HomeMy WebLinkAbout5/28/2025 Item 4a & 4b, Walker, S.
Steven Walker <
To:Advisory Bodies
Subject:Planning Commission Meeting 5/28/25 - Item 4.a and 4.b.
Planning Commission Meeting
May 28, 2025
Re: Items 4.a and 4.b
Dear City Planning Commissioners,
While making your decisions about item 4.a, and 4.b, re-reviewing the existing conditional use permits
for two fraternities, please remember the impacts of these fraternity operations on neighborhood
livability. The negative impacts are real, and I have discussed them at length
here: https://howtoruinaneighborhood.com/disruption-retaliation-and-issues/
I am writing to you as a SLO resident whose quality of life has decreased due to the increase in fraternity
operations and Greek life in the Alta Vista neighborhood. I am a first responder, a shift worker who works
nights on the latter half of my work week, and a pilot. My shift is from 7:30 pm to 8:00 am and can run
longer if I'm on a flight. I am responsible for getting my crew safely to a scene and then transporting my
crew and patient to the nearest trauma center. When I'm on my rest period, I need to rest. This shouldn't
be much to ask for in a residential neighborhood. However, Delta Chi had this massive party after
receiving the notice to appear before the Planning Commission. They simply do not care. I was woken by
the bass last Saturday afternoon and asked my wife if she could go and locate the source. It was more
than 1500' away using Google maps. I don't know how it did, but it got a negative violation of the noise
ordinance by SLOPD. My wife took a video, and the music was blaring over the car's sound. She was
approximately 160 feet away, according to Google Earth.
Both fraternities appearing before you should feel privileged to live in the correct residential zone, where
they have a CUP. But let's be honest with ourselves: they violate it with impunity. City Staff is asking that
one of the conditions for re-review allow three violations. How many violations happen in your
neighborhood? They should be having these massive events at third-party venues, but they don't. Please
see how many violations they've had since receiving notice of this hearing.
I also ask that you deny these fraternities their CUP. There are currently 18 fraternities in the
Interfraternity Council at Cal Poly. Many with additional "satellite" fraternity houses in R1 and R2
neighborhoods that hold events. Only 6 have CUPs. Other fraternities would feel privileged to live in the
correct residential zone. Denying the CUPs would be the first step in opening a public conversation
around Cal Poly Greek life. The City and Cal Poly would be forced to deal with the situation. The public
needs to know how pervasive this issue is and how hands-off Cal Poly is with Greek activities in the
neighborhood.
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The current system is not working, and there is a perceived double standard when compared to other
neighborhoods in our wonderful city. Please deny the CUPs to create meaningful conversations and
change in the neighborhoods close to Cal Poly. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Steve Walker
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