Council approves broadband strategic plan in collaboration with Atascadero
Front row, left to right: Paso Robles Assistant City Manager Chris Huot, Paso Robles Mayor Steve Martin, Atascadero Mayor Heather Moreno, Atascadero Deputy City Manager Terrie Banish. Back Row, L to R: Loreli Cappel, Atascadero Deputy Director of Economic and Community Development, Maria Kelley of MMK Consulting, Teleworx CEO John Hartin, Paso Robles Economic Development Manager Paul Sloan.
Plan fully funded by state grant
– The Paso Robles City Council unanimously approved the North County Broadband Strategic Plan at its Tuesday meeting. The plan was developed in collaboration with the City of Atascadero to improve broadband access and digital infrastructure in the area. The plan was fully funded by a state grant.
City staff from Paso Robles and Atascadero worked with Virginia-based engineering and business consultancy company Teleworx to develop the plan, using input from local stakeholders from the private and public sectors, along with surveys of North County residents and focus groups.
“The North County Broadband Strategic Plan is a critical step in addressing the digital divide and ensuring that our community has access to high-quality broadband services,” said Mayor of Paso Robles Steve Martin. “We believe that broadband access is essential to economic development, education, and healthcare, and we are committed to making sure that everyone in our community has access to these essential services.”
The plan outlines a comprehensive approach to expanding broadband access in the region, including the following key initiatives:
- Pursuing grant funding and other sources of financing to support broadband infrastructure projects
- Developing a city-wide broadband map to identify underserved and unserved areas
- Encouraging the expansion of existing broadband providers and attracting new providers to the area
- Promoting digital literacy and training programs for residents and businesses
- Exploring public-private partnerships to leverage resources and expertise
Adopting a regional broadband strategic plan was identified as a key goal of the Paso Robles City Council for 2022-2024 for economic development. Atascadero also identified broadband internet as a key component of economic development. Each city allocated $100,000 toward creating a broadband strategic plan to increase access to highspeed internet for North County residents and businesses, and the City of Paso Robles was awarded a Local Agency Technical Assistance grant from the California Public Utilities Commission in the amount of $200,000 to completely reimburse both cities for the cost of developing the plan.
The plan is now available online for viewing. Questions can be directed to Paso Robles Economic Development Manager, Paul Sloan, at (805) 227-7237 or psloan@prcity.com.
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