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03/20/2001, 1 - 2001 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM
council j aGEn6A Repoin CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO FROM: John Mandeville, Long-Rang g Manager PREPARED BY: Jeff Hook, Associate PI SUBJECT: 2001 Community Development Block Grant Program CAO RECOMMENDATION: Adopt a resolution that: 1) approves the 2001 CDBG Program activities and funding in the amount of $946,205 2) amends the previous years' CDBG programs, 3) endorses the Urban County's Draft One-Year Action Plan, including HOME and Special Urban Projects funding, and 4) forwards the Council's actions and funding recommendations to the Board of Supervisors. In addition, revise the City's overall CDBG goals and priorities, as recommended in the staff report. REPORT-IN-BRIEF The City received 13 CDBG funding requests for the'2001 Program Year, totaling about $1.69 million. As with each grant year since 1994, the total funding requested exceeds this year's CDBG allocation of $946,205. Consequently, the City will not be able to fund all of the requests during this program year. The recommended CDBG funding strategy emphasizes: 1) continuing support for homeless services, 2) repaying the City's Section 108 federal loan, 3) supporting the development of special needs and affordable housing, 4) handicapped ramp installation in city streets, 5) historic adobe restoration, and 6) the purchase of a new food bank warehouse in Paso Robles serving low-income persons throughout the County. The County has issued a draft Summary One-Year Action Plan of the Consolidated Plan. That plan, Attachment 2, describes activities proposed for funding by the entire Urban County, which includes the cities of Arroyo Grande, Atascadero, Grover Beach, Paso Robles, and San Luis Obispo; and unincorporated San Luis Obispo County, including CDBG, Home Investment Partnership (HOME) and Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG) funds, and program income. The required 30-day public review period has closed and Council may now take final'action on the draft Action Plan and CDBG program. The Board of Supervisors is tentatively scheduled to act on the Plan on April 3, 2001. DISCUSSION Background. San Luis Obispo is entering its eighth grant year as a participating city in the San Luis Obispo Urban County. The Urban County will receive about $2.8 million in CDBG funds, $1.29 million in Home Investment Partnership Program (HOME) funds, and $95,000 in Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG) funds during the program year that runs from July 1, 2001 through June 2002. The San Luis Obispo City's share is about $32,000 more than last year's allocation. Council Agenda Report - 2001 Community Development Block Grant Program Page 2 Consolidated Plan/HUD approval. Under the Urban County cooperation agreement, the Council considers the draft "One-Year Action Plan." This is the core of the Urban County's HUD-required Consolidated Plan (CP). Other sections of the CP are mostly background information on community needs and demographics and are not significantly changed from previous years. The draft Plan summarizes planned CDBG, HOME and ESG activities in the Urban County for 2001 (Attachment 2). The City Council reviews the draft Action Plan but has approval authority only over those CDBG activities located within.the City. Council may recommend projects to receive Special Urban Projects, HOME and ESG funds, although this step is not required. The final CP will include each jurisdiction's adopted CDBG program and the Board's approved Special Urban Projects, HOME and ESG projects before the CP is submitted to HUD in May. HUD then reviews the plan and notifies the Urban County in June once it is approved. Funding becomes available starting in late July or early August once HUD-required agreements and environmental reviews are completed. Council Goals and Priorities. When Council first launched the CDBG program in 1994, it set five objectives for the use of grant funds: 1. Affordable housing 2. Emergency shelter for homeless persons 3. Removal of architectural barriers for the disabled and elderly 4. Economic development (to enhance economic stability, provide jobs for low/moderate income persons, and remove spot blight.conditions) 5. Child care and youth recreation services Updated Priorities. Childcare and youth recreation services - although still a city service priority - are now funded through the General Fund instead of the CDBG program, due to inherent difficulties with HUD limits on public services spending. Priorities 1-4 continue to guide staff in its evaluation of CDBG applications. A new funding priority seems to have evolved to meet community needs for funding of the Carnegie library restoration and public/private efforts to rehabilitate historic adobes. These activities combine "removal of spot blight" with historic rehabilitation -- both allowed activities under HUD rules -- to improve neighborhoods and provide public facilities. Staff recommends the Council update its CDBG funding priorities by including "Removal of Spot Blight/Historic Rehabilitation" as priority 5 and deleting Child Care and Youth Recreation Services. Grant Application Review.. Soon after the grant application deadline closes, staff from various City departments review the applications and formulate a funding recommendation to Council. Since there are invariably more grant requests than funds available, applications that most closely reflect Council objectives have generally received the most favorable staff evaluations. Based on public comments, staffs analysis and recommendation, and its own Council Agenda Report - 2001 Community Development Block Grant Program Page 3 evaluation of the applications, the Council then decides how CDBG funds are allocated. This was the process followed for this year's program. One Council member has suggested that Council be involved earlier in the CDBG process in future grant years to allow council members to set funding priorities before the County publishes the "Draft Consolidated Plan" in January or early February. Staff can return to Council later this year to present other grant review strategies to achieve this objective, if desired. It should be noted however; that Council still has the prerogative of modifying the City's funding strategy at this time. Community Needs Hearings. The Urban County hosted "needs" hearings at several locations throughout the County to allow the public to identify community problems and needs. One of the hearings was held at the San Luis Obispo City/County Library on November 9, 2000. Audience members supported the use of CDBG funds for affordable housing projects, including mixed-use projects, self-help housing projects, frail elderly housing, and special needs housing. Several speakers felt CDBG funds should be used mainly for affordable housing and not for public facilities (Attachment 4). HUD Objectives and rules. The Urban County's CDBG activities must, by law, meet HUD objectives and rules. HUD has three broad national objectives: 1. To benefit persons and households with incomes below 80 percent of area median incomes ($38,400 for a four-person household); 2. To aid in the prevention or elimination of slums or blight; and 3. To meet urgent community development needs that pose a serious, immediate threat to public health or welfare, such as floods, earthquakes or other disasters. CDBG-eligible activities include: acquisition of real property, construction or rehabilitation of public facilities and improvements, site/building clearance and demolition, tenant relocation, provision of certain types of public services, removal of architectural barriers, housing rehabilitation, historic preservation, code enforcement, special economic development activities, planning studies and grant administration. Projects must also meet federal eligibility criteria and rules. For example, HUD requires that at least 70 percent of the Urban County's grants go to activities that benefit low- and moderate-income persons. At least 51 percent of individual project or program funds must benefit low- and moderate-income persons, and up to 20 percent of the City's total funding can be used for overall CDBG program administration and other indirect costs. Up to 15 percent of the Urban County's CDBG funds can go toward Public Services. The recommended 2001 CDBG program meets these requirements. HOME funds may be used only for affordable housing related activities benefiting low-income families. There is a local funding match requirement equal to 25 percent of the HOME funds. Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG) funds may be used for provision of emergency shelter and related services. /3 Council Agenda Report _ 200.1 Community Development Block Grant Program Page 4 Project Evaluations and Recommendations. Table I lists the CDBG requests and staff funding recommendations for the 2001 Program Year. HUD expects grantees to undertake projects as soon after grant approval as possible and to avoid accumulating unused CDBG funds. Consequently, staff recommends giving. preference to: 1) activities which can be undertaken relatively quickly; 2) programs with a continuing, urgent need, such as operation of the San Luis Obispo Homeless Shelter or transitional housing for women and children, and 3) those other activities which appear most consistent with Council goals and priorities, such as servicing the debt on the City's Section 108 federal loan, continuing the installation of curb ramps on city streets and assisting community groups with restoration of historic adobes, and handicapped ramp installation in City streets. Funding for two new activities is recommended: a new food bank warehouse serving low-income persons in San Luis Obispo County and planning for Downtown affordable housing. Table 1. Recommended 2001 CDBG Activities ## Activity ApplicantlResponsible Dept. $ Requested $ Recommend 1 Section 108 Loan Repayment City of SLO 11,000 311,000 Acquire Tfansitioral Housing omen's Shelter Program, Inc. 230,000 50,000 Gap Financing for Pismo-Buchu SLO Housing Authoriv 100,000 25,000 Apts. squire land for elderly housing Judson Terrace Lodge 94,000 94,000_ 5 Acquire low-income housing Sojum Services, Inc. 1100,000 0 6 Rehabilitate low-income housing Aids Support Network 5,000 25,000 SUBTOTAL,Housing(53%of reoominende'd 2001 CDBG funding) 860,000 505,000 7 Operate SLO Homeless Shelter Economic Opportunity Commission 138,000 138,000 EOC c 8 Operate Prado Day Center EOCu 50,000 0 9 Program leader support Camp Fire Boys and Girls 2,000 0 UBTOTAL; Public Services(15%) 190,000 138,000 101-landicapped ramps, streets City of SLO 80,000 57,9733 i1 Rehabilitate three historic adobes FOCAu 453,700 T9-0,2_327- 12squire new food bank Warehouse Food Bank Coalition of SLO 3,000 0,000 SUBTOTAL, Public Facilities(290/6) 616,700 78,205 13 Affordable housing site study Peoples'Self-Help Housing Corp. 25,000 5,000 SUBTOTAL,Planning(3%) 5,000 5,000 TOTALS 1$1,691,700 1946,205 An additional $65,000 to be reallocated in previous program years for this activity.. 2$50,000 to be provided from other City sources. 3 A additional $31,977 to be reallocated in previous program years for this activity. 4 A additional $15,000 to be reallocated in previous program years for this activity. Responsible City Departments: °'Community Development; BPublic Works; °Human Resources; °Administration. Council Agenda Report - 2001 Community Development Block Grant Program Page 5 Description of Recommended CDBG Activities Application 1-01. Section 108 Loan. In 1998, the City began to draw down its approved Section 108 federally guaranteed loan of $1.65 million. The loan was used to fund the Housing Authority's purchase and development of affordable housing ($1 million) and to rehabilitate the historic Carnegie Library building. Loan payments will be made over six years, averaging approximately $324,000 per year for principal and interest and will come from the City's annual CDBG allocation. Council selected the six-year loan repayment schedule to retire the debt quickly and to minimize effects on the City's ongoing CDBG-funded projects. This year, principal and interest payments on the loan will total $322,000. With a fund balance carried forward from last year, we need to allocate $311,066 to cover principal and estimated interest payments in 2001-2002. Application 2-01. Women's Shelter Transitional Housing. The Women's Shelter has been a major recipient of City block grant funds in past years. They currently have about $227,000 in City CDBG funds toward transitional housing and request $230,000 more this year. They received a site study grant from the City in 1998 which has not been fully spent. As yet, no specific property has been identified or optioned, however the Women's Shelter intends to purchase property within the first quarter of 2001. Staff recommends a relatively modest level of additional funding this year, given the level of funding already provided by the City, and the other funding needs and priorities during this program year. To meet HUD rules for timely use of CDBG funds, reallocation of Women's Shelter block grant funds may be necessary in 2002 if the funds are not used in the 2001 program year. It should also be noted that, as time passes, the "value" of our past grant funds is diminished by increasing housing costs. Application 3-01. Housing Authority of the City of San Luis Obispo. The City allocated $300,000 in CDBG funds to buy the land for the Pismo-Buchon Apartments, an 11-unit, low- income housing development. It also waived $56,000 in permit and impact fees for the project. The Housing Authority believes the City is partly responsible for the cost overruns due to a delay in preparing environmental documents and requests an additional $100,000 to cover unanticipated development costs. There was no City delay in preparing CEQA and NEPA environmental studies. They were completed within normal processing times. Draw down of CDBG funds was delayed, however, due to a procedural environmental issue that required HUD review. The issue related to transfer of property ownership prior to completion of HUD review of the environmental determination for the Apartments. After over a year of reviewing the matter, HUD agreed the environmental review was adequate and directed the County and City to release funding. The City released the $300,000 as soon as it was possible to do so. Development costs involve many factors outside of City control, including design choices, public and applicant appeals to Council, project changes, HUD review time. The City is under no obligation to provide additional funding. The Council may, however wish to help offset the unexpected costs due to the difficulty of developing this infill site with affordable housing. If Council chooses to do so, funding for other projects would need to be reduced accordingly. I Council Agenda Report - 2001 Community Development Block Grant Program Page 6 Application 4-01. Judson Terrace received $400,000 in 1999 HOME funds, and due to increased project costs, requests an additional $94,000 in CDBG funds for land acquisition, and $406,000 in HOME funds from the Urban County. The project is designed and ready to build, and consistent with Council and Housing Element housing objectives. Application 5-01. Sojurn Services' requests $100,000 to purchase a four-plex at 2660 Broad Street in San Luis Obispo for low-income rental housing. The proposal is consistent with city housing objectives for low-income residents. Given other funding needs and priorities in this program year, the review committee did not give high priority to funding this new activity. Following previous Council direction, staff gave priority to projects that already had a City funding commitment or were farther along in the acquisition/development process. Sojurn Services, Inc. is part of the SLO Housing Consortium that shares facilities among its clients, including the Women's Shelter, which is currently funded for transition housing. Application 6-01. The City is part owner of the historic Adriance Apartments, a low-income housing complex for people with AIDS. Recent tenant complaints and a follow-up staff inspection confirmed the need for exterior repairs and maintenance. Aids Support Network requests $25,000 to help with window replacement and exterior repainting. As a designated historic resource, the work will need to follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation of Historic Properties, including matching the. existing, divided-lite wood windows. Staff supports the funding request to help meet the costs of historic rehabilitation. Application 7-01. The Homeless Shelter's annual funding for operations has been increased from $120,000 to $138,000. The County plans to allocate about $182,000 in CDBG and general fund monies this year. Funding increases reflect increased operation costs due to growth in the number of persons served by the Shelter, including "overflow" clients who eat dinner and shower at the Shelter before being transported to churches to sleep. The overflow program is now year- around and costs of food, water, laundry and client transportation have increased substantially. Application 8-01. Prado Day. Due to HUD's 15% funding cap on public services spending, virtually all of our allowed funding for"public services" is exhausted by the Homeless Shelter. Staff recommends a funding strategy for the Prado Day Center (PDC) which: 1) continues our previous level of support, 2) uses the Park Hotel Housing Rehabilitation Loan Repayment Fund to fund the PDC, and 3) postpones the use of General Funds to operate the PDC as long as possible. The Park Hotel Loan will be paid off in three years. With the current fund balance and remaining loan payments to be made, the Fund will cover PDC operating costs for another two years. After the Park Hotel note is paid-off and the existing fund balance exhausted, the City will need to either: - Use the General Fund - Find another funding source - Discontinue funding this program j Council Agenda Report - 2001 Community Development Block Grant Program Page 7 Application 9-01. Campfire Boys and Girls request $2,000 to hire an after school activities leader for Campfire activities in low-income areas. While a worthwhile program, there is no indication of how the program would be funded on an on-going basis. The City already funds after-school recreation programs available to low-income children. Staff's concern is that this program duplicates services already offered and that once funded, may require on-going City subsidy. Moreover, small ($2,000) giants are more appropriate as Grants-in-Aid requests through the Human Relations Commission. Application 10-01. A reduced level of funding for Handicapped Access Ramps in City Streets is suggested to help provide funds for the countywide food bank and to allow ramp installation to "catch up" with funding from previous years. About $140,000 in CDBG funding is available from previous years to fund this activity. Staff recommends an additional $57,973 bringing total funding for ramp installation to about$200,000. Application I1-01. Adobe Restoration. In 1996 Council allocated $120,000 in CDBG funds for restoration planning and architectural design for the City's three historic adobes. Rehabilitation plans have been prepared and funds are needed to complete the work. The Rodriguez Adobe is the highest priority due to its prominent location in a new housing area. Also, this is the only adobe which already has rehabilitation funding from another source — $100,000 in fees paid by the subdivider of the Islay area. Funding is necessary to improve the blighted condition of the adobes and to begin the restoration process to accommodate community uses. $453,700 is requested, however staff recommends $190,232 be allocated and earmarked for the Rodriguez Adobe restoration. Application 12-01. Funding for a North County Food Bank may seem at first to be an unlikely candidate for funding. This facility is, however the major food distributor for homeless facilities throughout the county, including San Luis Obispo. Its present facilities are inadequate. Because of produce truck routes, Paso Robles is the logical location for the warehouse. Funding was requested from all participating jurisdictions in the Urban County. The other cities have expected to allocate a total of$79,000 to this activity. $30,000 in San Luis.Obispo City support is recommended. This funding level is based on San Luis Obispo City's share of Food Bank's total food distribution, or about 10 percent of the $300,000 in CDBG funds requested countywide. Application 13-01. Peoples'Self-Help Housing Corporation's request is in part, a response to a letter from the Mayor asking the non-profit to become more active in San Luis Obispo City. It is also an effort to address an identified housing need. PSSHC would like to do a downtown affordable housing project and requests $25,000 to conduct site identification and due diligence studies in connection with a downtown affordable housing project. Possible projects include the rehabilitation of former hotels like the Blackstone and the Wineman, or a small, infill or mixed- use project. PSHHC recently completed a remodel.of Downtown Santa Barbara's Victoria Hotel to create 28 single-room occupancy units for low-income persons plus ground floor retail. Staff �-7 Council Agenda Report _ 2001 Community Development Block Grant Program Page 8 supports the request since PSHHC has experience in developing this type of project, and because providing affordable downtown housing is a long-standing community objective. Program Amendments. HUD rules allow jurisdictions to amend previous CDBG program allocations. Attachment 3 summarizes the City's CDBG activities and funding. Staff recommends amendments to four program years, to be approved at the same time the Council acts on the 2001 CDBG Program. These amendments are shown in Table 2. The amendments apply to two types of activities: 1) completed activities with funds remaining, and 2) incomplete activities that are being discontinued. By amending previous year programs, the City can reallocate funding to more urgent community needs or to activities with a greater likelihood of being completed.in a timely manner. All but one of the proposed amendments falls into the first category. After several years of funding, the EOC Home Repair Program continues to run a surplus of funding. EOC has had difficulty marketing the program for its intended clientele - low-income property owners. With EOC's concurrence, staff recommends that after reserving $12,700 for "pipeline" home repair projects, the Council reallocate the remaining funds to other priority activities. TABLE 2: 1994, 1997, 1998 and 2000 CDBG Program Year Amendments ($) Activity Grantee Current Allocation Proposed Allocation 1994 PROGRAM YEAR At-Risk Youth City of SLO 355 0 Install HC Ramps,streets City of SLO 0 2,236 Remove arch.barriers, City of SLO 1,881 0 parks 1997 PROGRAM YEAR Drainage Improvements City of SLO 10,509 0 Install HC ramps,streets City of SLO 0 10,509 1998 PROGRAM YEAR Home Repair Program EOC 50,000 12,700 Drainage Improvements City of SLO 19,232 0 Install HC ramps,streets City of SLO 60,480 79,712 Transitional Housing(new SLO Women's' Shelter 0 37,300 activity) 2000 PROGRAM YEAR Home Repair Program EOC 30,000 0 Rehabilitate historic adobes City of SLO 0 15,000 4 Council Agenda Report - 2001 Community Development Block Grant Program Page 9 (new activity) Transitional Housing SLO Women's' Shelter 150,000 165,000 Program Administration. HUD rules allow