On Oct. 10, the Atascadero City Council will decide whether to continue the city’s tradition of allowing the Salinas River corridor and habitat to be degraded by illegal dumping, off-road vehicles, trash, and pollution.
At that meeting, it will be asked to reject that and comply with its general plan, which declares that the “watershed shall be protected”; degradation of “scenic areas, habitats, and wetlands” is prohibited; the Salinas River must be “left in its natural state”; and the city should provide more pedestrian and equestrian access to the river and De Anza trail.
It will be asked to consider the desires of the community expressed during the general plan update, including valuing the Salinas River as a “community asset” for enhancing our quality of life, regional recreation, ecotourism, education, and job creation.
The SLO Beaver Brigade, BioDiversity First!, and I have filed appeals to reverse the Atascadero Planning Commission’s approval of a permit to allow 262 RVs to be parked on 6 acres in the Salinas River floodplain. Visit the SLO Beaver Brigade’s website (slobeaverbrigade.com) to learn about this plan, our opposition to it, and how you can raise your voice to join us.
David Broadwater
Atascadero
This article appears in Oct 5-12, 2023.