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Home My WebLink AboutCC_9_22_2026_Public Comment Received by Email1 From: Josh Cross <josh@atascaderochamber.org> Date: September 22, 2026 at 8:26:40 AM PDT To: City Council <CityCouncil@atascadero.org> Cc: Jim Lewis <jlewis@atascadero.org>, Lara Henderson <lhenderson@atascadero.org>, "Ferrell, Joey" <joseph.ferrell@umb.com> Subject: Letter of Support for General Plan Adoption Mayor and Council Members - Please see the attached letter expressing the Atascadero Chamber of Commerce’s strong support for the 2045 General Plan and encouraging the City Council to adopt Resolutions A and B. We appreciate the opportunity to provide input over the past couple of years. We also congratulate City staff and thank them for their tireless efforts and resolve in bringing this plan to completion. Sincerely, Josh Cross, ACE President & CEO Atascaderochamber.org O: 805.466.2044 ATTENTION: EXTERNAL SENDER. Use caution when opening links and attachments. Public Comment Received by Email 9/22/26 City Council Meeting Item G1 ϙ ϙ ͗͏͔ϱ͓͕͕ϱ2044ϙ∙ϙĖĲċĺЬÍťÍŜèÍîôŘĺèēÍıæôŘϟĺŘČϙ ϙ ſſſϟÍťÍŜèÍîôŘĺèēÍıæôŘϟĺŘČϙϙϙϙ ϙϙϙϙϙϙϙϙϙϙϙϙϙϙ ϙ ]×ãÃÚēēĮēđēė CûËÚ©Ú½ÞËçÚç CûËÚVÚËaÃCÚºÚ¬ĀËçÄ¬½CÃÚÞ+ã©ÚDõÞËÃĮ]çÞÄ%çÄºĮÄ]ã©Vº ¬ãûË£ãÞÚË ėĖđđV½Ãô ãÞÚËĮĚĔĕēē YĮ]èØØÌÛä¤ÌÛÌØäÌÅÌ¤äªäßÛÌĒĐĔĕ&ÅÛ¾V¾Åĭ¥Å.äÄ&đ ÚCûËÚËçÚçÄCÃÚÞË£ã©¬ãûËçÄ¬½į JÄ©½£Ë£ã©ãÞÚË©ÃÚË£ËÃÃÚĮ.ÃõÚ¬ã¬Ä¤¬ÄÞãÚËÄ¤Þç××ËÚãË£ã©ãÞÚËēđĕĖ&ÄÚ½V½ÄÄã©ÚËÃÃÄã¬ËÄÞ×ÚÞÄãçÄÚ¤Ä .ãÃ&Ēĭ a©&ÄÚ½V½ÄÞã½¬Þ©Þã©Ëç¤©ã£ç½£ÚÃõËÚº£ËÚÚÞ×ËÄÞ¬½¤ÚËõã©ĮËÄËÃ¬ ×ÚËÞ×Ú¬ãûĮÄ¬Ã×ÚËôÙç½¬ãûË£½¬£ã©ÚËç¤©ēđĕĖĭ.ã½ÞË×ÚËô¬Þ¤ÚãÚ½Ú¬ãû Ëçã©ËõãÞÚËÄõ½ËÃ¬ÄôÞãÃÄãõ©¬½×ÚÞÚô¬Ä¤ã©©ÚãÚã©ãÃºÞËçÚËÃÃçÄ¬ãûçÄ¬Ùçĭ ]ôÚ½ËÃ×ËÄÄãÞõ¬½½¬Úã½ûÄ£¬ããÞÚËŌÞçÞ¬ÄÞÞËÃÃçÄ¬ãûĭ %¬ÚÞãĮã©ËÄËÃ¬ô½Ë×ÃÄã©×ãÚ×Ú¬ËÚ¬ã¬ĀÞ¬ôÚÞ¬£û¬Ä¤ËçÚËÄËÃ¬ÞĮããÚã¬Ä¤Äõ¬ÄçÞãÚ¬ÞĮÚã¬Ä¤©¬¤©Úõ¤Ã×½ËûÃÄãË××ËÚãçÄ¬ã¬ÞĮÄÞç××ËÚã¬Ä¤ ú¬Þã¬Ä¤çÞ¬ÄÞÞÞĭa©Þ×Ë½¬¬ÞÚÞÞÄã¬½ãËç¬½¬Ä¤ÃËÚÚÞ¬½¬Äã½Ë½ËÄËÃû ã©ã¬ÞÄËãËôÚ½û×ÄÄãËÄÄûÞ¬Ä¤½¬ÄçÞãÚûËÚÚôÄçÞËçÚĭ ]ËÄĮã©¬ÄãÚËçã¬ËÄË£Ã¬úçÞÄ¬ÄÄËôã¬ËÄ×½ãû×ÞÚãÞË××ËÚ ÃËÚ£½ú¬½ô½Ë×ÃÄãÄÄõãû×ÞË£çÞ¬ÄÞÞÞĭa©ÞÚÞÄÞç××ËÚãÄãÚ×ÚÄçÚÞĮ×ÚË£ÞÞ¬ËÄ½ÞÚô¬ÞĮã©ÄË½Ë¤ûçÞ¬ÄÞÞÞĮ½¬¤©ã×ÚËçã¬ËÄĮÄËã©Ú Ã×½ËûÚÞã©ãÃûÄËã£¬ãõ¬ã©¬ÄãÚ¬ã¬ËÄ½ËÃÃÚ¬½¬ÞãÚ¬ãÞĭVÚËô¬¬Ä¤××ÚË×Ú¬ã ½Ëã¬ËÄÞ£ËÚã©ÞçÞ¬ÄÞÞÞõ¬½½©½×ãÞÚËÚã¬Ä½Ë½ã½ÄãÄËÃ×ã£ËÚ £çãçÚ¬ÄôÞãÃÄãĭ a©¬ÚĮã©×½ÄÞç××ËÚãÞÚËÚÃ¬úË£©ËçÞ¬Ä¤ĭ+ËçÞ¬Ä¤ô¬½¬½¬ãûÄ££ËÚ¬½¬ãû©ôËÃÃ·ËÚõËÚº£ËÚ¬ÞÞçÞ£ËÚ½Ë½Ã×½ËûÚÞĭ.ÄÚÞ¬Ä¤©ËçÞ¬Ä¤©Ë¬ÞÄÚ ·ËÞĮÞÚô¬ÞĮÄËÃÃÚ¬½ÚÞÄ©½×çÞ¬ÄÞÞÞÚÚç¬ãÄÚã¬ÄÃ×½ËûÞĮ ÞãÚÄ¤ã©Äã©çÞãËÃÚÞ£ËÚ½Ë½çÞ¬ÄÞÞÞĮÄ¬Ã×ÚËôãÞÚËŌÞ·ËÞÄ©ËçÞ¬Ä¤½Äĭ a©×½ÄŌÞÃË¬½¬ãû×Ë½¬¬Þõ¬½½½ÞËÄ£¬ãçÞ¬ÄÞÞÞû¬Ã×ÚËô¬Ä¤¬Úç½ã¬ËÄãºû ¬ÄãÚÞã¬ËÄÞÄ£ÚõûËôÚ×ÞÞÞõ©¬½ú×Ä¬Ä¤×ÞãÚ¬ÄÄ¬û½ËÄÄã¬ËÄÞĭ ]£ÄËÄôÄ¬ÄãÞÞãËËÃÃÚ¬½¬ÞãÚ¬ãÞ¬Þ¬Ã×ËÚãÄã£ËÚÃ×½ËûÞĮçÞãËÃÚÞĮ Public Comment Received by Email 9/22/26 City Council Meeting Item G1 ϙ ϙ ͗͏͔ϱ͓͕͕ϱ2044ϙ∙ϙĖĲċĺЬÍťÍŜèÍîôŘĺèēÍıæôŘϟĺŘČϙ ϙ ſſſϟÍťÍŜèÍîôŘĺèēÍıæôŘϟĺŘČϙϙϙϙ ϙϙϙϙϙϙϙϙϙϙϙϙϙϙ ϙ ½¬ôÚ¬ÞĮÄô¬Þ¬ãËÚÞĭa©Þ¬Ã×ÚËôÃÄãÞÄ©½×ËÄÄãÄ¬¤©ËÚ©ËËÞõ¬ã© ËõÄãËõÄÄËã©ÚçÞ¬ÄÞÞÚ Ùç½½û¬Ã×ËÚãÄã¬Þã©×½ÄŌÞ£ËçÞËÄõãÚĮõÞãõãÚĮã½ËÃÃçÄ¬ã¬ËÄÞĮ×ç½¬Þ£ãûĮÄËã©ÚÞÞÄã¬½¬Ä£ÚÞãÚçãçÚĭçÞ¬ÄÞÞÞÄËÄ£¬Äã©ã¬Ä£ÚÞãÚçãçÚ õ¬½½ô¬½½ÄÙçã½û×½ÄÄÞã©ûÃº¬Þ¬ËÄÞËçãË×Ä¬ ú×Ä¬Ä¤ĮËÚ¬ÄôÞã¬Ä¤¬ÄãÞÚËĭ a©%¬Þ½.