The San Luis Obispo County Planning Commission did what many people think is unconscionable. In a straw vote they decided to locate the sewage treatment plan adjacent to the Los Osos Valley cemetery. The new plant will be within a football field of the graves of U.S. soldiers who died in the service of their country as well as many other loved ones. The parcel selected is north of the cemetery and is too small to accommodate the new sewage processing plant. Therefore, it is expected that the county will have to acquire by eminent domain part of the cemetery property.  The balance of the undeveloped area will be used for treated sewage spray fields.
 
In addition, the commissioners picked out other properties in the area to use for more spray fields. The Andre and Robbins properties have dwellings and are slashed with canyons. The canyons flow toward Warden Creek and Warden Lake, which would be at risk from runoff during any heavy rains.
 
One of the commissioners cautioned the chairman that their actions in choosing the Giacomazzi site over the previously selected Tonini site would bring legal challenges. The chairman said that’s OK, let them sue.  

This change in location will increase the cost of the plant due to legal battles to get the needed property and will delay the construction. It will bring heartache to the families of the departed and it will waste the dollars that were spent in the design of the project at the Tonini location.
 
The planning commissioners are appointed by the Board of Supervisors. They are not answerable to the people directly but only through the supervisors.  Residents should tell the supervisors their planning commissioners are not the rulers of the land, the citizens are!