Avila Beach Specific Plan and EIR

County of San Luis Obispo

DC&E prepared a Specific Plan and EIR for the small coastal town of Avila Beach, a popular summer destination for locals and tourists due to its old-fashioned resort appeal and its sunny, south-facing beach. The call for the Specific Plan resulted from the need to remediate groundwater and soil contamination under the town's buildings and road system, which required the removal of a substantial number of buildings along the town's main commercial street. DC&E's efforts centered around a community visioning process with a series of eight well-attended workshops. The completed Specific Plan includes land use, circulation, community design, public space, infrastructure, economic recovery and implementation components. Specific design elements of the plan include design guidelines, a town center plan, gateway designs, streetscape plans and detailed designs for key opportunity sites. DC&E's work on the Avila Beach Specific Plan has led to the construction of a number of projects in Avila Beach, including a new pedestrian-only boardwalk, new retail buildings along the ocean frontage, and a marine biology exhibit center. This project won the California Chapter APA Award for Planning Implementation by a Small Jurisdiction in 2001.

The Avila Beach Specific Plan won the 2001 State award for Planning Implementation for a Small Jurisdiction by the California Chapter of the American Planning Association.