Ã×ãÄ½ûÞ¬Þ×ÚËô¬Þ£çÚã©ÚÞç××ËÚã£ËÚË×ã¬ËÄĭã£ç½½ç¬½ËçãĮã©×½Ä¬Þ×ÚË·ããË¤ÄÚã××ÚËú¬Ãã½ûţĚĭĚÃ¬½½¬ËÄ¬ÄÄõÄÄç½&ÄÚ½%çÄÚôÄç ¤¬ÄÞã××ÚËú¬Ãã½ûţėÃ¬½½¬ËÄ¬ÄÄÄç½ÃçÄ¬¬×½ÞÚô¬ËÞãÞĭa©ÚÞç½ã¬Ä¤Äã ×ËÞ¬ã¬ôÄÄç½¬Ã×ãË£××ÚËú¬Ãã½ûţĔĭĚÃ¬½½¬ËÄÄ©½×ã©¬ãûÃ¬Äã¬ÄÞÚô¬Þ Ä¬ÄôÞã¬Ä¬Ä£ÚÞãÚçãçÚã©ãÞç××ËÚãÞÚÞ¬ÄãÞÄçÞ¬ÄÞÞÞ½¬ºĭ a©©ÃÚ½ÞË××Ú¬ãÞã©úãÄÞ¬ô×ç½¬×ÚËÞÞã©ã¬Ä£ËÚÃã©×½ÄĮ ¬Ä½ç¬Ä¤ÃËÚã©ÄēđË××ËÚãçÄ¬ã¬Þ£ËÚ¬Ä×ÚÞËÄ×Úã¬¬×ã¬ËÄĭa©¬ÞËÃÃçÄ¬ãû¬Ä×çã©Þ ÚÞç½ã¬Ä×½Äã©ã½ÄÞ¤ÚËõã©Į£¬Þ½ÚÞ×ËÄÞ¬¬½¬ãûĮÄô¬ÚËÄÃÄã½ÞãõÚÞ©¬×Į ÄãÞÚËŌÞ¬Þã¬Äã¬ô¬Äã¬ãûĭ Ë×ã¬ËÄ¬ÞÄ¬Ã×ËÚãÄãÃ¬½ÞãËÄĮçã¬Ã×½ÃÄãã¬ËÄõ¬½½ãÚÃ¬Äã©×½ÄŌÞç½ã¬Ãã ÞçÞÞĭqÄËçÚ¤ã©¬ãûãË£Ë½½ËõË×ã¬ËÄõ¬ã©½ÚÄ×Ú¬ã½ĀËÄ¬Ä¤ £ÚÃõËÚºĮ££¬¬Äãô½Ë×ÃÄãÚô¬õ×ÚËÞÞÞĮÃÞçÚ½¬Ã×½ÃÄãã¬ËÄ×Ú¬ËÚ¬ã¬ÞĮ ÄËÄã¬ÄçË½½ËÚã¬ËÄõ¬ã©ã©çÞ¬ÄÞÞËÃÃçÄ¬ãûÄ©ÃÚË£ËÃÃÚĭ a©ãÞÚË©ÃÚË£ËÃÃÚÚÞ×ã£ç½½ûÄËçÚ¤Þã©¬ãûËçÄ¬½ãËË×ãYÞË½çã¬ËÄÞÄÄ××ÚËôã©ãÞÚËēđĕĖ&ÄÚ½V½Äĭq½ËËº£ËÚõÚãË õËÚº¬Ä¤õ¬ã©ã©¬ãûãËãçÚÄã©¬Þ½ËÄ¤ãÚÃô¬Þ¬ËÄ¬ÄãË¬ÄôÞãÃÄãĮ·ËÞĮ©ËçÞ¬Ä¤ Ë××ËÚãçÄ¬ã¬ÞĮÄÞãÚËÄ¤Ú½Ë½ËÄËÃûĭ ]¬ÄÚ½ûĮ 9ËÞ©ÚËÞÞĮ VÚÞ¬ÄãÄJãÞÚË©ÃÚË£ËÃÃÚ Public Comment Received by Email 9/22/26 City Council Meeting Item G1 1 From:Raechelle Bowlay <rbowlay@slocoe.org> Sent:Tuesday, September 22, 2026 11:41 AM To:City Clerk Subject:Public Comment – Atascadero 2045 General Plan | Child Care Attachments:Atascadero General Plan 2045 - Public Comment - Child Care.pdf Dear Mayor and Members of the Atascadero City Council, On behalf of the San Luis Obispo County Early Care & Education Planning Council, please find attached our comments and recommendations regarding the Atascadero 2045 General Plan. The Planning Council has appreciated the opportunity to engage throughout the General Plan process through public comment and community input sessions. As the Plan moves forward, we wanted to provide some specific recommendations for how child care and early learning can be more intentionally recognized as community and workforce infrastructure within Atascadero’s long-range planning. Our recommendations focus on areas that already align with the goals of the General Plan, including land use, economic development, workforce participation, mobility, public services, and future growth. We have also included the Central Coast Child Care Facilities Action Network (CCFAN) as a regional resource available to support local jurisdictions in addressing child care facility, land use, permitting, and development barriers. Attached are the Planning Council’s comment letter and a one-page summary of recommended additions for your consideration. We appreciate the tremendous amount of work that has gone into developing the Atascadero 2045 General Plan and the opportunities the City has provided for community participation throughout the process. We look forward to continuing to partner with the City to support Atascadero’s families, employers, early educators, and young children. Thank you for your consideration, Raechelle Bowlay Coordinator, San Luis Obispo County Early Care & Education Planning Council -- To help protect your privacy, Microsoft Office prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet. Raechelle Bowlay Coordinator, Early Care & Education Planning Council rbowlay@slocoe.org w 805-782-7359 sanluischildcare.org Public Comment Received by Email 9/22/26 City Council Meeting Item G1 San Luis Obispo County Early Care & Education Planning Council Page 1 SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY EARLY CARE & EDUCATION PLANNING COUNCIL Public Comment | Atascadero 2045 General Plan Recommendation: Explicitly recognize