Update from Supervisor Dawn Ortiz-Legg, District 3: Avila Beach, Grover Beach, Pismo Beach, San Luis Obispo, and Edna Valley

Dear South County Chamber members,

It's mid-year, and if you haven't heard yet, the County passed a balanced budget for 23-24; we are working closely with our regional partners on everything from housing to water to economic development with a large emphasis on homelessness.

It's been a busy year so far; therefore, as our nation's birthday comes, it's time for family, fun, and rest before we head into the second half of 2023.

In this edition, I would like to focus on Parks – particularly our county parks and state parks as both play a vital role in our economy and well-being. The SLO County park system offers golfing, swimming, camping, cycling, hiking…and more! Parks staff continues to seek ways to expand offerings and utilize the beautiful areas we have for your use. Many locals enjoyed the Live Oak music festival at El Rancho Chorro Park this past weekend. It allowed me to revel in the beautiful campground and the SLO Botanical Gardens. Have you checked out the Top Golf at Dairy Creek yet? This park is a fantastic spot to picnic, plan a date night at the golf course, or stroll through the gardens.

Those seeking part-time work, please check out the jobs! https://slocountyparks.com/employment/ or search this site for many other county park offerings.

In 2021, I was selected to be on the state-wide board of Parks California. Parks California is a nonprofit organization and California State Parks' official statutory partner dedicated to expanding programs, amenities, and resources so that all people can build lifelong, meaningful connections with nature. It is important to remember that the California State Parks System includes 279 extraordinary places spanning 1.6 million acres. San Luis Obispo County has four state parks, bringing many visitors to our region.

The work of Parks CA was borne out of the time when our state park system was struggling and needed a "refresh" of sorts. Since the inception of Parks CA, successful efforts to expand reservation systems, services, and connections to people who have never visited state parks have been made.

I recently visited Sue-meg State Park and Stone Lagoon Visitors Center in Trinidad/Klamath Redwoods on the north coast. On September 30, 2021, the California State Park and Recreation Commission voted unanimously to change the name of Patrick's Point State Park to Sue-meg State Park, named by the Yurok tribe, who are the original descendants and owners of this stunning region. Sue-meg is the first CA State Park that is also now co-managed by the tribe, the Yurok. This relationship has resulted in the adoption of exhibits, tribe park rangers, and sharing of their practices of policies that respect their heritage. It also provides rights to access the park for ceremonies, gatherings, and other tribal activities. That wasn't the case in the past, and it is an exciting success so far!

This matters to us because the Oceano Stewardship Study highlights the need for tribal consultation as one of the many perspectives for the future.

Here are a few photos highlighting my visit, which makes me very excited to work on all our park resources for you, your family, and our valuable visitors to our beautiful County. Here are the links for the Parks California Annual Report to learn more: https://annualreport-parkscalifornia.org/

Now is a great time to visit our parks, and I wish everyone a safe and fabulous 4th of July!

Dawn Ortiz-Legg
San Luis Obispo County
District 3 Supervisor

Front of boat: Supervisor Dawn Ortiz-Legg