Interested community members are invited to attend an upcoming Planning Commission meeting to discuss the recent Grand Jury report on Town and Gown relations.

The Grand Jury report, titled “Round & Round with Town & Gown,” discusses complaints from residents about neighborhood impacts related to fraternity housing near Cal Poly. The report contained several recommendations for the City of San Luis Obispo. The Planning Commission will specifically discuss the only recommendation directed to the commission.

Planning Commission Meeting
Review Agenda Item
August 27, 2025 at 6 p.m.
City Hall, Council Chambers
990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, CA

The Grand Jury published the report in June 2025 following an investigation into resident complaints alleging that City and Cal Poly officials were failing to enforce existing rules and municipal ordinances related to fraternities in San Luis Obispo neighborhoods near Cal Poly, that citizen complaints were ignored, and that neither took sufficient action to restore order. Prior to the report’s publication, several City senior staff and a Council Member testified before the Grand Jury and provided significant amounts of information in response to requests. Prior to the report’s release, the Grand Jury sent the City a draft to which the City replied with a 27-page memo listing factual concerns in the draft report.

“We remain committed to providing a full and complete response to the report and ensuring that the public has accurate information,” said City Manager Whitney McDonald. “Anyone interested in the Planning Commission’s response to one recommendation in the report directed at it is encouraged to attend the August public meeting.”

The City Manager, City Council, and City Planning Commission will respond to all the Grand Jury’s recommendations, as required, by September 19, 2025. More details and public input opportunities can be found at www.slocity.org/TownGown.

Media Contact: Whitney Szentesi, Public Communications Manager, 805.783.7716 | wszentes@slocity.org