grantees to use up to 20 percent of their total CDBG funding for general program administration. In previous program years, Council has typically allocated 10 percent of the total CDBG funding be set aside for program administration. The City currently has a balance of $183,000 in CDBG funds from previous grant years available for program.administration. Hence, no additional program administration funding is needed this year. Special Urban Projects Funding. Under the Cooperation Agreement, 15 percent of the net County funding is set-aside annually for a "Special Urban Projects Fund." Funds are available to all participating jurisdictions on a competitive basis and are awarded by the Board of Supervisors. Special urban projects are those that are more regional in scope, meet an urgent community need, provide direct benefit to very needy groups (very-low income, disabled persons, at-risk youth), and would not be feasible without special funding assistance. $152,193 is available in the 2001 Program Year. The County proposes to use $107,202 of this year's Special Urban Projects funding for the SLO Homeless Shelter and $42,298 to fund a case manager for North County homeless services, as shown in Table 3. These facilities qualify as Special Urban Projects by serving critical needs of low-income residents from throughout San Luis Obispo County. TABLE 3: Recommended Special Urban Pro'ects For The 2001 Program Year ded Project Name Applicant Recommended Fundis n SLO Homeless Shelter Operation EOC 101,202 North County Case Management, homeless EOC 42,298 services Prado Day Center EOC 2,693 TOTAL 1527193 HOME Funding. The Urban County expects to receive $1,286,000 in formula HOME funds in 2001. HOME-funded projects which could directly benefit City residents include $183,000 to continue the Housing Authority's First time Homebuyer's Assistance Program, $250,000 for the Housing Authority's Special Needs Tenant-based Rental Assistance Program, and $300,000 to help Judson Terrace to complete a 32-unit assisted rental facility for very-low income frail, elderly persons in San Luis Obispo. The Urban County's Home funding recommendations are shown in Table 4. /�9 i Council Agenda Report - 2001 Community Development Block Grant Program Page 10 TABLE 4. Recommended HOME Projects For The 2001 Program Year Project Name Applicant Recommended Funding ($) Judson Terrace frail, elderly housing American Baptist Homes 300,000 Tenant-based Rental Assistance (Countywide) SLO Housing Authority 250,000 Canyon Creek low-income apts., Paso Robles Peoples' Self-Help Housing 250,000 Creekside Gardens affordable senior housing Peoples' Self-Help Housing 225,000 First-time Homebuyers Program (Countywide SLO Housing Authority 183,000 Sewer lateral installation Ni omo Cominty. Services 40,000 TOTAL 1,248,000 FISCAL IMPACT CDBG funding will have an overall beneficial fiscal effect. To the extent that qualified, on- going City programs are funded through the CDBG program, more General.Fund monies are available for other important capital projects and programs. ALTERNATIVE 1. Revise candidate CDBG and HOME projects and funding levels. Council members may change the list of projects to receive City CDBG funding, and/or change the funding levels from those recommended. Attachments: 1. Draft Resolution 2. Draft 2000 Urban County One-Year Action Plan Summary 3. CDBG Program Allocations, 1994-2000 4. Summary of Comments from the City of San Luis Obispo Needs Hearing Council Reading File: 2001 CDBG Program Applications Jh/CDBG/CDBG01.ccrpt RESOLUTION NO. (20 isfA Fd E d l(l N-, A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO APPROVING THE 2001 CDBG PROGRAM,AMENDING 1994, 19979 1998 AND 2000 PROGRAM YEARS,AND ENDORSING THE SAN LUIS OBISPO URBAN COUNTY'S DRAFT ONE-YEAR ACTION PLAN WHEREAS, the City of San Luis Obispo is a participating jurisdiction in the San Luis, Obispo Urban County, along with the cities of Arroyo Grande, Atascadero, Grover Beach, and Paso Robles, and the County of San Luis Obispo, and WHEREAS, said cities and County cooperatively administer several federal grant programs under the provisions of the Cooperative Agreement approved by the San.Luis Obispo City Council on July 13, 1999 and as amended on September 7, 1999, and under applicable U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Department (HUD) rules, and WHEREAS, pursuant to said agreement, the Urban County Public Participation Plan and HUD rules, the City Council held a public hearing on March 20, 2001 to review applications for federal grant funding and to consider public comments.on community needs and the use of such funds, and WHEREAS, the Council has considered applications for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds, public testimony, the Urban County's proposed One-Year Action Plan, including proposed funding allocations for the CDBG program, Home Investment Partnership (HOME), Emergency Shelter Grants (ESG), and the Special Urban Projects Fund, and city staff recommendations, and WHEREAS, the Council has also considered previous years' CDBG funding allocations and determined that amendments are necessary to re-allocate unused funds, or to re-allocate funds to activities with greater community need or urgency. BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of San Luis Obispo as follows: SECTION 1. Environmental Determination. The Council hereby determines that the proposed funding actions are not "projects" as defined by Section 21065 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), since they will not cause a direct or indirect physical change in the environment do not involve the issuance of a lease, permit, license, certificate or other entitlement. Consequently, no further environmental review is necessary. SECTION 2. 2001 Community Development Block Program. The City's 2001 Community Development Block Program, Exhibit A, is hereby approved. SECTION 3. CDBG Program.Amendments. The 1994, 1997, 1998 and 2000 CDBG Programs are hereby amended, as shown in Exhibit B. SECTION 4. One-Year Action Plan. The San Luis Obispo Urban County's Draft One- Year Action Plan is hereby endorsed, Exhibit C. Resolution No. (2001 Series) Page 2 SECTION 5. Board of Supervisors Consideration. The Council hereby forwards the above actions to the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors for consideration prior to the Board's final action on the Urban County's 2001 Consolidated Plan. Upon motion of - , seconded by and on the following roll call vote: AYES: NOES: ABSENT: the foregoing resolution was adopted this day of 2001. Mayor Allen Settle ATTEST: Lee Price, City Clerk APPROVED AS TO FORM: J ('r 4r.-J gense ' ity ttomey Exhibits: A-Approved 2001 CDBG Program for the City of San Luis Obispo (to be attached later) B-Approved CDBG Program Amendments C-Draft Urban County One-Year Action Plan Jh1LJcdbg/cdbgCCres3-01 APPLICATIONS TO THE COUNTY J. CDBG ••, HOUSING � TA ' ENO"' Funds Funding Applicant Project Requested Recommendation 1. People's Creekside Gardens $ 200,000 $0. This project meets Priority#2 under the Self Help Prop. acquisition Affordable Housing Strategy objective of the Housing Consolidated Plan. Affordable rental housing is at a premium due to housing shortages in the county. Thus,this project addresses an urgent need in the county. The County is recommending$225,000 in HOME funds for this project. The chances of awarding HOME funds for this project are significantly greater than CDBG because there are fewer applications for HOME funds. 2. Sojourn Property Acquisition $ 100,000 $0. This is an application to the City of SLO,but Services Sojourn asked the County to consider the project for funding.Although this project meets Priority#3 under the Affordable Housing Strategy objective of the Consolidated Plan,funding is not recommended for this project because other projects(such as the Shandon Water Tank and the NCSD sewer projects) have an immediate and urgent need which otherwise threatens the health and safety of the residents in those areas. The City of San Luis Obispo is not recommending funding for this year,either. 3. Economic Home Repair Program $ 45,000 $20,000. This program meets Priority#3 under the Opportunity Affordable Housing Strategy objective of the Commission Consolidated Plan,to maintain and upgrade existing housing units occupied by low-income households. With the recommended funding,an estimated 10-15 low-income households would benefit from the program. The majority of projects consist of roof and bathroom repairs,weatherproofing and installing handicap railings and ramps for low income seniors. This program has been in operation for a few years and has made progress in using funds in a timely manner. The program is viable with the recommended amount since EOC receives some State funding for this project. 4. Life Steps Renovation Project $ 15,900 $13,600. This program meets Priority#3 of the Affordable Housing Strategy objective of the Consolidated Plan. The project shows an urgent need to operate the facility at its current level to maintain and provide adequate services. Life Steps' limited clientele consists of low-income mentally ill persons and their children. On average, Life Steps assists 72 persons per year. The recommended amount is enough to complete two of the three repair jobs. Total CDBG Funds Recommended for Housing: $33,600 1-/3 PUBLIC SERVICES Funds Funding Applicant Proiect Requested Recommendation 1. Economic Homeless Shelter Op. $ 149,500 $149,500.This project meets Priority#2 under the Opportunity Expenses and No.Co. Addressing Homelessness objective of the Commission Case Mgt. Consolidated Plan. This is an ongoing program funded primarily by CDBG,ESG and general fund contributions in partnership between the County and the City of San Luis Obispo. This program provides 49 beds,and 15-25 beds in overflow facilities,adding up to 24,244 shelter nights a year. The City has recommended$138,000 of its CDBG funds for the program. The County's contribution of$149,500 in CDBG funds is proposed to come from the Special Urban Projects Funds,since it benefits more than a single jurisdiction. Of the$149,500,$42,289 would support the existing case manager in the North County to meet the emergency needs,stabilize income and obtain housing for the homeless. 2. Economic Prado Day Center $ 50,000 $33,851.This project meets Priority#2,under the Opportunity Addressing Homelessness objective of the Commission Consolidated Plan.This is another ongoing program funded primarily in partnership between the County and City of San Luis Obispo. Although there is a high need and it has a high priority need according to the Consolidated Plan,the reduced recommendation amount is due to the need to fully fund the Homeless Shelter. The Prado Day Center has been fulfilling its role as a supportive service center by servicing an average of 100-125 homeless or low-income persons each day. Typically, 100 people eat lunch and 50-75 people utilize the service center at the facility. The City of San Luis Obispo is recommending funding this program using city general funds. 3. Homeless Emergency Shelter $ 24,000 $0 This project meets Priority#2,under the Housing Addressing Homelessness objective of the Project Consolidated Plan.This would be the third year for this program that enables homeless persons in the North County to stay in motel rooms for limited periods. This program is considered an interim solution,since it isnot as cost effective nor does it provide a broad spectrum of services to the homeless as the homeless shelter in San Luis Obispo. Due to the Public Services cap and in light of urgent needs in other programs,funding is not recommended this year. However,the Cities of Paso Robles and Atascadero are recommending$24,000 and$7,500 respectively of their funds for this project. Also, EOC is proposing$42,289 to support the existing case manager in the North County. 2 �--/ Funds Funding Ji Applicant Project Requested Recommendation 4. Career Bilingual Workforce $ 50,000 $0. This project would provide educational services Training Ctr. and on-the-job training for low-income bilingual persons. This program is not recommended for funding because the need is not as urgent and the demand is not great compared to those projects which have received a favorable recommendation. 5. Boy's& Youth Programs $ 60,000 $0. No funds are proposed for this public service Girl's Club program because it does not address a need as serious North Co. as those for which the available CDBG funds for public services are recommended. This project is not a high priority according to the Consolidated Plan. 6. Boy's& Youth Programs $ 25,000 S 0. No funds are proposed for this public service Girl's Club program because it does not address a need as serious North Co. as those for which the available CDBG funds for public services are recommended. This project is not a high priority according to the Consolidated Plan. 7. Stock Center Performing Arts $ 20,000 $0. No funds are proposed for this public service Program program because it does not address a need as serious as those for which available CDBG funds are recommended. This project does not show an immediate,serious or urgent need nor is it a high priority according to the Consolidated Plan. Total CDBG Funds Recommended for Public Services: $183,351 PUBLIC FACILITIES 1. Homeless No.Co.Homeless $ 514,500 $0.This project meets Priority#2,of the Addressing Housing Homelessness objective. This is an eligible project Project addressing an urgent need in the North County. However,serious consideration must also be given to obtaining sustainable operating funding,a difficult situation at best,without a substantial reduction in CDBG funds approved for the homeless shelter and day center in San Luis Obispo. There is a need to create a collaborative effort in the area with non- profits and local agencies to study the situation. HHP should build local support for such a facility and identify an area or property before any serious funding considerations can be given. 2. Food Bank Property Acquisition $ 127,000 $31,680. This project falls under the Public Facilities Coalition (Warehouse) objective,Priority#1. This request to purchase a new,larger warehouse in Paso Robles would help the food distribution through agencies and programs operating county-wide. This project serves thousands of low-income households with a basic and fundamental daily service. A property has been identified and the developer has agreed to lease/sell the building once the development is completed. This project has received local political and community support, including approximately $100,000 in CDBG funds from the participating cities of the Urban County and other numerous donations for the project. / 3 Funds Funding Anolicant Proiect Requested Recommendation 3. Public ADA Sidewalk Ramps $ 45,000 $0. Although this is an eligible project, identified Works Dept. Oceano under Priority#I of the Public Facilities and Services Strategy objective,the need for this project is not urgent or immediate as those which are recommended for funding. Other funding sources may be available via the County or state funds. 4. Public Shandon Water Tank $ 469,745 $469,745.This project falls under the Public Works Dept. Facilities and Services Strategy objective,Priority#l. Full funding for this project is recommended due to a failing water storage tank in the predominately low- income community if Shandon. This project will contribute to meeting the County's goal of addressing an urgent need by providing public facilities/services to a predominately low-income community. The County previously approved$530,255 in CDBG funds,but additional funding is required to cover a substantial increase in construction costs. The Dept. of Public Works has borrowed from various funding resources, including the General Fund,to pay for the completion of the project. The recommended funds would be utilized to replenish those funding resources once the funds are available to the County. The project is near completion at this time. Once completed,it will significantly improve water pressure and fire protection services in Shandon. 5. Nipomo Sewer for Montecito $ 318,000 $144,000. This project is under the Public Facilities Community Verde U Neighborhood and Services Strategy objective,Priority#1. NCSD Services has demonstrated an urgent need to assist this low- District income neighborhood to connect their failing septic system to the existing sewer. The existing septic system is near collapse and threatens the public health of 32 low-income families. Lack of funding could financially affect very-low and low income residents. The County is also recommending $40,000 in HOME funds to financially assist the families with their lateral connection to the sewer. This meets an urgent need identified in the Consolidated Plan. NCSD has$51,000 in operation and maintenance funds committed to this project. 6. Templeton Exhaust Clean $ 40,000 $0. This project is not recommended for funding Fire Dept. Air System because it would not address as serious a need as other projects recommended for funding. It is CDBG-eligible under the category of spot blight,but it would not directly benefit low-income residents. Also,most residents of Templeton are not low- income,so this community may have less difficulty affording to pay for public improvements than poorer communities like Shandon and the Montecito Verde 11 Neighborhood in Nipomo. 4 1-16 Funds Funding Applicant Proiect Requested Recommendation 7. Co.General Renovation to Co. $ 124,950 $0. The project may provide a benefit to people Services Owned/leased Bldgs. in predominately low-income communities,but there is not an urgent CDBG funding need for this project. Also,these buildings are owned by the County which increases the chance of having funding sources to pay for the upgrades. 8. Greenspace Spot Blight-Demo.of $ 52,760 $0. This project is not recommended for funding Buddhist Temple although it is CDBG-eligible under the category of spot blight. The project does not have a direct benefit to low/moderate income residents of Cambria and does not pose as great of a threat to the public safety and health as is in the community of Shandon and the very-low and low-income families of the Montecito Verde II neighborhood in Nipomo. Also, most residents of the community of Cambria are not low-income,so this community may have less difficulty raising funds than poorer communities. 9. Oceano Community Center $ 600,000 $0. Although this project falls under Priority#1 of Community the Public Facilities and Services Strategy objective, Center, Inc. funding for this project is not recommended at this time. The reason for this is due to the large infrastructure projects in Shandon and Nipomo which pose immediate health threats to their respective areas. This project received$600,000 in 2000 CDBG funds,plus public facility fees from General Services and from the 1999 state budget which must be spent no later than 2004. This project is in need of additional funding primarily due to increased construction costs and the need to build a larger gymnasium than previously expected. OCCI is currently working toward the completion of pre- development designs and will be working on local fund-raising efforts. Denial of funding this year does not prevent the OCCI from moving forward with their design plans and obtaining the necessary land- use permits. Construction of the community center is proposed to begin in July 2002. 10. Avila Beach Renovation,ADA $ 99,500 $10,000 This project falls under the Public Facilities Civic Assoc. Compliance and Services Strategy objective,Priority#I of the Consolidated Plan. The recommended funding would pay to construct a wheelchair ramp in front of the project building which can be completed soon after the availability of the funds from HUD. Unlike other ADA related applications,this building has no other significant funding source to pay for the required alterations. Because this building is the only meeting place to hold town meetings,recreational functions,and is the location of the post office,it is important to improve the access to the building. Funding larger public facility projects limits the recommendation of additional funds. The recommended amount is sufficient to complete one of the four ADA requirements which could be completed shortly after funding is made available by HUD. 5 /- / 7— Funds Funding Applicant Proiect Requested Recommendation 11. Economic Prop.Acquisition-Cap. $ 100,000 $0. EOC has shown an urgent need for financial Opportunity Costs-new admin.bldg. assistance to move their administration offices which Commission support their public services. This project is an eligible activity but other urgent and immediate needs have precedence when funding is limited. EOC has been offered land to build their offices at a proposed shopping center development on the comer of Broad and Santa Barbara Streets in the City of San Luis Obispo. 12. Economic Prop.Acquisition-Cap. $ 50,000 $0. There is demand for this project in Nipomo Opportunity Costs-Head Start Program but the need is not as urgent as those projects Commission identified in Shandon and Nipomo. Total CDBG Funds Recommended for Public Facilities: $655,425 PLANNING AND CAPACITY BUILDING 1. Homeless Feasibility Study for $ 5,000 $0. This is an eligible project and represents a Housing No.Co. Homeless Shelter step at looking into the possibility of building a Project homeless shelter in the North County. It is unclear that there is a collaborative effort to build such a facility although several organizations believe one is necessary. The five participating cities have not recommended funding for this project. Total CDBG Funds Recommended Planning and Capacity Building: $0 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 1. Cuesta C.C. Small Business $ 50,000 $15,000. Under the Economic Development College Development Center Strategy of the Consolidated Plan,this represents a #1 Priority on the list. The Small Business Development Center provides technical assistance to businesses owned by low and moderate-income person with no more than five employees. With this partial funding recommendation,approximately 450- 500 hours of counseling can be provided with an average of 6-8 hours per client. With the help of CDBG funds,this program assists the small business to understand the regulations and licenses and permits needed to open a business,develop a business plan,develop amarketing plan,amongst other services,free of charge. Depending on the demand for services,the expenditure of the CDBG funds may last between 3-4 months. Total CDBG Funds Recommended for Economic Development: $15,000 6 CHOME PROGRAM i Funds Funding Annlicant Project Requested Recommendation 1. Housing First-Time Home- $ 250,000 $183,800.This project falls under Priority#1 in Authority Buyer program the Affordable Housing Strategy objective in the of the City Consolidated Plan. This has been a popular, S.L.O. cost-effective program enabling 10-12 families per year to purchase existing homes with primarily conventional financing. However, it doesn't provide it's own local match(required by HOME regulations) so it has been using up the county accrued local match credits. Due to the increase in real estate values,this program will be able to assist about 7 or 8 families. Also,due to the popularity of the program, the funds should be obligated within four months of their availability from HUD. 2. SLO Tenant Based $ 250,000 $250,000. This project falls under Priority#2 Supportive Rental Assistance under the Affordable Housing Strategy of the Housing Program Consolidated Plan,to increase availability of Consortium affordable and decent rental housing for low and very low-income persons and families. There is an urgent need to find safe,decent and affordable rental housing throughout the county. The T.B.R.A. Program is designed to assist persons who have an urgent and immediate housing need and aide them in obtaining Section 8 housing. As the applicant for these funds,the San Luis Obispo Supportive Housing Consortium collaborates with its members to meet the housing needs of its special clients throughout the county and cities. According to the Housing Consortium,these funds can assist as much at 106 households. This project will significantly contribute to meeting the goals identified in the Consolidated Plan for providing affordable housing. Due to the demand for housing,these funds should be expended within one year of their availability from HUD. 3. Judson Development Costs $ 406,000 $300,000.This project meets Priority#2 under the Terrace Affordable Housing Strategy of the Consolidated Plan. Additional funding is requested to offset increased project construction costs. In 1999,this project received$400,000 in HOME funds for the development of a 32-unit assisted rental housing facility for very-low income frail,elderly persons in the City of San Luis Obispo. Judson Terrace will combine the HOME funds with approximately$2.6 million in HUD Section 202 Senior Housing funds which represents a large match for the project. At just over$21,875 per unit of county funds,the project may be considered cost effective. In addition, the City of San Luis Obispo is recommending $94,000 of their CDBG funds for this project. This project addresses the need to provide affordable housing to the low income population as per the goals of the Consolidated Plan. Funding for this project could be used as early as August 2001 for the start of construction. 