Paso Robles VS. San Luis Obispo... (Santa Maria, Atascadero: hotel, new house, theater)

[the city]

After reading the following, which city would you chose?


Bill Watkins of the UCSB Forecast project predicts that in 2020 Paso Robles will exceed the population of San Luis Obispo and become the biggest city in the county. About every 5 years Paso has 2 residential projects proposed (Chandler Ranch and Olsen-Beechwood Ranch), and now in the next five years the first next project is under way-River Oaks 2.

San Miguel, Templeton, Nacimento Lake, and Shandon, are small towns surrounding Paso Robles, that are growing at a fast rate.

Templeton estimates to be at 15,000 population in 2030.

Shandon Specific Plan includes a sewage plant that will allow 4,000-20,000 new residents to move to Shandon.

Nacimento Lake is growing at a fast rate for being a nice community next to Paso.

San Miguel is growing faster than Paso, and their expected population of 5,200 in 2030 is expected to triple. San Miguel will be housing the residents that can't afford to live in Paso, and new houses will be built along the freeway. Already projects will 100 and 300 homes have been passed to be built in the town. And a project with 489 homes is on it's way to get passed. This is all in a period of 1-2 years. We can expect that the next project will include 700 homes. And their person per household is at 3.03. Paso's is at 2.6

San Luis Obispo on the other hand will be at 47,000 population in 2030. When Paso will be at 57,000 population. Paso will have an increase in gangs, more traffic on highway 46, hotter weather, and higher water taxes. San Luis Obispo on the other hand has coastal fog, cooler weather, traffic almost to the point of gridlock, higher living expenses, and higher density of living (more crowds).

[JnR]

One question... why will Paso Robles have hotter weather? Don't tell me you are trying to sneak in some global warming stuff on me. LOL We already have hotter weather than SLO in the summer, which I personally enjoy. But to be honest, I can hardly stand all the influx of people in this county right now, so I will probably have moved on by the year 2020 to a place that resembles SLO county as it was in the 80's.

[the city]

Originally Posted by JnR

One question... why will Paso Robles have hotter weather? Don't tell me you are trying to sneak in some global warming stuff on me. LOL We already have hotter weather than SLO in the summer, which I personally enjoy. But to be honest, I can hardly stand all the influx of people in this county right now, so I will probably have moved on by the year 2020 to a place that resembles SLO county as it was in the 80's.

Oops, yeah I meant that as a seperate point. That Paso has hotter weather and SLO has cooler weather. Also, SLO has the downtown shopping experience. Atascadero's Super Wal-Mart center will be a strip mall, Pismo has the outlet mall, and Paso one day can get a regional open-air mall.

[jessemh431]

SLO seems like a better city in terms of safety, family life, and things to do. However, Paso has warmer which I like. If there was an exact combination, I would choose that. Also, isn't SLO closer to the beach? If so, I would choose SLO.

[the city]

slo is closer to the beach, but there's not more to do in slo. paso has a water park, a big bowling alley, paintball, batting cages, the fair, and more.

[the city]

"In general South County (south of Cuesta Grade) is cooler than North County in the country-side. A hot streak in Paso can be in triple digits to 107. South County's cool weather has morning fog though, so commuting over the grade isnt a good idea. South county is more compact, but quality of living is better. North County could have a gang problem in the future and has higher water taxes. I would say traffic is worse in South County due to the Dalidio Ranch Marketplace and Irish Hills Plaza-Prefumo Creek Commons retail development. South County has more big-box stores than North County.


Yeah, Santa Maria is an okay area besides their schools and gang problem. Santa Maria has traffic all the time, their schools are way over packed, and they have gang troubles. If you have no kids, then Santa Maria is great.

Paso Robles is going to be at 47,000 population in 2020 with the Rivers Oaks 2, Chandler Ranch, and Olsen-Beechwood Ranch projects built out. In 2030, when the city is at 57,000 population there's a good chance around 2020 a regional open-air mall with Gottschalks and Sears will be built. The newest shopping center being built in Paso Robles is a Lowe's shopping center.

Atascadero will be at 36,000 population in 2030, and they have a lake park with a small nice zoo. They also have a Super Wal-Mart strip mall with some nice resturaunts that will be built in a couple years.

Templeton has a hospital, best school district in North County, an indoor gym being built, Trader Joes center and Long Drugs being built, hotel being built, a skate park, gas station, and in 2030 they will have 15,000 population. It's the most costly to live in all of North County also.

San Miguel is the most inexpensive to live in North County, and they expect to triple their 5,200 population estimate in 2030 to 16,000 population. They recently passed a housing project of 100 and 300 homes, and now are passing a project will 489 homes. All of these projects are along the 101 freeway, away from the current small town.

Pismo Beach expects to have 12,000 beach in 2030 and currently has an outlet mall and the beach with dunes and pier. Most expensive place to live in county.

San Luis Obispo is at 45,000 population right now, expensive to live there. Downtown has night club, 7 screen theater, and upscale retail clothing stores. They will be at 47,000 population in 2030.

Shandon is a small town at 1,000 population, but when the Shandon Specific Plan is passed the town will be adding a sewage plant. That means 4,000 to 10,000 more could live there. Meaning the town could be at 11,000 population in 2030."

This good quote sums up alot. I made this post in another thread. Also for activities they have a rollerskate rink.

