Eight members of the Atascadero Pickleball Club honored with a commendation by Atascadero Fire Chief Casey Bryson

ATASCADERO—The Atascadero City Council met for their regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, March 28, at 6 p.m. The hybrid meeting was held in the City Council Chambers. 

At the last meeting on March 16, the council Ratified the Existence of a Local Emergency due to the recent storms and adopted the Resolution AB 361 Requirements for Virtual Meetings that will remain in place until mid-April.  

Councilmember Heather Newsom was not in attendance.

The Agenda and the Consent Calander passed unanimously.

Eight members of the Atascadero Pickleball Club were honored with a commendation by Atascadero Fire and Chief Casey Bryson for helping to save the life of one of their own, David Pascolla, on the pickleball courts. Those members were: Darla Hunt, Donna Martin, Barbara Clyburn, Frank Clyburn, Dave Mulvey, Gail Davidson, Janice Graham, and Debbie Rothman.

“Tonight, we’re going to be making a commendation for eight members of our community who participated in saving the life of one of our community members,” said Atascadero Fire Cheif Casey Bryson.  

Look for the full story online at atascaderonews.com.

Community Development Director Phil Dunsmore gave a presentation on the Public Hearing to Appeal Vesting Tentative Tract Map for 10850 El Camino Real. The track map has been approved by the Planning Commission recently and came before the council for final approval.

“In this case, the project is already separate; it’s already moving forward. What we’re talking about is changing an existing project from rental to ownership,” Dunsmore said of the tract map changes coming before the council. “So the facts in this case, the map doesn’t alter the physical development of this site, doesn’t change what they’re allowed to do, doesn’t change what they’re going to do. The current map request will determine simply if they’re going to be sold individually or be rental units.”

Paula Ramsum was the appellant against the project, her legal council, John Belsher, addressed the City Council. Ramsum owns property downhill from 10850 El Camino Real, and she and her neighbors have experienced heavy flooding due to runoff issues at 10850.

“Whatever you decide tonight, I would please ask you to at least postpone this, at the very minimum, until we get this issue resolved,” stated Ramsum.

City Attorney Karl Berger reinforced the fact that the Tentative Track Map being approved or not does not have any hold over whether or not the project keeps moving forward.

“I’ve heard the testimony tonight. All of those issues are separate and apart from the findings that you would need to make in order to deny this map. Again, as you’ve pointed out, Madam Mayor, the only issue with this map is whether or not this project moves forward as a rental project or it moves forward as an owner-occupied project. That is basically the entirety of the question presented to the City Council tonight,” stated Berger.

The motion passed unanimously.

The Barrel Creek Project was continued from the March 14 meeting due to a power outage and people giving public comments, not being able to speak, or not seeing the entire presentation. Dunsmore gave a brief overview of the project before Public Comment was opened to anyone wishing to speak. 

Twenty residents spoke on the project. Most of them had concerns due to traffic, lighting, and noise, just to name a few. There were also community members who spoke out in favor of the mixed-use project.

The city team made proposed language amendments due to council and community feedback, including lighting on signs, dimmers on signage and light posts, step-backs on the buildings, and rental on the properties needing to have owners on-site at all times, as well as others. 

The Barrel Creek Project passed unanimously.

The next Atascadero City Council meeting will be held on Tues., April 11, at 6 p.m.