Mixed-Use Development

Controversial mixed-use Cayucos project heads to county

The developer says he has done all he can to satisfy the concerns of local critics

By Sona Patel

After years of trying to work with Cayucos residents over a development that some said was simply too large for the seaside town, Franco DeCicco may finally win approval to build a residential and commercial project near the coast.

But despite scaling back the much-debated Cayucos Del Mar Project at Ocean Avenue and Old Creek Road by about a fourth, DeCicco still faces opposition from dozens of critics.

DeCicco, of Morro Bay, wants to develop a three-story building with 18 hotel rooms connected to a hospitality area and four condominiums.

“I really hope to give him a fair review of his dream,” said Cyndi Malmen of Cayucos, whose property on Orville Avenue borders De- Cicco’s parcel. “But that’s going to say we have to give up our dreams for him.”

DeCicco said he’s adhered to all of the county’s building requirements, worked with critics to eliminate key amenities of the project and listened to scores of complaints about his development being out of character for the town of more than 3,000.

Chief among critics’ complaints are the size of the project and increased traffic at the intersection in the mostly residential area southeast of town near Morro Strand State Beach.

For the past year, DeCicco and his architect, Kim Hatch of San Luis Obispo-based Pults and Associates, have worked to reduce the overall size of the project by 25 percent.

DeCicco’s new plans include a scaled-back third story and a reduction of nearly 20 percent in overall square footage, according to Hatch. A planned convenience store and restaurant and some condos have been eliminated.

“When (critics) talk to me, I say, ‘Look, we can argue all day on subjective natures, but the fact is we’ve tried every tool in the handbag,’ ” Hatch said. “We’ve done what we needed to do, and I think we have a very good chance of getting approval.”

If county planning commissioners approve the plans at a March 27 hearing, critics could appeal to the county Board of Supervisors and then to the California Coastal Commission.

The group of opponents organized as Concerned Citizens of Cayucos has collected hundreds of signatures and asked the Cayucos Citizens Advisory Council to rescind its recommendation to approve the project.

Malmen, who spoke during a nearly one-hour public comment period on the project at Friday’s council meeting, said she was concerned that the height of the building would block sunlight to solar panels on her property.

“I think that DeCicco did improve the project as far as its design, and I think he did well with that,” Malmen said. “But he still didn’t address the size and massiveness.”

At last week’s meeting, the advisory council voted 8-6 to rescind its recommendation of approval.

That means the council will tell county planning officials that it’s concerned about the size and height of the project.

The advisory council’s role is to make nonbinding recommendations to county officials on issues affecting Cayucos.

“I think there are quite a few people who want nothing there,” said advisory council President Ed Carnegie, who voted against rescinding the panel’s recommendation.

“There have been suggestions that there should be single-family residences … but that wasn’t an option for him, ever,” he added. Under county land use law, the parcel’s zoning requires a mix of homes and commercial development.