HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-14-2014 ac - lopes1ph1Kremke, Kate JAN 14 2014
From: Goodwin, Heather
Sent: Tuesday, January 14, 2014 10:42 AM
To: Kremke, Kate
Subject: Fwd: City Council LUCE item on 1 -14 -14 agenda AGENDA
CORRESPONDENCE
Agenda correspondence Date !/ Item#
Begin forwarded message: ) V,
From: James Lopes <jameslopeskcharter.net>
Date: January 14, 2014 at 10:39:22 AM PST
To: Anthony Mejia <amejiakslocity.or >
Cc: Heather Goodwin <hgoodwinkslocit y�org >, Kim Murry <kmurrX(a]slocity.org>
Subject: City Council LUCE item on 1 -14 -14 agenda
Dear Mr. Mejia,
I am requesting the City Council to continue the hearing on the Land Use and
Circulation Elements on tonight's agenda to a date certain, to afford time
for staff to extensively announce the hearing, respond to my and others'
comments, and time for council's adequate consideration.
Would you please inform the council by copying this email to them?
The LUCE has been in the review of a dedicated task force for over 15
meetings, and the Planning Commission held two hearings on the Land Use
Element. Although the work of these essential volunteers has to be commended
and admired, these meetings were opaque to the public largely and admittedly
to me specifically. Task Force topics were bounced around in a confusing
manner, and legislative drafts were hard to find. And, the hearing tonight
comes right after the busy holiday season. Planning Commission hearings were
held right in the middle of the season (Dec. 12 and 16)! This is an
important matter, and extensive public outreach is needed beyond city website
and email lists. While some articles announced a workshop, this hearing has
not had advance warning in the newspaper, unless you are devoted to the legal
ads.
Being on the LUCE email list, I received an email yesterday about the hearing
tonight. The draft LUE was included with the email, so I spent hours
commenting on issues in a letter that the council will receive
today. However, we know they are not going to be able to analyze, much less
have staff review and make recommendations, on all of my comments today. I
am requesting the continuance to give time for council to refer all comments
to staff for a one to three week review and staff report for a second hearing
one month or so from now.
This continuance probably would not jeopardize the grant for the LUCE update,
which requires a Draft LUE and Draft EIR by June. If this continuance could
jeopardize that deadline, I ask that, instead of continuing this hearing, the
council "table" the comments it cannot in good conscience consider and act on
tonight, until the Land Use Element is reviewed again after the Draft
EIR. This review would not only be for EIR mitigations and alternatives, but
for late- coming participants and comments that are not in the scope of CEQA
requirements for the EIR.
Important policies need to be added or reviewed in the Draft LUE, and these
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salient non -EIR issues should also be addressed in a final round of hearings
after the Draft EIR is published. With either approach, the council might
want to require that an extensive media outreach effort be made between staff
and the newspaper and other outlets, before another hearing. As a former
public land use planner, I am aware that general plan updates usually need
several hearings to air all concerns and review detailed proposals. This City
should embrace that reality and begin outreach especially as the Draft EIR is
published, for broader community involvement in a final round of public
hearings on all issues.
Thank you for your assistance.
Sincerely,
Jamie Lopes
James Lopes
1336 Sweet Bay Lane
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
Ph. 805 - 781 -8960
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