The City of Morro Bay is looking to update its Waterfront Master Plan and recently sent in a $750,000 grant application to the California Coastal Commission to make it happen.
Community Development Director Airlin Singewald says the updates would focus on addressing sea level rise, parking, and the overall vision for the design and development of the waterfront area.
“I don’t think there needs to be anything added to this. What’s out here already is really spectacular,” said Joshua Suel, Shell Beach resident.
“It revives the area, it draws new traffic so overall I think it’s a plus for Morro Bay,” said Tony Carignan, Daisy’s Organic Coffee & Tea Shop owner.
Rearranging parking along the Embarcadero for a public plaza is also a possibility.
“There’s so many people that live in Morro Bay that avoid the waterfront because of parking or traffic but if they did open up more parking or plazas and places to sit and relax, I think more locals would come down to the waterfront,” Carignan said.
“If it’s not broke, why change anything?” Suel said.
The plan would likely include a vision for redeveloping Centennial Plaza, connecting the downtown area to the Embarcadero and Harbor Walk.
“Best views in town that whole area. That would be a great area if they did something like that there,” said Huy Ngo, Morro Bay resident.
There will also be a chance for the community to weigh in on what they’d like to see.
“If the city did a parking structure in the middle of Morro Bay or like uptown so it's community parking,” Ngo added.
Singewald says they are hoping for Coastal Commission approval on their grant application by the end of the year.
