The Cal Poly pier, Port San Luis pier and Morro Bay are the three sites being considered for a maintenance yard for Morro Bay’s offshore wind project.
While no one KSBY spoke with Friday was in favor of a maintenance yard at the beaches they frequent, Dan Udoutch, who takes walks in Avila Beach several times a week, says he is for the wind project but doesn’t feel like the Avila Beach area is the right spot for the maintenance center.
“I like the fact that there are two piers here to reuse resources, however, it makes more sense to put it in Morro Bay. Seems closer to the wind farm, a little more land to do the various production and building,” Udoutch said.
Rick Brawley lives in Morro Bay and also frequently fishes there. He says he also isn’t too fond of a waterfront maintenance yard in his town.
“I think it would just be too congested. There’s lots of sea otters and wildlife there and I think it just wouldn’t be good,” Brawley said.
The effort to determine where will be separated into two studies — one for Morro Bay and a second for the piers in Avila.
The Morro Bay study will include an evaluation of potential onshore sites to support offshore wind and two public meetings to discuss the draft and final study results.
“It definitely would be an eyesore. It takes away from Morro Bay,” Brawley said.
The San Luis Obispo Bay study will include determining the need for a breakwater and potential co-uses and benefits to address the existing uses at Port San Luis and Cal Poly piers.
Use of a $1 million grant for that study was approved by the County Board of Supervisors earlier this week.
“I’m just conscious of reusing resources in the best way but also going to the most efficient use of land and avoiding traffic,” Udoutch said.
As far as the next steps for the county and its partners, education and engagement programs for the community are also part of the plans.
