GOOD NEWS REAL NEWS HOMETOWN NEWS
SINCE 1916 Making Communities Better Through Print.™ VOL. CX, NO. II
THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 2025
atascaderonews.com • $1.00 • WEEKLY
City Council approves ADU Ordinance Update
DA responds to state’s proposed budget
Atascadero postpones burn season
Organizations asking governor to add funds to Victims of Crime Act
By CHRISTIANNA MARKS christianna@atascaderonews.com
ATASCADERO — The Atascadero City Council met for its regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 14, at 6 p.m. At the top of the meeting, City Manager Jim Lewis addressed the community during his Updates from the City Manager on the fact that burn season has been put on hold due to current conditions. “Let me first start by saying, as far as burn season goes, we’re obviously holding until the winds and weather permit. We did initiate burn days, but they are on hold until weather permits, which is understood,” stated Lewis. He went on to say that permissive burn days are strictly monitored and only allowed when conditions permit. He pointed residents to the city’s website or to call (805) 461-5070, ext. 8, to see when burn season has been reinstated. Community Development Director Phil Dunsmore then addressed the council on the first public hearing of the evening, an ADU (Accessory Dwelling Units) Ordinance Update. Dunsmore went on to say that usually, there is ample time to prepare code amendments and do a thorough evaluation of their merits before bringing them forward to the council, but that was not the case here. “This is one that’s, I’ll just say it, just being kind of forced upon us by the State of California to be able to accommodate some mandatory changes to Accessory Dwelling Unit law,” Dunsmore said. “Potentially, they’re good changes. However, they honestly have not been vetted, and they are required to be put into our code beginning Jan.1 of this year.” In 2024, the state adopted two sets of ADU laws. The first is SB 1211, which requires cities to allow a greater number of ADUs on multifamily developments and does not require parking places removed for the ADUs to be replaced. On upcoming new projects, it would go from one to two ADUs, and it would go up to eight on existing projects. The existing projects would have to have eight or more units already existing on that project site. “Our local ordinance is null and void unless we incorporate these changes,” added Dunsmore. The second ADU law, SB 477, makes minor changes to CONTINUED ON PAGE A2
By CAMILLE DEVAUL camille@atascaderonews.com
A pile of items to help out the victims of the LA-area fires is shown at Atascadero record store Traffic Records, one of the drop-off points for Xochitl Wines and Paco Winery in Paso Robles, who organized their own mutual aid drive for the victims. Photo provided by Traffic Records
San Luis Obispo County rallies around those affected by Los Angeles fires Multiple trucks full of relief items have already made their way down south, with more on the way By CHRISTIANNA MARKS and CAMILLE DEVAUL
NORTH COUNTY — The community in San Luis Obispo County has been rallying together to support those affected by the fires in Los Angeles County. Together, efforts have been made to collect multiple truckloads of supplies and relocate animals.
