Supervisors reject quarry in Santa Margarita
The San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday was filled with residents mostly opposed to a quarry in Santa Margarita.
After nearly ten hours of staff description, public testimony and board member debate, the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 to deny an appeal by Las Pilitas Resources for the development of a quarry near Santa Margarita.
The vote to deny an appeal occurred at 8:45 pm with Supervisor Gibson making the motion. Supervisor Frank Mecham seconded it. Supervisor Adam Hill cast the third vote.
Just before the decisive vote Supervisor Lynn Compton made a motion to direct staff to address findings which stood in the way of the project’s approval. That motion failed when only Supervisors Compton and Arnold supported it.
Many Santa Margaritans who spoke said the debate divided the community, but the majority of the town’s residents spoke against the proposal because of the potential noise and truck traffic.
The county planning department previously recommended the proposal be denied. On February 5th, the San Luis Obispo County Planning Commission voted 3-2 to deny the proposed quarry. Commissioner Jim Irving cast the decisive vote. Las Pilitas Resources appealed that decision to the supervisors.
Hundreds of people attended Tuesday’s supervisor meeting. People packed the chambers and the lobby. Many watched the televised meeting in an overflow room. Others viewed monitors in the lobby of the government building.
