PEOPLE
We work to keep Cambria pedestrian (and bike) friendly, a place to stroll, to linger, to appreciate the pace of life that is uniquely Cambria.
We’ve already added beautiful custom-designed benches, designed and built by a local artisan. We got rid of the old eyesore trash cans and replaced them with unique, locally designed and built trash-recycling containers that delight the eye. Noticing the volume of cigarette butts in our streets, we soon added cigarette disposal tubes to our trash cans. We are currently trying to organize recycling of the cigarette butts.
We would also like to install one or two parklets along Main Street. Parklets convert two or more curbside parking spaces into vibrant community spaces. They are the product of a partnership between the municipality (or county in our case) and local businesses, residents and neighborhood associations.
Most parklets have a distinctive design that incorporates seating, plantings, and often bike racks, and accommodate unmet demand for public space on thriving neighborhood retail streets or commercial areas.
Parklets are frequently applied where narrow or congested sidewalks prevent the installation of traditional sidewalk cafes, or where local property owners or residents see a need to expand the seating capacity and public space on their streets.
STRUCTURES
Buildings tell stories. So do signs. Beautify Cambria is dedicated to ensuring that our built environment truly reflects our eclectic community spirit.
Here we started at the bottom. We secured a grant from SLO county to replace a section of sidewalk that was damaged and dirty. And because we think that a sidewalk can be an expression of a town’s identity, we wanted to not only design an interesting sidewalk but also to showcase Cambria’s artistic side. So we included a medallion designed by a local artist that depicts a Cambria Monterey pine tree. We would like to replace more sidewalk sections as money becomes available.
We have an ongoing project to clean up the many newspaper and magazine kiosks around town. We take our cue from cities like Santa Barbara that provide attractive covers for kiosks. Unfortunately, SLO county does not enforce the law requiring any structure placed in the right-of-way to have a permit, so tracking down the owners was difficult. We’re confident that we can work with the owners to develop a solution that works for them and is aesthetically pleasing.
One project near and dear to our hearts is signage. Actually, it’s more a glimmer in our eye than an active project – it would require an enormous amount of effort and sensitive timing. The idea took shape when we conducted a survey in 2014 and found that the majority of commercial signage in the business district was illegal. SLO county statutes specify the types of signs that are allowed, but here again, enforcement is lax. We are sympathetic to the needs of businesses to advertise, while recognizing that the current unregulated environment can pose hazards for pedestrians, impacts the appearance of our town, and is so chaotic that the individual messages can drown each other out. We designed a wayfinding/kiosk option that would clear the clutter while actually making it easier for people to find businesses.
As you can imagine, a project like this takes a lot of coordination among the various stakeholders, so we must wait until we have the appropriate resources to launch a project of this magnitude
NATURE
We are surrounded by nature’s beauty, and believe that our town should reflect that legacy and be as green and colorful as its surroundings.
Our signature project is the annual Bee Faire. This grew from our desire to support pollinators, especially butterflies and bees. The Bee Faire takes place on the second Sunday in May, and features local honeys and other products made from honey, presentations by local bee experts, a selection of California meads (the world’s oldest alcoholic drink), stunning photo exhibit of bees from around the world, beeswax candle-making classes, a demonstration hive, pollinator-friendly plants for sale, and the BuzzyPets Parade, where dogs (and a notable cat) don wings and antennae and buzz around the gardens.
Our latest project is to secure certification for Cambria as an International Dark Sky Community. Light pollution is destroying night skies worldwide, with consequences for human health, wildlife welfare and our heritage of connection with the heavens. We are working with the Central Coast Astronomical Society to educate residents about smart outdoor lighting, and with SLO county to ensure that our local ordinances and enforcement efforts support smart lighting.
One of our earliest projects was a small brochure that is available to hotel guests reminding them not to feed wildlife. We would find styrofoam containers of half-eaten hamburgers along Moonstone Beach Drive and piles of peanut shells, among other things. Feeding wildlife human food can do them great harm, and encourages predators. Not to mention, it’s unsightly. Our brochure was approved by the California Department of Fish & Wildlife, and it seems to be working!
We also created a brochure for new homeowners to educate them about their responsibilities to the forest. We worked with the Cambria Forest Committee and Greenspace-the Cambria Land Trust on the final text. The brochure is downloadable from the Homeowner Brochure page.
Yes, we know. Main Street could use more trees. But there are many obstacles to overcome when trying to plant trees along Main Street, and so we focused on smaller plants for the meantime. After all, who doesn’t like flowers!
We added planters atop our trash containers and they have become beloved by residents and visitors alike. We’ve lost count of how many visitors have told us that they want to take the idea back to their home towns. Cambria’s merchants, organizations and individuals stepped up and cover the cost of maintaining the planters so that everyone can enjoy color and greenery year-round.
At the request of the Cambria Tourism Board, we took over the maintenance of Main Street’s medians and sidewalk strips. They had been rather neglected and, while they’re still not where we want them, they are much improved. We aim for a mix of shrubs and native or drought-tolerant flowers that will change with the seasons and provide color and structure throughout the year.
SEE OUR PROJECTS PAGE FOR MORE ON SPECIFIC PROJECTS