The LOHCP provides a pathway for infill development and new construction for residential, commercial, community, and public infrastructure projects that are currently on hold because of potential harm or “take” to the listed threatened and endangered species in Los Osos such as Morro Bay kangaroo rat, Morro shoulderband snail, Indian knob moutainbalm, and  Morro manzanita.   

Starting May 1, 2026 the general steps below apply to all property owners who would like to develop in Los Osos. Important: Please refer to the Update 4/23/2026 flow charts for specific timing and permit requirements for various development types. If you are unsure of what development types apply to your situation, please do not hesitate to contact Planning Staff.

General LOHCP Credit Reservation Process  

1. Submit a Development Request Form (DRF) to request habitat mitigation credits. Applicants must include a Site Disturbance Plan, containing detailed information of proposed site disturbance and a Biological Visual Survey, completed no older than 1 year. The DRF must be submitted online via email to LOHCP Coordinator via email [email protected]  

2. If the submittal is complete with required information and credit is available, the LOHCP Coordinator will issue a Credit Reservation Form (CRF) for the proposed project. The credit is reserved solely for site-specific development and is not transferable. *Note: The CRF functions as a temporary Certificate of Inclusion (COI) solely for the purpose of processing permit applications and includes defined expiration dates. The official COI will be granted when all applicable conditions of approval are met and LOHCP fees are paid with an issued building permit. 

(Construction Permit applications only, continue on to Step 3) 

3. Once a CRF is obtained, property owner is responsible for submitting and pay initial building permit fees within 45 days to secure the reserved credits. Please make an appointment online at No Wait Inside - County of San Luis Obispo so our dedicated team members can provide assistance on the application intake. Failure to pay initial building permit fees within this timeframe will result in the CRF expiration and credits will be released back to the pool 

4. Building permit submitted with CRF must be complete and ready for issuance within 1-year of accepted application. Within 30 days prior to permit issuance, it is the applicant’s responsibility to reach out to the HCP Coordinator to pay HCP fees and meet all applicable conditions of approval in order to obtain a formal Certificate of Inclusion (COI). 

 Project Contacts

Comments and questions regarding the Los Osos Habitat Conservation Plan may be submitted via email to [email protected] or mailed to the following address:

Department of Planning & Building

CONTACT US AT: 
[email protected] 
(805) 781-5600
976 Osos Street, Room 300
San Luis Obispo, CA 93408

Los Osos Habitat Conservation Plan files listed below:
Los Osos Habitat Conservation Plan (LOHCP)
LOHCP Appendices
LOHCP EIR
LOHCP IAMMP
LOHCP ITP
Los Osos Development Request Form (DRF)

The County's Growth Management Ordinance (Title 26 of the County Code) establishes the annual residential growth rate for the unincorporated county, based on existing housing stock and available community resources.    

The Los Osos Waitlist to Build was originally created in 1989 for undeveloped parcels in the community sewer service area. The Waitlist can be seen here:   

Single-Family Dwelling Waitlist 
Multi-Family Dwelling Waitlist

On December 16, 2025 the Board of Supervisors voted to approve a 0.4% growth rate (25 new dwelling units) for the community of Los Osos for calendar year 2026. This limit only applies to new residential dwelling units. Starting May 1, 2026 a land owner must apply for a growth allocation In order to build a new residence by submitting the Development Request Form (DRF) either via email to [email protected] or mail to 976 Osos St #200, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401  

Waitlist property owners are informed about County Growth Management actions taken by the Board of Supervisors by letter from the Planning and Building Department. Please see previously sent letters below. 

The Department of Planning and Building provides ongoing notifications to property owners on the waitlist regarding any Growth Management actions adopted by the Board of Supervisors. Copies of previously issued correspondence are included below.  

