Baywood-Los Osos, California

Baywood-Los Osos is a census-designated place located in San Luis Obispo County, California. As of the 2000 census, the CDP had a total population of 14,351.

Los Osos is essentially a picturesque bedroom community for Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo.

The business district is concentrated in just a few blocks along Los Osos Valley Road. Except for a few shops near the bay, the rest of the town is almost entirely residential. Los Osos has two major grocery stores, a post office, a pharmacy, a bakery, several banks, two gas stations and various restaurants and other businesses. The town has a golf course as well. Los Osos doesn't have many fast food restaurants, probably because it is not located near a highway. For other needs, residents must travel to San Luis Obispo.

There are only two roads in or out of Los Osos, South Bay Boulevard and Los Osos Valley Road. Inclement weather and road construction occassionally forces the closure of one, or rarely both, routes. Depending on one's destination, this requires a substantial detour. However, this has been much less frequent since the Chorro Bridge replaced the Twin Bridges on South Bay Boulevard.

Los Osos' proximity to the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant means that warning klaxons are located throughout the town so that the residents will be able to evacuate if the power plant should suffer a meltdown. The sirens are also found in other cities nearby, including Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo and Avila. Except for yearly tests, the sirens go largely unnoticed. Most of them are on telephone poles so they blend in with the others.

The town is deeply divided over the issue of whether to build a sewer and where it should be built. The cost of the sewer is well over 100 million dollars and many are worried they will have to move because they cannot afford the 200 or so dollars every month. There has been a building moratorium for decades because the town's septic tanks are too numerous and concentrated to dissipate nitrates, which are not broken down by septic tanks. The Los Osos Community Services District is the agency in charge of building the sewer. It also provides for the town's water, drainage, parks, recreation, street lighting and fire and rescue services. It was formed after citizens balked at the cost of the county's proposed sewer. However, the price of the current plan has ballooned as the Los Osos CSD becomes aware of ever more federal, state and regional regulations. There is also a controversy about where the sewer should be built. A location in the center of Los Osos was chosen, partly because of residents of a housing development refused to let it be built near them on the outskirts of town. There were other concerns as well, such as the willingness of the landowner to sell, environmental considerations and the elevation of the site. The CSD claims that the sewer will not smell because it will be largely underground and have an extensive filtration system. Moving the sewer now would mean years of delay and probably an increase in price as the low-interest loans will expire. The district is already years behind schedule and property owners could each be fined up to $10,000 a day if the completion of the sewer is delayed. However, many opponents are too outraged over the cost and location of the sewer to consider the technical and legal aspects of the project, while proponents gloss over the project's rapidly escalating cost. There have been many lawsuit filed against the CSD, but they have all failed. They have delayed the sewer construction for years, though. Opponents have vowed to file additional lawsuits.

Geography

Baywood-Los Osos is located at 35°19'0" North, 120°50'8" West (35.316795, -120.835605)Template:GR.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 19.8 km² (7.6 mi²). 19.7 km² (7.6 mi²) of it is land and 0.13% is water.

Demographics

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 14,351 people, 5,892 households, and 3,876 families residing in the CDP. The population density is 727.2/km² (1,883.5/mi²). There are 6,214 housing units at an average density of 314.9/km² (815.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the CDP is 88.27% White, 0.64% African American, 0.69% Native American, 4.56% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 2.49% from other races, and 3.28% from two or more races. 9.00% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 5,892 households out of which 27.9% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.9% are married couples living together, 9.6% have a female householder with no husband present, and 34.2% are non-families. 25.6% of all households are made up of individuals and 12.2% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.42 and the average family size is 2.91.

In the CDP the population is spread out with 21.6% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 24.7% from 25 to 44, 27.1% from 45 to 64, and 19.0% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 43 years. For every 100 females there are 92.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 88.2 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP is $46,558, and the median income for a family is $55,838. Males have a median income of $39,311 versus $31,450 for females. The per capita income for the CDP is $24,838. 8.5% of the population and 5.0% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 8.4% of those under the age of 18 and 5.1% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

External links

• Los Osos / Baywood Park - Visitor Information (http://www.losososbaywoodpark.org/)

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