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What We Do

The Department of Planning and Building provides oversight of the unincorporated areas of San Luis Obispo County. Planning and Building performs all land use planning functions to maintain the wise use of land and to help build safe communities including policies, programs, permitting, environmental review and zoning enforcement. 

Department News

Image from Board of Supervisors Meeting Oct 22nd, 2025
10/23/2025

State Designates SLO County as “Prohousing” Supervisors Adopt New Housing Policies to Boost Housing Production.

The County of San Luis Obispo’s efforts to ease the housing crunch are being recognized by the State of California as Board of Supervisors adopts land use ordinance changes to support greater housing production.

10/9/2024

CPUC Approves Formation of Central California Rural Regional Energy Network: $36 Million Investment to Expand Energy Efficiency Services for Disadvantaged and Underserved Communities

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), on September 26, 2024, approved the formation of a Central California Rural Regional Energy Network (Central California Rural REN) to expand access to energy efficiency services for primarily disadvantaged, underserved, and hard-to-reach communities in Central California.

Picture of Santa Maria Refinery
9/19/2024

Phillips 66 Santa Maria Refinery Demolition and Remediation Project Final Environmental Impact Report

On August 15, 2022, Phillips 66 Company (Phillips 66) applied to the County of San Luis Obispo for approval of a Development Plan and Coastal Development Permit (DP/CDP) to demolish the Santa Maria Refinery (SMR) facility and restore the site located at 2555 Willow Road in Arroyo Grande, California.

Landscape photograph of sun setting behind clouds over rolling green hills with shrubs and bushes in the foreground
1/8/2024

Cannabis Clean-up Ordinance Amendment

On September 26, 2023, the County Board of Supervisors directed staff to prepare a Cannabis Clean-up Ordinance Amendment. The Public Review Draft of the Cannabis Clean-up Ordinance Amendment is now available for review.