Howes Variance (N-DRC2025-00003 / ED25-0037)

The project involves a variance request to permit grading on slopes exceeding 30 percent to facilitate the construction of a 6,422-square-foot single-story single-family residence, an attached 1,131-square-foot garage, and three outdoor deck areas totaling 689 square feet at 1523 Badger Canyon Lane in Arroyo Grande, California. The proposed development will disturb approximately 0.92 acres of site area and require an estimated 1,060 cubic yards of cut and 1,600 cubic yards of fill, including utility trenching in steep areas. The project site is located within the Residential Suburban land use category and the San Luis Bay Inland Sub-Area, South, under the South County Planning Area. The variance is necessary only for portions of the driveway and utility connections, as the main structure itself does not require grading on slopes exceeding 30 percent. All work is governed by local ordinances, including San Luis Obispo County Land Use Ordinance Sections 22.51.120 and 22.52.150, and must comply with California Building Code, California Vehicle Code, and state environmental regulations. The application was submitted by Ryan Howes as the individual property owner and is administratively processed through the County of San Luis Obispo’s Department of Planning and Building, with no formal procurement contract structure established. The project is subject to a Mitigated Negative Declaration under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), with a suite of binding environmental conditions of approval mandated for compliance. These include fugitive dust control using water trucks and covered haul vehicles, adherence to diesel idling limits of five minutes, protection of oak tree root zones via fencing around the canopy dripline, and preconstruction biological surveys to avoid disturbing nesting birds between February 1 and September 15. All construction personnel must complete a Worker Environmental Awareness Program, and qualified biological monitors must be onsite during active earthwork. Stormwater management requires zero discharge, spill response protocols, and implementation of best management practices for erosion control. Exterior lighting must be shielded and low-glare to meet visual impact standards, and all mitigation measures are enforced by the County as conditions precedent to construction. No federal contract clauses, line-item pricing, contracting officer representation, or procurement mechanisms apply; instead, the process is purely administrative and environmental, with approval contingent upon submission of documentation to the State Clearinghouse and final sign-off by the County. Financial transactions related to this