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San Miguel Strategic Growth vs. Sprawl

In San Miguel, there is a growing concern that Southern California development patterns -- dominated by what some call "sprawl" -- do not fit into the long-term interest of San Miguel, California. Though supportive of growth, San Miguel residents are questioning the economic and social costs of possibly replacing our surrounding agricultural lands and open space with sprawling subdivisions, commencing with the proposed 600-acre "San Miguel Ranch" General Plan Amendment proposal.

What is Strategic Growth and Smart Growth?

The features that distinguish Strategic Growth Planning and a component, termed "Smart Growth" in the San Miguel community invests time, attention, and resources in restoring and building community and vitality while maximizing our opportuities to further attract tourism from travelers along scenic U.S. Highway 101. San Miguel residents view Smart Growth as a town-centered approach that is focused on downtown revitalization, transit and pedestrian oriented, and has a greater mix of housing, commercial and retail uses. This approach avoids encroachment into our established agricultural and scenic areas which frame and provide a unique backdrop to our community. Strategic Growth Planning preserves these surrounding agricultural lands and open space, as well as other environmental amenities. These important principles have been adopted by our County Board of Supervisors, described in greater detail at the following links:

Strategic Growth Principles:

  1. Mix land uses
  2. Take advantage of compact building design
  3. Create a range of housing opportunities and choices
  4. Create walkable communities
  5. Foster distinctive, attractive communities with a strong sense of place
  6. Preserve open space, farmland, natural beauty, and critical environmental areas
  7. Strengthen and direct development toward existing communities
  8. Provide a variety of transportation choices
  9. Make development decisions predictable, fair, and cost-effective
  10. Encourage community and stakeholder collaboration in development decisions

What is Sprawl?

  • Low density housing and strip commercial development.
  • Unlimited outward epansion from the town center
  • Leapfrog development
  • Dominance of the car for transporation
  • Segregation of land uses
  • Disappearing agricultural lands and open space on the town fringe
  • Loss of community character

Questions to ask of each major development proposed for our community:

  • Is the project consistent with our Community Design Plan and General Plan?
  • Has there been meaningful community outreach for proposals not anticipated in the Community Design Plan?
  • Is the location appropriate and does it respect our town and surrounding agricultural/natural landscape?
  • Does the development make the most efficient and environmentally sensitve use of the land?
  • Does the development direct growth away from our agricultural areas and open space?
  • Does the layout maintain a clear edge between urban and agricultural/rural?
  • Does the site provide or improve safe and convienient pedestiran and bicycle connectivity?
  • Do building designs reflect the character of San Miguel, its History, and its Heritage?
  • Are there costs to the community i.e. subsidies, infrastructure, roads, public services, environmental or social costs?
  • Do the benefits to the community outweigh the costs?

The Grizzle Land & Development Corporation's Solution for San Miguel:

  • Quietly purchase over 550 acres of agricultural land outside the town of San Miguel and outside the San Miguel Community Services District.
  • Present yourself to the community as "just a farmer" trying to make a living with a development project for all of San Miguel to enjoy.
  • Claim your agricultural land is non-productive by dry farming low-value crops.
  • Ignore the Town's Design Plan and the County's General Plan in seeking project support & approval.
  • Offer financial donations, services, smiles, and handshakes to local groups to garner project support.
  • Offer "impact fees*" (already required) to upgrade emergency services to all of San Miguel.
  • Offer a diversion of up to 2.0 million gallons per day of agricultral groundwater to the town to serve the new project and the town.
  • Convert 600 acres into residential housing tract with its own internal streets, sidewalks, trees, and open space/parks.
  • Offer a road and sidewalk "connections" between the project site and the 101 freeway on- and off-ramps.
  • Provide "rooftops" assuming the future residents will shop in San Miguel rather than Paso Robles and beyond.
  • Present the project as a solution to the County's affordable housing issues, and/or offer your housing to Camp Roberts as their affordable housing solution in support of their expanding military training mission.

* Impact fees would already be required and only cover the cost of a new development. Impact fees DO NOT cover the cost of upgrading existing service shortages.

The examples below provide a visual of Urban Sprawl vs. Strategic Growth: