If you live in Morro Bay, you’ll be deciding this November whether to approve a measure that, if passed, would allow residents to have a say in proposed changes in certain areas in the city.
Measure A is a citizen’s initiative that establishes the requirement of a vote of the citizens to change the existing visitor-serving commercial and fishing land use of four properties near the Embarcadero and on the old power plant property.
“We like batteries. We just don’t think it’s the appropriate place,” said Barry Branin, Measure A proponent.
This measure came about after Texas-based company, Vistra, proposed a battery storage facility at the old power plant site.
“It doesn’t block anything. What it does is promote visitor-serving projects,” Branin said.
He says Measure A supporters don’t want to stop development but rather encourage development that supports the tourism and fishing-based economy and give voters the ability to decide the city’s land use.
KSBY News reporter Sophia Villalba asked Branin what Morro Bay could look like.
“Across the street from where we are is a nice flat space. [It] could be a beautiful space for an outside music venue like a band shell. It would bring people for music, fill the hotels and restaurants and be an economic center for the town. We think that’s better than a defunct power plant,” Branin said.
Opponents of the measure argue it could hinder necessary development and the reason for having an elected city council in the first place.
“Not only would it discourage developers from coming here but it sets a really bad precedent because it sews distrust in our people,” said Marlys McPherson, Morro Bay Citizens Opposed to Measure A-24 principal officer.
McPherson says it would add more of a process to land use decisions.
“It would require another citizen’s initiative, a vote of the people, to actually consider anything that could actually go there. Anything else would have to go through a very lengthy and expensive process of going to a vote of the people,” McPherson said.
She says economic development will help sustain the city.
“I think it’s about the future of Morro Bay and who’s going to be in control of our future, and we actually need economic development here if we’re going to survive as a city,” McPherson said.
McPherson adds there are other avenues Vistra can take to get approval for its battery storage project.
"Vistra can go to the state to get a permit. There’s a state law, AB 205, passed in 2022 that overrides local opposition to these kinds of projects,” McPherson said.
Vistra declined to comment on Measure A.
For Measure A to pass, it requires more than 50 percent voter approval.
