SLO wants to build new roundabout — but it may have to use eminent domain to do it
A new roundabout is in the works for San Luis Obispo, but the city first may have to get through an eminent domain suit in order to make it a reality.
In September, the City Council adopted a resolution to acquire easements on the “heavily used corridor of California Boulevard near Cal Poly,” according to a city news release.
The property would be used for a long-planned roundabout at California Boulevard and Taft Street, the latter of which feeds onto and off of Highway 101.
“The project supports community safety and community priorities related to infrastructure and sustainable transportation and is an important part of the city’s overall plans to improve traffic safety and circulation in San Luis Obispo,” the release said.
Currently, the intersection doesn’t have a lighted signal — it only has a required stop on the Taft side — and is “operating deficiently” with a high number of crashes, a city staff report said.
For the project to go through however, the city says it needs a roughly 2,180-square-foot piece of property at the corner of California Boulevard and Taft Street — and so far the owners haven’t wanted to play ball.
According to the staff report, the city “has attempted to negotiate in good faith” with property owners Kirit Chunibhai Patel and Gita Kirit Patel since 2017.
That included getting a fair market value estimate of the slice of property under discussion, as well as updates over the years to the estimate, and presenting written offers “many times,” the staff report said.
The most recent offer was May 28. In that letter, the city offered the Patels $313,000 for the land.
But the city says the property owners “have not been responsive to the city’s efforts for several years” forcing the city to consider alternate action.
SLO files complaint to acquire California Boulevard land
At a Sept. 16 meeting, the City Council authorized city staff to initiate eminent domain proceedings if needed to make the project a reality, though the decision does not stop the city from being able to continue in negotiations with the Patels to try to acquire the land without an eminent domain declaration.
“I want to note that eminent domain is not a process that the city frequently pursues, and staff and consultants have dedicated significant effort to avoiding this outcome,” city engineer Brian Nelson said during the Sept. 16 meeting.
Kirit Chunibhai Patel and a representative spoke at the meeting, raising concerns about how a potentially lengthy roundabout project could negatively impact the businesses in that area.
“There are chances of loss of business because there is no parking,” a Patel representative who was not identified by name said. “Everyone wants convenience nowadays, everybody wants fast speed — in that case if the tenant comes to the landlord for the loss of business, how are we going to address this issue?”
The representative did not comment specifically at the meeting on the potential for eminent domain proceedings, saying only that the owners wished to further consult with their attorney.
“I really do hope that we can come to a good agreement with the Patel family and not have to move forward with this, but I do think the findings are that there is a health and safety need for us making this improvement,” Councilmember Michelle Shoresman said during discussion.
On Oct. 10, the city filed a complaint in San Luis Obispo Superior Court claiming “the public interest and necessity require” the city to acquire the California Boulevard plot of land for its roundabout project.
It asked the court to determine a fair compensation for the property owners and any others with interest in the property so that it can acquire the piece of land.
This story was originally published October 21, 2025 at 1:43 PM.
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