[the city]

Paso Robles Activities:
1)The Ravine water park
2)The Mid-State Fair
3)Paso Bowl (family fun center and bowling)
4)MVP Batting Cages
5)JC Paintball
6)Skate-Mor

there's also a skate park and a 8 screen theater in Paso. and there expanding Paso's current Wal-Mart into a Wal-Mart Supecenter. and when Paso gets a regional open-air mall, we could also get a Tilt arcade in that mall. a food court and arcade in the mall for teens to hang out at, and shopping for girls. and i heard a rumor the water park might get laser tag.

San Luis Obispo activities:
1) San Luis Obispo downtown shopping
2)The Grad nightclub
3)Movie Experience 7 screen in downtown SLO and Regal Cinema 10 in Arroyo Grande for theaters
4)Sunset Drive-In theater

Atascadero activities:
1)Charles Paddock Zoo and Lake park
also the Wal-Mart Supercenter shopping center is gonna be a strip mall for ppl to shop and dine at for entertainment in Atascadero

Pismo Beach activities:
1)Pismo Prime Outlet Mall
2)Pismo Beach, Pier, and dunes

And of course, there are tons of outodoor activities in the county to do.

[RLCMA]

Traffic in SLO? I don't think so.

[Capt. Dan]

Originally Posted by JnR

One question... why will Paso Robles have hotter weather? Don't tell me you are trying to sneak in some global warming stuff on me. LOL We already have hotter weather than SLO in the summer, which I personally enjoy. But to be honest, I can hardly stand all the influx of people in this county right now, so I will probably have moved on by the year 2020 to a place that resembles SLO county as it was in the 80's.

Yep! Thats one of the reasons I left SLO and came to Tennessee. The rural area around SLO werent rural any more. God save POZO!!

[the city]

My newest estimates are as follow...

San Luis Obispo County 2030
-Paso Robles-55,500
(Borkey Plan, Uptown Plan, Chandler Ranch, Beechwood-Olsen Ranch, River Oaks 2, & more...)
-Atascadero-36,230
(Eagle Creek Ranch, Dove Creek, the houses being built near Super Wal-Mart, etc...)
-San Miguel-23,500
(being that the town is following the 1,000 growth per year that seems to be just getting more rapid and constant-EIR for San Miguel Ranch will be done later this year and construction start next year)
-Templeton-15,020
(this is the estimated # from the county, and of the town of Templeton. GO EAGLES!)
-Shandon-9,003
(Shandon Specific Plan-when it is passed later this year, some say the build-out won't happen, but some say it will. the build-out will bring the population of Shandon to the number I posted. the town is adding a sewage plant)
-Nacimento Lake-5,250
(not much but average growth for the town, and the number i posted is county projection)
-Crestion-3000
(Creston Ranch, and other small developments and Creston having ground-water contribute to their growth)
-Santa Margarita-2,800 roughly
(Santa Margarita Ranch Plan adds over 1,000 new residents to Santa Margarita-doubling the town's population)
Cholame-250
=150,000 population within 25 miles of Paso Robles

Regarding, San Luis Obispo area. There are not growing very much at all. San Luis Obispo is at 45,000 population now. And probably might be at 47,000 population in 2030.
The five cities area won't be growing much, except for Pismo Beach that expects to be at 12,000 population in 2030.

The mesa area will be growing alot though because of people moving there from Santa Maria.

SL0-47,000
Nipomo-20,000
Arroyo Grande-18,000
Los Osos-17,509
Grover Beach-14,000
Pismo Beach-12,000
Morro Bay-11,003
Oceano-8,705
Baywood Park-4,008
Shell and Avila Beach-1,802
=154,000 population

Now with all that, and the land in county areas (rural areas not in cities or the towns) you get about at 355,000 population in 2030. Which is what the state told us to be at, and that we offer more affordable housing.

North County has hot streaks of triple digits in the Summer-107 for like 4 days straight. And in South County weather is cooler year round, but you have coastal fog.

San Luis Obispo will have gridlock along highway 101 due to the Dalidio Ranch Marketplace, and in general the area just has more traffic than south county.

Paso Robles is more spread out, so less traffic. On the other hand they could have a gang problem in the future.

Paso activities:
1) possible regional open-air mall with Gottschalks, Sears, a food court, and arcade could be built around 2020.
2)the arcade in the possible mall
3)Skate-Mor (rollerskate rink)
4)Paso Bowl w/ family fun center
5)JC Paintball
6)MVP Batting Cages
7)The Mid-State Fair
8)The Ravine (water park)

also a skate park and theater in the city.

Atascadero activities:
1) Del Rio Plaza strip mall w/ Super Wal-Mart and fine dining resturaunts that will be built
2)Charles Paddock Zoo and lake-both in Atascadero Lake Park

San Luis Obispo activities:
1)San Luis Obispo Downtown (tons of upscale retail and local stores)
2)Movie Experience and Regal Cinemas (theaters in area)
3)Sunset Drive-in Theater
4)The Grad (night club)
also they have a fair share of big-box stores in San Luis Obispo

Pismo Beach activities:
1)Pismo Prime Outlets (shopping outlet mall)
2)the beach, dunes, and the pier


SLO County has a lot of outdoor activities, and wineries. It's also one of the best areas in california. South county has more college students and retired folks, so there are more passive activities there. North County has more families, so more active activities.