HomeMy WebLinkAboutGreg Cruce Emails printed
From: Cruce, Greg
Sent: Wednesday, April 15, 2026 8:06 AM
To: Schwartz, Luke; Wheeler, Bryan
Cc: Kacsinta, Madeline
Subject: RE: Red Curb
Yes, I'm asking maintenance to check and correct. I'll keep you posted.
Thank you,
Greg Cruce
Deputy Director - Maintenance Operations
Public Works
E gcruce(q)_slocity.orq
T 805.781.7264
From: Schwartz, Luke <LSchwart@slocity.org>
Sent: Wednesday, April 15, 2026 7:38 AM
To: Cruce, Greg <gcruce@slocity.org>; Wheeler, Bryan <bwheeler@slocity.org>
Cc: Kacsinta, Madeline <MKacsint@slocity.org>
Subject: Fw: Red Curb
FYI - See below. Mike asserts that the red curb paint was extended 16' from the hydrant instead of 15'. 1 had
offered for Bryan to double check in the field, but if maintenance staff is going to verify then Bryan can hold off.
Luke
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From: Michael Loew <
Sent: Tuesday, April 14, 2026 2:06:46 PM
To: Schwartz, Luke <LSchwart@slocity.org>
Cc: Wheeler, Bryan <bwheeler@slocity.org>
Subject: Re: Red Curb
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On Apr 14, 2026, at 2:03 PM, Schwartz, Luke <LSchwart@slocity.org> wrote:
It sounds like the previous red curb was also not quite 15' from the hydrant, so we may not be able to
retain the same curb space as existed previously, but we'll do a final check in the field.
Luke Schwartz
Transportation Manager
<image001.png>
Public Works
Transportation Planning/Engineering
919 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401-3218
E LSchwartz(a)-slocity.org
T 805.781.7190
slocity.org
Report immediate concerns using the Ask SLO tool
From: Michael Loew <
Sent: Tuesday, April 14, 2026 1:57 PM
To: Schwartz, Luke <LSchwart@slocity.org>
Cc: Wheeler, Bryan <bwheeler@slocity.org>
Subject: Re: Red Curb
Luke, the new space is 18'-4" feet. So the new parking space technically meets the minimum
parking standards; however, the space before was larger and at 19'-4". As I previously mentioned,
you can still see where it was originally painted to.
-Mike
On Tue, Apr 14, 2026 at 1:50 PM Schwartz, Luke <LSchwart(a)slocity.org> wrote:
Mike,
I'll ask Bryan (cc'd) to check again in the field and if the extent of red curb paint differs from what was
requested of the City maintenance staff (15' red curb paint from fire hydrant, leaving min. 18' gray curb
space between red and nearest driveway), he'll park the correct limit in paint and ask our maintenance
staff to come back out and correct this.
Thank you,
Luke Schwartz
Transportation Manager
<image001.png>
Public Works
Transportation Planning/Engineering
919 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401-3218
E LSchwartz(a)-slocity.org
T 805.781.7190
slocity.org
Report immediate concerns using the Ask SLO tool
From: Michael Loew <
Sent: Monday, April 13, 2026 5:31 PM
To: Dietrick, Christine <cdietric@slocity.org>
Cc: Kacsinta, Madeline <MKacsint@slocity.org>; Schwartz, Luke <LSchwart@slocity.org>; Floyd, Aaron
<afloyd@slocity.org>; Wheeler, Bryan <bwheeler@slocity.org>; Nelson, Brian <BNelson@slocity.org>; Collins,
Scott <SCollins@slocity.org>; Rice, Jennifer <irice@slocity.org>; E-mail Council Website
<emailcouncil@slocity.org>
Subject: Re: Red Curb
All,
A parking space has been restored in front of my home; however, it was restored to a length
exactly 1 foot less than it was previously. This means the red curb is now extending to 16 feet
beyond the fire hydrant, and 22 feet beyond the crosswalk. On March 31, 1 communicated to
the PW team and Council that my truck fit there perfectly, but now I can no longer park my truck
there legally.
On April 3rd I requested a final determination of this matter, as well as guidance on how I can
exercise my right to appeal this action. Can I please have a response to that request.
-Mike
On Tue, Apr 7, 2026 at 2:15 PM Dietrick, Christine <cdietric()slocity.org> wrote:
Thank you Madeline and Mike for working together to resolve this issue.
Mike, with the exchange below, I believe Madeline and her team have addressed any outstanding
issues and I don't believe there is any need for the involvement of our office.
I hope you and your family are well.
Best,
Christine
Christine Dietrick
pronouns she/her/hers
City Attorney
<image001.png>
City Attorney's Office
990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401-3249
E cdietricka-slocity.org
T 805.781.7140
slocity.org
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From: Kacsinta, Madeline <MKacsint@slocity.org>
Sent: Tuesday, April 7, 2026 1:58 PM
To: Michael Loew <
Cc: Schwartz, Luke <LSchwart@slocity.org>; Floyd, Aaron <aflovd@slocity.org>; Wheeler, Bryan
<bwheeler@slocity.org>; Nelson, Brian <BNelson@slocity.org>; Collins, Scott <SCollins@slocity.org>; Dietrick,
Christine <cdietric@slocity.org>; Rice, Jennifer <irice@slocity.org>
Subject: RE: Red Curb
Glad we could clear things up. We will get this scheduled quickly.
Madeline Kacsinta
Assistant Director of Public Works
<image001.png>
Public Works
919 Palm, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401-3218
E MKacsintCa)-slocity.org
T 805.781.7094
slocity.org
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From: Michael Loew <
Sent: Tuesday, April 7, 2026 1:53 PM
To: Kacsinta, Madeline <MKacsint@slocity.org>
Cc: Schwartz, Luke <LSchwart@slocity.org>; Floyd, Aaron <aflovd@slocity.org>; Wheeler, Bryan
<bwheeler@slocity.org>; Nelson, Brian <BNelson@slocity.org>; Collins, Scott <SCollins@slocity.org>; Dietrick,
Christine <cdietric@slocity.org>; Rice, Jennifer <irice @slocity.org>
Subject: Re: Red Curb
Madeline,
Thankyou
-Mike
On Tue, Apr 7, 2026 at 1:27 PM Kacsinta, Madeline <MKacsint(@slocity.org> wrote:
Hi Mike,
I hope you've been doing well —it's been a while. I'm sorry we're reconnecting under these
circumstances, but I appreciate you reaching out and sharing your concerns. I understand why this
situation is frustrating, and I want to be clear that this was not targeted in any way.
This request came in through our standard service system, AskSLO, and was evaluated like any
other. Staff did not know who lived at the subject property, and the review by our transportation staff
was based solely on location and applicable safety standards. Based on the initial site visit, staff
5
believed the location triggered requirements related to daylighting (b — below) and visibility near the
intersection (d — below) and were trying to address what they understood to be a safety issue. In
general, these requests are often driven by concerns about visibility when pulling out of nearby
driveways or approaching intersections.
For this location, the objective design/safety standards checked are:
(a) maintain minimum 15' NO PARKING setback from the fire hydrant per the fire code
(b) maintain minimum 20' NO PARKING setback from the adjacent crosswalk per state daylighting
law
(c) confirm that on -street parking does not conflict with sufficient roadway clear width for two cars to
pass safely (20' min or 2x 10' lanes)
(d) confirm that on -street parking or other vertical obstructions would not create a line -of -sight
impediment for drivers approaching the roundabout on San Luis Ranch Road from seeing a
pedestrian entering the crosswalk at the roundabout.