On Jan. 7, a fire erupted in the Palisades, followed by at least four other fires in the Greater Los Angeles area. Since then, more than 12,000 homes and other structures have been destroyed. So far, 24 people have lost their lives in the fire, and over 100,000 people have been displaced. Woods Humane Society (Woods) has helped relocate over 30 cats and dogs to SLO County from LA County animal shelters. “Something that Woods has done in times of need, like responding to natural disasters,
is to offer support by taking in animals that were already existing in those local shelters prior to the emergency,” Woods CEO Emily L’Heureux told Atascadero News. Woods helped shelters during natural disasters all over California and even other states. L’Heureux explains that by taking in pre-existing animals at the shelters, that allows them more kennel space to be available to take in animals displaced, lost, or strayed as a result of the wildfires. “There is a real need in real time for kenneling emer-
gency boarding and for lost and stray animals to be able to be safely housed until they can get reunited ... on our first trip down there, we did take a bunch of essential supplies, which were welcomed at that time, but we have been told by our shelter partners down there, they’re just overwhelmed by in kind donations,” says L’Heureux who adds they will continue to take in dogs and cats from the LA County shelters for as long as needed. L’Heureux says that animals have been coming into LA CONTINUED ON PAGE A2
Rosemary Dexter turns 100 years-old
So far, Dexter and the community have raised over $60,000 By CHRISTIANNA MARKS christianna@atascaderonews.com
ATASCADERO — On Tuesday, Jan. 7, Rosemary Dexter celebrated 100 years on the planet. This year, for her birthday, Dexter decided that she was going to ask the community to join her in raising $100,000 for ALF Food Pantry, which her late husband, Reverand Rollin Dexter, helped launch in 1984. “I felt like I wanted to give back to the community rather than get anything for my 100th,” Rosemary told Atascadero News. “Nobody needs anything at 100. It was just a privilege to be able to find something that I can really put my heart into, and since my husband was instrumental in getting it (ALF) started way back in the ‘80s, it was just an
COUNTY
mary matched the first $30,000 donated by the community for a grand total of $64,000 on that day. Rosemary herself presented representatives from ALF with a ginormous check made for her amount, with donations still coming in as Rosemary wants to keep the fundraiser going until her goal is reached. “We were thrilled to learn that Rosemary was benefitting ALF Food Pantry as part of her 100th birthday,” said Linda Albright of ALF Food Pantry. “She and her family have been volunteers with ALF since its inception in 1984 — but this is beyond anything anyone has done before.” ALF Food Pantry started out as Atascadero Loaves and Fishes, which is still a legal entity, but Albright commented that having the words “food Rosemary Dexter is shown with her cake on her 100th birthday. Contributed photo pantry” as part of the name idea I had, and I thought it By the time Rosemary’s they’re working under clarifies would be a really helpful thing birthday hit, the community ALF’s mission to feed hungry for them to have a boost to get had raised $34,000, and just community members. CONTINUED ON PAGE A2 a better, bigger place.” like she had promised, Rose-
CALIFORNIA
NORTH COUNTY NEWS
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY — District attorneys and organizations across the state are calling for Gov. Gavin Newsom to reconsider his proposed budget affecting victim services. On Friday, Jan. 10, Newsom announced that he sent his Fiscal Year (FY) 202526 budget to the Legislature. According to a press release from the state (gov. ca.gov/2025/01/10/governornewsom-sends-2025-26-budget-plan-to-legislature/), “The $322.3 billion fiscal plan provides for $228.9 billion in general fund spending and nearly $17 billion in combined reserves — including nearly $11 billion in the state’s Rainy Day Fund and an additional discretionary set-aside of $4.5 billion in the Special Fund for Economic Uncertainties.” However, over 200 organizations, including the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office and the Christopher G. Money Victim Witness Assistance Center are calling Newsom to reconsider the budget. A press release from the California VOCA (Victims of Crime Act) Alliance (VOCA) issued concerns that the budget leaves a large gap in funding that will leave hundreds of thousands of Californians who experience violence each year without life-saving services. “San Luis Obispo County was one of the first two counties in California to begin providing victim assistance in 1977. Since then, we have served as a model for many other counties to follow in ensuring that victims are supported and their rights are protected,” said Dow. “I call upon Governor Newsom to make an immediate firm commitment to revise his budget proposal to include this critically needed funding to support crime victims as they deal with the overwhelming impact of the crimes committed against them.” VOCA consists of statewide organizations dedicated to supporting survivors of crime, advocates, and their communities. The coalition works to try to advance the rights of survivors of trafficking, child abuse, domestic violence, sexual assault, and others. Amanda Gould from the VOCA and the Los Angeles LGBT Center released the following statement in response: “The Governor’s budget fails to adequately fund essential services for survivors of human trafficking, sexual violence, domestic violence, child abuse and other forms of violence. Last year, the CONTINUED ON PAGE A2
WEATHER
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