7 ~l Funds Funding v Aoulicant Proiect Requested Recommendation 4. People's Canyon Creek Apt. $ 300,000 $250,000. This project falls under Priority#2 Self Help SofUhard costs under the Affordable Housing Strategy of the Housing Consolidated Plan.Affordable rental housing is at a premium due to housing shortages in the county and this project addresses a serious need. This project consists of 68 very-low and low income rental housing units which has the support of the City of Paso Robles. Recently,he Paso Robles Redevelopment Agency approved$300,000 for this project. PSHHC intends to apply for low income housing tax credits and requires as close to the funding request in order to submit a competitive application to the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee. Construction for this project is expected to begin by December 2001. Due to the support of this project by the City of Paso Robles and the need for affordable housing,funding for this project is recommended. 5. People's Acquisition $ 435,000 $225,000.This project falls under Priority#2 Self Help Creekside Gardens under the Affordable Housing Strategy of the Housing Consolidated Plan. Affordable rental housing is at a premium due to housing shortages in the county and state levels. This project consists of 29 units of affordable senior rental housing with a tentative construction date of April or May of 2002. The Project Area Committee,a sub-committee of the Paso Robles Redevelopment Agency(RDA)has recommended funding approval in the amount of $435,000. The RDA will consider this funding recommendation on February 20'". If this request is approved,the recommended amount of HOME funds for this project is sufficient to make the project feasible. 6. Nipomo Laterals to Sewer $0 $40,000. NCSD only requested CDBG funds for this Community project. However,this project poses a large health Services Dist. and safety threat to the Montecito Verde II neighborhood that all viable funding sources were researched to assist this project. The recommended CDBG funds will only pay for the installation of the sewer mains,but not to hook-up the 32 homes. This project is eligible to receive HOME funds strictly for the utility connection from the property line to the adjacent street. Total HOME Funds Recommended: $1,248,800 8 /-ate E1, GENCY SHELTER GRANT PROGRAM G) Funds Funding Aonlicant Proiect Requested Recommendation 1. SLO Women's Emergency Shelter $ 8,578 $8,488 Due to a$1,000 reduction in the 2001 ESG Shelter Supportive Services allocation by HUD,full funding for this project is not possible. The funding recommendation was reduced due to a$1,000 reduction in the ESG allocation by HUD. This project falls under the Addressing Homelessness objective,Priority#2 of the Consolidated Plan.The applicant has documented a high need for funding to assist their low and moderate income clients.The applicant has demonstrated that they can facilitate the expenditure of these funds within one year. 2. N.C. Women's Emergency Shelter $ 21,444 $21,223 Due to a$1,000 reduction in the 2001 ESG Shelter Supportive Services allocation by HUD,full funding for this project is not possible. The funding recommendation was reduced due to a$1,000 reduction in the ESG allocation by HUD. This project falls under the Addressing Homelessness objective, Priority#2 of the Consolidated Plan.The applicant has documented a high need for funding to assist their low and moderate income clients. The applicant has demonstrated that they can facilitate the expenditure of these funds within one year. 3. Economic Homeless Shelter $ 49,319 $48,805 Due to a$1,000 reduction in the 2001 ESG Opportunity Operating Expenses allocation by HUD,full funding for this project is not Commission possible. The funding recommendation was reduced due to a$1,000 reduction in the ESG allocation by HUD. This project falls under the Addressing Homelessness objective,Priority#2 of the consolidated Plan.The applicant has documented a high need for funding to assist their low and moderate income clients. The applicant has demonstrated that they can facilitate the expenditure of these funds within one year. 4. Economic Prado Day Center $ 16,659 $16,484 Due to a$1,000 reduction in the 2001 ESG Opportunity Operating Expenses allocation by HUD,full funding for this project is not Commission possible. The funding recommendation was reduced due to a$1,000 reduction in the ESG allocation by HUD. This project falls under the Addressing Homelessness objective,Priority#2 of the Consolidated Plan.The applicant has documented a high need for funding to assist their low and moderate income clients. The applicant has demonstrated that they can facilitate the expenditure of these funds within one year. Total Emergency Shelter Grant Funds Recommendation: $95,000 9 1-a� APPL :TIONS TO THE FIVE PARTICIPATING ,TIES CDBG HOUSING Funds Funding Funding Applicant Project g!y. Requested Source Recommendation 1. EOC Home Repair A.G. $ 25,000 City of Arroyo Grande $5,000 Program 2. EOC Home Repair Atasc. $ 25,000 City of Atascadero $25,000 Program 3. EOC Home Repair G.B. $ 25,000 City of Grover Beach $25,000 Program 4. PSHHC Creekside Gardens P.R. $ 200,000 City of Paso Robles $0 5. SLO Women's Property S.L.O. $ 230,000 City of San Luis Obispo $50,000 Shelter Acquisition 6. Judson Terrace Property S.L.O. $ 94,000 City of San Luis Obispo $94,000 Acquisition 7. AIDS Support Prop.Renovation S.L.O. $ 25,000 City of San Luis Obispo $25,000 Network 8. Sojourn Services Property S.L.O. $ 100,000 City of San Luis Obispo $0 Acquisition or County 9. HASLO Gap Financing S.L.O. $ 100,000 City of San Luis Obispo $25,000 (Pismo-Buchon Proj.) Total $ 824,000 PUBLIC SERVICES 1. EOC Forty Wonderful A.G. $ 2,000 City of Arroyo Grande $2,000 Operating Expenses 2. EOC Senior Health A.G. $ 2,000 City of Arroyo Grande $2,000 Screening 3. Camp Fire Teens-In-Action A.G. $ 2,000 City of Arroyo Grande $2,000 Boys&Girls Program 4. EOC Forty Wonderful Atasc. $ 2,000 City of Atascadero $2,000 Operating Expenses 5. EOC Senior Health Atasc. $ 2,000 City of Atascadem $2,000 Screening 6. Camp Fire Mega Club Atasc.. $ 1,500 City of Atascadero $0 Boys&Girls 7. Career Training Bilingual Atasc. $ 16,666 City of Atascadero $0 Services Workforce 8. Atasc.Cmty Youth Activities Atasc. $ 6,500 City of Atascadero $6,500 Services Scholarship Fund 9. C.A.L.L. Washing Machine Atasc. $ 422 City of Atascadero $ 442 10. C.A.L.L. Dishwasher Atasc. $ 805 City of Atascadero $ 805 11. C.A.L.L. Two Ranges Atasc. $ 942 City of Atascadero $ 942 12. C.A.L.L. 15 Passenger Atasc. $ 25,000 City of Atascadero $0 Vehicle 13. HHP Emergency Shelter No.Co. $ 24,000 City of Atascadero $7,500 1 -aa Funds Funding Funding Applicant Project �" C Requested Source Recommendation 14. EOC Forty Wonderful G.B. $ 2,000 City of Grover Beach $2,000 Operating Expenses 15. EOC Senior Health G.B. $ 2,000 City of Grover Beach $2,000 Screening 16. Camp Fire Teens-In-Action G.B. $ 1,000 City of Grover Beach $1,000 Boys&Girls Program 17. Camp Fire G.B.Summer G.B. $ 1,000 City of Grover Beach $1,000 Boys&Girls Day Camp 18. HHP Emergency Shelter No.Co. $ 24,000 City of Paso Robles $24,000 19. EOC Forty Wonderful P.R. $ 2,000 City of Paso Robles $0 Operating Expenses 20. EOC Senior Health P.R. $ 2,000 City of Paso Robles $2,000 Screening 21. Camp Fire Mega Club P.R. $ 1,500 City of Paso Robles $0 Boys&Girls School Site 22. Career Training Bilingual P.R. $ 16,666 City of Paso Robles $0 Service workforce 23. Lifestyles Operating Costs P.R. $ 66,700 City of Paso Robles $o for Substance Abuse 24. EOC Homeless Shelter S.L.O. $ 138,000 City of San Luis Obispo, $138,000 Operating Expenses plus$149,500 from Co. 25. EOC Prado Day Center S.L.O. $ 50,000 City of San Luis Obispo, $0 Operating Expenses plus$50,000 from Count 26. Camp Fire Mega Club S.L.O. $ 2,000 City of San Luis Obispo $0 Boys&Girls School Site Total $ 401,535 PUBLIC FACILITIES 1. Food Bank Property Acquisition A.G. $ 16,000 City of Arroyo Grande $5,000 Coalition 2. City of A.G. Cedar St,Sidewalk A.G. $ 86,300 City of Arroyo Grande $70,000 3. City of A.G. ADA upgrade- A.G. $ 71,000 City of Arroyo Grande $26,000 Women's Club 4. HHP No.Co.Homeless No.Co. $ 514,000 City of Atascadero $0 Shelter 5. Food Bank Property Acquisition Atasc $ 24,000 City of Atascadero $24,000 Coalition 6. EOC Cap.Costs for New Atasc. $ 23,000 City of Atascadero $23,000 Head Start Facility 7. N.Co.Women's Bathroom Atasc. $ 3,000 City of Atascadero $3,000 Shelter Renovation 8. City of Atasc. Paving,Drainage Atasc. $ 200,000 City of Atascadero $110,100 Improvements 9. Food Bank Property Acquisition G.B. $ 19,000 City of Grover Beach $19,000 Coalition 10. City of Grover C.C.Renovation G.B. $ 130,000 City of Grover Beach $130,000 Beach 11. ECHO No.Co.Day Center Atasc. $ 73,500 City of Paso Robles $0 2 /'" Funds Funding i� Funding Applicant Project Cit Requested Source Recommendation 12. City of Paso ADA-Camegie P.R. $ 16,000 City of Paso Robles $16,000 Robles Library 13. City of Paso Downtown Street P.R. $ 48,700 City of Paso Robles $48,700 Robles Lights 14. HE? No.Co.Homeless No.Co. $ 514,000 City of Paso Robles $0 Shelter 15. Food Bank Property Acquisition P.R. $ 31,000 City of Paso Robles $31,000 Coalition 16. Camp Fire P.R.Camp Fire P.R. $ 1,500 City of Paso Robles $1,500 Boys&Girls Cabin Renovation 17. N.Co.Women's New Shelter P.R. $ 10,000 City of Paso Robles $10,000 Shelter 18. Classic Am. Facade P.R. $ 30,000 City of Paso Robles $0 Theater Improvements 19. City of P.R. Alley P.R. $ 82,100 City of Paso Robles $15,800 Improvements 20. Mary Martin Street P.R. $ 13,000 City of Paso Robles $0 Improvements 21. City of P.R. Rehab.Pool P.R. $ 200,000 City of Paso Robles $138,550 Facility 22. Fox Movie ADA Compliance P.R. $ 171,000 City of Paso Robles $0 House 23. Second Baptist Homeless Facilities P.R. $ 36,150 City of Paso Robles $36,150 Church 24. Camp Fire Bldg.Design,Permit P.R. $ 100,000 City of Paso Robles $0 Boys&Girls Fee Assistance 25. City of S.L.O. Handicapped Ramps S.L.O. $ 80,000 City of San Luis Obispo $57,973 26. FOCA Rehab.historic S.L.O. $ 453,700 City of San Luis Obispo $190,232 adobes 27. Food Bank Property Acquisition S.L.O. $ 83,000 City of San Luis Obispo $30,000 Coalition Total $3,038,150 PLANNING AND CAPACITY BUILDING I. HH? Feasibility Study No.Co. $ 5,000 City of Atascadero $0 No.Co.Homeless Shelter 2. PSHHC Site I.D./Feas.Study S.L.O. $ 25,000 City of San Luis Obispo $25,000 Planning Study 3. City of Paso Capacity Building P.R. $ 30,700 City of Paso Robles $30,700 Robles 4. HEP Feasibility Study for No.Co. $ 5,000 City of Paso Robles $0 No.Co.Homeless Shelter Total $ 65,700 3 LOAN PAYMENTS } - Funds Funding -- Funding Applicant Project C Requested Source Recommendation 1. City of S.L.O. Section 108 Loan S.L.O. $ 311,000 City of San Luis Obispo $311,000 Total $ 311,000 CODE ENFORCEMENT I. City of A.G. Code Enforcement A.G. $ 15,000 City of Arroyo Grande $9,600 Total $ 15,000 February 20,2001 G:Utowing&FD\TONY\'OlNads\Rcmndmlapps�A3.wpd 4 gas CDBG Program Status 1994-2000 ! 6 � y Bud et Activit 94 Program SLADM Admin 114,136 114,136 0 SLOW Homeless shelter 120,000 120,000 0 SL002 At-risk youth 72,000 Reprogram$8,000 to museum 71,645 355 SL004 Blackstone 0 Reprogram$192,501 to 1998 0 0 SL006 Handicap ramps 73,451 73,451 0 SL007 Arch barriers-parks 40,000 38,119 1,881 SLOW Downtown housing study 57,499 57,499 0 SL003 Seismic retrofit 20,125 20,125 0 SLOW Historic museum 31,364 31,364 0 SL009 Storm drains 34,674 34,674 0 SL005 High St apts 0 Reprogram to 1998 0 0 PSLO12 Affordable housing site-SLO non-profit 191,456 191,456 0 PSLOl l Affordable housing acq by ASN 103,474 103,474 0 858,179 855,943 2,236 95 Program P95SL01 Homeless shelter operation 120,000 120,000 0 P95SL02 At-risk youth 100,000 100,000 0 P95SL04 Childrens work incentive 12,000 12,000 0 P95SL06 AIDS support network 206,000 206,000 0 P95SL07 Homeless day center-const 50,000 50,000 0 P95SL09 Seismic retrofit 0 0 0 P95SL10 Admin 190,744 190,744 0 P95SL11 Historic museum 133,976 133,976 0 P95SL08 Handicapp ramps 0 0 0 P95SL03 Transitional housing 20,000 Paid by County on behalf 20,000 0 P95SL05 EOC clinic 121,000 121,000 0 953,720 953,720 0 96 Program P96SL01 Homeless shelter operations 120,000 120,000 0 Includes reprogramming$8,167 from handicap ramps to at-risk P96SL02 At-risk youth 71,107 youth 71,107 0 P96SL03 Day care center operations 40,000 Paid by County on behalf 40,000 0 P96SL04 Day center construction 50,000 50,000 0 P96SL05 Historic museum 27,223 27,223 0 P96SL06 Seismic retrofit 0 0 0 P96SL09 Admin 92,638 92;638 0 P96SL12 Handicap ramps 40,401 Reprogram$185,768 to 1998 40,401 0 P96SL08 Airport area 92,637 92,637 0 P96SL10 Housing site acquisition,HASLO 0 0 0 Senior housing by SLO non-profit 206,600 Reprogram 7/20/99 206,600 0 P96SL11 Loan payment 0 0 0 P96SL13 Storm drains 65,768 65,768 0 P96SL14 Restore historic adobes 120,000 51,875 _ 68,125 926,374 858,249 68,125 ` OGCJ. 3/5/01 CDBG Program Status 1994-2000 �r Total Budget Bud et Activity Draws Remaining 97 Program P97SLOI Home repair program by EOC 50,000 50,000 0 P97SLO2 Margarita site purchase by HASLO 0 Reprogram 7/20/99 0 0 Senior housing by SLO non-profit 93,400 Reprogram 7/20/99 93,400 0 P97SLO3 At-risk youth program 46,450 46,451 0 P97SL04 Prado day center operation by ICH/EOC 40,000 40,000 0 P97SLO5 Homeless shelter operation by EOC 120,000 120,000 0 P97SLO6 Handicapped access improvements 36,148 36,148 0 P97SLO7 Homeless shelter improvements by HASLO 20,000 20,000 0 P97SLO8 Drainage improvements 95,326 84,817 10,509 P97SLO9 Economic development loan program EVC 120,000 120,000 0 P97SLO9 EVC Loan Program administration 30,000 16,228 13,772 P97SL10 Section 108 loan repayment 73,000 73,000 0 P97SLII Administration 71,568 71,568 0 P97SL13 Womens shelter transitional housing 20,810 788 20,022 P97SL14 Historic museum 94,666 94,666 0 P97SL12 Women's shelter storage building 23,852 23,852 0 935,220 890,918 44,303 98 Program 0 0 P98SLO1 Home repair program by EOC .50,000 0 50,000 P98SLO2 Repair transitional housing-SLO non-profit 20,000 20,000 0 P98SLO3 Affordable housing site-SLO non-profit 108,544 108,544 0 P98SL04 Homeless shelter operation by EOC 120,000 120,000 0 P98SLO5 Prado day center operation by ICH/EOC 40,000 40,000 0 P98SLO6 Drainage improvements 19,232 0 19,232 P98SLO7 Historic museum 200,000 200,000 0 P98SLO8 Handicapp ramps-streets 150,000 89,520 60,480 P98SLO9 Revolving loan-EVC loans 80,000 80,000 0 P98SLO9 Revolving loan-EVC program admin. 20,000 0 20,000 P98SL10 Multi-family housing study-SLO Consortium 9,000, 2,381 6,619 P98SLI I Program administration 91,000 90,420 580 907,776 750,865 156,911 99 Program P99SLO2 Women's shelter transitional housing 50,000 0 50,000 P99SLOI Section 108 loan repayment 265,649 265,649 0 P99SLO3 Prado day center operation by ICH/EOC 45,400 30,000 15,400 Non-CDE Prado day center(funds from close-out) 4,600 Not for CDBG draw 0 4,600 P99SLO3 Homeless shelter operation by EOC 120,000 120,000 0 P99SLO5 Historic museum 240,761 240,761 0 P99SLO6 Revolving loan-EVC 80,000 9,944 70,056 P99SLO6 Revolving loan-EVC admin 20,000 0 20,000 P99SLO7 Program administration 91,312 0 91,312 917,722 666,354 251,368 2000 Program POOSLO7 Section 108 loan repayment 320,000 309,568 10,432 POOSLO2 Traditional housing-Women's shelter 150,000 0 150,000 POOSLOI Senior home repair program-EOC 30,000 0 30,000 POOSLO3 Homeless shelter operation by EOC 120,000 60,000 60,000 POOSLO4 Prado Day Center operation 22,387 0 22,387 Prado Day Center operation-loan closeout 27,613 0 27,613 POOSLO6 Handicap access ramps 80,000 0 80,000 POOSLO5 EOC program support offices 100,000 0 100,000 POOSLO8 Program administration 91,376 0 91,376 941,376 369,568 571,808 6,440,367 5,345,617 1,094,751 3/5/01 Aff , CHMENTFD Summary of Comments from the City of San Luis Obispo Needs Hearing San Luis Obispo city Hall, City Council Hearing Room, Rm. #9, 995 Palm Street Thursday, November 9, 2000-7:00 P.M. Tony Navarro, representing the County of San Luis Obispo and Jeff Hook, representing the City of San Luis Obispo were present at the meeting. Tony Navarro gave a brief introduction on the CDBG program requirements, including eligible projects and activities,the three national objectives and the tentative schedule for the 2001 CDBG program. George Moylan, Executive Director of the Housing Authority of the City of San Luis Obispo, indicated he supports any project that is affordable. He indicated that he is upset about the.Shandon Water Tank because the county should have addressed this issue years ago before the cost of construction increased. CDBG funds should not be used for public facilities, most of the money should be used for housing needs. He also indicated that too much CDBG funds are used for public facilities. Carlyn Christianson, a member of ACTION for Healthy Communities, supported the use of CDBG funds on any type of housing, especially housing projects where the jobs are located to help the jobs-housing imbalance. The funds should be used in areas where the current zoning allows for housing and mixed used projects should be encouraged. Jerry Whinery, president of Habitat for Humanity, indicated that they have five lots which have been donated and they would like funds to help leverage additional funding for their projects in the county. They have received much support from local businesses and builders who donate construction materials and their time to help their effort. Roger Jump, representing Judson Terrace Homes, indicated that he has seen a significant increase in the need for affordable housing. Due to the increase in construction costs, Judson Terrace will approach the county for CDBG funds to help construct a frail elderly center with housing. This center will provide supportive services and care home with a good level of services. Rachel Richardson, from the AIDS Support Network, indicated that there is a great housing need for the low-income special needs clients that her agency and those in the San Luis Obispo supportive.Housing Consortium have in this county. The Housing Consortium would support an increase in housing inventory in the county. She also indicated that the Section 8 voucher recipients are not able to find housing because of the high rents. Finally, CDBG funds should be used toward housing because it's at a critical point. Renee Everett, of Sojourn Services, indicated that CDBG funds should go toward housing and not public facilities. She supports high density housing in the City of San Luis Obispo in order to meet the housing demands. The city should increase the residential height limits so that the higher density can be accommodated. Jeff Hook discussed the use of CDBG funds in the City of San Luis Obispo. A short discussion ensued regarding the availability of affordable housing in the downtown area and funding for affordable housing in the City of San Luis Obispo. Marianne Kennedy, Executive Director of the Women's Shelter in San Luis Obispo, indicated that CDBG funds should be dedicated for special needs housing. There has been an increase in family violence which has affected the shelter. She supports funding toward affordable housing. Amanda Brodie supports the need for affordable housing. The meeting adjourned at 7:53 P.M. PrONGzO-o AGENDA ' L_ .E 3_..=ITEM #__ a ❑CM of FD RUME ❑FIF^ O FVJ 0..lUORIG ❑POLL=CHF Lj❑REC DIR ""�-�UTIL DIR D PERS DIR March 6, 2001 The Honorable Allen Settle and City Council City of San Luis Obispo 990 Palm Street San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 Dear Mayor Settle and Council: Before I explain my concern I have to issue a disclaimer: The following are my personal comments and do not reflect an official position of the Housing Authority of the City of San Luis Obispo. In fact I have not, and will not, ask the Housing Authority to take an official position on the subject. My concern is the $25,000 of Community Development Block Grant funding that your staff has proposed be allocated to People's Self-Help Housing Corporation for a site identification and feasibility study in the downtown. I am opposed to such funding for the following reasons: 1)—There is no need for the funding. People's Self-Help Housing Corporation, the Housing Authority, and San Luis Obispo Non-Profit Housing Corporation, the three agency's who provide most of the assisted housing for low-income persons in this area, are all mature agencies with fairly large resources, financial and other, which permit us to identify sites for housing without outside financial assistance. In fact that's our job. 2)---Within the past few years the Authority and San Luis Obispo Non-Profit Housing Corporation have identified,purchased and developed housing similar to that proposed by People's on Brizzolara and Pismo-Buchon sites which are similar to the sites the $25,000 would be committed to find. Moreover, a third similar site,Pacific-Carmel has been identified and is awaiting construction. These three sites were found and acquired the old fashioned way using the Authority and Non-Profits existing resources without benefit of a site identifying CDBG grant. 3). Better use could be made of the available monies. For instance my understanding is that the Women's Shelter requested$230,000 in City funding for site acquisition but staff has recommended they receive$50,000. My recommendation would be to increase that amount to $75,000. RECEIVED MAR 0 7 2001 SLO CITY CLERK 4). The intent of Congress in establishing the Community Development Block Grant program was to provide direct benefits to lower income individuals and families not to fund unneeded studies. If the funds were being sought for acquisition or development of a particular site there would be no objections from this comer. However, a reading of the Application for Funding clearly indicates the funds are to be used primarily for site identification and perhaps due diligence activities if indeed an acceptable site is located. Sincerely, c A' � George J. Moylan 2684 Johnson Avenue San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 cc: Jeff Hook Dana Lilley Dave Booker i Cit1' Council i Hearing Draft I Mled Street Enhancement Plan I CM 'oml ji, Xf- ` -� Madonna Road looking Toward Niguera Sheaf I �r�,3!