A new 26-acre RV and glamping resort has received final approval from the Atascadero City Council after a decade in development.
The council voted unanimously to approve design plans for the Del Rio Ranch, a tourism and lodging project by Cal Coast Communities aimed at both visitors and local residents. The resort will be located at the southeast corner of Del Rio Road and El Camino Real, across from the future Del Rio Marketplace.
Del Rio Ranch will feature 18 hotel rooms, 98 RV sites, and 70 glamping accommodations, including cabanas, cabins, and Airstream trailers.
The property will also include a community-oriented recreation center with a commercial plaza, public event lawn, membership-based pool, clubhouse, and spa.
“The idea is that we’re creating a destination,” project architect Eddie Herrera said during the Jan. 28 council meeting. “We’re advertising a public amenity tourist attraction.”
The proposal, initially drafted in 2012, underwent multiple revisions, including the removal of a planned Walmart and residential space.
The latest design, approved by the Atascadero Planning Commission on Dec. 17, refocuses the project on temporary lodging and commercial amenities, eliminating multi-family housing and conference facilities.
The three-story commercial center along El Camino Real will also include restaurants, retail shops, and entertainment venues, topped by hotel rooms.
Two main buildings will frame a central plaza. The development also includes 247 parking spaces for non-RV vehicles to accommodate both tourists and locals.
RV and glamping guests will access the site via a new road on the property’s southern end, near an RV service station offering basic maintenance services.
Each RV site will have utility hookups, while premium sites will include features such as fire pits and hot tubs. Glamping accommodations will provide a mix of unique amenities to enhance the guest experience.
The project aims to integrate community access with tourism. A membership-based pool and clubhouse will be available to the public, while a stage-equipped event lawn will host small-scale events, including food truck gatherings and concerts.
“We want this to be a local community-based center,” Herrera said. “We get the tourists in, great—but we want this open to the general public here in Atascadero.”
During the meeting, some residents expressed concerns about traffic and the impact of a large tourist attraction on surrounding neighborhoods.
One resident commented, “An RV park that only gets used for tourists and doesn’t ever get a sense of community is not good for that particular environment or for our community. But I believe it has a lot of good possibilities.”
Despite these concerns, the City Council approved the plans with conditions addressing traffic safety.
Recommendations include road grading, tree trimming, signage, and potential alternative routes.
The council also approved land use and zoning changes to remove the site from the city’s housing inventory.
According to an article published by The Tribune on February 3, City spokesperson Terrie Banish noted that civil plans and construction drawings will be the next steps before applying for construction permits.