PROTECT BAYWOOD PARK

Central Coast District Office
Santa Cruz, California
Re: Please help us protect Baywood Park
Dear Commissioners,
I am writing from the heart, on behalf of myself and local neighbors who love Baywood Park and are
deeply concerned about the proposed development at the corner of Second Street and Santa Maria
Avenue.
Baywood Park is a special little corner of Los Osos. Its modest buildings, quiet streets, and small-town
character give it a sense of place that means so much to those of us who call it home. We worry that,
one development at a time, we are losing something we will never be able to get back.
Across the street from this proposed project are two buildings dating to the 1940s, with others of a
similar age nearby. They are part of the Baywood we know and love. We believe the proposed
structure would feel out of place among them and would further erode the quaint character of our
downtown.
We are also troubled by questions about the owner’s separate hotel developments. Our understanding
is that these went forward after the sewer system was installed without review by the Coastal
Commission. We ask you to look into that history and consider the combined effects of these
developments on our small community. Please also clarify whether water credits from the gas station
were used to approve the second hotel building and whether any of those same credits are being relied
upon for the current proposal.
Among our greatest concerns is water. Los Osos faces serious water-supply challenges and saltwater
intrusion into its wells. We understand that the three water purveyors and the Groundwater Basin
Management Committee have described the aquifer as being in critical overdraft and recommended
0.0% growth for calendar years 2026 and 2027. We worry about what further development will mean
for the people who already live here and for the long-term health of the place we love.
It was disheartening to see the County Board of Supervisors approve this proposal. We understand that
our local supervisor, Bruce Gibson, stated on the record that there is no shortage of water in Baywood.
We find that difficult to reconcile with the concerns and recommendations described above. For those
of us who will live with the consequences, it is difficult to understand how this project can move
forward while such serious questions remain. We ask that those questions be fully answered before
more development is allowed.
Our protest is truly grassroots. We began organizing only last week. We are neighbors gathering
signatures, sharing our concerns, and trying to make our voices heard. The signatures and email
addresses we have collected are from local people who want to protect Baywood Park.
I realize our forms may not meet all of your submission requirements. Please do not let our lack of
experience obscure the sincerity of this effort. Behind every signature is a person who cares about this
community and its future. Please accept our materials as public comment and help us understand any
further steps needed to have our concerns heard.
We respectfully ask the Commission to review this project carefully, within its authority, and to
withhold approval unless the concerns about water, community character, and coastal resources are
fully addressed.
To us, Baywood Park is home. What happens on this corner will become part of our everyday lives
and part of the town we leave to those who come after us. Once its character is lost, we cannot simply
rebuild it.
Please listen to the people who live here. Please help us preserve our little slice of heaven.
Thank you for your time and for considering this heartfelt request.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your address]
[City, State ZIP]
[Your email address]