Agenda packet, special meeting — Morro Bay City Council, March 25, 2025

CITY OF MORRO BAY
Notice of Special Meeting of the City Council
Agenda

Tuesday, March 25, 2025, 3:00 p.m.

Veterans Memorial Hall
209 Surf St., Morro Bay, CA
Public Participation
Public participation is offered in the following ways:
• Community members may attend the meeting in person at the Morro Bay Veterans Hall.

Alternatively, members of the public may watch the meeting and speak during general Public Comment or on a specific agenda item by logging into the Zoom webinar using the information provided below. Please use the "raise hand" feature to indicate your desire to provide public comment.
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https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82722747698?pwd=aWZpTzcwTHlRTk9xaTlmWVNWRWFU QT09
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• Password: 135692
Or Telephone Attendee: 1 (408) 638-0968 or 1 (669) 900-6833 or 1 (346) 248-7799; Webinar ID: 827 2274 7698; Password: 135692: Press *9 to raise hand for public comment.
•
• Meetings are also broadcast on cable Channel 20 and streamed on the City's website.

Community Members are encouraged to submit agenda correspondence via email to the City Council at [email protected] prior to the meeting. Agenda correspondence received by 10:00 a.m. on the meeting day will be posted on the City website. •
Pages

1. ESTABLISH QUORUM AND CALL TO ORDER

2. PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS ON THE AGENDA

3. SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA ITEM(S)

3.a Adoption of new City Council Goals for Fiscal Years 2025-2027 1 (City Manager)
Recommended Action
Receive a presentation on the results of the 2025-27 public goal-setting process, take public testimony, deliberate with the assistance of the facilitator and adopt recommended goals and

1. objectives with any decided modifications.

Direct staff to return to the City Council with the Preliminary Budget for Fiscal Year 2025-26, including refined objectives and specific action items to implement the new goals.

2. 4. ADJOURN
/s/ Carla Wixom, Mayor
This agenda is subject to amendment up to 24 hours prior to the date and time set for the meeting. Please refer to the agenda posted at City Hall, 595 Harbor Street, Morro Bay, CA 93442 for any revisions or call the Clerk's office at (805) 772-6205 for further information.

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in a City meeting, please contact the City Clerk's office at (805) 772-6205 or [email protected] at least 24 hours prior to the meeting to ensure reasonable arrangements can be made to provide accessibility to the meeting.

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Prepared By: ___MC, YK_______ Dept Review: ________
City Manager Review: ________ City Attorney Review: _________ Staff Report
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council DATE: March 18, 2025 FROM: Yvonne Kimball, City Manager
Michael Codron, Facilitator
SUBJECT: Adoption of new City Council Goals for Fiscal Years 2025-2027

RECOMMENDED ACTION

1. Receive a presentation on the results of the 2025-27 public goal-setting process, take public testimony, deliberate with the assistance of the facilitator and adopt recommended goals and objectives with any decided modifications.

2. Direct staff to return to the City Council with the Preliminary Budget for Fiscal Year 2025-26, including refined objectives and specific action items to implement the new goals.

ALTERNATIVES
Attachment 1A includes a summary of the recommended goals and associated objectives, along with additional objectives that are available to support the recommended goals.

Attachment 1B provides several alternatives for the City Council’s consideration. The alternatives are provided for context and discussion. The alternatives are supported by the input received through the public goal setting process; however, staff recommends limiting the total number of goals to three or four to ensure that there is clarity on the City Council’s top priorities.

FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with the adoption of new city goals. These goals and associated objectives will guide budget development.

BACKGROUND
The City has many plans that provide essential long-term guidance in specific areas, including a General Plan, a Waterfront Master Plan, and the One-water Plan. Additionally, the City has a regular strategic planning process to set more general goals that align with these long-range plans. The strategic process not only establishes general goals but also identifies specific measurable objectives to advance them. Ultimately it ensures that objectives are considered during the annual budget process, as the budget allocates resources to achieve the goals and objectives aligned with the City’s various planning efforts.

AGENDA NO: 3a
MEETING DATE: March 25, 2025

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City Council Resolution No. 83-18 is the most recent strategic planning policy, establishing a framework for setting the City’s strategic goals and a corresponding budget process that implements those priority goals (Attachment 6). The framework incorporates a four-year cycle of City Council goal setting, intended to begin anew with each presidential election.

This allows the City Council to establish reasonably long-term goals and allocate resources through the budget process to accomplish the goals and objectives. In practice, the City Council reconsiders its goals every two years, which more closely aligns with the local election process where up to three new council members may be seated every two years.

As explained earlier, these goals and associated objectives will guide the budget development. Every two years the Council identifies specific objectives associated with each goal for staff to complete. During the budget process, the objectives will be broken down into Department goals and short-term actions, which are adopted annually by Council with the City’s budget.
2025 Goal Setting Process
Resolution No. 83-18 provides for a community driven process to ensure public engagement in city goals and budget development. This process includes evaluating the status of existing goals and the 10-year fiscal forecast, conducting a community-wide survey, visiting each of the City’s advisory body meetings, hosting a community forum, and holding the Council’s goal-setting workshop. Below is a summary of each component of the process.

February 25th City Council Meeting – Mid-Year Budget and 10-Year Fiscal Forecast The presentation of the mid-year budget and 10-Year Fiscal Forecast on February 25th set the stage for the goal-setting process and the City Council’s budget review. These reports identify the status of existing goals, resources available for new initiatives, and the effect of spending today on the City’s General Fund Reserve and future fund balances. As the City Council considers its new goals and objectives, it should direct staff to continue to evaluate scenarios and use the Forecast as a measure of fiscal sustainability for the organization into the future.

Other noteworthy information includes presentations of ongoing capital improvement projects and the community development worklist. They are examples of city needs and key projects that are both continuous and desirable.

Advisory Body Input
Attachment 2 includes summaries of the feedback received from the City’s advisory bodies.

City Manager Kimball visited each of the advisory bodies and provided a presentation and engaged in discussion. The input is generally in line with the broader community feedback found in the survey. Feedback from the Recreation and Parks Commission will be provided under separate cover since the meeting had not occurred prior to printing this report.

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Community Survey
Attachment 3 to this report includes a detailed analysis of the survey results. Attachment 4 includes the complete top-line results, including open-ended responses.

The analysis in Attachment 3 is presented in an easy-to-read format to help the Council and community members digest the large amount of information collected in the survey. The analysis includes a look at the 2023 survey results, allowing for comparisons between the two sets of responses. In addition, the analysis looks at open ended responses to find common themes.

In total, 533 people responded to the survey. 459 of those responses (86%) were by City residents. Based on this level of response, the survey effectively measures community satisfaction and provides valuable insights into residents’ priorities.

Meetings with individual Council Members and Department Heads In addition to seeking community feedback, the City Manager and the Facilitator met individually with the Mayor and Council members to go over the process and gather individual priorities. Facilitator also met with Departments on the same purpose. Both Council members and staff overwhelmingly agreed that streamlined and simplified goals, objectives and short-term actions would be desirable.

Community Forum
The Community Forum was held on Thursday, March 13th. It was attended by approximately 30 members of the public. A few council members attended the forum to listen, support and observe. The format included a presentation and break-out activities. The break-out activities were centered around the current goal topics, with posters describing completed and ongoing activities in the areas of infrastructure, housing and homelessness, economic vitality and community engagement. Participants shared a variety of ideas on each of these topics, and also provided input on new goals, as well as ideas for increasing City revenues. A complete summary of the information collected at the Community Forum included in Attachment 5.

Council Workshop Special Meeting scheduled for 3:00 PM, March 25 Following the above process, the Council is scheduled to have a workshop / special meeting to consider all input received; discuss, prioritize, or modify recommended goals and objectives. Although public testimony can be considered and is recommended, it should not be the focus of this special meeting on March 25.

As explained earlier, city council goals ultimately are implemented through resource allocation via the budget development and adoption process. Therefore, the City Goal setting process is also designed to provide the City Council and staff with necessary information to develop and adopt a balanced budget.

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DISCUSSION
Based on the feedback received through the process so far, staff is recommending three goals to the City Council. These three goals are listed in priority order and are supported by objectives that are designed to help the City accomplish the envisioned goals. A complete list of the recommended goals, alternative goals, and draft objectives that support each of the goals is provided in Attachments 1A and 1B. Attachment 1C includes worksheets that City Council members can use independently to prioritize goals and objectives in preparation for the discussion at the special meeting on March 25th. Collectively, a set of three or four goals should emerge through the City Council’s deliberations and be approved by the Council at the March 25 meeting.

The following sections contain details for Recommended Goals and Objectives, Additional Objectives, and Alternatives.

RECOMMENDED GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
The following is a list of each of three recommended goals with summaries and supporting information for each goal. These recommendations are based on input from the abovementioned process, and balance aspirations against the city’s financial and other resource constraints. The recommendations aim to provide simple goals and meaningful objectives.

Goal #1: Economic Vitality and Fiscal Health
Goal Statement - A vibrant and active business community supported by coordinated strategies for economic vitality and fiscal health that create the conditions for individual business success and the long-term fiscal health of the City.

Economic vitality and fiscal health are two very important concepts given the City’s long-term fiscal challenges. Combining the two into one goal ensures a coordinated approach to local business success, increased tourism revenue, and the City’s fiscal health. Fiscal health was the top concern expressed by members of the community through the survey. Economic vitality was considered the most important of the current goals to continue by Community Forum participants.

The following are examples of objectives that would help to implement a goal for Economic Vitality and Fiscal Health. Strategies related to increasing tourism, including leveraging the City’s relationship with Visit Morro Bay, were widely considered important to pursue. In addition, financial planning activities and policy adjustments led by the City’s Finance Department will help the City plan for its future. Finally, the survey noted general dissatisfaction from the community regarding planning and building permits. Construction projects are an important economic driver and improvements to the permit process could drive both business success and help to address the City’s housing needs.

Increase Events
Identify strategies to increase the number and quality of events that appeal to city residents, county residents, and tourists. Utilize community grants as a part of the strategy and work with Visit Morro Bay to ensure a coordinated events strategy.

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General Fund Reserve Analysis
Perform a risk-based analysis of the City’s Reserve Policy to identify appropriate reserve levels for long-term financial planning.

Long-Term Financial Plan
Develop a long-term financial plan for the General Fund (including Measures Q & E) that maximizes the ability of the City to continue to fund core services while ensuring appropriate levels of funding for infrastructure maintenance and new capital improvement projects.

Planning and Building Permit Services
Perform outreach and engagement with customers of the City’s planning and building permit services to identify changes to improve satisfaction and increase economic activity in the City associated with building permits.

Goal #2: Infrastructure Resiliency
Goal Statement - An infrastructure program that includes regular maintenance to prolong the life of existing
infrastructure (streets, buildings, structures, equipment) while implementing a Capital Improvement Plan that prioritizes new projects in alignment with available resources (funding and staff).

Infrastructure continues to be a top area of concern for City advisory bodies and the public.

Environmental challenges associated with sea-level rise and other hazards require the City to be resilient in response. A Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) is a tool that cities commonly use to plan ahead. A CIP would allow the City to align funding of its priority capital projects with available budget resources. The following objectives are recommended to support a goal for infrastructure resiliency.
5-Year CIP
Create a 5-Year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) that prioritizes infrastructure projects in consideration of available resources (funding and staff).

Infrastructure Maintenance
Increase the City’s efficiency and awareness of infrastructure maintenance requirements by improving the City’s asset management and work order system, including the functionality of the public-facing Service Request form.

Harbor Revetments
Utilize the recently completed study of the harbor revetments to prioritize projects and identify maintenance responsibilities. Develop a funding strategy informed by research on grant opportunities.

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Goal #3: Quality of Life
Goal Statement - A City that maintains a high quality of life for its residents through core services such as public safety, while also prioritizing environmental stewardship, community engagement, and historic preservation.

The 2025 survey highlighted an exceptional level of satisfaction with the quality of life for residents in Morro Bay. In addition, a number of responses called on the City to maintain the current quality of life. Continued investment in public safety and other core services is important for maintaining resident satisfaction. In addition, resident engagement in major issues facing the City, such as environmental stewardship and historic preservation, support additional focus in these areas.

Homeless Outreach
Continue to build community partnerships and connect resources to the unhoused population via the Homeless Outreach Case Manager. Increase services provided through programs such as community shower events.

Fire Department Improvements
Enhanced emergency responses through regional collaboration when possible. As resources permit, implement Fire Department improvements and changes that are recommended in the Community Risk Assessment and Standards of Cover document.

Waterfront Master Plan
Complete the Waterfront Master Plan in alignment with Coastal Commission grant requirements and timelines, including plans for the Power Plant property consistent with the current General Plan designation for the site.

Historical Preservation
Continue to work with the Planning Commission and Morro Bay Historical Society to develop a Historic Preservation Ordinance. Identify a scope of work, timeline, and budget for the project to present to the City Council.

ADDITIONAL OBJECTIVES
The following additional objectives are provided for Council awareness, but in the interest of keeping the number of objectives limited, they are not included in the recommendation. The City Manager can recommend those operational actions in departments’ budget programs.

Workforce Housing (Economic Vitality)
Work to increase the amount of workforce housing available in the community through a public/private partnership that would allocate major portions of the Morro Elementary School property for public use while preserving the historic resources on the property. Support the development of housing consistent with the City’s Housing Element and General Plan designation for the property.

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Maintenance Plan (Infrastructure Resiliency)
Develop a maintenance plan for existing infrastructure that enables the City to work through existing project backlogs in consultation with the Public Works Advisory Board.

Water Supply (Infrastructure Resiliency)
Complete the Recycled Water Project.

Police Workforce (Quality of Life)
Support workforce readiness in the Police Department by ensuring appropriate staffing levels, as resources permit, and further develop the Explorer program to educate and hire within the community.

Emergency Response (Quality of Life)
Support the EMS Alliance Model project to improve ambulance transport services to residents and visitors of Morro Bay.

ALTERNATIVE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
In addition to the goals and objectives included in Attachment 1A, a set of alternatives are included in Attachment 1B for Council consideration. The alternatives are supported by the input received through the public goal setting process. They are not listed as top tier recommendations due to different reasons. For example, some were not as strongly supported by public input; or they have been existing goals or programs that staff has been working on.

CONCLUSION
To conclude, the preparation for and participation in the 2025 City Council Goal-Setting Process have been substantial. The survey included over 500 responses. Advisory Body members were engaged in the discussions led by the City Manager. Although the turnout at the Community Forum was not as large as in years past, there was great engagement and participation from those that attended. Additionally, City Council members’ input early on this process has been instrumental. Departments’ participation in engaging with the public has been helpful.

The information collected and included in this report provides a strong basis for the goals and objectives that are recommended to the City Council for consideration. The special meeting allows the City Council to review recommendations and alternatives simultaneously, and to prioritize them into the final goals and objectives that reflect Council’s collective direction. The worksheets in Attachment 1C are designed to assist the Council with this prioritization process.

In consideration of new goals and objectives, Council should also keep in mind of existing goals and projects that require continuous efforts, such as the short-term rental ordinance implementation and audit, old WWTP decommission and reuse, the IPR, a variety of grant funded programs, and BESS standards ordinance.

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It is recommended that the City Council decide on its Goals for 2025-2027 at the special meeting. The adoption of goals in this manner will help the staff meet the City Council’s expectations for moving forward with actions to implement its top priorities. Following the goal adoption, the City Manager and Finance Director can work with City Department Heads to complete the preliminary budget for presentation to the City Council in May.

ATTACHMENTS

1. Potential Goals and Objectives
a. Recommended Goals and Objectives
b. Alternative Goals and Objectives
c. Goal Worksheets

2. Advisory Body Input Summaries

3. Detailed Analysis of Survey Results

4. Complete Top Line Survey Results

5. Community Forum Summary and Materials
a. PowerPoint Presentation
b. Topic Boards
c. Post-It Note Feedback
d. Dot Voting Results
e. Live Poll Results

6. Council Resolution No. 83-18

7. Draft Presentation for March 25th Special Meeting

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Attachment 1-A Recommended Goals and Objectives Page 1A-1 Attachment 1-A: Recommended Goals and
Objectives
It is recommended that the City Council adopt the following Goals and Objectives and direct staff to develop the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Budget in support of the adopted goals.

Goal #1: Economic Vitality and Fiscal Health
Goal Statement: A vibrant and active business community supported by coordinated strategies for economic vitality and fiscal health that create the conditions for individual business success and the long-term fiscal health of the City.

General Fund Reserve Analysis
Perform a risk-based analysis of the City’s Reserve Policy to identify appropriate reserve levels for long-term financial planning.

Goal #2: Infrastructure Resiliency
Goal Statement: An infrastructure program that includes regular maintenance to prolong the life of existing infrastructure (streets, buildings, structures, equipment) while implementing a Capital Improvement Plan that prioritizes new projects in alignment with available resources (funding and staff).
5-Year CIP
Create a 5-Year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) that prioritizes infrastructure projects in consideration of available resources (funding and staff).

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Attachment 1-A Recommended Goals and Objectives Page 1A-2 public-facing Service Request form.

Goal #3: Quality of Life
Goal Statement: A City that maintains a high quality of life for its residents through core services such as public safety, while also prioritizing environmental stewardship, community engagement, and historic preservation.

