HomeMy WebLinkAbout4/15/2025 Item 7a, Welch
Samantha Welch <
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:Comment post 4/15 Council Meeting
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To the San Luis Obispo City Council Members,
I am writing to follow up on the April 15th meeting, specifically Agenda Item 7a. I’d like to begin by thanking the
Council for its continued commitment to Public Art, Economic Vitality, and the Protection of Open Spaces—just
three of the pillars that help make San Luis Obispo such a special place to live.
It is the third pillar, the protection of Open Spaces, that gives me particular concern following Councilmember
Marx’s comments during the budget input discussion (timestamp ~4:52). She raised the idea of converting the
Laguna Lake Golf Course into Affordable Housing.
To be fully transparent, I am a resident of the Laguna neighborhood, and our home backs up to the golf course.
We've lived here since 2018, and a major reason we chose this home over others was for the peacefulness of
the area—the rare feeling of being “in the country” while still in the city—and the unobstructed views of Bishop
Peak and Madonna Mountain.
In the last seven years, we’ve seen the golf course grow busier and expand its community offerings, which has
been wonderful to witness. Still, it’s clear the property needs more investment. With the right support, it could
become a truly vibrant, multi-use community hub. Many local golfers would love to spend more time there, but
the course currently can’t compete with others in the county. That could change—with an investment far smaller
than some of the recent downtown parking technology upgrades.
Beyond personal sentiment, there are also very real traffic concerns. The addition of San Luis Ranch, the
proposed new housing near Costco, and the popularity of this corridor as a shopping destination have already
increased congestion. The Los Osos Valley Road corridor is often backed up several light cycles during peak
hours. While this may not rival traffic in larger cities, it’s still a significant shift for those who live here and chose
San Luis Obispo for its small-town atmosphere.
I encourage the Council to continue to protect the unique qualities that make our city such a desirable and livable
place. I hope the Laguna Lake Golf Course can be seen as a valuable open space and community asset worth
investing in, rather than repurposing.
Thank you again for your service and for considering this perspective.
Warm regards,
Samantha Welch
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