�•��. ll1(t�Irra.. i ria lllh,llr,,;iul; '. city Of San tui s OBISPO i I I Mid-Higucra Strcct E.'nhancl-ment Plan I Mid geraei uet I I Enhancement Plan I I �I Cl O '' � r I san tu,s OBISPO I I 990 Palm Street San Luis Obispo, California 93401 -3249 For additional copies or more information, call (805) 781 -7170 or email: www.slocity.org I I I Mid-HigueraStreet Enhancen?crt Plan I Acknowledgements City of San Luis Obispo uuaarWFr �3ea :<.caetascJx a City Council ,. zrwsra� Allen Settle, Mayor John Ewan, Vice Mayor Jan Howell Marx tChristine Mulholland Ken Schwartz Ken Hampian, City Administrative Officer City Advisory Bodies Planning Commission Architectural Review Commission Stephen Peterson,Vice Chair Charles Stevenson, Chair Jim Aiken Mark Rawson, Vice Chair Allan Cooper Michael Boudreau t Alice Loh Mark Chandler Orval Osborne Jim Lopes Mary Whittlesey Jennifer Metz (vacant seat) Rob Schultz Park and Recreation Commission Cultural Heritage Committee James Neville, Chair Bob Schrage, Chair Peter Dunan, Vice Chair Robert Pavlik,Vice Chair Debbie Black Paula Juelke Carr ' Gary Clay Margot McDonald Teresa Larson Bob Schrage Ron Regan Tom Wheeler Bonnie Marzio Matt Whittlesey Community Development Department John Mandeville, Long-Range Planning Manager Jeff Hook, Project Planner •..:.i3r�l....ru,X� _.:•... —.'c .., ... .... .. ...:/,;: r.,.,c..W A ..... ' . •tf<:.1.._,>u rt..,?G'n,�xS.. S. ..*vi. ...".:.C�s r� .' In colioborotion with the following firms: Crawford Multari Clark & Mohr • RRM Design Group • Cannon Associates Firma 1 i Mid-HigueraStreet E=nhnnc meet Plan THE MID-HIGUERA ENHANCEMENT PLAN: A VISION FOR THE FUTURE 7 BACKGROUND ......»..............................................................00......04............... 11 1 The Mid-Higuera Enhancement District ............................................................... 11 ProjectArea Context.......................................................................:.................. 11 IExisting Conditions and Important Features....................................:.....,............... 13 TheGeneral Plan Vision .................................................................................... 14 EnhancementPlan Objectives ............................................................................ 15 ' Planning Process and Community Participation ..........:......................................... 16 KeyIssues ...................................................................................................... 19 Issue Close Up: Flood Hazard Mitigation ...........................................................23 Issue Close Up: Mobilehome Park Opportunities and Constraints .........................27 Appreciatingthe Post.........................................................................................29 IPUBLIC POLICY......................................................»...................................... 33 Conformance with the Enhancement Plan............................................................33 Usesof Land and Buildings .........................................:......................................33 ' Historic Preservation and Aesthetics ....................................................................36 Mobile Home Parks and New Housing ................................................................37 Parking .......................................................................................................:....38 PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS................................................................................ 39 FloodHazard Reduction ....................................................................................39 I Grculation and Street Improvements...................................................................40 CreeksideImprovements....................................................................................43 PublicParking....................................................................................................45 PublicTransit ....................................................................................................48 Parks, Plazas and Open Space...........................................................................48 IIMPLEMENTING THE PLAN ............................................................................ 50 Amendthe the General Plan ..............................................................................50 Amend the Zoning Regulations.........................................................................51 Capital Improvement Programming ....................................................................51 DevelopmentReview .........................................................................................51 IEconomic Feasibility..........................................................................................55 RevenueGeneration .........................................................................................55 Summary of Implementation Measures................................................................56 B Mid-Higuera Street EI)hancemert Pian I ��Wjµ'•Vi;:°:� �...�'+� I SNORT-TERM CONCEPT PLAN MAP.......................»...... ................................57 I LONG-TERM CONCEPT PLAN MAP.................................................................58 DESIGNGUIDELINES .............»...................................................................... 59 NewDevelopment and Property Renovations .......................................................59 SitePlanning and Design ..................................................................................1.59 ArchitecturalDesign .....................:.................................:..:...............................61 Fa4adeRenovation Potential .............................................................................63 PedestrianSpaces and Circulation ......................................................................67 Landscape, Public Art, and Site Furnishings..........................................................67 Parking ......................................................................................................68 Signs ......................................................................................................69 I Site and Building Lighting ..................................................................................69 PublicImprovements .........................................................................................71 I StreetFurnishings..............................................................................................71 PedestrianCrosswalks ....................................................................................... 72 Landscaping.....................................................................................................72 PlannedStreet Improvements .............................................................................73 F10TV K ES Figure 1 Pedestrian Bridge near the end of South Street...............................................7 Figure 2 Madonna Road/Conference Center.............................................................8 Figure 3 Creekside Outdoor Spaces..........................................................................8 Figure 4 Widened Higuero Street, Southbound at Marsh Street ....................................9 Figure5 Pacific Street Mini-Plazo ..............................................................................9 Figure 6 Parker Street Enhancement ..........................................................................9 ' Figure 7 The Mid-Higuero Plan Area ....................................................................... 11 Figure8 Vicinity Map............................................................................................. 12 Figure9 Important Features.................................................................................... 13 I Figure10 Planning Process ...................................................................................... 17 Figure 11 Existing Diagonal Street Grid ..................................................................... 19 Figure 12 Creek Constrictions Upstream of the Marsh Street Bridge .............................23 Figure 13 Channeling Creek Overflow......................................................................24 Figure 14 Leaving Unobstructed Channels Between Buildings ......................................24 Figure 15 Creek Grading Concept ...........................................................................26 Figure 16 Meadow Creek Drainage Concept.............................................................26 I also I I i Mid-Hipera Street I;nh¢nc c mcnt Plan I tFigure 17 Buildings of Historic, Architectural or Aesthetic Value....................................32 Figure18 Proposed Zoning ......................................................................................34 Figure 19 Private Common Parking and Accessway . .35 Figure 20 Flood Hazard Reduction Measures .............................................................39 Figure 21 Proposed Street Circulation System.............................................................40 I Figure 22 Proposed Higuera Street Cross-Section, Marsh to High Street .......................41 Figure 23 Higuera Street Mid-Block Tum Lane............................................................41 Figure 24 Bike/Pedestrian Circulation........................................................................42 Figure25 Storm Drainage Flow................................................................................43 Figure26 Bike Route Alternatives ..............................................................................44 Figure 27 Creek/Bikeway Section, Typical ...................................a..............................44 Figure 28 Parking Inventory by block.........................................................................45 Figure 29 Possible Public Parking Sites.......................................................................46 Figure 30 Proposed Public Transit Stops...........................,....,....................................48 I Figure 31 Plan Detail of Pacific- Higuera Street Mini-Plaza ..........I...............................48 Figure32 ShortTerm Concept Plan ...........................................................................57 Figure33 Long Term Concept Plan .......................................,...................................58 ' Figure 34 Building-Parking Relationship..:..................................................................59 Figure 35 Potential Building Improvements, Higuera Street"Fifties" Facade...................64 Figure 36 Potential Building Improvements, Weber's Bread Store .................................65 I Figure 37 Potential Building Improvements, A. Savers Wholesale Company...................66 Figure 38 Decorative streetlight standard...................................................................71 Figure39 Crosswalk detail .......................................................................................72. ' Figure 40 Tree grate detail ........................................................................................72 Figure 41 Planned Street Improvement, Southbound Higuera Street at Marsh Street.......73 IFigure 42 Planned Street Improvement, Northbound on Parker Street at South Street......75 TableA General Plan Consistency .........................................................................52 Table B How Enhancement Plan Implements the General Plan..................................53 ' Bibliography/ Sources...................................................................................... 76 .,. ww � r . . • St Mid-Higuera Street i:nf•;ancement Pl In I A VISION FOR THE FUTURE This Enhancement Plan includes public policies and public investment strategies that aim toward a more attractive and functional future for the Mid-Higuera Street area. Some of the improvements can be implemented relatively soon; others may take many years to completely realize. The plan, accordingly, illustrates changes that can probably be made in the short term as well as the full complement of changes that can only be effected over the long term. The latter group includes the reuse of some of the larger I parcels (CalTrans and Hayward Lumber, for example) which will be contingent on decisions by the property owners to relocate or otherwise alter the existing uses. Other projects may take time because of complex engineering, regulatory requirements,or high costs. Nonetheless,the plan reflects the commu- nity preferences for the area even if this vision takes many steps, over time. The following vignettes describe the Mid-Higuero Enhancement area of the future: Flood Hazard Mitigation Flooding mitigation. The capacities of thea ca �Q creek and of the Marsh Street bridge have been p increased to better handle storm drainage. Coupled with the City's comprehensive strat- egy for San Luis Obispo Creek and related im- provements upstream and downstream,the fre- quencyand severity of flooding have been re- duced. In addition, drainage from the South ,r ¢• .i� ��r: rte- ' Street hills to Bride and Higuera streets has been improved, reducing flooding in the cem- I 3� etery and along Higuera Street. I1 1 A t Figure I Land Uses Bicycle/PedestrI bridge near the end of South Street Open space along the creek San Luis Obispo A new look and new uses at Madonna and creek between Marsh and Madonna functions Higuera. The former CalTrons properties have been I as a productive natural habitat, rich in native converted to new uses. South of Madonna Road, a plants and animals. The entire area between new visitor serving facility has been built, including the creek and the freeway is a public open space new meeting rooms and convention facilities. This I reserve. People may walk or bicycle along sepa- center routinely attracts such functions as annual rate paths that run along side, but separated meetings of organizations,educational symposia and from the creek;other uses are limited to passive similar events. The location is ideal,adjacent to the ' recreation such as bird watching. Bianchi Lane freeway interchange, with transit and pedestrian ac- bridge is. used only by pedestrians and occa- cess to downtown and other shopping areas, as well sional light-duty maintenance vehicles. Pedes- as easy strolling distance to the creek, open spaces, I trian and bicyle bridges, such as the one near parks, restaurants and cafes, professional offices the end of South Street, Figure 1, provide ac- cess at several locations along the creek and link with the Bob Jones City-to-the-Sea Bike Trail that connects the downtown to Avila Beach. 7 Mid-HiSupra Smet Enh:ncl-mcnr Plan I AC NO �c fe. in the central business district, such as electric ' w car recharging.stations, discount food and dry �! goods outlets, and computer and small appli- ance repair. Access to these businesses is largely ' provided from parking in the rear-from Parker Figure 2 Madonna Road/Conference Center Street or from a new common driveway that runs I parallel to Higuera Street between South Street and the live theater.on South Street. Majestic Sy- and Bianchi Lane. New, more convenient bus camore trees still grace the.Higuera Street frontage stops have improved public transit service in the and the beautiful brick building that once housed area. I State offices has been remodeled into a lobby-res- taurant and has retained its original architectural On the east side of Parker Street, a mix of of- I charm. fices,small start-up businesses,non-profit head- quarters and upstairs live/work housing has de- Across Madonna Road, the City has acquired the veloped. Residents walk or bike to downtown, former Cal Trans property and built a new park,with log along the creek path,and take in a live per- links to the creek open space and the Bob Jones formance at the theater at the comer of South City-to-the-Sea bike trail. The park includes several and Parker Streets. This district has artisans who interpretative displays,artworks and landscaping that like the"live-work"opportunities with their shops I recall the history of this area,including its role as home and studios on the first floor and apartments to San Luis Obispo's Japanese-American community above. Along San Luis Obispo creek, a mix of prior to World War II. Madonna Road now features retail and food service businesses has developed, ' a new landscaped median which enhances the with parking off of the common driveway and nearby conference center and hotel, windows and patios facing the creek. These pa- tios are interconnected by an adjacent walkway ' Mixed uses and better access to businesses. The and bike path. Above these stores and cafes are uses along Higuera Street are still largely commer- offices that look out onto the riparian scene be- cial,many catering to people who work in the down- low. town by providing services not often found in the New multifamily housing. The older mobile home parks were gradually removed and rede- - `� veloped with new uses after the new apartments and condominiums were built on Beebee near Bridge Street. This complex includes both mar- ket rate and more affordable housing units. Started by a joint venture of private developers and a non-profit housing provider, the facility is '- now managed by a separate non-profit group. I - Many of the mobile home owners opted to buy • :,�,4.s or rent these new housing units. ' Figure 3 Creekside outdoor spaces Ja i Mid-Higuera Street F ih me;relent Pian I Street Improvements '` Y f L Higuera Street improvements. People stroll- ��q - ing along Higuera Street enjoy improved side- walks and the addition of public artwork,streets trees, benches and decorative lighting. Cars . flow smoothly due to the widening of the street, and the median — broken at key locations for tum lanes—has transformed and softened the appearance of the streetscape. At Pacific Figure 4 I Street, the confusing and sub-standard inter- Widened Higuera Street, Southbound at section has been improved; Walker Street has Marsh Street been turned into a cul-de-sac with a pedes- I trion "mini-plaza" at Higuera Street. Bianchi Lane has been aligned with High Street to im- prove the safety and efficiency of that impor- % tant intersection. � I s e Brook Street improvements. With the rede- velopment of the CalTrans site at the northwest °° I comer of Higuera Street and Madonna Road, Brook Street has been extended south as a two- lane cul-de-sac street within the former CalTrans I property. The church that was located within the alignment of the Brook Street extension has been Figure 5. relocated within the neighborhood, and a new Focific Street mini-plaza I neighborhood park developed adjacent to the creek. Pedestrians can now walk along the side- walks on both sides of Brook Street, and the on-street bikeway extends from South Street through the former CalTrans property to Ma- 1�r donna Road, and eventually, south to Avila Beach via the Bob Janes City-To-Seo Bikeway. Parking is provided along one side of Brook Street. An emergency access road links Brook _ I Street with the Gateway Park and Madonna Road. Parker Street. Parker Street has been changed Figure 6 ' from a bleak industrial way into a handsome Parker Street enhancement street with parking, trees, sidewalks, textured I crosswalks,decorative light fixtures and benches. I e I Mid_-HigueraStreet E-nhancemcnt Pian Aesthetics and History More attractive buildings and streetscape. Overhead utility lines and billboard signs along Higuero ' Street were removed. Street trees have been planted in sidewalks along both sides of Higuera Street and in the landscaped median planter,beautifying this key gateway by introducing more trees to visually unify the entire corridor. New development follows design guidelines that have resulted in more attractive buildings that are sensi- tive to the area's architectural character and the natural backdrops of the creek and Cerro San Luis. New buildings along Higuera Street are designed to preserve views of Cerro Son Luis,and development along the Creek is setback from the top of creek bank while taking advantage of creek views. T I Lim l _ _ ;_j Respect for history. The rich history of the Mid-Higuero area continues to be reflected in the diversity of structures, uses,and residents. Although many of the structures have been renovated,the influences of the railroad and the highway are still evident in the design and amenities of new development. Key historic buildings have been preserved and put to new uses; the City's new policies have created a series of plaques, artwork,and monuments that trace the evolution of the area from horses and railroads to a two- lone highway then to a key mixed-use commercial district. The Brook Street neighborhood, once established as a historic district, continues as a mixed residential ' and commercial area with a new neighborhood park nearthe south end of Brook Street which celebrates the cultural contributions of the Japanese-American community while enhancing the neighborhood's recreational opportunities. 1 �`- 10 Mid-Higuera Street F:nhanc:mcnt Plan BACKGROUND The Mid-Higuera ' Enhancement District ( ��( ��1�' C ��• ' This document is an "enhancement plan"for the"Mid-Higuera"area of San \ L- Luis Obispo. Roughly speaking, the plan area encompasses the Higuera Street corridor andarallel creekwa P Y between Marsh Street and Madonna Road. Figure 7 shows the plan area's boundary more precisely. Bbndd �C PROJECT AREA CONTEXT This part of the City merits special attention for several reasons. It is a "gateway corridor", located between ,,r% two major freeway interchanges, both / �ttt��� / major entries to San Luis Obispo. Higuero Street serves as the principal commercial district connecting � Downtown to the City's next largest retail \. SW ' swee area on Madonna Road(Figure 8). This a p e section of Higuera Street was once "El p 0 00 o0 Camino Real."Its role as the main route 1 through town, prior to the freeway, is reflected in a rich history and interesting mix of land uses. / Today, the area includes some a significant non-conforming uses, / DL� Q notably, residential enclaves in a / U- / service-commercial district. / 0 Furthermore, the appearance of the streets - and of certain buildings, parking lots and signs - should be improved to current standards. San Luis d Obispo Creek winds through the area, providing opportunities for views, habitat enhancement, and recreation. this reach of the creek but also upstream / and downstream of the plan area. The Figure 7 ' presence of the creek, however, also The Mid-Higuera Plan Area i Mid-Higuera Street I I means periodic flooding resulting from a complex set of variables not only in The following section summarizes existing conditions and plan objectives, notes some special uses found in the plan area,and highlights key issues addressed in the plan. ' Downtown HWY 101 San Luis Obispo b I .