Local archaeologist John Parker has asked the Morro Bay City Council to buy and protect what he believes is an important archaeological site adjacent to Hwy. 41.
At the council meeting on Feb. 12, Parker presented a request "to reimburse the public for the damage and lost historical knowledge" that he said has already occurred due to development at "the largest and most significant heritage site in Morro Bay," known to archaeologists as SLO-165.
He said that the site contains 9,000 years' worth of information about how people have lived alongside the bay.
"It would be entirely suitable for the city of Morro Bay to purchase for preservation the remaining undeveloped portions of SLO-165. Those areas could be covered with fill soil and made into pocket parks, thereby preserving those portions of SLO-165 for future study," Parker told the council.
Parker asked for the issue to be included in the agenda for an upcoming council meeting. City Attorney Rob Schultz suggested at the end of the meeting that the council consider the matter in a future closed session.
The archaeologist and the Northern Chumash Tribal Council filed a complaint with the county grand jury late last year, asking for an investigation into Morro Bay's handling of its archaeological resources.
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