1 From: Josh Cross <[email protected]>
Date: September 22, 2026 at 8:26:40 AM PDT
To: City Council <[email protected]>
Cc: Jim Lewis <[email protected]>, Lara Henderson <[email protected]>, "Ferrell, Joey" <[email protected]>
Subject: Letter of Support for General Plan Adoption
Mayor and Council Members - Please see the attached letter expressing the Atascadero Chamber of Commerce’s strong support for the 2045 General Plan and encouraging the City Council to adopt Resolutions A and B.
We appreciate the opportunity to provide input over the past couple of years. We also congratulate City staff and thank them for their tireless efforts and resolve in bringing this plan to completion.
Sincerely,
Josh Cross, ACE
President & CEO
Atascaderochamber.org
O: 805.466.2044
ATTENTION: EXTERNAL SENDER. Use caution when opening links and attachments.
Public Comment Received by Email
9/22/26
City Council Meeting
Item G1
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9/22/26
City Council Meeting
Item G1
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Public Comment Received by Email
9/22/26
City Council Meeting
Item G1
1 From: Raechelle Bowlay <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, September 22, 2026 11:41 AM
To: City Clerk
Subject: Public Comment – Atascadero 2045 General Plan | Child Care Attachments: Atascadero General Plan 2045 - Public Comment - Child Care.pdf Dear Mayor and Members of the Atascadero City Council,
On behalf of the San Luis Obispo County Early Care & Education Planning Council, please find attached our comments and recommendations regarding the Atascadero 2045 General Plan.
The Planning Council has appreciated the opportunity to engage throughout the General Plan process through public comment and community input sessions. As the Plan moves forward, we wanted to provide some specific recommendations for how child care and early learning can be more intentionally recognized as community and workforce infrastructure within Atascadero’s long-range planning.
Our recommendations focus on areas that already align with the goals of the General Plan, including land use, economic development, workforce participation, mobility, public services, and future growth.
We have also included the Central Coast Child Care Facilities Action Network (CCFAN) as a regional resource available to support local jurisdictions in addressing child care facility, land use, permitting, and development barriers.
Attached are the Planning Council’s comment letter and a one-page summary of recommended additions for your consideration.
We appreciate the tremendous amount of work that has gone into developing the Atascadero 2045 General Plan and the opportunities the City has provided for community participation throughout the process. We look forward to continuing to partner with the City to support Atascadero’s families, employers, early educators, and young children.
Thank you for your consideration,
Raechelle Bowlay
Coordinator, San Luis Obispo County Early Care & Education Planning Council --
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[email protected]
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sanluischildcare.org
Public Comment Received by Email
9/22/26
City Council Meeting
Item G1
San Luis Obispo County Early Care & Education Planning Council Page 1
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY
EARLY CARE & EDUCATION PLANNING COUNCIL
Public Comment | Atascadero 2045 General Plan
Recommendation: Explicitly recognize child care and early learning as essential community and workforce infrastructure within the 2045 General Plan.
September 22, 2026
Mayor and Members of the Atascadero City Council
City of Atascadero
6500 Palma Avenue
Atascadero, CA 93422
RE: Atascadero 2045 General Plan - Opportunities to Recognize Child Care as Essential Community and Workforce Infrastructure
Dear Mayor and Members of the Atascadero City Council:
On behalf of the San Luis Obispo County Early Care & Education Planning Council, thank you for the significant work invested in the Atascadero 2045 General Plan. The Plan establishes an important long-term vision for Atascadero's growth, economic vitality, neighborhoods, infrastructure, and quality of life.
As the county's local child care and development planning council, we respectfully encourage the City to more explicitly recognize child care and early learning as essential community and workforce infrastructure. Child care intersects directly with priorities already reflected in the Plan, including economic development, workforce participation, housing and population growth, land use, mobility, education, and community services.
We are not suggesting that the City become a provider of child care. Rather, we encourage a policy framework that recognizes child care as part of the infrastructure necessary to support families, employers, local businesses, and Atascadero's long-term economic vitality.
CHAPTER 3 - LAND USE & COMMUNITY FORM
We recommend explicitly recognizing child care and early learning facilities as compatible community-serving uses in appropriate residential, mixed-use, commercial, employment, and civic areas.
Suggested policy: Encourage the integration of child care and early learning facilities within residential, mixed-use, commercial, employment, and community-serving areas, where appropriate, to increase convenient access for families and the workforce.
CHAPTER 4 - ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Access to child care is closely connected to workforce participation. For employers, available care can affect employees' ability to enter, remain in, and reliably participate in the workforce. Child care programs are also local businesses and employers.
Suggested policy: Recognize access to quality child care as an important component of the infrastructure supporting Atascadero's workforce, employers, families, and economic vitality.
Public Comment Received by Email
9/22/26
City Council Meeting
Item G1
San Luis Obispo County Early Care & Education Planning Council Page 2 CHAPTER 4 - ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (CONTINUED)
Workforce & Community Partnerships
Suggested action: Coordinate with local and regional child care, education, workforce development, and economic development partners to identify and address child care needs that may affect workforce participation and business growth.
Atascadero can leverage established county and regional partnerships and data resources rather than assuming responsibility for child care services itself.
