HomeMy WebLinkAbout5/12/2021 Item 2, Whitner
Purrington, Teresa
From:Jeff Whitener <jeffwhitener@sbcglobal.net>
Sent:Wednesday, May 12, 2021 3:01 PM
To:Advisory Bodies
Subject:PRC Communication - 5/12 Meeting
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Hello Commissioners,
Again, I must thank you for all the hard work on the P&R Element and Master Plan update! I appreciate the time and effort
you have all put into gathering information and drafting the plan. It is a good plan.
Here are my 2 cents on the upcoming discussion tonight:
On the topic of daytime population, I encourage you to stick to your current draft formula incorporating daytime population.
Yes, the people who come to work here leave at the end of the day, but they do not arrive or depart at the same time. Over the
last 26 years I have witnessed non-city residents using park facilities before work, at lunchtime, and after work. Also, the
youth sports programs in this city have many participants from outside the city limits. As the county hub, many more people
commute to San Luis Obispo than other cities in the county and they use city parks. To ignore that impact does a disservice to
the Parks and Rec staff who must maintain facilities and programs.
On the topic of park acreage needs identified in the draft, I encourage you to stick with the 10 acres/1000 residents as a policy
not some aspirational goal. This policy might not be unattainable, but the needs are real. The policy is important for any
possible future annexations. It also illustrates the large need for more parks and facilities in the city and it clearly identifies
those needs in case funding opportunities arise. Without all the needs identified there would be no plan to back any future
park development opportunities.
I also feel the need to point out that the lack of adequate park space encourages more people to travel by car in this county.
Many residents must drive outside city limits to find the recreational amenities that are impacted or do not exist in the city.
Aside from some clarifications on Open Spaces and inclusion, I encourage you stick with your draft plan. It is a good plan.
Let the Council change it if it must. I am hoping it will wake the Council up to the unmet recreational needs of the residents
of San Luis Obispo and encourage the council to bring these needs to the top of their City goals lists.
Thank you for your time,
Jeff Whitener
11 Mariposa Drive, SLO
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