The Real Cost of Prisons Weblog

There are now three options on the table for the 156-acre property: a 1,000-bed state prison for male inmates older than 50, a re-entry prison for up to 200 prisoners close to parole and a 100-inmate fire camp.

The future of the property is of interest countywide because of its potential effect on jobs, the local economy and quality of life.

The state is preparing a master plan for the Airport Road site that will include each of the three proposals, officials said Monday afternoon in an exclusive interview with The Tribune. They also provided new details about how the reuse process will work.

The master plan, with all three options considered, would go through standard state environmental review required for all major development.

But first, it will be vetted by the El Paso de Robles repurposing planning team. The team will include two members of the Paso Robles City Council, as well as the city¹s police chief, city manager, planning director and public works director.

Representing San Luis Obispo County will be 1st District Supervisor Harry Ovitt, Sheriff Pat Hedges and Chief Probation Of ficer Kim Barrett.

There will also be a representative of the Paso Robles business community and someone from the Paso Robles Municipal Airport.

The councilmen, business leader and airport official have not yet been named.

The group will meet twice a month beginning April 17.

Meetings will not be open to the public because the group is an advisory body, not a decision-making one.

³We want to show our commitment to long-term planning for the facility,² said Bob Sleppy, the corrections department¹s deputy director of environmental services.

Officials are concerned that the public is confused about the three proposals considered for the property.

Two plans, the 1,000-inmate prison and the 100-inmate fire camp, could use existing buildings. A proposed re-entry prison would be constructed from the ground up.

If the Paso Robles site is selected for a re-entry prison, an announcement would happen May 8. Officials said for the first time Monday that the reentry prison could house not only offenders who would be paroled to San Luis Obispo County, but prisoners who would be released to San Benito County as well.

The total number of inmates would not exceed 200, they said.

If that plan moves forward, the Paso Robles City Council would have to approve the reentry plan by passing a resolution within 90 days of May 8.

Representatives of Caltrans (because of the boys school¹s proximity to Highway 46), Cal Fire and the San Benito County Sheriff¹s Department will be invited to participate on the advisory panel as needed.

At two meetings to be held April 28 and 29, the public will be able to see for the first time sketches of what changes could be made at the boys school. Preliminary plans for guard towers, fencing, lighting and other changes to accommodate the prison and fire camp will be presented, officials said. There will be plans for the proposed re-entry facility as well.

The time and place for those meetings has not been determined.

The juvenile justice facility is closing because of state budget cuts and declining ward populations. There are 79 wards now at the site, which is able to hold up to 1,000.

Employees affected by the closure will have individual meetings with personnel specialists during the first week of June to talk about transfer options, said David E. Bacigalupo, facility superintendent at El Paso de Robles.

The school will hold its last graduation ceremony Friday for 17 wards who have completed their high school diplomas or GEDs.

http://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/story/326317.html