districts 2 and 4. 

The relevant documents are off of this link:
http://agenda.slocounty.ca.gov/agenda/sanluisobispo/Proposal.html?select=5953

The relevant wordage for us in Los Osos is this:

"Section 26.01.070, k. (1) (c) - On May 21, 2013 (Ordinance No. 3241) the Board of Supervisors adopted the current text regarding the Los Osos allocation waiting list. At that time 2016 was an estimated completion date for the community sewer system. The proposed text changes state 'All deferred allocations will be retained on the waiting list for Los Osos through June 30, 20169, at which time all unused allocations will be considered expired.'

"Why the above text is proposed for change: The Los Osos Wastewater project cannot serve vacant parcels until the County amends the Estero Area Plan – Los Osos Urban Area (now referred to as the Los Osos Community Plan) to incorporate the following: a sustainable buildout target that indicates that there is water available to support such development (buildout) without impacts to wetlands and habitats; and a Community-wide Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) for the long-term preservation of sensitive habitats. The County is currently working on the Los Osos Community Plan and the Community-wide HCP. The Los Osos Groundwater Basin Management Plan (BMP) was approved on October 14, 2015. The BMP still needs to be funded and implemented. Although the County is working on the Los Osos Community Plan and the HCP, until the BMP is funded and implemented, new development will not be able to occur. Therefore, a revised date of June 30, 2019 is proposed which extends the Los Osos allocation waiting list beyond June 30, 2016 and provides additional time for completion of the Los Osos Community Plan, the Community-wide HCP, as well as a funded and implemented BMP. "

Monarch Grove Update!

1-28-2016

Thursday night - 74 to zero - Monarch Grove HOA members voted in favor of hooking up to the sewer! Next step - the Supes, next week, vote to amend the County's Local Coastal Plan (AKA the Estero Area Plan) by moving the Urban Reserve Line on their legal maps and descriptions to include Monarch Grove!

Yayyy Monarch Grovians, welcome aboard the sewer train!

Also, from Kerry Brown at the LOCAC meeting, the County is moving ahead with the Community Plan and the draft EIR. They are working on the Habitat Conservation Plan as well and hope to release them simultaneously. She will have a better timeline at the next LOCAC meeting and there will be public meetings on this ahead.

More Los Osos In County Budget!

My quick read yesterday of the County Budget failed to locate this info on the Los Osos Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP). Much stink was made the around the last sewer project about it's not having an HCP! Are we in danger of that again? NO (well, this being Los Osos, PROBABLY no)!

What is the HCP and why do we need it?

Approval of this HCP is also tied to one of the conditions needed prior to operations of the public Los Osos sewer system currently under construction.

Read the full HCP scoopage off this link:

http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/planning/environmental/EnvironmentalNotices/LOCHCP.htm

There is a map about three-quarters of the way through the power point that shows the area that the HCP covers. It is a boundary OUTSIDE the Urban Reserve Line:

http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Assets/PL/environmental/Los+Osos+Communitywide+Habitat+Conservation+Plan/Scoping/LOScoping.pdf

Our HCP is not yet ready, but then neither is our sewer, so we are OK. The HCP is in the works however, it is at the Fish & Wildlife agency review stage, and here is some info on it:

See the bottom of page 3 of 6:

http://agenda.slocounty.ca.gov/agenda/sanluisobispo/4342/SXRlbSBEb2N1bWVudCAoUHVibGljKSA=/14/n/40118.doc

Also see the gray box toward the bottom of page 11 of 26 on this linked document for the timing information:

http://agenda.slocounty.ca.gov/agenda/sanluisobispo/4342/RXhoIEFfcHJpb3JpdHkgbGlzdHMtVGJscyAxLTZfRmViIDIwMTVfZmluYWwucGRm/12/n/40112.doc

There is other Los Osos stuff to look at too, if you scroll down further.

Part of the Sewer Plan, the HCP

One of the conditions to the sewer project is the Habitat Conservation Plan (see the need for this and what it is at this link to project conditions - No. 92, page 37 of 98 if you open the document in Acrobat).

We haven't heard much about it, but it will be unveiled next week at the South Bay Community Center, Tuesday October 8. There will be two sessions for you to learn and to give input. The LOCAC website lists the times at 3:30-5:30 p.m. and at 7:30-9:00 p.m..

I have a copy of the old 2005 plan, but all the links to a copy of that plan online seem to be dead. So to get an idea of what this is about, here are some useful links:

For mostly what you need to know about what the plan is, click the blue links or just scroll through to the bottom:

https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2013/09/19/2013-22778/habitat-conservation-plan-for-the-community-of-los-osos-san-luis-obispo-county-ca-notice-of-intenthttps://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2013/09/19/2013-22778/habitat-conservation-plan-for-the-community-of-los-osos-san-luis-obispo-county-ca-notice-of-intent

Lots of info here on the County document at this link:

http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Assets/PL/environmental/Los+Osos+Communitywide+Habitat+Conservation+Plan/NOP.pdf

And here is the timeline/status report:

http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Assets/PL/environmental/Los+Osos+Communitywide+Habitat+Conservation+Plan/statusreport.pdf

$300,000 in grant funds were awarded to SLO County from the Coastal Impact Assistant Program to pay for the state and federal EIR reports needed for this plan required for the wastewater treatment facility by the California Coastal Commission.

Public participation is invited and encouraged, so I hope to see you there!

(Not to confuse you, but this is not the same thing as the Habitat Management Plan which fulfills Special Condition 3 of the CDP or Coastal Development Permit.)

Tuesday, June 05, 2012 Board of Supervisors Meeting

Consent Agenda - Planning & Building Items

7. Request to approve a contract with Jodi McGraw Consultants in the amount of $189,814 to prepare a Habitat Conservation Plan for the Community of Los Osos. District 2.


From the staff report:
"The Los Osos HCP is a component of the overall protection strategy for the sensitive habitats of Los Osos. The absence of this plan will result in a patchwork of permitting that will not be able to achieve the coordinated goals of the Los Osos HCP. This plan also provides one of the components to allow future growth in Los Osos. Preparation and implementation of this plan is consistent with the Countywide goals of providing a well-governed and livable community."