Paso Robles City Council approves resort expansion, housing project
– The Paso Robles City Council approved a series of development projects and policy changes at its March 17 meeting, including a major expansion of the Allegretto Resort and a 24-unit condominium project on Creston Road. The consent agenda was approved unanimously.
Mayor John R. Hamon, Jr. opened the meeting with a proclamation recognizing Education and Sharing Day. Airport Manager Mark Scandalis presented an airport update, and Community Development Director Warren Frace presented a revitalization recommendation from the Planning Commission for Norma’s Alley.
City updates development permit fees for first time since 2005
The council approved an updated fee schedule for building, planning, and engineering permits, the first comprehensive review since 2005. The council passed the item unanimously.
The city hired an independent consultant to study the actual cost of processing permits and development applications, with the goal of ensuring those costs are covered by applicants requesting the services rather than by the General Fund. Most fees are charged on a time-and-materials basis, and the update primarily recalibrates upfront deposit amounts to reduce the need for mid-process billing.
Four new fees were added to cover services the city was already providing at no charge, including planning and engineering review of building plans and a fee for unpermitted work. Fees will be adjusted annually beginning July 1, 2027, based on the Bay Area Consumer Price Index.
Allegretto Resort expansion
The council approved an expansion of the Allegretto Resort on Buena Vista Drive that will add 93 hotel rooms, a spa, a 12,000-square-foot conference center, a viticulture building, and other amenities across a neighboring 10.8-acre site the resort is purchasing from Cuesta College. The council passed the item unanimously.
To allow the project, the council amended the city’s General Plan and zoning maps, changing the site’s designation from Public Facilities to Parks and Open Space with a Resort Lodging Overlay. The expansion will be built in phases and designed to match the existing resort’s architecture.
The project is expected to generate additional hotel, sales, and property tax revenue for the city. Visitor spending currently accounts for roughly 37% of the city’s General Fund. Required improvements include pedestrian and intersection upgrades at nearby Buena Vista Drive intersections, new sidewalks along Dallons Drive, and updated stormwater drainage infrastructure. The Planning Commission recommended approval 6-0 in February.
24-unit condo project on Creston Road
The council approved a development plan for 24 four-bedroom condominium units in 12 duplex buildings on a 4.32-acre vacant lot at 420 Creston Road. The council passed the item unanimously.
One unit will be deed-restricted for 55 years as affordable housing for a very-low-income household, with a maximum sale price of approximately $200,000. In exchange, the developer received a 20% density bonus under state law, allowing four additional units beyond the 20 the site would otherwise permit.
Ten oak trees on the developable portion of the site will be removed, most of which were previously approved for removal in 2020. The remaining oak woodland at the southern edge of the property is preserved, and the developer will replant 29 native oaks on site as mitigation. The Planning Commission recommended approval 6-0 in February.
Retirement cost-sharing reduction for public safety managers
The council also approved the first reading of an ordinance amending the city’s contract with the California Public Employees’ Retirement System to reduce additional retirement contributions required from police and fire management employees. The council passed the item unanimously, with a second reading required before the change takes effect.
Currently, those managers contribute an extra 6% to 10% above the standard employee contribution, which the city has identified as a factor in recruiting and retaining public safety leadership. Under a wage and benefit package approved in December 2025, the extra contribution will be reduced by 3% in the first year and an additional 2% in the second year. The city will absorb the difference, a cost already accounted for in the adopted budget.
A second contract amendment will come before the council later this year to implement the second phase of the reduction.
Click here to view the agenda with staff reports.
Watch the meeting streamed on YouTube below:
Really!! How about fix the roads and build a bridge across the river first!!! Traffic is horrible as well. Come on guys do the right thing.
Really!! How about fix the roads and build a bridge across the river first!!! Traffic is horrible as well. Come on guys do the right thing.