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Home My WebLink About3/16/2021 Item 13, Cooper Wilbanks, Megan From:Allan Cooper < To:E-mail Council Website; Codron, Michael; Corey, Tyler; Cohen, Rachel; Harmon, Heidi; Marx, Jan; Stewart, Erica A; Christianson, Carlyn; Pease, Andy Subject:Letter To The Council This message is from an External Source. Use caution when deciding to open attachments, click links, or respond. Dear Michael, Tyler and Rachel - Would kindly forward the letter attached below to the City Council? This letter pertains to the March 16, 2021 City Council's review of Study Session #13, "Housing Update". Thank you! - Allan 1 Save Our Downtown ______________________________________________________________________________ Seeking to protect and promote the historical character, design, livability and economic success of downtown San Luis Obispo. To: San Luis Obispo City Council, Michael Codron, Tyler Corey and Rachel Cohen Re: March 16, 2021 Study Session #13 - "Study Session: Housing Update". From: Allan Cooper, Secretary Save Our Downtown Date: March 14, 2021 Honorable Mayor Harmon and Council Members - Of interest to our supporters is your March 16, 2021 review of SS13) “Flexible Density”. This would nearly triple the number of micro-units (residential units 600 sq. ft. or smaller) allowed in our Downtown Core and in the upper Monterey Special Study Area while radically reducing parking requirements. The ﬁrst phase of the project is estimated to facilitate an additional 340-600 residential units in the Downtown and Upper Monterey areas. Staff says it has already developed an administrative draft ordinance and is currently working on a “community outreach strategy”. We, and especially our Upper Monterey Street residents, will insist on being part of this so-called “community outreach” effort. Recent State law requires a ministerial (i.e., non-discretionary or "rubber stamp") process for residential developments that include 20% affordable units. Staff’s approach is to add Objective Design Standards to the City’s Zoning Regulations that are derived from the City’s existing Community Design Guidelines. These standards will be adopted by the end of 2021. There is no mention in this staff report that the development of these “objective design standards” will engage the community in any way whatsoever. We are insisting that the community not be left out of this process. Staff is citing the City of Santa Rosa’s objective design standards as a possible model to follow. Note below the “massing/articulation” standards the City of Santa Rosa is using and note some of the questions we have raised concerning each standard. We can do much better than this. Thank you! _______________________________________________________________ Santa Rosa’s Objective Design Standards - Massing/Articulation. 1. A minimum of two features such as balconies, cantilevers, dormers, bay windows, patios, individualized entries, and accent materials shall be incorporated into each project building. Question: Only two features per each project building? 2. A minimum one-foot offset is required for any wall plane that exceeds 30 feet in length. Question: Only "one foot”? Really? 3. Buildings over three stories tall shall have major massing breaks at least every 100 feet along any street frontage, adjacent public park, publicly accessible outdoor space, or designated open space, through the use of varying setbacks and/or building entries. Major breaks shall be a minimum of 30 inches deep and four feet wide and extend the full height of the building. Question: Why not every 50 feet to conform to our standard downtown building lot widths? 4. Buildings shall have minor massing breaks at least every 50 feet along the street frontage, through the use of varying setbacks, building entries and recesses, or structural bays. Minor breaks shall be a minimum of 12 inches deep and four feet wide and extend the full height of the building. Question: These “minor massing breaks” apply to the length of a building but not to the height of a building. Where are the speciﬁc requirements (speciﬁed in terms of the minimum number of feet) for building massing step back above the 2nd or 3rd ﬂoors? 5. Rooﬂines shall be vertically articulated at least every 50 feet along the street frontage, through the use of architectural elements such as parapets, varying cornices, reveals, clerestory windows, and varying roof height and/or form. Question: Why not specify the minimum number of architectural elements required? Would only one architectural element satisfy this requirement?