Land Use/Project Review Report
> November 16, 2011
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> 1) Agricultural Cluster Subdivision Program – Environmental Impact Report for proposed modifications to County’s ordinances regarding agriculture cluster subdivisions.
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> Link to proposal and draft EIR: http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/planning/agsub.htm.
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> SUMMARY: The proposal would amend the Land Use Ordinance (LUO), Coastal Zone Land Use Ordinance (CZLUO), and Agriculture Element (AE) of the County General Plan. In particular, the revisions would establish rules for agricultural cluster subdivisions in the Coastal Zone, where they are currently not allowed. (Clusters would continue to be prohibited on lands protected under the Williamson Act).
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> The most significant issue raised by the EIR for the Cambria-San Simeon area is that of water supply. Reliable ground water resources in the area are inadequate to meet existing demand, and rules of both the present and proposed agricultural cluster subdivision program preclude subdivisions under such circumstances. The DEIR states, “Within the Coastal Zone, new parcels may not be created under the program, but may be reconfigured to better accommodate residential development.” Therefore, it appears that the proposed program would not have any foreseeable effect in the area covered by the NCAC.
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> Representatives of the agricultural community — Joy Fitzhugh of the SLO County Farm Bureau, NCAC member Dawn Dunlap — have raised questions about certain aspects of the County’s environmental and economic analysis of the proposal. Dawn Dunlap believes the EIR undercounts the number of  “legally established underlying lots.” Both question the accuracy of the economic analysis, saying that it greatly underestimates the importance of agriculture to the County’s economy and the amount of acreage devoted to agriculture.
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> Because the proposed program apparently would not affect actual land use policies in agricultural areas covered by the NCAC, we recommend that the NCAC receive the EIR without further action.
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> LAND USE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION: Receive with no further action
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> 2) DRC2011-00023 KUETER – Minor Use Permit for a new 2305 sf SFR with 512 sf garage. Site located off Burton Drive in Cambria. APN: 024-342-011.
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> Link to application: http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Assets/PL/referrals/coastal/DRC2011-00023_KUETER.pdf
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> SUMMARY: Application is for a new single-family residence of 2305 sf with a 512 sf garage and 429 sf of decking (waterproof) near the southern end of Burton Driven in Lodge Hill area. Lot size is 4,928 sf. Total GSA is 2817 sf. vs. 2534 sf allowed for forested lot of this size. Footprint is 1436 sf vs. 1267 sf allowed. Project will require 283 sf of TDCs (300 feet allowed). Maximum solid deck allowed is 144 sf( 10% of maximum allowable footprint.)
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> Seven Monterey pines are to be removed and will need to be replaced at 4:1 ratio; one oak tree is to be removed and will need to be replaced at 6:1 ratio. The project is appropriately designed for the site and is consistent in size with neighboring homes.
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> LAND USE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION: Approve
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> 3) DRC2011-00028 BJORNSON – Minor Use Permit for an attached deck and detached gazebo. Site located off Cambria Pines Road in Cambria. APN: 013-084-020.
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> Link to application: http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Assets/PL/referrals/coastal/DRC2011-00028_BJORNSON.pdf
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> SUMMARY: Application is for attached deck, on side of home facing downhill (opposite from street) and a gazebo off street side of home. Both additions are well within applicable setbacks on large (1.04 acre) lot, and project would have no significant visual impact on surrounding properties.
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> LAND USE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION: Approve
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> 4) DRC2011-00032 PALUSKO – Minor Use Permit to demo garage and build new 624 sf garage with a 508 sf guest room above. Site located off Emerson Road in Cambria. APN: 023-223-032.
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> Link to application: http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Assets/PL/referrals/coastal/DRC2011-00032_PALUSKO.pdf
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> SUMMARY: Application is for demolition of 280 sf garage and construction of new 624 sf garage with 508 sf guest room above, bringing total sf of living area at site to 1938 sf and GSA to 2562 sf., vs. allowed GSA of 2117. Project would require 445 sf of TDCs, the maximum available for a lot of this size (5853 sf). Because this project is located in a Special Projects Area (Fern Canyon), TDCs must be obtained from lots retired in the same SPA. Also, construction will require removal of one Monterey pine tree, requiring replacement at a 4:1 ratio, and an oak tree cluster (triple trunk), requiring replacement at a 6:1 ratio. County needs to verify if oak “cluster” is a single tree or three separate trees growing close together. In any event, offsite replanting will be necessary.
