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HomeMy WebLinkAbout5/26/2026 Item 5a, Vujovich La-Barre Mila Vujovich-La Barre < To:E-mail Council Website Subject:“5a - Code Enforcement Priorities - Safe and Livable Neighborhoods and Housing” May 26, 2026 Dear Mayor Stewart and Council Members - This communication is regarding “5a - Code Enforcement Priorities - Safe and Livable Neighborhoods and Housing,” listed as a study session for tonight’s agenda. Having perused the comments submitted from Brett Cross, Carolyn Smith, Santa Rowley, and Kathie Walker, I am completely aligned with their stance. Their collective research and presentation of facts are commendable and accurate. As a public school teacher in the San Luis Coastal Unified School District for 42 years, I have had a special relationship with the families and students who live here. I love San Luis Obispo and its residents - young and old! We need to legally support and protect neighborhoods where people of all ages and economic backgrounds can thrive and feel safe. In addition to teaching, I have served and currently serve on the Student Community Liaison Committee (SCLC) as the Neighborhood Geographic Representative. In that position over the years, I have fielded numerous calls and emails from community members about how to improve “town-gown” relations with Cal Poly students and Cuesta students. Some residents have terrific ideas - others are filled with complaints. While I know that Cuesta College students are hard-working and appreciative and that Cal Poly accepts only the best and the brightest from across the nation, a small percentage of these students have contributed to residents’ concerns about large parties, noise violations, public drunkenness, sexual assault, theft, littering, and traffic issues. I have shared these concerns at the SCLC meetings monthly. Many of these large gatherings, primarily at fraternity houses, have compromised public safety and serenity. 1 While a solution to St. Patrick's Day was designed through the SCLC members, there are many other incidents where there has been an extreme disregard for the law, especially underage drinking. At the SCLC, we discussed in September how a Greek Row at Cal Poly would solve these problems. Then a representative from Cal Poly came to talk about the Master Plan for development there and said that construction of a Greek Row was NOT being entertained by Cal Poly. Unbeknownst to many, in addition to teaching, I was a licensed realtor for four years. In that regard, a home in a "R-1"neighborhood is desirable because it refers to a property located in a Residential Single-Family (R-1) zoning district. It strictly designates a single, detached home built on a single lot, prohibiting multi-family buildings or commercial businesses to maintain a low-density, family-oriented neighborhood. People buy in R-1 neighborhoods as an investment for that stability, safety, and peace. Many students rent and live in R-1 neighborhoods in search of that same safety, stability, and peace. My major concern, which I have repeatedly voiced at SCLC meetings, is that fraternities are operating illegally in R-1 neighborhoods and hosting huge gatherings. They do not present or protect that "family-oriented” feeling. The proverbial “elephant in the room” is that fraternities are not to be operating in R-1 neighborhoods. That is indeed the law. These events are exceptionally detrimental to the peace that tax-paying residents are entitled to. Do you realize that there are single female homeowners in these neighborhoods who have expressed concern for their personal safety when parties of this magnitude happen? If they call to report a grievance, they are worried that they may become a victim of revenge from partygoers. They are afraid to contact the partygoers directly. For people who have filed a complaint, it appears that a certain code enforcement officer has been incredibly challenged in keeping tabs on these fraternities. He needs backup or additional training. There needs to be a discussion about adding more code enforcement officers. I would also like to see our SLO Police Department make a higher priority of these noise violations emanating from these fraternity and general student parties. 2 There are fraternity members who want to weaken enforcement, eliminate accountability, legalize illegal uses, rewrite zoning to benefit fraternities, blatantly ignore Planning Commission findings, disregard neighborhood impacts, and adopt a student overlay zone that would permanently change residential areas. Please do not allow this to happen. Please protect the rights of residents and predictable land-use rules. The enforcement of existing laws is paramount to the safety and quiet enjoyment of families, single working people, couples, and Seniors in our beautiful, award- winning town. Sincerely, Mila Vujovich-La Barre 650 Skyline Drive San Luis Obispo, California 93405 -- Mila Vujovich-La Barre Mobile::805.441.4818 3