It Isn't Easy Being Green

By David F. "Dave" Romero

In my view, the most effective way to improve our environment is to maintain at a high level those City facilities we all use in daily life. In that context, you might classify me as a true environmentalist.

When I was first elected to the City Council in 1992, I had high hopes to make progress toward achieving improvements in those areas "near and dear" to my heart. After over seven years on the Council, I'm still struggling with the glacial process we follow in San Luis Obispo. Let me share some of the "near and dear" concerns with you:

WATER: In 1992 City voters turned down participation in State water, which I believe was (and still is) our cheapest and easiest-to-obtain source. Since that time the City has expended untold hours and millions of dollars in pursuing approvals to move ahead with reclaimed water, Nacimiento and Salinas Dam sources. None yet have a go ahead. We have one of the highest water rates in the area, and have now accumulated many millions of dollars in reserves to fund one of these sources if we can ever obtain all the required approvals. The irony is that we're still paying something on our tax bills every year for State water. It's long past time when we should reconsider State water in our water source mix.

STREET MAINTENANCE: With the very hard financial times of the early 1900's, the City conducted very little street maintenance for several years. Streets deteriorate at an accelerating rate when they are not maintained, and San Luis Obispo's streets got way behind. In 1998, the City finally reestablished a Pavement Management Program; and if the City Council continues to approve an adequate funding level, we should catch up to a fair level of street condition in about 10 years.

TRAFFIC CONGESTION MANAGEMENT: During the past eight years, the City has spent many millions in subsidizing and expanding bus operations, more millions in acquiring and developing off-road bike trails and paths and in striping bike lanes on most of San Luis Obispo's arterial streets. The City has spent almost nothing in widening streets or improving traffic flow at congested locations. This disparity is driven by what I believe is a misguided attempt to discourage the use of the private automobile by allowing traffic conditions to continually worsen. By a recent City Transportation study, during the 1990-99 period the modal split (percentage of trips taken by a particular mode of travel) is increased from 5.0% to 6.9% for buses, decreased from 9.8% to 6.9% for bikes, and decreased in walking from 13.7% to 13.6%. Stated another way, walking and biking represent approximately 20% of trips, while various kinds of motorized vehicles represent approximately 80% of trips. This modal split has held quite steady for a number of years. Meanwhile, vehicular traffic on our streets is increasing approximately 3% per year. A deliberate policy of not dealing with the ever-increasing volume of vehicles on our streets is a sure fire way to reduce our quality of life.

FLOOD PROTECTION: In 1969, 1973, and 1995, and to a lesser extent in several other intervening years, the City suffered heavy flooding during severe rainfalls. In 1984, the City adopted a Flood Management Plan (Pink Book), and for the next several years made substantial progress in flood protection for the City. Very little flood protection work was done during the 90's. (The only major work was in the Conejo Drive area to settle a lawsuit). The Corps of Engineers has now required a $600,000 study before the City can move ahead with additional flood protection work along the creeks. Upon completion of the study, we may be allowed to move ahead with more flood protection, if the City can find the money and overcome environmental concerns. Until this takes place, we will simply have to live with periodic flooding -- not a very appealing alternative.

DOWNTOWN: Over many years of tender loving care, planting trees, developing Mission Plaza, replacing old sidewalks with distinctive new ones, controlling street furniture, signs, traffic signals, street lights and bench designs, our downtown became one of the finest in California, or anywhere else. Because of tight budgets in the early 1990s, the City cut way back on improvement programs and maintenance in downtown. We rebuilt Marsh Street and the Nipomo Street Bridge several years ago and completed the Creekwalk project this year. However, most of the public improvements -- sidewalks, public signs, painting, street paving -- have simply suffered from inadequate City attention and expenditures. Next year's Marsh Street Parking Structure and Higuera culvert retrofit will help, but we also need an aggressive maintenance program or our special downtown will gradually deteriorate, as has occurred in most other cities.

Being a long time Public Works Director, is it any wonder that projects "near and dear" to my heart all relate to improving our quality of life by providing first class public improvements? In my view, the most effective way to improve our environment is to maintain at a high level those City facilities we all use in daily life. In that context, you might classify me as a true environmentalist.

And believe me, it isn't easy being green.