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Community Development

About Us
The San Luis Obispo Community Development Department plays a key role in shaping the future of urban development in San Luis Obispo. The Planning and Building divisions develop guiding policies in the City's General Plan, and review new construction through zoning, building permits, subdivision regulations, code enforcement and community design guidelines. Under the direction of the Community Development Director, who is appointed by and is responsible to the City Manager, the Community Development Department serves San Luis Obispo residents directly at the public counter, and indirectly by guiding the City's urban form from concept to construction. The divisions within the department include Long Range Planning, Development Review and Building and Safety.

Mission Statement
Our mission is to serve all persons in a positive and courteous manner and help ensure that San Luis Obispo continues to be a healthy, safe, attractive, and enjoyable place to live, work, or visit. We help plan the City’s form and character, support community values, preserve the environment, promote the wise use of resources, and protect public health and safety.

Service Philosophy
The City of San Luis Obispo Community Development Department staff provides high quality service when you need it. We will:

  • Listen to understand your needs
  • Give clear, accurate and prompt answers to your questions
  • Explain how you can achieve your goals under the City’s rules
  • Help resolve problems in an open, objective manner
  • Maintain high ethical standards
  • Work to improve our service

Community planning involves the complex interaction of individuals, neighborhood groups, business organizations, environmental groups, other advocacy groups, land developers, and contractors with appointed and elected City officials and the staff. The elected five member City Council appoints people to serve on the Planning Commission, Architectural Review Commission, Cultural Heritage Committee, Handicapped Board of Appeals, and the Construction Board of Appeals. These groups help oversee various parts of the planning and construction programs and provide an important means for citizen participation in city government. The Community Development Department staff are employees that work with the City Council and appointed citizen groups to administer the planning and building programs.

What's New

Land Use and Circulation Elements (LUCE) Update

www.slo2035.com
The City received $880,000 in State grant funds to update the City’s Land Use and Circulation Elements. These elements of the General Plan comprise the  “blueprint” for the future of the City: the Land Use Element describes the location and intensity of uses -housing, businesses, industry, open space - and the Circulation Element defines how people, products and visitors move about the community. 

Together these elements plan for the physical development of the City based upon the expected population growth and commercial and industrial development, while ensuring the protection of the City’s special assets and natural resources. A comprehensive community outreach will be included as part of this effort. The update will focus on healthy communities and promotion of energy efficiency and conservation.  For more information please visit the project website at
www.slo2035.com. For questions, please contact Kim Murry, Community Development Department, at 781-7274 or kmurry@slocity.org.

 

 

Climate Action Plan

In response to the California Global Warming Solutions Act (AB 32), the City has been developing a Climate Action Plan (CAP) that establishes strategies for reducing community-wide greenhouse gas emissions. The public draft of the CAP is now ready for review! Please download the following pdf: SLO CAP.


After a series of public workshops, outreach at farmers markets and grocery stores, and discussions at various community organization meetings, the plan is ready for review by the Planning Commission.  Join the discussion at the Planning Commission meeting on May 23, 2012 at 6 pm in the Council Chamber at City Hall, 990 Palm Street. 

 

Visit www.SLOCOOL.org to give feedback on the CAP and learn about our path towards being a more sustainable community! For questions and comments, please contact James David, Community Development Department, at 781-7576 or jdavid@slocity.org.

Orcutt Area Annexation

Historic Resource Inventory

 

 

 

The Cultural Heritage Committee is in the process of surveying the City for potential Historic Resources. This may also include adjustments to the boundaries of the City's Historic Districts. Links to the web page are here.

 

 

 

New Public Counter Hours for the Community Development Department and Public Works Department Offices – 919 Palm Street. Effective October 4, 2010, the Community Development Department's and Public Works Department's public counter are open Monday through Friday, 8 am to noon, and 1 pm to 3 pm.

The change in public counter hours is an effort to maintain a high level of customer service at the public counter while experiencing staffing reductions. During the times the counter is closed, the Building Inspection Hotline will still be available to accept inspection requests. Phones will remain open where they connect directly to a staff member. Individuals can still schedule meetings with city staff during the times the offices are closed. Public Works and Building Inspectors will still be available for inspections during the time the offices are closed.

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