That said, after hearing your concern, we asked our team to re -verify the field measurements. Upon
re-evaluation, we found that while daylighting requirements (b) do apply, there is enough space to
maintain those safety standards and retain a minimum 18-foot parking space in front of your home.
The original measurements were overly conservative, and we apologize for that.
We will be correcting this by restoring the 18-foot parking space and adjusting the curb striping
accordingly.
Separately, I've provided direction to our team that moving forward, we will notify adjacent property
owners in advance when we are considering red curb changes directly in front of a residence. We
want to avoid situations like this where it feels unexpected or disruptive.
Again, I'm sorry for the confusion and inconvenience this caused, and I appreciate your
understanding. Please don't hesitate to reach out to me directly if you have any questions or
concerns.
Best regards,
Madeline Kacsinta
Assistant Director of Public Works
<image001.png>
Public Works
919 Palm, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401-3218
E MKacsinta-slocity.org
T 805.781.7094
slocity.org
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From: Michael Loew <
Sent: Wednesday, April 1, 2026 1:18 PM
To: Wheeler, Bryan <bwheeler@slocity.org>; E-mail Council Website <emailcouncil@slocity.org>
Cc: Rice, Jennifer <jrice@slocity.org>; Schwartz, Luke <LSchwart@slocity.org>
Subject: Re: Red Curb
Bryan,
I don't think an in person meeting on site will be necessary, can you please just provide me with
your final justification and determination, as well as what the options are moving forward in
writing?
From my perspective, it feels like a council member targeted me because she didn't like my
truck being parked there. What I know is that she submitted a complaint on a Saturday, and
you guys had a work order drawn up by 11 am on the very next Monday, while using inaccurate
measurements to justify removing the space, and had the curb painted red without any notice,
ever talking to me, or doing any outreach first. I had no issues with site lines coming out of my
driveway when a car was parked there, I had been parking there for 3 years, and the space was
properly laid out and built in accordance with the plans approved by PW and consistent with
City Engineering Standards.
Factually, my public records request revealed that the space actually complied with all of the
Laws and standards you cited to justify the initial creation of the work order. I am concerned
about the evolution of the narrative around this, especially now that there are new "design
constraints" to consider.
think that staff made a mistake by prematurely removing a space based on the position of
Council Member Marx, when you should have taken accurate measurements and explained to
her that it met standards, and that the community was purposefully designed with narrow
roads. If people driving through there were concerned about hitting the car parked there, it was
probably because they were driving too fast coming into the development. Now, cars have no
reason to slow down as they drive by my house where I have a 10 year old and 14 year old
coming and going on their bikes everyday.
This is just not how our government should operate, nor the outcomes it should seek to
achieve.
Thank you,
Mike
On Wed, Apr 1, 2026 at 11:06 AM Wheeler, Bryan <bwheeler()slocity.org> wrote:
Michael,
Wanted to get back to you on the red curb at 1986 San Luis Ranch Rd. There are several design
constraints that go into the decision to remove parking. If you are open to it, could I meet you on -site at
the location? I can go over our determination and we can take a look to discuss options moving
forward.
Let me know if meeting is an option for you and what time might work.
Thanks
Bryan Wheeler
Transportation Planner/ Engineer III
<image001.png>
Public Works
Transportation Planning/Engineering
919 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401-3218
E bwheeler(a)-slocity.ora
T 805.781.7178
slocity.org
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BCC: City Council
From: Michael Loew <
Sent: Tuesday, March 31, 2026 5:15 PM
To: Schwartz, Luke <LSchwart@slocity.org>; E-mail Council Website <emailcouncil@slocity.org>
Cc: Rice, Jennifer <irice@slocity.org>; Wheeler, Bryan <bwheeler@slocity.org>
Subject: Re: Red Curb
Hi Luke,
Just following up on this. I took the overall measurement from the fire hydrant to the joint in
the curb where the apron of my driveway begins. There is now 34'-4" of red curb beyond the
fire hydrant. I confirmed that the original red curb extended to exactly 15' beyond the fire
hydrant, leaving a total of 19'-4" to the edge of my driveway apron. It appears to me that the
City removed a parking spot that previously complied with the 2025 Engineering Standards
and current traffic laws.
Thanks,
-Mike
On Tue, Mar 31, 2026 at 9:26 AM Michael Loew < wrote:
Hi Luke,
Here's an image of it measured out. I believe this would have also been marked out on plans
for the development. I understand the laws have changed since the development was
finalized, but the plans should have the measurements on it, and I'm confident Trae would
have checked it. Anyway we can check what it was supposed to be on the plans also?
After reviewing the recently adopted street parking specifications in the 2025 Engineering
Standards, Form 7410 - it appears that the space could be as short as 18 feet. I had been
parking my truck there which is about 20 ft. long, and was not blocking my driveway. Based
on the complaint, it seems like Council Member Marx's concern was more about how parking
in this location was affecting the flow of traffic, which my understanding is precisely what the
narrow streets are supposed to do. This is similar to the complaints the City has received
about new bike lanes and traffic designs for Chorro and downtown; however, I am not aware
of the City making any modifications to those areas based on these similar kinds of
complaints.
Additionally, I received a parking ticket for parking in front of my own driveway over the
weekend. This activity is pretty regular and consistent throughout the medium density areas
of the development, and very prevalent when Cal Poly students are in town. There was even a
morning a couple of weeks ago where a neighbor of mine was ticketed for parking the wrong
direction on the street, and I did not receive a citation for parking in front of my driveway at
that time. If the City thinks that there is a problem with this, then I recommend an
educational effort to notify residents that the City intends to begin enforcing that standard
since many residents have been parking in front of their own driveway for several years now
with no consequence.
Thanks,
-Mike
On Tue, Mar 31, 2026 at 7:46 AM Schwartz, Luke <LSchwart(a)slocity.org> wrote:
Bcc: City Council
Michael,
Apologies for the delayed response.
Our team is not concerned with what type of vehicle is parked here or the
duration/frequency of parking at this location per se.
The primary concern was that there was inuficient curb space between the fire hydrant and
nearest driveway to fit both the 15' min stback from the hydrant per the Fire Code and a
minimum length parking stall per City Engineering Standards.
I can have Bryan from our team (cc'd) double check the measurement in the field to confirm.
Thanks,
Luke
From: Michael Loew <
Sent: Thursday, March 26, 2026 6:58:55 PM
To: Schwartz, Luke <LSchwart@slocity.org>; Rice, Jennifer <irice@slocity.org>
Cc: E-mail Council Website <emailcouncil@slocity.org>
Subject: Red Curb
Hi Luke,
live at 1986 San Luis Ranch Rd. and own the white pickup. I have been parking there for 3
years since we moved in. It's just that I started working from home so it was out there more
during the day.
reviewed the complaints against the red curb and my truck, as well as the staff follow-up. It
appears that Council Member Marx and Bryan Wheeler did not measure the red curb
accurately. The red curb was painted exactly 15 feet from the fire hydrant and 20 feet from
the crosswalk and you can still see where it was painted.
Will you please put the parking space back? People are flying through the roundabout and
are now coming through in front of my house really fast. I know it was inconvenient for
people to have to slow down coming into the neighborhood, but that was supposed to be the
point of narrow streets.
