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Running the bureaucratic gauntlet in San Simeon

July 30, 2024

Henry Krzciuk

OPINION by HANK KRZCIUK

Bob Hather, an individual property owner in San Simeon, has been trying to get a permit to build 15 lower-cost condominiums in San Simeon.

In 2022, after years of trying, he took San Simeon Community Services District to federal court and successfully obtained a will-serve letter. Then, he went to the county that had him go through a multitude of expensive studies. After he had completed the required county studies, he was then denied his permit by the San Luis Obispo County Planning Commission.

The California Coastal Commission and other agencies had begun asking endless questions and demanding more studies and CEQA approval of San Simeon CSD to end an unwarranted moratorium – running the bureaucratic gauntlet.

To put this matter into perspective, these new smaller condominiums are expected to use (based on state study data) 58 gallons per day per housing unit because they will have new water-efficient fixtures and appliances. On average, these 15 units will consume 870 gallons of water daily.

A single San Simeon well produces 300 gallons per minute, so these 15 condominiums will require the well to run three additional minutes daily.

The district presently produces 68,742 gallons per day on average by running a 300 gallons per minute for one well for 3.82 hours. These 15 new housing units will add just three minutes of pumping time.

It appears Hather’s only recourse is to sue and prove beyond any reasonable doubt with multiple agencies and likely in federal and state courts and with multiple studies that three minutes of additional pumping from one well will not destroy all creatures in or around Pico Creek and its lagoon.

Note: They have lots of water, and additional pumping for managed development will not impact the habitat. Prior district management had grossly exaggerated future water usage.

Most recently, the Coastal Commission and SLO County said they would approve construction if they were official low-cost housing units. Hather is not a non-profit organization or a large contractor that can afford to subsidize low-cost housing and do all the special analysis, reporting, and management associated with low-cost housing.

If the county had a retrofit-to-build two-one offset program for San Simeon, as they do in Los Osos, there would be no additional water use from any new development.

And so it goes for just three minutes of additional pumping a day, the same amount of time Hather and the public are allowed to comment at the meetings of these bureaucratic agencies.

Just putting things in perspective.

 


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Do low budget dwellers consume less water, like reptiles? I think not because they have more time to screw around and need more showers. The expensive housing people have reasons to be gone while paying hefty taxes on their vacant homes. Just thinking actuaries. Certainly, the regulatory cottage industry will soon get caught and the lawyers will have a field day litigating government over-reach.


0

Just goes to show that bribing Adam Hill was a bargain!!!


10

If water is the issue, why didn’t they let him know upfront.

I call BS.


12

We should be preparing for the next drought by developing water supplies. Growth, new development maybe yes, maybe no depending on the available water resources in a drought.


1

These bureaucrats that dictate these ridiculous policies to justify their exorbitant salaries don’t live in low income housing. Case in point is County Council Rita Neal who just sold her house for $4.5 million


19

30-40 years ago when I was at Poly the local politics were all about zero growth and not letting anybody move to SLO county and take some of the enjoyment of living here. Fast forward to today and those policies are still somewhat successful except that we are building but have no planning or infrastructure to support it so the current type of development isn’t great. It’s not a “now” problem it’s leftover of the old people.


9

The old “SLO-growth” regulations stated that building could ONLY happen when infrastructure was added or improved to handle the increase in population, water/sewer use, and increased traffic.


That part of the current massive bloom of building the multiple “ranches” around SLO, has been forgotten, or ignored. I also have no doubt, that within 10 years, the “no building above the brushline” rule will be erased, because someone will grease enough palms in order to place their house on top of Terrace Hill.


Same with Cambria and San Simeon. Look at San Simeon with both eyes open. Exactly how could it sustain another motel, much less 15 condo’s? All that new sewage must be handled by the Cambria infrastructure, and we all know what happens to the wells when that area doesn’t get enough rain. Power? Pretty sure everything North of Cayucos is already straining the existing power lines.


No. This is a bad idea, for a good place.


2