Reducing Barriers to Child Care Development
Suggested action: Periodically evaluate zoning, permitting, development standards, fees, and other local processes affecting the establishment or expansion of child care facilities and identify opportunities to reduce unnecessary barriers while maintaining appropriate health and safety standards.
Regional Implementation Opportunity - Child Care Facilities Action Network The Central Coast Child Care Facilities Action Network (CCFAN), an initiative of the Uplift Child Care Coalition, provides a regional implementation opportunity for Atascadero. The Network is focused on helping cities and counties improve local child care land use policies and support new and expanded facilities, including colocation with housing and other community uses.
Participating jurisdictions can assess current policies, learn from peers, develop local action plans, work with Child Care Facilities Specialists, and track progress over time.
Suggested action: Explore participation in the Central Coast Child Care Facilities Action Network and other regional initiatives that provide technical assistance and peer learning to improve child care land use policies, permitting pathways, colocation opportunities, and local implementation.
CHAPTER 6 - MOBILITY
Suggested language: Support safe and convenient multimodal connections among neighborhoods, employment centers, schools, child care and early learning facilities, parks, commercial areas, and other community destinations.
Child care is a regular daily destination for many working families. Considering it alongside housing, employment, schools, and transportation supports a more connected community and can help reduce unnecessary trips.
CHAPTER 8 - PUBLIC SERVICES & INFRASTRUCTURE
Suggested policy: Coordinate with regional agencies, educational institutions, child care providers, and community partners to monitor and plan for early care and education and school-age care needs as Atascadero's population and employment base grow.
CROSS-CUTTING RECOMMENDATION - PLANNING FOR GROWTH
Suggested action: Consider available data regarding child care supply, demand, and geographic access when planning for significant residential and employment growth, and coordinate with regional child care planning partners as appropriate.
INCORPORATING CHILD CARE INTO THE GENERAL PLAN
A small number of strategically placed policies and actions can ensure that as Atascadero adds housing, attracts employers, develops its workforce, and invests in infrastructure, the needs of working families and young children remain part of the planning framework. CCFAN also offers a practical pathway for moving from policy language to local implementation.
The San Luis Obispo County Early Care & Education Planning Council would welcome the opportunity to serve as a resource by providing child care needs data, identifying gaps in access, supporting workforce planning, and convening early care and education partners.
Sincerely,
Raechelle Bowlay
Coordinator
San Luis Obispo County Early Care & Education Planning Council Public Comment Received by Email
9/22/26
City Council Meeting
Item G1
San Luis Obispo County Early Care & Education Planning Council Page 3
ATTACHMENT A
Recommended Child Care & Early Learning Amendments
Atascadero 2045 General Plan | San Luis Obispo County Early Care & Education Planning Council | September 2026
CORE PRINCIPLE
Child care is community and workforce infrastructure. As Atascadero plans for housing, employment, economic development, mobility, and public services through 2045, access to child care and early learning should be considered alongside other services and infrastructure needed to support a thriving community.
GENERAL PLAN AREA RECOMMENDED ADDITION WHY IT MATTERS
Chapter 3
Land Use & Community Form
Add policy: Encourage child care and early learning facilities within residential, mixed-use, commercial, employment, and community-serving areas, where appropriate.
Makes child care visible as a compatible
community-serving use as Atascadero grows.
Chapter 4
Economic Development
Add policy: Recognize access to quality child care as infrastructure supporting Atascadero's workforce, employers, families, and economic vitality.
Connects child care to workforce participation and
local business vitality.
Chapter 4
Workforce & Community
Partnerships
Add action: Coordinate with child care, education, workforce, and economic development partners to address needs affecting workforce participation and business growth.
Uses existing partnerships and expertise rather
than placing service responsibility on the City.
Chapter 4
Reducing Barriers to Child Care
Development
Add action: Evaluate zoning, permitting, development standards, fees, and other local processes affecting child care facilities and opportunities to reduce unnecessary barriers.
Supports creation and expansion of facilities
through clearer local processes.
Chapter 4
Regional Implementation -
CCFAN
Add action: Explore participation in the Central Coast Child Care Facilities Action Network (CCFAN) and similar initiatives providing technical assistance and peer learning on land use, permitting, colocation, and implementation.
Provides a practical regional pathway to assess
policies, develop local action plans, and implement
child care land use best practices.
Chapter 6
Mobility
Add to destinations: Include child care and early learning facilities among destinations connected to neighborhoods, employment, schools, parks, and commercial areas.
Recognizes child care as a routine destination and
connects access to mobility and trip reduction.
Chapter 8
Public Services & Infrastructure
Add policy: Coordinate with regional agencies, educational institutions, providers, and partners to plan for early care, education, and school-age care needs as population and employment grow.
Extends the Plan's education and
community-service framework to early care and
education.
Cross-Cutting
Planning for Growth
Add action: Consider child care supply, demand, and geographic access when planning significant residential and employment growth.
Connects housing and job growth with services
working families need.
REGIONAL IMPLEMENTATION RESOURCE The Uplift Child Care Coalition's Central Coast Child Care Facilities Action Network focuses on removing zoning and regulatory barriers, improving permitting pathways, advancing colocation with housing and other community uses, and supporting local implementation.
Public Comment Received by Email
9/22/26
City Council Meeting
Item G1