Thanks,
Mike Loew
10
From: Cruce, Greg
Sent: Tuesday, April 14, 2026 3:38 PM
To: Stephenson, Nemo
Subject: Red curb
Were you guys able to address the red curb in SL Ranch?
Greg Cruce
Deputy Director - Maintenance Operations
crry OF
SiinLuisOmpo
Public Works
Maintenance Operations
990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401-3249
E gcruce@slocity.org
T 805.781.7264
slocity.org
00 DOXIM
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From:
Sent:
To:
Cruce, Greg
Tuesday, April 7, 2026 2:51 PM
Kacsinta, Madeline
Cc: Schwartz, Luke; Wheeler, Bryan; Gutierrez, Anthony; Stephenson, Nemo
Subject: RE: Red Curb
Yes, we will prioritize this work order.
Bryan, please submit the work order with the information, and we will notify the group when the work is being
completed.
Greg Cruce
Deputy Director - Maintenance Operations
Public Works Department
805.781.7264
gcruce(a)-slocitV. org
From: Kacsinta, Madeline <MKacsint@slocity.org>
Sent: Tuesday, April 7, 2026 2:40 PM
To: Cruce, Greg <gcruce@slocity.org>
Cc: Schwartz, Luke <LSchwart@slocity.org>; Wheeler, Bryan <bwheeler@slocity.org>
Subject: FW: Red Curb
Greg — Can you please give your team a heads -up? Can we please prioritize this one?
Madeline Kacsinta
Assistant Director of Public Works
Public Works
919 Palm, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401-3218
E MKacsint(c-)slocity.ora
T 805.781.7094
slocity.org
00xIm
Stay connected with the City by signing up for e-notifications
From: Schwartz, Luke <LSchwart@slocity.org>
Sent: Tuesday, April 7, 2026 2:20 PM
To: Wheeler, Bryan <bwheeler@slocitV.org>
Cc: Floyd, Aaron <afloyd@slocity.org>; Nelson, Brian <BNelson @slocitV.org>; Kacsinta, Madeline <MKacsint@slocitV.org>
Subject: RE: Red Curb
Bryan — Can you please prepare an updated WO for my signature to grey over 18' of red curb adjacent to the
driveway and submit to Streets Maintenance. Suggest giving Nemo and Greg a heads up on the situation and ask for
an ETA on when they can get to this, assuming the resident will request a schedule on this correction.
Thanks,
Luke Schwartz
Transportation Manager
Public Works
Transportation Planning/Engineering
919 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401-3218
E LSchwartz(a)-slocity.org
T 805.781.7190
slocity.org
Report immediate concerns using the Ask SLO tool
From: Kacsinta, Madeline <MKacsint@slocity.org>
Sent: Tuesday, April 7, 2026 1:58 PM
To: Michael Loew <
Cc: Schwartz, Luke <LSchwart@slocity.org>; Floyd, Aaron <aflovd@slocity.org>; Wheeler, Bryan <bwheeler@slocity.org>;
Nelson, Brian <BNelson@slocity.org>; Collins, Scott <SCollins@slocity.org>; Dietrick, Christine <cdietric@slocity.org>; Rice,
Jennifer <irice@slocity.org>
Subject: RE: Red Curb
Glad we could clear things up. We will get this scheduled quickly.
Madeline Kacsinta
Assistant Director of Public Works
. CITY OF
Ste. LMS OBISPO
Public Works
919 Palm, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401-3218
E MKacsint(a-)slocity.ora
T 805.781.7094
slocity.org
nlo�COXIM
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From: Michael Loew <
Sent: Tuesday, April 7, 2026 1:53 PM
To: Kacsinta, Madeline <MKacsintCa@slocity.org>
Cc: Schwartz, Luke <LSchwart@slocity.org>; Floyd, Aaron <aflovd@slocity.org>; Wheeler, Bryan <bwheeler@slocity.org>;
Nelson, Brian <BNelson@slocity.org>; Collins, Scott <SCollins@slocity.org>; Dietrick, Christine <cdietric@slocity.org>; Rice,
Jennifer <irice@slocity.org>
Subject: Re: Red Curb
Madeline,
Thankyou
-Mike
On Tue, Apr 7, 2026 at 1:27 PM Kacsinta, Madeline <MKacsint@slocity.org> wrote:
Hi Mike,
I hope you've been doing well —it's been a while. I'm sorry we're reconnecting under these circumstances, but I
appreciate you reaching out and sharing your concerns. I understand why this situation is frustrating, and I want to be
clear that this was not targeted in any way.
This request came in through our standard service system, AskSLO, and was evaluated like any other. Staff did not
know who lived at the subject property, and the review by our transportation staff was based solely on location and
applicable safety standards. Based on the initial site visit, staff believed the location triggered requirements related to
daylighting (b — below) and visibility near the intersection (d — below) and were trying to address what they
understood to be a safety issue. In general, these requests are often driven by concerns about visibility when pulling
out of nearby driveways or approaching intersections.
For this location, the objective design/safety standards checked are:
(a) maintain minimum 15' NO PARKING setback from the fire hydrant per the fire code
(b) maintain minimum 20' NO PARKING setback from the adjacent crosswalk per state daylighting law
(c) confirm that on -street parking does not conflict with sufficient roadway clear width for two cars to pass safely (20'
min or 2x 10' lanes)
(d) confirm that on -street parking or other vertical obstructions would not create a line -of -sight impediment for drivers
approaching the roundabout on San Luis Ranch Road from seeing a pedestrian entering the crosswalk at the
roundabout.
That said, after hearing your concern, we asked our team to re -verify the field measurements. Upon re-evaluation, we
found that while daylighting requirements (b) do apply, there is enough space to maintain those safety standards and
retain a minimum 18-foot parking space in front of your home. The original measurements were overly conservative,
and we apologize for that.
We will be correcting this by restoring the 18-foot parking space and adjusting the curb striping accordingly.
Separately, I've provided direction to our team that moving forward, we will notify adjacent property owners in
advance when we are considering red curb changes directly in front of a residence. We want to avoid situations like
this where it feels unexpected or disruptive.
Again, I'm sorry for the confusion and inconvenience this caused, and I appreciate your understanding. Please don't
hesitate to reach out to me directly if you have any questions or concerns.
Best regards,
Madeline Kacsinta
Assistant Director of Public Works
fCrryoF
SfIRLUISOBISPO
Public Works
919 Palm, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401-3218
E MKacsint(c-)-slocity.org
T 805.781.7094
slocity.org
nlo�00XIM
Stay connected with the City by signing up for e-notifications
From: Michael Loew <
Sent: Wednesday, April 1, 2026 1:18 PM
To: Wheeler, Bryan <bwheeler@slocity.org>; E-mail Council Website <emailcouncil@slocity.org>
Cc: Rice, Jennifer <irice @slocity.org>; Schwartz, Luke <LSchwart@slocity.org>
Subject: Re: Red Curb
Bryan,
I don't think an in person meeting on site will be necessary, can you please just provide me with your final
justification and determination, as well as what the options are moving forward in writing?
