Why is Five Cities in SLO County not One City? (Temecula: city hall, movie theater)

[the city]

Why isn't Arroyo Grande, Pismo Beach, Grover Beach, and Oceano one city? I heard the cities are now looking to get fire service from the city of San Luis Obispo.

So why not combine all the communities in the future? AG has the hospital, Grover has the court house, Oceano has the airport, and Pismo has the outlet mall. Not only that Pismo and AG make the most income. Grover seems to be a tight pinch for money and Oceano is with the county. Even if Oceano decides to remain with the county, I think the three cities should become one. If you drive through the 101 and drive around the area it feels like you are in one community. Shut down the police departments in Grover and Pismo and their city halls, and use AGs city hall and expand the police department and fire station in AG.

Comments?

[EscapeCalifornia]

What makes you think that you know what's best for everyone? Did you ever consider that small communities like having their own identity and local government and would prefer not to be part of a larger municipality where they wind up being governed by a distant group of people who don't understand local issues?

[Brenda-by-the-sea]

It's a good idea in theory, but merging two municipalities is a complicated legal matter. Merging more than that number would be a real headache. As a practical reality, it's just easier to form county-administered service districts for law enforcement, fire, education, water and sewer than it is to try and execute an incorporated merger. The voters would probably vote it down anyway.

[MIKEETC]

I don't see a compelling reason to do so.

[the city]

Originally Posted by Brenda-by-the-sea

It's a good idea in theory, but merging two municipalities is a complicated legal matter. Merging more than that number would be a real headache. As a practical reality, it's just easier to form county-administered service districts for law enforcement, fire, education, water and sewer than it is to try and execute an incorporated merger. The voters would probably vote it down anyway.

That is what I was thinking. It sounds good in theory, but hard to do.

[wrcousert]

I've wondered the same thing about the Temecula Valley. Wouldn't it make sense to combine Temecula, Murrieta and Wildomar into one city? The money saved by combining resources would make it worthwhile.

[the city]

Also, I looked at the city boundary maps and they all touch it other perfectly. And if Oceano didn't want to be apart of one larger city, then they could remain out of it. I think ten years down the line as population grows and no retail development is seen within AG and Grover they will look to merge with Pismo. Pismo makes the most money from tourism, Grover serves as a small residential city, and AG serves as the seat for Five Cities with the Village of Arroyo Grande as a main street downtown. Grand is the main street in five cities anyway.

Even it doesn't happen they still seem like one city. And I will prefer Arroyo Grande-Pismo-Grover-Oceano over SLO anyday of the week. The beach, bowling alley, Regal movie theater, and outlet mall, and higher density areas make this area appeal to me.

[ferretkona]

I can just see 5 mayors, all reasoning that they should be the only mayor.
It will look like the Whitman/Brown circus we all have to watch.

[Brenda-by-the-sea]

Originally Posted by ferretkona

I can just see 5 mayors, all reasoning that they should be the only mayor.
It will look like the Whitman/Brown circus we all have to watch.

Not necessarily. Outside of major metropolitan areas, most mayorships are volunteer positions. It's really the city manager, as a hired employee, who runs the city.

[Kibbiekat]

Originally Posted by the city

Why isn't Arroyo Grande, Pismo Beach, Grover Beach, and Oceano one city? I heard the cities are now looking to get fire service from the city of San Luis Obispo.

So why not combine all the communities in the future? AG has the hospital, Grover has the court house, Oceano has the airport, and Pismo has the outlet mall. Not only that Pismo and AG make the most income. Grover seems to be a tight pinch for money and Oceano is with the county. Even if Oceano decides to remain with the county, I think the three cities should become one. If you drive through the 101 and drive around the area it feels like you are in one community. Shut down the police departments in Grover and Pismo and their city halls, and use AGs city hall and expand the police department and fire station in AG.

Comments?

what difference would it make to combine the cities? Each of these things would still be where they are, and none of them are related to each other.