Additional Objectives that Support the Recommended Goals Workforce Housing (Economic Vitality)
Work to increase the amount of workforce housing available in the community through a public/private partnership that would allocate major portions of the Morro Elementary School property for public use while preserving the historic resources on the property. Support the development of housing consistent with the City’s Housing Element and General Plan designation for the property.

Water Supply (Infrastructure Resiliency)
Complete the Recycled Water Project.

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Attachment 1-A Recommended Goals and Objectives Page 1A-3 Police Workforce (Quality of Life)
Support workforce readiness in the Police Department by ensuring appropriate staffing levels, as resources permit, and further develop the Explorer program to educate and hire within the community.

Emergency Response (Quality of Life)
Support the EMS Alliance Model project to improve ambulance transport services to residents and visitors of Morro Bay.

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Attachment 1-B Alternative Goals and Objectives Page 1B-1 Attachment 1-B: Alternative Goals and Objectives
 The following alternative goals and objectives are provided for City Council consideration.
 These goals and objectives are supported by public input received; however, do not reflect the same level of community consensus that exists for the recommended goals and objectives.
 These are provided for awareness and to facilitate any modifications to the recommended goals and objectives that the City Council may wish to make.

Goal: Housing
A comprehensive housing program that facilitates remodels and additions and supports construction of new Accessory Dwelling Units and other affordable housing units as identified in the City’s 2020-2028 Housing Element.

Affordable Housing
Actively work with affordable housing developers in the community, such as the Housing Authority of San Luis Obispo and People’s Self-Help Housing Corporation, to identify appropriate sites for new affordable and workforce housing development.

Accessory Dwelling Units
Develop an informational packet with permit timeframes, stock plans, cost estimates, and other important information for property owners interested in constructing Accessible Dwelling Units.

Goal: Homelessness Response
Ongoing work to provide resources to the unhoused population to facilitate the transition out of homelessness and reduce the impacts of homelessness on the community.

Community Partnerships
Continue to build community partnerships and connect resources to the unhoused population via the Homeless Outreach Case Manager. Increase services provided through programs such as community shower events.

Goal: Community Engagement
A City that benefits from a high level of engagement with City residents with a commitment to transparency in decision-making and facilitating easy access to information.

Community Academy
Create a Community Academy similar to the Police Department’s Citizen Academy that provides participants with important information and understanding about City policy, the work of City Departments, and the role of elected officials and City advisory body members.

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Attachment 1-B Alternative Goals and Objectives Page 1B-2 Communications Plan
Develop and implement an outreach and communications plan using different formats to reach a broad spectrum of residents.

Grant Policy Updates
Review/Update Community Grant Policy to include objective scoring criteria.

Public Records
Prioritize digitization of commonly sought City records for ease of access by staff and viewing by community members via City website.

Goal: El Morro Elementary School
Work with the San Luis Coastal Unified School District to acquire the Morro Elementary School site for the purpose of preserving community access, historic preservation, and housing development consistent with the City’s General Plan.

Acquisition Plan
Identify partners, such as market-rate and affordable housing developers, to work on a plan to fund the acquisition of the El Morro Elementary School site.

Community Engagement
Continue to engage with the community regarding uses of the school site that take into consideration the current land use designation for the property and cost of acquisition.

Grants
Identify potential grant opportunities for historic preservation, public access, and other beneficial uses of the property that could be supported by one or more grants.

Goal: Revenue Enhancement
A comprehensive strategy for increasing revenues over time to support the provision of core services.

TOT Analysis
Conduct a regional analysis of Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) rates and engage with City hoteliers through Visit Morro Bay to determine if there is a good rationale and support for increasing TOT.

Embarcadero Management
Create a comprehensive management strategy for Tidelands properties along the Embarcadero to increase the variety of goods and services offered and ensure that the City is realizing appropriate market values for its lease sites.

Embarcadero Maintenance
Increase maintenance along the Embarcadero in cooperation with leaseholders and identify opportunities to improve the visitor experience, such as through lighting, improving the harbor

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Attachment 1-B Alternative Goals and Objectives Page 1B-3 walk, and improving the boat ramp.

Parking Program
Begin the process of developing a comprehensive parking program for the City that includes timed parking zones, a pilot paid-parking program at the Rock, and increased capacity for enforcement.

City-Owned Property
Identify excess City-owned property for the purpose of creating new revenue streams through the conveyance of leasing and development rights to private entities. Avoid the sale of Cityowned property where a long-term lease would provide ongoing revenue over the term of the lease rather than a one-time payment.

Goal: Environmental Stewardship
A City that recognizes the value of its natural environmental and preserves its natural resources through careful consideration of new projects and implementation of a Climate Action Plan.

Climate Action Plan
Adopt a Climate Action Plan and commit funding to projects that reduce City energy use, such as LED street lighting and interior lighting, and use of electric vehicles where practical.

Off-Shore Wind Engagement
Continue to engage with other entities in the region, such as the County of SLO, on the topic of offshore wind energy and keep the community informed of the results of future studies. Keep the community informed about the process going forward.

Power Plant Property
Continue planning for the Power Plant Property in a manner that is consistent with Measure A (2024) and the City’s General Plan designation for the property.

Electricity Rebates
Work with Central Coast Community Energy (3CE) to ensure that Morro Bay residents are aware of and have access to the rebates and incentives available through the City’s participation in the program.

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Attachment 1-C Budget Goals Worksheet Page 1C-1
Worksheet
Use these worksheets to
prioritize your top goals and
objectives. Recommended
goals and objectives are
noted in bold type.

GOALS
1 Economic Vitality/Fiscal Health
2 Infrastructure
3 Quality of Life
4 Housing
5 Homelessness
6 Community Engagement
7 El Morro Elementary
8 Environmental Stewardship
9 Revenue Enhancement
GOALS
1 2
3 4
5 6
7 8
9

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Attachment 1-C Budget Goals Worksheet Page 1C-2

OBJECTIVES
1 – Fiscal
Health and
Economic
Vitality
Increase Events
General Fund Reserve
Analysis
Long-Term Financial Plan
Planning and Building Permits
Workforce Housing
2 –
Infrastructure
Resiliency
5-Year CIP
Infrastructure Maintenance
Harbor Revetments
Maintenance Plan
Water Supply
3 – Quality of
Life
Homeless Outreach
Fire Department
Improvements
Waterfront Master Plan
Historical Preservation
Police Workforce
Emergency Response
4 – Workforce
Housing
Affordable Housing
Accessory Dwelling Units
5 –
Homelessness
Community Partnerships
6 –
Community
Engagement
Community Academy
Communications Plan
Grant Policy Updates
Public Records
7 – Morro
Elementary
Acquisition Plan (Morro El)
Community Engagement
Grants
8 – Revenue
Generation
TOT Analysis
Embarcadero Management
Embarcadero Maintenance
Parking Program
City-Owned Property
9 –
Environmental
Stewardship
Climate Action Plan
Off-Short Wind Engagement
Power Plant Property
Electricity Rebates

OBJECTIVES
1 2
3 4
5 6
7 8
9

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Attachment 2 Advisory Body Input Page 1
Advisory Body Input on City Council Goals and Objectives (2025- 2027)
During February and March 2025, the City Manager and liaisons met with City advisory bodies to discuss their input on new City Council Goals and Objectives for 2025-2027.

Each advisory body received a presentation and engaged in full discussions on the status of existing goals and ideas for new goals to consider going forward. The following summarizes the input from advisory body members.

Citizen Finance Committee (2/24/2025)
The CFAC reviewed its Annual Report to the City Council and had a detailed discussion about new budget goals and objectives. The Annual Report can be viewed on the City’s website:
https://www.morrobayca.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/7495 Video of the meeting will be posted on the City’s YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@cityofmorrobay6796/videos
The following is a summary of the input provided by individual CFAC members.  Jean Johnson, untapped potential (property to lease or rent, sell, embarcadero update, architecture planning), interested in a Tourism Bureau similar to Pismo Beach.
 Brian Dorfman, concerned about paid parking -and the use of an outside company for enforcement, which could be a put off for tourists and shoppers  Sara Love, spoke to the need for improving the city grant funding process and redefining goals, which the committee agreed with.
 Michael Erin Woody, spoke to the need for more PD staff. Discussed the value of underground infrastructure. Need a method to communicate with out of town businesses.
 Stephen Peck, spoke to need for moving economic vitality to #1 goal and identifying measurable action items to ensure results. Discussed action to create Eco Vitality: waterfront masterplan. Infrastructure: storm drain improvements and funding mechanism, concerned that the cost of pavement management is unsustainable. Housing/Homelessness: Should not be the same goal, one is a social issue and workforce housing is an economic issue supporting business success. Engagement: continue coworking with other advisory bodies and council.

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Attachment 2 Advisory Body Input Page 2
Harbor Advisory Board (3/6/2025)
Agendas for the HAB can be found on the City’s website:
https://www.morrobayca.gov/Archive.aspx?AMID=35
HAB had an engaging discussion on the topic of 2025-27 budget goals and objectives.

The following is a summary of their input. In addition, the HAB agreed to discuss forming a revenue generation subcommittee at its next meeting.

1. Public Infrastructure
 Immediate Repairs to Boat Ramp (Phase 1)
 Tidelands Facility Inspections of Public Areas and Lease Sites  Refurbish/Replace Light Posts on Embarcadero
 Address Mooring Inspection and Engineering Needs
 Assess Feasibility of State Park Marina Dredging

2. Economic Vitality:
 Stay engaged in OSW
 Pursue grant opportunities for Boat Ramp (Phase 2)
 Pilot Parking Program at Boat Launch and Rock Parking  Fully incorporate lease management software
 Pursue funding opportunities for North T-Pier and Revetment

3. Housing and Homelessness- None

4. Community Outreach
 Conduct joint council/advisory meetings
 Consider advisory reports to Council.

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Attachment 2 Advisory Body Input Page 3
Planning Commission (3/4/2025)
The agenda for the Planning Commission meeting can be found on the City’s website, here: https://www.morrobayca.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/7500:

Staff made a presentation to the Planning Commission and shared substantial information about the workload in Community Development (2025 Priorities Report) and the need for focus.

In addition to the normal Department workload, the Planning Commission was interested in three additional workload items.
 PC was largely interested in forming a sub-committee to work on an historical preservation ordinance.
 PC recommended Council considering form-based zoning codes. (The Council should be aware that form-based codes are a major work effort, requiring a great deal of time and expense to accomplish.)
 PC was also interested in a community benefit memo, which was discussed in the context of the upcoming Waterfront Masterplan update.

Public Works Advisory Board (2/19/2025)
The Public Works Advisory Board discussed the core items that it would like to see addressed in an updated Infrastructure budget goal.
 Work with the PW Director on a CIP for the next few years.  Refine the city’s “service request” app to improve user experience.  Review and analyze city’s water portfolio to come up with a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) report as a guide for future planning efforts.

Recreation and Parks Commission (3/18/2025) – To Be Transmitted

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Attachment 3 Complete Survey Analysis Page 3-1
Morro Bay Community Surveys Analysis: 2023 to
2025
Introduction
This analysis compares the results of the 2023 and 2025 community surveys, with a focus on satisfaction ratings, changing priorities, and alignment with the City's 2023-2025 goals. The 2025 survey had nearly double the respondents (533) compared to the 2023 survey (272), providing more statistical reliability.

Satisfaction Levels in 2025
The 2025 survey revealed varying levels of satisfaction across different aspects of city services:

Areas of High Satisfaction (80%+ satisfied)

1. Quality of life in Morro Bay: 88.5% satisfied (46.8% very satisfied, 41.7% satisfied)

2. Public safety: 84.6% satisfied (42.1% very satisfied, 42.5% satisfied)

3. Emergency response: 81.0% satisfied (44.4% very satisfied, 36.6% satisfied) Areas of Moderate Satisfaction (55-80% satisfied)

4. Public spaces: 77.0% satisfied (32.2% very satisfied, 44.8% satisfied)

5. Sense of community connection: 64.3% satisfied (21.7% very satisfied, 42.6% satisfied)

6. Vibrancy of Downtown/Embarcadero: 62.3% satisfied (16.1% very satisfied, 46.2% satisfied)

7. Ease of mobility: 57.9% satisfied (15.8% very satisfied, 42.1% satisfied)

8. Recreation services: 56.5% satisfied (17.3% very satisfied, 39.2% satisfied) Areas of Concern (Below 40% satisfied)

9. Economic health: 32.8% satisfied (4.3% very satisfied, 28.5% satisfied), with 39.3% neutral

10. Development services: 23.8% satisfied (4.3% very satisfied, 19.5% satisfied), with

50.8% neutral

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Attachment 3 Complete Survey Analysis Page 3-2
Highest Dissatisfaction

1. Economic health: 27.9% dissatisfied

2. Development services: 25.4% dissatisfied

3. Ease of mobility: 23.2% dissatisfied
Priority Changes from 2023 to 2025
Most Significant Priority Shifts (Increases)

1. Enforcement of short-term rental regulations: +25.5% (0% → 25.5%; Choice not offered in 2023 survey)

2. Parks and recreational amenities: +12.9% (0% → 12.9%; Choice not offered in 2023 survey)

3. Economic vitality: +12.2% (26.8% → 39.0%), moving from #7 to #2 priority Most Significant Priority Shifts (Decreases)

1. Homelessness: -17.0% (43.8% → 26.8%), dropping from #1 to #5 priority

2. Quality of life amenities/programs: -16.9% (16.9% → 0%)

3. Community engagement/transparency: -12.9% (29.4% → 16.5%)

4. Maintaining community character: -11.4% (39.0% → 27.6%) Top 5 Priorities in 2025
It should be noted that infrastructure priorities were asked as part of a stand-alone question and not ranked along with other issues.

1. Financial sustainability (43.2%, previously #2)

2. Economic vitality (39.0%, previously #7)

3. Affordable housing (37.1%, previously #4)

4. Maintaining community character (27.6%, previously #3)

5. Homelessness (26.8%, previously #1)
Infrastructure Priority Changes
Top 5 Infrastructure Priorities in 2025

1. Road condition improvements (64.4%, previously #1)

2. Storm drains/flood mitigation (43.0%, previously #2)

3. Waterfront infrastructure (40.2%, similar to previous "Harbor/waterfront" at #3)

4. Sidewalk maintenance and improvements (38.5%, new priority)

5. Water supply (35.1%, previously #4)

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Attachment 3 Complete Survey Analysis Page 3-3
Most Significant Infrastructure Shifts

1. Sidewalk maintenance and improvements: Emerged as a significant priority (+38.5%, new at #4 position)

2. Traffic reduction: Decreased by 22.4% (from 22.4% to 0%)

3. Sewer line replacements: Decreased by 10.5% (31.3% → 20.8%) Alignment with 2023-2025 City Goals

1. Public Infrastructure Goal
 Strong continued support: Road improvements remain the top infrastructure priority (64.4%)
 Progress needed on mobility: Ease of mobility shows moderate satisfaction (57.9% satisfied, 23.2% dissatisfied)
 Stormdrain focus validated: Remains the #2 infrastructure priority (43.0%)  Sidewalk focus emergence: New high-priority infrastructure item (38.5%)

2. Economic Vitality Goal
 Increased priority: Economic vitality rose significantly in priority (+12.2%), moving from #7 to #2
 Area of concern: Economic health has low satisfaction (32.8%) and high dissatisfaction (27.9%)
 Development services challenges: Very low satisfaction (23.8%), with 50.8% neutral and 25.4% dissatisfied
 Waterfront focus aligned: Waterfront infrastructure remains a top three priority (40.2%)

3. Housing/Homelessness Response
 Evolving priorities: Homelessness decreased significantly as a priority (-17.0%), while affordable housing increased (+7.0%)
 Short-term rental focus: Enforcement of short-term rental regulations emerged as a significant new priority (25.5%)
 Permitting effectiveness: Low satisfaction with development services (23.8%) may impact housing goals, including ADU permits

4. Community Engagement Goal
 Decreased urgency: Community engagement/transparency decreased as a priority (-

12.9%)
 Moderate success: Sense of community connection shows moderate satisfaction (64.3%)

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Attachment 3 Complete Survey Analysis Page 3-4
Analysis of Open-Ended Survey Responses
The 2025 survey included 285 open-ended responses that provide valuable insights into residents' concerns related to quality of life. The most frequently mentioned quality of life categories include:
 Economic Vitality (22.5% of responses) - Many comments highlighted the connection between economic health and quality of life, with particular emphasis on workforce housing and business development.
 Traffic & Mobility (20.4%) - Residents expressed significant concerns about congestion, parking (especially on the Embarcadero and at the Rock), and the need for improved pedestrian infrastructure.
 Community Character (20.0%) - Preserving Morro Bay's unique identity, historic resources, and local control emerged as key themes.
 Recreation & Amenities (17.2%) - Comments highlighted the importance of parks, walking paths, boating facilities, and other recreational resources.  Tourism & Rentals (17.2%) - Many responses addressed the balance between tourism (including vacation rentals) and community needs.
 Public Safety (16.1%) - Safety concerns were prominent, including staffing, equipment, and community concerns about the proposed battery storage facility.

Key Insights

1. Development Services Need Attention: The lowest satisfaction rating was for development services (permitting), with only 23.8% satisfied. 50.8% of respondents were neutral, suggesting many residents may lack experience with these services or have no strong opinion. When neutral responses are excluded approximately 51.6% of respondents were dissatisfied with development services, while 48.4% were satisfied.

