With growing populations in California and across the Central Coast, communities are working fast to develop housing projects to accommodate.
Now, a vacant property in downtown Grover Beach is in escrow with a company that is proposing to build a mixed-use development.
The proposal on the corner of West Grand Avenue and 4th Street includes both residential and commercial space. It would be a four-story building with a restaurant on the ground level.
Living areas would be featured on all four floors with either 22 two-bedroom units or 44 studio units, along with 51 on-site parking spaces.
Scott Martin of RRM Design Group helped present the proposed development to the Grover Beach City Council. He said it isn’t designed as an affordable housing project. Rather, housing unit costs are intended to be market driven but Martin said they aren’t able to give a cost estimate right now.
“If you can guarantee the price of wood when we’re building, then we could help guarantee the price of the unit," Martin said. "But at this point, things are so volatile in this market.”
Rafael Castillo is a Senior Planner with the City of Grover Beach. He said the lot is in a prominent location that serves as a welcome center for residents and visitors.
Castillo said the hope for the project is to draw in pedestrians with outdoor eating areas and ideal landscaping.
“This is a key intersection and gateway of our community, which is considered the heart of Grover Beach," Castillo said. "However, currently, the heart of Grover Beach is a vacant lot.”
City councilmembers along with several neighboring business owners and residents expressed concerns about parking overflow, privacy and construction impacts like noise or dust. Others are happy about the proposal, saying they hope to see the lot developed.
Castillo said they are early in the proposal process and the city will continue to address concerns as they arise. He said landscaping along the property will help to address privacy issues.
“We could require those trees to be screening, evergreen, fast-growing, etc," Castillo said. "So that’s really the privacy considerations.”
To further ensure the project proposal aligns with community interests, the City Council is hosting a joint study session with the Planning Commission on Tuesday, April 19 at 6 p.m. The community is encouraged to attend.
