SLO City Council narrowly passes downtown upgrade

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• A.G. weighs renewing tax hike

  A.G. weighs renewing tax hike

  Over the past five years, since a half-cent sales tax increase took effect in Arroyo Grande, nearly $8.5 million has been spent or is budgeted for street and sidewalk repairs, transportation projects, public safety and public facility improvement.

  City staff is recommending the Arroyo Grande City Council maintain the sales tax at 7.75 cents on the dollar.

  Doing so is critical to help fund improvements to the Brisco Road/Halcyon Road interchange with Highway 101, continue resurfacing city streets, contribute to the Five Cities Fire Authority (the joint department with Grover Beach and Oceano), and pay some of the cost associated with a loan the city received to acquire and upgrade its current city hall building at 300 E. Branch St., City Manager Steve Adams wrote in a staff report to the council.

• Viewpoint: Council deserves bouquet, not brickbat, for downtown project

  Viewpoint: Council deserves bouquet, not brickbat, for downtown project

  I just delivered chrysanthemums to two of my colleagues on the SLO City Council for going forward with the proposed $750,000 investment in two key blocks of our downtown. This council deserved a bouquet far more than a “brickbat” from The Tribune. We were, in fact, demonstrating prudent stewardship of our fiscal resources.

  We heard a few complaints about the need for “fiscal restraint,” but we also heard praise for this investment from a variety of sources, including the Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Association, and Save Our Downtown — a rare alliance of business and environmental interests. They know that we’re doing the right thing because this project will:

  • Improve security and safety with a continuous “mission-style” sidewalk in place of the dangerous mishmash of sidewalk in parts of these blocks. It will improve sidewalk transitions with tree grates, ADA-compliant curb ramps and improved signposts.

• SLO considers feasibility of Higuera transit hub

  SLO considers feasibility of Higuera transit hub

  The San Luis Obispo City Council expressed support Tuesday night for the development of a transit center along Higuera Street that would consolidate and improve bus services at one central location downtown.

  The plan, spearheaded by the San Luis Obispo Council of Governments, seeks to increase the number of bus bays from 10 to 16 to meet future demand and build a 5,000-square-foot building to provide a passenger waiting area, restrooms, ticket kiosks and a break area for bus drivers.

  As it is now, bus drivers and passengers have to scout nearby areas such as City Hall, the library and nearby restaurants for restrooms.

• Grover Beach Lodge and Conference Center moves ahead

  Grover Beach Lodge and Conference Center moves ahead

  A project that Grover Beach officials hope will jump start economic development in the city’s downtown is one step closer to becoming reality.

• Construction under way on downtown San Luis Obispo improvements

  Construction under way on downtown San Luis Obispo improvements

  Construction work has begun on the $786,500 in improvements scheduled for a two-block stretch of downtown San Luis Obispo on Higuera Street from Morro to Garden streets.

  The improvements include aesthetic upgrades such as Mission-style sidewalks and new tree grates, trash cans and sign posts on Higuera Street from Morro Street to Garden Street.

  John Madonna Construction Company was hired by the city to do the work.