Project near Halcyon OK’d
By April Charlton/Senior Staff Writer
A seven-year-old plan to develop a small parcel of land directly across from the town of Halcyon and next to agricultural property has finally won the approval of the county Board of Supervisors.
Arroyo Grande businessman Coker Ellsworth has been trying to develop the 1.69-acre parcel on South Halcyon Road across from Temple Street since 2001.
Ellsworth, who appealed a December 2007 Planning Commission denial of his proposed project, recently received the green light from supervisors to develop the land.
He plans to subdivide the parcel into nine lots and construct seven two-story townhouses and two mini-storage buildings at the site. The two buildings will house 23 storage units.
Ellsworth had originally proposed splitting the lot into 24 parcels and developing 18 two-story residential units and five three-story units on the site, which was opposed by Halcyon residents, the Planning Commission and the city of Arroyo Grande.
The commission’s decision was based primarily on the original proposed project’s inconsistency with the agriculture and open space element of the county’s General Plan.
The county’s General Plan requires an agriculture buffer for projects like Ellsworth’s to lessen the conflict between the proposed residential use and adjacent active farming. The buffer can’t be agricultural land.
During an initial appeal hearing in July at the board, Ellsworth agreed once more to redesign the somewhat controversial project.
Ellsworth originally proposed a 50-foot buffer for the project, which was insufficient and also infringed on the adjacent farmland. His newest project has a 120-foot buffer.
The county Agricultural Commissioner’s Office believes the 120-foot buffer will be acceptable, in part, because the mini-storage buildings will provide a barrier between the residences and adjacent farmland, blocking dust and noise generated by the agricultural use.
acharlton@theadobepress.com
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