HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-17-2015 PH1 Smith 2To: Mejia, Anthony
Subject: RE: Monterey Hotel proposal
COUNCILMEETING:
ITEM NO.: F? A ,
FEB 13 2015
- - - -- Original Message---- -
From: cheryl smith [mailto:twoslosmiths @me.com]
Sent: Friday, February 13, 2015 10:45 AM
To: Marx, Jan; Ashbaugh, John; Carpenter, Dan; Christianson, Carlyn; Rivoire, Dan; Mejia, Anthony
Cc: Bob; Angela Soll
Subject: Re: Monterey Hotel proposal
On Feb 9, 2015, at 10:53 AM, cheryl smith wrote:
Dear SLO City Councilmember,
We wrote a letter to all of you dated 9 Feb and have had subsequent thoughts and observations after reviewing the 228
page staff agenda report regarding the Monterey Hotel proposal.
From our local knowledge of the property and its surroundings, and seeing the parking arrangements and hotel room
sizes on the plans, we are concerned that the guests will be unhappy with the accommodations and will report such to
the likes of Trip Advisor and Yelp, downgrading the hotel's reputation and financial viability, and leaving the city with an
unhappy developer and an unsuccessful project in a spot that should be an area of city pride. Why? Per the
architectural drawings, the rooms are tiny and cramped, with bathrooms to match - hardly what the customers will
expect in a facility advertised as upscale. The parking is tortuous and crowded, reminiscent of Albertsons' parking lot,
only smaller. Entrance and exit of left- turning southbound vehicles from and onto Monterey St. with guest and diner
and staff and service vehicles in large numbers increases traffic and accident risks, especially for people unfamiliar with
the area or having had a few drinks at the adjacent restaurant. Too much crowded onto those two skinny lots will make
for a less than five -star lodging experience.
The mystical number of 102 rooms baffles us, as a lower, smaller, softer hotel could be such a nice addition to upper
Monterey - congruent with the city and the neighborhoods on both sides of the creek. The whole project suggests a lack
of common sense and lacks a view of the big picture. We hope the developer will rethink this project in larger context
and produce something that fits.
Sincerely,
Norman Brooks Smith and Cheryl Smith