From my perspective, it feels like a council member targeted me because she didn't like my truck being parked
there. What I know is that she submitted a complaint on a Saturday, and you guys had a work order drawn up
by 11 am on the very next Monday, while using inaccurate measurements to justify removing the space, and
had the curb painted red without any notice, ever talking to me, or doing any outreach first. I had no issues with
site lines coming out of my driveway when a car was parked there, I had been parking there for 3 years, and
the space was properly laid out and built in accordance with the plans approved by PW and consistent with
City Engineering Standards.
Factually, my public records request revealed that the space actually complied with all of the laws and
standards you cited to justify the initial creation of the work order. I am concerned about the evolution of the
narrative around this, especially now that there are new "design constraints" to consider.
think that staff made a mistake by prematurely removing a space based on the position of Council Member
Marx, when you should have taken accurate measurements and explained to her that it met standards, and
that the community was purposefully designed with narrow roads. If people driving through there were
concerned about hitting the car parked there, it was probably because they were driving too fast coming into
the development. Now, cars have no reason to slow down as they drive by my house where I have a 10 year old
and 14 year old coming and going on their bikes everyday.
This is just not how our government should operate, nor the outcomes it should seek to achieve.
Thank you,
Mike
On Wed, Apr 1, 2026 at 11:06 AM Wheeler, Bryan <bwheelerPslocity.org> wrote:
Michael,
Wanted to get back to you on the red curb at 1986 San Luis Ranch Rd. There are several design constraints that go into
the decision to remove parking. If you are open to it, could I meet you on -site at the location? I can go over our
determination and we can take a look to discuss options moving forward.
Let me know if meeting is an option for you and what time might work.
Thanks
Bryan Wheeler
Transportation Planner/ Engineer III
. CITY OF
fl . Luis m
Public Works
Transportation Planning/Engineering
919 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401-3218
E bwheeler(a)-slocity.org
T 805.781.7178
slocity.org
(TTJ0XIM
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BCC: City Council
From: Michael Loew <
Sent: Tuesday, March 31, 2026 5:15 PM
To: Schwartz, Luke <LSchwart@slocity.org>; E-mail Council Website <emailcouncil@slocity.org>
Cc: Rice, Jennifer <irice@slocity.org>; Wheeler, Bryan <bwheeler@slocity.org>
Subject: Re: Red Curb
Hi Luke,
Just following up on this. I took the overall measurement from the fire hydrant to the joint in the curb where the
apron of my driveway begins. There is now 34'-4" of red curb beyond the fire hydrant. I confirmed that the
original red curb extended to exactly 15' beyond the fire hydrant, leaving a total of 19'-4" to the edge of my
driveway apron. It appears to me that the City removed a parking spot that previously complied with the 2025
Engineering Standards and current traffic laws.
Thanks,
-Mike
On Tue, Mar 31, 2026 at 9:26 AM Michael Loew < wrote:
Hi Luke,
Here's an image of it measured out. I believe this would have also been marked out on plans for the
development. I understand the laws have changed since the development was finalized, but the plans should
have the measurements on it, and I'm confident Trae would have checked it. Anyway we can check what it
was supposed to be on the plans also?
After reviewing the recently adopted street parking specifications in the 2025 Engineering Standards, Form
7410 - it appears that the space could be as short as 18 feet. I had been parking my truck there which is about
20 ft. long, and was not blocking my driveway. Based on the complaint, it seems like Council Member Marx's
concern was more about how parking in this location was affecting the flow of traffic, which my
understanding is precisely what the narrow streets are supposed to do. This is similar to the complaints the
City has received about new bike lanes and traffic designs for Chorro and downtown; however, I am
not aware of the City making any modifications to those areas based on these similar kinds of complaints.
Additionally, I received a parking ticket for parking in front of my own driveway over the weekend. This activity
is pretty regular and consistent throughout the medium density areas of the development, and very prevalent
when Cal Poly students are in town. There was even a morning a couple of weeks ago where a neighbor of
mine was ticketed for parkingthe wrong direction on the street, and I did not receive a citation for parking in
front of my driveway at that time. If the City thinks that there is a problem with this, then I recommend an
educational effort to notify residents that the City intends to begin enforcing that standard since many
residents have been parking in front of their own driveway for several years now with no consequence.
Thanks,
-Mike
On Tue, Mar 31, 2026 at 7:46 AM Schwartz, Luke <LSchwart@slocity.org> wrote:
Bcc: City Council
Michael,
Apologies for the delayed response.
Our team is not concerned with what type of vehicle is parked here or the duration/frequency of parking at
this location per se.
The primary concern was that there was inuficient curb space between the fire hydrant and nearest driveway
to fit both the 15' min stback from the hydrant per the Fire Code and a minimum length parking stall per City
Engineering Standards.
I can have Bryan from our team (cc'd) double check the measurement in the field to confirm.
Thanks,
Luke
From: Michael Loew <
Sent: Thursday, March 26, 2026 6:58:55 PM
To: Schwartz, Luke <LSchwart@slocity.org>; Rice, Jennifer <irice@slocity.org>
Cc: E-mail Council Website <emailcouncil@slocity.org>
Subject: Red Curb
Hi Luke,
live at 1986 San Luis Ranch Rd. and own the white pickup. I have been parking there for 3 years since
we moved in. It's just that I started working from home so it was out there more during the day.
reviewed the complaints against the red curb and my truck, as well as the staff follow-up. It appears that
Council Member Marx and Bryan Wheeler did not measure the red curb accurately. The red curb was
painted exactly 15 feet from the fire hydrant and 20 feet from the crosswalk and you can still see where it
was painted.
Will you please put the parking space back? People are flying through the roundabout and are now coming
through in front of my house really fast. I know it was inconvenient for people to have to slow down coming
into the neighborhood, but that was supposed to be the point of narrow streets.
Thanks,
Mike Loew
From: Cruce, Greg
Sent: Wednesday, April 15, 2026 8:12 AM
To: Stephenson, Nemo; Gutierrez, Anthony
Subject: FW: Red Curb
FYI, I'll come see you guys when I get to the yard later.
Thank you,
Greg Cruce
Deputy Director - Maintenance Operations
Public Works
E gcruce(a)-slocity.org
T 805.781.7264
From: Schwartz, Luke <LSchwart@slocity.org>
Sent: Wednesday, April 15, 2026 7:38 AM
To: Cruce, Greg <gcruce@slocity.org>; Wheeler, Bryan <bwheeler@slocity.org>
Cc: Kacsinta, Madeline <MKacsint@slocity.org>
Subject: Fw: Red Curb
FYI - See below. Mike asserts that the red curb paint was extended 16' from the hydrant instead of 15'. 1 had
offered for Bryan to double check in the field, but if maintenance staff is going to verify then Bryan can hold off.
Luke
Sent from myVerizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
Get Outlook for Android
From: Michael Loew <
Sent: Tuesday, April 14, 2026 2:06:46 PM
To: Schwartz, Luke <LSchwart@slocity.org>
Cc: Wheeler, Bryan <bwheeler@slocity.org>
Subject: Re: Red Curb
_ (
�
:
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FM
�
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4
Sent from my iPhone
On Apr 14, 2026, at 2:03 PM, Schwartz, Luke <LSchwart@slocity.org> wrote:
It sounds like the previous red curb was also not quite 15' from the hydrant, so we may not be able to
retain the same curb space as existed previously, but we'll do a final check in the field.
