HomeMy WebLinkAboutBates 20194-20196 Brooks Fram: Lea Brooks
5ent: Monday, 5eptember 14, 2�2� 1:3� PM
Ta: E-mail Coun�il Wehsi#e
5ubje�t: City Cauncil 9.15.�D�D, Item 9, Fraam Ranch
Attachments: City Cauncil 9.15.2Q2Q, I#em 9, Froam Ran�h.da�x
A#tached are my�amments far Item 9, Froom Ranch.
Thank Yau.
Lea Braaks
5an Luis Dbispo
i
20194
Sept. 14, 2d20
Ta: Mayar Harmon and Council Memhers Christianson, Gvmez, 5tewart and Pease
From: Lea Brooks, San Luis �bispo resident
Re: Froam Ranch, Item 9
Thank yau for the oppartunity to comment an this praject. I am commenting as an
individual and not as a member of the Acti�e Transpartation Committee.
I was �ery fortunate to grow up in San Luis �bispo, and strive to li�e with a light
footprint ta prvtect our environment for future generatians. It's so very ab�ivus based on
the significant and una�aidable environmental impacts assaciated with the Froom
Ranch project that Los Osos Valley Road is nat a suitable lacatian.
Yes, there �ertainly is a demand far a life plan community in San Luis Qbispv. I hape
yvu will hear my vaice amvng the sliGkly prvduced videas featuring pevple whv want to
live in the gated Villaggio project.
If you appro�e this project, I hope each of you will explain to those of us who deeply
care a�aut the �nvironment why it's accepta�le ta override the identified significant and
unavoida�le im�acts, inGluding:
-California is on fire t�ecause of�limate change and development in high fire hazard
zones. Hellv! This praject is adjacent tv a "Very High Fire Hazard Se�erity Zane." It's
risky ta go autside let alone bicycle vr walk when air quality is hazardous in addition to
the heartbreaking damage, injuries and deaths to people and wildlife associated with
wildfires.
-�espite numerous well-designed mitigatians to imprave cvnditivns for bicycling and
walking, the addition of traffic generated by this project will exacerhate poor le�els of
services for pedestrian and bicycie modes. Again, the Los Osos Valley Road site is nat
an appropriate locatian for this �ar-dependent project because the envirvnmental impact
remains significant.
The Project Person Trips by Mode af Travel es#imates 88.2 percen# of o�erall trips
assaciated with Froam Ranch will be by passenger�ehicle, 4.6 percent by bicycle, 5
percent by pedestrian and 2.� per�ent by transit. N❑ matter how you spin thes�
numbers, the issue before yau is why a praje�t that is 88.2 percent dependent on motor
vehicles is a�ceptable in the year�020 when the goal should be ta reduce dependen�y
an automobiles and greenhause gases.
The Los Osos Valley Road Highway 1�1 interchange is daunting for e�en the mast
experien�ed bicyclists despite the impravements, primarily be�ause of aggressive
andlar distra�ted motorists. An undercrossing of the interchange to cannect existing and
tuture segments of the 6ob Janes Trail shauld ha�e been part of the interchange
improvements and more seriously cansidered as a mitigation for Froom Ranch.
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This project is a disasfer for active transportation safety and connectivity to the rest af
the city and cantradicts numerous green gaals, including 25 percent trips-by-bi{ce and
greenhause gas reductions. Trips by bike and faot nther than within the project and
vicinity will be profoundly thwarted far years to come.
In dramatic contrast, downtawn San Luis Obispa just received a boost with new bike
lanes an Higuera and Pism❑ streets. Thank you� These �ike lanes will suppvrt and
increase active transportatian trips in the downtawn area and help achieve City gaals.
Froom Ranch, with its significant environmental impa�ts, represents mo�ing ba�kward
because it makes transpartation by bike and foot more chalfenging for Laguna Lake-
area residents and througf� bicyclists wha are already limited ❑n r�utes they consider
safe to connect with the rest of the City.
-This praject is also incvnsistent with City plans and policies regarding prvte�tivn af
aesthetic and scenic quality, and cultural, biologicaf and tri�al �ultural resaurces.
20196