HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-20-2012 slo down town assoc ph1 public commentIt
:EETING .
AGEND A
GATE Iih'CC17.ITEM #.?W
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Congratulations Jan, Dan and John on your recent reelections ... you have truly earned
the trust of the SLO electorate! As you know, Derek Johnson, Doug Davidson an d
Marcus Corloni made a presentation to Save Our Downtown on November a on the
SLO Brew proposed expansion and relocation . We have also had the opportunity to
review the staff report attached to your Tuesday November 20 `"agenda along with their
recommendations. This staff report along with its recommendations seems to ignor e
Council's direction in response to our appeal There is still a roof top lounge whic h
could easily be converted into a bar facility.There is still an industrial scale steel stair
replacing the current original, historical structure providing exterior access to the roof
top. Nightclub queuing will still encroach onto Mission Plaza on Thursday night s
(begging the question : why not limit nightclub activities to the remaining six days o f
the week?). And thefacility is still greatly expanded over its current size As a rebuttal
to staffs recommendations I suggest you reiterate the following points:
Fifty-four to fifty-nine percent of SLO business owners and residents recently polled
are opposed to more bars and nightclubs in the Downtown .SLO has the highest
number of bars per capita of any city in California (using Trulia Trends as a guide)
and the number of alcohol outlets within our City continues to rise because the City
presently lacks the controls to stop this . According to a Trulia Trends August 201 2
publication San Francisco has the highest per household number of bars at 6.0 –
however,SLO has 6.7 bars per capita The SLO Brew owners are still proposing a
significant expansion in its new location and the property owners reserve the right to
place another bar/restaurant in its previous location. Finally the business owner acros s
the street from the current SLO Brew admitted that he has had every store windo w
broken over the past 10 years ostensibly because of his proximity to this establishmen t
In short, all S.O.D.is asking is :
1)that SLO Brew relocate at its current siz e
a.Regarding the proposed size of the facility : Back in 2007 there was a
placard on the wall upstairs of 1119 Garden Street staling "Max Capacit y
280" (see "Zorro" below). Currently, according to event notifications,
concerts are typically sold out at 350-400 (see Ryan East quote in "Snoo p
Dogg" below). But somehow, between 2007 and 2012 the nightclu b
capacity increased from 280 to 457 . Now they are seeking an increase i n
auditorium capacity to 473 which is considerably larger than their 200 7
capacity of 280 or their 2012 capacity of 400 Of we are to believe Rya n
East w/ BooBoo Records). Those arguing for an increase in the auditoriu m
space state that it will also be used for conferences and weddings . They
also argue that a larger venue will attract higher caliber acts . But this sort
of wishful thinking cannot be enforced .
b.According to staff's calculations the last proposal will accommodate a
total occupancy of 713 patrons under normal operation but this does no t
include the additional 45 creekside diners which results in a total of 75 8
patrons – a 37% to 52% increase over its present capacity of 555 (or 49 8
Honorable Mayor and Council Members –
per Ryan East). We support Mayor Marx's statement back in Septembe r
24th : "If this were simply similar size in terms of square footag e
occupancy, this would be a true relocation ."
2)without the right of the owner to open a new alcohol outlet in it's previou s
location,
a . According to a June 13, 2012 Tribune article the current SLO Brewing sit e
is scheduled to become a restaurant and bar for a hotel approved as part of
the mixed-use Garden Street Terraces project . If this relocation were
temporary until SLO Brew could move back into its previous locatio n
after the Garden Street Terraces were completed, we would have n o
complaints . What worries us is that the developer wants this to be a
permanent move perhaps because he knows that SLO Brew would not b e
compatible with the hotel and mixed-use development he is proposing .
3)that the historical integrity of the Carrisa Building be maintaine d
a.The applicant has indicated incorporating the entire staircase interior to th e
building is infeasible due to a significant reduction of usable interior spac e
and significant structural changes to the building . Modifying the staircas e
circulation was identified by the Council as an approach for the applicant
to consider in limiting occupancy of the building . How can the develope r
complain that he is losing usable interior space when he is moving from a
11,000 square foot building to a 15,000 square foot building? And what
structural changes would prove infeasible considering that this building
must comply with a new seismic upgrade ?
b.Finally, note that wooden structures attached to the rear of brick buildings
predominate in Port Townsend, WA and are preserved because the City
fathers deemed these structures to be historically significant (see attache d
photos below).