This shows that among residents with a definite opinion on development services, there was a slight majority expressing dissatisfaction. The effectiveness of development services impacts both economic vitality and housing goals, suggesting that ongoing improvements in the area of development services should continue to be prioritized.

2. Economic Priorities Rising: Economic vitality showed the largest positive shift in priority ranking (from #7 to #2), while economic health (City fiscal health) received low satisfaction ratings (32.8%). This suggests residents see economic issues as increasingly important and are not satisfied with current conditions.

3. Homelessness Progress: The significant decrease in homelessness as a priority (-

17.0%) may indicate residents feel progress is being made on this issue, or that other concerns have become more pressing.

4. Infrastructure Focus Validated: The continued prioritization of road improvements, storm drains, and waterfront infrastructure affirms the City's infrastructure focus. The emergence of sidewalk maintenance as a top four infrastructure priority suggests this area needs more attention.

5. Short-Term Rental Regulation: The identification of short-term rental regulation enforcement as a significant priority (25.5%) suggests this is becoming an important community concern, likely related to housing affordability and community character.

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Attachment 3 Complete Survey Analysis Page 3-5

6. Community Character Balance: While "Maintaining community character" decreased somewhat in priority (-11.4%), it remains a top four concern, suggesting residents value preserving Morro Bay's unique identity while pursuing economic growth.

7. Strong Core Services: High satisfaction with quality of life (88.5%), public safety (84.6%), and emergency response (81.0%) indicates the City is performing well on core services.

Recommendations for Future Planning

1. Streamline Development Services: Address the low satisfaction with permitting and inspections by reviewing and improving processes. This impacts multiple city goals including housing and economic vitality.

2. Balance Economic Growth and Character: The increased priority of economic vitality alongside the continued importance of community character suggests residents want economic growth that respects Morro Bay's unique identity.

3. Continue Infrastructure Investment: The persistence of infrastructure priorities from 2023 to 2025 indicates residents see this as an ongoing need, with increased attention to sidewalks.

4. Address Housing Comprehensively: The increased priority of affordable housing combined with the new focus on short-term rental regulations suggests a comprehensive approach to housing is needed.

5. Maintain Homelessness Programs: While homelessness decreased as a priority, it remains in the top five concerns. Continue existing programs while potentially reallocating some resources to emerging priorities.

6. Continue Waterfront Infrastructure Investment: The continued prioritization of waterfront infrastructure (now at 40.2%) validates the city's focus on this area as part of both infrastructure and economic vitality goals.

7. Reevaluate Community Engagement Approaches: The decreased priority of community engagement coupled with moderate satisfaction suggests current approaches may be working adequately but could be refined or better targeted.

8. Consider Mobility Improvements: With only moderate satisfaction (57.9%) and significant dissatisfaction (23.2%) regarding mobility, additional focus on this aspect of infrastructure may be needed beyond just road condition improvements.

9. Review Recreation Services Strategy: With moderate satisfaction (56.5%) but relatively low dissatisfaction (8.8%), recreation services would benefit from targeted enhancements rather than major overhauls.

Methodological Considerations
The 2025 survey reveals that residents have varying levels of experience with different city services. For example, development services had the highest neutral response rate (50.8%), suggesting many residents have not interacted with these services. This contextualizes the

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Attachment 3 Complete Survey Analysis Page 3-6
satisfaction ratings and indicates where targeted outreach to service users might provide more specific feedback.

The nearly doubled sample size in 2025 (533 respondents versus 272 in 2023) provides greater statistical reliability for the current results. However, this larger sample size might also capture a broader cross-section of the community, potentially contributing to some of the observed shifts in priorities.

Conclusion
The 2023-2025 comparison reveals both continuity and evolution in community priorities. The City's core services like public safety and emergency response show high satisfaction, while infrastructure concerns remain consistent. The most notable shifts include the decreased urgency of homelessness issues, increased focus on economic vitality and fiscal health, and emergence of short-term rental regulation as a significant concern.

These results suggest that while the City's 2023-2025 goals remain generally aligned with community priorities, some adjustment in emphasis may be warranted. The development services area deserves particular attention, as it represents both the lowest satisfaction rating and impacts multiple strategic goals. As the City begins planning for 2025-2027, these insights provide a data-driven foundation for refining strategic priorities while maintaining the core services that contribute to Morro Bay's high quality of life.

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2025 Morro Bay City Survey
Survey Results
FINAL
03/03/2025
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Please specify your experience in Morro Bay.

Overview
I live in Morro Bay. 69% (370)
I work in Morro Bay. 8% (44)
Both, I live and work in Morro Bay. 17% (89)
I don’t live or work but I like to play/frequent businesses in Morro Bay. 6% (30) 3/3/25, 1:51 PM Polco | Content
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If you are a Morro Bay resident, do you own or rent your home? Overview
Own 73% (366)
Rent 19% (96)
Neither 8% (42)
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In which category is your age?
Overview
18-24 years 2% (10)
25-34 years 4% (21)
35-44 years 10% (54)
45-54 years 11% (59)
55-64 years 23% (125)
65-74 years 32% (168)
75 years or older 18% (96)
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How do you receive information about the City?
Overview
City Advisory Boards and Council meetings 25% (134)
City newsletters 39% (210)
City Website 34% (180)
Friends/Neighbors 52% (277)
Social media (e.g., Facebook) 41% (217)
TV/local media 47% (252)
Other 12% (65)
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If you chose "Other", please specify here.

Responses
Nextdoor
Estero Bay News
Nextdoor
estero bay news
Other than very sparse TV coverage, there is very little coverage about Morro Bay. I never see any coverage of council meetings! Why is this? I live next door in Los Osos
Estero Bay News
You tube meeting programs
Co-Workers
Subscribe to emails
Bay News
internet, just happen to drive down from Cambria when something is fun.

Chamber
Newspapers
Bay News newspaper
I volunteer several places in Morro Bay including State Parks, Pacific Wildlife care and NEP so I am part of the community. I’ve owned property in Morro Bay.

Internet
Local newspaper every 2 weeks and Ksby newsfeed
I watch all of the City Council, Boa
Morro Bay Life newspaper
Our town’s activists and activist organizations ie: C.A.L., Save the Park, React, Citizens for Estero Bay Preservation, No Morro Bay Bess.

Estero Bay News
Chamber of Commerce
Emails that I have signed up for from the City on various issues. newspaper
Chamber of Commerce
Morro Bay Matters newsletters
-
MB Chamber of Commerce
Next door
I occasionally attend or watch meetings on TV.Didn't know about a newsletter Local Newspapers
newspaper
Local papers like Estero Bay News
Chamber of Commerce
The Bay News
Local papers
Next Door
New Times, Estero News, MB Papers
NA
Nextdoor App
Morro Bay Life
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Morro bay Life newspaper
Newspaper
Morro Bay Life periodical
Estero Bay News, Morro Bay Life, New Times
Next Door, Tribune
Morro Bay Life newspaper
Friends around town
New Times, Morro Bay Life, Next Door
Morro Bay Life News
Morro Bay Life
Newspaper
Morro Bay Life
Community newspapers still in existence
Monthly Morro Bay newspaper
N/A
Estero Bay News
Morro Bay Life
N/A
N/A
Morro Bay Life newspaper
Newspapers
There is not much info about what the City does unless it is a big story. Regular city council meetings are rarely covered! Local weekly newspapers.
local newspapers
Estro news plus Morro Bay paper
City mailings
Local newspapers and news outlets
New Times and Estero Bay News
Nextdoor
local newspapers
LOCAL NEWSPAPER.The City Website is not informative
Morro Bay Life paper
newsprint newspapers
Morro Bay paper
Local free newspapers, Next door app sometimes
Mail
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The City’s purpose is to provide essential public service and infrastructure for residents. To achieve this,the City invests a vast majority of its resources in police, fire, harbor patrol, water, sewer, recreation, infrastructure maintenance, land use, building services, engineering, code enforcement, finance and administrative services to support those activities. How should the City keep up with the cost of rising inflation while sustaining essential City services for residents, including:
police, fire, street maintenance, harbor preservation,tree care, childcare, youth and adult sports, aquatics, and senior support services?
Overview
Attract new businesses 65% (343)
Increase business tax 7% (37)
Increase sales tax 15% (81)
Increase transient occupancy tax (hotel/lodging tax) 50% (264) Add new events, attractions or other strategies to increase tourism 56% (293) Reduce City services 6% (33)
Sell City-owned property 27% (142)
Other 20% (105)
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If you chose "Other", please specify.

Responses
Charge for parking! We are missing out on a huge source of revenue. Most of the surrounding cities charge for parking.

Paid parking during busy tourist seasons
The City should do more to make our one natural wonder, Morro Rock. a tourist destination and perhaps establish an educational naturalhistory venue by the Rock itself. It's not the Grand Canyon, but it is a unique feature of the West Coast that should be better known.

Lower outside resources such as consultants
Paid Parking on the Embarcadero. Permitted parking on adjacent side streets.

Provide amenities that both visitors and locals need to encourage spending more time in shopping areas, ESPECIALLY a public restroom in the downtown core. Attract a diversity of businesses so that we are not so dependent on tourism dollars for city solvency. Be sensible about what businesses go into high profile properties--they should maximize sales tax or TOT, and be a destination business rather than an impulse one. Use existing plans rather than paying for new consultants. Stop tying up a major part of the waterfront every summer weekend with "craft" shows that take away parking, take money from brick and mortar businesses, and provide very little sales tax income for the city.

Consider a vacancy tax on commercial properties and buildings that remain empty or unused for an excessive amount of time. They create blight and interrupt the flow of business.Do whatever you can to encourage and enhance housing options in Morro Bay--more rentals, work force housing options, mid-range pricing. In your question below, you should separate the vitality of waterfront and downtown-very different characters, vibrancy and attractions.

Reduce commercial property rents so businesses can afford to be here...gouging by out of town landlords. Add paid parking on the Embarcadero with residents able to get annual reduced rate stickers for their cars. cut costs not services
Build an indoor pool for kids and adults.

Install parking meters like the have in downtown SLO and Pismo Beach with exemptions for MB home/ land/ business owners.

Look into other revenue sources!
Make MB affordable! Keep us quaint, safe, fix infrastructure, clean sewers, keep moving homeless out, push back on their unsanitary, insane lifestyle in creeks or sidewalks that is dangerous for all people in the communities.Hire locals,,,,,,,hire experienced or able people but forget the DEI system, it’s fraudulent. Time to cut managers salaries, no ridiculous 2-300k salaries, to manage 4k year round residents, but give them perks, cut staff, no manager here needs an assistant manager. Stop needs for grandiose plans (ie: round a bouts or ) Gets rid of the massive heavy garbage trucks that tear up our roads over and over ( go back to old school trucks with 3 men and a hydronic lift) non union, establish or encourage a new grassroots company for our garbage company.🤷‍♀️it’s a thought? Be tourist friendly, but consider locals, the year round residents. Yes we need them to keep coming back . Again, QUAINT! we are not SLO. ! say no to 37 ft building heights increases say no to Sacramento’s pressure to rezone our neighborhoods to accommodate ugly pack and stack studios or drug rehab facilities, sites or BESS and wind farms. Yes that’s big money yes it will destroy this last little coastal gem of a community! Music amphitheater would be great
Paid parking in 2/3 of the Embarcadero spaces with annual passes of modest cost to 93442 zip code residents and develop the north end of the sandspit with ferry service and camp/RV sites administered by the City/Harbor as revenue source. It would provide isolation and access to a hugely underutilized beach area and would have huge demand. The novelty of the ferry ride alone would create quite a stir. 20 sites could be spread far enough apart to maintain the isolation and bring in maybe $2000 a day before overhead.

Stream-line fee based services. Almost every homeowner knows never to apply for building permits or other licenses because they know they will probably die of old age before they are granted. Same for local business owners - create a friendlier more cooperative climate for residents and small business owners to help avoid the ‘LA-ification’ of the central coast.Don’t give sweetheart deals to large often corrupt corporations (e.g. Vistra Energy) and developers.

Turn old power plant i to a convention center. We desperately need meeting and event space in the county.

Diversify economy by encouraging sales tax generating non-tourism dependent businesses. Allow more housing to be built, thereby generating more property tax and people paying into local sales tax, supporting local businesses and infrastructure Work with a developer to bring a full service hotel on city owned property.

The Council and City Manager must decide what vision they hold for the future of Morro Bay—whether to lag behind or move forward in step with modern times. It is possible to embrace modernization while preserving the city's unique charm. Revamp the Rock parking lot and convert the North Embarcadero into diagonal parking by eliminating the center divider, enhancing traffic flow for both tourists and locals.

Propose a harbor tax on properties in Los Osos, Morro Bay, and Cayucos, with a sunset clause dedicated to funding infrastructure improvements on the Embarcadero and connect points of interest of Morro Bay for tourists to follow throughout the city. Where is our photo board, like Pismo's? A place people can go to take pictures with the title: MORRO BAY. We need concerts and signature festivals to bring in more tourism. List goes on and on. But again, what really is the vision for Morro Bay? The population in American is growing we need to prepare for it in our small space. In addition, city staff need to be given the right/correct tools to do their jobs,for a professional and timely 3/3/25, 1:51 PM Polco | Content
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outcome. Staff need to be trusted to do their jobs, treated respectfully and paid a market value. All city departments need to be on the same page and work together. Communication is key and trust starts at the top. The tone is set by the City Manager and the Council. This city has incredible potential, and by working together, we can make it even better. Thank you.

To save time (money),reduce advisory boards and limit time wasting babble at city council meetings.

Increase fees for city-run recreation such as aquatics, with a discount for residents only.

It seems like taxes should keep up with inflation, since it is a percentage-based system. Maybe adjust fees that aren't percentage based? But you shouldn't need to raise the percentage of taxes, etc.

Increase property tax. Specifically, institute a vacant building tax that would increase property taxes on any home that is not a full time residence.

Enforce the STVR laws. Audit all current rentals for the past 3 years and collect back TOT. My guess is the city is losing 500k a year.

Incentivize workforce housing
Develop the Market Street property ASAP for increased TOT and sales tax as visitor serving hotel/restaurant/retail complex. Also this development will serve as a connector between downtown and the Embarcadero to increase foot traffic and improve business in town. Begin a robust planning process with public input on redevelopment of former WWTP property for visitor-serving activities upon acquiring full ownership from Cayucos CSD — ASAP. Focus on all revenue generating opportunities on the Embarcadero - including fair and equitable lease agreements for new projects - to support our biggest revenue stream for TOT and sales tax. Protect the revenue we have. Take a visionary approach to development — look toward the future and create a sense of hope for the citizens that sustainably is possible. Find ways to say “yes” instead of “no” to projects that meet the requirements. Continue to seek solutions to the future of the former MBPP that will be safe for MB but include removing stacks and buildings.However, that’s a longer term project on land the city does not own. Keep short term focus on property we do own/control to maximize income. Consider again height limits downtown to spur redevelopment and residential growth in that area to support businesses. Even if this is not popular in the short term with some vocal anti-growth voices, this action would help to improve age diversity in MB and bring in working professionals who want to live/work/recreate in MB — this is a way to bring fresh energy to a city full of retiree NIMBYS who don’t want change. Please give us some hope and positive energy! What can you accomplish for the city in these next 2 years? Thank you and best wishes.

Lease city-owned property at competitive rates comparable to the open market.

Promote "buy local" campaign - even just asking residents to buy gas in MB Build a Kaiser Hospital at the power plant location with dormatory housing for workers.

Install solar, convert transportation to electric. add more EV chargers, decarbonize everything possible.

The city started a program to allow camping near the rock and Tidelands. It was estimated to bring in approx 150k annually.However, residents fought that it went away. I believe that parking meters or parking meter stations would bring in a substantial amount to help subsidize some of these costs. I've heard the argument that the cost is too high to monitor. meters. Even if the cost to hire a city employee to monitor meters may be too high, the average tourist visiting the Embarcadero will put money into a meter to park to in order to avoid the threat of a citation.However, the residents of the city would shoot down the parking meter idea as well. So inevitably this cost will no doubt go on the backs of the businesses on the Embarcadero. so that they may have the burden of covering the costs as all other attempts at making capital for the city will fail.

Do better to keep & support the business you do have. They are dropping like flies especially in the hospitality industry.

Attract different business other than tourism Marine industry Paid parking in downtown and on the Embarcadero for tourists/visitors. Citizens can have placards for their vehicles so as not to be required to pay.

Cut employees. Too many compare to 10 yrs ago
More high end tourism options. More Carmel, less Pismo.

Along with the local native Americans utilize their tribal lands for gambling…bingo or casino…high end dining and local venue for entertainment
vacation home tax. more people in town means more money being spent. empty homes equals less people.

Streamline the process for small businesses to open - especially food establishments. Eliminate some of the redundant red tape and fees. The city does not make it easy or friendly to go into business here. That is why, after months of working with the City of MB, I opened my business in Cayucos. And please, no more Mexican or Pizza
More efficiency, less pension liability
Do NOT bring in a BESS. Its a toxic hazard sure to destroy the MB community and the surrounding communities as well! Pay to park on the Embarcadero and Rock Parking Lot on weekends! Focus on affordable living. Rentable homes and apartments. Social Security recipients make $22,500 per year each and they spend every dollar each month LOCALLY. Support the building of an apartment complex for +55 year old and above. 3/3/25, 1:51 PM Polco | Content
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Enforce existing STR tax for "cheaters".Develop more recreation services. Create boat yard and boat maintenance services, including more sophisticated boat launch.DO NOT DISCOURAGE BUSINESS BY ADDING PARKING METERS TO DOWNTOWN OR RAISING SALES TAX.