child care and early learning as essential community and workforce infrastructure within the 2045 General Plan. September 22, 2026 Mayor and Members of the Atascadero City Council City of Atascadero 6500 Palma Avenue Atascadero, CA 93422 RE: Atascadero 2045 General Plan - Opportunities to Recognize Child Care as Essential Community and Workforce Infrastructure Dear Mayor and Members of the Atascadero City Council: On behalf of the San Luis Obispo County Early Care & Education Planning Council, thank you for the significant work invested in the Atascadero 2045 General Plan. The Plan establishes an important long-term vision for Atascadero's growth, economic vitality, neighborhoods, infrastructure, and quality of life. As the county's local child care and development planning council, we respectfully encourage the City to more explicitly recognize child care and early learning as essential community and workforce infrastructure. Child care intersects directly with priorities already reflected in the Plan, including economic development, workforce participation, housing and population growth, land use, mobility, education, and community services. We are not suggesting that the City become a provider of child care. Rather, we encourage a policy framework that recognizes child care as part of the infrastructure necessary to support families, employers, local businesses, and Atascadero's long-term economic vitality. CHAPTER 3 - LAND USE & COMMUNITY FORM We recommend explicitly recognizing child care and early learning facilities as compatible community-serving uses in appropriate residential, mixed-use, commercial, employment, and civic areas. Suggested policy: Encourage the integration of child care and early learning facilities within residential, mixed-use, commercial, employment, and community-serving areas, where appropriate, to increase convenient access for families and the workforce. CHAPTER 4 - ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Access to child care is closely connected to workforce participation. For employers, available care can affect employees' ability to enter, remain in, and reliably participate in the workforce. Child care programs are also local businesses and employers. Suggested policy: Recognize access to quality child care as an important component of the infrastructure supporting Atascadero's workforce, employers, families, and economic vitality. Public Comment Received by Email 9/22/26 City Council Meeting Item G1 San Luis Obispo County Early Care & Education Planning Council Page 2 CHAPTER 4 - ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (CONTINUED) Workforce & Community Partnerships Suggested action: Coordinate with local and regional child care, education, workforce development, and economic development partners to identify and address child care needs that may affect workforce participation and business growth. Atascadero can leverage established county and regional partnerships and data resources rather than assuming responsibility for child care services itself. Reducing Barriers to Child Care Development Suggested action: Periodically evaluate zoning, permitting, development standards, fees, and