Judge agrees to let Cal Poly students fix up Sunny Acres ranch

The partnership between Cal Poly and San Luis Obispo rancher Dan De Vaul is official, and work by Cal Poly students to bring De Vaul’s Sunny Acres property up to code begins today.

Judge Charles S. Crandall ruled Friday that the university will conduct some of the court-ordered upgrades on De Vaul’s 72-acre ranch.

Cal Poly’s work as part of Professor Roya Javadpour’s PolyHouse program will entail fixing violations of the ranch’s unauthorized barns and cleaning up unsightly items.

Some of the students also will lend a hand with the code compliance work on the property’s four water wells. The bid to ensure the safety of the wells’ drinking water went to Miller Drilling Co. of Templeton.

“I’m delighted that Cal Poly wants to assist in remedying these problems,” Crandall said. “I’m thrilled, in fact. I applaud their effort.”

Javadpour recently expressed interest in helping De Vaul as part of PolyHouse, a project management course in which 36 students take on planning and labor to help local people in need.

De Vaul’s attorney, John Belsher, said Cal Poly is charging De Vaul $1.08 for its services.

Javadpour said students will be working with San Luis Obispo-based general contractor Vellum Design Build on De Vaul’s ranch, which serves homeless and addicted people in a nonprofit program.

PolyHouse’s work will be entirely funded by donations of money, materials and services, which the program is seeking on its website.

Once the upgrades are completed, the students plan to start construction of an 8,000-square-foot, single-family residence on De Vaul’s property. The proposed 14-bedroom home could serve up to 100 people a year in De Vaul’s sober-living program.

De Vaul and the county have been at odds for several years. The dispute has focused on whether conditions at the ranch met building and safety code requirements. County officials cited Sunny Acres for violations, saying the property posed dangers to the homeless people De Vaul is helping.

De Vaul, the county, the judge and Beverly Hills-based receiver David Pasternak — who spoke during a conference call in court — agreed to support Cal Poly’s commitment to the project.

De Vaul still must pay other fees, including $16,900 for Pasternak’s services, Belsher said.

De Vaul and the county also are negotiating payment of lawyers’ fees that he must make to the county. The county has calculated fees of $270,000, but Belsher is trying to settle for less.

Crandall said that as long as De Vaul can foot his bills, no financing options, such as a loan, will be necessary.

The Cal Poly students appeared eager to get going Friday and, setting forth an ambitious schedule, hope to complete their work on the cleanup and property compliance by the end of May.

“I think it will be a great experience for us,” said Sean Miller, a student in Javadpour’s class.

This story was originally published April 20, 2012 at 10:20 AM with the headline "Judge agrees to let Cal Poly students fix up Sunny Acres ranch."