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> On its visit to the project site, the Land Use Committee noted a discrepancy between the observed location of the Monterey pine and its location on the site plan. This was brought to the attention of the designer, who has submitted a corrected version of the site plan showing the tree in the correct position. Also, a next-door neighbor expressed concern that the construction project would cause noise and congestion.
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> The project is well designed for the neighborhood and should be approved with two conditions:
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> Correct the MUP per the revised site plan attached with this report.
> Note neighbor’s concerns about construction activity; request that  construction be monitored for impacts such as noise, congestion from parking of vehicles and storage of equipment, etc.
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> LAND USE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION: Approve, with conditions noted above.
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> 5) DRC2011-00036 MANDERS – Minor Use Permit for SFR with grading on slopes; 4.24-care site located off Cabrillo Highway in San Simeon (Ragged Point). APN: 011-021-016.
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> Link to application: http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Assets/PL/referrals/coastal/DRC2011-00036_MANDERS.pdf
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> SUMMARY: This MUP is for a 3423 sf single-story home with 600 sf guest house on a 4.24-acre parcel adjoining Highway One (landward side) about 0.8 mile south of the Ragged Point Inn. Total area of home, guesthouse and detached garage (1545 sf) would be 5028 sf. Project includes a new private water well and septic system. The proposed home is situated on a gently sloping bluff about 50 ft above the highway; the structure would not be visible from the highway except from a distance of about one mile to the south. Access to the building site is currently through an adjacent property owned by the applicant. A new driveway will be constructed to the highway, pending encroachment approval by Caltrans.
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> This is a well-designed project, with the proposed structures of appropriate size and profile for the size of the lot and its setting. 
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> LAND USE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION: Approve
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> 6) DRC2011-00034 COVELL-CAL FIRE – Minor Use Permit for shaded fuel break project; 50-acre site located off Bridge Street in Cambria. APN: 013-111-005.
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> Link to application: http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Assets/PL/referrals/coastal/DRC2011-00034_COVELL-CALFIRE.pdf
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> SUMMARY: This is a forest-thinning project covering approximately 50 acres in two elongated zones 100 feet wide. One zone would roughly follow Bridge Street from East Village to about a half-mile northwest of Cambria Cemetery. The other would extend from Cambria Cemetery west and then run south and eastward at the edge of the Happy Hill and Pine Knolls residential neighborhoods. Undergrowth and small trees would be removed for fire protection. The primary method would be mechanical thinning with a “masticator” that removes and chips vegetation. Effects of the project and steps being taken to protect sensitive habitat and plant species are detailed in the Mitigated Negative Declaration received by the NCAC. Impacts, as mitigated, will not be significant. This fuel break project appropriately addresses the need to protect a substantial number of Cambria businesses and residences from potential wildfires.
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> Land Use Committee Comment: Proponents and opponents of this project agree that it is necessary for the safety of Cambria. They disagree over the means of implementation and some details of mitigation. The Committee urges all parties to work together to resolve their differences to the greatest extent possible, recognizing that neither side will prevail on all issues. The Committee then urges all parties to work together to achieve approval of this project at all levels of government review so that it can be completed in the shortest amount of time possible.
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> LAND USE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION: Approve
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The Land Use Committee has had two meetings now on the EIR Agricultural Cluster proposals. We are still researching and studying the issue. We will be reviewing it once more at the Land Use meeting November 7, 2011 at 6:30 at Rabobank. We will then look at the Land Use Committee’s recommendations on the EIR Agricultural Cluster proposals at the NCAC meeting on November 16, 2011 at 6:30 at Rabobank. Please feel free to come to the Land Use Meeting on November 7th. We would appreciate your input. Please access the website for more information on this issue.

Notice Posted on June 1,  2011

All Project and Land Use meetings begin at 6:30 PM.