Luke Schwartz
Transportation Manager
<image001.png>
Public Works
Transportation Planning/Engineering
919 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401-3218
E LSchwartz(a)-slocity.org
T 805.781.7190
slocity.org
Report immediate concerns using the Ask SLO tool
From: Michael Loew <
Sent: Tuesday, April 14, 2026 1:57 PM
To: Schwartz, Luke <LSchwart@slocity.org>
Cc: Wheeler, Bryan <bwheeler@slocity.org>
Subject: Re: Red Curb
Luke, the new space is 18'-4" feet. So the new parking space technically meets the minimum
parking standards; however, the space before was larger and at 19'-4". As I previously mentioned,
you can still see where it was originally painted to.
-Mike
On Tue, Apr 14, 2026 at 1:50 PM Schwartz, Luke <LSchwart(a)slocity.org> wrote:
Mike,
I'll ask Bryan (cc'd) to check again in the field and if the extent of red curb paint differs from what was
requested of the City maintenance staff (15' red curb paint from fire hydrant, leaving min. 18' gray curb
space between red and nearest driveway), he'll park the correct limit in paint and ask our maintenance
staff to come back out and correct this.
Thank you,
Luke Schwartz
Transportation Manager
<image001.png>
Public Works
Transportation Planning/Engineering
919 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401-3218
E LSchwartz(a)-slocity.org
T 805.781.7190
slocity.org
Report immediate concerns using the Ask SLO tool
From: Michael Loew <
Sent: Monday, April 13, 2026 5:31 PM
To: Dietrick, Christine <cdietric@slocity.org>
Cc: Kacsinta, Madeline <MKacsint@slocity.org>; Schwartz, Luke <LSchwart@slocity.org>; Floyd, Aaron
<afloyd@slocity.org>; Wheeler, Bryan <bwheeler@slocity.org>; Nelson, Brian <BNelson@slocity.org>; Collins,
Scott <SCollins@slocity.org>; Rice, Jennifer <irice@slocity.org>; E-mail Council Website
<emailcouncil@slocity.org>
Subject: Re: Red Curb
All,
A parking space has been restored in front of my home; however, it was restored to a length
exactly 1 foot less than it was previously. This means the red curb is now extending to 16 feet
beyond the fire hydrant, and 22 feet beyond the crosswalk. On March 31, 1 communicated to
the PW team and Council that my truck fit there perfectly, but now I can no longer park my truck
there legally.
On April 3rd I requested a final determination of this matter, as well as guidance on how I can
exercise my right to appeal this action. Can I please have a response to that request.
-Mike
On Tue, Apr 7, 2026 at 2:15 PM Dietrick, Christine <cdietric()slocity.org> wrote:
Thank you Madeline and Mike for working together to resolve this issue.
Mike, with the exchange below, I believe Madeline and her team have addressed any outstanding
issues and I don't believe there is any need for the involvement of our office.
I hope you and your family are well.
Best,
Christine
Christine Dietrick
pronouns she/her/hers
City Attorney
<image001.png>
City Attorney's Office
990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401-3249
E cdietricka-slocity.org
T 805.781.7140
slocity.org
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should not file copies of this email with publicly accessible records. If you are not the
designated addressee named above or the authorized agent responsible for delivering it to the
designated addressee, you received this document through inadvertent error and any further
review, dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication by you or anyone else is
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IMMEDIATELY BY TELEPHONING THE SENDER NAMED ABOVE AT (805) 781-7140. Thank
you.
From: Kacsinta, Madeline <MKacsint@slocity.org>
Sent: Tuesday, April 7, 2026 1:58 PM
To: Michael Loew <
Cc: Schwartz, Luke <LSchwart@slocity.org>; Floyd, Aaron <aflovd@slocity.org>; Wheeler, Bryan
<bwheeler@slocity.org>; Nelson, Brian <BNelson@slocity.org>; Collins, Scott <SCollins@slocity.org>; Dietrick,
Christine <cdietric@slocity.org>; Rice, Jennifer <irice@slocity.org>
Subject: RE: Red Curb
Glad we could clear things up. We will get this scheduled quickly.
Madeline Kacsinta
Assistant Director of Public Works
<image001.png>
Public Works
919 Palm, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401-3218
E MKacsintCa)-slocity.org
T 805.781.7094
slocity.org
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From: Michael Loew <
Sent: Tuesday, April 7, 2026 1:53 PM
To: Kacsinta, Madeline <MKacsint@slocity.org>
Cc: Schwartz, Luke <LSchwart@slocity.org>; Floyd, Aaron <aflovd@slocity.org>; Wheeler, Bryan
<bwheeler@slocity.org>; Nelson, Brian <BNelson@slocity.org>; Collins, Scott <SCollins@slocity.org>; Dietrick,
Christine <cdietric@slocity.org>; Rice, Jennifer <irice @slocity.org>
Subject: Re: Red Curb
Madeline,
Thankyou
-Mike
On Tue, Apr 7, 2026 at 1:27 PM Kacsinta, Madeline <MKacsint(@slocity.org> wrote:
Hi Mike,
I hope you've been doing well —it's been a while. I'm sorry we're reconnecting under these
circumstances, but I appreciate you reaching out and sharing your concerns. I understand why this
situation is frustrating, and I want to be clear that this was not targeted in any way.
This request came in through our standard service system, AskSLO, and was evaluated like any
other. Staff did not know who lived at the subject property, and the review by our transportation staff
was based solely on location and applicable safety standards. Based on the initial site visit, staff
5
believed the location triggered requirements related to daylighting (b — below) and visibility near the
intersection (d — below) and were trying to address what they understood to be a safety issue. In
general, these requests are often driven by concerns about visibility when pulling out of nearby
driveways or approaching intersections.
For this location, the objective design/safety standards checked are:
(a) maintain minimum 15' NO PARKING setback from the fire hydrant per the fire code
(b) maintain minimum 20' NO PARKING setback from the adjacent crosswalk per state daylighting
law
(c) confirm that on -street parking does not conflict with sufficient roadway clear width for two cars to
pass safely (20' min or 2x 10' lanes)
(d) confirm that on -street parking or other vertical obstructions would not create a line -of -sight
impediment for drivers approaching the roundabout on San Luis Ranch Road from seeing a
pedestrian entering the crosswalk at the roundabout.
That said, after hearing your concern, we asked our team to re -verify the field measurements. Upon
re-evaluation, we found that while daylighting requirements (b) do apply, there is enough space to
maintain those safety standards and retain a minimum 18-foot parking space in front of your home.
The original measurements were overly conservative, and we apologize for that.
We will be correcting this by restoring the 18-foot parking space and adjusting the curb striping
accordingly.
Separately, I've provided direction to our team that moving forward, we will notify adjacent property
owners in advance when we are considering red curb changes directly in front of a residence. We
want to avoid situations like this where it feels unexpected or disruptive.
Again, I'm sorry for the confusion and inconvenience this caused, and I appreciate your
understanding. Please don't hesitate to reach out to me directly if you have any questions or
concerns.
Best regards,
Madeline Kacsinta
Assistant Director of Public Works
<image001.png>
Public Works
919 Palm, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401-3218
E MKacsinta-slocity.org
T 805.781.7094
slocity.org
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From: Michael Loew <
Sent: Wednesday, April 1, 2026 1:18 PM
To: Wheeler, Bryan <bwheeler@slocity.org>; E-mail Council Website <emailcouncil@slocity.org>
Cc: Rice, Jennifer <jrice@slocity.org>; Schwartz, Luke <LSchwart@slocity.org>
Subject: Re: Red Curb
Bryan,
I don't think an in person meeting on site will be necessary, can you please just provide me with
your final justification and determination, as well as what the options are moving forward in
writing?