Host more money-making,fun events
Paid parking at morro rock, and only at the rock. The city leaves millions on the table every year by not doing this. A simply few dollar fee for day parking and a very inexpensive yearly pass like 20 bucks would generate plenty. turn vista site into a convention center: bring in events such as sporting tournaments (volleyball, basketball, etc), have other events that brings venue to our town. Roller rink within for the kids to have safe place to hang/bring more tourism for families of all ages. Its a no brainer truly re-purpose power plant land for public use- camping, boat yard, Cal Poly Maritime etc.

Reduce homelessness costs by encouraging relocation
A sports complex would be a dream come true to the community. Even stadium lights installed over at Morro Elementary would be beneficial to local sports teams and increase a positive physical experience.

Vacancy tax
Have the vacation rental property owner pay more taxes towards the city.

Vacancy tax
Decrease wasteful spending and work inefficiency. When having work done in the city get a variety of bids and seek to find a combination of quality of work at reasonable cost rather than-paying a "friend" of the city government.Have elected officials do their jobs rather than hiring out 3rd parties at extraordinary cost to do things the elected official was hired and paid to do. Stop wasting money on exorbitant costing studies done by biased third parties that fail to be neutral. Rather than giving a job to government buddies - again open the bidding up to a number of workers. Revamp the leases on the waterfront to have an equivalent cost rather than continuing with sweet deals for a few. Let's have some transparency around harbor and waterfront leases and their costs.Hold elected officials accountable for their actions as a public official and
Stop the exorbitant ($200,000 plus) salaries and retirement for employees, especially the top-heavy administration! So many of MBs residents live on less than $30,000 a year. Stop the profligate hiring of consultants, we pay employees well presumably that are qualified to do the work, not to farm it out to the same-ol, same-ol consultants for fees that take advantage of City’s so-called “deep pockets”. They frequently ask for more money with change orders for “unforeseen” problems. Stop farming out City business to far-flung private companies ie: business licenses, short term rental fee collections, water and sewer bills. Curb the outrageous charges of city attorneys not just for legal advisements, but also for travel expenses from Southern California where the firm is located.Hire locally!!!! Keep the money locally!! Nurture current businesses to stay in business.

Get a better tax base. And finding funds/grants
Lower taxes! That will bring in business.

City should quit frivolous spending
Reduce city administrative staff, not first responders, Taxes and utility rates have already been raised far too much! Increase fees to short term rentals and consider charging fees to empty vacation homes that could be providing workplace housing and housing for people who might open locally owned businesses if they had access to reasonably affordable housing stock.

A lot of people come here, but don’t spend money. This may sound strange, but I think we need to improve the quality of our restaurants.

Passo Robles has great food same price as morro bay eateries, but very healthy and fresh. Less fried food in morro bay would be nice.

Seafood in passo robles tastes fresher than seafood in morro bay.

Enforce our codes, issue fix-it tickets, then collect on lingering violations.

Shut down STR,force visitors int o hotels or camp sites. Increase hotel tax.

Encourage business-friendly development and facilitate workforce housing.

Pave vacant lots and start charging for parking.

Get out of the property management biz :-) , specifically the "diStasio" building, the lots at San Jacinto and the upside-down lease at the former Aquarium building
-
Fee-based parking lots. Charge higher rates for private parties' use of public buildings.

Encourage diversity in our business sector--expand into non-tourism markets. Be more appealing to developers by expediting processing of permits etc. Create more workforce housing, thereby increasing property taxes, sales tax revenues,re-filling schools, supporting a local workforce. Use existing studies and plans rather than paying consultants for new ones.

Enforce existing laws (car registration, sleeping in cars/ vans) Encourage higher density housing in the downtown area
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I supported the Harbor tax and feel it might have passed if marketing/education had been more effective.

Build more homes to attract more residents
Better marketing campaign for the city including to CalPoly students - we have the best surf around and wonderful water sports accessible to all.

1. Aggressively pursue economic development opportunities that will bring increased revenue to the City, e.g., Market Plaza site should have been sold to a developer long ago. The City has had opportunities that it has passed on. 2. Selling City property brings one-time revenue to the City. Therefore, in selling, we should look for opportunities that will bring revenues to the City. 2.Diversify the local economy; we should not rely so heavily on tourism alone to sustain our economy.

Enforcement of municipal codes
Allow food trucks by the Rock parking area and at Tidelands parking so additional taxes can be collected.

Increase all property taxes!
Possible parking fees on Embarcadero in summer?
Make it easier for businesses to thrive
Complete the Market Street project and get expired leases on the waterfront done! Tighter management of City leasehold Properties

1.Get the Morro Bay harbor department out of the search and rescue business and re-teach them how to repair services on the docks and moorings. 2. Quit wasting so much money on the police department. We have too many cops for a small town and cannot continue to fund the unnecessary growth.

Cut payroll of city management, department heads, administration, and police by 20%.

If Morro Bay is kept safe, there will always be those that want to visit and/or live here. There can be NO very dangerous things like wind turbines and unsafe battery storage facilities!!!!
None of the objections were relevant in my opinion.

Bond financing.

This city is too expensive to address this issue with one solution. The water is too expensive, the wages are low, and the primary source for income is tourism which is suffering because the historical demographic of the primary market (central valley residents) struggle to afford the amenities. I think this is a case of the state becoming a haven for the wealthy and elderly, and Morro Bay has transitioned into what Santa Barbara was some 20 years ago. I think you are going to need to create affordable housing just to house those servicing this aging community. There are very few jobs in the entirety of SLO County that can cover the living expense of even a 2 room residence here. And the county itself skews older than the state average, so people with any hope of a future here (younger folks) would do better to not commute longer distances for the same pay they might find living closer to their place of work. One might argue that this could be solved with better public transit....but if the city is asking how it can sustain its current state...its gonna have to cut services unfortunately. We are talking about decades of neglect here and a half century or so to get them back on track if you could convince the residents that the future was worth it.

This town is becoming a lemon, and those with the means are squeezing the last drops of juice out as they shuffle off to the grave, making way for the next batch in need of servicing. It's why after 20 years of living here I plan to move on with my small family. Tired of living somewhere that lacks vision or preparation for changing times. Anyone who has theirs as they say, is too happy to shut the door on any future.

Increase Grants,federal funding,recruit businesses that provide head of household incomes. Those things will help with services. Will help with taxes that pay for services. People can't pay more tax. Tourists are getting maxed out KEEP! city owned properties but lease them out for development Deregulation.

Take down the old PG@E power plant leave the zoning as is and build a shell venue and have concerts and plays to attract locals as well as tourist.

Lower salaries for city employees.

Expand active STRs so that TOT increases. Many current STRs for years have been inactive or hardly active. Morro Bay is losing out on TOT (2nd largest revenue source) as well as sales tax because tourists are staying in places other than Morro Bay.

Consolidate departments and decrease directors
support Industry, since we have an industrial zone,/ contaminated - can't be recklessly rezoned for fishing or a playground, without millions of EPA superfunds.. the City depended on PGE for tax revenue, several million a year if I recall, and we almost lost police and fire when it closed, we NEED TO REPLACE THE POWER PLANT TAX REVENUE,
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Read my statement for the last question.

Rise Hotel tax keep property taxes the same. Charging more for events such as triathlon ect.

N/A
reevaluate city payroll
N/A
NA
Make some betterbudget/spending decisions
Increase property tax
Increase taxes on short term rentals (or ban them). Increase business taxes on corporations (not small / locally owned businesses).

Create a strategic plan to analyze, categorize to determine which parcels whose sales would be of benefit to the city coffers. Carefully watch development market to identify the sweet spot - just tipping to a sellers market. Other parcels coupled be leased at the lowest rates possible to allow new businesses, outdoor markets or artisan faires to lease the land and open for business provide g new and different attractions to MB— think events like Laguna Niguel CA‘s Sawdust Festival. Bring outdoor cultural attractions like a First American/Indian “pageant of the masters”. Try for a World Record for climbing The Rock. I know there are many cultural rules around it but if there is a way to work cooperative with tribal leadership - that would be something to see. I just loved To the heart of Morro Bay, I have 25 years of high level and winning, national experience in strategic marketing and public relations. in Real Estate and Development ; the food industry and consumer products. These ideas are just off the top of my head while I chill on my lunch hour in. SLO. Wouldn’t it be grand to walk to work in Morro bay? Ideas here are free.
spend more wisely, cut out the waste
Parking meters
I don't see question 7 ?
Charge fees (or higher fees) for childcare, youth & adult sports and senior support services. Reduce city outlay for “studies” and “consultants.” Explore becoming part of the County again-abandoning being a city. It was never a good idea to begin with.

Use online donation collection services to solicit donations from visitors and residents. Be clear about the goal of how much money is trying to be raised and specifically for what, on a website page for example. Then be very transparent with how those funds are actually deployed and the results generated. Start by promoting to your email list for residents, and for visitors do some guerrilla-style marketing and put QR codes in strategic places around the city. An idea would be to print 5"x5" squares with a short explanation and QR code on a material that can withstand the outdoors. Then attach/epoxy a square on to the corner of the informational plaques along the Embarcadero. So visitors who read the plaques would have an easy way to donate to different city projects.

Evaluate size of police and fire department. My understanding is that Morro Bay has one half the population of Los Osos, but I suspect Morro Bay has significantly more police officers than Los Osos has sheriffs assigned to that area.

Charge for parking at rock but provide residents annual pass (small fee) Support tourist attractions like the maritime museum and other citywide events Charge for parking - Downtown and Embarcadero (other beach/fishing/coastal communities do). impose A TOURIST ENTRANCE FEE
Less traffic on the Embarcadero. When the town is full of people shopping and strolling they have to keep moving because of the impact of our narrow sidewalks. The flow doesn't seem to create a relaxed comfortable, take a pause and be intrigued by the storefronts as much as if there were less cars. We want our visitor to enjoy our city ( including myself) to come and partake of the fabulous stores and beauty we have in our town.

More Stop signs in neighborhoods
Develop the old power plant property to encourage local use and enhance tourist experience at a destination location - Morro Rock, the bay and embarcadero
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Please rank your satisfaction with each of the following items.

Overview
Question Very satisfied Satisfied Neutral Unsatisfied Very unsatisfied Quality of life in Morro Bay 47% 42% 8% 2% 1%
Ease of mobility in the City (roads,
sidewalks, bike paths)
16% 42% 19% 18% 5%
Economic health of the community 4% 29% 39% 24% 4%
Emergency response in Morro Bay 44% 37% 17% 1% 0%
Public safety in Morro Bay 42% 43% 11% 3% 1%
Public spaces (parks, community
centers, the waterfront)
32% 45% 13% 8% 2%
Quality of development services
(permitting, inspections)
4% 20% 51% 18% 7%
Quality of recreation services (youth,
senior, sports)
17% 39% 35% 7% 2%
Sense of community connection 22% 43% 22% 11% 2%
Vibrancy of the Downtown District and
Embarcadero
16% 46% 20% 15% 2%
Expand all / Collapse all
Very satisfied Satisfied Neutral Unsatisfied Very unsatisfied Quality of life in Morro Bay
Ease of mobility in the City (roads, sidewalks, bike paths) Economic health of the community
Emergency response in Morro Bay
47% 42% 8%
16% 42% 19% 18% 5%
29% 39% 24%
44% 37% 17%
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Public safety in Morro Bay
Public spaces (parks, community centers, the waterfront) Quality of development services (permitting, inspections) Quality of recreation services (youth, senior, sports)
Sense of community connection
Vibrancy of the Downtown District and Embarcadero
42% 43% 11%
32% 45% 13% 8%
20% 51% 18% 7%
17% 39% 35% 7%
22% 43% 22% 11%
16% 46% 20% 15%
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Of the local issues listed below, please select the top three that the City should focus on for 2025-2027.

Overview
Affordable housing 37% (198)
Cleanliness/attractiveness of public spaces 25% (132)
Community engagement/transparency 16% (88)
Economic vitality in the local business community 39% (209) Emergency preparedness 20% (106)
Enforcement of short-term rental regulations 25% (136)
Financial sustainability for the City 43% (230)
Homelessness 27% (143)
Maintaining community character 28% (147)
Parks and recreational amenities 13% (70)
Public Safety 21% (111)
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What infrastructure projects should the City focus its resources on? Overview
Park facilities and equipment improvements 21% (113)
Road condition improvements 65% (344)
Sewer line replacements 21% (111)
Sidewalk maintenance and improvements 39% (205)
Storm drains/flood mitigation 43% (229)
Waterfront infrastructure 41% (215)
Water supply (water tanks, injection wells) 35% (187)
Other 13% (68)
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If you chose "Other", please specify here.

Responses
Public restrooms in the downtown area
Diversify types of local businesses. Too many of same things (thrift shops, sandwich shops, Mexican restaurants). Need different kinds of businesses.

Tree trimming, deforestation, and taking out unsafe trees! You need to include ev chargers?
dysfunctional traffic from beach St. to the Rock during summer and off season weekends Low cost, local recreation and health-related projects like bike trails walking paths and visitor / resident friendly projects like EV charging stations.

The business permitting process is unacceptable. It should be done locally in Morro Bay. All services needed by morro bay should be bid out though a RFP process such so that local vendors get a chance to bid.

Traffic circulation plan for the Embarcadero. Open the bike bridge on the weekend for traffic. Build a parking structure. Coleman Park and Restroom needs to be a high priority.

This is not a question I feel qualified to answer - city officials should know which is most needed and address those issues first. I do not know if the water tanks and injection wells need to be focused on. Please assess all needs and respond accordingly. I believe in you! Public restrooms
Put in more pickleball courts
Add more pickleball courts
Improve waterfront: widen sidewalks, brighter street lighting, decentralized paid parking, no parking in the area between Marina and Beach.

Use $1 million of tourism promotion funds, $1 million of general fund to float a $20 million bond, payable in 20 years. Our city's best product needs improvement.

Climate crisis needs serious action from all stake holders. 424 PPM +1.5 C is really bad.

Not spending money on things we do not need, like $250K on signs that say Rock -> Launch ramp and boat hoist
Light pollution mitigation
Dedicated & wider bike lanes
Don’t waste money on the homeless or affordable housing. This area is the .001 of real estate in the world.Don’t cheapen it at all.

More bike lanes, please
Installing underground electric wiring/cable to protect from fire Reclaiming Vistra owned land to be cleaned and utilized by the community.

Lighting downtown and Embarcadero
Traffic congestion & Roundabout at HWY 41 intersection
Maintain all existing infrastructure is urgent. this is an old town and needs updates to the essential infrastructure.

I walk the embarcadero, as do many others. Most recent developments are excellent at keeping their outside restrooms available.However, there is one exception: the Anderson Inn. It is my understanding that they are to have their restrooms available to the public and have a sign out front pointing to their public restrooms. The Inn is the main business, but is not making the restrooms available when their office is open, and they have no restroom signs.
moving City hall/public works and Police into one location No batteries
Something more than a wool blanket and an invitation out of town for the homeless. It shouldn't be illegal to sleep in the park with a wool blanket or a sleeping bag unless it is illegal to let your dog urinate on the grass! Boat services... as explained above. Quit Paying bulls___t consultants.

A children’s park/playground between downtown and the Embarcadero would make the area much more friendly to local families and appealing to visitors
All
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Focus only on infrastructure that requires updates to support residence that live here.Do not build to potentially attract visitors. Vacancy tax! Have the Morro Bay Emergency Preparedness Team provide a public informational meeting to inform citizens of how to sign up for landslide hazard emergency preparedness services,received information of evacuation routes, handouts and a Q&A session.

Community based, scaled energy and resource solutions.

Plant trees, trees to counter government climate meddling and local arborists chain saws!!! Rigorously preserve our urban forest for clean air, bird and wildlife habitat, beauty, shade, more. MB cannot be a certified bird sanctuary without trees or be a designated TREE city!!! Embarcadero thruway congestion
Local policies to improve attractiveness of town (public and private spaces) in order to attract better visitors (spend more $ and litter less) and businesses (NOT massage parlors). Really- can’t we get rid of those embarrassing massage parlors? Second: Continue to improve the town’s walkability and bikeability.

We need more public restrooms! Businesses are paying the bill for tourists who are desperate for a restroom whether they are a patron or not.
-
Safer bike lane and pedestrian crossings, especially on Main Street between Piney and Olive Safe bike routes to Del Mar and the MBHS
n/a
We need a new Police Department building --the present one is outdated Require residents to follow municipal codes.

Curb appeal not just sidewalks but LIGHTING and aesthetics I don't know if it is possible but since we live in an area where hard water is an issue. Is it possible to treat it at the water treatment plant versus every household having to go to an outside source such as Culligan to treat water individually at the resident level? Just seems it would benefit city pipes and sewage if all of our water was being treated for hard water. Thanks for your consideration.

Fire safety/weed abatement/plantings that secure the soil with their roots in public areas.

