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NoN-EmErgENcy Dispatch805.781.7312
NEighborhooD outrEach805.781.7186
NEighborhooD sErvicEs805.781.7180
coDE ENforcEmENt805.781.7180
utilitiEs – soliD WastE805.781.7213
traffic [email protected]
graffiti [email protected]
slo solutioNsmEDiatioNs sErvicE805.549.0442
summer 2015
Drought response progress reportas everyone is aware, the central coast is in the grips of one of the worst droughts on record and we don’t know when it will end. on June 2, 2015, the city council declared a drought emergency and approved a drought response strategy that responds to the state Water board’s mandates to reduce water use by a cumulative 12% between June 2015 and the end of february 2016. in order to meet this goal, we need to conserve more water during the summer when water use is typically much higher due to landscape irrigation. though the city is not in imminent danger of running out of water, it cannot be predicted how much rain we will receive in the future, so it is important for you to continue your conservation efforts.
this is where there is some really goodnews. June’s water use was down 20% when compared to June 2013 (2013 is the base year for measurement) which is greater than the summer target of about 17%. July numbers are not in yet, but based on daily citywide water consumptions logs, it appears we will meet or exceed the June numbers.
So make a difference this summer by slowing down your water use! these simple tips will help you conserve:
• Water your landscape less and check for leaks in your irrigation system • Take shorter showers • Collect graywater to water your plants • Run only full loads in your washing machine and dishwasher
Remember these water waste prohibitions are still in effect:
• Outdoor watering is limited to two days per week; go to slowater.org for more information on allowable days and times for your address • No washing down driveways and sidewalks with potable water • Excessive irrigation that causes runoff from landscaping is prohibited • Shut-off nozzles are required when washing vehicles
photo courtesy of slo county
the city is currently processing applications for development within the orcutt area. located along the southwestern edge of the city limits of san luis obispo and bounded by orcutt road, the railroad and tank farm road, the area encompasses 230 acres of land at the base of righetti hill. the orcutt area was annexed into the city in 2011 with the anticipation of adding approximately 1,000 residenc-es to the city’s housing stock. currently there are approximately 800 residences in various stages of review (subdivision, architectural review, zoning boundary adjustments, etc.) at the Community De-velopment Department. the residential developments will include new public park land, trails, open-space, and other amenities. it is anticipated that the righetti property (the largest property within the area) will receive entitlements and begin work on subdivision improvement plans this year.
orcutt area Development
As fall approaches, the Fire Department wants to remind City residents to maintain a fire-safe home.
Check your smoke alarms. Smoke alarms are the early warning sign to protect you and your family from fires in the home. The fire Department recommends installing new batteries in your smoke alarms and then using the test button on the device to check for functionality (the loud beep). if your smoke alarms are a newer type with a long-life lithium battery, the battery may not be re-movable, and it may be good for several years. all smoke alarms should be tested twice a year. for local seniors, fire Department personnel can come to your home to check your smoke alarms and replace any that are more than 10 years old. this is a no-cost service. please call fire inspector molly brown at 781-7560 to schedule an appointment.
Be safe when using decorative candles. Candles in the home continue to cause fires across the nation. Never leave candles burning in an unattended room. a safer alternative is to use battery powered candles, and many of them flicker just like a real candle.
Have your fireplace chimney cleaned and inspected by a professional chimney cleaner. chimneys can develop a build-up of oils from burning certain types of wood, such as eu-calyptus. These oils can create a fire hazard. Also, the ceramic tiles lining on the inside of many chimneys can crack and break off, falling into the burning fire and then rolling out to the floor of the room. If the chimney tiles are cracked, there are several ways to repair this hazardous condition.
It is also recommended that property owners maintain their properties in a fire-safe condition at all times, particularly during this current drought. Dead pine trees should be removed and all weeds and debris should be removed. thank you for doing your part to maintain a fire-safe community!
visit the slo fire Department website for more information on fire prevention and disaster preparedness.