From my perspective, it feels like a council member targeted me because she didn't like my
truck being parked there. What I know is that she submitted a complaint on a Saturday, and
you guys had a work order drawn up by 11 am on the very next Monday, while using inaccurate
measurements to justify removing the space, and had the curb painted red without any notice,
ever talking to me, or doing any outreach first. I had no issues with site lines coming out of my
driveway when a car was parked there, I had been parking there for 3 years, and the space was
properly laid out and built in accordance with the plans approved by PW and consistent with
City Engineering Standards.
Factually, my public records request revealed that the space actually complied with all of the
Laws and standards you cited to justify the initial creation of the work order. I am concerned
about the evolution of the narrative around this, especially now that there are new "design
constraints" to consider.
think that staff made a mistake by prematurely removing a space based on the position of
Council Member Marx, when you should have taken accurate measurements and explained to
her that it met standards, and that the community was purposefully designed with narrow
roads. If people driving through there were concerned about hitting the car parked there, it was
probably because they were driving too fast coming into the development. Now, cars have no
reason to slow down as they drive by my house where I have a 10 year old and 14 year old
coming and going on their bikes everyday.
This is just not how our government should operate, nor the outcomes it should seek to
achieve.
Thank you,
Mike
On Wed, Apr 1, 2026 at 11:06 AM Wheeler, Bryan <bwheeler()slocity.org> wrote:
Michael,
Wanted to get back to you on the red curb at 1986 San Luis Ranch Rd. There are several design
constraints that go into the decision to remove parking. If you are open to it, could I meet you on -site at
the location? I can go over our determination and we can take a look to discuss options moving
forward.
Let me know if meeting is an option for you and what time might work.
Thanks
Bryan Wheeler
Transportation Planner/ Engineer III
<image001.png>
Public Works
Transportation Planning/Engineering
919 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401-3218
E bwheeler(a)-slocity.ora
T 805.781.7178
slocity.org
<image002.png>
<image003.png>
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BCC: City Council
From: Michael Loew <
Sent: Tuesday, March 31, 2026 5:15 PM
To: Schwartz, Luke <LSchwart@slocity.org>; E-mail Council Website <emailcouncil@slocity.org>
Cc: Rice, Jennifer <irice@slocity.org>; Wheeler, Bryan <bwheeler@slocity.org>
Subject: Re: Red Curb
Hi Luke,
Just following up on this. I took the overall measurement from the fire hydrant to the joint in
the curb where the apron of my driveway begins. There is now 34'-4" of red curb beyond the
fire hydrant. I confirmed that the original red curb extended to exactly 15' beyond the fire
hydrant, leaving a total of 19'-4" to the edge of my driveway apron. It appears to me that the
City removed a parking spot that previously complied with the 2025 Engineering Standards
and current traffic laws.
Thanks,
-Mike
On Tue, Mar 31, 2026 at 9:26 AM Michael Loew < wrote:
Hi Luke,
Here's an image of it measured out. I believe this would have also been marked out on plans
for the development. I understand the laws have changed since the development was
finalized, but the plans should have the measurements on it, and I'm confident Trae would
have checked it. Anyway we can check what it was supposed to be on the plans also?
After reviewing the recently adopted street parking specifications in the 2025 Engineering
Standards, Form 7410 - it appears that the space could be as short as 18 feet. I had been
parking my truck there which is about 20 ft. long, and was not blocking my driveway. Based
on the complaint, it seems like Council Member Marx's concern was more about how parking
in this location was affecting the flow of traffic, which my understanding is precisely what the
narrow streets are supposed to do. This is similar to the complaints the City has received
about new bike lanes and traffic designs for Chorro and downtown; however, I am not aware
of the City making any modifications to those areas based on these similar kinds of
complaints.
Additionally, I received a parking ticket for parking in front of my own driveway over the
weekend. This activity is pretty regular and consistent throughout the medium density areas
of the development, and very prevalent when Cal Poly students are in town. There was even a
morning a couple of weeks ago where a neighbor of mine was ticketed for parking the wrong
direction on the street, and I did not receive a citation for parking in front of my driveway at
that time. If the City thinks that there is a problem with this, then I recommend an
educational effort to notify residents that the City intends to begin enforcing that standard
since many residents have been parking in front of their own driveway for several years now
with no consequence.
Thanks,
-Mike
On Tue, Mar 31, 2026 at 7:46 AM Schwartz, Luke <LSchwart(a)slocity.org> wrote:
Bcc: City Council
Michael,
Apologies for the delayed response.
Our team is not concerned with what type of vehicle is parked here or the
duration/frequency of parking at this location per se.
The primary concern was that there was inuficient curb space between the fire hydrant and
nearest driveway to fit both the 15' min stback from the hydrant per the Fire Code and a
minimum length parking stall per City Engineering Standards.
I can have Bryan from our team (cc'd) double check the measurement in the field to confirm.
Thanks,
Luke
From: Michael Loew <
Sent: Thursday, March 26, 2026 6:58:55 PM
To: Schwartz, Luke <LSchwart@slocity.org>; Rice, Jennifer <irice@slocity.org>
Cc: E-mail Council Website <emailcouncil@slocity.org>
Subject: Red Curb
Hi Luke,
live at 1986 San Luis Ranch Rd. and own the white pickup. I have been parking there for 3
years since we moved in. It's just that I started working from home so it was out there more
during the day.
reviewed the complaints against the red curb and my truck, as well as the staff follow-up. It
appears that Council Member Marx and Bryan Wheeler did not measure the red curb
accurately. The red curb was painted exactly 15 feet from the fire hydrant and 20 feet from
the crosswalk and you can still see where it was painted.
Will you please put the parking space back? People are flying through the roundabout and
are now coming through in front of my house really fast. I know it was inconvenient for
people to have to slow down coming into the neighborhood, but that was supposed to be the
point of narrow streets.
Thanks,
Mike Loew
10
From: Cruce, Greg
Sent: Wednesday, April 15, 2026 10:55 AM
To: Schwartz, Luke; Wheeler, Bryan
Cc: Kacsinta, Madeline; Stephenson, Nemo
Subject: RE: Red Curb
Attachments: Red Curb 1 jpg; Red curb 2 jpg; Red curb 3jpg; Red curb 4jpg; Red curb 5 jpg
No
Nemo went out and measured and the painting was completed per the work order. There is 18'2" of parking off the
top wing of the driveway, with 16' of red curb. The work was to provide 18' of parking and a minimum of 15' of red
curb off the hydrant. The amount of red curb off the hydrant is also dependent on the measuring point from the
hydrant, if the measurement were taken from the center of the hydrant, it reduces the red curb to approximately 166".
Let us know if you feel we need to make changes.
Thank you,
Greg Cruce
Deputy Director - Maintenance Operations
Public Works
E gcruce(a)-slocity.org
T 805.781.7264
From: Schwartz, Luke <LSchwart@slocity.org>
Sent: Wednesday, April 15, 2026 7:38 AM
To: Cruce, Greg <gcruce@slocity.org>; Wheeler, Bryan <bwheeler@slocity.org>
Cc: Kacsinta, Madeline <MKacsint@slocity.org>
Subject: Fw: Red Curb
FYI - See below. Mike asserts that the red curb paint was extended 16' from the hydrant instead of 15'. 1 had
offered for Bryan to double check in the field, but if maintenance staff is going to verifythen Bryan can hold off.
