New tall developments are dividing residents of SLO County beach city. What to know

A citizen-led ballot measure this November could cap new building heights in Grover Beach, possibly stunting the city’s recent upward growth spurt and restricting new developments to a maximum of roughly three stories.

Residents are divided over whether the rapid vertical growth threatens the city’s beach town character or signals overdue progress.

FULL STORY: As buildings rise to new heights in SLO County beach city, locals brace for change

Here are key takeaways:

• What’s on the ballot: Measure F-26 would cap industrial zoning buildings at 33 feet and mixed-use buildings at 40 feet, effectively limiting new construction to three stories instead of the current five. The measure qualified after proponents gathered more than 1,100 valid signatures in under three months.
• The scale of development: According to the city’s Current Development Projects tracker, 373 units in buildings at least three stories tall are in varying stages of completion. Coastal Community Builders’ Palladium and Encore projects — the first two completed — total 96 residential units.

• Why measure founders want change: Resident Kelvin Coveduck, who launched the petition drive with neighbor Mike Wilson, said four-story developments on West Grand Avenue are blocking cherished ocean views. “It is not the same town, it’s becoming a city of tall buildings, and where views are blocked,” Coveduck said.
• Why others back the growth: Mayor Kassi Dee said, “Grover Beach is growing up, and I’ve grown up along with it.” South County Chambers of Commerce CEO Jeff Chambers said Grover Beach “has transformed from a community that many people simply drove through into a destination where people choose to live, work, shop, dine and invest.”
• The legal risks: If the measure passes, the city could violate California’s Housing Crisis Act and Housing Element Law. Noncompliance could trigger fines of at least $10,000 per month and trigger the “Builder’s Remedy,” letting developers bypass local zoning rules entirely. City Manager Matt Bronson said communities that “flout state housing law” typically “don’t win at the end.”

The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The full story in the link at top was reported, written and edited entirely by journalists.

This story was originally published July 13, 2026 at 10:34 AM with the headline "New tall developments are dividing residents of SLO County beach city. What to know."