Home safety tips for fire prevention
stats snapshot
Visible Storage: 125
Waste Containers: 61
Vegetation: 74
Yard Parking: 44
Fence: 6
Furniture on Roof: 0
Other: 35
Neighborhood Services 4/1/15-6/30-15
Parking Services Neighborhood Summary
Parking Citations April 1, 2015 to June 30, 2015 No Residential Permit 17 Parking on Sidewalk 7 Prohibited Parking 3 Blocking a Driveway 3 Fire Lane 1
55% 22%
10%
10% 3% No Residential Permit
Parking on Sidewalk
Prohibited Parking
Blocking a Driveway
Fire Lane
stats snapshot cont.
Total Noise Party Calls
DAC Warning Citation
Property Owner
Citations Unable to
Locate Negative Violation
Apr-15 112 25 21 12 7 53 May-15 140 37 15 7 66 16 Jun-15 142 26 17 9 19 75
Unruly Gathering ordinance amendmentson July 21, 2015, the police Department brought forth to the city council, recommendations for amending the unruly gathering ordinance. community members provided excellent feedback and council voted to adopt many of the recommendations. the amended ordinance will have a second reading on August 18th and go into effect on September 17th. The amended definition of an unruly gathering will read as follows:
9.13.020 Definitions
“Unruly gathering” shall mean a gathering of twenty or more persons on private property that results in conduct that causes a sub stantialdisturbanceofthequietenjoymentofprivateorpublicpropertyinasignificantsegmentofanimmediateneighborhoodor presents a threat to the health, welfare and safety of those in attendance, responding enforcement personnel, or nearby residents or properties. For purposes of this Chapter, “conduct that causes a substantial disturbance of the quiet enjoyment of private or public propertyinasignificantsegmentofanimmediateneighborhood,orpresentsathreattothehealthandsafety…”shallinclude,but is not limited to, any or all of the following: a noise disturbance; obstruction of public streets or rights-of-way by people or vehicles;publicdrunkenness;unlawfulpossessionofalcoholordrugs;servingalcoholtominors;fights;disturbancesofthepeace; urinatingordefecatinginpublic;settingofffireworks;vandalism;litteringonpublicpropertyorprivatepropertynotbelongingto the host of the gathering; presence of persons on rooftop areas not designed for occupancy; unpermitted live bands, amplifiedmsicorDJs;andthrowingbottlesorotherobjectsorsubstancesatlawenforcementoranyotherperson.
also added to the ordinance is the ability for a peace officer to issue a citation not only to the identified host of an unruly gathering but also to a person or persons contributing to an unruly gathering. all the amendments will make the unruly gathering pro-hibitions to be a more useful tool for the san luis obispo police Department.
The Unruly Gathering host citation fine is $700 and the newly added contributor citation fine is $350. Property owners can also be fined at a cost of $500 and during Safety Enhancement Zones, those fines are doubled.
community planting projectWhen the city biologist freddy otte’s phone starting ringing with a complaint about people cutting and removing vegetation from the creek channel, he became alarmed. The reporting party said “I want them fined and cited for destroying the creek vegetation and ruining my property values because i can see all the way across the creek channel now.” freddy stated he would investigate but if enforcement action needed to happen, it would take a long time to process and there would likely be no outcome for repair.
being the creative problem solver that he is, freddy met with the folks from oceanaire gardens who had started the clearing of dead and down branches and trees behind their back fence on city property. the residents had taken it upon themselves to clear the area as they were told city resources would not be able to assist with the maintenance. once freddy was able to survey the location, he was able to focus the residents’ efforts on removing the invasive non-native vegetation. After that he supplied the res-idents with a diverse group of 100 native riparian plants that they could plant and care for during the establishment period. those plants have kept after the vinca and English ivy which can smother native species and create a carpet of bad weeds.
