SLO County Planning Commission Approves 46-Home Expansion at Monarch Dunes Retirement Community

On May 14, the San Luis Obispo (SLO) County Planning Commission unanimously voted to allow Trilogy at Monarch Dunes to construct 46 homes for residential use.

Monarch Dunes LLC asked the commission for permission to separate an 11.52-acre parcel between South Ford Drive and Mesa Road.

With permission being given, the retirement community is set to establish 46 homes planned for separate lots that consist of 23 common-wall duplexes. 

12 of the 46 lots will have smaller units on the property, so Monarch Dunes LLC’s project will result in 58 new living spaces in total.

The LLC further plans to build four open space parcels.

The lots will be between 4,200 and 6,000 square feet wide, and the four open space parcels will range from 2,200 to 144,000 square feet.

Per the San Luis Obispo Tribune, Cindy Chambers, the planner behind the project, said 32 trees are set to be cut down. Of these, seven are redwood trees, seven are strawberry trees, and 18 are eucalyptus.

The 32 trees will be cut down so there’s space to grade land at the east end of the construction site. New ones will be planted post-construction.

The developer of the land, where Monarch Dunes LLC’s lots and homes are being built, originally offered it to the county as a public park, but this request was never accepted.

The land thus remained vacant for many years, so in 2023, the county’s board of supervisors allowed the space to be used for residential properties.

About Trilogy at Monarch Dunes

Trilogy at Monarch Dunes is a 55+ luxury retirement community based in Nipomo.

The community was established by homebuilding company Shea Homes, which still oversees Trilogy.

The complex currently has around 1,300 homes. For residents, Trilogy offers an award-winning clubhouse, a fitness center, a pool, a spa, an activities center, and a golf course, among many other amenities.

Trilogy’s current expansion project has been in the works since 2023, with various construction plans being considered before deciding on the one presented to the commission.

But the complex has undergone several smaller renovations in recent years.

In June 2023, the home expanded its village center, constructed additional duplexes, and added a walking trail.