HomeMy WebLinkAbout8/18/2020 Item 16, Wilson
Clerk, Intern
From:Ann Wilson <
To:E-mail Council Website; Carlyn Christianson
Subject:1144 Chorro
We are writing to explain our concerns about the proposal for 1144 Chorro. We are residents of the
City as well as property owners in the downtown area. We understand and agree with the Council’s
focus on increasing density for housing in the core areas and protecting the scenic outskirts of the
town. We believe that workforce and moderate income housing is very important for the vitality of
the City. We do not believe this project furthers those goals.
The current pandemic will, eventually, be contained. However, Covid-19 has and will result in long
term changes to how we operate as a society. This project plans for 30,000 square feet of
commercial, retail and office space. The future of commercial, retail and office space is in serious
question. Most of our fellow professionals and our clients are working remotely, which reflects the
business world nationally. Large and small retail business are filing bankruptcy and shutting their
doors while online shopping is booming. The demand for physical retail and office space is clearly
shrinking. It simply is not the future.
Our current downtown is struggling, and understandably so. It will require a concerted investment of
time and money for it to become a thriving business area once again for locals and for
tourists. Undoubtedly, by the end of this pandemic, there will be many more vacancies in the
downtown. An additional 30,000 square feet of retail, commercial and office space will directly
compete with existing vacant business and office space. Rather than facilitating the revival, or
meeting a need in the foreseeable future, this project will make the revival of our downtown that
much more difficult.
Finally, the sheer size of the project, far exceeding the height of the surrounding buildings, will
significantly alter the charm of our downtown that is a draw for tourism. Even Santa Barbara’s
downtown does not have such massive buildings. To allow this project to move forward, to meet a
need that does not and will not in the future exist, will create a white elephant in the middle of
downtown. What is needed is a true mixed use project that focuses on residential needs (residences of
less than $1 million) and the needs of those residents.
Ann Bell Wilson
Denton J. Wilson
Wilson & Wilson
960 Toro Street
San Luis Obispo, California 93401
805.546.8098
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