Dear Cambrians,

Over the past year, the Cambria Community Services District has taken significant steps forward on several major infrastructure initiatives, including the Water Reclamation Facility (WRF), the Stuart Street Tank replacement project, the Wastewater Plant upgrades (SST), and water supply improvements. These projects represent the cumulative hard work of the Board of Directors and District staff and address complex, long-standing infrastructure needs critical to Cambria’s resilience. Each of these efforts requires coordination with the County of San Luis Obispo because Cambria is an unincorporated community. Unlike incorporated cities, which have their own planning and permitting authority, an unincorporated service district operates under County land-use jurisdiction. CCSD manages water, wastewater, fire protection, and certain community services, but we do not control zoning, land-use approvals, or building permits. That authority rests with the County.

As a result, while the District initiates and designs projects, final permitting decisions, engineering standards, and regulatory conditions are often outside of our direct control. These structural limitations are not obstacles; they are simply the governance framework within which we operate. The community’s understanding of this distinction is important. Progress in Cambria requires persistence, technical diligence, and collaboration with County agencies. Even within these constraints, the District continues to move complex projects forward responsibly and methodically, ensuring that we meet regulatory requirements while advancing the infrastructure our community depends upon. One example will be explained later in this message: the water reclamation facility, which is moving forward after a decade-long effort championed by the current staff over the last three years.  

Facilities & Resources Department

Veterans' Memorial Hall Roof Replacement

A contractor has begun replacing a section of the roof at the Veterans’ Memorial Hall, specifically over the kitchen and dining room areas. The work is anticipated to be completed by the end of the week.

We appreciate the community’s patience during this improvement project. Please use caution around the building while work is underway.

Waste Connections Clean-up Week

Mission Country Disposal is hosting Spring Cleanup Week in Cambria from Monday, March 2, through Friday, March 6, 2026.

Clean-up Week reminders for all residents:

• Single-family residents may place up to 6 additional 32-gallon-size bags of trash alongside their normal carts at no additional charge during these weeks, on the morning of their normal pickup day only
• Please ensure organic and recycled materials are sorted properly, as all additional bags go directly to the landfill, and are not reviewed for recyclable or organic material
• Bulky items must be neatly bundled or bagged. No hazardous materials, concrete in trash bags, or items longer than 4' (rugs, tables, pipes, lumber, etc.)  
• ALL bulky item pickups must be called in or scheduled online at least 5 days prior to your regular pickup day, by the service account holder

For more information, please click here.

Cambria Skatepark Project

The Cambria Community Services District would like to provide the community with an update on the Cambria Skatepark project, specifically regarding the restroom facility and the current permitting process.

As many residents know, Cambria is an unincorporated community, which means the District does not serve as its own land-use authority. All discretionary permits must be processed and approved through the County of San Luis Obispo. While we manage and deliver projects locally, we are ultimately beholden to the County’s permitting requirements and engineering standards. During the permitting process for the skatepark and its pre-manufactured restroom facility, a County engineer requested additional engineering verification related to the structure’s performance within the mapped 100-year floodplain. The District had already retained a licensed engineer, Mr. Monte Soto, to prepare the necessary floodplain and structural calculations. However, the County determined that they would require those calculations to be produced directly by the restroom manufacturer.

In response, the District entered into a contract with the Public Restroom Company—the restroom manufacturer, to generate the required engineering calculations demonstrating the facility will withstand a 100-year flood event and meet FEMA standards. Unfortunately, there have been delays in receiving those manufacturer-generated calculations. Those delays are outside of CCSD’s direct control and have extended the timeline for final permit approval. It is important for the community to understand that these delays are not the result of inaction by District staff or the Board of Directors. Rather, they are a side effect of operating within an unincorporated area where final permitting authority rests with the County, and where additional technical documentation may be required beyond what was originally anticipated.

Despite these challenges, we remain optimistic. Once the manufacturer’s engineering documentation is received and submitted, we still hope to meet our first-quarter target for releasing the Request for Proposals (RFP). Issuing the RFP will allow us to obtain firm construction bids and determine the project's final cost. Our mission remains clear: move this project forward responsibly, meet all regulatory requirements, and go to RFP.

We appreciate the public’s patience as we navigate the realities of permitting in an unincorporated coastal community. The District will continue working diligently with County staff, our consultants, and the manufacturer to bring this project to the RFP stage.

Cambria Fire Department

Defensible space is crucial for your home’s wildfire safety. It’s the buffer zone you create between your property and the surrounding wildland area. This space is key to slowing or stopping wildfire spread and protecting your home from embers, flames, or heat. It also gives firefighters a safer area to defend your property. For more information, please watch the video below and click here for additional information.

Fire Engineer Recruitment 

The Cambria Community Services District is accepting applications to establish an eligibility list for a potential Fire Engineer vacancy. Applications will be reviewed on a continuous basis, and interested candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. For more information, please click here.