other local processes affecting the establishment or expansion of child care facilities and identify opportunities to reduce unnecessary barriers while maintaining appropriate health and safety standards. Regional Implementation Opportunity - Child Care Facilities Action Network The Central Coast Child Care Facilities Action Network (CCFAN), an initiative of the Uplift Child Care Coalition, provides a regional implementation opportunity for Atascadero. The Network is focused on helping cities and counties improve local child care land use policies and support new and expanded facilities, including colocation with housing and other community uses. Participating jurisdictions can assess current policies, learn from peers, develop local action plans, work with Child Care Facilities Specialists, and track progress over time. Suggested action: Explore participation in the Central Coast Child Care Facilities Action Network and other regional initiatives that provide technical assistance and peer learning to improve child care land use policies, permitting pathways, colocation opportunities, and local implementation. CHAPTER 6 - MOBILITY Suggested language: Support safe and convenient multimodal connections among neighborhoods, employment centers, schools, child care and early learning facilities, parks, commercial areas, and other community destinations. Child care is a regular daily destination for many working families. Considering it alongside housing, employment, schools, and transportation supports a more connected community and can help reduce unnecessary trips. CHAPTER 8 - PUBLIC SERVICES & INFRASTRUCTURE Suggested policy: Coordinate with regional agencies, educational institutions, child care providers, and community partners to monitor and plan for early care and education and school-age care needs as Atascadero's population and employment base grow. CROSS-CUTTING RECOMMENDATION - PLANNING FOR GROWTH Suggested action: Consider available data regarding child care supply, demand, and geographic access when planning for significant residential and employment growth, and coordinate with regional child care planning partners as appropriate. INCORPORATING CHILD CARE INTO THE GENERAL PLAN A small number of strategically placed policies and actions can ensure that as Atascadero adds housing, attracts employers, develops its workforce, and invests in infrastructure, the needs of working families and young children remain part of the planning framework. CCFAN also offers a practical pathway for moving from policy language to local implementation. The San Luis Obispo County Early Care & Education Planning Council would welcome the opportunity to serve as a resource by providing child care needs data, identifying gaps in access, supporting workforce planning, and convening early care and education partners. Sincerely, Raechelle Bowlay Coordinator San Luis Obispo County Early Care & Education Planning Council Public Comment Received by Email 9/22/26 City Council Meeting Item G1 San Luis Obispo County Early Care & Education Planning Council Page 3 ATTACHMENT A Recommended Child Care & Early Learning Amendments Atascadero 2045 General Plan | San Luis Obispo County