Paso Robles city’s Planning Commission is hosting a public workshop next month to discuss the site plan for a new housing project. The project, which originally had 674 housing units allowed in the city’s master plan for growth, is now proposing 1,011 new residences and three to five acres of commercial development off Creston Road and Beechwood Drive.
The Beechwood development was initially one of two housing projects commonly known as the “Olsen-Beechwood Project,” which the city annexed about a decade ago. The concept began when the city approached the property owners about annexing their agricultural land for housing. That led to the formation of the two projects joining about a dozen property owners to develop two communities with small lots, narrow streets and alleys. A village-type commercial area would also have shops for goods such as groceries and coffee. However, a halt in construction during the recession caused the projects to stall.
Since the projects have been included in the city’s long-range planning, their water use has been accounted for as well. The Beechwood site is made up of 13 parcels on 236 acres bordered by Meadowlark Road, Beechwood Drive, Creston Road and the PG&E transmission lines. The city’s Planning Commission and City Council have not yet made their final recommendations on the project, which currently remains in the community review stage.