SAFER Firefighters

At the Regular Board Meeting on March 12, 2026, Fire Chief Burkey will officially administer the oath of office to the Department’s newly appointed SAFER Firefighters. These positions are funded for three years through the federal Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program and a local contribution from the CCSD, which helps fire departments strengthen frontline staffing and improve overall emergency response and community safety.

Water & Wastewater Departments

District’s Development Plan and Coastal Development Permit (CDP) Application for the Water Reclamation Facility (WRF)

On February 26, 2026, the San Luis Obispo County Planning Commission will consider the District’s Development Plan and Coastal Development Permit (CDP) application for the Water Reclamation Facility (WRF). Community members are encouraged to participate in the process by attending the meeting or submitting comments to the County of San Luis Obispo Department of Planning and Building. Information regarding the meeting agenda, staff report, and participation details can be found at the following link:

https://www.slocounty.ca.gov/departments/planning-building/grid-items/meetings,-hearings,-agendas,-and-minutes/planning-commission-meetings

The upcoming hearing represents a significant milestone for the community. The Water Reclamation Facility was originally constructed in 2014 during an unprecedented statewide drought under an Emergency Coastal Development Permit. While the facility has existed for more than a decade, it has operated only under emergency authorization while the District worked through the extensive environmental review and coastal permitting process required for long-term approval.

Over the past three years, the District has focused substantial effort on advancing the project toward permanent authorization. This work has included updated environmental analysis, engineering refinements, biological and groundwater studies, and ongoing coordination with County Planning staff, the California Coastal Commission, and multiple state and federal resource agencies. The District’s goal throughout this process has been to ensure that the facility operates in a manner that protects the San Simeon Creek watershed, the lagoon, and surrounding environmentally sensitive habitats, while maintaining a reliable water supply for the Cambria community during drought conditions.

The Water Reclamation Facility is designed to improve water supply reliability during drought periods by treating brackish groundwater and returning advanced-treated water back into the groundwater basin. The project is intended to protect the community’s existing water supply and reduce the risk of emergency shortages in the future. The Planning Commission hearing will provide an opportunity for public input and consideration of the project’s consistency with County and Coastal policies.

If approved locally, but appealed, the project will continue through the California Coastal Commission review process as required under the Coastal Act.

Design, Environmental, and Permitting of the Santa Rosa Creek Streambank Stabilization Project Request for Proposals (RFP) 

The Cambria Community Services District is seeking proposals from qualified consulting firms for design, environmental, and permitting services required for the Santa Rosa Creek Streambank Repair and Enhancement Project. The services would include the work described below and further detailed in Section III: Scope of Work and Technical Specifications. For more information, click here.

Stuart Street Tank Project Update

For the latest project updates, visit the page below regularly. We’ll post ongoing information, including construction milestones, road closures, and any potential service impacts.

https://www.cambriacsd.org/stuart-street-tank-construction-project-updates

CCSD Board of Directors Meeting

Special Board Meeting - Strategic Plan Workshop

📅 Date: March 2, 2026

⏰ Time: 10:00 AM
📍 Location: 2850 Burton Drive, Cambria, CA 93428

Public Participation:✉️ Written comments may be submitted via email to boardcomment@cambriacsd.org or through the submission portal anytime before the Board meeting. Members of the public are encouraged to attend the meeting to provide comments. For those unable to attend, written feedback submitted in advance of the meeting will also be considered by the Board. The Board values community participation and looks forward to receiving input on the Strategic Plan.

Feedback is anonymous and will be submitted to the Confidential Administrative Assistant. All public input received by February 23, 2026, will be compiled and included in the March 2, 2026, Strategic Planning Workshop agenda packet. Please submit your comments below.

SUBMIT FEEDBACK HERE.

Regular Board Meeting

📅 Date: March 12, 2026

⏰ Time: 10:00 AM
📍 Location: 1000 Main Street, Cambria, CA 93428

Public Participation:✉️ Written comments may be submitted via email to boardcomment@cambriacsd.org or through the submission portal anytime before the Board meeting. 

CCSD Standing Committee Meetings

Finance Committee Meeting

📅 Date: April 13, 2026
⏰ Time: 10:00 AM
📍 Location: 1000 Main Street, Cambria, CA 93428

Public Participation: Members of the public can submit written comments to be read at Standing Committee meetings.

Resources & Infrastructure Committee Meeting

📅 Date: April 13, 2026
⏰ Time: 2:00 PM
📍 Location: 1000 Main Street, Cambria, CA 93428

Public Participation: Members of the public can submit written comments to be read at Standing Committee meetings.

Fire Protection Committee Meeting

📅 Date: April 16, 2026
⏰ Time: 10:30 AM
📍 Location: 1000 Main Street, Cambria, CA 93428

Public Participation: Members of the public can submit written comments to be read at Standing Committee meetings.

PROS Committee Meeting

📅 Date: April 16, 2026
⏰ Time: 3:00 PM
📍 Location: 1000 Main Street, Cambria, CA 93428

Public Participation: Members of the public can submit written comments to be read at Standing Committee meetings.

If you have any concerns, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Matthew McElhenie