Patterson edges Arnold for final seat

Board majority now shifts to 3-2 in favor of a slow-growth approach

By Bob Cuddy

Incumbent Jim Patterson clinched a victory Thursday over challenger Debbie Arnold in the nail-biting race for 5th District county supervisor.

Patterson led Arnold by a scant 240 votes Tuesday night, with more than 1,700 absentee ballots left uncounted.

As of 5 p. m. Thursday, his lead had increased to 288, with 140 provisional ballots left to be counted next week. Those are ballots given to voters whose eligibility could not be determined at the polls.

Arnold said Thursday that she

had called Patterson to concede, adding that she respects the wishes of the voters. She said she then headed home to her cattle ranch in Pozo to do some chores.

Patterson’s win shifts the board to a 3-2 majority of super visors friendly to slow growth and environmental principles. He is likely to align with 2nd District Supervisor Bruce Gibson and Supervisorelect Adam Hill, who unseated the more pro-development Jerry Lenthall in the 3rd District on Tuesday.

Paso Robles Mayor Frank Mecham beat 1st District Supervisor Harry Ovitt on Tuesday. The two are ideologically similar.

Patterson, a one-term incumbent, said he is looking forward to working with the new board majority.

He said he expects the new board to put more effort into issues of workforce housing and affordable housing. He said it is good to have “fresh eyes” on the board.

A one-time aide to former Supervisor Mike Ryan and favorite of local ranching and development interests, Arnold raised more than $240,000 this year, the largest amount raised by a single candidate this election.

Patterson, an Atascadero arborist whose supporters included various environmental groups, brought in $109,000 this year. He was elected to his first term in 2004.

The two waged a sometimes contentious campaign centered on growth.

Patterson has argued for a greater emphasis on so-called smart-growth principles, a set of guidelines he and other proponents say sustains communities by discouraging sprawl and focusing growth in existing urban centers.

But Arnold said such guidelines are too rigid and create unfair burdens for rural landowners.

Instead, she said she believes the county should focus on protecting private property rights and streamlining its land-use and permitting policies.

The 5th District includes Atascadero, Santa Margarita, Creston, Pozo, the Carrisa Plains and part of San Luis Obispo.