� AREA uth Street dentia hoods B Strcet ' Madonna Road r� N� I Madonna Soto Plaza 8 SLO Prorttenad0 Figure 8 Vicinity Map 1 i Mid-Higuera Street Enhanc.mcni Plan EXISTING CONDITIONS AND IMPORTANT FEATURES I Most of the Mid-Higuera area is zoned "Commercial-Service" or"C-S", a zone which allows a wide range of land uses,including auto repair,lumberyards, automobile and home appliance sales, restau- rants, some kinds of offices and shops, and light-industrial uses.This regulatory flexibility has contrib- uted to a mix of many kinds of land uses within this relatively small area, and also added to the area's unique character with a mix of features, as shown in Figure 9. Some of these features present special ' opportunities for achieving community goals. The area also contains several planning problems or constraints that adversely affect its activities and appearance. These problems include flooding, nar- row streets and awkward intersections, unattractive street views and delapidated or unsighly buildings, non-conforming land uses, and localized parking deficiencies for some businesses. y' nn w Y'i HsrM S~ Cl -- r OPM spsos Greyhound Bus Station ,� 81 Brook Strwe �� Bosi SMl 4 r ulm (I Zia o a ' ( 00 BUMV CMI"cars: Mbdwm /2 � =a Rmd k#�hfle Moines Brook Street Residences 0 / 11 ' COMONY 1 1 Ll cerrMIe shops, I Old Mission Cemetery I ' Figure 9. important Features eoz-AMBER C��J w 1 • • '$ i ce- 1 �� I ■ I Mid-Higaera Strcct Fnli ncl-ment :Pian I I The General Plan Vision The General Plan Land Use Element (LUE) identifies this as one of several areas where commercial, residential,open space and public uses can be interwoven to create a unique neighborhood. It envisions a new mix of uses, revitalized through innovative physical design solutions to reduce flooding, enhance land use compatibility,improve vehicle and pedestrian circulation,preserve historic character and beautify the area. The WE encourages the enhancement of underutilized commercial land in this area and designates the Mid-Higuera corridor as an "Optional Use and Special Design" district to help acheive this and other community goals. To help shape and realize the vision, the General Plan directs the City to prepare a plan... "showing onydesiredstreetanddrivewaychanges, flood mitigation measures,and opportunities fora lineorpark along San Luis Obispo Creek. The plan could also ... [guide]private conshvction on sites affected by any widening of Higuera Street or Son Luis Obispo Creek." (Land Use Element General Plan Digest Policy LU 8.51 loll' Z Se ry. .T +lam ti. r' 'rA E7 r'• Higuera at Marsh Street, looking south I 1/ I i Mid-Higuera Street i'nh;nc i-nent Pier, I I ENHANCEMENT PLAN OBJECTIVES I The City Council adopted several objectives for the Mid-Higuera I Enhancement Plan: ■ Improved circulation for cars, bicycles and pedestrians. I ■ Expanded opportunities for retail and office uses which take advantage of the area's location while minimizing competition with downtown retailing. I ■ Increased sales tax(and other) revenues. ■ Improved land use compatibility between neighboring uses. ' ■ Reduced flood hazards. ■ Restored San Luis Obispo Creek with expanded opportunities for passive recreation. I ■ Preservation of the area's historic resources and scenic viewshed of the Morros. ■ More attractive streetswpe through public area improvements, I landscaping and building fagade improvements,new signage,public art and utility undergrounding. ■ Preparation of design guidelines for future development. I ■ Preparation of an implementation strategy addressing the timing, integration,cost,funding and priority of improvements. In addition,the plan aims to achieve the following: ' ■ To preserve and to utilize the area immediately adjacent to the meek I for public use and benefit. ■ To create opportunities for pedestrian and bicycle paths along the I creek. ■ To use the creek area as an amenity in the future use and design of private developments along the creek. ' ■ To encourage compatible and appropriate mixed-uses, including dwellings,within commercial areas. I 15 I Mid-Higuera Street 1 nhanc meat Plan I I PLANNING PROCESS AND COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION Comments received from community workshops,surveys and public hear- ings were evaluated, and in some cases, became the subject of more detailed studies. Flooding, alternative bikeway locations, landscape median designs and driveway access emerged during hearings as contoversial and required further study. Staff prepared and distributed four"white papers"to explain the main planning issues,altematives and recommendations in the Plan. As diagrammed below, a Council Hear- ing Draft was prepared , incorporating responses to the many public I comments received. Following several public hearings, the draft was adopted by the City Council. Figure 7 0 IPlanning Process I Analyze Key Issues Land useHErmrom�tHTnuwportationl CwmnYnay Workshops ' Mkporie raeebs and Vlwrsl Rsaa�eees Flooding fWaumes ' Cmnmunity Prepare Preliminary surrey Draft Plan CWbAW Hold Public Hearings �w m"°° ' and Community maw°eA"" '°" Meetings ,R°'°s0A`�"m81on ompen DOOM ' Qmmpn or CWm Plan Hold Public Hearings ' on Revised Draft Council Adopts MkMiguera Enhancement Plan 1 8egln I �-----a ImplemeMatlon I Nana =1 Q11 e—MYom\ 16 I I Mid-HigucraStrcct �r�han�;irc,t !'Ian PLANNING PROCESS AND COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION ' Background InFormation. The planning work began with a review of ' relevant City policies, expected public improvements, the biological and flooding characteristics of San Luis Obispo Creek,the area's history,visual resources, circulation, utilities and land use. This information is briefly ' summarized in the plan supplement, available at the Community Development Department. Public Workshops and Opinion Surveys. While the planning team gathered the technical . information, it also held two public workshops to listen to concerns and ideas from the community. is ' The workshops were held at the Centerpoint Theatre in the plan area and were well-attended. After both workshops, follow-up letters recapping ' the results of the meetings were sent to all participants and to others on the mailing list. The consensus after the second workshop was for the planning team to ' refine the ideas discussed at the two meetings and to illustrate them on a conceptual plan. Al the some time,the consultants surveyed property-owners, ' business owners and residents in and near Mid-Higuera. The results of the surveys are analyzed in a separate report. Some of the key results are highlighted here. City Council Subcommittee. Using the technical data and ideas from ' the workshops,the consultants developed an initial conceptual draft of the Enhancement Plan. The City Council then appointed a subcommittee of ' Councilmembers Dave Romero and Ken Schwartz to help work on the evolving plan. to a series of meetings,the subcommittee,consultants and staff explored numerous alternatives for resolving issues and for best realizing ' the many objectives of the plan. This work resulted in a refined concept plan. Follow-up Workshop. The public was then invited to another workshop ' to review the concept. The meeting,held this time at City Hall,was again well-attended. Input from the participants was largely favorable. Consequently,the consultants turned the concept into a public draft plan, ' 1 Alan t 7 r �_ i Mid-Higuera Street E nlrmer�r�r�i !'ian I with maps and accompanying text and illustrations, which was formally presented to the Cultural Heritage Committee,Parks and Recreation Com- mission,Architectural Review Commission,Planning Commission,and City ICouncil at public hearings. Selected Workshop Results ' At one workshop, participants were asked to vote on which issues were high priority(each person could cast up to five votes,distributed to one or more of the listed issues). The highest vote-getters were: • Flood control • Widening Higuera Street • Allowing residences ' • Beautification of Parker Street • Re-routing bike lanes on Higuero • Allowing offices Selected Survey Results ' Additional Use Frnrored in An Amenities Restauronts i ImportantNeighborh°� 78'/° ✓Business 73% Services 93% ✓Good Neighbors ✓FlvnilnbilitV 6q'/ ✓Relnii 87 ° `�Mrxed( 9200 _Cost 590/0 .0 ✓Near Downtown 58% purist Services 85% ,/Near Tran`P°rtntion 51% Parks and 76 ' cter 'Light Ind'O�Space 611 ✓Unique Cham "'Creek Access 64% Pormdni w/Residences 59'0 ' n9 Arts Venue 54% ' Important Potential Problems '-Crime 91 "'Poor Appearance 90°% 9 85/° uestions ' ,/'Traffic 79% Access and Tzk9 0 68% "Parking 73% */Support a Creekside Path 62 % ✓Creek Bonk Erosion 66% ✓Slowing Traffic on Higuero 60% INoise 6S% ✓UJidening Higuero 1 i Mid-HigaeraStrcet Enhanc.mcn? Plan I Key Issues I Several issues are especially important to the plan: Flooding ' .•��.�,. .r t .. 'amu,. Flooding concerns many residents, business owners ' and property owners. Flood-related problems include: capacity constraints at the Marsh Street bridge and - r upstream of the bridge causing periodic back-ups and ' R ' over street flows;capacity limits in the creek itself be- I--�`' '�•�-, .�•A •_ tween Marsh and Madonna;problems with the drain- - -- age system conveying run off from the area above Bridge Street and Meadow Park that contribute to flooding in the cemetery and along Higuera south of , . - Bridge Street. The plan discusses ideas to help re- Marsh Street Bridge, January 18, 1973 duce flood hazards. ' Higuera Street Widening The City has long planned for the widening of Higuera Street in this area, bringing this important thorough- ' fare to four lanes (including bike lanes with left tum lanes in key locations)up to the Marsh Street intersec- tion.This project will require the acquisition of prop- r erty on the west side of the street and the modifica- tion, removal or relocation of some buildings, Mo- bile homes and other improvements that encroach ' ..:} into the planned right-of-way.The Enhancement Plan incorporates the widening and views it not only as a ' ' !•° •<'" circulation improvement, but also as an opportunity Higuero at South Street to beautify this important streetscape. Intersection Improvements ' The "Old Town" street pattern presents several �- awkward intersections and short street segments { in the area between High and Marsh Streets,as shown in Figure 11. The plan suggests some ,s alterations to the intersections to improve func- uo» m tion and safety. Figure 11 ■ Existing Diagonal Street Grid ' 19 Alan i Mid-Hi_gucraStreet ;_tihcnc m.nt Pian I I - Street Beautification This area links the City's historic downtown with other major retailing centers on Madonna Road.It lies be- tween two key freeway interchanges.Yet,despite the area's importance to the City, its streets present sev- eral unattractive features including overhead utilities, billboards,and a paucity of landscaping. In addition, some private buildings would benefit from improved maintenance or remodeling. The plan suggests Iundergrounding utilities, an upgraded streetscape, Higuera Street and design guidelines for future development. I Parker Street Parker Street,which is parallel to Higuera,was developed to old City standards for"industrial" I area streets; it generally lacks curbs, gutters, sidewalks and street trees. An obvious oppor- tunity exists to upgrade this right-of-way to be more attractive, safe, and functional. IR SLO Creek from Marsh Street Bridge ,; . L; Parker Street at South Street ' . Seeing the Creek as an Amenity Until recently,San Luis Obispo Creek in the Mid-Higuera T` ,m reach has been largely hidden between the freeway and private development.The City's acquisition of par- ' cels on the eastern bank near Marsh Street now pro- r. vides o public open space from which the riparian habi- `' tat can be appreciated. The City also owns large par- ' =� Mid-HigueraStrect Enhancement Plan The Future of CalTrans Properties ' The State of California owns two of the largest parcels in the plan area. They straddle a key ' gateway to the City, have good freeway access, and include stretches of San Luis Obispo Creek. The plan envisions important new uses for these ' properties, namely, new visitor serving facilities and a public park, if CalTrans were to move. In 2000,CalTrans is studying its facility needs and ' the feasibility/desirability of relocating some or all of its Mid-Higuera facilities. CalTrans Higuera Street at Madonna Road The Mobile Home Parks ,, rr .'_, Y✓ ' The two mobile home parks in the plan area pro- vide low cost housing. Any proposal for new uses on those sites must, of course, comply with State ' laws and, perhaps more importantly, must ensure that residents have safe and affordable housing7 F ' alternatives. Matthew's Trailer Park The Brook Street Neighborhood r This small, mixed-use neighborhood is zoned C-S (Commercial-Service). The small houses, ' located in what once was the heart of Japanese- American settlement in San Luis Obispo, are — -�_..r 1111; now legal, non-conforming uses and would ' gradually be phased out under current land use - policies. A church at the end of Brook Street partially extends into the right-of-way. Retaining ' housing and mixed use options was deemed Brook Street important,however,by many residents in the En- hancement Plan area. ' Land Use Most of the Mid-Higuera area is zoned "C-S" or "Commercial-Service." This zone allows ' light-industrial and service-oriented commercial uses such as auto repair and some retail uses that need large areas for display and sales, such as lumberyards, ice manufacturing, auto and home appliance sales. Today, the relatively small, unusally shaped lots and citywide ' land use changes make these types of uses less appropriate today in the Mid-Higuera district. Alma 21 1 i Mid-Higuera Street Enhanc.mcnt Plan I ' The General Plan envisions a new mix of uses in the Mid-Higuera area, revitalized through innovative physical design solutions to reduce flooding, enhance land use compatibility, I improve vehicle and pedestrian circulation, preserve historic character, and to beautify the area. The Mid-Higuera Enhancement Plan describes a '"long-range vision' for this area, one aspect of which is the addition of parks, offices, retail shops and new visitor-serving/confer- ence facilities into the area. The Plan is a "tool" which, in partnership with area property owners, residents and citizens, can help make that vision a reality. I Parking The current availability of parking was cited at the workshops and in the surveys as an important feature ' of the plan area. A parcel-by-parcel analysis, how- _ h. ,,;��. ,.wa r•,,,�+:"^'�T7 ever, revealed that while there appears to be ample parking in the plan area overall, certain properties and subareas are"underporked." New development .ter will be required to provide parking pursuant to cur- rent' standards. Flexibility in how parking can be pro- vided (in terms of location and method for calculat- ing parking requirements), therefore, will be helpful in encouraging new investment on certain parcels. Some parking lots do not meet current standards for Trader Joe's from Fbrker Street layout and design, resulting in a potential develop- ment constraint. Future projects will be required to upgrade to these standards. The Plan recommends several techniques for increasing parking availability, including acquisition of property for public parking lots. ' Historic Resources Residents and property owners have described the neighborhood character as"funky",due in part to the mix of building styles dating from the late 1800s to the 1980s. The area's early importance as the center for the Pacific Coast Railway contributed to the area's eclectic architectural character. Several of the area's building are listed on the City's Master List of Historic IResources and one is on the National Register of Historic Places. These resources serve not only as ' a remembrance of times past, but as a guide for _ designing new development projects. The Plan 1" includes preservation policies and architectural I design guidelines to ensure important cultural M resources are preserved and that the scale and design of new buildings complements the area's +r _ existing architectural character. Crotsman bungalow at 292 Higuere Street LIM 22 I i Mid-Higuera Street f nharrc4l icn.t Ilan I FLOOD HAZARD MITIGATION I Many participants at the public workshops considered flood hazard mitigation issues the highest priority for ten°,,. ; T the Enhancement Plan. The Mid-Higuera area lies in 1 `°�a� I the recognized flood hazard zone of Son Luis Obispo Creek. Short-term, minor flooding is common on some Hag°era of the streets and private properties. Occasionally, the flooding is severe enough to stop traffic and cause sub- Mid.HJguera-` I stantial property damage. The causes of flooding,how- aso Mrsupost eer ever, are complex—and, in large measure, lie outside am of the of the Enhancement Plan area itself. Marsh street bridge cause the I creek to leave its banks then try Figure 12 to re-enter the creek in the Capacity problems Mid-Higuera area causing The capacity of San Luis Obispo Creek just upstream of relatively frequent flooding ' the Marsh Street bridge is constricted in several places. Thus, even in relatively frequent conditions (estimated to be about a "10-year" storm and runoff event'), the creek overflows its banks at one or more locations upstream of the Marsh/Higuera streets intersection. The ' capacity of the creek in the Mid-Higuera area is estimated to be substantially greaterthan that needed to accommodate a 10-year event. Thus, floodwater leaving the banks above the Marsh Street bridge tries to re-enter the creek channel below the bridge in the Mid-Higuera ' area by flowing through the streets and over private properties along the creek. The most frequent flooding problem in the plan area, consequently, is not due to creek flow capacity within the area, but is caused by upstream constrictions. I The capacity of the creek in the Mid-Higuera area, while greater than that of the reach just upstream of the bridge, is still considerably less than that of the creek channels and undercity culvert in the Downtown upstream of Nipomo Street. Thus, even in situations where the core ' of Downtown is spared from severe flooding, inundation can still occur between Marsh Street and Madonna Road. I In the so-called 100-year flood event, much of the Downtown and virtually all of Mid-Higuera would be impacted. During these relatively rare events, there is little the City can do in the Mid-Higuera area alone to alleviate widespread flooding. The City's approach has been to ' focus on minimizing damage in these cases through such measures as requiring buildings to be "flood-proofed", requiring flood insurance and by requiring that habitable portions of buildings be designed to be above the projected flood levels in compliance with FEMA regu- lations. ' Drainage studies and policies The flood issues in the Mid-Higuera area are part of a much larger regional problem involv- ing the creek and its watershed. In 1999, the City embarked on Phase 2 of its Creek Management Plan. This work will first entail detailed engineering analyses which are ex- ' `A condition expected to occur on average once every 10-years. I i Mid-Higuera Strect fl`nhanc,,,7tcnt !'Ian I I petted to lead to new policies to reduce flood damage and recommended improvements to the storm drainage system. The work must be regional in scope and will include the Mid- Figure 13 Higuera area. Reducing potential flood damage. As discussed 10 above, the most common flooding occurs when the In"101 creek overflows upstream of the Marsh Street bridge I Hig°B`athen re-enters the creek through the Mid-Higuera area HrBbra ° after flowing through the streets and over private prop- Mid-Higuera reerties. One idea for mitigating this problem is to chan- Ao I Ma h s t nel the floodwaters over the City owned open space near the comer of Higuera and Marsh just below the Channeling the rflow back into the Marsh Street bridge. The Enhancement Plan calls for creek over city-owned open space could the expansion of the existing public ownership in this I help the situation area. It maybe possible to redirect flows back into the creek over this property through grading and curb design modifications, so that more water can re-enter the creek here, before it affects private Iproperties farther downstream. Figure 14 Few In addition, new private development between I Higuera Street and the creek should be designed with 0 unobstructed flow channels between buildings,so that water can quickly reach the creek while minimizing �'g"°`° I damage. Leaving unobstructed channels between buildings for flood waters could reduce Furthermore, new development should be designed so flood damage in this area ' that the present amount of lot coverage by structures is not increased, and if possible, even reduced. Less lot coverage improves flow over properties to the creek with less damage. This can be accomplished,for example, by"going up," replacing single story buildings with 2 or 3 story buildings with smaller footprints. These site design improvements are incorporated into ' the Design Guidelines for the Mid Higuera area. Other mitigation measures Several other ideas have been discussed to help with flood hazard mitigation in the Mid- Higuera area. These will be evaluated in more detail during the Phase 2 Creek Manage- ment Plan: ' Increasing capacity immediately upstream. If constrictions above the Marsh Street bridge were relieved, flooding in the Mid-Higuera area would be less frequent. The area between ' Marsh and Nipomo Streets,however is largely urbanized and in most places there is little room for creek widening. Furthermore, and perhaps more significantly, awareness of the environ- mental value of creekways has made widening less attractive from a public policy perspective Iand less feasible from a regulatory standpoint. I i Mid-Higuera Street Enhance21Mnt ('Ian I I Increasing capacity of the Marsh Street bridge. Some observers believe that during certain flood events,the Marsh Street bridge itself(and not upstream constrictions) limits the creek flow forcing the water over the banks and onto the streets. Some believe this has occurred only when substantial debris or other large objects get caught in the bridge, dam- ming normal flows. Regardless, it is apparent that rocks and gravel have been deposited Wow the bridge reducing its capacity to some extent. Regulatory restrictions make deposi- tion removal difficult. Thus, to many people, increasing the capacity of the Marsh Street ' bridge is an important flood hazard mitigation measure. Rebuilding this bridge would be very costly, however. The design would have to ensure that the freeway ramps that run over the bridge remain safe and functional and that the bridge still ties back to the street-level at ' the intersection of Marsh and Higuera Streets. Bypass channel. Another idea for increasing the floodway capacity in the Mid-Higuero ' area is to create a bypass channel on public property between the creek and the freeway. The channel would be higher in elevation than the main creek bottom so that it would carry water only when the flow rises above normal. In effect, the channel functions like a creek widening —it increases the overall capacity for accommodating floodwater. The principal ' advantage to the bypass channel over widening is that the this approach avoids most of the physical changes to the creek, thereby minimizing environmental disruptions. There are some significant issues, however,that require further analysis. First, downstream capacities ' need to be assessed (an increase in this reach may not alleviate flooding in the Mid-Higuera area if the capacity just downstream is constrained). Second, in some places, there is little room between the creek and the freeway for a channel. In these places, the creek itself ' would need to be widened—and subject to the some public policy