HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-14-2014 ac - chamberph1� r Y
895 Monterey Street
San Luis Obispo, CA
93401 -3278
Ermina Karim, President/CEO
January 14, 2014
City Council
City of San Luis Obispo
990 Palm St.
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
Subject: Land Use Elements Recommendations
Dear Mayor Marx and City Council Members,
JAN 15 2014
-
AGENDA
-- f.MESPONDENCE
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The San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce wishes to acknowledge the diligence and perseverance of the
City's Land Use and Circulation Elements (LUCE) Task Force volunteers, its Planning Commission members,
City staff and all of the community members and groups that have weighed in over the last several months on
the updating of this very important document. Outreach, several community forums and numerous meetings
have taken place and resulted in valuable ideas for our future. The work of the LUCE Task Force has been
diligent, with every member contributing to the final outcome. We would like to commend them for their
lengthy and committed service.
As you are aware, the Chamber formed its own task force last spring in order to support long term plans
adopted by the City that are of particular interest to our members and to provide perspective on shared values
such as providing affordable housing, supporting head of household jobs and preserving the character and
quality of life enjoyed in San Luis Obispo.
As previously stated, we believe this update is an opportunity for the City to align with key priorities and
strategies included in the Economic Development Strategic Plan (EDSP), Climate Action Plan, and the General
Plan Annual Report. Specifically, we recommend that projected and planned residential capacity align with
these documents, and that we create an environment that allows for diversity in both housing type and density
in order to attract and grow jobs here. We continue to believe that mixed use projects and consideration of
raised height limits where appropriate will serve our community well. We also propose that the City should
take into consideration its growth beyond the 2035 horizon as the purpose of the LUCE update is not to
preserve existing neighborhoods as they are today, but rather to look forward to the needs of future
generations.
In addition to these general comments, similarly to past letters we offer up the following language
recommendations to section 3.9.8 Tourism and a newly created 3.9.9 Economic Development sections,
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3.9.8 Tourism
895 Monterey Street
San Luis Obispo, CA
93401 -3278
Ermina Karim, President/CEO
The City shall:
A. Develop and help implement aggressive tourism marketing programs;
B. Encourage development of additional conference facilities and meeting space
C. Work with arts organizations and community venues in promoting arts oriented tourism;
D. Support agritourism, culinary tourism, ecotourism and voluntourism programs;
E. Develop destination concepts such as bicycle tours, historical tours and rail tours;
F. Encourage development of appropriate recreational facilities for golf, tennis, equestrian activities,
hiking, swimming, fishing and competitive athletic events.
In addition, the Chamber has been a strong advocate for efforts advancing economic growth in our region, and
in order to support the implementation of the City's Economic Development Strategic Plan, we are proposing
the following new addition to the revised LUCE:
3.9.9 Economic Development
The City shall:
A. Maintain San Luis Obispo as the business hub of the county;
B. Encourage existing business growth and head -of- household job creation by maintaining
appropriate availability of land for diversity in commercial development type;
C. Pursue creative methods to finance current and future infrastructure needs to support business
growth and enhance community well- being, such as
1. Increasing broadband access,
2. Implementing circulation improvements,
3. Supporting the growth and success of the SLO County Airport;
D. Partner with Cal Poly and Cuesta College to invest in growing the entrepreneurial ecosystem
In closing we would again like to thank all of those that have contributed to this document. As the roadmap for
our future, it is important and the careful work of the participants is greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Stacey White, AIA, LEED AP BD +C
Chair, SLO Chamber of Commerce LUCE Task Force
Cc: Eric Meyer, Chairperson, LUCE Task Force
Michael Draze, Chairperson, City of San Luis Obispo Planning Commission
Kim Murry, Deputy Director, Community Development Department
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