Greetings, fellow Avilones.  July is now upon us, and things in Avila Beach are once again holding seasonal form.  Even though weekend traffic and parking continues to be a problem, it seems to have gotten worse with the present amount of new housing construction popping up all around us.  And this is not just an Avila Beach problem – no, it seems to be occurring in many parts of SLO City and South County as well, causing rush-hour traffic on the 101 not seen five years ago.  But to put things into perspective, I must admit to a “reality-check” vacation to Palm Springs that my wife, dog and I took in early June.  On the way home we experienced at least three major traffic jams, on a Saturday morning, mind you, and wound up spending seven hours in the car – about two hours longer than usual. Ugh! We visit the desert three or four times annually, and each year traffic gets worse in both directions.  So, I can’t complain too much about the extra five or ten minutes it takes to get around on the Central Coast.

In case you haven’t seen prior announcements about local code enforcement response in Avila Beach, extended hours assistance is now just a phone call away for Avila Beach residents.  I believe this is in response to the increasing amount of concern expressed at Avila Valley Advisory Council meetings.  According to SLO County Department of Planning & Building representative Art Trinidad, “this service will allow people to report violations such as unpermitted grading, work that is causing environmental damage, unpermitted temporary events, and violations of event conditions that often occur on weekends outside of Code Enforcement’s normal business hours.”  County Code Enforcement Officers are now on call Fridays from 5:00pm -10:00pm and Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 8:00am-10:00pm.  The number to call is (805) 788-2350.  During normal business hours, residents can call in reports at (805) 781-5600.

I imagine that many of you attended the June 28th  Envision Avila Workshop, and learned more about the process and community workshop series created to inform and develop a new comprehensive Community Plan in Avila Beach. Community Plans are an integral part of the San Luis Obispo County’s General Plan that manages what exists now, what may exist in the future, and guides land use decisions for the next 20 years.  The Avila Community Plan will specifically focus on the region within the Avila Urban Reserve Line (URL).  This painstakingly long process has been underway for a couple of years now, and will not be completed for several more.  Rather than get into the details here, I encourage you to visit the Envision Avila website and snoop around – www.envisionavila.org.

As I turned the page in my old fashioned Day Runner notebook to the month of July, I was reminded that it’s time to begin working on the “Foundation’s” annual grant making process.  The first steps entail updating the request for proposals (RFPs), placing the application form on our website, and alerting all past applicants and recipients of due dates and timelines.  Interested parties will have roughly two months to complete and submit their requests for funding.  Then it takes us about two more months to facilitate the competitive selection process. For the staff and board members of the “Foundation”, grant-making season is one of our most important and rewarding periods.  It is our opportunity to re-connect with current grant recipients, and meet new applicants hoping to secure funds for their projects or programs.  Historically, we have about $60,000 to allocate each year, and typically award 10-12 grants.  The amount given each year is attached to the value of the “Foundation’s” professionally invested and managed portfolio, of which a percentage – roughly 3% - is set aside for grants.  Our funding practices are consistent with other community foundations, and enable us to give responsibly and effectively.  For information about our grant-making process, and/or to download the application form for 2019 programs or projects, please visit www.avilabeachfoundation.org  after July 10th, and click on the grants tab.  Or feel free to call me at (805) 595-4095. 

That’s it for now.  See you at the beach!

Greetings, fellow Avilones. Summertime in Avila Beach here we come! I certainly don't need to tell you what to expect, but I guess it's okay to remind you to prepare and plan for any trips into or out of our soon to be stretched to the limit cozy beach town. I have a lot of content to share this month, so I'll get right into it.
 
First, it is my extreme pleasure to introduce Barbara Nicholson as the "Foundation's" newest member of our Board of Trustees. A native Washingtonian, Barbara moved to SLO County in 1996 and worked as a Retail Application Consultant for SAP, as Retail Market Manager for Dioptics, and as Advertising Sales Rep for national and major accounts for The Tribune. Barbara shifted gears and in 2006 was hired as Executive Director of Partnership for the Children of San Luis Obispo County, which operates Tolosa Children's Dental Center for Medi-Cal and uninsured children. Currently Barbara works as an independent Event Coordinator specializing in small community events. In 2016, she and husband Howard, a Real Estate Appraiser, moved to Avila, where they reside in the Indian Hill community of the San Luis Bay Estates with Rusty (cat) and Sampras (dog). Welcome, Barbara!
 
You loyal readers may recall that in last month's issue of the Avila News, I devoted some space to the presence and importance of local volunteer intensive community groups that help keep Avila Beach ticking. One of the newer such groups is "Concerned Citizens of Avila Beach", which I've mentioned in past columns. I decided to interview the group's current President Betty Hartig to give you a greater idea of the work they do. Here goes . . .  
 
What is your role with "Concerned Citizens"?
I am the President of CC4A and conduct all meetings of the Board. I also serve as a representative of the organization in meetings and discussions with other organizations and agencies. I send and sign letters, such as the recent letter to County Parks regarding fire safety concerns at Cave Landing. However, our seven member Board works together on all aspects.
 
When was the organization established, and why?
CC4A was initially founded in March 2015 out of concerns raised by the Wild Cherry Canyon Development, a huge housing project proposed for that pristine area. There were also other extensive projects with applications that had been submitted to the Department of Planning at that same time. The idea of large development creating more traffic and threats to the environment without well thought out mitigations and limitations galvanized citizens to act together. CC4A became a formal organization in June 2017 with established Bylaws and a Board of Directors.
 
What is "Concerned Citizens" current area of focus?
The mission of the organization is to protect the natural environment, safety and accessibility of Avila. We are concerned with traffic congestion that presents a significant risk to visitors, employees, and residents due to Avila's solitary road in and out, fire danger, tsunami potential and nuclear facility. There are currently four extensive projects that have been submitted. The present threat to public safety and welfare in Avila due to road congestion would be magnified by further development. If a fire or any type of emergency evacuation were to occur in Avila, how could people leave safely and in a timely manner? We have asked the County Board of Supervisors to put a hold on development until the update of Avila's General Plan is completed.
 
How can members of the community get involved with "Concerned Citizens"?
We encourage the community to sign up for our monthly newsletter by visiting  www.concernedcitizens4avila.org. We keep the community aware of issues and concerns, as well as provide updates regarding projects. Right now, we need volunteers to help organize and participate in community events that CC4A would like to host. You can also send an email to  concernedcitizens4avila@yahoo.com and let us know your interests.
 
More good reviews for the now famous murals affixed to the Avila Beach Lifeguard Towers! This project, launched by the Avila Beach Community Foundation and completed by local artist Colleen Gnos, was just named "Best Public Art" project in the New Times Best of SLO County Poll. We are delighted that the entire community has come to appreciate this unique display of Avila's storied past. Stay tuned for updates on our Phase II Public Art Project. It's progressing a bit slower than we had planned, but moving forward nevertheless.

That's it for now - see you at the beach!