Public restrooms
Tidelands Trust Lease negotiations
The park by the bus station and roundabout is very outdated and in disrepair.Despite the wonderful renovation of the bus stop there are still many transients and feels unsafe for my children. We live right behind the police station across the street, yet choose to go to other parks like Del Mar and Monte Young due to the undesirable environment at this central park. The large slide was torn out, yet not replaced, and all of the current equipment is run down and in need of maintenance and replacement. We'd very much love to call this our home base park, but cannot in it's current condition. I do not feel that it would take much expense or time to vastly improve upon its current condition.

Build a pedestrian walking tunnel or pedestrian bridge over or under highway 1 and it's intersection with highway 41.

Like most of the county, public transit options are lacking.

Repair boat launch ramp at the end of the Embarcadero.

Graffiti removal around town and on the west side of the Rock. I realize the Rock is not within city limits, but the city ought to pressure the State Park to do more to protect against graffiti with signs threatening stiff penalties, a hotline to report vandalism-in-progress, and better graffiti removal that completely removes the vandalism.

Putting utilities underground to reduce fire risk.

NA
Voters said the 3 stacks and buildings should be removed; then VISTRA said they would do it and now it is in limbo once again. I've heard that bricks are starting to come down from some of the stacks.

Install round about at 41 and main
Sidewalks with curbs
Need more trails
No BESS
NO BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM EVER!
Hopefully the city acquires the 3 stacks property. It would be beautiful to develop a park/playground and or recreational area, directly surrounding the 3 stacks. This would be a showcase of Morro Bay and enhance the beauty of the embarcadero waterfront. I would agree/vote for a city tax to fund this development and associated maintenance cost.

N/A
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Remove the stacks and DO NOT put in a power plant that could poison all of us.

The city should be striving to place power lines in underground to lesson fire danger.

N/A
N/A
Local water bills are too high. What can be done?
preserve natural resources, stop wind farm and battery storage projects. Protect our health. Fund Del Mar school Either take control of or continue to refute corporate access to the power plant site.Hold past corporate owners accountable for the environmental cleanup of the site in court.

Take down the stacks and force company to clean up toxic waste. Turn into public park. Also no more new hotels, especially tearing down existing housing (on south end of Embarcadero) for new hotels. Locals can’t afford rent. Invest in programs to help locals access home ownership and/or affordable rentals. Prevent out of town / out of state companies from buying up real estate.

I didn't choose Other.

Do not approve the 3300 Panorama condo project being pushed thorough the Planning Department by RRM and financed by a Fresno Loan Shark. The Navy gave the Panorama property to the city for a DOLLAR. The money was supposed to be used for our neighborhood PARK !!!! Keeping our downtown and waterfront areas comfortable for tourists, visitors and us, the residents, intrigued and enticed to come and enjoy the business and offerings. Because of of the impact of the crowded sidewalks on the embarcadero, myself and many of my other neighbors I know do not come down to these areas in in our busy season. Being able to attract and easily flow people into our businesses and restaurants and other events and encouraging them to come and visit and their shopping and dinning and lodging will bring more revenues which will help the economic vitality of our city and our businesses. As a summers get warmer in the inland valleys get more crowded more and more will be coming from the valley to enjoy MB city natural attributes. The four-lane highway from the valley to the coast hwy 41/46 improvements is almost complete. Finding a way to easily facilitate more people to come enjoy shop spend and dine in our town will be to the best interest of the city for the future.

Neighborhood stop signs
Power Plant and Batteries - Need alternatives
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Do you have any further comments or suggestions to add about any of the topics covered in this survey? Responses
We need more pickle ball courts please.

Thank you for conducting the survey! I appreciate all you are trying to do with a limited budget! When making the difficult decision regarding what not to fund, please consider the longer term cost if the work is postponed (ie.rebuilding a deteriorated roadway is much more expensive than patching when it's not so bad. Also I know you are diligently trying, but many residents still need to learn and understand about the City's financial situation. Obviously not an easy way to do that but thanks for trying! I love living in Morro Bay. I'd like too see the area annexed to the marine sanctuary.

Do NOT allow Vistra to build the BESS project. Stop giving money to the chamber of commerce as they are “ bought” by Vistra Prevent at all costs allowing battery storage facility in our town! Repeal A-24
I live in Los Osos so didn't feel like I could answer all the questions but do get to Morro Bay often.

I think that downtown vitality is different than the embarcadero vitality. I think that more resources could be used to promote the downtown area. I would love to see the return of different festivals such as the harborfest, or the avocado margarita Festival, or create a new festival. So many of our surrounding cities have weekly music events for the community and they are a huge draw.

Please do whatever you can go keep the Vistra BESS out of our city. Moss Landing has another huge fire at its Vistra plant as I write this.

No BESS, it will destroy the future of Morro Bay and gravely effect the economy, the people and community in a bad way.

Maintaining open space and the small-town character of MB is my highest priority--and that means, especially, not allowing the BESS plant to be built, or other absurd developments (e.g., a roundabout at 41 and Main). These are disruptive, not fiscally helpful, and in violation of MB's essential nature.

Resurface bike lanes too when resurfacing car lanes!
Good luck
no
Don't turn Morro Bay into a big tourist destination. This will ruin our town.

Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Avoid acquiescing to vocal "special interest groups" who say no to everything, but offer no positive solutions to the many challenges facing the city.

If it's not too late keep Morro Bay the small Oceanside Community it's always been. People live here. I love you None
Wildfire safety program removing dead trees and brush.

We need to think about a new Police Department -----the employees deserve better working conditions ------Thank You I would love to see pay for parking at The Rock. Even if we charged $1.00 per vehicle it would bring in a significant amount of money for the city and I think the tourists can afford it.
enforcement of speed limits on heavily traveled roads (Kern) keep our town beautiful, get rid of weeds and graffiti, no more porta potties, we need to take pride in our town Some of the questions such as #9 could have many more possible answers No BESS Battery Plant…it will ruin our beautiful bay and look at Moss Landing! In light of the Moss Landing fire (again). We should be fighting lithium battery storage.

Fix our streets.Has anyone ever looked at the streets in the beach tract? They are so bad😡 City should use nextdoor.com MORE for alerts and information. We need to underground utility lines. Why are utility lines still up on quintana after running them underground during sewer plant construction? Be more proactive about tree maintenance ( for high winds) Protect the harbor walk so we don't loose any more of it due to erosion like at the pit area near the pedestrian bridge. Replace the restroom at Coleman Park. Create
No
Sewers drains maintenance
Safety: I would like to see street lights installed to help the flow of traffic such as at the Hwy 41 and Main Street intersections. Installing additional sidewalks would also encourage more pedestrian activity of which to improve both health and local business access/patronage.

Tourism: It would be nice to have the city help facilitate building repairs/modifications of local businesses. Businesses are looking aged and 3/3/25, 1:51 PM Polco | Content
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dilapidated. Possibly offering/seeking grants to enhance appearance and perform basic repairs/modifications would greatly help business owners. Also, continue to encourage “buy local” themes.

No Batteries by the Bay!!!
You need to have SLCUSD stop driving the gas/diesel buses in the neighborhood. They have electric buses and old people are a big % of people in the populatio here and are vulnerable to diesel emissions Do not allow the Vistra battery plant in Morro Bay
None at this time.

Keep BESS out of Morro bay
larger basins to capture run off from rain.

When is the bike trail from Cayucos to Morro Bay going to be completed? More safe biking is needed Stoplight instead of round about @ 41 & Main intersection. alternate exit from the Rock and Embarcadero via Coleman Dr over new bridge across creek that can carry cars and trucks both directions to hwy 41.Don't let the tourist traffic situation get any worse....do something! You are doing well! Don’t fall for the notion that the only way forward is to cater to big money special interests - the cost in the long run is too high.

Please do not allow industrialization ruin the seaside quaintness of tourism, wildlife, estuaries that make Morro Bay special and unique.

Projects such as battery storage and wind farm servicing would be devastating to the area. A focus should be for ecotourism, ocean environmental events and family shopping/camping/entertainment venues.

I am against the battery storage facility being built in Morro Bay. And I’m also against the wind farm.

We’ve been coming to Morro Bay all our lives and love it so much. We were finally able to buy a home here last year and feel proud & happy to be part of this beautiful community. We love that Morro Bay has been able to retain its small town character and will work to help maintain this as residents.

The lack of communication we had during the flooding a couple of years ago was horrible. This needs to be improved before the next disaster Price of water and sewer too high don’t increase
would be nice to have a light or round about at the Main st and 41 intersection coming into Morro Bay from 41 I love living in Morro Bay. I am very concerned about the safety of the BESS project, especially after the recent fire in Moss Landing.

I would have liked more detailed questions with an opportunity to explain each answer.

Please do what you can to stop the battery storage facility Retaining and supporting city staff should be a top 5 priority of the city. Spending time backfilling after turnover or training/developing underqualified personnel is a massive waste of resources. We need competitive pay and services/benefits to keep city hall running efficiently and effectively.

Its time for the city to start addressing all of its deferred maintenance.Glad to see some work on sidewalks is starting. There needs to be a sense or urgency to these things. STVR has been lingering for years now and millions lost.

Replace "affordable housing" with "workforce housing" (no need to subsidize) Best wishes to city staff dealing with many challenges. We’re grateful for you all. You make our city a wonderful place to live. Thank you for your professionalism and dedication.

Improving the parks is so important, many of our parks for children have caution tape wrapped on them, or pieces have been broken and removed but not replaced. We live in a beautiful community where it is nice enough to play outside every day! Fix the parks please! The City does a good job overall. Finances are tricky. It's impossible in my opinion to continue with the high level of services and still remain affordable for residents. I suggest cutting middle management positions and placing more responsibility for oversight of the departments onto the department heads. It would also be nie if the City could ease up on costs for planning and building services to encourage more people to build homes here. And no more vacation rentals.

We need more pickleball courts. They are used by residents, people from other county cities, and vacationers.

I <3 Morro Bay. Thanks for doing this survey, you are so awesome. city's resources seem to focus on making downtown Morro Bay look pristine, while north Morro Bay needs attention .as the streets are in horrible condition and traffic seems to be at peak capacity at San Jacinto and Yerba Buena.

Sidewalks are dangerous. Marking on street are faded or nonexistent (parking spaces, center divide, turn lanes), parking for handicapped on the street downtown and Embarcadero, terrible trees on MBBlvd that drip on my car and drop very dangerous pods on the sidewalk.

No more city-owned property unless city facilities will be built on the site. City-owned property becomes a distraction and a political football.

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Take action to prohibit development of proposed battery storage facilities.

The fire chief of this town does nothing about fire prevention around the homes of Morro bay. So many homes around Morro bay have trees and brush growing right up next to their homes not to mention, spewing out over the sidewalks and into the streets,There is no 6 foot clearance of dead trees or even live trees and brush. as mandated. Take a ride around town and you’ll see what I’m talking about. Even when you walk around town you really notice it because you have to go out in the street to go around it because the sidewalks are covered with overgrown greenery. Why is that the fire chief is always off on other state and city fires and not taking care of our place. This is so wrong in so many ways. Is he double dipping?
All of the items in question 9 are important.

Build a Hospital Campus at the power plant location.

Please consider discussion on the safety of power lines above ground (after all the wildfires) could they be moved underground. Please maintain the cloisters park. We have noticed when play equipment breaks it is not repaired. This is important to our children. Please also consider adding stop or yield signs Along tide avenue in morro bay. It’s unsafe as children ride their bikes from Del Mar home & there are no stop or yield signs at multiple intersections. It’s unsafe & an accident waiting to happen. Thank you for all you do for our city. Overall we love it and our thankful to live here.

Question #9 inquired about the focus for the next few years. I believe that the city has made forward progress regarding the homeless issue within the last 12 months. This will be an ongoing battle for Morro Bay. Question #6 inquired about keeping up with increasing inflation. I cant believe that the thought of raising taxes was even on the list as Morro Bay already has an increased district tax. I also cant believe that raising the business tax was on the list- how about stop paying city officials 150k-200k annually if the city is just going to outsource the majority of work, ie. the business licenses for Morro Bay are outsourced to Fresno etc...

Council members should listen to understand & make judgments on a non-bias basis based on what the community & business owners really need to survive in this climate too...

Maintain local small businesses with local ownership, not selling properties to big businesses like hotel or mega energy projects .Diversification of businessses rather than all about tourism would be a more sustainable economy and create a more diverse job market No industry that threatens people or property
Focus on residents. We live full time and need our city to care about our needs . Also cut vacation rentals in r 1 neighborhoods. We bought house in 1 family per house r 1. Not hotels or people subbing out rooms and garages. They are doing this for money not because house shortage. Also if less houses as vbro they more house for full time rentals so people can work and live here not just vacation. That is why we have so many hotels for vacationers. Make house in private neighborhoods be for full time rentals. Then no shortage of homes to live in.

Beach volleyball
I think we really need to improve boating facilities. We need more recreational boat storage and an upgrade to our launch ramp. We should also invest in a hoist for small boats. The harbor is a huge assest and one of the main reasons people come to Morro Bay.

Our infrastructure is doing good. Focus on high end tourism and tax the tourist industry. Better restaurants, nicer hotels.High value, low impact tourism should be our focus.

Reject battery plant
Very concerned about the proposed Battery Storage Facility. I hope the city Doesn’t let this become a reality. And I hope the city lets the residents speak on this very important issue. Thank you.

Do to safety issues, we do not want the battery plant. Also, we need to address the homeless situation.

There is a sense that the city is not pro business. Too many groups are involved in decisions (city, coastal commission, planning commission etc.) things take way too long to get accomplished
Safer ways for walking and biking
More residents and more visitors equals more money in our "tourist based" income model. embrace that or change the model (light industrial or Tech or Educational or something like the Monterey aquarium). ** Fire safety,removal/banning of wood burning fire pits(replace w/propane or natural gas). ** Prohibited building in know landslide areas - 3300 Panorama Street ** Neighbourhood safety in N. MB - lack of stop/yield signs on ALL Island streets. ** Enforcement of RVs, Trailers, Boats, non registered vehicles parked on streets.

Encourage recreational water use, such as improved boat ramps, docks, etc. Encourage biking/walking.

No offshore wind or battery storage facilities. We are a sanctuary, not to be exploited. Lets care for our ocean (Wind Farm) and put people before profits (Vistra)
Thank you for your hard work and good luck
Without more information, it’s hard to know what top 3 infrastructure efforts are most critical to address Please keep developers out of Morro Bay! Keep the quaint small village feel that draws tourism.Don't make Morro Bay look like Pismo Beach! 3/3/25, 1:51 PM Polco | Content
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NO! To the proposed battery storage facility. The company has a horrible safety record. Bad design.

Find ways to get more income from tourism. Please build more pickleball courts.

Make the Anderson Inn follow their lease, and don't let them get special treatment. It is unfair to both the citizens and the other businesses who are keeping their restrooms open.

By enacting an Historic Preservation Ordinance, the city would 1) increase new and existing businesses and 2) obtain funding (grant monies) from both the CA State Parks and the National Park Service to preserve and protect its numerous historic assets (including those under water). It doesn't cost anything to enact the ordinance. Year after year, extensive studies have shown that no matter the size of the preservation project, the area in which it is located received an economic boost from both the people performing the work, but more especially in tourism. The other thing I'd like the city to consider is a BESS but one that contains solid state batteries. Lithium-ion batteries are all ready out dated. Solid state batteries are the future. Unlike lithium-ion batteries, solid-state batteries do not contain a volatile, flammable liquid electrolyte, the ingredient which can cause the battery to combust and burn (especially when exposed to salt water). Solid-state batteries have a lower carbon footprint. Fewer materials are used in making solid-state batteries, which could reduce their climate impact by 39% compared to lithium-ion batteries.. Toyota, Samsung and Volkswagen have been heavily invested in producing solid-state batteries They will likely be entering the market about the time a BESS has been approved and built in MB, in a couple of years.

Improved bike infrastructure please!
The outsourced vacation rental should not be outsourced. The city and the Fresno people don’t communicate well. No one seems to know what is going on . It is soooo poorly run
Fix the streets in the beach track!!! ie Beachcomber and Easter N/A
Buy and develop El Morro Elementary School for New city hall/ Public work/ Police. Rent other buildings.

No
Please fight to keep BESS out of our coastal communities. Its not the right location, and its not the right solution, those batteries are too hazardous! Together we can create green energy solutions that don't destroy the environment or the community- or the surrounding communities.

Do not, under any circumstance, approve the battery storage plant! The Embarcadero needs help!
Due to congestion on the weekends and anytime that there is an event, the Embarcadero becomes extremely ridiculous as far as parking and navigating. I suggest that the city find some use for property that they have for parking and start to charge fee for services out to the rock It’s one way out and one way back and it’s similar to going to Florida and going out to the keys. Combined with having a fee for service charge. (parking charges and local resident passes that they could buy at a reduced rate.) also provide transportation from a city built parking lot for the public similar to what capital in Santa CRUZ county does.

No batteries and keep the towers
It's a lovely city with very nice people and business owners. The vibe is very cool.

Fix little Morro Creek Rd. There is one way in or out and the road condition is unsatisfactory for emergency response vehicles let alone property owners who are subjected to drive it daily.