4)and that its bar/nightclub activities not encroach onto Mission Plaza (even on
Thursdays).
a.Conditions of approval (#25) allow the patron queue to use the creek-sid e
pedestrian bridge to access the rear entrance to the second floor durin g
Farmers' Market or other downtown events, which may conflict with a
patron queue along the Higuera Street sidewalk . Think about the other
"downtown events" which could conflict with a patron queue . The annual
X'mas Parade, the SLO Marathon, Art After Dark, SLO Hig h
Homecoming Parade, GranFondo Annual Bike Ride, SLO Tweed Ride ,
Walk for Autism, Walk a Mile in Her Shoes, Walk for MS, etc .?
b.Both Derek Johnson and Deborah Cash do not object to some queuing i n
Mission Plaza and have advocated that the developer provide increase d
lighting within the Creek area to accommodate this queuing as it wil l
demonstrably reduce crime activities there . But a study of the San Lui s
Obispo Crime Maps provided by the San Luis Obispo Police Departmen t
indicates that there are virtually no crimes being committed within th e
Creek area . Within the last four years there was one incident of vandalis m
within the Creek area . Going back ten years one finds one additional arres t
for narcotics possession . While within the same time period there have
been 21 instances of vandalism, 16 assaults, 8 drug busts, 4 burglaries,1
robbery and 1 sex offence along Higuera Street between Broad an d
Chorro. I might add that along Garden Street between Higuera and Mars h
where the current SLO Brew is located there have been 9 incidences o f
vandalism and 6 assaults within the past 4 years . Allow bar activities t o
spill out onto Mission Plaza and there will be an increase in vandalism ,
assaults, drug busts, robberies and sex offences within the Creek area .
c . The applicant has redesigned the proposed roof level patio to function as a
restaurant/lounge (similar to that of the new Granada Hotel on Mon o
Street), eliminated the concentrated use (i .e . bar) occupancy, and has
reduced the size of the roof level patio to 980 square feet (previously
1,099 square feet). What is to prevent the lounge use to morph back into a
bar? And with a 12% reduction in floor space, what is to prevent the 4 9
maximum occupancy from creeping back up to 145 ?
d_ Elimination of the roof top use will result in the elimination of th e
mandatory 2 exits from the 3 M floor thereby considerably reducing the size
and expense of the rear 3 'd floor stair (whether it be exterior or interior).
Respectfully submitted, Allan Cooper, Chair, Save Our Downtow n
Zorro
Posted on : 08-12-2007 06 :10 :3 5
"I had not intended to visit here today I had planned to be in Camarillo for the SoCa l
BA meeting . Long story short I had to work, but I ended up in Santa Maria today an d
San Luis isn't so far away so I made the trip to SLO . I had intended to stop at Spike s
and see what was available but after parking and paying the parking meter I foun d
that Spikes was closed for some reason . To salvage a disappointment I remembere d
that there was something new at the place where SLO Brewing used to be so I heade d
to here .
Pretty much everything is upstairs and pretty much the same as when it was SL O
Brewing.
This is a medium sized brew-house and restaurant the placard on the wall says "Ma x
Capacity 280 ."Windows on only the front of the place the rest of it is red brick with a
hardwood floor and a tin roof with sky lights and ceiling fans . This place is dark an d
shadowy inside on this warm and bright day . Normal type bar with nothing ver y
notable about it . Chalkboard signs tell you what is on tap and I do see that the new
owner had the good sense to keep making the SLO blueberry ale without the SL O
name .
Average service here the bartender is an obvious student at Cal Poly he is competen t
but not enthusiastic .
All the taps are house beers with eight selections available .
Good menu, I ordered the hand cut fries and I got an over generous portion I could
never hope to finish with Parmesan cheese and fairly salty for $3 .95, 50 cents more t o
add garlic .
I sampled two beers while there ; the wheat was OK and the IPA very good .
More or less this is SLO Brewing under a new name ; it is basically the same place ."
Snoop Dogg sells out SLO Brew for second tim e
Posted on : 10 May 201 2
"Snoop Dogg fans will have a chance to see the legendary rapper at downtown's SL O
Brewing Co . tomorrow night, if they were lucky enough to snag a ticket during th e
few short days they were available .
The artist, known for his hits such as "Gin and Juice," "Drop It Like It's Hot" an d
"Let's Get Blown," sold out SLO Brewing Co . (SLO Brew) in less than a week .
"Tickets went on sale Friday or Saturday and they were completely sold out b y
Tuesday of the next week," said Boo Boo Records employee Ryan East .
Boo Boo Records handled the ticket sales for the May 11 show . East said th e
maximum occupancy for the relatively small concert space is between 350 and 40 0
people .
