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Morro Bay Ends Waterfront RV Camping After Resident Complaints

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A citizen-led campaign forced the closure of 19 RV camping spots on the waterfront overlooking Morro Rock. (Shutterstock)
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A grass-roots campaign to close 19 RV campsites on the Morro Rock waterfront realized its goal this week in Morro Bay.

The city council ended the pilot program on a 4-1 vote, and the campsites will close next month.

The RV campsites were bringing in more than $100,000 annually for the town’s underfunded harbor department, but residents voiced concerns about parking and noise.

Morro Bay and other San Luis Obispo County towns are popular weekend destinations for Valley residents.

“It’s not that we’re against RV camping but this is dry RV camping,” petition organizer Carole Truesdale told KSBY-TV. “There are camping sites where people can go and have showers and facilities and dumping groups. But not on our Embarcadero, that is such a beautiful, pristine location.”

Opponents Gathered 869 Signatures

The Tribune of San Luis Obispo reported that Morro Bay was seeking Coastal Commission approval for permanent RV camping, but the application will now be withdrawn.

Morro Bay City Manager Scott Collins said that the campsites were popular and noted that there’s been an upswing in people “moving to RVs and van life.”

Truesdale’s group gathered 869 signatures on a petition, which was more than the 10% of town registered voters needed to put the question to the city council.

 

Bill McEwen is news director and columnist for GV Wire. He joined GV Wire in August 2017 after 37 years at The Fresno Bee. With The Bee, he served as Opinion Editor, City Hall reporter, Metro columnist, sports columnist and sports editor through the years. His work has been frequently honored by the California Newspapers Publishers Association, including authoring first-place editorials in 2015 and 2016. Bill and his wife, Karen, are proud parents of two adult sons, and they have two grandsons. You can contact Bill at 559-492-4031 or at Send an Email

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