The blueprint for Monarch Dunes, a resort and residential area on the Nipomo Mesa containing golf facilities and the Trilogy homes, was recently tweaked again.
The Monarch Dunes Specific Plan has undergone multiple changes since it was first approved in 1998. The most recent update was unanimously approved by the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors at its Aug. 4 meeting.
Now, lot coverage for attached single family homes in two specific sites will be increased from 54 percent to 65 percent, or by almost 3,000 square feet, whichever is less.
“While we did confirm that at least one of the twin home models could fit on all the lots under this 54 percent lot coverage standard, what we realized is once the subdivision was approved and homes started selling, it became clear there was a strong buyer interest for some of the larger floor plans including the ADU [accessory dwelling unit] model, which could just could not be built on all of the lots due to that floor area restriction,” Kirk Consulting land use expert Ian McCarville told supervisors.
Monarch Dunes’ specific plan was last amended in 2023 when the county approved increasing housing from 1,320 units to 1,482, modifying land use designations, and setting new design standards for twin homes or common-wall developments.
At the time, the county also greenlit a maximum lot coverage of 54 percent for those twin homes, and required a minimum 25 percent of units in the affected sites add ADUs—resulting in roughly 31 ADUs.
But the existing 54 percent lot coverage proved limiting. There isn’t enough room for the all the ADUs due to some of the lot sizes.
“As a result, the current lot coverage limitation is inadvertently restricting the ability to fully implement, and potentially exceed, the intended ADU program,” McCarville told supervisors in a letter prior to the meeting.
He added in his letter that state and county housing policies stressed the need to provide more ADUs in a bid to address housing shortages and meet Regional Housing Needs Allocation obligations.
“By allowing additional ADUs within the established development footprint, the amendment promotes more efficient utilization of existing and planned
infrastructure, including water, sewer, roadway, and public service systems,” McCarville wrote. “In addition, ADUs are not considered an increase in density under state housing law, further supporting the conclusion that no additional infrastructure demand is created.”
He was unable to speak with New Times before press time.
With South County 4th District Supervisor Jimmy Paulding agreeing that expanding ADU opportunities is beneficial, the board authorized the specific plan update. ∆
This article appears in Education Today 2026.
