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San Luis Obispo County beaches: Recognitions and threats

October 4, 2025
T. Keith Gurnee

T. Keith Gurnee

OPINION by KEITH T. GURNEE

As a resident of the Central Coast for more than 50 years, my family has loved this place. After all, what other areas have such beauty as San Luis Obispo County?

With its scenic hills, its diverse views of the Pacific Ocean, its great weather, and the small-town ambience of its coastal communities, our area has garnered serious national attention.

Magazines, newspapers, and tourist publications have recently ranked our county’s attributes near the top of many “lists” extolling the virtues of our coastline. We have become a national magnet for tourism.

Recognitions

The lists outlined below contain glowing remarks about our coastal communities that should give a boost to an already healthy tourist economy. But that economy could be threatened by the forces at work by energy companies that (a) covet our coast for windfarm developments and battery storage facilities and (b) the local politicians who support their efforts.

But before discussing the threats that face us, let’s confirm what these lists tell us:

1.   “USA Today” recently ranked Pismo Beach as its “best small-town beachfront community in the nation” crediting its distinctive Pismo Pier and its “award winning waterfront promenade” while touting its “scenic views, tasty food offerings, historical sites, and plenty of activities.” Morro Bay came in fifth place in its review making Morro Bay and Pismo Beach as “the only California towns to make a list.”

2.   Sunset magazine’s “Sunset Travel Awards” “ranked Pismo Beach and Avila Beach as the top two “most beautiful beaches in California”.

3.   In its evaluation of the top 10 beaches in the nation, “HomeToGo” extolled Avila Beach as its best beach in the entire United States calling it “a hidden gem as a vacation spot.”

4.   The “American Automobile Association” recognized Cayucos as “one of the best quaint coastal towns to visit in the West” calling it “the coolest little beach town.”

5.   “Yardbarker” called San Luis Obispo County as one of the best “perfect places for an outdoor getaway in the United States” citing its “great access to outdoor activities for hiking and surfing.”

6.   “Mixbook” ranked Cambria as the third best “peaceful spring break destinations for families in 2025.”

Amidst such praise, San Luis Obispo County’s waterfront communities have become some of the most popular California destinations and in the nation. But will they continue to be recognized and serve as the ongoing economic engine of these communities well into the future?

Threats

Given the forces that are currently at work in San Luis Obispo County and Sacramento, the answer to that question is no! Both local and state politicians as well as energy companies are determined to dramatically affect these thriving tourist destinations by impacting them with unsightly and hazardous industrial developments.

Indeed, Morro Bay and Avila Beach have become targets for massive industrial development while the entire coastline of San Luis Obispo County could become an unsightly corridor of up to 600 wind turbines stretching up into the sky at 1100 feet in height and floating over waters that are 4000 feet deep. The windmills would be twice the height of Morro Rock!

Then, there’s the Vistra Corp’s proposal to develop a 22-acre battery energy storage system on the site of the former Morro Bay power plant right next to the Embarcadero. This comes right on the heels of the disastrous Jan. 17 Moss Landing fire that consumed a similar lithium battery facility that took firefighters days to get under control.

These projects would forever change the character, the ambience, and the livability of our coastal communities.

While Assemblywoman Dawn Addis has thankfully introduced AB 303 that would give local governments the power to review and approve such facilities, action on this bill was continued indefinitely this past April. In checking with Addis’ office, it appears that the bill might be reconsidered in Jan. 2026.

While local attorney Saro Rizzo and Mandy Davis, president of REACT Alliance, are keeping a close watch on these projects, those of us who care about our coastal resources need to be vigilant in resisting these projects.

Should these projects be approved with the help of certain members of the SLO County Board of Supervisors, it’s highly doubtful that our county would ever again receive the strong recognition that our coastal communities have already received.

Part two of this commentary will address the particulars of these proposals and the local and state political forces behind them. Indeed, the local and state political races of 2026 will most certainly determine the fate of these projects and our coastline’s pitch. Stay tuned.

T. Keith Gurnee is a former city of San Luis Obispo councilman. He also served as the planning director for the city of Morro Bay where he obtained a grant from the California Coastal Conservancy for its comprehensive Coastal Waterfront Access Plan that included such projects as waterfront parks, trails, and Morro Bay’s Waterfront Promenade that its citizens and visitors enjoy today. As an urban designer, he designed the distinctive Pismo Pier after it was destroyed by the floods of 1983 and helped the city to obtain funding to build the Pier that was completed in 1986.

 


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Keith, your information is old. Addis’s AB 303 is dead in committee. It’s going nowhere, because clean energy project siting just superceded AB303 with newly signed SB254 on 9-19-25. SB 254 originally was to address utilities wildfire response, communication and planning. It then got modified towards the end of the bill to add CEIA Clean Energy Infrastructure Authority. The CEIA userpts the CPUC authority, gives the CEIA BESS battery CEQAs review and cookie cutter them. The bill gives the CEIA powers to finance anything on their agenda which circumvents FERC funding authority. The bill even asserts that CEIA has the power to do “anything and all things necessary…”. This is the scariest bill that I’ve ever seen in my 36 years of operating the electric grid and zero news outlets have raised a red flag.


