[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6328819,"mediaKeyId","2316832-ddc2aac82207eaada32478eb82b5c12f","parentId",2316832,"title","Votes at a glance: Arroyo Grande council approves consent items, CDBG allocations and Gina's lease; creates ad hoc litigation committee","audioSeconds",2412,"startMs",3343000,"endMs",5755000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2316832-ddc2aac82207eaada32478eb82b5c12f&start=3343&end=5755","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2316832-ddc2aac82207eaada32478eb82b5c12f/thumbnail_3343000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6328819/Arroyo-Grande-City/San-Luis-Obispo-County/California/Votes-at-a-glance-Arroyo-Grande-council-approves-consent-items-CDBG-allocations-and-Ginas-lease-creates-ad-hoc-litigation-committee","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6328819-e04c164ab832453e3b55ac8d99980327/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136992&Signature=Tk6gjqumy894BXEy2KTImA1ylorsdcevowlzxB~Cu9y0r78IMD9e~bTYfkLChExqMCJ6sTPDQHJOXjoci-0KM1gf07l65Dmqy8Emz2GqHc3UKR7MhSAQGxlwqwDWHTn8joFLoOoFSjYFzse8crnSAg68k1chYNIHnPARA8d~Y7x7zy9lX6DlQ7hCY0tBTDIh7o~IyP2niffsrVAtuJKeBohA8sXSGCZPZkQbA~K9iiZnsu-CT8R8mNhkV5iNIGryoebh4NIX9mNFWCCX01P5WEUev9ELmzJujog8qhzgyuHofUz1QI5KZK~B1rUfkZIxLFlYiBG9BJIijGlvJhP48w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Arroyo Grande CA","date","2025-02-15T04:09:27Z","article","The Arroyo Grande City Council took several routine and semi-routine actions on Feb. 11, approving consent items, finalizing Community Development Block Grant allocations, authorizing a lease for outdoor dining and creating an ad hoc committee to advise on litigation.

Consent agenda: The council approved consent items 9a through 9g (excluding item 9F, which was considered separately) by roll call. A technical correction to the minutes for item 9C (designation language referring to Miller Way) was noted and adopted as amended. The roll call on the consent package (excluding 9F) was unanimous: Council members Guthrie, Lowe, Marviglia, Mayor Pro Tem Seacrest and Mayor Rae (Ray) Russell voted yes.

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG): The council adopted a resolution recommending county approval of the city's CDBG projects for 2025. Staff recommended funding $9,600 to the 5 Cities Homeless Coalition for public services, $46,302 for curb ramp and sidewalk improvements to meet ADA standards (to be coordinated with annual pavement rehabilitation), and returning $8,353 to the county for program administration. Staff also found the action exempt from CEQA under Guideline 15061(b)(3). The motion carried unanimously.

Gina's lease (138 E. Branch St.): The council authorized the city manager to execute a three-year lease (with two two-year extensions) with Gina's Italian restaurant to allow an outdoor dining patio in the city right-of-way. Lease terms reported by staff were $425 per month ($5,100 annually), calculated at $1 per square foot per month; staff compared the rate to similar outdoor dining arrangements in neighboring jurisdictions. The council approved the resolution authorizing the city manager to execute the new lease and found the authorization not to be a project under CEQA. The vote was unanimous.

Ad hoc litigation committee: As part of the agenda review, staff reported that the council previously voted to create an ad hoc committee composed of Mayor Ray Russom and Council member Lo to evaluate and advise on the impacts of pending litigation to the city (case referenced in closed session). That committee formation was noted in the council's procedural report.

Vacation of equestrian easement (9F): The council considered and approved item 9F (vacation of a public equestrian easement on Ridgeview Way) in a separate, contested vote; see separate article for full coverage of that debate and the 4-1 roll call.

