Paso Basin Land Use Planting Ordinance
On February 7, 2023, the County Board of Supervisors rescinded the Planting Ordinance, re-enacted and extended until 2028 the Agricultural Offset Requirements, decertified the Planting Ordinance Final Program Environmental Impact Report and associated CEQA Findings, directed staff to not process applications for the Planting Ordinance, and directed staff to bring back at an appropriate time for Board discussion opportunities to amend the Agricultural Offset Requirements to account for off-site offsets and voluntary fallowing related to the Groundwater Sustainability Agency Multi-Benefit Irrigated Lands Repurposing (MILR) program. This motion was approved by the following roll call to wit:
AYES: Supervisors Gibson, Ortiz-Legg, and Paulding
NOES: Supervisors Arnold and Peschong
See links to enacted ordinance and resolutions below
On December 6, 2022, the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors adopted the Paso Basin Land Use Management Area (PBLUMA) Planting Ordinance (LRP2021-00001), amending Title 8 and Title 22 of the San Luis Obispo County Code and the Agriculture and Conservation and Open Space Elements of the County General Plan to require “water neutral” ministerial planting permits for production agriculture irrigated from groundwater wells within the PBLUMA until 2045, with a 25-acre-feet per year (AFY) exemption allowed per site. The Board of Supervisors also certified a Final Program Environmental Impact Report (FPEIR) (SCH 2021080222) (ED22-183-PL) for the project pursuant to CEQA. See links to the adopted ordinance and FPEIR documents below.
Please click here to view a map of the PBLUMA area.
Please click here to view the PBLUMA area in our interactive web map.
Project Contacts
Comments and questions regarding the project may be submitted via email to [email protected] or mailed to the following address:
Department of Planning and Building
ATTN: Planting Ordinance/Kylie Hensley
976 Osos Street, Room 300
San Luis Obispo, CA 93408
Project Updates
Board of Supervisors (February 7, 2023)
Adopted ordinance rescinding planting ordinance and re-enacting ag offset ordinance (Ordinance 3484)
Adopted General Plan amendment rescission resolution (2013-013)
Adopted resolution decertifying planting ordinance FPEIR (2023-014)
Notice of Determination (Filed December 8, 2022)
Notice of Determination
CEQA Findings, including Statement of Overriding Considerations
Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP)
Notice of Determination on CEQAnet
Final PEIR on CEQAnet
Project page on CEQAnet
Board of Supervisors Hearing (December 6, 2022)
Hearing Notice
Hearing Documents
Hearing Adoption Summary
Adopted Ordinance (Ordinance No. 3483)
Adopted General Plan Amendment (Resolution 2022-287)
Adopted Position Allocation List (PAL) Amendment (Resolution 2022-288)
Planning Commission Recommendation (October 27, 2022)
Planning Commission Recommendation
Final Program Environmental Impact Report (PEIR)
Paso Basin Planting Ordinance – Final PEIR
Appendix A – IS/NOP and Received Comment Letters
Appendix B – Groundwater Use and Acreage Estimation
Appendix C – Draft Planting Ordinance and GPAs
Appendix D – CalEEMod Model Results
Appendix E – Energy Calculations
Appendix F – Special Status Species with Potential to Occur
Appendix G – General Plan Consistency Analysis
Appendix H – Comments Received on Draft PEIR
Appendix I – Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program
Draft Planting Ordinance & DPEIR Overview for September 7, 2022 WRAC Meeting
WRAC-Presentation-Slides-9-7-22
Notice of Availability of Draft Program Environmental Impact Report
Notice of Availability – Draft PEIR
Paso Basin Planting Ordinance – Draft PEIR
Appendix A – IS/NOP and Received Comment Letters
Appendix B – Groundwater Use and Acreage Estimation
Appendix C – Draft Planting Ordinance GPAs
Appendix D – CalEEMod Model Results
Appendix E – Energy Calculations
Appendix F – Special Status Species with Potential to Occur
Appendix G – General Plan Consistency Analysis
Draft Planting Ordinance Overview for November 1, 2021 ALAB Meeting
ALAB Presentation 11-1-21: Draft Planting Ordinance Overview
30-Day Review Period for Draft Ordinance: October 25 - November 24, 2021
Public Review Draft Planting Ordinance and General Plan Amendments Public-Review-Draft-Planting-Ordinance-10-22-21.pdf
Initial Study (IS)
The Initial Study describes the project description, location, and a preliminary assessment of potential environmental impacts
Preliminary Initial Study
30-day Review Period for NOP/IS: August 12 - September 13, 2021
Submit comments using the contact information above.
Virtual Scoping Meeting: Wednesday, September 1, 2021 at 6:00-7:30 pm
Virtual Scoping Meeting
Project Milestones
Step |
Tentative Timeline |
Board of Supervisors authorization |
Completed |
EIR Contract approval |
Completed |
NOP/IS 30-day public review period |
August 12 - September 13, 2021 |
EIR Scoping Meeting |
September 1, 2021 |
Draft EIR 45-day public review period |
May 23 - July 6, 2022 |
Final EIR Distributed |
September 2022 |
Planning Commission |
October 27, 2022 |
Board of Supervisors |
December 6, 2022 |
Effective Date |
January 31, 2023 (if approved) |
Public Information and Permit Processing Online Services

Let's Get Connected for Our Latest News & Updates