and regulatory constraints noted earlier. Third, the cost of constructing and then maintaining the channel must be compared to the benefits to be realized and to other alternatives for flood hazard mitigo- tions. The bypass option will be investigated in the Phase 2 Creek Management Plan. ' Flood terraces. Another way of increasing flood capacity is to create an area adjacent to the creek lower than Higuera Street that con serve as a "flood terrace" during flood events. ' Such a terrace would be kept free of significant buildings so that it could be inundated during floods with little damage to property and perhaps even enhancing riparian habitat value. A potential difficulty with this approach is coordination with upstream and downstream capad- I ties, since requiring a terrace in a small area may not be effective if significant capacity problems remain elsewhere. The other major problem is cost. A terrace between Higuero and the creek would almost certainly require the public purchase of land or an easement on ' private property. The cost could be substantial and must be weighed against potential ben- efits and alternatives. This idea will also be evaluated in the Phase 2 Creek Management Plan. I Cutting back creek banks. Mother idea is to cut back the tops of the creek bank at a slope. This increases overall capacity of the creekway. The cut back area could be planted Iwith native riparian vegetation,thereby increasing the overall habitat value. In some areas, IrL r-�—"add RlIs7� 2s � r=� I Mid-HigueraStrcct I nha++c4rricrtit flan I I this would involve removal of relative) re- fa=e 1op o1 bank I y existing tap of bank % cent fill material to expose creekbanks as ` they existed in the early 1900s. `s . cut back top of bank and 'er plant with not vegetation Meadow Creek Figure 15 In addition to problems with San Luis ' Obispo Creek, a portion of the plan area floods due to problems with the Meadow Creek/South Street channel. Water flowing west toward San Luis Obispo Creek becomes ' constrained because of alignment problems and culvert capacity limitations, resulting in inundation around the intersection of Higuera and Bridge Streets and in the Old Mission Cemetery. The likely solution is to realign the drainage system south of Bridge Street I through the CalTrans property to a new inlet in San Luis Obispo Creek south of Madonna Road. Larger culverts under Higuera Street may be required as well. ' Figure 16 Revised Drainage Course Concept 47 p O 00 \) I _ I O O o O O 000 1 L -' c I ^ Redevelopment of the ColTrans property must accommodate an im- proved drainage system. The best route and design must be based on an engineering analysis V—_\ , 26 i Mid-Higuera Street E_nhanccrmcr<t flan I I ISSUE CLOSE UP: MOBILEHOME PARK: OPPORTUNITIES AND I CONSTRAINTS The village Mobile Home Park, located between South and Bridge Streets on Beebee Street, I is appropriate for redevelopment due to its age and current zoning. This park was once the "Sleep Off the Highway" motel and trailer court in the 1920's. Today,it is the site of about 70 residences, a mix of mobile homes and motel units converted to apartments. The site is on approximately 5.4 acres and is zoned R-3,planned development"Medium High Density Residential,"allowing significantly more dwellings than existing in 1999. Earlier proposal. In the early 1990s, the property owners proposed a phased conversion ' of the park to residential condominiums. The property owners offered to purchase the mo- bile homes in the park,and many mobile home owners took advantage of this option. Thus, today, many of the mobile homes are actually owned by the underlying property owners. Residents were also given special priority for purchasing the new condominiums. The phased approach to the redevelopment ensured that no mobile home owner would be forced to relocate, but through attrition the mobile home units would be gradually converted into condominiums meeting contemporary development standards. This proposal was approved by the City. However,the slow real estate market at that time prevented the project from proceed- ing. Continued interest in redevelopment; relo- cation option for mobile home park residerrts. I The site is a good location for medium-high den- sity residential uses, either condominiums or apartments, or some combination of both. It is I large enough to accommodate this kind of use, .' and is near transportation routes,shopping,jobs, and recreation opportunities. As in the earlier ' proposal,care must be taken so that the existing residents have reasonable housing alternatives Eadierproposatfor muttl-famiyhousing and/or relocation assistance. for this site. I Discussions with the property owners and with the staff of the San Luis Obispo Housing Authority suggest a shared interest in redeveloping the property with higher density attached units. At least a portion of these units could be earmarked for low and moderate income Ihouseholds and for residents of the mobile home parks in the Mid-Higuera area. Density bonus for affordable housing; PD zoning. The R-3 designation allows up to ' 18 units per acre;thus,the site would allow up to about 97 two-bedroom units. The City also grants density bonuses for affordable housing, which could increase the permitted number of dwelling units to about 122. The City affords designers flexibility through the "PD" or"Planned Development" option which allows the relaxation of certain develop- ment standards in recognition of extraordinary project benefits that might not be real- ized with the usual regulations. In this case,the use of a PD to allow for design flexibility I �e' I i�Q 1 I ■' ^ ra I i Mid-HigueraStrect 1-11h3ncc11,cr.t I' an I is appropriate if the project provides exceptional affordable housing, architectural design,recreational amenities, and other beneifts such as relocation opportu- nities for mobile home park residents. Visitor-serving uses along the South Street frontage. The Enhancement Plan envisions I the eventual development of tourist-related uses on the CalTrons property south of Madonna Road. The plan also allows for the possibility of extending those uses across Higuero Street and up South Street to Beebee Street,if the demand for such uses grows in the future. Another option for this site is a mix of uses that could include a combination of medium-high density I apartments facing Bridge Street and the South Street hills with visitor accommodations a - ented toward South Street. The visitor uses could act as a buffer between South Street and the residences on the interior of the property. I Protections for Mobile Home Park Residents. State law provides special protection for mobile home owners when mobile home parks are converted to new uses. Key provisions are I summarized below. The Enhancement Plan includes a policy that no conversion may occur without a plan approved by the City Council for reasonable relocation options. Summary of the State laws governing mobilehome park con- I version: ✓ A person or entity proposing to convert a mobilehome park to another use must follow the requirements of the state Planning and Zoning Law§§65863.7, 65863.8. This law mandates, among other things,that a report must be generated which analyzes the potential impact of the conversion,closure,or cessation of use upon the displaced residents, as well as the availability I of adequate replacement housing in other mobilehome parks,including relocation costs. Plan- ning and Zoning Law§65863.7(a). ✓ Under the above requirement, the applicant may be required, as a condition of approval, to I mitigate any adverse impact of the conversion on the ability of displaced mobilehome park residents to find adequate housing in another mobilehome park. Planning and Zoning Law §65863.7(e). ✓ These requirements apply where the closure,cessation,or change of use is the result of a deci- sion by a local governmental entity or planning agency not to renew a conditional use permit or zoning variance under which the mobilehome park has operated. Planning and Zoning Law I §65863.70. ✓ A person or entity proposing to convert a mobilehome park to another use through subdivision must follow the requirements of the state Subdivision Map Act§§66427.4, 66427.5. This law I mandates,among other things,that the subdivider shall file a report on the impact of the conver- sion upon the displaced residents of that mobilehome park. This report shall address the avail- ability of adequate replacement space in mobilehome parks. Subdivision Map Act§66427.4(a). I ✓ No action by the responsible local review agency in response to the above proposals will be taken until the applicant for such a change has satisfied all resident notification requirements,as mandated under the Mobilehome Residency Low located at California Civil Code § 798.ill 11011 ' I 28 I i Mid-HigaeraStreet f-nhancel;tcnt Nar. I APPRECIATING THE PAST The present form -- and to a lesser extent, the current mix of uses -- in the Mid-Higuero area reflect an ' interesting history. Pacific Coast Railway Yards ' In 1876 the San Luis Obispo and Santa Maria rail- road was completed between Port San Luis and the t - City. This route later became the Pacific Coast Rail- : ' road, a narrow gauge line that served the Central y Coast from Los Olivos to San Luis Obispo, with a ' spur to Port Hartford, now called Port San Luis. ��, ►�_ One of the original buildings was a long warehouse for Schwartz, Harford & Company. This building, Ierected in 1876, was used to load beans and other P�*6ic cu,t commodities on the nail cars for shipment to the Port. ' This warehouse was later owned by Loomis and Sons, and was commonly referred to as the"Loomis Build- ing.'The original brick foundation has been preserved ' along the lower fagode of the Pacific Coast Center, l located on Higuero Street at its intersection with Ma- donna Road. The present building, constructed in "'. 1989, has a footprint similar to its historic predeces- sor and the small windows,gray 9� wooden superstructure and overall shape recall the ' historic industrial building it replaced. '. n The entire block bounded by Higuera, Beebee,South y and High Streets was occupied by lumber and mill We* F"�"aQOn yards served by the railroad. Originally,this complex I was the San Luis Lumber Company, later to become the Pacific Coastal Coal Company's lumberyard.To- day, Parker Street runs through the center of this his- toric lumberyard. Some of the old, long, low build- ings echo this history. ' The railroad and lumber operations encouraged other small-scale industrialization nearby. On the west side of Higuero Street, the Smith and Waites . ' Planing Mill and Machine Shop was established in San Iuia �umben compa►ui 1883. One of these buildings remains on the site of Hayward Lumber. ' 27 i Mid-Higuera Street F:11h;1alC:lzler? "Plan Otherexisting commercial uses such the welding shop, I ice plant, and lumberyard recall the area's railroad industrial past. As noted above, this history can be seen in some of the existing buildings, notably the ' ` reconstructed Loomis Building in the Pacific Coast Center and The Mill at Hayward Lumber. ' �•� The Old Highway cao� Q 928 and Remnant Aub Courts I �' oniginal O1 °"x0 9 In addition to the narrow-gauge railroad, Higuero Street itself served as a major thoroughfare. In the ' late 19"' and early 2011 centuries, blacksmith shops -- c-G --"^'^ and other services located along Higuero Street to ,; serve the horse and horse-drawn wagon trades. Later, ' as the automobile replaced horses, many of the old horse-oriented shops simply became automotive re- Ohe pair shops.Today,the area still serves as an automo- bile repair and service district. Other travel-oriented - =— uses such as service stations,lunch stands, motels and m auto courts lined the streets by the 1920s. This highway-oriented past is still visible in many of the uses and buildings in the Mid-Higuera area. For I example,the mobile home park on South Street is the old "Sleep Off the Highway Motor Lodge." The Matthews Trailer Park on Higuera Street near High ' Street was originally a tourist camp for travel trailers in the 1940s. Many existing buildings were originally woton service stations, such as the carpet store on the cor- I SLAW 044 the, "`9" ner of Walker and Higuera. Japanese American Community ' The west side of Higuera Street,between South Street F and Madonna Road was once the center of the Japa- nese-American community in San Luis Obispo. The q��a ' i•'' focal point of this community was the Pacific Hotel, built for R. F. Fukunaga in 1931. The building was on ' ;okooNv •t the southwest comer of South and Higuera. Land and buildings in this area continued to be owned by "Q114 ® sow � � people of Japanese ancestry until 1942 when the ' Japanese-Americans were moved to detention camps during World War II. i Mid-HigacraStreet PIan I Resources of Historic, Architectural, or Aesthetic Value U ' ti,. Address: 20 Higuera Street C Historic Name Stale of California,Division of Highways,Division V z- Owner: State of California ' :-: - -_. :• Year Built: 1931 Architect: (name unknown)Division of Architecture,State of Col'ifomia " Builder: State of California Architectural Style: Spanish Colonial Revival I - Significant Architectural Excellent tilework and employment of traditional Spanish Features: details a ' r Address: 65/65-1/2 Higuera Street Historic Name: Warehouse for the Pacific Coast Railway Company Owner. Rossi Enterprises Year Built: Original building was built in 1876,remodeled in 1988 ' - Significant Architectural Its association with the narrow gouge railway is the most sig. Features: nificant historic feature;original brick foundation is intact. ' Architectural Style: Railroad Vernacular ,as I Address: 236 Higuera Street Historic Name: Smith and Waites Planing Mill and Machine Shop Owner: Hayward Lumber Year Built: Pre-1877 ' Significant Architectural Excellent example of an early wood industrial Mill Building Features: Architectural Style: Faisefrord Pioneer ' Address: 296 Higuera Street Historic Name: (residence cottage) • Owner. B.O'Conner I ; Year Built: c. 1880 ! ' Architectural Style. Italionate with Eastlake details Significant Architectural Well preserved front porch Features: -t - Address: 303 HigueraStreet Historic Name: A Savers WhaesaieCo. Owner. G.Schifano Y! Year Built: 1923 Architectural Style: Spanish Colonial Revival ' .. Significant Architectural One of the most important examples of Spanish Colonial - ",• -r. Features: Revival on this section of Higuera Street I _O._4 Tr 1T 9 Mid-HigueraStreet F'nnancen;eW P1,9n p�w a'F Address: 341 Higuera Street ' Historic Name: Garden Dairy Building Owner. A.D.Cody Year Built: 1927 ' Architect: Hommin,Grant&Bruner Significant Architectural The design of the street facade reflects commercial Features: designs of the years 1905-1915,rather than the 1920s Address: 385 Higuera Street 1 Owner A.I Bettencourl Year Built: 1928 Architectural Style: Spanish Colonial Revival Figure 17 Buildings of Historic, 8 G— Architecturol or Aesthetic Valuegkxdh OWN cd C Address: 292 Higuera Street Owner: B.1.O Connor Year Built: est.1915 1 .>t' 0 0' 1 Architectural Style: California Bungalow ; f p a D 1 Iri ' �.. 3z i Mid-HisaaaStreet Enn,,inc .nwm Nan I - _ PUBLIC POLICY The City can enhance the Mid-Higuera District through two principal means: public policy such as land use and architectural standards; and public improvements such as street widening, flood protec- tion,street tree planting,and park development. This chapter and the next describe the Enhancement ' Plan's policies and planned public improvements that address the issues described on pages 18-28. I CONFORMANCE WITH THE EN- mercial) to C-S-MU (Service Commer- HANCEMENT PLAN cial with a Mixed Use overlay); • Changing the CalTrans property on the I1. Review for Conformance. All new de- west side of Higuero,south of Madonna velopment and land uses in the Mid- Road, from PF (Public Facilities) to MU C T- Rourist Commercial with a Mixed Higuero Street Enhancement District shall conform with this plan. Use overlay), and on the northwest side of Madonna Road from PF to C-OS and I USES OF LAND AND BUILDINGS C-R-MU. This is intended to encourage relocation of CalTrons facilities and re- t. Allowed land uses. The land uses al- use of the property for open space,tour- lowed within the Mid,Higuera District are ist-serving and residential uses; and determined by the Zoning Ordinance, • Changing the parcel at the northwest based on the general plan designations comer of Beebee and Bridge Streets from applied to the properties within the Dis- R-3-S (Medium High Density Residential tdct. The City will amend the General Plan Special Considerations) and R-3-PD and rezone properties within the District as (Medium High Density Residential, shown in Figure 1 B. The proposed Planned Development)to R-4(High Den- rezonings include the following: city Residential). I • Changing the properties at the north end of the District from C-S-S (Service Com- An additional proposed policy would apply to mercial -Special Considerations)to C/ the property designated R-4 at the southwest I OS (Conservation/Open Space) be- comer of Beebee and South Street. In the event tween Highway 101 and San Luis Creek, that the CalTmns property is redeveloped with and from C-S to C/OS between Son Luis land uses allowed by the CT-MU zoning district, I Creek and Higuera Street; andthe City determines that additional demand • Changing the properties along the west exists for tourist commercial uses,the South Street side of Higuera Street, north of the Cal- frontage of the parcel at Beebee and South tTrans yard, from C-S (Service Commer- Streets may be rezoned to CT-MU. cial)to C-R-MU(Retail Commercial with a Mixed Use overlay); • Changing the properties along the east side of Higuera from C-S (Service Com- Mid-Hisucra Street C nh.:ric iz?cn? Piz.^, 1 SCUM Sucat to •• "�rr8•..:-_ FBgll meet S {,,•{{ice ..., S x>�r' • • I �M"C 4yyy 1 j••f• �VC�'. ' fy• + .x ayhy�,Li• ° � o::�'': yyyyyy• . ®na a Sufft I• • rfj/ 1 ® Gros ' • j C-R-MU �' -� ---- C-S-MU } i ® C-T-MU ' i ® R-4 " Figure 78 ' Proposed Zoning 1 34 Mid-HigaeraStreet Enhanc;izicni Plan 3. Orient new development to the ' creek and provide pedestrian ac- cess. New development on lots adja- cent to San Luis Obispo Creek shall ' be designed to include orientation to the creek in the form of entries, win- dows,gardens,plazas, patios or other spnc� si mi lar features. As a condition of ap- proval of new development on these Tqr mugUes sites, the City shall require an offer of dedication for public pedestrian and Figure 19 bike access easements within the required private common parking and accessway ' creek setback. Higuera Street, and driveway access to Higuera Street will be restricted to existing 4. Creek setbacks. New development' along San Luis Obispo Creek shall pro- right turns in and out and left turns in at mid-block tum pockets. vide setbacks pursuant to the zoning regu- lations(generally 20-feet from top of creek ' b6• Private driveway between South Street bank or edge of creek vegetation which- ever is greater). The City will amend the and Bianchi Ione. New development be- tween South Street and Bianchi Lane, west creek setback ordinance to allow a bike I of Higuera Street, shall include a private . common driveway or interconnecting park- ing lots with a minimum access width of 24 feet, that affords reciprocal access to all properties in this area. The location and design of this common drive shall be de- termined prior to approval of redevelop- ment on these properties, as generally shown in Figure 19. Reciprocal access easements shall be required as a condition San Luis Obispo Creek at Bianchi Bridge of new development. path in the creek setback to accommo- date the planned improvements. 7. Interior parking, creek and Higuera Street building orientations. New de- 5. Provide vehicular access alternatives velopment between South Street and to Higuera Street. New development Marsh Street,west of Higuera,shall be de- in the District shall include secondary signed so that on-site parking is accessed ' vehicular access to onsite parking lots from a common private driveway on the from streets or driveways other than interior of the site;buildings should be de- I35 i Mid-Higucra Strcct I nhancI-ment Pian I signed to orient toward the creek on the utility substation. PG&E no longer ' west side of the common driveway and needs the substation at Walker and Pa- I toward Higuera Street on the east side of cific Streets and plans to remove the fa- the private driveway,and spaced to allow cilities. The property will be available for floodwaters to return freely to the creek. another use. Future uses should be de- I signed to be consistent with the Plan and 8. Parker Street findings. In permitting designed to include the Walker Street pe- new buildings or uses on the east side of destrian plaza, including attractive, low ' Parker Street that require discretionary re- screen walls and landscaping to screen view,the approving body (Community De- parking areas from the street and plaza, velopment Director, City commission(s), or pursuant to the design guidelines in this I City Council) must first find that the project plan• is not likely adversely affect residents living ' on Beebee Street due to noise, glare, pri- 141STORIC PRESERVATION vacy, odors or other factors. AND AESTHETICS 9. Encouraging reuse of CalTrans prop- ' erties. The City will encourage the relo- 11. Appreciating the past. For any project cation of CalTrans facilities to other sites that involves the removal, replacement ' in the City or within its Urban Reserve and or substantial redevelopment of existing the reuse of the former CalTrans proper- buildings, the City shall require as part ties in conformance with this plan. of the application materials, a brief his- ' tory of the site and the buildings, includ- ing a list of previous owners and uses, 10. Encouraging reuse of the former PG&E and a photographic record of the I building(s). The City may. require that the historic building be preserved and _. e rehabilitated rather than removed, and ' may require the developer to provide a :: •:. u : plaque that recalls that history and may require that the placement of the plaque be incorporated into the design of the project. Alternatively,the project propo- nent may agree to provide public artwork 4. that commemorates the history of the site and district. The requirement for incor- PG&E property porating a plaque or artwork into the re- development may be waived if the Com- munity Development Director determines ' upon review of the history submitted with JLBNA 36 i Mid-Higucra Street Enhancement flan not limited to, the following measures: purchase of the units;financial assistance for moving; rental or purchase assistance for alternative housing; the identification of alternative housing options within the t- some or similar price range within or near the district or in other locations accept- able to residents;or the provision of com- parably priced housing in ornear the dis- ' .-._ teict through the City's Housing Authority Hisrortc CcRtans Building or other housing providers. 15. New multi-family housing in the district. The City shall work with the owners of the the application that the building or site has no property along the west side of Beebee I significant historical value; the Director may Street, and with the Housing Authority or request advice in this determination from the other housing provider,to develop this site Cultural Heritage Committee. with new multi-family housing. The intent of this cooperative effort is that a significant 12. Preserve tress and historic building on percentage of the new units will be afford- CalTrans property. Any redevelopment of the able to low and moderate income house- I CalTrans property south of Madonna Road holds and/or will provide reasonable relo- shall preserve mature trees and incorporate the cation options for residents of the district's historic brick building. two mobile home parks. 