New Grover Beach hotel development held up due to distance from water and sewer lines

It’s an empty lot that’s full of possibilities.

“The project would bring in between $350-450,000 annually in revenue to the city,” says Matthew Bronson, City Manager of the City of Grover Beach.

The potential 132 room hotel project on El Camino Real is located right off the 101 making it easier for travelers to stop in. “You look at the demand of who wants to come in to this area [and] we don’t have enough hotels to have that demand met and so this is a way for us to do that,” Bronson explains.

The project has been halted momentarily however because the hotel property is no where near city water and sewage connections. Water will be brought from Oak Park Blvd and El Camino Real, about a mile down the road to where the hotel is going to be built.

The LA-based Urban Commons development group will have to build a waterline as well as a private sewer force main to get connected to the city. While adding the sewer and water lines became part of an already existing street project, Grover Beach now has to decide how the developer will reimburse them for this work.

“That’s for the council to decide [Monday night] – what degree of financial partnership is the city willing to do because again the revenue benefit to the city is significant which makes us want to talk to the developer to decide what’s possible,” says Bronson.

As for why any developer would build a project not close to any city water or sewer connection, Urban Commons management could not be reached for comment.

The Grover Beach City Council meeting begins Monday night at 6:30.