Ending: Most routine items passed with broad support; the council flagged one consent item for separate discussion and voted to vacate an easement after public comment and debate.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","02/11/2025 City Council Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","At its Feb. 11 meeting the Arroyo Grande City Council approved a package of consent items, adopted CDBG project recommendations, authorized a new lease with Gina's Italian restaurant and created an ad hoc committee to advise on litigation impacts; most items passed unanimously except one contested easement vacation (see separate article).","taxTitle","Arroyo Grande City, San Luis Obispo County, California","taxId",71908,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6328822,"Developer previews 125-room hotel proposal at 400 West Branch; council and residents raise traffic, water and design questions",558,5442000,6000000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2316832-ddc2aac82207eaada32478eb82b5c12f&start=5442&end=6000","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2316832-ddc2aac82207eaada32478eb82b5c12f/thumbnail_5442000.jpg","/articles/6328822/Arroyo-Grande-City/San-Luis-Obispo-County/California/Developer-previews-125-room-hotel-proposal-at-400-West-Branch-council-and-residents-raise-traffic-water-and-design-questions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6328822-6e9df23a101d3099d4802f67150674c5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136992&Signature=W8rrtO4L5GQOLVQ-8kK6OI86SFHdjLnBNEW0pjDSTei0k137lo4otMn0eZ6gqYUKi0s9xA6n1I~~eiRR0wM1yHCPYgtE~aPReQ5xVs0VlHP0WobFWp~62lqmETGR25vdqDImB2GzDAO0Qrs2cIopa1LUdFTb2BZzqXWpIs8Xj70jJEgYW5XxRTykzjW~hTcRSW6osCI~~oGZii0AgLCHbXohuHcMY2YPdp1XpKO3aMirfEpfX7qLpsKz1Fpcl-tEhZAwrt0F5DMji~894ja6VIXEJiDfGtXVXTM~LET3e~vBYiSE5lG1njKiqJiMNteXix2yKHvKfFNSUWO2ZBfsyQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A proposed 125-room hotel on city-owned property at 400 West Branch Street drew extensive public comment and detailed questions from Arroyo Grande City Council members on Feb. 11 during a non-decision pre-application review.

Andrew Perez, the city's planning manager, said the site consists of two parcels totaling about 4.25 acres with current General Plan and zoning that designate the land for \"community facilities\" and public facilities zoning. Perez told the council that the developer's preliminary plan shows a three-story hotel, a fitness center, pool and surface parking; the proposal would require a general plan amendment to mixed-use, a zoning change to highway mixed use, a lot-line adjustment and a conditional use permit.

The applicant team, represented by project architect Tom Bergerson and developer representative Dev Patel, said they responded to an earlier city solicitation, that the design reduces a more typical four-story prototype to three stories for the site, and that multiple technical studies are already underway. \"There was an open RFP that Dev Patel and Kamala Hotels responded to,\" Bergerson said. \"We are planning'... and we are going to have a community meeting to get your input.\" Bergerson added that traffic and noise studies are in progress and that the team expects several months of analysis before a formal public hearing.

Council members pressed staff and the applicant on traffic, pedestrian access to the village, water use and public safety. Council member Guthrie, who has previous hotel experience, said hotels typically generate relatively low daily trip rates compared with other commercial uses but acknowledged the site sits near congested intersections around Briscoe and West Branch. Planning manager Perez confirmed the project will require a traffic impact analysis and that mitigation measures would be determined by that analysis.

Several residents said the mailed notices for the pre-application arrived only a few days before the hearing and asked for more time and outreach; others cited day-to-day traffic congestion near the Briscoe Underpass, concerns about emergency vehicle access, water supply given regional drought and the project's large parking area. One resident representing nearby neighbors asked whether the project would include conference or event space and how that might change traffic patterns. Another asked whether the applicant would pursue LEED or other green building measures; Bergerson said the hotel design would include \"sustainable measures\" and that water-saving strategies would be part of building-plan review.

City staff and the applicant repeatedly emphasized that the pre-application is an early step, that the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review will evaluate traffic, noise, air quality, public safety and other impacts, and that those studies will be publicly available and inform required mitigations. Assistant City Manager Roberson provided a brief history: the city acquired the property in 1991, pursued developer outreach starting around 2017, and had ongoing discussions interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic; the county lifted a deed restriction in 2023 that had affected earlier options.

Council members generally said they value the potential revenue from transient occupancy tax (TOT) but expressed a long list of concerns they want to see addressed in subsequent technical studies and community meetings. Mayor Pro Tem Seacrest and others asked the applicant to explore improved pedestrian connections to the village and suggested consideration of public art and landscaping to soften the parking area and reduce the visual massing of the building.

No approvals were sought or granted at the Feb. 11 meeting; council members asked for a community meeting by the applicant and indicated they will evaluate the formal applications and technical studies when submitted.

Ending: The project will proceed through the city's formal review process including ARC (Architectural Review Committee), planning commission and potentially city council for general plan and zoning changes. Public hearings and CEQA documents will establish mitigation and design conditions before any approval.

