San Luis Obispo County piers are getting much needed repairs this summer. The Avila Pier was closed to the public last week due to safety concerns.
A plan for the immediate repair of the pier is being discussed by the Port San Luis Harbor District. The closure of the Avila Pier leaves a quarter of the county's piers closed this summer, as the Cayucos Pier is under construction.
Bruce Elster is the professional engineer who recently inspected the Avila Pier. He recommended the Port San Luis Harbor District close the pier for maintenance and repairs.
"Piers are just like us. If you don't maintain us you're going to have issues. If you don't fix the roof on your house, you're going to have leaks," Elster said.
"We're roughly at the end of a cycle. It's been 30 years for a number of these facilities up and down the coast. They're kind of coming up to that point where they need to be maintained."
Some county piers were majorly restored in 1983 after brutal winter storms coupled with El Nino conditions battered the structures.
Current El Nino conditions are expected to affect the Pacific Coast through next winter.
The Port San Luis Harbor District will be discussing the closure and repair plans at a public meeting on June 23.