HomeMy WebLinkAbout5/26/2026 Item 5a, Clark
Mike Clark <
To:Stewart, Erica A; Shoresman, Michelle; Francis, Emily; Boswell, Mike; Marx, Jan
Cc:McDonald, Whitney; E-mail Council Website
Subject:Item 5A -- Study Session on Code Enforcement Priorities
Dear Mayor and Councilmembers --
The fact that we are having a study session on Code Enforcement and the future of
residential neighborhoods adversely impacted by fraternities probably tells us all we need to
know about how residential life in San Luis Obispo has deteriorated in recent years.
Most, if not all, of that deterioration is due to bad behavior on the part of members of Cal
Poly fraternities – which according to my count now number 19 and are occupying 12 homes in R-
4 neighborhoods, 13 homes in R-2 neighborhoods and an unthinkable 73 homes in R-1. It should
not have to be pointed out, but I will because you may be unaware, that the City prohibits
fraternities in R-1 and R-2 neighborhoods. And yet there they are.
How on earth did that come to be? It certainly did not happen because neighborhoods were
actively recruiting neighborhood disruptions to interrupt their peace and quiet or that they
were eager for loud parties and bands to keep them awake at night.
Do we residents need 19 fraternities in our small town? Do we need 10? Do we even need
any? It’s doubtful.
Does Cal Poly need 19 or 12 or any fraternities? Perhaps. If so they should have the
responsibility to find a place for them to live and do whatever it is that the Cal Poly
Administration and bureaucracy think they can accomplish by being there. The fraternities do
not appear to be accomplishing anything of value on behalf of the neighborhoods they are
occupying and would likely not be missed. Perhaps that is why Cal Poly will not allow them to live
1
on campus and has not built the fraternity row that is common to many other universities and
colleges.
Back to the issue of how the fraternities were allowed to come into existence in our R-1 and
R-2 residential neighborhoods. As President Harry Truman is alleged to have said, “The Buck
Stops Here.” In our case, the buck stops with our Mayor and Council, and we can lay that
failure at the feet of our Mayors and Councils over the past several years. Were they asleep at
the switch or did they simply not care? Did the Staff sneak approvals past the
Council? Something certainly happened that did not include residents.
Before the current Mayor, Council and Staff even begin to consider the lunacy of granting
Cal Poly’s wish for an (ever expanding) Fraternity Overlay with unknown consequences for our
town, they must clean up the current situation and remove fraternities from our R-1 and R-2
neighborhoods.
The Planning Commission has begun to show the way. I urge the Council to follow their
lead. To do otherwise would be unconscionable and disrespectful to both residents and our
neighborhoods.
Sincerely --
Michael Clark
SLO Resident
2