Nipomo Annexation Tabled (Santa Maria Times)

Sunday November 24, 2002

By April Charlton / Times Staff Writer

NIPOMO -- Because there's not a single drop of water below the proposed 285-acre Oakridge development, a request for annexation into the Community Services District was tabled this week.

George Newman, owner of the 285-acre parcel known as Canada Ranch, which is an oak woodlands that sits north of Sun Dale Way between Hetrick Road and Highway 101, wanted to annex to NCSD because the property lacks a water source. "There's no water on this property," Newman told the directors. "It looks pretty bleak in terms of drilling any test wells."

During his presentation of the proposed Oakridge development, Newman said the project wouldn't need hookups for at least two years, if not four.

"This isn't your everyday project that's being proposed," he said. "It would take about seven to 10 years for build-out. It's a very large project that's going to take a long time to get the site plan through the county. The plans are about 65 percent complete."

The proposed Oakridge development is a mixed-use project, much like the Woodlands except on a smaller scale, minus hotels and golf courses.

Newman envisions office-business parks and retail businesses, along with housing, for his property along Willow Road, but he also knows it's not a done deal. "This would be a tremendous asset for Nipomo," he said. "It's going to provide hundreds of jobs, about 600 or 800. I'm not at all presumptuous that this is going forward. I hope that it does." But Newman did note he feels the property "is going to be developed whether it's me or not."

NCSD Director Bob Blair isn't in favor of the project and wouldn't support annexation. "Nipomo is a traffic nightmare. You think it's bad now, wait and see what you get (if this goes in). I can't see annexing this and turning down Woodlands."

Newly elected NCSD Director Larry Vierheilig, who will take office next month, believes the district needs to hold off on the annexation until a concrete development plan is presented and Newman finds a supplemental water source.

Ed Eby, representing Save the Mesa, said no new annexations should be granted until supplemental water for NCSD is secured. "Save the Mesa objects to approval of further annexations while there remains a question of the NCSD's ability to continue to serve existing NCSD customers without bringing in more expensive supplemental water," he said.

The board voted to table the request until Newman has a more comprehensive development plan and can provide supplemental water that doesn't come from within Nipomo.
Newman said he'd be willing to provide supplemental water. Δ