1. Margarita Area Specific plan
Michael Codron, City of San Luis Obispo
Margarita Area Specific plan

2. Margarita Area Overview

3. Margarita Area Overview
The Saga of Prado Road

4. Margarita Area Overview
By the numbers…
868 Dwellings
685 Low, Medium Density
183 Medium-High, High Density
Business Park
68 Acres
~950,000 square feet
Neighborhood Commercial
3 acres
10,000 square feet

5. Margarita Area in Context
Growth in SLO has not always been slow
Post-War Growth:
Population increased from to 14,180 to 41,958

6. Margarita Area in Context
Planning for growth became a priority
By 1980, efforts to prevent sprawl in full swing
New growth to occur via annexation of new land
Specific Plan required for each area before annexation
Policies adopted for greenbelt protection, “gradual assimilation” of new residents
New development required to “pay its own way.”
Resulted in disparate development costs across the various growth areas, and even within growth areas

7. Margarita Area in Context
One of five major, new neighborhoods identified in General Plan
Each neighborhood

8. The Lost Years:
Multiple property owners, each with a different idea of when and how to develop
Infrastructure needed to serve the Margarita Area provides City-wide benefits, but cost burden left to Margarita Area land uses
Finally, the Great Recession rocked the status quo
Work with EPS began!

9. Prado Road – Who Pays? Cost: $22 Million
Poor Reasoning: But for the development of the Margarita Area, Prado Road would not be constructed, therefore, the Margarita Area is solely responsible for its cost…
Poor Reasoning II: The Margarita Area benefits from all of the streets, parks, etc. already constructed within the City, so it should be entirely responsible for all of its own infrastructure and facilities…

10. Feasibility Analysis (Single Family)

11. Feasibility Analysis (Retail)

12. Feasibility Analysis (Industrial)

13. Current Status
Residential: 393 homes entitled, permitted and/or occupied (868 total in area)
331 Single Family
62 Multi-Family
Commercial/Industrial:

14. EPS Recommendations
Council should guide staff on the range of options it is willing to consider for financing important infrastructure
Council direction: All options on the table
Replace the current development impact fee structure
Citywide Capital Facilities Fee Program Update in progress
Develop a prioritized list of infrastructure projects to invest in
Created a Strategic Infrastructure Infrastructure Fund and policies to support its use
Current balance = $250,000

15. Next Steps Damon/Garcia Ranch property is key
Ongoing conversations with property owners
Owners not likely to move forward until fee program is adjusted
Measure J (half-cent self help initiative narrowly defeated, SLOCOG may try again)
Continued investment in City Strategic Infrastructure Investment Fund
Ongoing conversations with regional partners including SLO County and SLOCOG