New plans for Sunny Acres

April 12, 2012

After years of battling over code requirements, Dan De Vaul, community members, public officials, and a group of students are working together to makeover Sunny Acres, a sober living facility that sets north of San Luis Obispo on Los Osos Valley Road.

County officials and De Vaul’s continued skirmishes resulted in the court ordering De Vaul to evict 15 homeless people from his 72-acre ranch last summer.

In March, a court ordered receiver took over the reins at the ranch while De Vaul voiced concerns that the cost of a receiver would result in the loss of his property.

Since then, San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Bruce Gibson, attorney Jeff Stulberg, Cal Poly instructor Roya Javadpour, and 80 Cal Poly students began working together to bring the property into code compliance and remove the receivership.

“The goal is to come in on April 20 and have the court approve a bid by the poly house group   to remediate the code violations which currently caused the property to be in receivership,” Stulberg said. “Poly House has also expressed an interest and intent to build an 8,000 square foot residential sober living home on the Sunny Acres property; plans for which were previously obtained by De Vaul through the services of a local architect.”

On Tuesday, students and volunteers hauled away about 50 tons of trash, chopped wood, old vehicles and numerous other items. Donating to the cleanup, MJ Ross Construction and Steve Chauvet sent dump trucks and drivers to assist the students.

Following court approval, the students plan to construct a new 8,000 square-foot facility slated to house 21 people.

“These are 80 students who want to change the world,” Stulberg said.