HomeMy WebLinkAbout8/25/2025 Item 4a, Hamlin (3)
Advisory Bodies
Subject:FW: ARCH-0451-2024 Cultural Heritage Committee Hearing Aug.25, 530 pm
From: Robin Hamlin <
Sent: Sunday, August 24, 2025 7:06 PM
To: Hanh, Hannah <hhanh@slocity.org>
Cc: Advisory Bodies <advisorybodies@slocity.org>; Jim Thane < ; German Auto
< ; Rick Griswold < ; Rob Durham < ;
Subject: Re: ARCH-0451-2024 Cultural Heritage Committee Hearing Aug.25, 530 pm
Hi Hannah,
Thanks again for your email and sending me the link showing where my comments were posted. Are the
units to be rented apartments or condominiums? In reviewing the tentative parcel map, I see that the
“Applicant submitted a Tentative Parcel Map application for a common interest subdivision. This
proposed map is for condominium purposes and would result in 49 residential units and one (1)
commercial unit.” Does that mean they are proposing one owner of the 49 residential units for rental
purposes, and a commercial condo separately owned for the restaurant, and/or something else like a
homeowners association be established with 49 condos and one owner of the commercial unit? I noted
the word “rent” appearing somewhere as well in the documents.
As I’ve become more familiar with the project and the City’s steps in the project, it appears that this
Cultural Heritage Committee hearing is the first public notification of this project’s development. Quite
fast for such a large impact development with final review in about seven weeks! It is clear that a
tremendous amount of work has been done by the developers and architects to reach this point. I
realize that some of my comments would better fit the ARC's and Community Development Director’s
evaluations, but I am glad that you forwarded my comments on to other City departments, presumably
Public Works, Traffic Engineering staff, and possibly Police. As they say, time is of the essence and it’s
really true now. To reiterate, these are my specific traffic concerns and things I hope you and others
involved can “tweak” in the final project to improve it:
1. Traffic safety and the very real need to reduce speed in the narrow 200 block of Pacific Street
with two way traffic and parking on both sides.
2. Traffic and pedestrian safety in the alley between the residential building and the parking lot,
and use of the alley entrance for utililty vehicles by residents
3. The Pacific Street parking lot entrance driveway and congestion, and my suggestion of another
driveway into the residential lot on Walker Street
4. The increased traffic at the nearby diagonal intersections with Walker, Pacific, Higuera and
High Streets
I ask that the Community Development Director will investigate remediation done for the safety of all
land involved that was part of the Gas Works in the last 100 years or more, since it was on my Pacific
Street parking lot that the sinkhole developed. I had also been contacted by PG&E several years ago,
asking me to sell PG&E sections of Railroad Alley, which I do not own, I never owned, and which has
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become City property. As I recall, PG&E was attempting to purchase alley property and more? in order to
do remediation (an environmental clean up) of the gas works sites. Unfortunately I no longer have those
inquiries but it does raise the question of the what went on below the soil surface decades ago, such as
where were underground wires and cables stored and why, and how much remediation was done. The
large lots have been fenced and bare for many years with what looks like a fresh gravel surface but
remediation of deeper soil is unknown.
Lastly, I know that development in SLO is inevitable but I strongly want the City (i.e.all the final approving
parties) to keep the projects within the standard building height limits, to keep the established setbacks
from the sidewalks, and insist on enough parking so that street parking is available for business
customers, employees, and visitors. Those things make the town pleasant and every little waiver
destroys part of it. Plan ahead to avoid the crowded parking headaches of SLO. Instead of downtown
density, please encourage more housing in SLO city’s outreaching neighborhoods.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Robin Hamlin
Owner, 1325 Archer (at Pacific) and adjacent parking lot on Pacific.
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