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HomeMy WebLinkAbout6/12/2024 Item 4b, Detz Gerry Detz < To:Advisory Bodies Subject:Wednesday, June 12 Agenda Item 4b. Attachments:1827 Broad St - Jan 2012 last pic of phone center business.pdf; 1827 Broad St - April 2015-last pic as a business.pdf; 1827 Broad St - April 2016.pdf; 1827 Broad St March 2024.jpg This message is from an External Source. Use caution when deciding to open attachments, click links, or respond. San Luis Obispo Planning Committee Re: C-N Zone Text amendment, item 4b th Regarding item 4B on your June 12 agenda, we want to formally give our support in amending this overlooked and outdated ordinance/zoning regulation. Common sense would say that a residential structure in a C-N zone that was once used for an allowable business should be able to go back to being a residence with minimal cost and process especially if there were no structural additions to the footprint of the building. That said, when this amendment is adopted, the planning commission should also consider sending a proposal that cuts the costs and process if certain criteria is met. The cost and process of a M.U.P. and Building permit are shockingly excessive based on our experience. Amending the C-N regulation and possibly streamlining the process to return to residential use, will increase housing in San Luis Obispo with minimal changes to a neighborhood or need for more new construction. All positive steps that will help meet the needs of our community. The change made in 2018 to the C-N regulation that prohibits Commercial properties from returning back to Residential status makes no sense, not in 2018 and not now. The City not only did not inform the property owners of the ordinance change in 2018, the Planning department in their own admission, does not know why removing residential as a conforming use was omitted. (“It is not clear to staff if this change was intentional or an oversight as there was no specific discussion in the staff reports, presentations, or minutes from the public hearings regarding this amendment”) These two points substantially impacted our property in a negative way as we lost our potential buyer after our property went into escrow when we found out about the 2018 change by accident. If we had been notified, we would have had a chance to voice our concern in 2018. Instead, we felt blindsided in February, 2024 and now are waiting for the change. th On June 12 hopefully the Planning Commission will approve the amendment without hesitation and look to the near future to help streamline the process, cut red tape and reduce costs for property owners with a smart growth process in mind. Here are some excerpts from an article by Whitney Szentesi, Public Communications Manager touting the city’s pro housing designation: Per Derek Johnson: “By earning the Pro housing Designation, we have now been rewarded a competitive edge because of our efforts to cut through red tape, reduce construction and development costs, and create housing policies with a smart-growth mindset.” 1 From Mayor Erica Stewart: “While the City government doesn’t build housing directly, the City has adopted – and continues to adopt – innovative policies that will create new housing developments and further the construction of more housing in San Luis Obispo” From our Governor on a January 31 news release: “We need to aggressively build more housing to support Californians. Proposing cities move to the front of the line when it comes to incentives, funding and other state resources. It’s critical for more communities to join in this distinction and build their fair share of housing”. From the City of SLO: ‘The City has adopted a variety of new housing programs and policies to create new housing in SLO including: Updating subdivision regulations to increase flexibility for small lot developments. Instituting a Downtown Flexible Density pilot program to convert unused commercial spaces into small residential units with fewer requirements and restrictions. Streamlined permit processing for housing projects. Removed subjective design standards. The City also waives or defers permit fees on affordable housing that exceeds inclusionary requirements, voluntarily provides affordable housing, or is built and operated by the local housing authority, a nonprofit agency, or a government agency. With the above points in mind and following the spirit of the state H.O.M.E. act SB9, the passage of this amendment text change is an easy decision. However; the points listed in the article imply there is some kind of streamlined process currently in place to cut the red tape, reduce development costs, streamline the permit process etc. which in our opinion do not exist. Our property still needs your approval then needs to maneuver through two city council meetings, a minor use permit costing north of $4000 and a building permit with estimates exceeding $3000. To top it off this process might not be completed until December and we started this in February. Somehow this does not seem like San Luis Obispo’s Pro Housing designation has the city thinking outside any box. The Planning Department has been sympathetic to our situation, however none of the staff are given the ability to right this wrong. We do understand processes need to be in place and our situation may be unique, but that’s the point. If a property meets certain criteria, the Planning Department should have the ability to review a property request, decipher the information such as changing from Commercial Use to Residential Use with no building requirements and move forward. Then depending on the situation, they should be able to “cut the red tape” and streamline the permit process along with a reasonable fee. This should honestly take less than 30 days. Our building has the same footprint, the same number of rooms, as it was used as a retail/office from 2000 to 2016. Inside the home now the appliances, cabinets, bath fixtures and painting have been updated. I’ve included a few pictures from google maps showing when the property was a business in 2012, 2015 and after the business closed and became a residence again in 2016 as well as a current 2024 picture. The property always looked like a residence and still does. Thank you to the Planning Department for bringing this amendment to the Commission for their review and an advance thank you to the Commission for approving the amendment. Respectfully, Gerry and Toni Detz 2 Image capture: Jan 2012 © 2024 Google San Luis Obispo, California Google Street View Jan 2012 See latest date 1831 Broad St Image capture: Apr 2015 © 2024 Google San Luis Obispo, California Google Street View Apr 2015 See latest date 1831 Broad St Image capture: Apr 2016 © 2024 Google San Luis Obispo, California Google Street View Apr 2016 See latest date 1831 Broad St S j^ • .y"*Aw a e- i` .�410