Front Page  »  

Couple fined $165,000 for harming rare flower in Pismo Beach

January 16, 2025

Pismo Clarkia

By KAREN VELIE

A rural Pismo Beach couple agreed this week to pay a $165,000 fine for grading that damaged the habitat of a protected flower.

District Attorney Dan Dow announced today that his office settled an environmental enforcement action against the couple concerning damage to one of the few habitat areas of the rare Pismo Clarkia plant. The settlement addresses the unauthorized grading the couple conducted on their private property located off Oak Park Boulevard near Arroyo Grande and Pismo Beach.

Darin and Carilyn Kruse graded a small portion of their property without first obtaining the necessary grading permit or incidental take permit. These actions threatened the Pismo Clarkia, a plant species that is found in only approximately 24 locations worldwide, all within San Luis Obispo County.

As part of the settlement, the Kruses agreed to an injunction that prohibits them from violating grading laws and other fish and game laws in the future and to pay $165,000 in civil penalties and costs. The civil penalties will be earmarked to support the continued enforcement of environmental laws within San Luis Obispo County.

The Pismo Clarkia is listed as endangered under both the California Endangered Species Act and the federal Endangered Species Act. Its extremely limited range makes it particularly vulnerable to habitat loss and disturbance.

“Protecting our environment and preserving our natural resources is a top priority for our office,” said District Attorney Dan Dow. “The Pismo Clarkia is a unique treasure of San Luis Obispo County, and we must ensure its survival for future generations. This settlement sends a clear message that our office will vigorously enforce environmental laws and hold property owners and developers accountable to obtaining the requisite permits prior to doing the work.”

For more information about environmental regulations and permitting requirements, please contact the SLO County Planning and Building Department and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

 


Loading...
Subjects:     
Related:


7 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

There is more to this story. Their grading work had loose soil and insufficient water runoff mitigation. During the heavy rains a ton of sediment covered and blocked old oak park. Preventing vehicles and emergency personnel. They did personally clean up the majority fairly promptly. I’d imagine they could nail them the hardest on the flower.

Side note: Pismo Clarkia is quite common in many unreported areas, including the nursery. Also if you have San Fran Owls Clover expect to pay a premium for additional dirt work to reintroduce the scavenged top soil back in disturbed area


0

Maybe they are related to the Resnick’s?


0

They payed $165,000 to by pass the permit system and promised not to do it again, because the grading is already done.


2

The Los Robles Del Mar property? Lots of politics abound in the Los Robles Del Mar development proposal and denial history.


0

Happens all the time. Who snitched?


6

You can burn the damn state down, but by God don’t damage a flower


9

Recall how every year, there are dozens of warnings from Cal Fire to “…clear 100ft around your home, of brush and grass so fire has no fuel, and you will save the planet!!” (I may have paraphrased a tiny bit).


Yeah, except you will be fined, like this couple, for “damaging” endangered specie habitat.


It’s not a great deal of figuring, why the state burns up so easily.


5