The San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors voted to oppose an initiative that seeks to prevent the planned extension of Prado Road.

The initiative, which will be discussed at the San Luis Obispo City Council tonight, is expected to be placed on the November ballot for voters to decide.

The Chamber believes that the initiative – if passed – will have significant adverse effects on traffic circulation, neighborhood safety, areas already zoned for affordable housing, and local businesses.

“This type of ballot box governance not only provides no alternative solution to the extension of Prado Road, but it creates many foreseeable problems, including increased traffic congestion at Tank Farm Road and South Street, creating unnecessary hazards for the existing neighborhoods on those roads,” said John Ewan, chairman of the SLO Chamber’s Board of Directors. “The last thing San Luis Obispo needs now is another road to nowhere.”

The Chamber position comes after extensive discussion and careful deliberation. Nearly 40 volunteers on the Chamber’s Economic Development and Issues Evaluation committees met with initiatives proponents, including Mila Vujovich-La Barre, as well as the initiatives opponents, including former SLO City Manager Ken Hampian.

Although the initiative simply halts the extension of Prado Road with no alternative solution, Vujovich-La Barre recommends that the city make Prado Road a cul-de-sac, stopping at the existing Damon Garcia Sports Fields.

If the initiative passes, however, it will undermine decades of careful planning for economic development and affordable housing, and waste millions of dollars already spent on environmental research of the area.

After obtaining the required number of signatures necessary to qualify the initiative for the November ballot, proponents will present the initiative to the SLO City Council tonight at City Hall. The City Council must then make a decision to either place the measure on the November ballot or adopt the ordinance proposed by the measure, without changes, within 10 days after its presentation.

Click here to read the City of San Luis Obispo staff report on the initiative. 

For more information on this issue, please call SLO Chamber Vice President Ermina Karim at (805) 786-2761 or reach her via email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .