HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-25-2014 th lopes (2)eugenejud
James Lopes
1336 Sweet Bay Lane
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
Ph. 805 - 781 -8960
-- - - - - -- Original Message -- - - - - --
Subject: Proposals for San Luis Ranch project
Date:Thu, 27 Mar 2014 12:00:44 -0700
MAR 3 12014
AGENDA
!-,-'CIF +-= SPONDENCE
From:James Lopes jameslopesgeharter.net>
To:iashbaugna,slocity.org, dcarpentgslocity.org, echristi a,slocity.org, mcodron(a,slocity.org,
cdietrick(2slocity.org, klichtigga,slocity.org, jmarxL&slocity.org, ksmithgslocity.org,
amejia(a,slocity.org, Rachel Kovesdi <rachelgkovesdiconsulting.com >, Marshall Ochylski
<marshalIgslo legal. corn>
Dear Mayor and Council members:
I am attaching a revised version of the slide show we discussed on Monday (except for Council
member Christianson).
The revisions do the following:
1. Add an estimate of a potential 200 living units on the 20 acres of commercial, hotel and office
acreage;
2. Correct this acreage and that of the entire property;
3. And they propose the following list of "guidance" items to include with the MOU and the
Council resolution in the staff report.
am requesting that the City reset the outdated 1994 General Plan requirement for 50% open space
on the property to a higher number, now 75 %.
The slide show demonstrates that up to 400 total residential units could be built on only 30 acres of
the property; 200 of these easily on the 20 acres of commercial areas. Farmland could then be
preserved on about 100 acres, or 77% of the property. There are currently about 116 acres in
cultivation, so the City could offer that some of the preserved farmland could be uncultivated open
space to serve as the required "ag buffer" which is typically about 250 feet deep.
Planning staff representatives saw this slide show today and indicated that they would not venture a
recommendation to increase the open space requirement, which was re- affirmed in the LUCE
process. I have confidence that your Council can and will direct staff to set a goal of increasing this
requirement for environmental review as a project alternative, and possible inclusion in the upcoming
Hearing Draft LUCE. On Tuesday, you will have the opportunity to demonstrate that your intent is to
adopt a LUCE with this higher standard. You will be able to give guidance to the developer, with a
proviso that this is a goal to meet if feasible in their application.
The possibility is good that the interested developers will create a balanced housing approach that is
higher density and well integrated with commercial development. And, it is probable that they will find
it profitable to do this and save much more than 50% of the existing open space. The following list, if
you wish it to be in the MOU and Resolution, will also rectify the lack of guidance for a 21 st Century,
pedestrian - friendly shopping center environment. I am copying the project representatives since they
have been supportive of these concepts and may want to analyze them further before Tuesday's
hearing.
New Guidance for Planning
• Set a new goal of 75% of the property to remain in farmland.
• Set a goal of at least 200 residential units to be mixed -use residential units in the commercial
area.
• Require commercial/ office plans to be street- fronting, contiguous, pedestrian - friendly
buildings, with urban open spaces.
• Require surface parking to be located at the rear of buildings or in garages.
Require Dalidio /Prado to be a traffic- calmed boulevard.
I appreciate your attention and desire to understand my viewpoints on this vastly important
project. Please contact me if any questions or concerns.
Regards,
Jamie Lopes James Lopes 1336 Sweet Bay Lane San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 Ph. 805 - 781 -8960
Eugene Jud, Fellow Institute of Transportation Engineers ITE
Faculty Civil and Environmental Engineering
California Polytechnic State University
San Luis Obispo, CA 93407 -0353
Phone: (805) 756 -1729; E -mail: ejudcalpoolv.edu
http://ceenve3.calpoly.edu/jud