A new shopping center could soon be coming to southern San Luis Obispo County after the SLO County Planning Commission approved the building plans.
According to District 4 Supervisor Lynn Compton, a Tractor Supply Company, Grocery Outlet, O'Reilley's Auto Parts, and a Wendy's are the stores and eatery planned for an empty lot at South Frontage Road and Hill Street in Nipomo.
"It will bring a lot of jobs to South County. They are looking at about 65 jobs. The parcel itself is about a 5-acre parcel. It'll be right by 101 and we'll get some sidewalks in. I think everyone is going to look really forward to it," Compton said.
The property is the site of the old Nipomo Recreation Center which burned down years ago and has been used as an unofficial skate park.
Some community members are looking forward to what a new shopping center in that spot could offer.
"I think it's fantastic. [The] auto part store [is] great. My husband and son are always having to run to Grover or into Santa Maria to get parts. The feed store, the tractor supply, I think that's great. We have a lot of farm animals here in town and I think the residents here would greatly benefit from it," said Nipomo resident Joy Bonino.
Supervisor Compton says additional traffic improvements will also be made in the area.
"We are doing some improvements with Caltrans on 101 at the Tefft Street entrance so this will help and will help get cars on and off. It will spread out some of the businesses, too, so [the traffic is] not all on Tefft. It'll put some of it on Frontage Road," she said.
While skaters will be displaced by the new development, the county has plans for an official skate park at the Nipomo Community Park. Supervisor Compton says the next step is to put the skate project out for construction bids.
