The San Luis Obispo County Planning Commission approved another housing development in Nipomo, despite community members’ protests.
Commissioners unanimously approved the construction of 72 affordable, multi-family residential units on 2.57 acres along Magenta Lane during a March 14 meeting. The development will consist of three three-story apartment buildings, an attached community room to the front entrance of the property, on-site parking areas, on-site amenities, and landscaping, according to the staff report.
“The project that’s being proposed here is something that’s desperately needed,” Arris Studio Architects owner and developer representative Thom Jess said at the meeting. “I mean, housing, if it’s not the most important, it certainly is one of the most pressing needs that we have in this community. Affordable housing is at the top of that list that’s needed, and what we’re promising here is a 100 percent affordable family housing project.”
The staff report states that out of the three apartment buildings, eight units will be available to very low-income families at 30 percent of the area’s median income, another eight units will be available to lower-income families at 50 percent the media income, and the remaining units will be available for income levels at 80 percent the median income.
In 2022, the reported median household income in Nipomo was $95,982, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
This housing development comes five months after the Planning Commission voted to recommend approval of the contentious Dana Reserve Specific Plan, which is the biggest SLO County housing development in 25 years and looks to add 1,318 residential units, 203,000 square feet of recreational space, a village shopping center, California Fresh Market grocery store, South County Cuesta College campus, and neighborhood parks, according to previous New Times reporting.
Jess said the apartment project design has the three-story apartment buildings pushed against the corners of the development to give single-family homes in the area privacy. One building will be next to the Nipomo Post Office, another will face a vacant lot, and the last one will be near the drainage basin. The parking lot will be in the center of the development.
“We’re right in the central business ticker. We’re close to the supermarkets and to other amenities and so forth across that area,” he said.
Nipomo residents who spoke at the meeting said they were concerned about a potential traffic increase and the lack of law enforcement presence in the community.
“The sheriff’s department has made it perfectly clear that they’re unable and incapable to govern this place safely,” Daniel Perez said during public comment.
On March 27, 2023, SLO County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Nate Paul sent a letter to the project developers voicing some concerns with the project.
In that letter, Paul said that with the proposed project’s location near the San Luis Bay Apartments would increase calls for service by less than 1 percent.
“Law enforcement services for Nipomo are currently adequate. With a 0.75 percent anticipated increase in calls for service, this project is one of several that, combined, will create demand for services beyond that which the Sheriff’s Office currently provides,” the letter states. “Simply put, we will need additional deputy sheriffs and associated vehicles and equipment to adequately serve Nipomo if this project is approved.”
After public comment, Planning Commissioner Mariam Shah said she feels as if this is a chicken and egg situation, claiming there’s no way to pay for things the community needs without the community first showing that it has the need.
“The sheriff didn’t say I can’t service this area, and it’s not going to be safe and we’re going to have a free-for-all in the streets,” she said. “The sheriff’s comments were that this is a 0.75 percent anticipated increase in calls for service, so this is creating a need that we cannot meet today. So, first of all, this project won’t be done for two or three years and second of all, the sheriff is advocating for more money.”
Traffic concerns were brought up multiple times, but commissioners said project developers, SLO County Public Works, and community members can work the issue out over time as the development is still a few years away from being built.
“I believe I heard that this isn’t going to happen overnight,” Commissioner Don Campbell said. “We’re not going to build it next year, so there’s perhaps three years or so to work this thing out, and I think Public Works or whoever’s involved with that part of it could put something together before the permit was issued.”
