Don’t destroy Cambria with growth 

The construction industry and its friends employ many means to realize their objectives. Having former and current developers, architects, engineers, business owners, their relatives and friends serving on city councils, planning commissions, and water service districts only encourages one thing: more building (and sprawl). Pismo Beach is one local example.

The current Cambria Community Services District is again using old tactics to double its water storage capacity by claiming the existing tank’s inadequate, a fire hazard (when the two tanks have been able to handle all historic emergencies), and seismically inadequate (engineers and builders no doubt supporting that claim), and to do only one thing without proper Coastal Commission approvals — increase available water capacity. That will only allow more and larger homes.

The final evidence is their decision to begin construction without a permit. That’s typical of builders who know that if they hurry up and do it without a permit, it will be too late to reverse direction later.

It’s sad that the people of Cambria may be allowing their wonderful and enchanting community to go the way of so many earlier California coastal towns (such as Ventura, Santa Barbara, and Monterey). Cambria is unique, for all of us to enjoy. Why do the special interests of builders and business owners, and greed, somehow always come first? If developers want to build more housing (in the name of affordability), there’s plenty of cheaper land in inland areas that people can actually afford. Some places are too special to destroy.

Patrick D. Hill

San Luis Obispo