13. Preserve the historic Mill building. Any re- The City will considertheprovision ofafford- development of the Hayward Lumber property able housing in excess of any minimum re- shall preserve the historic"Old Mill" building. quirements and/or the provision of reloca- tion options for mobile home park residents ' MOBILE HOME PARKS as a public benefit for purposes of approv- AND NEW HOUSING ing a PD, "Planned Development" for this site. Approval of a PD zoning would apply I to a specific development plan and could 14. Protection for mobile home owners. To provide added flexibility in development stan- the extent required by State law, the City shall dards to better accommodate a medium- not approve the conversion of the mobile home high density housing project. parks in the district unless o relocation plan is I approved by the City Council to assist mobile home residents in finding affordable housing. Elements of such a plan may include, but are I1137 i Mid-HigueraStreet l..'r hanoc ,,rnent Plan I I I PARKING 16. Shared parking reduction allowed. Shared parking is encouraged and the Director may consider I a shared parking reduction for district uses, pursuant to Section 17.16.060 of the zoning regula- tions. I 17. Mixed use parking reduction.The Director may consider a mixed-use parking reduction for district uses, pursuant to Section 17.16.060 of the zoning regulations. I View toward west end of South Street, at San Luis Obispo Creek. 'x Villa's Automotive is on the right. L I I I I I I 1 Mid-HigucraStrcct I::n ian"mcn? 111an I I PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS I FLOOD HAZARD REDUCTION a. Marsh Street bridge.The City will analyze,and if feasible and desirable,modify or replace the Marsh Street bridge to increase its creekflow capacity,while allowing the grade of the new bridge to align with the Higuera-Marsh intersection. b. Bypass channel. The City will analyze, and if feasible and desirable, design and install a bypass/ overflow channel parallel to the creek in this reach on the City-owned open space. This channel will replicate,to the extent practical, natural riparian features. c. Coordination with other flood planning. Other improvements in the Mid-Higuera area may be required,contingent on the results of a basin-wide analysis of drainage and flooding in the City. Any improvements must be based on and complementary with the City's overall flood management program. ( l �#J* adify or replace Marsh Street / Bridge Riparian Enhoncment Area Raise and Relocate Bianchi Lane Bridge ° l Bypass channel hAil ice mo' l ri Cp® Figure 20 ® Flood Hazard Reduction Measures °CFO ° I I i Mid-HigucraStreet Play; I � CIRCULATION AND STREET Ja�e � )J IMPROVEMENTS / IX Cut-de-Sac a. Higuera Street widening. Higuera Street will be widened to four lanes Bianchi Lane Ifor the area shown in Figure 21 . Realignment CZe ` The right-of-way will also include ���►� is bike lanes and a landscaped.me- Mid-Block I Vehicle Acre ' ' _- s s arm—, dian with midblock tum lanes. At the intersection of Marsh Street, up �, to two dedicated left tum lanes may be designed. To widen the street, 26 feet of additional right-of-way will , be needed. This will betaken strictly on the west(freeway)side of Higuera Street. This widening will require JI modifying, moving or demolishing �1 9 ; I certain existing buildings, mobile °O�b homes and other structures in theei2 planned right-of-way. b. Bianchi Lane realignment. Bian- L 1i II chi Lane will be realigned to the I south to align with High Street 7 - e the traffic signal. This realignment / r Arterial ' is planned in conjunction with the ' L1 L11 !#,/ O 4° ® ; -®s Collector Higuera widening. / New Access I � •� ay c. Pacific-Higuera-Walker Streets street 0 improvements. Walker Street will d1 11 Widening end in a cul-de-sac nearthe Pacific +� INew Street intersection. Pacific Street will 1 ( Signal the I Signal be realigned to a 90 degree ap- proach angle at Higuera, with a Figure 21 northbound right turn lane and a Proposed Street Circulation System southbound left tum lane. The area I that remains from the Walker clo- Delivery truck access will be maintained. The PG& E sub- sure will be landscaped, provided station may be developed with commercial uses,ora public with a pedestrian/emergency ac- parking lot with a landscaped wall provided as a buffer to ' cess between the blocks, with a the street and plaza areas. This street closure and con- mini-plaza as shown in Figure 31 . version to a public parking plaza reflects the general di- rection and intent for this part of the Enhancement Plan OARS r-^'YY'e1 r.7 11 IIS��W A ,ll yn QwTw _rte i Mid-HigueraStreet Enha �•n nc ,erit Plan I y I o 0 Travat Travel MedimJ Travel Bike Side E89 v� Lem Lane Lena Tum Lane Lane Lane Lam walk Wast IPwposed 88'-0'ROW Figure 22 Proposed Higuera Street cross-section, Marsh to High Streets I I area as shown in the "Conceptual Physical I I I Plan for the City's Center." I 1 t d. Other streetscape improvements. Parker I ` I Street will be improved with curbs, gutters, I sidewalks, street trees, benches, and deco- rative lighting fixtures as suggested in detail - }I e E i ' � I C of the Short-Range Concept Plan. Street �I 9 I > trees, decorative lighting fixtures and i I benches will be installed on Higuera Street I I I as shown in the plan, and Madonna Road will have a landscaped median as shown. . The City will underground utilities, as feo- typcal Isible,and will seek removal of the billboards in the plan area. I I I I I e. Brook Street extension. Brook Street will I I be extended to the south when the CalTrans I I t site is redeveloped. This will be a two-lane , , I Aadkm Ilocal street with parking provided on one side I I ansa► and will end in a turnaround. The existing I I I TM church encroaching into the future right-of- I I way will need to be modified or relocated to I l allow the street extension, as shown in the I Long-Range Concept Plan. Vehicle access from Brook Street to the park will be for emer- Figure 23 gency and maintenance access only and may Higuera Street 80' right-of-way I Mid-Block Left Turn Lane High Street to Madonna Road I I41 -----..�— I Mid-HigaeraStreets nh;:n,__,r?�r? •SII\�� "' Bikelanes ` ��%y �'�a 11 ��A ......... Bike/Pedestrian Trail �'' o Pedestrian Ways 0 New Pedestrian !fou� ��� t Bridges U/ ; , [� ' tll ( � ,s•P n C � sidewalks and II o street IF : �� - bI eway e � �--;: Street II Q� � g mope :•l �I O C7, clAvi►a Beach/ Port San Luis Figure 24 Bike/Pedestrian Circulation if 42PROI I i Mid-Higucra Strcct f':nhanc nicx:� Nan The City will also acquire properties on the east side of the creek between the City-owned open space and the Marsh Street bridge to ,n -- - accomodate Higuera Street widening,secure open space and restore riparian habitat. -p b. Bikeway. The City will install a pedestrian 1 , trail/bikeway on the east side of the creek, between Marsh Street and Bianchi Lane;and . � = _ , a bikeway on the west side, between Bianchi Lane and a point just north of South Street, SLO Creek behind Villa's Automotive. From there, the I CREEKSIDE IMPROVEMENTS bikeway will cross San Luis Obispo Creek with a bridge linking the City-owned open space to South Street, as shown in Figure a. Creek corridor natural area. San Luis I Obispo creek will be restored in this reach to 24. This alignment will provide a scenic, improve natural habitat values by planting off-street route linking Marsh Street with the native vegetation,controlling erosion,remov- planned Gateway Park and the southbound I ing exotic plants and by managing public Bob Jones City-to-Sea bikepoth. access. The City will acquire privately held land on the freeway side of the creek and con c. Pedestrian path. The City or private devel- vert the entire area,as it becomes available, opers will construct a pedestrian path on the ' into a natural area for recreation and open east side of the creek, between Bianchi Lane space. Furthermore,the City will analyze,and and South Street, as this area redevelops. if feasible and desirable, will engineer the Ancillary uses such as benches,public art,and I site grading and curb design to encourage interpretive displays may be incorporated into flood waters that often accumulate near the the design of the path. Bridges will be in- Marsh-Higuero Street intersection to flow stalled along the creek to link the path with I back into the creek,as shown in Figure 25. public open spaces, as shown in the long- range concept plan. E)dsting grade Handicap style ramp at curb to allow flow through open space Instal!riparian plants Flood waters Ireturn to creek - t• -_ H GUEAA SIREET Gawk Grade slope in City Open Space to allow ' drainage Figure 25: Storm Drainage Flow I I i Mid-Higucra Strect Plein Bike Routes Considered • I The Mid-Higuera Enhancement Plan ` shows a recommended route for the creek bikeway, however several alternatives were , considered before recommending this y` I route. Figure 26 shows the bikeway routes eouae Mean" considered. Alternatives utilizing private I' land would take longer to implement and fk�.,,,,y�x raise property owner issues. Alternatives s using city-owned land pose environmen- tal,safety and flood-related concerns. The Plan recommends the western bikeway !' w�,a„t,�,e„B alignment,the route shown in blue.While ;ve. `� - � NAM Imo. �w I there are"pros and cons"with each alter- native,this route is supported by the City's Bicycle Advisory Committee and could be san�s e .,t implemented relatively quickly since the ' City owns most of the land necessary, ex- A.. .,, . cept for narrow strip of land behind Villa's q�;. _ cmItram } Automotive Repair on South Street. This ; #� Iroute will require a bridge spanning San Luis Obispo Creek linking the bikeway with South Street. When installed in connec- ~ .�. I tion with future development, the bikeway Fe ...�� will increase business activity, provide rec- reation and improved access, minimize Figure 26 ' creek disturbance and enhance creek Bike Route Alternatives views for employees, customers and visitors. The long-term plan shows a pedestrian path along ' the east side of the creek (shown in blue) which could be developed gradually as properties redeveloped overtime. 0 City Open12 ft varies Space ' 20 f. creek Figure 27 /I setback Creek/bikeway section, Marsh Street to Bianchi I (Includes 2 ft.shoul- Lane dens on both sides) BANS �� 44 Mid HigueraStreet i_ntran�ei�i tit I'iar PUBLIC PARKING Parking is critical to the success of most business districts. Based on input received at public meetings as well as opinion survey-responses,area residents and property and business owners agree that parking in the Mid-Higuera Enhancement District is important. In the District survey, respondents rated the impor- tance often factors in terms of their decision to live or work in the District. Parking was ranked second in importance, after "good neighbors", and 73% of the respondents noted `availability of parking' as a potential neighborhood problem. Among some speakers at the workshops,there was also a perception voiced that, at this time, the district appears to have ample parking. A property-by-property field survey was conducted to determine the number of porking.spaces available compared to the parking required by Zoning Regulations for existing uses. The survey shows that, when compared with the adjacent Downtown Core area, there is a relatively large amount of on-site parking. Available parking is not distributed envenly throughout the district, however, resulting in some blocks having a significant parking deficit, as shown in Figure 28. The analysis shows that four blocks do not meet parking standards for existing uses when total on-site parking required and available are consid- ered, and that overall,almost one-half of the district's businesses do not meet parking standards. Land I uses in the District have historically been of a low-intensity nature,and until now,employees and custom- ers have been able to find sufficient parking on-street or on adjacent properties with surplus parking. With the arrival of new commercial and residential uses anticipated in the Plan, parking availability is likely to be a significant constraint to remodels, land use changes, and new development. LO — I Po i 7 ces Park? ' BLOCK Panting Req :57 sn Parking Pro i :33 s B CK C f _ Required. 10 spaces om Provided:4 spaces o �°fid SOD ~c CSO Q I BLOCK LOCK E Parking fired: 1 q paces -Porld Required: 182 spaces Panting edi I eps I perking Provided: 150 spaces _ 8 EPl r n101�1 °q o Figure 28 Parking inventory by block 45 i Mid-Higuera Street Enhanc -ment Plan The Enhancement Plan seeks to expand business and residential opportunities and to preserve the District's unique character. The District's character is due,in part,to the many older buildings whose architectural design, layout and site coverage also make it difficult to provide enough parking to meet existing and I future parking needs without tearing buildings down and redeveloping. Nevertheless, General Plan policies encourage new businesses and dwellings to include sufficient parking, attractively designed to complement the buildings and the site. A parking strategy that depends wholly on redevelopment, I however, will hamper efforts to enhance the District.. New or expanded uses requiring more parking would not be possible without providing additional parking,approval of parking exceptions,or a reduc- tion of floor area. From a practical standpoint,this usually will mean that new or expanding businesses I must look elsewhere. The parking shortage for some uses is aggravated I by the lack of pedestrian amenities and a pleas- ant walking environment which would allow em- ployees, customers and residents to park within s?>; Forrmer easy walking distance from their destinationtion. " ,:; /p `, ... P.G.81:. site The lack of frontage improvements, street light- o "' ing, landscaping, and clear entry paths to some ( ' businesses may discourage shared parking use and effective parking and pedestrian circulation. © o Strategies for reconciling these objectives will de- Porker street pend on both short- and long-term implementa- o "'' Area tion actions. Recommended short-term City ac- r oe tions include: a. Establishing a parking committee. The / Gateway X." Pork r i8 City's Parking Manager will form a Mid- Higuero District Parking Committee,including e o b e District residents, and property and business owners, to evaluate future parking needs and explore the formation of a parking assessment district or similar funding technique to purchase �� s and maintain parking to serve the area; ' I • 4 Figure 29. Possible Public Parking Sites I I eAQ 71 1LZ.iQw ♦ 46 .�1i i Mid-Higuera Strcct F=rihaa :-11ICnt I b. Restriping existing on-street parking spaces reducing the number of driveway romps to increase the number of spaces and improve efficiency. c. Improving existing parking lots. In cooperation with area property owners and businesses, the City will review existing joint use or shared use parking arrangements and determine the feasibility of expanding or modifying them to more evenly distribute parking supply and demand. d. Providing additional parking lots.The parking committee shall evaluate options to lease or pur- chase two public parking lots--located near parking deficient blocks at the north and south ends of the District, and in the Gateway Park, as shown in Figure 28 -- which could accommodate an additional 100 to 150 parking spaces. Long-term City actions may include: e. Acquiring additional property. Acquire and improve properties for public parking in the Archer/ Walker/Higuera and Parker/High Street areas. f. Completing street improvements. Complete street improvements should be installed, including pedestrian amenities and beautification. Establishing Parking fee. Consider establishing an in-lieu parking fee for new developments within the Mid-Higuera District. Trader Joe's Parking lot 8 t . 't`►.�►�``S�= '' �,.,-.r —.✓ ter. .r I I Mid-Higuera Street Enhmic men! Plan. PUBLIC TRANSIT a. Transit Service. The SLO Transit System will continue to provide:service to the Mid-Higuera Street I Area, with routes along Higuera Street, Madonna road,and South Street, with transit stops to be added as shown in Figure 30. Bus stops will typically include a shelter; benches, signage and will be developed concurrent with future development as a condition of development approvals. b. Bus Stops. In the short-terra (1-5 years), bus stops within the plan area will be maintained at their current location as determined appropri- ate by the Transit Manager. Their precise loca- tion and design of new bus stops will be deter- mined based on SLO Transit's customers' needs and on the arrangement of adjoining land uses and driveways. Bus stop needs will be evaluated 1 b the.Transit Manager when changes are made Y t to street widths or when parcels near proposed transit stops are developed or redeveloped. Bus © � 1 stop designs shall be consistent with the City's ShodRonge Tfans#Plonand with Public Improve- ment contained within this Plan. 8e am„ - p B Two types of transit stops are planned: 1) Stan fl 0 q Bard, at-curb stops and 2) bus turnout stops. At- 1 �� guu�gI curb stops are located where existing or planned 4 ,� ®® oEt development patterns make it difficult to acquire ' ®�� ,1 °0w0 the necessary right-of-way to install turnout bus 1 ❑ e 1 lanes. � ❑' �� Figure 30 Proposed Transit Stops ; Q �,— ® n I A - At-Curb Bus Stop B - Bus Turnout f n48 Mid-HigueraStrcct r*nhanecmcnt Nan PARKS, PLAZAS AND OPEN SPACE a. CalTrans property. The City will acquire the CalTrans property on the north side of Madonna Road and develop a portion into a park and city"gateway"as suggested on the concept plan map. I This park will include artwork or exhibits recalling the area's history as a center of the Japanese- American community prior to World War II. b. Walker-Pacific. With the closure of Walker, the City will develop a mini-plaza with seating and . landscaping as suggested in Figure 31, and on the short-range concept plan map. I c. Kiosks. Information kiosks will be provided at a few strategic places that are frequented by pedes- trians. Suggested places include the City open space at Marsh and Higuera streets, the new mini plaza at Walker and Pacific streets, the Greyhound station, and in the new Madonna Road park. Id. Brook Street Neighborhood Park. In cooperation with community groups, the City will im- prove a small, city-owned open space at the south end of Brook Street to serve neighborhood ' recreational needs and to honor the memory or Mosaii Eto, a prominent citizen and member of the Japanese-American community in San Luis Obispo. ' e. Creek Pedestrian Trail and Open Space. The City will maintain open space areas along the west side of San Luis Obispo Creek as an open space area and install pedestrian trails, bridges and related improvements, as shown in the long-term concept plan. IFigure 31t r 0 Plan Detail of Pacific- Potentia ulur ' Higuera Mini-Plaza Public Parking Lot New Cul-de-sac 8� Planter Pedestnan WayKM LOW tel_ Screen wan I1r Paarcer Ben n`s Franklins = Flysnng f J= HIGUERA - - --- New 5:reet"Tees Pat* Pizza wt Landscaping; seating&pubkc a& I i Mid-HigueraStreet t-nha{ic.rnent Pian I IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN I AMEND THE GENERAL PLAN The public policies and capital improvement programs are based on the City's General Plan. Tables A and B show how the policies and pro- i grams of the Enhancement Plan followtheGen- eral Plan. Implementing the Enhancement Plan will require . `� several amendments to the General Plan land 1ti•j use map and text to maintain consistency. The • General Plan Land Use Map will need to be l; • .t . k amended and properties rezoned to reflect the �r ;�;••: ,_ �i I land use changes shown in the Enhancement A� Plan. The Plan and General Plan amendments /• s .t41/��1•�.••' should be adopted by resolution,and the pro- `' > > '�' - posed zoning adopted by ordinance and in- — clude the types of uses allowed either individu- ally or in combination, and standards to be ;.• ,-,Y .�.. .... ' resolved in the designs of mixed-use projects, .LL pursuant to Chapter 17.55 of the Zoning Regu- ,, i lations. New uses or development projects that c>. • .;• •.