4

If we’ve learned one thing in the last 5 years it’s a Battery Storage Facility does not belong within 5 miles of any place that people live.


33

In the 60’s, when LA was still smothered in smog alerts and the ever growing highway system, SLO used to advertise all over the Southland: “Come Up For Air!”


Sadly, far too many LA, Bay area, and valley people did, forever ruining what was once a bustling family supported community, kitschy beach fronts, and true small town attitudes of caring and helpful neighbors. How many remember the wonderful SLO founding celebration of La Fiesta? The Creston 4th of July parade? The many events on the Embarcadero? The massive hot rod car runs on Memorial and Labor days in Paso, and the requirement to close all businesses on Pioneer Day? The Clam Festival…the REAL clam festival, when thousands would be out at low tide to find the tasty treats (no, never any danger of over-fishing), and the ancient boardwalk rides would be making thousands more happy?


Nope. All gone, or on the way out the door. La Fiesta went the way of ambivalence. The Creston Rodeo is no longer a mainstay of North County ranchers. Thanks to an LA transfer Police Chief, the huge hot rod runs in Paso were turned away. Avila, despite so many promises to rebuild it “…just the way it was, and not allow any more housing…”, is now North Malibu, with MANY more houses and condo’s. Any fest in Morro Bay, now centers in the park on Main. The calm festival, is nothing more now, than a parking revenue generator.


Hell, most people who moved here withing the last 40-50 years, have no idea that Nipomo is NOT the Taco Bell and golf courses.


No, Sadly. SLO County isn’t fun, or quaint, or respectful any more. Even the San Luis Obispo County Fair, is no longer the showcase for local 4-H and FFA kids, and rural talents, but redesigned to be the rival of the State Fair. It’s not even CALLED the San Luis Obispo County Fair!


So, Avila is a great beach, according to the tourist rags? Sure, if you like a Disneyland facade instead of reality. Barbara’s By The Sea, would have a different opinion.


26

So true, had many good times at Barbara’s, Old Custom House and the Lighthouse Bar. Avila had the Funk!


7

So true the city folks have ruined this county similar to what Californians have done to Oregon, Idaho and working on Montana.


5

Be on the lookout for the Wind And Battery Industry frontline to continue to offer financial

“incentives” to municipalities and the county for things like “ unfunded maintenance, etc. , if only they convince the locals that bringing their industry to town is the right thing to do. Lol

Coincidence that cash strapped Caltrans opted to build a $14 million dollar roundabout that can now accommodate the 100 foot trailers used to move wind components in Avila? How about up and moving Pacific Wildlife Rescue off the Vistra site to SLO? Who knows? Who would ever admit anything anyway?

P.S. Kudos to Dawn Addis for trying to fight a uphill battle for local control against the entrenched forces in Sacramento.

Stay vigilant!


30

Not only does the new round about not have the ability to accommodate a wind turbine blade, but Avila Rd also does not.


Any such large item, would have to be brought in by barge or cargo ship. Any barge or ship of that size would have to be docked at a massive pier. Any pier large enough to dock a massive barge would require a massive crane system on a steel and concrete base.


Diablo showed this to be true, and PG&E had to build a small pier at Port San Luis to off-load the reactors and turbines. The pier’s anchor remains on the bluff. Even Vandenberg had to build a special quay, to offload the Shuttle engines, because the roads to the launch facility would not handle the size of the transporter.


This entire offshore power station plan is an immense boondoggle, equal to, and will easily surpass, the high speed train to nowhere.


8

More lies and stupidity, as usual. The wind turbines would be well out of sight. Unlike the oil derricks of nearby Santa Barbara. Having multiple sources of energy can only benefit everyone. Something the big oil companies dont want. Do be fooled into pro-corporation thinking!


-27

If you are standing on the beach, yes, the turbines won’t be seen. Go anywhere else in Morro Bay, Avila, Pismo, Cayucos, Cambria, San Simeon, or even Hearst Castle, and there they will be. Spinning their non-performance hearts out.


7

I think big oil would welcome the giant wind boondoggle. The ships and workboats would burn millions of gallon of diesel fuel not only building it but maintaining it for 20years. Out of sight out of your mind.


8

Under the original proposal at the community meetings in Morro Bay, the proposed turbines were to be 600 feet tall and 30 to 35 miles from shore. Under that original concept, they would not have been seen.


Fast forward 10 years now the proposed turbines at the leasing area are 1,100 feet tall and 20 miles from shore from the San Simeon region. The curvature of the earth only bends about 270 feet over 20 miles, so yes, they will be very visible from many regions throughout SLO county.


And those numbers are predicated on being at beach height. Travel up into any of the mountainous beach communities and they become more visible.


And don’t forget that offshore wind costs 3 to 5 times more than onshore green energy alternatives and will ruin our small coastal communities with multiple industrial ports the build and service these installations. And dont forget the multiple substation platforms required that resemble offshore oil rigs with helicopter pads for access that will also be installed as well.


11