Why limit the question only to topics covered in the survey? Whoever designed this survey obviously does not live and work in Morro Bay... form a committee to write the next survey.1) WE need traffic control going to-from the rock on weekends. 2) Let's have a "property maintenance ordinance" to make Vistra clean up their property so it's not so offensive to visitors. 3) Lease underutilized City properties to non-profits for homeless services (yes, they have the funds). 4) On your next survey, don't lump "Embarcadero and Downtown" in the same satisfaction category... these are completely separate areas with totally different dynamics.However, it would be great to provide shuttle service from one to the other, perhaps with a pay-to-park lot on one end. 5) Give awards and compliments to the businesses who are enhancing the City ... such as the new Bay Theater owners, Scout Coffee and anyone who invests in the town with their sweat and blood. Make sure that locals know that we need to support our local businesses. 6) Enter discussions with Vistra to obtain the Power Plant Property for open space and eco-tourism. 7) Give nit-pickers (ie Betty W.) only 3 opportunities to oppose any particular project, in order to simply save $$$ in staff time. Oh ... there's so much more to say ...

We need to do something about the Main Street/Hwy 41 intersection traffic patterns. A traffic light? Roundabout? Elevated pedestrian/student walkway? Also we need a dedicated bike path and sidewalks on Main Street between Kern and Shasta. Currently bikes, pedestrian, mail carriers and garbage cans all use the same path. There should be a pedestrian crosswalk between Piney and Shasta to accommodate the many residents who walk their dogs/children/selves to Bayshore Bluffs Park every day.

I would love to see a new children’s park in the works.

Visitors and residents love morro bay....we DO NOT need any events to encourage more people...we need to take care of the needs of those that come or live here already...

No
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Fix the roads. It’s ridiculous how bad they are all over town. Luzon is horrible.

Make the city a dog haven.Have an election for a dog mayor and have dogs campaign and hang out in front of local businesses. Look to the city of Montclair near Piedmont and Oakland as they are an example of a dog haven.Have a dog parade, a dog surfing competition, etc. This brings so much joy to the city- like the Duckie Derby with the big yellow ducks.

Morro Bay needs rental homes for residents, home ownership here can be unattainable due to high prices. The amount of short term rentals in this area is extreme and cuts out the people that want to live here, work here, and contribute to the community. Affordable housing, less short term rentals, more incentive to stay in this community.

More recreation is needed for kids and young adults. Sidewalks would be a great safety improvement for the community, especially on the streets walking towards (ex. Ironwood Ave.) Del Mar Park as there is speeding heaving traffic. Also, updating the unattractive fence along HWY 1/Main Street,facing Spencer's Market, would definitely be a good addition for Morro Bay. The fence with overgrown brush makes the length of the city road look unwell and unappealing - not showcasing the true natural beauty of Morro Bay.

Development of powerplant property. Enhance senior services. Move power to underground.

Keep Vistra BESS out of Morro Bay. A fire would kill our thriving town and bay. BESS should never be in a designated Tsunami Zone! You all have a tough job. I appreciate your effort. I sense that you’re all ready and willing to resist the battery storage facility. I think that is existentially important.

Police people camping in public area i.e, the Rock and other beach access points. Nothing is currently done.

Financial security allows us to function. I would select more/all l and not be limited to the # The unhoused/transient issue is huge- the creeks are filled with trash,feces etc. and this all goes into the ocean! As far as receiving information from the city, I like receiving notices in my mailbox, but in addition to the mailbox notifications would like to be notified electronically as well.

Would like access to information on what is going on that is not being provided such as the recycling of wastewater.

Please prioritize funding for infrastructure repairs, such as roads and water systems. Increase funding for public safety by upgrading equipment, providing additional training, and enhancing community outreach. Allocate resources for affordable housing initiatives,rental assistance programs, and partnerships with nonprofits. Invest in community services, including parks, youth programs, and senior or veteran support, to promote overall well-being. Boost funding for tourism marketing, small business support, and modernizing harbor facilities to strengthen the local economy. Improve transparency by upgrading technology for public meetings and participatory budget tools. Lastly, increase funding for emergency preparedness, including early warning systems, community workshops, and stockpiling essential supplies.

Airbnb listings who list on weekends and after hours that are not licensed should be monitored after hours and on weekends.

Start hiring managers and directors who can do their jobs. Stop hiring people who don’t have any experience and or clue about how to do their jobs. The city continues to hire clueless management consultants and department heads who don’t have any clue. It’s pathetic.

Thank you
Why hasn't vacancy tax been explored more seriously? So much focus on bringing in visitors to fill out businesses with customers, what about all the empty or mostly empty houses paying extremely low taxes and not contributing to our community? Have the Morro Bay Emergency Preparedness Team provide a public informational meeting to inform citizens of how to sign up for landslide hazard emergency preparedness services,receive information of evacuation routes, handouts and a Q&A session.

Effective bike infrastructure, keeping people safe. Bike traffic is great for business engagement.

The city management has made MB a cheap place to come, you promote yard sales, dumb festivals and have cheapened our town. MB BLVD looks like a giant swap meet with too many massage parlors and no charm to the entrance of the city. The crowd Mb attracts wants cheap everything and Mb has never raised the bar for a most sophisticated tourism agenda.

I checked “community character” in #9 because MB is different from other tourist destinations. It is MB’s “quaintness” that fundamentally attracts tourists again and again to visit, eat, sleep, buy, spend their money that funds city infrastructure. While the Rock is the initial attraction, it is the quaint,friendly small-town quality and ambiance they discover here that keeps visitors here and makes them want to return.

We actually need everything listed here but only bei g able to check 3...if we are financially viable we can't support public safety, the harbor or evening keep City Park cleaned out from the "day camps" set up by the transients. Makes it tuff to use those facilities when unleashed or barely leashed pit bull type dogs are aggressively barking at you...just sayn. The flood of 2023 showed us how underprepared we are. We can't keep letting a few folks who don't want development/lite industry dictate our development of downtown.Glad the battery issue is not imminent after moss landing and the vote..but putting in an amptheatre and walking trails won't pay the bills, and salaries to get the best hires we can get.

Missing topics: Water supply and environmental protection. Shouldn’t these always be included here and in City goals and objectives? WRF:

Suggest City enhances local oversight and accountability of water reclamation facility operations along with full transparency and public communication and education. We paid for a water reclamation facility and not just a sewer plant. Communication: City has done a terrific job in recent years of improving website and other communications. Keep up the good work! 3/3/25, 1:51 PM Polco | Content
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So many empty storefronts on the Embarcadero (for example, the Libertine is still not even started): roads are in poor condition: suggest paid parking in some areas…definitely opposed to Battery storage project & off shore wind projects More lighting and wider sidewalks are needed on the Embarcadero.

Making sure the BESS plant never happens should be the City's very top priority. It could devastate our community as it has Moss Landing.

Even if we have to take legal action against the state, we should make sure that the plant does not come here. Our future as a city depends upon it.

We have a good council now. Let's get things done of importance The city needs to fiercely oppose the battery plant and windmill farms while providing ultimate transparency. The City should not allow building projects on the greenbelt/hillside due to this being a landslide area.

Twice maybe 3 times we have passed 218 votes to replace bad sewer lines. Where’s the money from that?? This town has spent money we don’t have for over 11 years. Stop spending money. We don’t have! Save and buy Morro Elementary! Work with the townspeople to come to a decision.Don’t build on the hillsides in North Morro Bay. Listen to the people. Train staff send them to programs that show them how to write binding contracts that have the city’s best interest at heart. Quit outsourcing everything.

Errol Street off of Main St.,? Next to Taco Bell needs to be paved desperately.

Keep the pressure on Vistra to develop something other than battery storage on the old power plant property Keep Morro Bay Morro Bay
I love morro bay. I think we need to figure out what to offer to get our tourists to spend more money here. I like the car shows and sporting events, but everyone seems to bring their own food. For the car shows they even grill in the hotel parking lots versus ordering from local eateries.

We need stop signs at intersections. We need to enforce our codes without having to file a complaint. We need better sign ordinances.

No
Stop allowing developments that do not provide adequate parking. Allowing developments to use City lots is ridiculous and on street parking in neighborhoods is completely out of control.

The business compliance letters received saying we weren't compliant were not only incorrect, but looks like city of Morro Bay is not keeping track of business licenses. Also, we need more events to attract locals downtown and to the embarcadero. Accessible economically and physically. There is a huge disconnect.

Morro Bay needs diverse revenue streams. The city is viewed as unfriendly to economic development and relies almost entirely on tourism.

Water rates are still too high, cars parking at intersections that are not parking areas. intersections dangerous.

Thank you for asking. Best of luck as you move forward.

Current residents need to be a priority rather than new residential development without the necessary infrastructure to support it.

None
USE EXISTING WORK AND START ACTING!
no
No battery plant!
We really need a roundabout at the corner of Main St and 41. Is this still happening? let's keep our city beautiful
Encourage more new businesses to come to MB
Need to remove dead trees. branches and bushes all along Main Street.Huge fire hazard Secure the Morro Bay Elementary School and convert the historic building for Civic uses. Collaborate with developer(s) to build high density housing on the remainder of the property. In addition,follow through with a development plan at Market and the Embarcadero to maximize revenue for the City. Finally, negotiate with Vistra to secure the MB powerplant site for Community Serving uses instead of the proposed BESS project.

I do not support battery storage facilities at the Vista site.

Encourage older homes to clean up outside landscaping and home appearance.

Enforcement of sign ordinance: flashing sign, excessive sign size over allowed limits Need better water pressure for lower east side of North Morro Bay; suggest either walking bridge or walking tunnel over/under Highway 1 to connect North Morro Bay east side with west side for pedestrian safety at all 3 intersections; no more new hotels or multi-family complexes without first creating adequate traffic control-flow; and adding another voice of complaint regarding the Highway 1/46/Main St/highschool traffic nightmare!
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Demand local control for energy projects. Preserve and protect our national estuary.

Same as # 11
Please don’t let the battery storage facility come here. It is not safe. It should not be in the area that they are proposing. We don’t want another Moss landing. I’m also uncertain about the wind farms on the water because I worry about the wildlife Focus on several key priorities and get them done.Don't get distracted by issues that are not important to the long-term financial viability of the City.

Work to acquire Morro Elementary School. This is an obvious hub for city hall. Then sell the other city buildings to fund it. No BESS and no wind!
Opposed to BESS & Off Shore Wind Project: too many empty spaces on the Embarcadero & Main: what makes it so difficult to attract more businesses: and why hasn’t the Libertine construction started? no, thank yu
The council is elected to do a job and to help them they have access to various experts and information. I do not believe that it is right that the general public should be involved in second guessing council decisions and this should be resisted with considered argument and information. You are elected to do a job, please execute with certainty and without looking over your shoulder. I am a commercial general manager, engineer and scientist and I am horrified to see the general public assuming knowledge that they do not have the training or experience to assess and using social media to bully council into making decisions that are not based on good information and knowledge.

Be proactive with fire safety for the community.

Make community understand what financially benefits the city, local businesses. Support the local economy promote local businesses instead of increasing permit fees, taxes, and making things even harder for new businesses to open. Frequenting and aiding the businesses will result in sustainability for our local economy.

None
I love living here in Morro Bay.

Do to the extreme dangers experienced @ Moss Landing, Morro Bay should NOT allow a battery storage facility to continue development in Morro Bay. If you do....plan to be voted OUT
I really see Morro Bay moving in a positive direction. Morro Bay Blvd has really improved with the businesses that have been brought in. There is a "vibe" happening and I would love to see it continue and spill out onto the Embarcadero.

Radcliffe Road is in dangerous condition and needs immediate repairs plus many other road resurfacing areas need attention! No Battery Energy Storage System
A solution to homelessness other that arresting them for loitering.

We are currently business owners and we spend a lot of money to maintain a public bathroom.Hopefully the city can figure out more truly public and city owned and maintained bathrooms.

Water sewer bill is too high
That’s it
The Main Street and Atascadero Road intersection is unsafe for pedestrians and drivers. I know your not allowed to put traffic signals in, and from what I’ve heard you still don’t have the money for a roundabout, but I think we should look into other ways to make that intersection safer for the time being until we get a roundabout in there.

Cut the pay for all city management and administration, police department across the board by 15%.

Get the Morro Bay harbor department out of the search and rescue business sell those ridiculous Radons and hire some employees who can fix the docks rather than subbing out the work.

I've owned a home in Morro Bay since 1991 and it's my favorite place to be! It would be helpful to our city's fire insurance rating if the first priority for the use of water in "purple pipe" is MBFD. Morro Bay is vulnerable to wildfires, especially the neighborhoods near Black Hill. We saw how quickly water resources were exhausted while fighting fires in Southern California. Let's make sure our city has more than enough water for every possible fire scenario. I was raised in the only major city in the USA to have a dedicated high-pressure water supply exclusively for fighting fires. Insurance companies are on the verge of requiring it in California.

No
Don't raise our taxes, California is extremely expensive to live in, we have some of the highest water rates in the city of Morro Bay in existence in the state of California, utilities are getting higher and higher, California taxes are way too high, gasoline is way too high. We do not need the city to increase our taxes. You were just given a sales tax increase several years ago you need to live within your means and cut city services if necessary.Donald Trump is demonstrating the ability to cut costs and if the city cannot live within it's means it needs to do the same. If the 3/3/25, 1:51 PM Polco | Content
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city council and mayor cannot do so I and a large number of City residents will vote you out of office and replace you with fiscally responsible leaders who will not be raising taxes any higher than they already are.

Building permit fees are steep compared to elsewhere in our county. Land is already expensive, but the fees for permits skyrocketed in the last decade. This presents a giant barrier of entry for first time home buyers or those just looking to improve their home in modest ways. I understand that the city needs to meet the challenge of rising costs of upkeep, but this has not only discouraged residents from staying, but also increased absentee ownership through vacation rentals making up a growing number of the homes. In turn, these folks don't tend to hire local labor, instead they tend to use folks from outside of the area. Too often, these are unlicensed individuals who are here to do the work and then leave. The fulltime residents who happen to be contractors are shut out of living and the work while they bear the burden of the cost to stay licensed and insured. Frankly, that is one of the biggest reasons for me planning on leaving. That and my daughter should not grow up in poverty around a bunch of apathetic elderly people.Honestly, this breaks my heart because I met my wife here, we got married here, and planned on raising a family here. But the reality for us is that the community does not care enough to make the city more liveable for working families. So we are compelled to seek out another community more aligned with these values Keep Associated Pacific Construction business in Morro Bay.

Must allow the PD to continue to address the transient issues and the takeovers of city parks.Difficult to use especially with unleashed pit bulls. Waterfront infrastructure must be addressed too. Every kind of federal grant, disaster relief monies, etc to pay for upgrades. It's always easy to just add "more taxes" or "tourist tax". But C.O.L. is already thru the roof. Tourist aren't gonna be able to pay much more either. Need to recruit lite industry_ head of household businesses to bring more economic vitality.Don't be put off by those that want No Changes to our town. Or unrealistic changes ( think about some suggestions given for the Stacks...zip lines to the Rock..give me a break)..Reality is Change can happen, if done the right way.

Please let’s get going on taking down the environmentally dangerous smoke stacks and moving forward with the battery storage building.

Please have the company that is building the battery storage building use the most advanced fire safety technology especially fire safety separation of battery units. and please do not utilize the old furnace compartment as one “battery” area. We should have only the best fire safety designs for this storage building. I would recommend getting an opinion from a Tesla engineer on the design proposals for the storage facility even if Tesla batteries are not being used. It would however be nice to use Tesla made in USA batteries. as they have the best track record
no
Please Please do not allow either wind turbines or lithium battery facilities to even be considered for Morro Bay Preserve Estero Bay!!!!! Thx for all you do.

Too many employees and vehicles
Keep Morro Bay laid back the way it should be.

No
Concerned about the lack of affordable “work force”-type housing available City streets and sidewalks are in very poor condition and have been for decades. Adequate signage and striping is almost non-existent. The trees in the downtown are overgrown and dirty. Public trash receptacles are stained, grimy, and often overflowing. Sidewalks are dirty and uneven in many areas, especially downtown and along the waterfront. increased public safety staffing
The rate of growth of the city budget should match the rate of growth of the population and ensure services are mandatory even if they are done well
I am a new resident (part-time mobile home park) and I love the atmosphere in the town and the harbor. But with the increasing age of the community, especially in the mobile home parks, I think emergency preparedness is critical. I would hope that city emergency staff would make a visit once a year to every mobile home part to give the residents information and hold an annual meeting on emergency response.

