HomeMy WebLinkAbout9/6/2023 Item 4a, Bozzano (2)
Wilbanks, Megan
From:Anthony Bozzano <afbozzano@gmail.com>
Sent:Wednesday, September 6, 2023 2:37 PM
To:Advisory Bodies
Subject:9/6/23 Item 4a: Safe Parking Program
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City of SLO Planning Commission:
The purpose of this email is to express my opposition to the placement of the temporary safe parking program on a
public street.
My concerns are the following:
Lack of Parking Enforcement: SLO Parking Enforcement is currently unable to manage the responsibilities of
their department, let alone enforcing the 7 pm - 7 am hours of the previously proposed temporary parking
program on Palm St. 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
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: Placing the Temporary Parking Program on a public 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 any residential neighborhood is a poorly-placed "band-aid". There are plenty of empty parking
lots, including City lots, with little through traffic between 7 pm - 7 am, that can serve this purpose better.
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I believe that it is appropriate that the Temporary Parking Program will be held subject to the same standards as every
other action affecting community members.
Thank you for your time and your service to our community,
Anthony Bozzano
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