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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1/22/2024 Item 4a, Terry Wayne Terry < To:Advisory Bodies Cc:Oetzell, Walter; Leveille, Brian Subject:CHC Meeting 1/22/24 - ARCH-0448-2022 Attachments:CHC Comments Regarding 1925 Santa Barbara - Final.docx This message is from an External Source. Use caution when deciding to open attachments, click links, or respond. Hello, Attached are my comments for the proposed project at 1925 Santa Barbara. I hope to attend the meeting, however, I wanted to have my comments/concerns on the record should anything prevent me from attending. Regards, Wayne Terry 1902 Chorro St, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 1 To: The Cultural Heritage Committee From: Wayne Terry, 1902 Chorro St. Re: 1925 Santa Barbara Ave. Mixed -Use Development within the Railroad Historic District Obispo Investments Inc., - Applicant Meeting Date 01/22/24 Introduction The proposed project is located in the Historic Railroad District. The site is zoned commercial services however it is adjacent to a residential neighborhood (outside the Railroad District) which has several listed Historic homes and many contributing properties. At one time this area was a residential neighborhood near the train station which provided convenient housing for railroad workers and those in associated industries. The residential use remains today and added to it are commercial services lots facing Santa Barbara Street. Several of these lots reflect the past with the old original homes which now constitute a legally non-conforming land use. The project before you is not the right project for this site. It is grossly oversized, primarily residential despite the commercial zoning and its size leads to irreparable impacts to historic resources. It is harmful to our neighborhood and it is not good for San Luis Obispo. I am interested in this project as the homeowner of 1902 Chorro Street. Our home is briefly mentioned in the staff report - it is a Master List Property known at the Bittick Residence. We are next door to the Chapek House (a Master List Property) which is adjacent to the proposed project. Even though we are not adjacent to the project parcel, we are none the less quite close: The project is less than 40 feet from our back patio. Quite close when one considers the project scale. 1 Here’s our view of the project from our backyard: 2 In an effort to effectively communicate my concerns, I will organize my comments into 3 main categories: 1) Size, 2) Setbacks and 3) Issues with the Initial Agenda Report (ARCH-0448- 2022). Size The City of San Luis Obispo Historic Preservation Program Guidelines states: 3.2.1 Architecturally compatible development within Historic Districts. New structures in historic districts shall be designed to be architecturally compatible with the district’s prevailing historic character as measured by their consistency with the scale, massing, rhythm, signature architectural elements, exterior material, siting and street yard setbacks of the district’s historic structures, as described in Figures 2 and 3. Here are the two figures referenced: 3 The project is clearly represented by the “non-compatible” examples in these two figures. The project’s mass, formand design components do not relate to the existing historical elements of the neighborhood. I’ve added a drawing (in red) to provide an example of the massing of the project. Later in the Historic Preservation Program Guideline is: 5.2.5 Railroad Historic District Found in this section is the following: Predominant architectural details include: A. One- and two-story buildings predominate B. Gabel and some hip roof types of low to medium pitch, occasionally with parapets C. Predominantly painted wood siding, with some masonry or smooth plaster wall siding D. Traditional fenestration, such as double-hung, wood sash windows, and fixed divided light windows. E. Rectilinear massing, with equal or lesser volume on second floor F. Simple detailing often along the roof line including brackets 4 The project is clearly not consistent with the predominant architectural details found in the Railroad District. It is, however, similar to what is described as Non-Contributing Elements in the Railroad District. Following is that section. It should be noted that the Non-contributing Element shown above was placed next to an existing 3 story commercial building (the Channel Commercial Building) and adjacent to the 3 story Hotel Park. The proposed project by contrast would be placing a similar size building next to one- and two story buildings which reflect the predominant architecture in the district. Again, the project is clearly not consistent with the predominant architectural details found in the Railroad District including scale, massing, rhythm, and signature architectural elements. Page 67 of the Railroad District Plan (RDP), Section 3.2 C. specifically states, and I quote “Preserve the scale, pattern and spacing of the existing buildings along the West side of Santa Barbara Street.” This project references 2120 Santa Barbara as a similar project, however, this similarity should be considered flawed as it is on the East side of Santa Barbara. The authors of the RDP apparently were sensitive at the time the document was drafted to what might happen in the future as this transition zone between commercial and residential areas develops. Clearly they intended to offer some protection to the residential neighborhood. This project neither protects the residential atmosphere per the General Plan nor does it preserve the scale, pattern and spacing of existing buildings per the Railroad District Plan. As I mentioned in my introduction, the adjacent and neighboring homes are not in the Railroad District. Section 3.3 Historic Resources outside Historic Districts offers the following: 3.3.1 Historic Resources outside Historic Districts. Listed Historic Resources located outside of historic districts shall be subject to the same protection and regulations applicable to historic resources within historic districts. 