LOS OSOS VALLEY MEDIAN STRIP PROJECT

In 2010 Celebrate Los Osos worked with San Luis Obispo County Public Works to redesign an existing 1100 linear foot median along Los Osos Valley Road. The median had been neglected for years. We teamed up with Suzanne Morrison of Earthscapes, a Los Osos residential and commercial landscape design firm. With over 80 volunteers, we replanted the median and added a new irrigation system in one day. Since then we have paid for water and maintenance, and Earthscapes has maintained it. However, during the construction of the wastewater project, the median was severely damaged.

Large trenches where dug across the median, tearing up irrigation lines and destroying 70% of the plant materials. We have been waiting for the ability to use reclaimed water before restoring the median. “Purple pipe” water will be available soon. So, with that resource it’s time to create the beautiful entrance into our community that will give a great, first impression to visitors and residents alike.

In 2019, again working with Earthscapes, we proposed a two-part project to be accomplished over two years to the San Luis Obispo County Infrastructure Grant Program. We received a grant for Part 1 and have just completed a sustainable landscape and irrigation design, identified drought-tolerant and native plant materials, and hardscape materials (boulders and colored gravels) to create a compelling linear design that will be visually appealing to the thousands of people who pass by each day. The plants were selected not only for their sustainability but based on color, texture and size to be in compliance with the county height restrictions. And we will reduce our water usage by 50%.

Now that we have completed Part 1, we are proposing Part 2 to the San Luis Obispo County Infrastructure Grant Program for 2020. In Part 2 we are requesting funds to implement the design for the median including the plant and hardscape materials and irrigation equipment.

The design is a continuous stylized serpentine shape made up of color and dotted with groupings of small boulders and plants. As motorists drive by at 35+ mph they will experience a continuous narrative and experience a consistent design approach to the median rather than multiple clusters of unrelated design elements. The existing oak trees will be featured in the new design.

The following drawings show the new median design starting at South Bay Blvd. and traveling west, past Ralphs Grocery toward the turn lane for the Post Office. The first drawings are for the landscape plan. The last four drawings are for the Irrigation Plan. And finally, we have included the images of the plant materials we have selected.

South Bay Boulevard Turn Lane

Planting detail (typical)

Ralphs Left Turn

East end connecting to the Ralphs median above

West end, the ending of the median

Irrigation plans, South Bay Boulevard turn lane

Ralphs left lane turn - irrigation plan

East end - irrigation plan

West end irrigation plan - the end of the median

Plant Materials

We believe that a positive sense of entry into Los Osos is fundamental to sustaining the town as a strong tourist attraction. The primary purpose of a median is to increase safety by managing vehicles’ access to adjacent properties and separating vehicular traffic. However, when well-designed landscape is added, medians improve the aesthetics of streetscapes and the viewer’s experience, thus enhancing their impression of the place.

By using well-selected drought-tolerant plant materials and gravel groundcovers, we will be demonstrating how it is possible to have a beautiful landscape without turf, and with minimal use of water. We have selected the following natives and succulents for the median.

PLANTING SELECTION: NATIVES AND SUCCULENTS

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