City council pauses Creekside Junction appeal after residents raise parking, safety and environmental concerns

The Arroyo Grande City Council voted during agenda review to continue the Creekside Junction housing-appeal hearing to the council's April 14 meeting, pausing the formal record and public testimony until that date.

Mayor Karen Ray Russell said staff had received a continuance request from the project's appellant and read the staff recommendation for a single continuance to balance fairness to the appellant with statutory housing timelines. The city attorney told the council that, if approved, the city would re-notice the hearing so the public understood the item would be deferred.

The continuance came after more than a dozen members of the public—residents, nearby business owners and a project representative—spoke during the meeting's public-comment period. "This is not a good project for Arroyo Grande," said Cheryl Storton, who said she has lived in the community for 50 years and worried the proposal would make parking and daily errands difficult for seniors and families. Several speakers from Curl Fitness said the loss of shared parking would hinder seniors' access and create safety concerns for ambulances and fire trucks responding to visits at the facility. "Having only one driveway for large fire trucks and ambulances is going to cause a major safety issue," said Colonel O'Rourke, a facility manager.

Environmental concerns were also raised. Melissa Boggs told the council she suspected the nearby riparian area could host California red-legged frog habitat and urged additional environmental review, including coordination with the Department of Fish and Wildlife and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service if the creek could be affected.

The project's representative, Chris Guillen, said his client opposed the continuance and noted the appeal under the state housing statute is nearing its final permitted hearings: "This is the fourth hearing on the project under the Housing Crisis Act, and there's only five permitted under state housing law. We do anticipate that on the 14th, it'll be the final hearing on the project." He said his team would be ready to proceed on April 14.

Council members asked staff clarifying questions about the continuance and the notice process before a motion to continue the item was made and approved during agenda review. The city will re-notice the hearing for April 14 and will not open the public hearing or accept full-length testimony until that meeting.

The council did not decide the merits of the Creekside Junction project on March 24; the April 14 meeting is expected to resume the appeal hearing and receive the full public record.

What happens next: The hearing will be re-noticed and the record reopened on April 14, when the council intends to hear the appeal and public testimony on the Creekside Junction project.