San Luis Obispo, The happiest town in America. (Crest: food, estimates)

[the city]

Originally Posted by .highnlite

Which is pretty funny since Americorps was George Bush I idea.
My son spent a year in Americorps they did good work and he benefited from it.

I have no idea what SLO City politics are, I don't pay much attention, we have turned the County Supervisors around, a few years ago they were very prodevelopment and voted to approve the conversion of part of an old Spanish land grant ranch into a whole new town over the objections of planning staff and the planning commission. Every Supervisor that voted for that has lost their position.

There are many of us who would like to preserve the traditional and rural values of the county. My family is a large landowner in the county, and we plan to preserve all of our land in conservation and farm easements, in perpetuity, we donate money to organizations that work to preserver Ag land.

If you meant Dalidio's project, I think the man had the right to develop his land. If you mean Santa Margarita's development, then I agree that should not have been developed.

Here in Templeton, I wouldn't mind seeing Templeton open up more shopping centers and businesses. Unfortnately, I don't see that happening as they just turned down a large affordible housing development.

But Templeton is a town, not even a city, so all the shopping I leave for SLO.

I think coastal small cities are just all interesting. Clean and laid back downtowns, national and local boutigue stores, higher end stores in the city, coastal cool weather, beautiful scenery, big libraries, Trader Joes and Whole Foods, and good hiking spots. Of course, I think most any city that has gotten a Whole Foods means the city is doing something right. Fresno and Sacramento being the exceptions.

[mateo45]

Originally Posted by the city

Of course, I think most any city that has gotten a Whole Foods means the city is doing something right. Fresno and Sacramento being the exceptions.

Well, of course that's the "rub" isn't it, that why are places like Fresno & Sacto "exceptions"?

[.highnlite]

Dalido's project is not what I had in mind. But, tis interesting to know that land was our Ranch #15, I live on #10.

Santa Margarita Ranch was bought by developers to develop it. A sad case, but, much of your planning thinking involves the destruction of land that grows food for people, and that whether legal or not is a sin. Developing Dalido's land is a sin. It is a sin against us, when we are out of farms and ranches, we are out of food.

[the city]

Originally Posted by mateo45

Well, of course that's the "rub" isn't it, that why are places like Fresno & Sacto "exceptions"?

Because they are flat, hot, trafficy, full of big box centers, and are boring.

They have some nice neighborhoods and two good universities which is prob why they have a Whole Foods. But I cant think of much else to say nicely about them.

In my opinion btw, I think a city without big box centers are probably best. All though, I think enclosed malls and any type of mall is the worse. Malls kill downtowns. But it's so hard to get cities to get rid of malls. No one wants to pay to bull doze them.

[mateo45]

Along those lines, I thought this was interesting, from the National Geographic article re: "Secrets of the Happiest Places on Earth" (http://blogs.nationalgeographic.com/blogs/news/chiefeditor/2010/11/dan-buettner-shares-secrets-of.html - broken link):

“You can stand any place in San Luis Obispo, a city of about a quarter of a million people, and look around and see green. They have zoned it such that there’s no building beyond a certain point, so everybody has access to green space, which we know lowers stress levels, and has access to recreation.

“And then there’s the big one that we know on a day-to-day basis, commuting in our cars, is one of the things we like the least in America. San Luis Obispo has created an urban environment where driving is a little bit of a hassle, but it’s really easy to bike and it’s easy to walk. They have 16-foot-wide sidewalks, there are outdoor cafes, and people walking to work see their friends. It’s just a pleasant place.

“It goes back to Ken Schwartz, an architecture professor and five-term San Luis Obispo mayor, and his students, who intuited that quality of life was the important thing to focus on. They audaciously suggested that the city’s 250-year-old Mission Plaza be used, not as a parking lot, but as a common area for people to gather. They put an art center there, a place for festivals. That seemed to be the galvanizing event.”

http://blogs.nationalgeographic.com/blogs/news/chiefeditor/2010/11/22/buettner_schwartz-thumb-425x283.jpg (broken link)

[Rhenzanite]

Originally Posted by mateo45

Along those lines, I thought this was interesting, from the National Geographic article re: "Secrets of the Happiest Places on Earth" (http://blogs.nationalgeographic.com/blogs/news/chiefeditor/2010/11/dan-buettner-shares-secrets-of.html - broken link):

“You can stand any place in San Luis Obispo, a city of about a quarter of a million people, and look around and see green. They have zoned it such that there’s no building beyond a certain point, so everybody has access to green space, which we know lowers stress levels, and has access to recreation.

“And then there’s the big one that we know on a day-to-day basis, commuting in our cars, is one of the things we like the least in America. San Luis Obispo has created an urban environment where driving is a little bit of a hassle, but it’s really easy to bike and it’s easy to walk. They have 16-foot-wide sidewalks, there are outdoor cafes, and people walking to work see their friends. It’s just a pleasant place.

“It goes back to Ken Schwartz, an architecture professor and five-term San Luis Obispo mayor, and his students, who intuited that quality of life was the important thing to focus on. They audaciously suggested that the city’s 250-year-old Mission Plaza be used, not as a parking lot, but as a common area for people to gather. They put an art center there, a place for festivals. That seemed to be the galvanizing event.”

Pretty interesting that he said the city of SLO has a quarter of a million people, though. The entire county has a little less than 250,000 people, but the city of SLO itself only has around 45,000.

There's quite a difference between Paso Robles and SLO.....

[.highnlite]

Looks like the author confused the county pop with the city pop.

[the city]

Originally Posted by JetJockey

Pretty interesting that he said the city of SLO has a quarter of a million people, though. The entire county has a little less than 250,000 people, but the city of SLO itself only has around 45,000.

There's quite a difference between Paso Robles and SLO.....

They also mentioned it as a town a couple times and SLO is just a small city. Not to mention the county is over 250,000 pop by 2010 estimates. I believe 270,000 pop. Paso has 30,000 and SLO has 45,000. So yeah a 15,000 difference.

[mateo45]

Population aside, the article makes it sound like Ken Schwartz was quite an influential visionary (as well as being a popular 5-term mayor!), and that Cal Poly is/has been more than just a local fixture & employer there. For example, having an architectural professor for a mayor seems kinda "novel", just for openers.

[Capt. Dan]

Originally Posted by .highnlite

Dalido's project is not what I had in mind. But, tis interesting to know that land was our Ranch #15, I live on #10.

Santa Margarita Ranch was bought by developers to develop it. A sad case, but, much of your planning thinking involves the destruction of land that grows food for people, and that whether legal or not is a sin. Developing Dalido's land is a sin. It is a sin against us, when we are out of farms and ranches, we are out of food.

I'm curious. Does the old Santa Margarita Saloon still exist?