The 1996 Morro Bay Waterfront Master Plan is going to get some updates.
Community Development Director Airlin Sigewald said the city has been working on a background report with consultants since last June.
Through that, the city has learned what industries are leading economic growth. From 2012 to 2022, Morro Bay saw a 12% increase in "accommodation and food services" along with a total job growth of 13%.
The report also showed there has been a decline in fish and other seafood caught off the Morro Bay coast and sold, from 7.4 million in 2013 to 1.6 million in 2024.
New data shows that in California, that industry has decreased by 50%, but it will remain protected in Morro Bay through Measure D.
“So there’s absolutely no proposal to change Measure D through the Waterfront Master Plan update,” Singewald said.
There are currently 11 initiatives on the Waterfront Master Plan, with some still needing input from community members.
Paula Harrill works in Morro Bay. She shared what changes she’d like to see.
“I would like to see these [power plant] towers removed and possibly an amphitheater put there along with a huge aquarium like they have in Monterrey and bring people here to celebrate the bay,” Harrill said.
In the city’s general plan, there is a requirement that street-end parking lots be converted into pedestrian connections.
“Some ideas we’ve heard are to convert them into public plazas and that may make more sense for some of the street ends than others and we just really want to hear from the community," Singewald said.
The city will continue to work on the plan through the end of this year and is seeking community input. The next workshop will be at the Veterans Memorial Building on Feb. 25 at 6 p.m.
