Project will transform old boys school in Paso Robles. Here are 5 things to know

After sitting vacant for 15 years, the old boys school property in Paso Robles might soon be abuzz with activity.

Developers have proposed transforming the abandoned property off Airport Road into a 140-acre “walkable and sustainable community hub” featuring a hotel and winery, public green spaces, retail shops, restaurants, industrial spaces and warehouse facilities.

The school property — which was known formally as the El Paso de Robles Correctional Facility or the Estrella Correctional Facility — has been vacant since it closed in 2008.

This month, the city released the 594-page draft environmental impact report for the proposed project, called “The Landing Paso Robles,” detailing how its new owners would take the old site’s crumbling buildings and infrastructure and update the property for new use.

Because nearly 600 pages might seem a bit long for casual reading, we’ve condensed some of the key findings into five big takeaways from the plan.

Meanwhile if you want to read the entire report, it’s available on the city’s website at prcity.com/357/CEQA-Documents.

Here are the highlights:

Construction would be split into 2 phases

According to the draft EIR, The Landing project would be built out in two phases.

The first would take up the biggest chunk of the property, with construction of a 1.3 million-square-foot warehouse, a 38,000-square-foot maintenance building and a storm-water detention basin. This phase would also include off-site improvements.

The second phase would bring some of the more visible commercial visitor elements to the property.

This includes the construction of:

• 250,000 square feet of office space

• 154,000 square feet of maker spaces

• 60,000 square feet of “industrial flex” space

• a 57,500-square-foot hotel featuring 120 rooms

• a 57,000-square-foot market hall

• 29,400 square feet of retail space

• a 16,400-square-foot winery space

This phase would also include the addition of “passive park-pedestrian plaza-green spaces,” according to the EIR.

It would require converting some protected farmland

The western portion of the property is currently designated as “farmland of local potential” by the California Department of Conservation, while much of the surrounding area — including a key bit of land that would potentially be built upon to make a road connection for Rollie Gates Drive — is designated as farmland of both local potential and statewide importance.

This means if the property is built out as envisioned, the region could lose some potentially valuable agricultural land.

To help somewhat make up for the loss, the property owner, Majestic Realty, is being asked to make a monetary contribution to the California Farmland Trust or a similar program to support farmland conservation.

Despite that concession, there is no way to fully mitigate this, according to the EIR, making it a “significant and unavoidable impact.”

Project could have ‘significant impact’ on air pollution

One of the biggest potential impacts of The Landing project would be its impact on local air quality.

According to the draft EIR, a “significant and unavoidable impact” of the development would conflict with the San Luis Obispo Air Pollution Control District’s 2001 Clean Air Plan and Particulate Matter Report.

This would be in part due to anticipated increased vehicle emissions from people driving to and from the development, as well as the creation of construction-related dust and emissions.

To help mitigate the driving-related concerns, the developers would need to create ways to encourage employees to carpool, take transit, walk or bike, while also making it easier for potential customers or visitors to use public transit or other means to access The Landing.

This would also include constructing on-site bicycle amenities like lockers, secure bike parking, showers and bicycle repair stations, according to the EIR.

Though demolition of the old boys’ school buildings does carry a risk of both lead and asbestos exposure thanks to their age, proper implementation of toxic materials handling procedures would likely prevent any significant impacts, according to the EIR.

They’ll have to be careful about native wildlife, habitat

Because the proposed project is near the Huerhuero Creek, any development will have to be especially careful about avoiding potential impacts to local wildlife and habitat.

Kit foxes, golden eagles, bats, coast horned lizards, Western spadefoot toads and American badgers are among some of species that could potentially be found near or at the site during construction.

To help prevent any negative impacts to those populations, a city-approved biologist will have to be on hand to monitor the work.

When would project be completed?

If all goes as planned, and the project is approved, The Landing could be fully up and running by 2029, according to a timeline provided in the draft EIR.

This would require construction on the first phase to begin by November of this year, with completion estimated in November 2023.

Meanwhile, the second phase likely wouldn’t enter construction until April 2024 and be completed until about November 2029.

That means construction work at the site would span a total of six years.

How to comment on the plan

The city is taking public input on the report through July 24.

Comments must be submitted in writing and received by the city of Paso Robles prior to the close of the public review period. To submit a comment, you can send an email to planning@prcity.com or mail to: City of Paso Robles, Community Development Department, 1000 Spring St., Paso Robles, CA 93446.

Public hearings at both the Planning Commission and City Council are tentatively scheduled for later in the year.