Luke
Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
Get Outlook for Android
From: Michael Loew <
Sent: Tuesday, April 14, 2026 2:06:46 PM
To: Schwartz, Luke <LSchwart@slocity.org>
Cc: Wheeler, Bryan <bwheeler@slocity.org>
Subject: Re: Red Curb
_ (
�
:
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��.
FM
�
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-W,
4
Sent from my iPhone
On Apr 14, 2026, at 2:03 PM, Schwartz, Luke <LSchwart@slocity.org> wrote:
It sounds like the previous red curb was also not quite 15' from the hydrant, so we may not be able to
retain the same curb space as existed previously, but we'll do a final check in the field.
Luke Schwartz
Transportation Manager
<image001.png>
Public Works
Transportation Planning/Engineering
919 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401-3218
E LSchwartz(a)-slocity.org
T 805.781.7190
slocity.org
Report immediate concerns using the Ask SLO tool
From: Michael Loew <
Sent: Tuesday, April 14, 2026 1:57 PM
To: Schwartz, Luke <LSchwart@slocity.org>
Cc: Wheeler, Bryan <bwheeler@slocity.org>
Subject: Re: Red Curb
Luke, the new space is 18'-4" feet. So the new parking space technically meets the minimum
parking standards; however, the space before was larger and at 19'-4". As I previously mentioned,
you can still see where it was originally painted to.
-Mike
On Tue, Apr 14, 2026 at 1:50 PM Schwartz, Luke <LSchwart(a)slocity.org> wrote:
Mike,
I'll ask Bryan (cc'd) to check again in the field and if the extent of red curb paint differs from what was
requested of the City maintenance staff (15' red curb paint from fire hydrant, leaving min. 18' gray curb
space between red and nearest driveway), he'll park the correct limit in paint and ask our maintenance
staff to come back out and correct this.
Thank you,
Luke Schwartz
Transportation Manager
<image001.png>
Public Works
Transportation Planning/Engineering
919 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401-3218
E LSchwartz(a)-slocity.org
T 805.781.7190
slocity.org
Report immediate concerns using the Ask SLO tool
From: Michael Loew <
Sent: Monday, April 13, 2026 5:31 PM
To: Dietrick, Christine <cdietric@slocity.org>
Cc: Kacsinta, Madeline <MKacsint@slocity.org>; Schwartz, Luke <LSchwart@slocity.org>; Floyd, Aaron
<afloyd@slocity.org>; Wheeler, Bryan <bwheeler@slocity.org>; Nelson, Brian <BNelson@slocity.org>; Collins,
Scott <SCollins@slocity.org>; Rice, Jennifer <irice@slocity.org>; E-mail Council Website
<emailcouncil@slocity.org>
Subject: Re: Red Curb
All,
A parking space has been restored in front of my home; however, it was restored to a length
exactly 1 foot less than it was previously. This means the red curb is now extending to 16 feet
beyond the fire hydrant, and 22 feet beyond the crosswalk. On March 31, 1 communicated to
the PW team and Council that my truck fit there perfectly, but now I can no longer park my truck
there legally.
On April 3rd I requested a final determination of this matter, as well as guidance on how I can
exercise my right to appeal this action. Can I please have a response to that request.
-Mike
On Tue, Apr 7, 2026 at 2:15 PM Dietrick, Christine <cdietric()slocity.org> wrote:
Thank you Madeline and Mike for working together to resolve this issue.
Mike, with the exchange below, I believe Madeline and her team have addressed any outstanding
issues and I don't believe there is any need for the involvement of our office.
I hope you and your family are well.
Best,
Christine
Christine Dietrick
pronouns she/her/hers
City Attorney
<image001.png>
City Attorney's Office
990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401-3249
E cdietricka-slocity.org
T 805.781.7140
slocity.org
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of the designated addressee named above. The information transmitted is subject to the
attorney -client privilege and/or represents confidential attorney work product. Recipients
should not file copies of this email with publicly accessible records. If you are not the
designated addressee named above or the authorized agent responsible for delivering it to the
designated addressee, you received this document through inadvertent error and any further
review, dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication by you or anyone else is
strictly prohibited. IF YOU RECEIVED THIS COMMUNICATION IN ERROR, PLEASE NOTIFY US
IMMEDIATELY BY TELEPHONING THE SENDER NAMED ABOVE AT (805) 781-7140. Thank
you.
From: Kacsinta, Madeline <MKacsint@slocity.org>
Sent: Tuesday, April 7, 2026 1:58 PM
To: Michael Loew <
Cc: Schwartz, Luke <LSchwart@slocity.org>; Floyd, Aaron <aflovd@slocity.org>; Wheeler, Bryan
<bwheeler@slocity.org>; Nelson, Brian <BNelson@slocity.org>; Collins, Scott <SCollins@slocity.org>; Dietrick,
Christine <cdietric@slocity.org>; Rice, Jennifer <irice@slocity.org>
Subject: RE: Red Curb
Glad we could clear things up. We will get this scheduled quickly.
Madeline Kacsinta
Assistant Director of Public Works
<image001.png>
Public Works
919 Palm, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401-3218
E MKacsintCa)-slocity.org
T 805.781.7094
slocity.org
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From: Michael Loew <
Sent: Tuesday, April 7, 2026 1:53 PM
To: Kacsinta, Madeline <MKacsint@slocity.org>
Cc: Schwartz, Luke <LSchwart@slocity.org>; Floyd, Aaron <aflovd@slocity.org>; Wheeler, Bryan
<bwheeler@slocity.org>; Nelson, Brian <BNelson@slocity.org>; Collins, Scott <SCollins@slocity.org>; Dietrick,
Christine <cdietric@slocity.org>; Rice, Jennifer <irice @slocity.org>
Subject: Re: Red Curb
Madeline,
Thankyou
-Mike
On Tue, Apr 7, 2026 at 1:27 PM Kacsinta, Madeline <MKacsint(@slocity.org> wrote:
Hi Mike,
I hope you've been doing well —it's been a while. I'm sorry we're reconnecting under these
circumstances, but I appreciate you reaching out and sharing your concerns. I understand why this
situation is frustrating, and I want to be clear that this was not targeted in any way.
This request came in through our standard service system, AskSLO, and was evaluated like any
other. Staff did not know who lived at the subject property, and the review by our transportation staff
was based solely on location and applicable safety standards. Based on the initial site visit, staff
5
believed the location triggered requirements related to daylighting (b — below) and visibility near the
intersection (d — below) and were trying to address what they understood to be a safety issue. In
general, these requests are often driven by concerns about visibility when pulling out of nearby
driveways or approaching intersections.
For this location, the objective design/safety standards checked are:
(a) maintain minimum 15' NO PARKING setback from the fire hydrant per the fire code
(b) maintain minimum 20' NO PARKING setback from the adjacent crosswalk per state daylighting
law
(c) confirm that on -street parking does not conflict with sufficient roadway clear width for two cars to
pass safely (20' min or 2x 10' lanes)
(d) confirm that on -street parking or other vertical obstructions would not create a line -of -sight
impediment for drivers approaching the roundabout on San Luis Ranch Road from seeing a
pedestrian entering the crosswalk at the roundabout.
