HomeMy WebLinkAbout7/20/2021 Item 7a, MullenDelgado, Adriana
From:
Laura Mullen <
Sent:
Sunday, July 18, 2021 2:06 PM
To:
E-mail Council Website
Cc:
reachus@downtownslo.com
Subject:
Support for Parklets/ Open SLO
Dear Mayor Harmon and Councilmembers Stewart, Pease, Christianson and Marx,
Speaking on behalf of HumanKind Fair Trade, a longtime retail tenant on Monterey Street, we are supportive
of continuing the parklet program in San Luis Obispo, and specifically in the downtown core. While we didn't
take advantage of the opportunity to participate in parklets as a retail entity due to logistics of operating
inside and outside with a very limited staff, we certainly reaped the benefits of the eating and drinking
establishments that did so. Along with the zig zag lighting and Mission Plaza activation, the parklets brought
renewed energy downtown and gave establishments a pathway to recouping some of the losses experienced
by the pandemic restrictions. We also felt that the extra eyes and ears on the street, instead of just inside
buildings, during the early evening hours gave us a feeling of extra security. Other aspects of the Open SLO
program, like the extra lighting and family -friendly Mission Plaza activities, contributed to that as well.
Besides the obvious requirement that businesses with parklets pay some fee to help recoup lost parking
revenue and for the privilege of operating in a public space, we feel other considerations are warranted:
Parklets should not extend along the street beyond the boundaries of the business operating
them. We had the situation where a parklet was set up initially in front of our storefront but was
removed when there was little to no activation by the requesting neighboring business. We worried
that our business would be obscured and that if more elaborate lighting, posts, umbrellas, etc. were to
be installed, we would become invisible. Of course, Ecobambino is the prime example of this, with
Finney's operating a sports bar virtually at the front door of a beloved children's store.
A minimum aesthetic standard related to visuals and noise should be developed, along with safety
standards for street traffic and server/customer movement.
• Time considerations for parklet use should also be made. For example, some parklets are only in use
during the evening but empty during the day, or some are vacant part of the week. Could businesses
share a parklet? Or even possibly a popup, or a food cart?
As far as the configuration of Monterey Street on the block near the Mission, the single closed lane seems to
be working quite well. It gives some leeway for vehicular traffic, as well as drop off /pickup and deliveries,
and leaves a nice open space for parklets and bike parking. The trial of closing the whole block left a lot of
space that could have been better utilized and created considerable vehicular confusion. It would also
eliminate the street parking across from the Chamber office, which serves as our defacto city tourist bureau.
Seems like we would want quick and easy access there for visitors. We support the continuation of the single
closed lane of traffic between Chorro and Morro.
HumanKind Fair Trade appreciates the efforts of the city leaders and staff to help us weather the pandemic
restrictions of 2020/2021 in the best possible way. The lifting of parking fees for a limited time, removing
some signage restrictions (sandwich boards comes to mind!), helping create parklets almost overnight,
working with Downtown SLO and others on the Mission Plaza activation, and illuminating downtown with
fabulous lighting were among the many measures you took for which we are grateful. Thank you. We look
forward to having some of those actions continue into our more prosperous, and healthy, times.
Best,
Laura Mullen
Laura B Mullen
President, Board of Directors
HumanKind Fair Trade
805-801-2214
HumanKind Fair Trade