For the third year in a row, the growth rate for the Nipomo Mesa area will be capped at 1.8 percent because the community's water supply is at a Level 3 severity.

A 10 percent carryover of last year's building permit allocations also won't apply to the rural community, as it will in other unincorporated areas not in a Level 3 severity, the Board of Supervisors unanimously decided Tuesday.

The carryover also wasn't allowed on the Mesa last year.

Supervisors also voted to approve planning staff's recommendation to keep the county's annual growth rate at 2.3 percent for areas not in a Level 3 severity and allow the 10 percent carryover.

A Level 3 severity means that demand for a resource - water in Nipomo's case - is exceeding the current supply.

With the adopted 2.3 percent countywide growth rate and the additional 10 percent carryover of 2007-08 permit allocations, 1,100 residential units could be constructed in fiscal year 2008-09, which begins July 1.

Of the 1,100 new units available for construction countywide and with a 1.8 percent growth cap, the Nipomo Mesa area could see 128 units - single family and multifamily residences - built during the next fiscal year.

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However, planning staff told the supervisors that the county hasn't even met the 2.3 percent cap in the last several years because of a slowed housing market, and it doesn't look like the cap will be reached during the new fiscal year.

“We want you to understand these are the maximum numbers,” County supervising planner John Hofschroer told the supervisors.

For fiscal year 2006-07, only

39 percent of that year's building permit allocations were used, and as of April 28, only 29 percent of the allocations for 2007-08 have been used. Planning staff believes by the end of the current fiscal year, 31 percent of the allocations will be used.

Jerry Bunin, government affairs director of Home Builders Association of the Central Coast, once again told the supervisors that the growth management ordinance, plus the yearly carryover of permits, isn't realistic in the building industry.

“I really think the 10 percent carryover is kind of silly,” Bunin said, adding that 50 percent of all new homes, about 1,500 homes on average, constructed in the county are built in unincorporated areas.

Bunin said the carryover doesn't help local homebuilders whose hands are tied while they often wait months and months at time to get their projects before the county Planning Commission for approval.

“Growth isn't a problem in terms of numbers,” Bunin said. “The problem is getting through the process.”

He added that the number of new homes built annually in the county's unincorporated areas averages about 1,500 and is down by 35 percent for last year.

“We aren't even getting close to 2.3 percent,” Bunin said. “We're on pace to build the fewest new homes in the county in years.”

San Luis Obispo County's Growth Management Ordinance was adopted about 18 years ago to prevent growth from outstripping resources. It is reviewed annually.

April Charlton can be reached at 489-4206, Ext. 5016, or acharlton@

santamariatimes.com.

May 14, 2008