HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/7/2023 Item 6a, Drisdelle
Rachel Drisdelle <
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:Downtown Parking
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Hello,
I hope that you are all doing well. I’m writing to voice my concerns regarding parking in downtown SLO, especially with
the holiday season fast approaching.
As a resident and business owner, I have lives in SLO for 12 years and during that time have seen the unfortunate decline
of downtown. Between the pandemic, lack of cleanliness, and other issues, businesses downtown have been hit by
obstacle after obstacle just to keep their doors open. It feels like despite best efforts, downtown is a ghost town of
shops that remain empty.
The recent increase in parking and removing first hour free is a slap in the face to business owners. After all they have
endured the past few years that were out of their control they now have to face the fact that their city government also
has a hand in hampering their ability to do business. Why remove an incentive for people to shop local? By removing the
first hour free, “errand style” shopping downtown is essentially eradicated. What is the plan other than to drive
consumers toward corporate box stores like Target or Costco and away from our local creators and families that are the
heart of our community? It’s appalling and unfortunately shows that the city governement’s goal is money over
community.
I hope that the City Council meeting yesterday was fruitful and that community members voices were heard regarding
the parking situation downtown. I also hope that the city will respect and listen to its community members and be a
partner with them to restore the vibrancy and uniqueness of downtown before more stores are forced to close.
Thank you for your time,
Rachel Drisdelle
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