HomeMy WebLinkAbout9/6/2023 Item 4a, Bozzano
From:Anthony Bozzano <
To:Bell, Kyle; Tway, Timothea (Timmi)
Cc:Johnson, Derek; McClish, Teresa; Purrington, Teresa; Wiberg, Daisy;
newsroom@thetribunenews.com; news@ksby.com; news@newtimesslo.com;
news@kcbx.org
Subject:Reg: Temporary Safe Parking Program at Palm Street (DIR-0378-2023)
Follow Up Flag:Follow up
Flag Status:Completed
Categories:Purple Category
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Ms. Tway and Mr. Bell,
The purpose of this email is to express my full and firm opposition to both the temporary safe parking program
proposed adjacent to the SLO Veterans Hall on Palm Street (DIR-0378-2023), as well as the lack of public hearing on this
issue.
My concerns are the following:
Proximity to Early Childhood Education: The proposed safe parking zone is listed within one kilometer of three
children's education and daycare facilities (Love to Learn, United Methodists Children's Center, and SLO Classical
Academy). Many parents (myself included) walk and bicycle their children to daycare and/or school along Palm
Street, directly through the route in which this proposed safe parking zone would be established. Placing a
temporary parking location on this route will likely clog the flow of traffic down Palm Street; furthermore the
same issues that have affected previous safe parking zones within San Luis Obispo will likely persist on Palm
Street, and will present a safety and security hazard to the young children of our community.
Lack of Parking Enforcement: SLO Parking Enforcement is currently unable to manage the responsibilities of
their department, let alone the enforcing the 7 pm - 7 am hours of the proposed Palm Street Safe Parking
Program. To quote Gaven Hussey, City of SLO Parking Program Manager, in his July 5, 2023 email response to
me concerning a Preferential Parking Permit District,
o "Parking Services currently does not that the staffing resources to implement or enforce new parking
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districts or expand existing districts and have an item before Council on July 11. We are currently in the
process of asking the City Council permission to temporarily suspend the formation of new or expansion
of existing districts."
In light of Mr. Hussey's statement regarding the lack of staffing resources to currently implement of enforce new
parking districts, it is irresponsible for the City to burden SLO's parking enforcement with a new temporary
parking district which will need to be monitored daily to ensure that participants in the safe parking program
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have removed their vehicles by 7 am daily. As a community member, it is clear to me that this temporary
parking program cannot currently be effectively monitored and enforced.
Accountability to the Community: This Temporary Parking Program has been pushed through with little to no
public accountability, and no regard for the effect the Program will have on an existing and established
neighborhood. If a property owner in this neighborhood wants to build an ADU, remove a tree, or enclose their
front porch within their home, they are required to display public notices and potentially spend thousands of
dollars for ARC reviews, tree removal applications, and/or building permits and municipal improvements. The
City of SLO should operate under the same rules that they enforce upon tax paying members of the community;
the Temporary Parking Program does not merit the urgency of action that goes around the same standards by
which we must all operate.
Long Term Solutions: The Temporary Parking Program on Palm Street is not an effective solution, even
temporarily. Given the recent reports at the County Parking site, expanding beyond Prado and the Railroad
District into a residential neighborhood is a poorly-placed "band-aid". There are plenty of wide streets, with little
through traffic between 7 pm - 7 am, within the commercial and manufacturing zones outside of SLO City's
residential areas, that can serve this purpose better than Palm Street.
I believe that it is appropriate that the Temporary Parking Program will be stopped by the appropriate committee, and
held subject to the same standards as every other action affecting community members. Should this proceed under the
Community Director’s Action, I will contribute to the fund locally to formally challenge this.
Thank you for your time and your service to our community,
Anthony Bozzano
cc:
Derek Johnson
Kyle Belle
Teresa McClish
Teresa Purrington
Daisy Wiberg
The Tribune SLO
KSBY
KCBX
New Times SLO
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