HomeMy WebLinkAbout5/22/2020 Item 1, Bisheff
From:Kim Lisagor Bisheff <
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:Open SLO
Dear Mayor Harmon and Council members,
Last night I took a walk around the downtown ghost town that should have been our vibrant Farmer’s Market. I’m sure
you’ve all seen the heart-wrenching signs on the doors of closed businesses, some of which will never reopen. I share
the worry of many SLO residents that when this is all over, the only business that will have been able to survive are the
national chains that threaten to turn our special town into just another Everytown.
When I got home, I read the staff report that contained our city staff’s vision for an Open SLO that reclaims under-used
public spaces to give our remaining mom & pop shops a fighting chance. What an incredible opportunity to give
residents and visitors the space to abide by public health recommendations as they help revive our downtown.
Our restaurants need outdoor space to accommodate more diners. Our businesses need more foot traffic. Our
pedestrians and disabled residents need room to pass each other safely as they dine and shop. The Open SLO plan
provides a vision for all of this, and it turns an awful situation into a low-risk opportunity to reimagine our public spaces.
Please support it.
Thanks,
Kim
1