As the City’s representative on the Community Action Partnership Board, Ashbaugh has worked with homeless advocates to expand and improve our services to the homeless in the SLO area.
The Council selected a site to build a new Homeless Services Center not far from the Prado Day Center, and plans are well underway to raise the needed funds through a broad-based fund-raising campaign.
SLO City is working to provide expanded “safe parking” areas where it is permissible to live in vehicles, while assuring that basic safety and compatibility standards are maintained.
Planning and the Environment:
John Ashbaugh lead the way to include an update to the SLO City 1994 Land Use and Circulation Elements, and now that update is well underway with a citizens’ Task Force and top-notch consultants.
As the City’s representative on the Integrated Waste Management Authority, John spearheaded a successful campaign to require the use of re-usable grocery bags throughout SLO County. This ordinance was the culmination of a six-year grassroots effort, and drew support from the retail grocers association as well as the Chamber of Commerce.
John has also worked to expand our greenbelt, and launch the new “urban farm” on Calle Joaquin.
Economic Development: John Ashbaugh helped the City formulate a goal of sustainable economic development emphasizing head-of-household jobs and strategic growth. San Luis Obispo has just opened a new “hothouse” in a surplus City office building to foster young entrepreneurs in shaping business plans for new high-tech ventures with great promise.
Infrastructure: He has fought to maintain a sound capital improvement program that will keep our roads, bicycle paths, storm drains, and related infrastructure in good condition for the next generation. At the same time, John Ashbaugh has supported the City’s commitment to our Public Art program.
Cultural Resource Protection: The Council adopted new Cultural Resource Protection standards in 2010. They have also launched a new, volunteer-driven survey of historic resources in San Luis Obispo, and taken steps to preserve our City-owned adobes as well as the Sunny Acres Juvenile Home above Johnson Avenue.
Neighborhood Services: Even as we cut significantly in all other areas of city services, the SLO City Council worked hard and found a way to expand our Neighborhood Services unit and place it in the Community Development Department, where it belongs.
