The Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo’s goal of garnering the $12 million in funding to purchase the Pismo Preserve in 2014 swept through the county uniting government leaders, environmentalists and community members. Today, unexpected costs and construction requirements have caused a delay by almost two years in plans to open the park to the public.
The Land Conservancy originally planned for a fall 2016 opening but during the design and environmental clearance process unanticipated requirements were revealed, thus raising the cost of the project and increasing the time required to complete it. In addition, offers for in-kind services to help with the construction have not yet come to fruition. The organization is now planning to implement a phased opening.
“We certainly want to open it up to the public as soon as possible, and we are all working hard to make that happen,” said The Land Conservancy’s Executive Director Kaila Dettman, “It is disappointing to have a delay. We know that we want to and need to do it right to make sure that people come to the property have a safe and enjoyable experience. The things that we have to do per environmental regulations and to minimize or eliminate impacts to local roadways and neighborhoods will all be worth it because it will ensure that people have a great experience out there.”
A full build out of park amenities including parking, restrooms, and an ADA-accessible trail is estimated for a late 2018 completion date. The project is expected to cost an estimated $4.8 million to complete. Funding sources are expected to include state and local government grants, family foundations, and in-kind services from contractors and suppliers.
During the last two years The Land Conservancy’s planning team, agency reviewers and staff have worked together to re-design the plans for the parking lots, restrooms, and other infrastructure in response to city, Cal Fire and county code requirements that ensure the public’s safety, and to accommodate fragile cultural resources that were found on site.
“Right after we purchased the Pismo Preserve and we were getting down to the design and planning process, we were hopeful that we could open it in a year or two, and here we are at the end of two years,” Dettman said. “We have a ways to go still. We are happy with all the efforts to date and all the progress. We are not going to twiddle our thumbs and wait until 2018 to get it built.”
That progress includes getting permits approved; more than 230 volunteers finished a phenomenal network of 11 miles of new trails; and a brand new volunteer docent program was created this spring, setting the foundation for docent-led hikes and mountain bike rides.
“We got 11 miles of brand new trials in three months after we had done all the design and layout work and everything,” Dettman said. “It wasn’t an easy task because it is a very rugged property in many ways with steep slopes and fragile soil. We designed a system that is so amazing for people; it provides a variety of different routes and perspective on the property. While I am disappointed that we can’t open it right away, I am entirely confident in our people and proud of what we have all done to get it where it is today.”
The enormous amount of supporters for the project won’t have to wait until 2018 to enjoy part of the 900-acre site; pre-scheduled docent led tours, hikes, and equestrian and mountain bike rides will be open to the general public by the end of the year. The Land Conservancy will then host occasional “open days” starting as soon as spring 2017 where visitors can register, sign in at the entrance, explore the Preserve without a docent, and sign out when leaving. Until then, the Preserve is only open to visitors on docent-led hikes, equestrian rides, and mountain bike rides.
“We recognize that our community is anxious to explore and experience the property. In an effort to give people opportunities to enjoy the Preserve during the construction phase, we are working with our agency partners to allow structured access while we push forward to construct the park amenities,” Dettman said.
There is a long list of things that must be completed before the Pismo Preserve can be fully open to the public including: construction of a sidewalk and retaining wall that facilitates safe pedestrian and bicyclist access from the 101 freeway interchange along Mattie Road to the entrance at the Preserve; implementation of a management plan to protect fragile cultural resources; installation of two parking lots to avoid impacts to local neighborhoods, prevent erosion, and expedite the movement of first responders in the event of injuries, fire or other emergencies; construction of a one-mile ADA-accessible trail; and construction of water-efficient restrooms with sufficient capacity to accommodate the expected number of visitors on a daily basis.
For now, docent-led hikes and mountain bike rides are offered once to twice per week for Land Conservancy members. Anyone can join and any donation makes a person a member for one year. Memberships are tax deductible.
For more information, visit the Conservancy’s website at www.LCSLO.org or call Kaila Dettman, Executive Director, at 805-544-9096.