How will they be notified of a flood, a wildfire, a tsunami, and earthquake, or nuclear problems. There are a variety of different responses needed for each of these emergencies. I have been on your website looking for information - and you have a bunch - but most of the longer term residents don't seem to know or care......until something happens and then folks are at a loss for what to do. I'd also like to compliment you on your home town/beachy/non-glitzy atmosphere. This is hard to maintain - a mix of amenities for tourists and residents - some free or low cost and some more expensive. You have such a wonderful place. Long term residents don't seem to value the amenities as much - been there/done that. My neutral answers above indicate a lack of knowledge - not an actual rating. I don't have experience with a variety of your city but are there any departments or non-profits that could use some help. Are there any ways that older folks, living the cheapest way possible could still give back to the community.How could they volunteer? Are there any easy projects that they could do - at home - sitting in their chairs that would connect them with what is going on in town? Help them feel a part of things again. The bird festival was wonderful - kudos to all who organized and help make that happen. I volunteered for that and participated - it was great. Nice job! But there needs to be a mix of special events and no events. For many residents, having so many tourists in town is difficult to work around in the off season. As a newcomer I am in heaven. I only wish I could afford an actual house to move here full time. Will keep looking. Thanks for asking for our opinion!
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Improve pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure - surface, lighting, visibility, striping. Surface - repair,replace, sidewalks - add, connect sidewalks and pathways. Lighting - repair,replace, lighting - extend lighting fixtures further into intersection, street, sidewalks - trim tree canopy obstructing lighting or remove tree. Visibility - remove vegetation around sidewalks, pathways, intersections - enhance lighting in pedestrian corridors, business and visitor districts. Striping - stripe streets and intersections, crosswalks, bike lanes, annually, sections at a time, example; stripe Main Street in 2025, Morro Bay Blvd. In 2026, - Embarcadero 2027, and on…thank you.

Stop BESS and OSW!!!
Last year alone over 30% of the Morro Bay STRs submitted less than the minimum TOT because they were not active rentals (many not advertised anywhere). The result is that tourists who want an STR vacation will stay in another city either on the Central Coast or elsewhere and Morro Bay’s TOT and sales tax is reduced. All current STRs should be required to submit a signed document that lists the dates and rates for their STR since the new STR ordinance went into effect. Any STR that did not meet the ordinance requirement for being an active rental should be moved to the end of the waitlist. Otherwise, the city will continue to get "payment" of $500 at the end of the year instead of collection of TOT of 10x that amount per rental.

The new homeless ordinance worked perfect. Ridding the town of the homeless and vagrants was terrific.

1. I would like to have city reach out to State Parks regarding establishing a fire buffer zone (clearing) of State owned areas adjacent to La Loma Ave, Balboa St., Kings Ave., Fairview Ave.. These areas are very overgrown and pose a serious fire hazard. 2. I would like to see the city work to provide a low kayak launching platform adjacent to one of the current docks. The existing docks are too high to access.

The roads in my neighborhood (N. Morro bay) are in terrible condition. We've paid a lot of taxes over the years and the roads have never been properly fixed. Find the money and do it.

Preserve the historic Morro Elementary school.

None, other than to not make "Other" responses a question, that requires an answer to complete the survey Hope there could be a unity between north and south morro bay.

The City could attract more tourists by undertaking a PlaceMaking strategy. Currently, the City relys on the Rock as the foundation of its local character - as it should.However, the rest of the City, including the downtown area are not that memorable. Places like Carmel-by-the-Sea and Santa Barbara also have remarkable waterfronts, but they also are memorable because of dominant features in their cityscape, such as consistent use of a native tree and consistent architectural style,respectively. These things also become a dominant and memorable feature of the landscape. These improvements could be accomplished incrementally by staying committed to a Placemaking plan. As a result, Morro Bay would become a more desirable and valuable experience, attract more visitors, and increase the economic value of its existing assets.

Please address the traffic and safety issues with the 4 way stop at main st and the 41. Address homelessness without spending more resources on police
There appears to be an unequal tax on businesses in leased facilities along the waterfront, as all of the community benefits from the water front, this "Harbor Tax" should not be a burden for just a few. Also little is being done to help improve parking within the city especially on the Embarcadero. Businesses would benefit from an ease in signage restrictions as many are not visible from the street.

No Battery storage. No wind turbines in ocean
NO,NO,NO BATERRE STORAGE AREA WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS!!!!!!!!! No battery storage on the waterfront. Find other nontoxic uses for the property. Force the energy company that made the mess to clean it up.

I love living in Morro Bay, but the cost of living here is astronomical. We are retired and hope we can continue to live here until we depart this life. Increasing basic city costs could drive us out. Please be aware of those on fixed income and the unhoused when considering the future.

At the pge power plant site, accumulations of hazardous substances remain to this day. The city should explore legal ways to require responsible parties to continue with additional remediation based on new information, enabling more diverse development opportunities for city planners.

Not in favor of Battery storage ~ Road surfaces and water drainage in Beach Tract needs much attention City needs to secure funding to clean up the old water treatment property No battery plant in Morro Bay too many hazardous and dangerous fires in moss landing and San diego battery plants. vista covering up Permitting is too slow and too expensive. This needs to be a top priority.

As a property owner, I find this city to tax us way too often and way too high. Especially being that this is a tourism city. I believe public parking should come at a cost. For example, a daily parking fee for the parking lot at the rock. The city would generate a large amount of income during summers & busy weekends/weeks. Since locals often use this area for surfing, the city can offer an annual pass for locals (with proof of residence) for a reasonable fee.

Need more and longer trails. As a property owner, I find this city to tax us way too often and way too high. Especially being that this is a tourism city. I believe public parking should come at a cost. For example, a daily parking fee for the parking lot at the rock. The city would generate a large amount of income during summers & busy weekends/weeks. Since locals often use this area for surfing, the city can offer an annual pass for locals (with proof of residence) for a reasonable fee. 3/3/25, 1:51 PM Polco | Content
https://polco.us/n/admin/content/0f080a2a-a010-4b56-9d7d-b2e9321e2866/report 30/33

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Focus on Tourism, Fishing Industry and Not Industrial growth No industrial growth. Please! Focus on tourism and local business/ fishing.

Make sure the City thoroughly investigates development permits that vet environmental protection concerns first, so we don't have Vistratype destructive projects ever approved without extensive scientific studies done first.

Sidewalks on Shasta and piney way.Just the 1/2 blocks between Marina and Morro Bay Blvd. Also increase the lugging. Brighter bulbs!! Transforming the waterfront from industrial, meaning the toxic old 3 stacks Edison plant into financially and environmentally sustainable property for generations to come.

Roads are horrible.. seeing some improvement but appears just to be patch work.. all city streets should be resurfaced. Lighting, Morro Bay is very dark and should have more, less expensive, LED lighting throughout the city.

No thank you
Please consider addressing enforcement of safety and compliance regulations, specifically concerning new buildings and renovations in neighborhoods, with regards to traffic interruption or unsafe driving conditions directly attributed to build sites vehicles blocking or impeding streets and thus causing driving hazards and safety concerns. My neighborhood has been subjected to a new build that has lasted almost 2 years. The adjoining street has undergone street blockage due to build sites vehicle traffic and parking, with only 1 lane being available, on a daily basis.

Stop potential ruination of our small town by the huge wind energy project that is simply the wrong fit for such a small town -- and construct any battery storage facility out in a barren area, providing buffered miles from lives, health and property that are presently at fire devastation risk such as occurred in Moss Landing, CA!!!!!
Our street trees are a hazard, unattractive, messy and need to be removed in most cases.

I do not want the battery plant in Morro Bay especially after the fire at Moss Landing. The manufacturing of batteries does not belong in Morro Bay. We are a tourist destination and a place for commercial and recreational fishing.

No
We have Diablo Canyon to the south, we do not need a flammable battery facility to the North. Besides, the LA fires have taught us that PG&E does not maintain their power lines.

At the moment, no, I'm sorry.

Why doesn’t the city bury electrical lines so we don’t end up with fires like the ones we’ve seen recently, and why on earth don’t we make cable companies remove the wires that aren’t used? We have massive wires hanging down into the street and no one cares. When internet service is canceled the provider should be forced to remove their wires. add underground power lines as a possible goal
Keep morro bay the wonderful small safe beach town it is!!!! NOT LA , NOT SANTA BARBRA , NOT THE BAY AREA!!! Thank you The annual events - Triathlons, Bird Watching, Seasonal events are excellent ways to attach tourists and support local businesses.

Stage more events to attract tourism.

None
I love Morro Bay. I feel very fortunate to have been able to retire here.

We need to increase the population and development in this city Flood mitigation
none
As long as a hand full, or less, of old time families hold all the leases on the water front, what the residents want is not a priority. Additionally, when the city council caves to a small number of uninformed, loud residents, they will continue to make poor financial and community decisions for the majority of residents.

Tough to choose only three. Perhaps ranking them might be easier since they all have some importance.

We need to focus on anything we can do to keep the city financially stable.However, you don’t want to price them out of the tourist market.

It’s a fine line. Perhaps minimal parking fees at the rock on the weekends or all the time I guess.

Remove the old Power Plant that hasn't been used in years. Clean up that area and make it profitable for the tourism in Morro Bay. Maybe a park.? Maybe put the road through so there is more than one way in and out? don't build more houses in north Morro Bay. The roads and infrastructure are bad for the current residents. Building on the hills will only further impact this area and ruin the beauty of the space.

It'd be nice if there were a sidewalk between the Embarcadero and the Rock.

The City needs stop trying to take control of the residential properties on the south, bay side of the Embaracdero. The city deperately needs housing. It definitely does not need more hotels or commercial spaces for tourists. Especially on the Embarcadero. Also, the architecture of 3/3/25, 1:51 PM Polco | Content
https://polco.us/n/admin/content/0f080a2a-a010-4b56-9d7d-b2e9321e2866/report 31/33

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these buildings give character to the downtown. Something the Embarcadero lacks with it's dated, lifeless architecture.. It's proven that healthy communities require a diversity of mixed-use commercial,residential, and recreational spaces. Why make the entire street one thing? Protect Latinx residents from ICE. They are apart of this community! In addition, protect LGBTQ+ folks with more representation, especially during pride month in June. More flags, events, etc. We all deserve to feel safe in our own communities. Thank you.

I love living in Morro Bay and I recognized the privilege of living in a city surrounded by majestic treasures of nature.However I do see that there needs to be a shift in mindset about the old Morro Bay and modern Morro Bay. I would never tinker with the waterfront’s charms. But when visitors come to town they bring blight of the city. City signage And well placed trash cans could help. PSAs on local radio and tv stations (but remnant space for big $$sacings. I caught a News Clip on the proposed new Waterfront plans.100% **** 1000% agree! A new waterfront adds Continuity to the waterfront walkway, expose businesses that you can’t see From the street and open up more Economic opps for the businesses along the Embarcadero. Finally.Have a come play Stay and go away (j/k on the name) but a program like Las Vegas has where they load buses with golden agers up from Orange County or La county and so on and bring them to MB for the weekend. They would prepay to have a room for the night, a Coupon book for free or discounted local food and drink plus an activity - docent led tours near the rock bird society could leader birders through the reserves local to the city.Golf days and weekends and let’s talk about Medi g planner that works for the city who is a marketing and PR professional to market the amazing places and vistas where couple Can get married. I have more! Just ask.

Responsiveness of City management should be better.

Keep battery farm out of our town!
NO Battery storage plant
Cater to the local population than the tourists, also have to leave town to go shopping.

More parking in downtown.Horrible nesting issue in trees on MB BLVD. They are beautiful in bloom but overly messy with large pods falling are dangerous. Look at tree replacement with smaller variety. Cars speeding at roundabout going to hwy 1. Once they come out of the round it's pedal to the metal to get onto freeway.. The visibility of crossing traffic is bad by the triangle with the rock. Slow traffic down until they are past Quintana East... flashing light,road bumps? Many near accidents. I go thru a dozen times a week to & from home. Thank you if you would consider.

You should have an option to state that I am a property owner. I built and own a fully occupied triplex and think you should know. I put that I work in MB because, as a Landlord I am required to purchase an overly expensive “business permit” every year.

Not at this time.

FIX the roads in north beach tract, please!!
I think Morro Bay as a city is going through an identity crisis. While we have city GOALS there is no one VISION for the entire city; what's our legacy? While we formed a VISION for the north end of the Embarcadero we did NOT define it city wide.How do you make ANY investment decisions without it I wonder? To this end, I am in support of attracting NEW businesses and growing tourism, that which is Morro Bay's calling card. Now In order to make this work, there CANNOT BE A BESS in Morro Bay. It is ludicrous and immoral. It will erode Morro Bay's safety for human and flora and fauna, and attractiveness to tourists. No visitor will want to invest their hard earned dollars recreating in a community "feet" and within sight of, a BESS. It WILL force residents to make a significant life change. The immorality is beyond comprehension. To put Vistra's toxic progeny in Morro Bay's BOSOM is a decision made by Jim Burke, Vistra CEO, and I want to know when he's going to buy a residence, move in, put his or a close associate's kids in our schools and experience the anxiety of the BESS ticking bomb and an INCIDENT that will shut down & affect Morro Bay for years. I want to know how he justifies to himself and his family that any community that is within EYE SITE should be PROUD to "do their part" for the global good supporting green energy. I want to know exactly HOW the dangerous and toxic lithium battery technology will BENEFIT MORRO BAY directly. I want to know how much money they think they'll pay us to shut us up. A steady state of $1Million annually? 1/60th of our current city budget? Really? Not impressive, is it. I'd like to know why Jim isn't offering to pay 60% of our city budget to do this dirty deed. We will not fall for Vistra's shiny beads and shallow flattery. If BESS becomes a reality in Morro Bay, it WON'T matter which infrastructure project you invest in; it's all going to erode over the following 10 years.

You're going to throw good money after bad. Thank you survey committee for your attention.

Morro Bay is wonderful place to live and I appreciate the quality of life here. Thanks to the City of Morro Bay and to the Morro Bay City Council for all of their efforts.

Please fix Little Morro Creek Road. It is in terrible shape, dangerous and damaging The City needs to start now to address its long-term fiscal health. It must not spend more money than it brings in. Spending reserves is shortsighted and will force a future City Council into making disastrous cuts.

Create policies to encourage investment in the City’s commercial areas to generate additional revenue to support services.

Thanks for the PG&E Pole in the Hole on Tuscan in cooperation with the City of Morro Bay. The utility poles in our area were supposed to be put underground in 2004. The funds that were set aside were used for downtown business improvements to attract more tourists. North Morro Bay streets are a mess. The city has us as a cash cash cow for decades.Go take a look at the Pole in the Hole on Tuscan. I guess this is PG&E's and the City's idea of under-grounding our utility wires.

I suggest another survey asking both residents and tourists what kind of businesses—services,retail, and restaurants—they’d like to see here 3/3/25, 1:51 PM Polco | Content
https://polco.us/n/admin/content/0f080a2a-a010-4b56-9d7d-b2e9321e2866/report 32/33

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and then we need to proactively attract those businesses and make it easy to build a business in MB.

I am not sure of ways to implement this, but with the loss of many full time residents due to cost of living, I wish there were ways to foster more of a community feel among those remaining. There is more to Morro Bay than tourism. Maybe opportunities or gatherings for locals to meet and connect at the library or coffee socials to meet with our elected officials, a dialog of whats right with Morro Bay and celebrating nature and the benefits we enjoy living here as citizens of our special town.

I think the parking should be moved further out of the concentrated downtown embarcadero area. With the power plant in question investigating the possibility of making a parking garage with frequent trolleys to deliver people to different areas of the city, including going out to the parking lot for the beach.Get lots of cars get off the streets, make more room for people to stroll and relax and shop and eat. Better to pay a few dollars to park and avoid the gridlock traffic jam on busy summer days - instead get a ride in a trolley and then come eat fish n' chips and chowder than be stuck with tired sandy kids in the car. Also improving and changing traffic flow of and increasing bike lanes so more electric bicycles and scooters could be moved people around town as well. Potentially selling parking passes/permits for the impacted Moro strand Beach dirt parking area ( maybe at the height of Summer ) people should make reservations or have to pay a fee to park out there and limit the number of vehicles help create revenue for the trolley...an electric trolley would be fantastic too. Safer too for emergency first responders. Keep moving MB to getting greener/ and environmentally friendly step by step and year by year for us and the next generation. Let's fill up the hotel rooms of the businesses already here.Guests love it here and their TOT and other leavings can help the whole city revenue. Thank you, Carrie Filler 30+ yr resident ☺️ Thank you for doing this survey
I would like to see more stop signs on off center intersections (like Bella Vista/ Allesandro/Marengo….other in town like that and long down hill streets, like Kings, San Jacinto and Kern for examples. I have seen many and been in an accident at one of them…I have always had to warn visitors of this no stop sign City.

Concerned about the dangerous battery plant that might go in .:( Will ruin our town and water way and the small town feeling …will never be the same.

Very pleased with community engagement
Public works needs to invest in better contracting for road pavement/improvement. There also needs to be brighter lines on the road. The roads are not in good condition. Especially along Main Street (HWY 41, North part of city, to the 1 HWY, etc.). Safety of public walkways and through streets can be dangerous for pedestrians with people driving too fast or not seeing stop signs/not having stop signs.HWY 41/Main St., Morro Bay High School,Harbor St., Morro Bay Blvd., Embarcadero and Atascadero Rd, etc.for some examples...) 3/3/25, 1:51 PM Polco | Content
https://polco.us/n/admin/content/0f080a2a-a010-4b56-9d7d-b2e9321e2866/report 33/33

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Shape Our Future
Community Forum
2025
Michael Codron, Facilitator
March 13, 2025

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2 Presentation Outline:
• Overview of Strategic Goal Setting
Process
• Fiscal Forecasting
• Summary of Community Survey
Results
• Effective Goals and Objectives
• Your Input
2025 -2029

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Council Goal Setting Process Overview
• Established by Council
Resolution 83-18
• Strategic Planning Framework
• Goal Setting Process Requires
Substantial Public Input
• Careful Consideration of
Financial Forecast
3

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Economic and Fiscal Health
• 10-Year Fiscal Forecast
• Fiscal Sustainability = A
Balanced Forecast
• “We can do anything, but
we can’t do everything.”
• Your Ideas
4

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Public Engagement Opportunities
• Public Inputs
• Survey (+500 Responses)
• Advisory Body Engagement
• Community Forum (3-13)
• Council Goal Setting
Workshop (3-25)
5

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Community Survey Results
Areas of High Satisfaction
(80%+ satisfied)

1. Quality of life in Morro Bay: 88.5%
satisfied

2. Public safety: 84.6% satisfied

3. Emergency response: 81.0% satisfied
6

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Community Survey Results
Areas of Concern (Below 40%
satisfied)

1. Economic health: 32.8% satisfied
(4.3% very satisfied, 28.5% satisfied)

2. Development services: 23.8%
satisfied (4.3% very satisfied, 19.5%
satisfied, 50.8% neutral)
7

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Community Survey Results
Question 6: How Should the City Keep Up with
Rising Inflation and Still Provide Essential
Services and Infrastructure for Residents?

