The 89th Annual Pioneer Day celebration was a great success, bring thousands into the downtown to see bands, antique equipment, horse groups and floats. This event is one more than just a good time for all, it’s one of the things that keep Paso Robles, well, Paso Robles. Congratulations to the Pioneer Day Committee. (Hey, #100 seems like it’s just around the corner. It’s never too soon to starting planning a centennial celebration.)
Have you cruised River Road lately? If you do you will see the results of the riverbed clean-up efforts undertaken recently. The operation is the result of City concerns regarding wildfires in the riverbed. Not wanting a repeat of the Paradise CA disaster, your Council decided to initiate the clean-up. In the future we will need to do annual maintenance to make sure riverbed fire hazards are minimized.
Affordable housing continues to be a top concern in our city. The problem became even more public when it was announced that the residents of the dilapidated Grand View Apartments at the south end of Spring Street will be evicted. The housing market is tight and finding homes will be a challenge. The City is working with the Housing Authority and People’s Self-Help Housing to find short and long-term solutions. Stay tuned for future developments.
Speaking of housing, we are awaiting the release of grant funds from the County to get started on the new homeless shelter proposed on property adjacent to our wastewater treatment plant. The City will work with Paso Cares and El Camino Homeless Organization to create and manage this facility.
Speaking even more about housing, residential projects on the East side of the city have been going through environmental review prior to public hearings and ultimate decisions. Look for the draft environmental reports to start arriving within a few months.
The new parking system downtown seems to be working smoothly. After initial suspicions, local customers are discovering that two hours of free parking make it easy to visit the downtown and take advantage of the many available parking spaces. Timed parking is in effect Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The smartphone app makes using the system really simple. For those who prefer, there are nearly three dozen kiosks where shoppers can register for free parking and buy additional parking for just $1.00 per hour. Some businesses downtown are using a validation system to assist shoppers with their parking needs. We will be tracking parking activity and tweaking the system as necessary. Some have suggested changes to signage and extending paid parking hours to include Saturday.
After months of waiting, the Integrated Waste Management Authority (IWMA) has passed a styrofoam ban ordinance on the books. The City of Paso Robles has been waiting for this action before implementing local action so as to make sure that rules are consistent. For now, enforcement will be the responsibility of the IWMA.
Halloween is just around the corner. Why not take the kids out for some real fun in a safe environment? Downtown merchants are offering goodies and lots of fun. Find out more by visiting the Paso Robles Main Street website.
That’s it for now. More later. Until next we blog, here’s to you, Paso Robles!