5 The City of San Luis Obispo General Plan places the protection of a residential atmosphere as the first priority at boundaries between residential and non-residential development. The following image shows the neighborhood around the project. You should note that the parcels marked with a yellow star are Master List Properties. I’ll go ahead and point out the obvious: these are historic homes, one- and two story homes. These are not 3 story commercial structures or 2 story on top of a parking structure. Figure 6 from the Historic Preservation Program Guidelines clearly categorizes the project as an Out-of-Scale Addition to a Historic District / Historical Neighborhood. 6 The project is not compatible with the Railroad District predominant architectural details and it is also not compatible with the neighboring homes. Setbacks Because of the proposed projects and the minimal allowable setbacks, the project overwhelms all the adjacent structures, both historical and otherwise. I do think this project will be precedent setting and I would expect the next parcel south of the project site will develop in a similar way as well as the parcel after that. This leaves a residential neighborhood, containing master list homes, with greatly impacted views, restricted natural light (which in turn limits our options for solar power) and walkways/balconies of people looking down into our backyards and windows. These are historic homes that are significant in San Luis Obispo’s history. They explain our past and serve as guideposts to the future (quote from The Historic Preservation Program Guidelines). These homes deserve protection. For over 100 years they have given people a place to live, socialize, garden and play. Should the project proceed with maximum height, it becomes critical to increase setbacks from the property lines. A relevant quote from an early revision of the Initial Study reads: T he Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the treatment of Historic Properties recommend that the new construction adjacent to historic resources to be designed to preserve the historic relationship between buildings and the landscape. The project clearly does not comply with this. Historic Properties will lose view shed and light at a minimum with the current design. Initial Agenda Report (ARCH-0488-2022) Review of the staff report states that there will be no California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and that the project is categorically exempt. The reasons listed include no habitat for endangered species, no significant effects to traffic, noise, air quality or water quality. What is not stated in there reasons for exemption is the effect on Historical resources. Historical resources are considered part of the environment and a project that may cause a substantial adverse effect on the significance of a historical resource is a project that may have a significant effect on the environment. The definition of "historical resources" is contained in § 15064.5 Determining the Significance of Impacts to Archaeological and Historic Resources of the CEQA 7 Guidelines. A “historical resource” is defined in §15064.5 (a) (2) “A resource included in a local register of historical resources. This requires state and local public agencies to identify the environmental impacts of proposed activities or projects, determine if the impacts will be significant, and identify alternatives and mitigation measures that will substantially reduce or eliminate significant impacts to the environment. I agree with staff that the project “lacks many of the characteristics described in the Architectural Guidelines for the Railroad Historic District”. I would ask that the project be consistent with the Railroad District Plan Architectural Guidelines and not ignore Page 67 of the Railroad District Plan (RDP), Section 3.2 C. Conclusion In conclusion, I would encourage you to support a project which complies with the Predominant Architectural Details for the Historic Railroad District as described in the City of San Luis Obispo Historic Preservation Program Guidelines (dated November 2010). I would also encourage you to support a project which places the protection of a historic residential atmosphere as the first priority. Unfortunately, the project before you is not that project and I would encourage you to not extend your support of this project as it is designed and return the Initial Study for revisions. Thank you for your time reading this. I know it’s a little long, but I think images were helpful. Please Don’t Do This To Our Homes 8