Prices were considerably higher than those for other performances at the venue ,
though . Regular tickets sold for $76 while VIP tickets cost $356 . General admission
tickets are now selling for more than twice their original cost on Craigslist .
"With the VIP tickets, you'll be able to meet Snoop Dogg and get a picture with
him," East said . "That's really the only difference ."
The 40-year-old performer, born Calvin Broadus, is also known as Snoop Dogg y
Dogg, D-O-Double-G and the Doggfather, according to his website . He recentl y
made headlines with his appearances at Indio's music festival, Coachella, where h e
appeared on stage with Dr . Dre and a hologram of the late rapper Tupac Shakur .
Aerospace engineering seniors, Shaun Luther and Steve Katzman, attended Coachell a
and saw Snoop's performance .
"He performed with the ghost of his dead friend and still smoked a blunt on stage,"
Katzman said . "That's dedication to your art ."
Luther said he'd want to see Snoop Dogg perform again .
"I heard he was coming here sometime soon, and I'd definitely be down to go,"
Luther said . "It was great seeing him and the rest of the old rappers I used to listen t o
as a kid ."
This performance will mark the second time in two years that Snoop has played a t
SLO Brew . He last visited San Luis Obispo in October . Snoop will perform in Sant a
Cruz before his San Luis Obispo show and travels to Las Vegas, Nev ., afterwards,
according to his official website .
Justin Muravez works security at the venue . He said Snoop is a "true performer of our
generation ."
Dear Mayor Man and Council Members -
Here's the data pertaining to the "highest number of bars per capita/household in the Stat e
of California":
See Trulia Trends : "Eating Towns, Drinking Towns "
http ://trends.tniliablog . com/2012/08/eating-towns-drinking-towns /
Bars per 10,000 household s
1 New Orleans, LA 8 .6
2 Milwaukee, WI 8 .5
3 Omaha, NE-IA 8 .3
4 Pittsburgh, PA 7 .9
5 Toledo, OH 7 .2
6 Syracuse, NY 7 .0
7 Buffalo, NY 6 .8
8 San Francisco, CA 6 .0
9 Las Vegas, NV 6 .0
10 Honolulu, HI 5 .9
San Francisco is the only town that made the "top ten" list in California and it has 6 .0
bars per 10,000 households .
We have 33 bars in SLO or 6 .7 bars per 10,000 capita (not households). See th e
following :
For 33 bars in San Luds Obispo : See the following website @
https ://maps .google .co.uk/maps?hl=en&safe=active&ie=UTF -
8&q=bars+in+san+luis+obispo+ca&fb=1&gl =uk&hq =bars&hnear =0x80ece6be7b6cc22 7
:Oxbc0290c2ceefnf46,San+Luis+Obispo,+CA,+USA&ei =QV IpUJV8jumIBuCCgLA0 &
ved=OCLMBELY D
And/or see the list below :
My calculations are as follows : 49,000 population divided by 10,000 = 4 .9
33 bars divided by 4 .9 = 6 .73 bars per 10,000 populatio n
City of SLO ave . household size : 2 .23 x 6 .73 = 14.95 bars per household (per Trull i
Trends this would be the highest in the nation, even higher than New Orleans!)
Best I can tell, most of these have separate bars and serve hard liquor as well as bee r
and wine:
I Black Sheep Bar & Grill
2 Buffalo Bar & Grill
3 Bulls Tavern
4 California Karaok e
5 Cafe Roma
6 Creekside Brewing
7 Creeky Tiki
8 Crossroads Sports Deli & Pub
9 Eureka!
10 Firestone Grill
11 Frog & Peac h
12 Gaslight Lounge
13 Grenada
14 Koberl @ Blu e
15 Laguna Brew
16 Luna Red
17Marti's
18 Manuel's
19 McCarthy's
20 Mother's Taver n
21 Pappy McGregor's Irish Pub
22 Silver Bar Cocktail Loung e
23 SLO Brewin g
24 Spike's
27 The Graduate
28 The Library Lounge
29 The Shack
At least six* of these could be included in the total because they have separat e
bars ... but I'm not sure how many of these serve hard liquor (obviously not the win e
bars):
30 Applebee's
31 Allegra Wine & War e
32 Big Sky *
33 Central Coast Wine
34 Kreuzeberg
35 Luis Wine Bar
36 Meze
37Madonna In n
38 Novo Restaurant *
39 Round Table Pizz a
40 Sidecar *
40 Spirit of San Luis *
41 Steynberg Gallery *
42 The Clubhouse @ This Old House
43 Vieni Vai *
44 Vintage 125 5
45 Wine Shed