The vision for the future of Avila Beach is now in the hands of residents, who can weigh in on parking, vacation rentals, beach access, and open space uses through a new survey.
The survey is the next step in a process that started in 2016 to address concerns related to the growing community in Avila Beach. The decisions made with input from this public survey will affect the development of Avila Beach for the next 20 years.
"Avila is a place that everyone in the county loves and also a place that tourists out of the county love and know, probably one of our top beach destinations in the county," San Luis Obispo County Planner Kimberly Nguyen said. "So there are a lot of forces shaping it, also a place that's seen a lot of change over the past 15 years with moving away from oil industry and having UniCal cleanup over the downtown area."
Survey takers can support or offer changes to these recommendations:
- Limit Avila Point to historical development and a possible connection to cave landing.
- Maintain rural residential use at cave landing and create open space that protects natural resources.
- Allow additional commercial uses in the town center by extending commercial retail options from San Luis Street to the end of Front Street.
- Protect future development of vacation rentals by preventing prohibition on such properties and adding specific guidelines.
The surveyis available now and takes about 15 to 20 minutes.
A draft of the plan is expected by December with a final plan complete by march... An environmental review is expected to take an additional year, bringing the plan implementation date to 2022.
The Avila community development plan was funded and authorized by the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors in June 2016.
Staff will be looking at all policies, programs, and standards that affect the land within the San Luis Obispo inland area plan, Avila community plan (inland), San Luis Bay area plan (coastal), and the Avila Beach specific plan.