Early Care & Education Planning Council | September 2026 CORE PRINCIPLE Child care is community and workforce infrastructure. As Atascadero plans for housing, employment, economic development, mobility, and public services through 2045, access to child care and early learning should be considered alongside other services and infrastructure needed to support a thriving community. GENERAL PLAN AREA RECOMMENDED ADDITION WHY IT MATTERS Chapter 3 Land Use & Community Form Add policy: Encourage child care and early learning facilities within residential, mixed-use, commercial, employment, and community-serving areas, where appropriate. Makes child care visible as a compatible community-serving use as Atascadero grows. Chapter 4 Economic Development Add policy: Recognize access to quality child care as infrastructure supporting Atascadero's workforce, employers, families, and economic vitality. Connects child care to workforce participation and local business vitality. Chapter 4 Workforce & Community Partnerships Add action: Coordinate with child care, education, workforce, and economic development partners to address needs affecting workforce participation and business growth. Uses existing partnerships and expertise rather than placing service responsibility on the City. Chapter 4 Reducing Barriers to Child Care Development Add action: Evaluate zoning, permitting, development standards, fees, and other localprocesses affecting child care facilities and opportunities to reduce unnecessary barriers.Supports creation and expansion of facilitiesthrough clearer local processes. Chapter 4 Regional Implementation -CCFAN Add action: Explore participation in the Central Coast Child Care Facilities Action Network (CCFAN) and similar initiatives providing technical assistance and peer learning on land use, permitting, colocation, and implementation. Provides a practical regional pathway to assess policies, develop local action plans, and implement child care land use best practices. Chapter 6 Mobility Add to destinations: Include child care and early learning facilities among destinationsconnected to neighborhoods, employment, schools, parks, and commercial areas.Recognizes child care as a routine destination andconnects access to mobility and trip reduction. Chapter 8 Public Services & Infrastructure Add policy: Coordinate with regional agencies, educational institutions, providers, and partnersto plan for early care, education, and school-age care needs as population and employment grow. Extends the Plan's education andcommunity-service framework to early care and education. Cross-Cutting Planning for Growth Add action: Consider child care supply, demand, and geographic access when planning significant residential and employment growth. Connects housing and job growth with services working families need. REGIONAL IMPLEMENTATION RESOURCE The Uplift Child Care Coalition's Central Coast Child Care Facilities Action Network focuses on removing zoning and regulatory barriers, improving permitting pathways, advancing colocation with housing and other community uses, and supporting local implementation. Public Comment Received by Email 9/22/26 City Council Meeting Item G1