1. Attract New Businesses

2. Add New Events, Attractions or Other Strategies to Increase Tourism

3. Increase Transient Occupancy Tax

4. Common Open-Ended Responses – Vacation Rental Enforcement, Parking Fees, Increase Revenue from City-Owned Properties 8

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Community Survey Results
Most Significant Priority Shifts from 2023 (Decreases)

1. Homelessness: -17.0% (43.8% → 26.8%), dropping from #1 to #5 priority

2. Community engagement/transparency: -12.9% (29.4% → 16.5%)

3. Maintaining community character: -11.4% (39.0% → 27.6%) 9

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Goals and Objectives
• Goals
• Long-Term
• Inspiring
• Possible
• Future Focused
• Objectives
• Action-Oriented
• Measurable
• Time Bound
• Your Ideas
10

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Tonight’s Activities
• Shape Our Future
• Listen to Your Neighbors’ Ideas
• Share Your Ideas
• New Goals for 2025
• Revenue Boosters
• Vote your favorite ideas with
Dots!
• Participate In Live Polls
• Wrap Up
11

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12 Please download and install the Slido
app on all computers you use
Of the Current City Goals, Which
Should be the City’s Highest
Priority Going Forward?
ⓘ Start presenting to display the poll results on this slide.

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13 Please rank the following ideas for new
goals.

The Slido app must be installed on every computer you’re presenting from

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14 Thank you for your
participation!
2025 -2029

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Attachment 5-C Feedback: Community Forum Posters Page 5 C-1 Community Forum – Ideas Related to Existing Goals
Housing/Homelessness Ideas:

High-density income-based housing
Streamline permitting process for developers
Keep our City character
General Plan: Historical Element and Parks and Recreation Element Put housing on excess City property
Outreach to homeowners in MB that sit empty most of year. Goal to rent their homes (probably short term, 3-6 months)
Promote smaller unit size
Do not allow 3-4 story buildings
Promote smaller unit size
Prioritize long-term rentals over short-term rentals
Streamline permit process
Better enforcement of affordability/inclusionary housing requirement Do not get snowed by developers saying its affordable housing. It’s usually not.

Second home tax
Landlord protection
Emphasis on protecting city character
Turn current city offices into low income housing putting offices at school site Form-based zoning for Downtown Design District
Enforce requirements for low income housing and then let it be changed in a few years after the project has ruined our town

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Attachment 5-C Feedback: Community Forum Posters Page 5 C-2 Economic Vitality Ideas:

Charge for parking at the Rock
No wind, but take the money for infrastructure
Keep older buildings and update them instead of tearing down completely save resources and historic charm
Stop the ridiculous public benefit on Embarcadero only benefits developers not public More health and wellness activities to draw different types of tourists. Health and wellness is a continuously growing industry
Sell surplus City properties
Sell City surplus properties
No offshore wind or battery storage to keep tourists coming Parking and cosmetic improvements to make Embarcadero a pedestrian and entertainment destination
MB needs a grant writer!
Offshore wind, find a way to make it work
Greater effort at widening the market of Embarcadero lease renewals Keep the little buildings that are left that are our heritage Sell surplus city property with caveats of appropriate money making development Vacancy tax on commercial property
Keep our heritage the feel of MB a beautiful fishing town. People will come here to spend money
No parking fees. You will get more people quickly going and spending money, don’t upset people

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Attachment 5-C Feedback: Community Forum Posters Page 5 C-3 Community Engagement Ideas
Ask Hot Topics email recipients to share the newsletter with 3 others Start ALL meetings on time - don’t encourage late comers!! Better communication about taking the survey. Many of us didn’t take it.

Loved the format of the event - comfortable for non public speakers - enjoyed talking to staff
Better promotion of public opportunities
Better communicate at your public outreach - Posters Library Community center Sunshine grocery Shine Use windows
City Mgr update too long
Have a historic preservation ordinance - Morro Bay Elementary (2nd oldest building in MB)
More ways to invite the community to accomplish goals. Bring people together :) All for Historic Preservation. We need a BIG Marquee with Community events Fees for non profits reduced
Post flyers for events at library and community center
Public Infrastructure
Streetscape improvements
Underground overhead wires
Keep 5G towers away from schools and residential areas
Add recycled water to Morro Bay basin. Keep local water.

No Hall remodel over grant funding.

Paving, paving, paving.

Speed bumps to residential areas that are surrounded by commercial/residential zoning More sidewalks

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Attachment 5-C Feedback: Community Forum Posters Page 5 C-4 Public Restroom in Downtown
No infrastructure for cables at Dog Beach. Help us please.

Prevent battery storage or offshore wind
Please fix the streets
ADA
Cloisters stormwater retention basin
No 5G near neighborhoods
Do not use our money on the unsafe roundabout at 41 hwy No BESS
Do not waste $500k on Vets Hall remodel and AV Budget too high No BESS plant in MB proper or SLO County i.e. Dog Beach

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Ideas Votes
Support fishing industry 8
New ways to use Vistra power plant property (Acquarium
similar to Monterey / bring tourists) 4
Dedicated downtown public restroom 2
Apply / consider climate change on all Council goals 3
Acquire Morro Elementary for community to enjoy (building & athletic fields) 16
Attracting new visitors 0
Street maintenance 4
Paid parking for the Rock 3
Developing City-owned properties 2
Attract more visitors 0
Improve public facilities to increase rentail revenue 0 Paid parking with resident permits 0
Purchase & rent out El Morro ES campus 6
Keep Prop 13 (capping property tax levels) 3
Invest in carbon market 1
Leverage community partnerships (Morro Bay in Bloom,
Chamber, etc.) 6
Total votes 58
Morro Bay Community Forum
Thursday, March 13, 2025 @ The Vet's Hall

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Attachment 5-E Community Forum Posters Page 5 E-1
Community Forum – Live Poll
18 people at the Community Forum participated in a SLIDO live poll. The result is provided below.

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RESOLUTION NO. 83-18

RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF

THE CITY OF MORRO BAY, CALIFORNIA,
RESCINDING RESOLUTION NO. 72-15 AND

ESTABLISHING THE STRATEGIC PLANNING FRAMEWORK POLICY

THE CITY COUNCIL
City of Morro Bay, California
WHEREAS, at the August 11, 2015, City of Morro Bay regular City Council meeting, the Council unanimously approved the Strategic Planning and Budgeting Framework concept presented and directed staff to develop a Strategic Planning Framework policy to be adopted at a future meeting; and
WHEREAS, in accordance with City Council direction, staff prepared a Strategic Planning Framework procedure, which was adopted by City Council via Resolution No. 72-15; and WHEREAS, it is recommended that City Council revise the Strategic Planning Framework, to include a component for community outreach, to ensure broad public engagement in the development of the City's goals and objectives.

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Morro Bay, hereby rescinds Resolution No. 72-15 and establishes the Strategic Planning Framework Policy as defined in the attached Exhibit A
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Morro Bay, at a regular meeting thereof held on the 9th day of October 2018, by the following vote:

AYES:

NOES:

ABSENT:

ATTEST:

Irons, Davis, Headding, Makowetski, McPherson
None
None
~ G-~M1so~
ANA SWANSON, City Clerk

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'
I. PURPOSE

WHITE PAPER
Strategic Planning Framework
Revised October 9, 2018
RESOLUTION NO. 83-18

EXHIBIT A
The purpose of this paper is to describe the City of Morro Bay Strategic Planning framework. This framework, to be adopted by the City Council, provides direction on annual, biennial and quadrennial planning and budgeting tasks and processes the City will follow.

II. OVERVIEW
The City has many plans, including a General Plan (GP), Local Coastal Plan {LCP), Economic Development Strategic Plan (EDSP - under development in 2015/16), Parking Management Plan and other particular plans. Those plans are essential to provide long-term guidance for the City. And, in particular, the GP/LCP provides strategic direction not only in land-use but in many other areas.

However, the City also needs a regular process to set more general goals, and to identify specific, measurable objectives to reach those goals. This process must also ensure those objectives are considered in the annual budgeting process.

This Strategic Planning Framework does that. In general, the City Council will set / refine broad goals every four years. Every two years the Council will identify specific objectives associated with each goal for staff to complete. Every year during the budget process, those objectives will be budgeted against.

In addition to this Strategic Planning Framework, the City is developing fresh Vision, Values and Mission statements that should inform all of our planning efforts, and goal I objective setting in particular.

Ill. DEFINITIONS
The following definitions are important to understand the City's Strategic Planning Process:
• City Mission Statement - The Mission Statement is a Council-approved statement that describes the basic I essential tasks the City must provide, and a statement toward the purpose of executing these tasks. The mission statement is focused on the purpose of the City Government, not the broader community. The City mission statement might begin something like: "The City of Morro Bay provides Public Safety, Recreation, and other key municipal services in order to .... "
• Community Vision and Values Statements. Community vision and values are also Council-approved, semi-permanent statements, developed with significant community

Page 1 of 4 ends

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input, that describe what we want our community to be (Vision) and what ideals our community considers of essential importance (values).
• City Core Tasks. Core tasks are functions that we should always be doing well and they should be addressed in our City mission statement. A core task might be: "Maintain City Infrastructure", or "Provide Public Safety".
• City Goals. Goals are broad projects we want to accomplish over a long-term (4-6 year) period, usually because they are big enough and broad enough they can't be accomplished in a year or two. An example of a goal is: "Improve Streets". • City Objectives. Biennial objectives are specific, discreet, medium-term (1-2 year) projects that support a more general goal, are feasible and achievable if appropriately resourced, and can be directly budgeted against. An example of an Objective related to the Goal "Improve Streets" could be: "Repave 10% of streets in FY16/17 and FY 17/18".

IV. PROCESS
Following is a written description of the City's Strategic; Planning Framework depicted below in figure 1.
• The process begins in December of each election year with the seating of a new Council.
• The new Council begins a planning process to set biennial budget objectives for the upcoming two budget years.
• Following elections, the City will advertise in December upcoming community outreach and engagement opportunities.
• This objective-setting planning process normally occurs in January and February with two-year objectives set by the last Council meeting in February. • In years following an election, in January through mid-February, staff will provide numerous opportunities for the community to engage in the process and to provide input in a number of ways, including community forum(s).
• In years following an election, City Council will host a public retreat in late-February/early March to review community input gathered through the outreach opportunities and develop goals (following Presidential elections as described below) and objectives (following a non-Presidential election). Council will formally adopt the goals/objectives typically by late March/early April.
• Council-approved objectives are then used by staff and Council to develop the annual budget in March - May of each year.
• Every four years (Presidential election years) the new Council also reviews and updates the City's Goals. The City should work to ensure goals are items in which real improvement is needed and achievable. Generally, goals should not be "maintain," but should be "improve." Any new Council could, of course, resolve to deviate from this Strategic Planning Framework and modify City goals outside of the specified four-year window. However, for organizational efficiency and community stability, the City should strive to keep goals for at least four years, using biennial objective setting and annual budgeting to affect change and adjust priorities.

Rev. 10/09/18 Strategic Planning White Paper Page 2 of 4

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• On a semi-annual basis, normally in the fall of each year, staff updates the Council on the status of the two-year budget objectives in an Annual Goals Update report and special Council Meeting.
• In March - May each year, the staff and Council develop a 1-year budget for the upcoming fiscal year: July 1 to June 30 of the following year. The two 1-year budgets every 2-year goal/objective period provide the Council ample opportunity to reallocate resources to achieve, or "weight" specific City Goals and Objectives. • This entire process is underpinned and informed by a continuing 10-year budget forecast process that is updated annually in Jan - Feb. Every other year the 10-year forecast is updated by an external professional consultant. In the off years it is updated internally by staff.
+
+
+
Transition Plan for the Morro Bay
strategic Planning and Budgeting Framework
2015 2016 2017
Elections
Goal Setting
Budgeting +
Elections - Nov of even years,
new Council seated in early
January
1-Year
Bud et
Biennial Planning - Every other
year in Jan and Feb Council
updates 2-year objectives. every
4t h year Council also updates 4-
year goals.

Annual Budgeting - Every year in
May and Jun Council updates
approves a 1-year budget.
2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
+
4,YearGoals
10-Year Budget Forecast- Updated Annually
Overview. Beginning in December 2016 the City of Morro Bay executes a 4-2- 1 Strategic Planning and Budgeting process.
• Following each election, the new council meets in Jan/ Feb to establish 2- year objectives supporting each existing City Goal.
• Every four years this process begins in December and includes renewal of the City's goals.
• The staff then uses the new objectives to inform creation of the City's annual budget.
• The entire process is underpinned by a 10-year budget forecast that is professionally (externally) updated every other year and internally updated every year.

Figure 1 - Strategic Planning ·and Budgeting Framework
V. SUMMARY
This Strategic Planning and Budgeting Framework is intended to complement the City's broader and more specific plans, including the General Plan, Local Coastal Plan, Economic Development Strategic Plan and other land-use and issue-specific plans.

Rev. 10/09/18 Strategic Planning White Paper Page 3 of 4

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The above mentioned plans coupled with this Goals and Objectives process should serve, taken as a whole, as the City's strategic plan. Following full implementation of the ongoing GP/LCP rewrites in 2017, and 10-year Economic Development Strategic Plan in 2016, the City could consider if an additional, formal, 10-year strategic plan is required.

Rev. 10/09/18 Strategic Planning White Paper Page 4 of 4

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City Council
Goal-Setting
Special Meeting
Michael Codron, Facilitator
March 25, 2025

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2 Agenda:
• Overview of Goal-Setting Process
• Effective Goals and Objectives
• Recommendations
• Facilitator’s Role
• Public Testimony
• Deliberations

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Public Engagement Opportunities
• Public Inputs
• Survey (+500 Responses)
• Advisory Body Engagement
• Community Forum (3-13)
• Council Goal Setting
Workshop (3-25)
4

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Goals and Objectives
• Goals
• Long-Term
• Inspiring
• Possible
• Future Focused
• Objectives
• Action-Oriented
• Measurable
• Time Bound
5

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Economic Vitality and Fiscal Health
•Goal Statement:

A vibrant and active business
community supported by
coordinated strategies for
economic vitality and fiscal
health that create the conditions
for individual business success
and the long-term fiscal health
of the City.
6 Increase Events
General Fund Reserve
Analysis
Long-Term Financial Plan
Planning and Building
Permit Services

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Infrastructure Resiliency
•Goal Statement:

An infrastructure program that
includes regular maintenance to
prolong the life of existing
infrastructure (streets, buildings,
structures, equipment) while
implementing a Capital
Improvement Plan that
prioritizes new projects in
alignment with available resources (funding and staff). 7 5-Year CIP
Infrastructure
Maintenance
Harbor
Revetments

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Quality of Life
•Goal Statement:

A City that maintains a high
quality of life for its residents
through core services such as
public safety, while also
prioritizing environmental
stewardship, community
engagement, and historic
preservation.
8 Homeless Outreach
Fire Department
Improvements
Waterfront Master Plan
Historical Preservation

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Additional Objectives
• Additional Objectives for the
Recommended Goals
• Workforce Housing (Economic Vitality)
• Maintenance Plan (Infrastructure Resiliency)
• Water Supply (Infrastructure Resiliency)
• Police Workforce (Quality of Life)
• Emergency Response (Quality of Life)
9

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Alternative Goals and Objectives
• Housing
• Affordable Houising
• Accessory Dwelling Units
• Homelessness Response
• Community Partnerships
• Community Engagement • Community Academy
• Communications Plan
• Grant Policy Updates
• Public Records
• El Morro Elementary School • Acquisition Plan
• Community Engagement • Grants
10 • Revenue Enhancement • TOT Analysis
• Embarcadero Management • Embarcadero Maintenance
• Parking Program
• City-Owned Property
• Environmental Stewardship
• Climate Action Plan
• Off-Shore Wind Engagement • Power Plant Property
• Electricity Rebates

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Facilitator’s Role
• Identify Consensus or Majority
Support for Recommended Goals
• Identify Additional Goals and
Objectives that are Supported
• Track Deliberations and Share
Back Final Wording for Goals and
Objectives
11

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Next Up
• Public Testimony
•Deliberations
12

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Morro Bay City CouncilMarch 25, 2025

Morro Bay City Council
March 25, 2025