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HomeMy WebLinkAbout8/12/2020 Item 2, Schott Wilbanks, Megan From:Lisa Schott < To:Advisory Bodies; Purrington, Teresa Subject:Public Comment, Item 2; Aug. 12, 2020 Planning Commission Meeting Attachments:Public Comment 8.12.20 Froom Ranch Final EIR.pdf Re: Froom Ranch Specific Plan and Final Environmental Impact Report To the San Luis Obispo Planning Commission Secretary and City Clerk: Attached in PDF format please find correspondence addressed to the Planning Commission concerning the Froom Ranch Specific Plan project. Please distribute copies to the Commissioners in advance of the hearing on this matter currently scheduled for this evening, as Agenda Item No. 2. I would be grateful if you could acknowledge receipt at your convenience. Thank you very much. Lisa Schott, Los Verdes Park 1 -- Lisa S. Leverett (Schott) Phone: (805) 964-0997 1 To: advisorybodies@slocity.org Planning Commission Re: Item 2 of the August 12, 2020, meeting regarding Froom Ranch Final EIR, etc. From: Lisa Schott, Los Verdes Park 1, San Luis Obispo Date: August 12, 2020 Hello Commissioners, We represent 91 homeowners at Los Verdes Park 1, located at the intersection of Los Osos Valley and Higuera Roads, in San Luis Obispo. We are concerned about some of the impacts the Froom Ranch development will have on our neighborhood and surrounding area. We have seen many development projects be approved and little infrastructure improvements to support the increased traffic congestion. Additionally, we see problems/inconsistencies that have not been fully addressed in addition to obvious loopholes that lets the developer off the hook when they decide not to build out all phases of the proposed project. We agree that there is a need for multilevel assisted care housing and affordable housing in SLO; however, the location the Froom Ranch development has selected is a very poor choice for many reasons (some of which we will note below). 1. We are concerned about exiting and entering our property (Los Verdes Park 1) due to high traffic volumes along Los Osos Valley Road. We are constantly bothered by the noise from the traffic, trucks, and other motor vehicles as well as the poor road conditions along Higuera, which will only get worse as the many developments surrounding us are completed in the area; this problem will only get worse with the additional traffic from Froom Ranch. What can be done to lessen traffic noise, air pollution, dangerous street conditions for pedestrians and bicycles, and high rate of vehicle speeds? Twice in the last few years a vehicle has crashed through our fence after crossing over the sidewalk along Higuera Road at Suburban Road. 2. At Froom Ranch we request that no construction be above the 150-foot elevation due to high fire risk and to protect the view amenity, as well as for open space preservation. Our understanding was that Froom Ranch revised plan was not going to go above the 150’ elevation, and yet now they have plans to build above that height. 3. We request that the 2 “emergency” exits at the Froom Ranch development be open and unlocked for vehicle use at all times. What good is it to have locked gates in an emergency? Who will find the key, unlock the gates, and or remove the blockades during a disaster? Why not have one-way tire deflation device (allows cars to exit safely without letting cars to go in) or a break-away electronic wood arm gate so that in an emergency people could drive out without waiting for someone to find a key and open the gate? This is an extremely important item that should be a condition of construction. Lessons should have been learned from the recent Campfire in northern California and the Thomas Fire in Santa Barbara that was followed by the mudslides killing over 20 people. Additionally, all these planned emergency exits at Froom Ranch funnel onto Los Osos Valley Road, which in an emergency would be heavily congested, likely trapping people in their cars. 4. We are concerned about the Prado Road overpass lacking southbound on and off ramps. What good is it to have an overpass without access to the southbound highway? 5. We are also concerned about the southbound off-ramp from U.S. Highway 101 to Los Osos Valley Road; traffic backs up onto the highway at peak traffic times often forcing drivers to wait on the shoulder or out in traffic lanes. Item 2 of the August 12, 2020, meeting regarding Froom Ranch Final EIR, etc., continued 6. The southbound on-ramp from LOVR to U.S. Highway 101 at Los Osos Valley Road has major issues; eastbound traffic on Los Osos Valley Road backs up to the Home Depot/Costco shopping center at peak traffic times. 7. We are encouraged that Class 4 bike lanes have been promised to be built along Los Osos Valley Road as part of the Froom Ranch development, but what guarantee is there that they will get completed? When will they tie into the bike lanes at the Bob Jones trail at the Octagon Barn? What about the plans for the Los Osos Valley Road Bypass road? Shouldn’t Froom Ranch contribute its fair share toward the development and implementation of the Los Osos Valley Road Bypass Road? Where is the long-term planning? 8. The intersections of Los Verdes Parks 1 (Los Verdes Drive) & Los Verdes Park 2 (Los Palos Drive) at Los Osos Valley Road were not included in the analysis of intersections exceeding the minimum acceptable automobile LOS threshold and should have been considered. The intersection of Los Osos Valley Road and South Higuera is noted in the EIR as “Acceptable Auto Level of Service (A-C);” however this intersection has historically been rated as “Unacceptable Auto Level of Service; Based on PM and/or AM conditions” and has been rated as a Failure to meet the demands. 9. The 27 affordable housing units (hopefully resale restricted) at Froom Ranch Development should be prioritized to be for qualified employees who work onsite; as well as when they move on or sell their unit, it should be first offered to the qualified employees working onsite to help ease traffic and offer housing to people who could then walk to work. If the Froom Ranch development is approved as written, the improvements will attract large numbers of people from the public who will wish to visit the site, work at it, use the hotel or commercial space, live in the housing, hike in the Irish Hills, and/or use the playground. With all these additional users, there will be greater impact on the congestion at the exit/entrance at Froom Ranch and LOVR. Additionally, there will be extreme risk of life in the event of a disaster due to the danger of being located very near, or in a high-fire-danger area and because the developer has opted to have locked gates at emergency vehicle exits. Additionally, a third vehicle emergency exit via Calle Joaquin, would help to mitigate the traffic congestion on LOVR and provide an alternative exit route in the case of a disaster and help to protect to the many people who would be working, visiting, and/or living at Froom Ranch. We acknowledge that San Luis Obispo needs to have life plan communities and assisted living housing as well as more affordable housing incorporated into our community, but at the same time, the infrastructure to support these kinds of developments needs to designed and built along with the new construction. Sincerely, Lisa Schott Los Verdes Park 1 President