SAN MIGUEL, CA -- STOP URBAN SPRAWL IN SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY
Join SMART and help preserve agricultural &
rural lands
SAN MIGUEL AREA RESIDENTS TRUST S.M.A.R.T. San Miguel, California
Dedicated to the promotion of the historic San Miguel community through downtown development and the preservation of rural lands.
SMART supports the County's "General Plan" and "Strategic Growth" goals of:
SMART opposes:
Contact SMART, P.O. Box 192, San Miguel, CA 93451
e-mail: info@sanmiguelsmart.com
NEWS FLASH: June 2009 Election Results are in: Each Strategic Growth candidate: Sharon Brower; Noel Carpenter; and Mike Sanders were elected. THANK YOU FOR YOUR VOTE! For more information, go to the Official web site of San Miguel at http://www.sanmigueladvisorycouncil.com
San Miguel Ranch Update: San Miguel Advisory Council Recommends New Project Alternative. The Advisory Council has formally recommended that the County focus "high-quality town village" growth within the town of San Miguel as a new potential alternative as opposed to the sprawling growth into our outlying rural agricultural areas. The proposed San Miguel Ranch development project and the alternative project designs on the project site were not supported by the 7-member Council. County staff have informed us that the development is being opposed by Camp Roberts (after 4 years of community opposition), the plan is being revised by the developer. As a result, the Plannning Commission schedule for project review has been pushed out to August 27 study session and September 10, 2009 public hearing. We have no idea what the developer intends to "revise" and no Final EIR (response to public comments) has been made available to date.
The proposed project Draft EIR is available for public review at the San Miguel & Paso Robles Library, and the County Planning Department, or go to this County web page: http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/planning/environmental/EnvironmentalNotices.htm
The Draft EIR identifies 21 SIGNIFICANT UNAVOIDABLE IMPACTS, due to it's remote location in ag lands distant from the town of San Miguel.
About Us
In March of 2006, the County of San Luis Obispo formally notified the San Miguel area residents of a proposed development project that would transform 550 acres of agricultural land into a suburban residential development. If approved, this project would be the first General Plan Amendment of its kind to impact San Miguel's west side agricultural community and the single largest development project to impact the historic small town of San Miguel.
Local residents became increasing disturbed when it was discovered that a Southern California developer had been quietly purchasing agricultural land and planning a project with San Luis Obispo County officials without the vast community's knowledge. As a result, the residents decided to organize into a single voice that could best represent the growing concerns over the potential negative impacts a proposed development of this size and scope could have on the town of San Miguel and the outlying areas. In June 2006, the San Miguel Area Residents Trust (SMART) was formed.
SMART is comprised of numerous residents, property owners, business owners, farmers, and ranchers that are taking interest in development issues in and around San Miguel. SMART members attend the monthly San Miguel Advisory Council meetings held at the San Miguel Community Center, and official County "Strategic Growth" workshop meetings in San Luis Obispo at the County administration building.
SMART is in contact with each of our elected County Supervisors through written correspondance and direct meetings, and continues to demonstrate that the facts outweigh the developers opinions on each of the impacts associated with the proposed "San Miguel Ranch" development project. SMART also actively supports the various town development projects that are consistent with the County's Smart Growth Principles, the San Miguel Community Design Plan, the SLO County General Plan, and the County "Strategic Growth" planning.
SMART participation has resulted in:
(1) Open public discussion and participation of development issues;
(2) Increased SMAC meeting attendance;
(3) Advanced and readily available SMAC meeting agendas;
(4) A fair and balanced SMAC membership; and
(5) Increased public awareness of local development issues.
SMART is not a high dollar organization and relies on the modest resources of local area resident volunteers. SMART has no intention of competing with the financial and political clout associated with:
~ Project Owner and Southern California Realtor Brent Grizzle;
~ Grizzle Land & Development Corporation;
~ Grizzle Real Estate Developers & Development Corporation;
~ Brent Grizzle Development Companies;
~ Grizzle San Miguel Ranch Corporation; or
~ Any other Grizzle Development Affiliates.
Unlike the various Grizzle Development Corporations, SMART cannot afford to donate large sums of money to local non-profit organizations, provide $5,000 donations; interest-free loans, free catered BBQ events, petting zoos, bounce houses, or portable toilets to local events in hopes of swaying the opinion of our community. SMART does not hire consultants like RRM Design Group to regularly attend meetings and lobby the Board of Supervisors and other local officials. There is no financial gain for SMART as compared to the huge profits that the Grizzle Development Corporation seeks with project approval of the proposed "San Miguel Ranch" General Plan Amendment, Rezone, Subdivision Map, and LAFCO Annexation.
[ PHOTO RESPECTFULLY REMOVED AT THE REQUEST OF THE LOCAL RECIPIENT ]
Above Photo: Developer Brent Grizzle accepts banner in exchange for a $5,000 gift .
SMART is composed of concerned citizens that rely upon our County Board of Supervisors to uphold the SLO County General Plan and local San Miguel Community Design Plan that guide development within the San Miguel planning and service area. Sprawling development outside of our planned development area will be detrimental to our agricultural viability, town tourism, our small town infrastructure, and our historic downtown San Miguel area.
The rainbow points to the site of Grizzle Land and Development Corporation's proposed "San Miguel Ranch", a transformation of scenic and productive agricultural lands into a Southern California-style urban sprawl subdivision, complete with office and fast food as the gateway to San Miguel and northern San Luis Obispo County.
HELP US STOP URBAN SPRAWL NOW...
BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.
E-Mail us at: info@sanmiguelsmart.com
