Here is a County planning map that shows the zoning for Cayucos, and is done with color coding. This is helpful to see exactly where the commercial zoned property is located. It is also good for viewing the route taken by Ocean,
(Ocean avenues to the north, and boulevard to the south). All of the commercial property, whether in the northern section of Cayucos or the southern Morro Strand section, is on Ocean. The commercial properties in Morro Strand are a vestige of the past when Ocean was Highway One, and before the building of the current highway as it is today. The commercial properties in the Morro Strand section were the old Texaco gas station at Old Creek Road, (previously Montecito Drive) and the store which was in the Bill Juarez property. These businesses served travelers on Ocean,
(as Highway One).
At a later time, the small hotel to the south of Juarez, (previously named ‘Morro View’ and now being converted to apartments) I believe came later, and the office building north of Juarez is about 20 years old and built after the current Highway One.
There are three designations for Ocean…
There is often confusion regarding Ocean, and some of us who have been here a long time are aware of the designations, and
other folks are not. So here is a little background on this…
Ocean Avenue is in the northern section of the town. That would be the portion of the town on the west side of Highway One, north
of Old Creek, the creek not the road. So, in that section of Cayucos, Ocean Avenue has two designations – north and south. I am
not exactly certain where the dividing line is but it is around 3rd St or so (near the Cayucos Super Market and the Sea Shanty
restaurant). Street number addresses reflect the north and south designations and get larger in opposite directions, I believe.
The section of town where we live – those of us who live in the section from Old Creek, the creek, and the cemetery, actually live in
the Morro Strand section of Cayucos. This section of Ocean, is "Boulevard." I believe that Ocean Boulevard has no north or south
designation, and the address numbers run from smaller to the north, to larger to the south. The address numbering of this section
is an extension of S. Ocean Avenue.
Additionally, the road now called Old Creek Road, from Hwy 46 to Highway One, was called Montecito Drive. Previously there was
an Old Creek Road that ran along Old Creek, (the creek). Old Creek Road extended from about Highway One to Cottontail Creek.
Most of it got buried under the Whale Rock reservoir. The last little tail of the road remained Old Creek from Highway One to the
dam.
About 20+ years ago the county, in its infinite wisdom, decided to rename these roads. The road renames were:
Montecito Drive, as it previously existed from Highway 46 to Highway One, and was renamed Old Creek Road. The little side road
to the east, from about the Negranti ranch, which had no name, but houses and addresses with the Montecito Drive designation,
was given the name Montecito Drive.
The previous small section of Old Creek Road, below the dam to Highway One, was renamed to 13th Street, conforming to its
extension across Highway One / South Ocean Avenue and on to Pacific Avenue.
These road name changes were done in the name of public safety, believing that there would be better coordination and response
times for emergency services, and in particular with coordination of CDF and the Templeton section of the county where Cayucos
and its fire district interfaces. This created a lot of confusion for more than a decade with those residents who had addresses
along roads with name changes. The confusion persisted with utility companies, delivery services and to some degree,
emergency services. Most of the confusion is behind us but little fragments still continue.
In addition, one last little tidbit… the creek that runs behind the houses on the south side of Old Creek Road, and also behind the
houses on Hacienda, is called Willow Creek. Willow Creek is the creek that runs out to the ocean by the traffic signal. The point to
the immediate south bordering Willow Creek, is “Willow Point”. The section of Willow Creek running from the beach eastward
inland for about a half mile was once a Chumash fishing village.
I hope this little bit of history is enlightening to everyone, and helpful in understanding Cayucos as some changes have taken
place over the years. |