One season later, the native plants are well on their way to self-sufficiency and have beautiful showy flowers. Only 2 or 3 of the native plants did not survive out of the 100 that were planted. freddy met with the neighbors across the creek who originally ex-pressed concern and offered them the same assistance. On schedule for the fall is to bring in the goats who will eat the non-native vegetation to give the residents a clean slate to get native plants into the ground. the creek system is being taken care of and native plants are re-introduced and the neighbors are invested in caring for the “back 40” which supports our efforts in the Natural Re-sources program. for more information about the city’s Natural resources program, contact freddy otte at 805-781-7511.
Willow tree choked with English ivy and vinca non-native grass on the ground
ground cleared of vegetation and the new native plants in bloom and taking back their riparian corridor.
Is your neighborhood lacking street trees? Would you like to start a new neighborhood association? How about organizing a neighborhood clean-up event and bbq?
The City is developing a Neighborhood Matching Grant Program that could help. Its purpose is to support local projects that enhance and strengthen neighborhoods. All projects will be initiated, planned and implemented by neighborhood residents in partnership with the city.
Five thousand dollars will be available for distribution in year 1, and $10,000 in year 2, for the two-year pilot program. Grant requests may range from $250 to $5,000. For every dollar awarded by the City, the neighborhood provides an equal or greater match consisting of volunteer labor, donated professional services, donated materials and/or direct financial contributions. At the conclusion of the second year, the program will be evaluated and future funding will be determined.
The following types of projects may be considered for a Neighborhood Matching Grant:
• Physical improvement projects that improve or enhance publicly visible areas of the neighborhood (e.g., land scape improvements, tree planting, waterway enhancement, or natural area restoration activities) • Events, activities and celebrations open to all neighborhood residents (e.g., neighborhood clean-up, theater in the park performance, or neighborhood bbq) • Initiatives that serve to create, expand or increase participation in a neighborhood organization, or promote an understanding of issues important to neighborhood residents (e.g., start-up of a new neighborhood association, development of a neighborhood web site, or materials promoting a neighborhood tool-share program)
the city council will be reviewing the Draft program guidelines and considering approval on august 18. if the program is approved, applications will be available at slocity.org on september 14. please contact rebecca gershow, associate planner, at [email protected] or (805)781-7011 with questions or for more information.
Neighborhood matching Grant pilot program
What the heck is going on down there at LOVR? The Los Osos Valley Road/US 101 Interchange Project (LOVR) is one of the City’s largest public works projects in the past 30 years. When it is completed, LOVR will feature four lanes between Calle Joaquin and South Higuera Street, sidewalks and 6.5-foot wide bike lanes over the freeway. Improvement to the on and off-ramps, andintegration with the Bob Jones Trail are also being done. In partnership with Caltrans and SLOCOG, the project is estimated to cost approximately $24,000,000 and been in construction since fall of 2014. It is expected to be completed in the summer of 2016, but the next few months will be difficult.
In early August, the project will be entering Stage 6, which includes relocating southbound traffic to Calle Joaquin, said Kyle Row-land, an Engineering Inspector and project manager for LOVR. Stage 6 may be the most challenging stage of the project yet, as the existing southbound off-ramp is closed for major construction. Exiting vehicles will be temporarily relocated to Calle Joaquin, a two-lane road north of lovr. this was the only way to maintain southbound access and reconstruct the ramp, said tim bochum, Deputy Director. the temporary alignment is expected to last 4-6 months.
after stage 6 is complete, stage 7 & 8 will focus on completing the existing bridge over the freeway, the bridge crossing over san luis obispo creek, sidewalks/bike lanes, landscaping and pavement.
LoVr/101 Interchange construction Update
Get the latest information on the roadwork and construction happening at the project site through www.lovrtrafficreliefproject.org.
The website contains photos and videos showing the amazing progress during construction.
the shoe treeNeighborhood services specialist Dan liddell recently handled a property whose large tree had become the resting place for many, many pairs of shoes. intially resistant to removing the shoes, the residents did comply and remove the items leaving the tree much happier.
