San Luis Obispo planning commission votes to revoke Delta Chi’s conditional use permit for 1236 Monte Vista

The San Luis Obispo Planning Commission voted unanimously on May 28 to revoke the conditional use permit allowing a fraternity to operate at 1236 Monte Vista Place, a property used by the Delta Chi Cal Poly chapter.

Staff presented a rereview of the property after code enforcement and police citations this academic year and recommended modifying the permit with updated conditions. Commissioners, residents and the chapter’s president debated whether revised conditions could prevent further neighborhood disruption; the commission concluded it could not and voted to revoke the permit without prejudice. The commission’s vote will be finalized by adopting resolution language at the June 11 meeting.

The Planning Department’s assistant planner, Mallory Patino, told commissioners the site is in an R-4 high-density residential zone and that the use permit (U106), originally approved in 1998, had allowed fraternity operations at the address. Patino said code enforcement issued a notice of violation in March 2025 after the Cal Poly Police Department issued multiple citations since September 2024; one citation was successfully appealed and removed from the record. Patino described earlier unpermitted conversions of decks into sleeping areas; building-permit applications were under review to address those alterations.

Residents and neighborhood advocates told the commission they continue to experience large gatherings and noise. Kathy Walker listed multiple weekend parties and citations at several properties in nearby neighborhoods, arguing the city should schedule a public conversation about land-use violations tied to Greek Life. Stu Jenkins, of Residents for Quality Neighborhoods, urged stronger conditions, including disclosure of off-site “satellite” houses and stronger restrictions on amplified music.

Jacob Zuckermanel, president of Delta Chi’s Cal Poly chapter and a resident at 1236 Monte Vista, apologized for the chapter’s past violations, described steps the chapter has taken (including internal policy changes and a community-outreach chair), and asked commissioners to reconsider a proposed cap of 54 people for routine gatherings. Zuckermanel said police calls to his property decreased from nine in the 2023–24 year to four in 2024–25, and that two of those four were either a false alarm or were later dismissed.

City and enforcement staff described the enforcement framework. Christine Wallace, public affairs manager for San Luis Obispo Police Department, summarized the citation fine schedule for municipal code violations (fines that escalate on repeat violations and higher fines in safety-enhancement zones). John Mizzapessa, code enforcement supervisor, explained that code enforcement evaluates municipal-code violations and whether those violations also constitute breaches of conditions in a conditional use permit; continued breaches can trigger administrative citations, notices of violation, and potential revocation of the CUP.

Commission debate centered on whether continuing the permit with revised conditions would protect neighborhood health, safety and welfare. Commissioners and several public commentators said past enforcement and the permit conditions had not prevented recurring unruly gatherings in multiple locations. The commission voted unanimously to revoke the permit “without prejudice,” meaning the fraternity or property owner may reapply in the future. Staff will draft the revocation resolution and bring it back for adoption on June 11.

The commission discussed broader citywide issues — including whether Cal Poly should host a fraternity row or other long-term solutions and the city’s work program for livability — and several commissioners recommended convening a cross‑sector forum (city staff, Cal Poly, police and Greek-life representatives, and neighbors) to seek longer-term solutions.

The revocation vote does not remove municipal code protections that apply to any property; noise and unruly‑gathering prohibitions apply regardless of CUP status, city staff said. But staff noted that losing a CUP would remove conditions set by the CUP that are otherwise enforceable as CUP conditions, leaving enforcement limited to the municipal‑code tools that already exist.

The commission’s vote to revoke was recorded as unanimous; the clerk will return with final resolution language for adoption at the June 11 meeting.

The commission moved swiftly to the next item after the vote; staff said the revocation would be reflected in the formal resolution to be finalized at the next regular meeting.