HomeMy WebLinkAbout2/12/2020 Item 2, Martin
Wilbanks, Megan
From:Wilbanks, Megan
Sent:Friday, February 7, 2020 5:00 PM
To:Jean Martin
Cc:CityClerk; Corey, Tyler; Scott, Shawna
Subject:RE: Letter to Planning Commission on 545 Higuera
Hello Mr. Martin,
I want to personally apologize for the fact that you were not notified. About 30 minutes ago I
realized that I failed to request that postcards be mailed to the addresses near the proposed
project. As such, the project team has decided to continue both Public Hearing items scheduled
thth
for February 12 to the next regular Planning Commission meeting on February 26 at 6:00
p.m.
Again, I am truly sorry for my error and any inconvenience it may have caused you. An official
notice of continuation will be posted outside City Hall and on the City’s website shortly. I will
archive and distribute your correspondence to the Planning Commission right away.
Megan Wilbanks
Deputy City Clerk
City Administration
990 Palm, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401-3249
E mwilbank@slocity.org
T 805.781.7103
slocity.org
From: Jean Martin <
Sent: Friday, February 7, 2020 4:45 PM
To: CityClerk <CityClerk@slocity.org>; Wilbanks, Megan <mwilbank@slocity.org>
Subject: Letter to Planning Commission on 545 Higuera
Dear City Clerk,
No notice has come to me or my neighbors about this hearing next Wednesday. I found out from Dr.
Papp.
Jean Martin
Dear Planning Commissioners,
1
As the closest neighbor of the 545 Higuera Street development, I would like to write
my gravest concern, and that is that the people living in this building could see
straight through my house and yard and my renter’s cottage. Even with trees planted
they would take years to mature, and that would be beyond my lifespan. That is why
the Community Design Guidelines say, “New development should respect the privacy
of adjacent residential uses through appropriate building orientation and structure
height, so that windows do not overlook and impair the privacy of the indoor or
outdoor living space of adjacent units,” and, “The height of infill projects should be
consistent with surrounding residential structures. Where greater height is required,
an infill structure should set back upper floors from the edge of the first story to
reduce impacts on smaller adjacent homes, and to protect solar access.” The
Community Design Guidelines say nothing about planting trees, because they take a
long time to grow and can die.
When planning the parking garage on Nipomo Street the city said it could not
overlook the any of the homes and yards in that neighborhood. The Architectural
Review Commission and Planning Commission have removed balconies and terraces
of building even across the creek from wealthy neighbors. Why can I not have the
same treatment? This is arbitrary and not fair.
This building is too big and too boxy for this long and narrow lot and to be
compatible with this historic area where almost all the buildings are one-story,
mostly wood, and built for single families and single businesses. It needs to be built
on a much larger piece of land on a section of town away from a historic
neighborhood. Thirty two-story buildings that look like huge metal shipping
containers squeezed together have been built right across the street from me,
another 4½-story building, whose balconies were removed because of the neighbors
across the creek, has been approved next to them, a big blank three-story concrete
building has been built behind me, with a big four-story building across the street.
And three buildings sixty feet tall have been approved next to the Jack House and
Garden. Our historic neighborhood is being completely changed in its aesthetic
appearance. There should be an environmental impact report.
My Master List historic home built in 1876 is right next to this huge building. It is a
frail frame house, and I’m afraid heavy equipment working all day, every day will
vibrate my house off its foundations, and there is no provision for this common
2
problem, not to mention the impact on me. In my 39 years of teaching I have been
near classrooms being built, but nothing like the magnitude of this.
Sincerely submitted,
Jean A. Martin, M.A.
3