That said, after hearing your concern, we asked our team to re -verify the field measurements. Upon
re-evaluation, we found that while daylighting requirements (b) do apply, there is enough space to
maintain those safety standards and retain a minimum 18-foot parking space in front of your home.
The original measurements were overly conservative, and we apologize for that.
We will be correcting this by restoring the 18-foot parking space and adjusting the curb striping
accordingly.
Separately, I've provided direction to our team that moving forward, we will notify adjacent property
owners in advance when we are considering red curb changes directly in front of a residence. We
want to avoid situations like this where it feels unexpected or disruptive.
Again, I'm sorry for the confusion and inconvenience this caused, and I appreciate your
understanding. Please don't hesitate to reach out to me directly if you have any questions or
concerns.
Best regards,
Madeline Kacsinta
Assistant Director of Public Works
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Public Works
919 Palm, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401-3218
E MKacsinta-slocity.org
T 805.781.7094
slocity.org
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From: Michael Loew <
Sent: Wednesday, April 1, 2026 1:18 PM
To: Wheeler, Bryan <bwheeler@slocity.org>; E-mail Council Website <emailcouncil@slocity.org>
Cc: Rice, Jennifer <jrice@slocity.org>; Schwartz, Luke <LSchwart@slocity.org>
Subject: Re: Red Curb
Bryan,
I don't think an in person meeting on site will be necessary, can you please just provide me with
your final justification and determination, as well as what the options are moving forward in
writing?
From my perspective, it feels like a council member targeted me because she didn't like my
truck being parked there. What I know is that she submitted a complaint on a Saturday, and
you guys had a work order drawn up by 11 am on the very next Monday, while using inaccurate
measurements to justify removing the space, and had the curb painted red without any notice,
ever talking to me, or doing any outreach first. I had no issues with site lines coming out of my
driveway when a car was parked there, I had been parking there for 3 years, and the space was
properly laid out and built in accordance with the plans approved by PW and consistent with
City Engineering Standards.
Factually, my public records request revealed that the space actually complied with all of the
Laws and standards you cited to justify the initial creation of the work order. I am concerned
about the evolution of the narrative around this, especially now that there are new "design
constraints" to consider.
think that staff made a mistake by prematurely removing a space based on the position of
Council Member Marx, when you should have taken accurate measurements and explained to
her that it met standards, and that the community was purposefully designed with narrow
roads. If people driving through there were concerned about hitting the car parked there, it was
probably because they were driving too fast coming into the development. Now, cars have no
reason to slow down as they drive by my house where I have a 10 year old and 14 year old
coming and going on their bikes everyday.
This is just not how our government should operate, nor the outcomes it should seek to
achieve.
Thank you,
Mike
On Wed, Apr 1, 2026 at 11:06 AM Wheeler, Bryan <bwheeler()slocity.org> wrote:
Michael,
Wanted to get back to you on the red curb at 1986 San Luis Ranch Rd. There are several design
constraints that go into the decision to remove parking. If you are open to it, could I meet you on -site at
the location? I can go over our determination and we can take a look to discuss options moving
forward.
Let me know if meeting is an option for you and what time might work.
Thanks
Bryan Wheeler
Transportation Planner/ Engineer III
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Public Works
Transportation Planning/Engineering
919 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401-3218
E bwheeler(a)-slocity.ora
T 805.781.7178
slocity.org
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BCC: City Council
From: Michael Loew <
Sent: Tuesday, March 31, 2026 5:15 PM
To: Schwartz, Luke <LSchwart@slocity.org>; E-mail Council Website <emailcouncil@slocity.org>
Cc: Rice, Jennifer <irice@slocity.org>; Wheeler, Bryan <bwheeler@slocity.org>
Subject: Re: Red Curb
Hi Luke,
Just following up on this. I took the overall measurement from the fire hydrant to the joint in
the curb where the apron of my driveway begins. There is now 34'-4" of red curb beyond the
fire hydrant. I confirmed that the original red curb extended to exactly 15' beyond the fire
hydrant, leaving a total of 19'-4" to the edge of my driveway apron. It appears to me that the
City removed a parking spot that previously complied with the 2025 Engineering Standards
and current traffic laws.
Thanks,
-Mike
On Tue, Mar 31, 2026 at 9:26 AM Michael Loew < wrote:
Hi Luke,
Here's an image of it measured out. I believe this would have also been marked out on plans
for the development. I understand the laws have changed since the development was
finalized, but the plans should have the measurements on it, and I'm confident Trae would
have checked it. Anyway we can check what it was supposed to be on the plans also?
After reviewing the recently adopted street parking specifications in the 2025 Engineering
Standards, Form 7410 - it appears that the space could be as short as 18 feet. I had been
parking my truck there which is about 20 ft. long, and was not blocking my driveway. Based
on the complaint, it seems like Council Member Marx's concern was more about how parking
in this location was affecting the flow of traffic, which my understanding is precisely what the
narrow streets are supposed to do. This is similar to the complaints the City has received
about new bike lanes and traffic designs for Chorro and downtown; however, I am not aware
of the City making any modifications to those areas based on these similar kinds of
complaints.
Additionally, I received a parking ticket for parking in front of my own driveway over the
weekend. This activity is pretty regular and consistent throughout the medium density areas
of the development, and very prevalent when Cal Poly students are in town. There was even a
morning a couple of weeks ago where a neighbor of mine was ticketed for parking the wrong
direction on the street, and I did not receive a citation for parking in front of my driveway at
that time. If the City thinks that there is a problem with this, then I recommend an
educational effort to notify residents that the City intends to begin enforcing that standard
since many residents have been parking in front of their own driveway for several years now
with no consequence.
Thanks,
-Mike
On Tue, Mar 31, 2026 at 7:46 AM Schwartz, Luke <LSchwart(a)slocity.org> wrote:
Bcc: City Council
Michael,
Apologies for the delayed response.
Our team is not concerned with what type of vehicle is parked here or the
duration/frequency of parking at this location per se.
The primary concern was that there was inuficient curb space between the fire hydrant and
nearest driveway to fit both the 15' min stback from the hydrant per the Fire Code and a
minimum length parking stall per City Engineering Standards.
I can have Bryan from our team (cc'd) double check the measurement in the field to confirm.
Thanks,
Luke
From: Michael Loew <
Sent: Thursday, March 26, 2026 6:58:55 PM
To: Schwartz, Luke <LSchwart@slocity.org>; Rice, Jennifer <irice@slocity.org>
Cc: E-mail Council Website <emailcouncil@slocity.org>
Subject: Red Curb
Hi Luke,
live at 1986 San Luis Ranch Rd. and own the white pickup. I have been parking there for 3
years since we moved in. It's just that I started working from home so it was out there more
during the day.
reviewed the complaints against the red curb and my truck, as well as the staff follow-up. It
appears that Council Member Marx and Bryan Wheeler did not measure the red curb
accurately. The red curb was painted exactly 15 feet from the fire hydrant and 20 feet from
the crosswalk and you can still see where it was painted.
Will you please put the parking space back? People are flying through the roundabout and
are now coming through in front of my house really fast. I know it was inconvenient for
people to have to slow down coming into the neighborhood, but that was supposed to be the
point of narrow streets.
Thanks,
Mike Loew
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