Patrick TrautfieldWhile San Luis Obispo has been caught in a battle over Measure J throughout the last few months, this battle has consumed a good portion of Ernie Dalidio’s life.
“Exhausting isn’t even the depth of it,” he said. “My aunt and my dad didn’t live to see it.”
Dalidio’s ranch has been caught in a whirlwind of controversy since he decided to devote the 131 acres of farmland off Madonna Road and U.S. Highway 101 to retail and business purposes. Since it was purchased by the Dalidio family in 1920, the ranch became surrounded by large stores, car dealerships and parking lots, forcing Dalidio to compete with his surroundings.
“It’s difficult when everyone else around you has developed their land and people say you’re greedy,” he said. “I don’t see how that’s justified.”
Measure J, also known as the Dalidio Ranch project, has plans for various amenities, including:
– A retail center
– A nine-acre business park
– Sixty housing units
– A seven day-a-week farmers’ market
– Thirteen acres of land for organic farming
– Sports fields
– The extension of the Bob Jones hiking and biking trail
– A nature preserve including a butterfly sanctuary and more.
Though many San Luis Obispo residents eagerly pledge their support for “the fair solution,” the “No on J” supporters are trying to show the other side of the story.
Associated Students Inc. hosted both sides of the issue on Nov. 2 as part of the week’s CP Next: Generation Vote events. Along with Dalidio was Victor Montgomery, RRM Design Group president and head of the Dalidio Ranch project, debating against “No on J” supporters Alan Thomas and political science professor Allen Settle.
Calling out to the county
While Montgomery was quick to point out the big-box stores interested in the shopping center – such as Target, Lowe’s and possibly Old Navy – and the possibility of building an In-N-Out Burger, Settle and Thomas had other concerns, one of which was the issue of a countywide vote.
“It’s a basic principle that local residents should determine the growth and character for their community,” Thomas said. “You deal with the impacts 24-7. Would you want people living 20, 30 miles away voting on (such a decision)?”
Dalidio later said that he has been in the process of getting the project passed since 1990 and took it to the City Council twice. Though “The Marketplace,” as it was originally named, was approved by the council in 2004, San Luis Obispo residents voted it down less than a year later.
After fighting for 16 years, Dalidio was sick of fighting and brought it to the county, but took a route that enraged his opposition.
In most situations like this, the prospective developer is required to complete an Environmental Impact Report, as pertains to the California Environmental Quality Act. In this report, the public is allowed to write letters, to which a response must be written by the prospective developer and all of which must be published for the public to see.
However, Dalidio bypassed this process and in turn avoided input from the public and politicians. Though Dalidio has met with citizens for dialog discussions, most of the project’s decisions are made between the Dalidio Ranch project team and a few county administrators.
Campaign conflicts
Posters and signs have covered San Luis Obispo, representing both sides of the debate. Even there, conflict has arisen.
While the “Yes on J” campaign’s funding goes so far as to even include a radio station for its advertising, the money comes from three primary funders – Ernie Dalidio, developer Bill Bird of Glendora and developer Scott Dabney of Texas – and totals nearly $1 million. The “No on J” side has kept its more than 250 financial backers confidential, raising less than $300,000.
“What kind of a campaign is that?” Montgomery said of the “No on J” campaign. “Hidden money equals hidden problems – watch out.”
Eugene Jud, a civil and environmental engineering professor and “No on J” supporter, said the “No” side maintains the right to keep their financial supporters confidential by law.
“Being heard today unfortunately costs money,” Jud said.
Small-town shopping
Though the 2005 election added more cause for concern toward downtown businesses, that worry is smaller now that the shopping options have been scaled down since the original Marketplace proposal.
Montgomery pointed out that chain stores have been appearing all over the San Luis Obispo area recently, and have made a particular presence downtown, raising rents simultaneously. He admitted that the project would affect businesses downtown for the first two years, butwould then return to normal. Additionally, the project would contribute $2 million annually in tax revenue.
“We do not control the tenants, we control the land use,” Settle responded, noting that, should the measure fail, those businesses probably would not want to wait another five years for their opportunity to build in San Luis Obispo.
Architecture junior Alex Woodhouse said he voted against the measure for the sake of the downtown businesses.
“Students don’t really think of the city and its future,” he said. “I would rather keep the city the way it is.”
Traffic trouble
“If this mall opens, it’s going to create a serious traffic problem,” Thomas warned, explaining that the initiative intends to build the stores before the roads can handle the traffic increase and also pointing out the added air pollution.
“They’re putting the cart before the horse,” he said.
Jud said shopping centers typically produce 10 times more traffic per acre than other land uses, such as residential, office or industrial.
As a transportation planner with 44 years of international transportation study, Jud is against the measure primarily for the transportation conflicts he foresees. He said that an estimated 35,000 vehicle trips will take place per day on the developed Dalidio property, which is more than six times the amount of the three downtown parking garages’ capacities combined.
According to a Caltrans statement issued on Aug. 10, 2006, the project’s busiest time would take place on a Saturday, but this was not analyzed. Instead, the initiative shows numbers for an average weekday evening, which is approximately 20 percent less than a Saturday’s traffic.
Perhaps the biggest component of the traffic problem is related to the proposed Prado Road Interchange project, which will connect Prado Road over U.S. Highway 101 to the Dalidio property.
Dalidio has said he will donate $4 million of his own money and the land for it, also valued at $4 million.
But “based on the current construction price index, the cost of the Prado Road interchange would be $40 (million) to $49 million,” the Caltrans statement said. Jud said this will not only sway focus away from pending freeway projects in Pismo Beach, Arroyo Grande, Nipomo and Atascadero, but it will also require money from tax payers to pay for it.
Additional problems with the overpass include the flood plane along the highway, as well as the sewage plant that would need to be built above the flood plane.
“This is like dealing with a used car dealer – they’re a little bit shady,” Jud said. “They don’t want to pay the full amount. We the tax payers will pay what they have started.”
Land worth
As a farmer for many years, Dalidio has realized it’s time to move on, and said he has the support of many local farmers. His property is currently zoned as agricultural land and is valued at $10 million by the county assessor, but as retail zoning, it is worth approximately $110 million.
“People used to believe 70 years ago ‘if I have a piece of land, I can do with it what I want,'” Jud said. “It has to be zoned in – Dalidio is agriculture. Farm is farm, you cannot build a shopping center.”
Election Day
Neither side can admit to being fully confident in winning. A recent survey by the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce found that, of more than 160 responses, 43 percent said they planned to vote “yes,” 37 percent planned to vote “no” and 20 percent were unsure.
Taylor Scott, a business senior, said he would likely vote “yes” on the measure.
“I like the new opportunities and the new businesses,” he said. “It’s ridiculous it took this long to get this far.”
While he pointed out that students would be advantaged by the recreation options and increased job availability, he doesn’t understand all of the proposed amenities.
“I like butterflies as much as the next guy, but I wouldn’t be disappointed if they weren’t there.”
Should the measure pass, the shopping center is set to open in 2008. But should it fail, Dalidio admitted he does not know what will happen.
“We have not even gone there,” he said, adding that he has been completely focused on the measure at-hand.
“Don’t sign this contract if you haven’t read it,” Thomas warned. “I would support a project that Mr. Dalidio would want to do – if he brings back a smaller project and gains the consensus of the city, I will support him.”