SLO LIFE Jun/Jul 2017

5/9
A group of neighbors in North San Luis Obispo banded together
to file a lawsuit against the SLO City Council over its approval of
the controversial 33-unit apartment building at 71 Palomar Avenue.
The plan calls for removing 55 trees from the 1.3-acre property,
relocating the historic Sanford House, and the opening of Luneta
Drive to through traffic. The developer, Loren Riehl, an El Segundobased
lawyer, has argued that there is no “legal or factual basis” for an
Environmental Impact Report. Longtime permanent residents in the
neighborhood—an area that is increasingly occupied by students—
have expressed frustration with the city that the property had not
been converted to a park. Many residents on the north end of the
city, who increasingly feel they are not being represented, have begun
to openly question city elections that are held “at-large” and not by
district. Currently, none of San Luis Obispo’s five council members
reside in the 93405 zip code.
MAY ‘17
5/18
Two years after its permit was denied, owners of the Las Pilitas Quarry
in Santa Margarita applied again with the county to move forward with
the 41-acre project. The controversial plan was met with resistance from
protesters concerned about the hundreds of gravel-carrying trucks that
were expected to pass through downtown Santa Margarita, as well as
the environmental consequences and noise that come from blasting
at the site. At the time, the project was shot down by a 3-2 vote with
former Supervisor Frank Mecham joining Adam Hill and Bruce Gibson
(Supervisors Debbie Arnold and Lynn Compton voted “Yes”). At the
time, Mecham’s replacement, John Peschong, stated that he would have
voted to approve the quarry.
5/11
5/19
SLO High special education teacher Michael Stack penned a letter Adam Hill and Bruce Gibson, who make up the progressive bloc on
to the student newspaper in which he cited Bible verses claiming
the SLO County Board of Supervisors, claimed that it was the “toxic
that people who commit homosexual acts “deserve to die.” Students, majority” made up of conservatives Debbie Arnold, Lynn Compton,
teachers, and parents immediately and sharply rebuked the letter
and John Peschong, who forced out popular Chief Administrative
while administrators attempted to calm their outrage, prompting
Officer Dan Buckshi after his announcement that he was leaving
a debate pitting First Amendment rights against the separation of
to become the city manager in Walnut Creek. Buckshi was widely
church and state. Stack, who said in his letter that he “didn’t want
credited with leading the county unscathed through the recession
to displease God” and claimed that the Bible is “without error” and while implementing reforms that led to an increase of its bond
that its predictions are “100 percent accurate,” had been a firstyear
probationary teacher that administrators determined back in
Supervisor Adam Hill circulated an opinion piece among local media
rating to AAA, the highest possible. Following the announcement,
February would not be asked to return. Following the publication of that read in part, “Dan was subject to too many months of hostile,
his letter, Stack failed to return to campus and instead resigned by
disrespectful treatment by Supervisors Lynn Compton and Debbie
email, which he also copied to Fox News. Arnold, which was abetted by Supervisor John Peschong.” SLO LIFE
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