SLO councilwoman’s plan to remove neighbor’s parking foiled

April 23, 2026

San Luis Obispo Councilwoman Jan Marx

By KAREN VELIE

In a neighborhood plagued with builder defects and allegations city staff failed to properly inspect new construction, a complaint lodged by San Luis Obispo City Councilwoman Jan Marx resulted in a rapid but poor response.

Located across from Laguna lake, San Luis Ranch is advertised as a neighborhood that “embraces the natural relationship between farming, sustainable and healthy living.” The picturesque homes set a few feet from neighbors with walking trails winding behind and a shortage of parking spaces throughout.

Multiple city officials, including Marx and then Chief Building Official Michael Loew, moved into the San Luis Ranch community during the past six years.

Loew resigned from the city in June 2025. Shortly afterwards in Nov. 2025, Loew wrote city officials a letter that included allegations the city had failed to properly inspect projects, meet safety targets and report surplus funds.

In addition, Loew noted in his letter the “retaliatory conduct I endured during my tenure… when attempting to address these fiscal policy discrepancies.” He warned the city council that the city’s response to his concerns involved casting “false aspersions” on his competence.

Loew filed a claim against the city in Nov. 2025.

On Feb. 27, Marx filed a complaint claiming a white Silverado pickup truck belonging to the Loews had parked at the corner of San Luis Ranch Road and Froom Ranch Way for weeks without moving. Marx also asked the city to paint the curb where the truck was parked red because of the proximity of the fire hydrant and the crosswalk.

The next day, Marx asked city staff to paint the curb red up to Loew’s driveway.

“Extending the red curb all the way to the driveway would make sense, given that cars which presently park in that space often block traffic coming into the neighborhood, especially when cars on the opposite side of the street are trying to exit into the roundabout,” Marx wrote the city on Feb. 28.

Two days later, city staff painted the curb red based on a 2024 law which prohibits parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk and 15 feet from a fire hydrant, and the inaccurate dimensions Marx provided.

Loew challenged Marx and city staff’s math. By April 7, the city was forced to retreat. Assistant Director of Public Works Madeline Kacsinta admitted that “the original measurements were overly conservative,”and that upon re-evaluation, there was indeed enough space to retain an 18-foot parking spot.

Even so, the extra foot the city painted red did not leave enough room for the family’s truck. The Loews planned to file an appeal.

However, the New Times published an article about the red curb on April 16, and the next day the city eliminated the extra foot.

For city staffers who argue they do not have the staff to properly inspect new construction, staff sent more than 90 pages of emails arguing about painting the curb in front of Loew’s house red.

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