Waitlist property owners are informed about County Growth Management actions taken by the Board of Supervisors by letter from the Planning and Building Department. Please see previously sent letters below.
The Department of Planning and Building provides ongoing notifications to property owners on the waitlist regarding any Growth Management actions adopted by the Board of Supervisors. Copies of previously issued correspondence are included below

2026:

2025: 

January 1, 2025 Letter to Batch 1

February 18, 2025 Allocation Request Deadline Extension

September 25, 2025 Waitlist Property Owner GMO/LOHCP Update

December 24, 2025 Growth Rate and Batch Notification Letter
 

December 3, 2024 Initial Waitlist Property Owners Letter 

December 20, 2024 Growth Rate and Batch Notification Letter 

Prior to January 1st, the County Board of Supervisors will determine the annual maximum allocation (allowed new dwelling units) for the upcoming calendar year. 75% of the total annual maximum allocation will be reserved for new dwelling units within the Los Osos sewer service area. County staff will then notify all Waitlist Property Owners of 1) their position on the Waitlist to Build, 2) their Batch Number in the upcoming calendar year, and 3) all applicable deadlines.  

Prior to July 1st 

Applicants that were notified of their Batch Number in the upcoming calendar year will have 30 days to respond in writing that they are either Ready to Submit or Not Ready to Submit a construction permit application. Applicants who declared Ready to Submit will have 45 days to submit a construction permit application.  

July 1st through August 1st  

All allocations from January to July that were unused will become available to the entire Waitlist and the applicant’s position on the Waitlist will be prioritized. Waitlist Property Owners who declare in writing that they intend to use an allocation for a new dwelling unit will have 45 days to submit a construction permit application. 

October 1st through December 31st  

All allocations from January to October that were unused will become available to the entire sewer service area, regardless of Waitlist position. Applications must submit construction permit applications prior to December 31st. 

Lack of response to the County’s Notice or failure to submit a construction permit application would not remove those properties from their position on the Waitlist for future available allocations. 

Key construction permit submittal requirements include and are not limited to: verification of water service, verification of wastewater treatment, and verification of compliance with the Los Osos Habitat Conservation Plan. 

Prior to January 1st  

Prior to January 1st, the County Board of Supervisors will determine the annual maximum allocation (allowed new dwelling units) for the upcoming calendar year. 25% of the total annual maximum allocation will be reserved for new dwelling units outside of the Los Osos sewer service area, accessory dwelling units*, and deed-restricted affordable housing units. 

*Accessory dwelling units are not allowable in Los Osos per the County Code Title 23 Coastal Zone Land Use Ordinance. 

January 1st through July 1st 

Applications may request to use available applications through submittal of a construction permit application. The County will confirm the availability of allocations with interested applicants and allocations will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. 

After July 1st 

Allocations are prioritized for the Los Osos sewer service area. Applicants may request allocation and submit construction permit applications as soon as January 1st of the upcoming calendar year. 

Key construction permit submittal requirements include and are not limited to: verification of water service, verification of wastewater treatment, and verification of compliance with the Los Osos Habitat Conservation Plan. 

The Title 19 Retrofit-to-Build program requires new development that uses water from the Los Osos Groundwater Basin to retrofit older plumbing fixtures in existing homes and businesses to save twice the amount of water the new development will use. Retrofit-to-Build applicants must receive a water conservation certificate prior to building permit issuance. The Title 19 Retrofit-to-Build program was updated in June 2023 to include updated average water savings requirements based on historical consumption data from the Los Osos water purveyors. To review the Los Osos Water Offset Study and update materials (Board of Supervisors hearing on February 27, 2024), please visit Los Osos Water Offset Study (2023). 

For built homes, the Title 8 Retrofit-Upon-Sale program requires sellers to retrofit existing plumbing fixtures to the low-flow requirements. 

Depending on the specific site characterize and nature of a proposed development, a project may be subject to a discretionary land use permit approval (entitlement), before a construction permit can be applied for.   

For building permit application submittal, the following are required:  

• Verification of water supply: water will-serve letter or on-site well has demonstrated adequate availability of potable water.  

• Verification of wastewater treatment: sewer will-serve letter or on-site wastewater treatment system that complies with all applicable regulations.  

• Residential growth rate allocation: written confirmation from the County of available allocations. 

• Los Osos Habitat Conservation Plan (LOHCP) Certificate of Inclusion (COI), or equivalent. Starting May 1, 2026 the County will issue a Credit Reservation Form (CRF) as the equivalent interim COI for permit applications. 

For building permit issuance, the following is required:   

• Compliance with Title 19 Retrofit-to-Build requirements, as applicable.