Neighborhood Officer ProgramSan Luis Obispo Police Department
www.slocity.org/police/neighborhoodOfficers.aspDon’t forget! The Neighborhood Officer Program is an excellent way to get help with ongoing concerns or problems in your neighborhood. Neighborhood Officers can help neighborhoods set up “Neighborhood Watch”, attending home owners association or neighborhood meetings to share crime prevention tips and help connect residents to resources. find out who your Neighborhood Officer is via the City’s website.
2013-14 College Highlands Permit
Annual Permit Issuance for all Residential Parking Permit Districts Happening in September
The time to reissue annual permits for Residential Parking Permit Districts is fast approaching. In late August Parking Services will be sending out letters to all property owners located within the City’s nine Residential Parking Permit Districts. The purpose of the letter is to inform the property owners that the current permits will be expiring and how they can go about obtaining permits for the upcoming year.
Permits can be obtained by coming into the Parking Services office and paying an annual $10 fee per permit. The permits are valid for a year beginning on September 15th of each year. There is a limit of 2 permits per household and permit numbers are assigned to each address within the district boundaries. If you live in a Residential Parking Permit District don’t forget your permits!
For more information please call 805-781-7230 or email us at [email protected]
IF A MAJOR DISASTER OCCURRED IN SAN LUIS OBISPO RIGHT NOW, WOULD YOU KNOW HOW TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF AND ASSIST OTHERS?
The San Luis Obispo City Fire Department wants to assist you in being prepared by inviting you to the next Community Emergency Response Team training class.
WHY: In the event of a large-scale disaster, the normal Emergency Response Agencies such as Fire and Police that serve you will be overwhelmed and they might not be able to assist you for up to 72 hours (it’s simply, a supply and demand issue). Many of your needs will be best served by your actions before the disaster occurs.
WHAT: CERT is a 20-hour “hands-on” course that teaches individuals to be better prepared in the event of a major disaster, and to form into effective neighborhood teams to assist others. In the CERT training class you will learn about how and when to turn off your Utilities; Basic firefighting skills; Medical skills; Hazardous Materials & Terrorism awareness; light Search and Rescue techniques; and most importantly, you’ll learn SELF RELIANCE.
WHERE: City of SLO Fire Station #1, 2160 Santa Barbara Ave., SLO
WHEN: Four evening classes and one Saturday morning class. The evening class dates are: Sept. 2, 9, 16, and 23, 2015 from 5:30-9:30 p.m. and Saturday morning, Sept. 26, 2015 from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
COST: There is a $60 materials fee for SLO residents and $85 for non-residents that provide you with a student manual and a “CERT bag” filled with essential items for use in an emergency. We are also offering a CPR/AED Training for an additional $10. This will be held on Sept. 30, 2015.
Since it’s not a matter of “if,” but more a matter of “when,” join the over 845 graduates of
the program to better prepare yourself.
This class is limited to 30 students To Reserve your space, you can register online
at https://apm.activecommunities.com/sloparksandrec/Activity_Search/cert-community-emergency-response-team/26504 or in person at the Parks and
Recreation Administrative Office located at 1341 Nipomo St., SLO PRE-REGISTRATION IS A MUST (First Come, First Serve)
If you have any questions or need CERT information please contact Patty Thompson at 781-7399.
Bike RodeoCITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 201511AM-3PM @ HAWTHORNE ELEMENTARY
2125 STORY ST. (ENTRANCE ON BRANCH)presented by:
LUNCH, RAFFLE & PRIZES!A FREE EVENT FOR KIDS AGE 4-14
> BMX STUNT SHOW
> SAFETY TOWN> AWARENESS RIDE/ BIKE DECORATING
> 1PM-2PM> 11AM-1PM
> 2PM-3PM
BIKE, HELMET, & SIGNED GUARDIAN PERMISSION SLIP REQUIRED
For more information visit slocity.org/parksandrecreation or call 805-781-7300
