High Priority/High Risk Conservation Projectsin San Luis Obispo County

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The Oso Flaco “Improvement” Project: A Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Plan

League of Women VotersFebruary 15, 2021

Background: the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes

GND stretches from Pismo Beach to Point Sal

Key Points/Properties:

-OHV Entrances:

Grand Avenue (Grover Beach)

Pier Avenue (Oceano)

-Pismo Dunes Preserve

- Dune Lakes and Black Lake and Canyon

-Oceano Dunes SVRA

-Oso Flaco Lake Natural Area

-GND National Wildlife Refuge

-Guadalupe Restoration Project (Chevon/Unocal)

-Rancho Guadalupe Dunes (SB County Parks)

-Point Sal Reserve (SB County Parks, State Parks, USBLM)

There’s a LOT going on in the Dunes

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Why the PWP Oso Flaco Lake “Improvement” Project is Terrible, etc.

1. It’s bad for (most) people. To the detriment

of current users (including locals, school

groups, visitors), it would completely and

irrevocably transform this beautiful, serene,

and peaceful natural and agricultural region

into a noisy hub of commercial and RV

activity;

2. It’s bad for wildlife. It undermines this

unique ecological setting, in which birds and

rare plants and animals are abundant;

3. It doesn’t comply with the law; and

4. The project has high public opposition. –

isn’t that important for a PUBLIC project?

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1. The Project Is Bad for People

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Oso Flaco Today:

-Used by Guadalupe, Santa Maria, and other local residents for beach access, fishing, and enjoying the tranquil environment;

-Field trip destination for local school kids to study and enjoy nature;

-Outdoor group activity for events sponsored by the Dunes Center, Audubon, and many others; and

-Part of Santa Maria Valley – highly productive ag region with largest concentration of Class I & II soils in SLO County

State Parks OHV’s Vision for Oso Flaco

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To the detriment of current users (including locals, school groups, and visitors), it

would completely and irrevocably transform this beautiful, serene, and peaceful

natural and agricultural area into a noisy hub of commercial and RV activity.

State Parks OHV’s Vision for Oso Flaco

Oso Flaco Lake Natural Area, envisioned by State Parks OHV Division:• The conversion of 120 acres of prime agricultural and dune land;

• 200 RV campsites and with 12 restroom/shower buildings;

• 100 drive in tent sites with 8 restroom/shower buildings;

• 20 cabins;

• 40 parking spaces for large vehicles, including RV’s, buses, and trailers; 60 parking spaces for additional

parking; 45 parking spaces for fleet and emergency response vehicles (including ATV’s, trailers, and

watercraft); 95 parking spaces for year-round staff parking; and 30 parking spaces for seasonal staff

parking;

• Many, many other structures and facilities including three new dump stations, a half-acre multi-purpose

area, permanent concession buildings with a camper convenience store, amphitheater, office buildings,

staff residences, maintenance and storage equipment and facilities, and single and multi-family residences

for year-round and seasonal staff; and

• A new vehicle trail connecting the above Oso Flaco Lake development to a new southern entrance to the

Oceano Dunes off-highway vehicle driving area.

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2. The Project Is Bad for Wildlife-OFLNA designated an “Environmentally Sensitive

Habitat Area” (ESHA) under Coastal Act;

-Cultivated portions designated as “prime

agricultural land” under Coastal Act;

-The “hottest hot spot” in SLO County for birding

and 300 species of birds reported here;

-Critical habitat along the Pacific Flyway for

migratory birds;

-Long list of sensitive plant and animal species

including the least tern, brown pelican,

southwestern pond turtle, marsh sandwort, gambel’s

watercress, prickly phlox, gooseberry, etc.

-USFWS designated this region as the most unique

and fragile ecosystem in California, ranking #1 on

the list of habitats in need of protection.

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Convert 120 acres;

Build 320 campsites;

Add 270 parking spaces;

Erect multiple facilities;

Construct residences;

Connect a new OHV vehicle trail to Oceano Dunes SVRA; and

Develop the infrastructure to support the above, includingwater/sewer, electricity and widening Oso Flaco Lake Road, creating

24/7 noise, dust, crowds, trash, air pollution, and artificial light

Will the birds stay? Will the area still support the rich biodiversity?

We’ve been down this road before; we know what happens.

What Happens When You . . .

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California Coastal Act Section 30240(a):

Environmentally sensitive habitat areas (ESHAs) shall be protected against any significant disruption of habitat values, and only uses dependent on such resources shall be allowed.

California Coastal Act Section 30240(b):

Development in areas adjacent to ESHAs and parks and recreational areas shall be sited and designed to prevent impacts which would significantly degrade such areas and shall be compatible with the continuance of such habitat areas.

California Coastal Act Section 30241:

The maximum amount of prime agricultural land shall be maintained in agricultural production to assure the protection of the areas’ agricultural economy, and conflicts shall be minimized between agricultural and urban uses . . .

(e) By assuring that public service and facility expansions and nonagricultural development do not impair agricultural viability . . .

California Environmental Quality Act

The CEQA process is designed to identify and disclose (in an EIR) to decision makers and the public the significant environmental impacts of a proposed project prior to its consideration and approval.

(The PWP/EIR is profoundly deficient in its identification and disclosure of environmental impacts to the Oso Flaco Lake region.)

3. The Project Doesn’t Comply with the Law

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4. The Project Has High Public Opposition

BAD PLAN IS RECYCLED

“Forty years ago I worked with the Dunes Task Force . . . seeking to limit the expansion of the [SVRA} into the sensitive habitats surrounding Oso Flaco Lake. We cited the Local Coastal Plan and studies by the California Department of Fish and Game that recognized the Oso Flaco Lake region as the most sensitive and valuable ecological region in California.

We took the director of State Parks on a tour through the area and . . . [b]y 1980, the SVRA shelved its plans.

Fast forward to 2019. [State Parks] has proposed similar plans to those we stalled almost 40 years ago. Nothing has changed. Oso Flaco Lake is still the most sensitive and valuable natural habitat in California. “

M. Bondello

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Opposed by the Community, Organizations, and the CCC

- Over 2000 letters in opposition submitted to State Parks on first PWP draft (“State Parks Seeks Additional Input” – really?);

-Opposed by many groups including Audubon Society, Oceano Beach Community Association, Northern Chumash Tribal Council, Surfrider Foundation, Sierra Club, ECOSLO, The Nature Conservancy, FOOFL, Center for Biological Diversity, etc.

-Opposed by the Coastal Commission:

The OFL project “presents what appear to be serious LCP inconsistencies related to agricultural conversion and ESHA degradation” and the CCC “does not believe that the [OFL project] is approvable, nor does it believe it shows that the PWP effort is moving in the right direction.” July 12, 2019 letter from CCC to CA State Parks

The Oso Flaco “Improvement” Project:

A Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Plan

Agree?

Send your comments NOW to OceanoDunesReview@coastal.ca.gov

and OceanoDunes.PWP.EIR@parks.ca.gov

- Virtually Attend Coastal Commission meeting on 3/18/21 (Cal-Span.org)

Friends of Oso Flaco Lake (Find Us on Facebook!)

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