","A pre-application for a 125-room, three-story hotel at 400 West Branch Street drew hours of council questions and public comment on Feb. 11; the developer and city planning staff said the project will require a general plan amendment, zoning change and environmental review before any decision.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6328827,"Arroyo Grande council approves vacation of Ridgeview Way equestrian easement over objections from nearby homeowners",1460,4018000,5478000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2316832-ddc2aac82207eaada32478eb82b5c12f&start=4018&end=5478","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2316832-ddc2aac82207eaada32478eb82b5c12f/thumbnail_4018000.jpg","/articles/6328827/Arroyo-Grande-City/San-Luis-Obispo-County/California/Arroyo-Grande-council-approves-vacation-of-Ridgeview-Way-equestrian-easement-over-objections-from-nearby-homeowners","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6328827-6984552519c3a72ee4b4f34e08269126/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136992&Signature=dlbstp7T1aKITkDWwDP1WXe95U1F2rcYko33QUkCG8ldm5yx3JmKrfsNlctEBqEsbXSqaSCcF5Q1~gzyBIHihN0gjiM0XPBghwsnMYZGqkfBGME2yAeo4kZRyhf2UDGAWHKUFmnii-tx7FXM7~BEAh-EmB-41NFQT8saSQ9~eHnvfpndwCLFMp7Q1wzxTDoznfhDGwhCkmFhQE1Ya-WnwsAGgtY~5G68Bg3uZY2BO6gEsFjDxgDjAT3z2rFxKXOKlrckwEOVyPKDVjdmafn~jUdyWZKFDhu0re9NkMnNKK7aNuquBrJ-5V6iCnJgxdPby1xiKVsqNFmeldBRwL4czQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Arroyo Grande City Council members voted 4-1 on Feb. 11 to vacate a public equestrian easement on Ridgeview Way after a contentious discussion about whether the city should preserve a decades-old plan for a linked equestrian network.

The council acted on a staff recommendation that the easement is \"in excess\" of city needs, enabling the property owner to pursue potential development. Bridal Pedratti, Community Development Director, told the council staff believes vacating the easement \"is a benefit to the city in the long term\" because it meets the requirements of the California Streets and Highways Code and could allow new development on the parcel.

The discussion centered on two competing views: some council members and staff argued the easement has remained unused and is unlikely to become part of a connected trail network, while residents and other council members said maintaining the easement preserves a generational opportunity to stitch together an equestrian route linking James Way, Tally Ho Road and Gallardi Road.

Council member Lowe, who asked that the item be considered separately from the rest of the consent calendar, said she \"appreciate[s] that the city's open space element includes a policy to promote trails\" and cautioned against prematurely eliminating future options, adding, \"I would like to not foreclose those kinds of opportunities.\" Director Pedratti told the council staff had concluded that limited opportunities and surrounding parcel conditions made reconnection unlikely and that vacating met statutory findings.

A homeowner who identified herself in public comment as \"the homeowner at 290 Ridgeview Way\" said she has used the easement for 27 years and described a local, functioning pattern of equestrian use that connects to other nearby riding facilities and trails. \"We have ridden down Ridgeview Way to Tally Ho up James Way,\" she said, adding she purchased her property because of its rural residential zoning that allows horses. Another resident urged council members to visit the easement map, describing the easement strip as a short, isolated segment that \"goes nowhere.\" Several neighbors said the 1988 vision for a linked equestrian network still matters to local riders and property owners.

Councilmember Guthrie and Councilmember Marviglia both said the easement had lingered on maps for decades without the envisioned network materializing; Guthrie noted other planned walking paths had fallen away when segments had been lost and said he was inclined to vacate. Mayor Pro Tem Seacrest said she lived in the area and was skeptical that the easement could be used safely for horses given road and bridge constraints; she said she could \"make the findings easily\" in favor of vacating.

When the council moved to the roll call vote, the tally was: Council member Guthrie \u00009yes\u00009, Council member Marviglia \u00009yes\u00009, Council member Lowe \u00009no\u00009, Mayor Pro Tem Seacrest \u00009yes\u00009 and Mayor Rae (Ray) Russell \u00009yes\u00009. The motion carried 4-1.

Council members and staff clarified that three possible statutory findings for vacation were included in the staff report and only one is required to carry out a vacation; staff recommended the finding that the easement is surplus/excess. The council did not adopt any additional direction to seek alternative trail connections or a study prior to vacating.

The council's action relinquishes the city's recorded equestrian easement on the parcel to enable the owner to pursue privately authorized development under applicable city standards; the staff report noted potential future uses such as accessory dwelling units (ADUs) as examples of why the land could be put to different use.

The item will be finalized by staff implementing the council's motion and recording the vacation consistent with the city's procedures and the Streets and Highways Code.

Ending: The decision resolves a long-running local dispute between property owners and trail advocates. Residents who oppose the vacation said they may continue outreach to preserve equestrian connections in other ways; council members who supported the vacation said the action clears an orphaned constraint and allows property owners to pursue reasonable development on private land.

","The Arroyo Grande City Council voted 4-1 to vacate a public equestrian easement on Ridgeview Way, siding with staff's finding that the easement is \"in excess\" of city needs while several residents and council members urged preserving the long-range trail vision.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Arroyo Grande council approves consent items, CDBG allocations and Gina's lease; creates ad hoc litigation committee

Developer previews 125-room hotel proposal at 400 West Branch; council and residents raise traffic, water and design questions

Arroyo Grande council approves vacation of Ridgeview Way equestrian easement over objections from nearby homeowners