� ' the Director determines are consistent with - ia these standards shall not require a use permit . for mixed uses, unless otherwise required for �.y. an exception to development standards. '' I I The new policy would apply to the property des- ignated R-4 at the southwest comer of Beebee 1 and South Streets,and would provide that if the I CalTrans property is redeveloped with tourist +---- commercial uses, andthe City determines that ' additional demand exists fortourist commercial uses, the parcel fronting on South Street may be rezoned to CT-MU. / � I Land Use Element policy 3.3.3 lists circum- stances where relaxing the restrictions on offices Mid-Htguera District is acceptable. This policy should be amended Roposed General Pian Designations ' to include the provisions of the Mid-Higuera En- ® open swm hancement Plan among the acceptable situa- © ComdRetcl tions for greater flexibility for offices. In addi- sem=andManukchAv I tion C-S(Commercial Services)properties within ® ToWstCanmerdal ® fit,aersnv rQwenna ' I +t0`g.4. --- "! i I i Mid-HigacraStrcct Lnhanct�mcnt Ilan I the district should be rezoned with C-S-MU zone to allow a broader range of uses as shown in the Plan. New development projects or land uses that are consistent with the District's C-S-MU ordinance will not require a use permit, unless otherwise required for an exception to development standards. AMEND THE ZONING REGULATIONS I The Zoning Ordinance text will need to be amended to implement this Enhancement Plan, and the zoning map designations of several properties will need to be changed.The proposed rezonings are described in detail in item 2 of the Public Policy chapter of this plan,'and the proposed zoning districts are shown in Figure 18. The "Mixed-Use" (MU) overlay zone is a key element of the Plans land use strategy. When used in combination with any zone,the MU zone allows combinations of uses which would not otherwise be allowed. Hence,this zoning will allow a broad range of uses in the Mid-Higuera District, reflecting its historic mix of land uses. New development projects or uses within MU zones which are consistent with this Plan need not require Planning Commission review,unless otherwise required by the Zoning Regula- tions for the individual uses, or for exceptions to development standars. New mixed-use development, must meet the mandatory findings listed in Zoning Regulations Section 17.55.040,to the satisfaction of the Community Development Director. Zoning regulations Section 17.16.025 (G) (2) lists accessory uses and structures that are allowed in the creek setback, subject to several findings and limitations. Subsection (b) explicitly allows walkways and patios, but does not allow bikeways. The Enhancement Plan envisions a combined walkway - bikeway along the eastside of the Creek. Thus,this subsection should be clarified so that combined walkways and Ibikeways are among the allowed accessory uses. CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT I PROGRAMMING As the City considers its capital improvement program (CIP) budgets,the variety of public improvements proposed by the Enhancement Plan will be candidates for funding. Once funded, construction will then occur according to the CIP schedule. I DEVELOPMENT REVIEW A key component of Enhancement Plan implementation will be the improvements to building facades, parking areas, and accompanying landscaping. Because these improvements on private property will I occur over time as the uses of existing buildings and parcels change, the City's development review process must ensure that the recommendations of the Enhancement Plan are carried out to the maximum extent feasible. The Planning Commission,City Council,and City staff will use the Enhancement Plan as I a guide in decision-making as individual land use changes and development projects are proposed and reviewed. I M_ oz I _ I 4V i Mid-Higuera Street Enjianc nienl Pian TABLE A General Plan Consistency City of San Luis Obispo General Plan id-Higuera Street Enhancement Plan Policy Comments Neighborhoods should be pedestrian-oriented and Yes Improved sidewalks and walking paths protected from intrusive traffic LU 2.1.31 1 Neighborhoods should have paths or sidewalks to connect Yes Improved sidewalks and walking paths with other areas JW 2.1.4 Neighborhoods shall have a mix of uses to serve daily needs Yes Mixed uses encouraged of residents LU 2.2.1 No development shall either preserve existing Yes ooMilereplacement/relocatione units allowed housing or include replacement dwellings ( U 22.1) Loss lan. New housing encouraged. Residential areas shall be buffered from nonresidential Yes Eventually relocate mobile home park on activities(LU 2.2.2) Higuera to better location and type of Lar a rkin lots should be avoided LU 2.2.9 Yes See design uidelines .. New housing should be compatible with existing the Yes See design guidelines. Specific findings neighborhood LU 2.2.10 uired for uses near Beebee Street Commercial uses deemed appropriate within residential areas Yes Mixed uses encouraged m .retained 3.2.4 Allow flood waters to move throuah c n Is L 6 Yes Take measures to decrease potential for future flood damage Yes Marsh Street Bridge improvements LU 6. .1 Historical resources should be identified, preserved,and if Yes Historic preservation policies I necessary, restored LU 6.6.1 Existing affordable housing shall be preserved (H 2.2.2) Yes Relocation/replacementunrehousing nts Conversion or elimination of existing housing in commercial Yes Provisions to increase housing in area; areas shall-be-discoura ed H 3.2.2 Ian for new muhifamil Mixed-use residential/commercial projects are encouraged Yes H 5.2.2 Creek corridors should be reserved as o ns ce OS 3.2.11, Yes I Development shall be located outside creek corridors and Yes setback areas OS 3.2.1 Development adjacent to o n space lands shall provide a Yes I buffer between uses OS 14.2.29 Driveway accession arterial streets should be minimized (Cl 7.4 Yes See illustration Billboard removal is encoura CO 10.1.1) Yes Pro ram recommended to remove billboards guidelines n New and existing development should place utilities Yes See design g uncle round CO 10.1.8) The City will develop a continuous ne{work of bikeways (Cl 3.3) Yes Proovid s the asf lanes s de of thHiguerain creek Street and All arterial streets should provide bike lanes (Cl 3.7) Yes Bike lanes are retained in Higuera and South Streets Widen Hi cera Street between High&Marsh to 4 Janes CI 8.4 Yes Higuera Street's visual quality should be upgraded (CI 14.2-14.4) Yes Plan would protect views, underground I utilities, and generally enhance streetscape. 152 L_ I Mid-Higuera Street E*nhanclment Pian I TABLE B IHow Enhancement Plan Implements General Plan Mid-Higuera Enhancement Plan Features m m m m m o m H t L To a A _ C O 2 O C x m O O m O •� C x Imm. 1 mmC ooE V 400 E C 00mC 1 O p 'M am h. m s 0 cas: LL^� $—mE o °c E o g°o m O N $ Y ®p J m C C m Q m y O S a d m �� 5 v c o m c x v a E ,o � cm co �m _ �� ea j m E 46 g^ T W C b I ; m mo u mo .EN cF �' m o m p•p m W C G p >V C� City of San Luis Obispo -0 Lz .� EE o r = � m o m E -C �' General Plan Policies v 0 0 o W= �€ s ; o a Neighborhoods should be X X X X X pedestrian-oriented & protected from intrusive traffic (LU 2.1.3) Neighborhoods should have paths X X X X X X or sidewalks to connect with other areas (LU 2.1.4) ' Neighborhoods shall have a mor X X X of uses to serve daily needs of residents (LU 2.2.1) Nonresidential development shall X X either preserve existing housing or include replacement dwellings (LU 2.2.1) X I Residential areas shall be X X buffered from nonresidential activities (LU 2.2.2) Large parking lots should be X X avoided (LU 2.2.9) LL I New housing should be X compatible with exiling the I neighborhood (LU 2.2.10) Commercial uses deemed X appropriate within residential I a(LU 3.2.4 reas ma be retained loowaters to move X Allow flood . through natural channels (LU 6.4.3) Take measures to decrease X X potential for future flood damage (LU 6.5.1) I � 1 Mid-HigaeraStrcet Enhanccnlcnl flan I TABLE B, continued How Enhancement Plan Implements General Plan I Mid-Higuera Enhancement Plan Features I m o d m g o CS $ E _ o E .. m L —0m $ c or [ p r� ` m z 0 L 10:o `0 3 0 q C a o I O m H m m _� E O c ca Ic m w �° ; m m c E _� 0 x S c E c ° m m E df ° ° $ ° t ° " ° 13 m m m E ° c m u 8 E Y [ o re g o $ 8 ton W-00 ,2m T' Z C fD Qom° v I City of San Luis Obispo e a General Plan Policies u o o � m s W Historical resources should be X identified, preserved, and if necessary, restored (LU 6.6.1) bxisting affordable housing shall X I be preserved (H 2.2.2) Conversion or elimination of X existing housing in commercial I areas shall be discouraged H 3.2.2) Moved-use residential/commercial X X projects are encouraged (H 5.2.2. Creek corridors should be X preserved as open space I (OS 3.2.1) Development shall be located X outside creek corridors and setback areas (OS 3.2.1) Development adjacent to open X space lands shall provide a I buffer between uses (OS 14.2.29) Driveway access on arterial stree X X should be minimized (Cl 7.4) Billboard removal is encouraged X I (CO 10.1.1) Now and existing development X I should place utilities underground (CO 10.1.3) I Imo_ I Mid-Higaera Street I�nhanc:ment Pian I I ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY visitor-serving commercial. The idea is to I provide a "convention center" on this site— It is important that plans provide for land uses that is,a hotel and venue for large meetings that are,in fact, reasonably feasible from an of professional associations,educational and I economic standpoint. In the case of Mid- non-profit organizations, industry and trade Higuera, the economic viability of the area groups, etc. These kinds of meetings are is clear without elaborate forecasting. Asur- not frequently held in San Luis Obispo be- vey of existing land uses found the area to cause of the limited facilities able to be largely built out and to have no signifi- accomodate such activities. The City, how- cant vacancy problems for the district as a ever, would likely be a popular site for such whole. In fact, the plan area includes sev- events if meeting facilities were available. San I eral large businesses including Hayward Lum- Luis Obispo obviously attracts large numbers ber, Smart & final, and Trader Joe's. The of visitors because of its natural beauty,spe- Enhancement Plan retains commercial zon- ciol downtown, Mission and museums, spe- ing for much of district; in some places, the cial events, Performing Arts Center, Cal Poly, plan increases flexibility among the allowed among many other amenities. It would, ac- and conditionally allowed uses. Clearly,then, cordingly, be a popular site for"convention" ' this already viable commercial area can be —type meetings,probably at the regional and expected to remain so in the future if the basic Statewide level. designations and regulatory framework are I unchanged (or in some cases made even The CalTrans site appears approproote for more flexible). this kind of use because of size;location dose I REVENUE GENERATION to Downtown; access to the freeway; prox- imity to the creek and proposed parks, One objective of the Mid-Higuero plan is to bikeways and walking paths; visibility; and increase revenues to the City. One should historic and environmental qualifies. If a con- note,however,that this commercial district is vention center were eventually built there, relatively small, especially compared to the tourism in San Luis Obispo would increase, nearby Downtown and Madonna Road re- and revenues to the City from sales and bed ' tail areas. Thus, changes in this small area taxes would rise, too. A successful center are not likely to significantly impact the City's would surely have a fiscal benefit for the City. overall fiscal position. More importantly,the I commercial area is already largely built out Although the viability of this kind of facility and includes several significant retail busi- appears reasonable to expect,detailed fea- nesses, including Hayward Lumber, Smart& sibility studies would be important prior to Final, and Trader Joe's. Therefore, the undertaking such a project. Those studies ' change in sales tax revenues attributable to will be more meaningful when important new businesses in the plan area will likely be variables such as the proposed size and relatively modest, at least in the short term. ownership are clearer. Of course, proceed- ing with this concept is contingent on Cal- One major land use revision in the Enhance- Trans relocating its offices, shops and yard ment Plan is the re-designation of the Cal- elsewhere. In 2000,ColTrons began a fea- Trans property south of Madonna Road to sibility study to evaluate relocation options. i Mid-Higucra Strcct Enhancement flan I SUMMARY OF IMPLEMENTATION MEASURES I • Ensure new development conforms with the plan. I • Amend the General Plan Land Use map to change the CalTrans property from Public to Tourist-Commercial. I • Rezone the properties within the Enhancement District as shown in Figure 12. I • Clarify that Zoning Regulations section 17.16.025 (G) (2) (b)allows combined walkways-bikeways in the creek setback, subject to cer- tain restrictions (along with walkways which are presently allowed pursuant to those restrictions). • Place an MU - mixed use overlay on the Mid-Higuera Enhancement area, pursuant to Chapter 17.55 of the Zoning Regulations. • Incorporate or reference the Mid-Higuera Enhancement Plan De- sign Guidelines in the Architectural Review Commission's guidelines and procedures. • Program into the City's Capital Improvement Plan the land purchases and public improvements described in the Mid-Higuero Enhance- ment Plan. • Complete the Phase 2 Creek Management Program and plan for its implementation to help mitigate flood hazards. • Encourage the relocation of the CalTrans offices, shop and yard. • Work with PG&E to acquire and/or improve the abandoned substa- tion for public parking use. • Facilitate meetings with the property-owners and the Housing Au- I thority staff regarding new use of the Village Park mobilehome site. • Adjust the City's street tree list to include the species recommended ' in the Design Guidelines. ' �. •a) • �4s�:�+ _ \�i��� .'-,..n';i ,per a � O Aj ,1. v Mill All ■ .I R( O t O O'� �Clti'• k Vl 1. r�� Wov 001, .00, r't. 4,4 .. �� AIM .��•�--.L" �, , rE; '� n- ;= � , Imo, i ,�.. T'j f J I • - IF RA _ �: --� i`�;:,,: - "►-'t_-s;�1'., � Ilw° II MUM W.�• �• ° /� �14 , ' '!� . �,' • /I ���J`I 0:1•�1 �� i Mid-Higuera Street Enhanc lz,nlcnt Plan I DESIGN GUIDELINES I 1. NEW DEVELOPMENT AND PROPERTY RENOVATIONS Introduction The objective of these design guidelines is to create a more"main street" character along Higuero Street which reflects some aspects of Downtown but does not duplicate it. Downtown elements like ' pedestrian-oriented building scale and location, varied storefronts and displays, street trees and other amenities to create a pedestrian-friendlly environment are encouraged. Landscape medians are planned along Higuera Street to beautify the street corridor and parking lots are to be located I generally to the side or rear of buildings to screen and de-emphasize automobiles and encourage walking and bicycling. These and other tools for enhancing the district's appearance are described ' below. The guidelines apply to new development and re- models in this district. They address site planning, architectural treatments, pedestrian and auto ac- cess, parking areas,signs, lighting,and landscap- summ I ing, and are included in the City's architectural guidelines. eui1 ' A. SITE PLANNING AND DESIGNan Site planning refers to the arrangement of build- ings and parking areas, the size of pedestrian spaces and landscaping, and how these fea- tures relate to each other. Figure 34. Building-parking relationship ' 1. Parking Areas a. Parking areas should be located to the rear or between buildings, as shown in Figure 34. b. For service-commercial uses, parking may ® - be located along the street frontage pro- ' vided it is well landscaped and screened from the street. I c. Parking lots, public and private, should have a landscape planter every six spaces. A 5-feet wide or wider planted area should I separate the parking lot from an adjacent street. d. Along Higuera Street,new parking lots shall be located to the rear of businesses and acces- sible from adjacent streets and/or common driveways. At least ten percent of I I ` Mid-HigucraStrcct l nha ic--meni Plar, I parking lot areas shall be landscaped. 2. Pedestrian Areas a. Crosswalks should be provided along Higuera Street, aimwith'public access to rear parking lots via courtyards or .. arcades. I : b. Buildings should be sited close to, and oriented toward the street. c. Clear glass is recommended on street level to create interesting views for pedestrians. �►` d. Provide pedestrian linkages within the project to other C g Nfth.—� commercial projects and adjacent neighborhoods. Ie. Porticoes, arcades, roof overhangs, awnings and signage should be used at entries to I help orient pedestrians. f. Each project is encouraged to have its own identity, yet the site plan must work with adjacent properties to provide safe vehicle and pedestrian circulation. ' 3. Utility Areas a. Locate noise-and/or odor-producing uses away from pedestrian and residential areas. Utility ' areas should be grouped, screened and designed similar to the main structure. b. Service, delivery storage, utility, and trash areas should be integrated into the project design and ' screened from public view with structural enclosures or landscaping. 4. Development within the 100-year ' Floodplain a. In general, new buildings within a 100-year flood zone should not cover more lot area than the ' ' development it replaces, unless the City Engineer determines that the proposed floor area will not increase flood hazards, consistent with city standards. Bianchi Lane Bridge, looking j ' west ' b. For projects between Higuera Street and the creek, applicants and their site designers should meet with the City Engineer early in the process. Site plans in this area should incorporate ' unimpeded flood water drainage routes from Higuera Street to the creek. Such drainage routes should not be blocked by berms, solid fencing, or other features which would block drainage flows. or landscaping so dense that it will catch and hold debris. Rose 1 ��� 60 i Mid-Higaera Street F=r,hanc,ment Pian I I B. ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN These guidelines promote the existing eclectic mix of Ibuilding styles and do not mandate any particular style. In general;new development should emphasize historic architectural forms and materials, not corporate _ architectural styles. These guidelines stress well- designed forms and treatments of the building walls, _ facades, windows, doors, and colors and materials. Example of entry, I 1. Form, Massing and Orientation base and roof line variation. a. All sides of buildings should have detailed articulation and should be designed to a level ••, '' ., appropriate to their public visibility. ' !'• r . b. Large buildings should incorporate changes in vertical and horizontal planes to break up a =. box-like appearance. Incorporate vertical elements to create multiple "bays" giving the -- appearance of several smaller buildings. C. Each building should have a recognizable Example of trellis use base, roofline, and entry. d. Articulated storefronts, rather than blank walls, should face public streets and pedestrian spaces. Reveals,cornice treatments, pilasters, exterior material changes, arcades, trellises, and awnings can be used to help articulate otherwise plain building facades. e. Doors,windows,and openings should be used to add visual interest to the wall plane.. f. Along Higuera Street, buildings should generally not exceed two-stories at the street, ' and be designed so that upper floors are "stepped" or otherwise designed to preserve views of Cerro San Luis and maintain pedestrian scale at the street. g. Architectural-grade, decorative lighting should be used at or near pedestrian entries and to illuminate wall or projecting signs and to accentuate building form and details. I I I :1111111 _ .lima i Mid-HisueraStreet l riharncci,"Tit Pian I 2. Roofs I a. Multiform roofs,such as gabled and shed roof combinations,are encouraged to create an interesting roof line and lessen the building's apparent mass and height. I b. Roof materials and colors are important aspects of the overall building design. Materials and colors should complement I the building's architecture style. l i c. Appropriate materials for pitched roofs in- clude, but are not limited to, clay or inte- grally colored tile, metal,concrete tile,or architectural dimensional composition ' shingle. d. Discouraged materials include brightly colored roofing tiles, corrugated fiberglass or unfinished metal panel roofing and highly reflective roofing. ' e. Parapet roofs should include elements such as parapet caps, projecting cornices, and cornice details or variety in shape and slope.to provide architectural interest. f. Roof-mounted equipment should be well screened and not visible from public areas at I the ground level. Flat roofs should be well articulated with parapets, pitched facades, and architectural elements. 3. Walls / Facades I a. Utilize reveal patterns, changes in materials, building pop-outs, columns, pilasters, and recessed areas to create shadow patterns and depth on the wall surfaces. ' b. Architectural details should be used to enhance buildings and adjacent pedestrian spaces by adding color,shadows,and interesting forms. Ornamental tile, built-up stucco relief, ' and special molding are a few of the recommended treatments. c. Emphasize windows, trellises, arcades, roof overhangs, recessed or projected stories, columns, balconies,wainscots, and awnings. I d. Materials and colors should be consistent with the desired architectural style and build- ing character. e. Appropriate materials for walls and facades AL ' include, but are not limited to, stucco, stone, tile, brick,wood. f. Keep a balanced color palette between the ' lighter"base colors'and the brighter"accent colors' on each building. g. Forms, materials and colors should be true to ' the chosen architectural style and building ..• character. Emmple of wall treatments ' i Mid-HigueriStrcct f nhanc�lrcnt I'I.in I ■Aooerd Color n tie __. tr ■LightBae Color ■Amed Color In Awnng f I Aon it Color in Dom srd Windows $ I 4. Windows, Doors, and Storefronts Well-designed storefronts use windows, doors, wall articulation, colors, and materials to create a sense of entry and pedestrian scale. a. Window type, shape, and proportion should reinforce the style of the architecture. b. Doors and windows must be coordinated with each other and must have high quality molding and froming.d. Awnings with imprinted signage is encouraged. Lettering style and size should be in scale with the awning. e. Awnings should be regularly maintained and kept free from tears, fading, and stains. 5. Respect for Yews Cerro San Luis is a scenic and visually prominent focal point in the Mid- Higuera area. Northbound Higuera Street traffic can generally view the peak over the tops of Highway 101, trees and mostly single-story buildings. As new buildings are built, they should be designed to preserve views of Cerro San Luis from Higuera Street. As shown below, upper floors should generally be setback from the street to ' avoid blocking vier, or buildings otherwise designed to maintain and enhance views. Y. moo r :r C. Fagade Renovation Potential Fagade improvements can make a dramatic difference in the attractiveness and desirability of a property. Historic area features should be preserved, or restored. The. following design examples are presented to illustrate the potential for renovating build 06 facodes within the district, and should not to be interpreted as the only design solution for renovating a particular building. I 63 I i Mid-HigucraStreet I nharu�rrcnt !'Ian I Figure 35 I Potential Improvements 1. "Fifties- Style" Commercial Building on Higuera Street BEFORE 4; d C ( L4 '^h. - 1 Ri f 1{ �"/i/ ,vkFxr xTd'S r�pw�li tw..11> �t..d,` zn N.r>(ltir's? _•1, ..:.:: >iTr �' +r f ✓ �,r 'tti ¢�xy •a•4.�41.` 5 R"3 l'T'l>�'.o-'{d'4'"!5b "$1 uw f �x 4 rv,>�. R hC+,Yr°Jiw.r j' 'y`l`' r•I r t n �l,r� ;: T�W� y tT u'+r +' f r �•'kr .! l`a� lh �•w ttSfr �. � •'f r'!' '{2 t•{ �✓J((��� 1.•ti`[ '(•�l� f Y1 �I�IF''�W 6.� � (; ��.4�1 IN� ( ���J t i��F��•�. f"y r r 5 X yi ltd'•tt{. (( f (i;r�k J �/J1 Lx�1Y ri 4 f+lt 5• .C! { i-•}t f 1 Mr4Y �i��}/ ��fi A+y9.C'r h •'F a .J 1 'dt�•WY.. 4 r Z�"' 'F C f.N/til � �<.� t ti fsq!`"il Y� iA*Sb' kvlr' � 1.Sfr�•�p''�%� �'�K���rY ��ilih 1 ���x �'���w�'f M•� 8}t.,�.J ' Li t �' -•% r'v s "YceF x�1 1 r V;y''t J / l r;f4 as s,a ;-`f 1 7 �5 r:'ra f L`�' ry - r t G a �ti, ",:',•/ q�r A i,�tU as r r 4�� t r� 1 j t w tai;f•��.Ln t �ur I a. 1. pu l »till ..Fn i8i _ ye£l'r 1fw- - .•d. ^+b-v9,... .L"•.r'Ni -hal• eten• ,,,t fi ,Arf�• "'y n-f��'"Ty TJ ' :•v r.•-» rx1. It' rx y> x.� r..i��.d^'U�fl N{kl(j (' (f ��trf}Y�'it- ✓}SZ('j lS}H^k�L 5�-"t rSY�f -^ x +•AM d �w r t 5 � .. d )�.t .1 i is hA!1 "�>.M1•rry y P'�7S J.S]}7T,('w'Y 1 C�+i+•.4rJ••\ w��� 12,rA euA�, ? � .r , r j{ tt x �4. .�!W Z ! � t �.s i�' - - �d Trt•�'AJi r_irrc� -�'�r'.'M ..2 :.{� ..-r:e 'A.,.]y�/ t'n_:a,}.S.•..� a.. n T.arS-i:iC.�''v..,..a l.•.fa t.�.r s' r .v, r..:,. .w. w...-a.a.w.«. I. k .::. AFTER Neon sign typical Maintain overhang of style with color accent I Add trim detail Maintain texture ! ' as color accent of block wall R I 0 A ' I Maintain slanted Limit area of temporary Enhance entry with I windows signs slanted block wall I .n= 01!4211r, n- i Mid-Higuera Street I:nh— c-men: P[an I Figure 36 Potential Improvements I2. Weber's Bread Store BEFORE + '_�{� fN?j,�4t '�, p.nn,�yqY+i�,Y•�"�S pFM '�lti ' yvt `e ' g"� ' `ai�fe-'�S. �.� � � j�`.P'r���xYYtS.S�k,7'1+��irC��y•�� �M"��j �F^S'1?i�a�y'n 1!+h' �'" 1.�f � C Fr,.a �tf Kph .,�. ' `•'3C`_•F�S?��+ ,«+� {� y .�«�g.'?L' r frx� i „. � w—t r.�auar f�My?,�C,'P.'�'" .wF""}v'e�, `ti' i +A!sy-�'�'R' `I • „" AFTER Replace sign with painted logo on Add divided light window to the wall, repaint& repair fagade Imatch other windows ' Add awnings over windows r, j and doorway to create ,,. �•-' relief on facade - Point fascia 'trim`and rollup- ! Add planter of sidewalk to buffer door panels with dark green Add planters to enhance parking area from sidewalk for details windows and add detail ! ImprovementsFigure 37 3. Potential - Wholesale • BEFORE 11� AFTER Add ign with a Repair •• historicf files Add ornamental • a know •sir r.. ..... �-_, .._�_ —v.�.'_._' Add iron codch lighting 303 Add tile ��.:`,Hv ♦� `iii .. �jr�����. I��i�i�� _�- r� J . wainscot floor—Tile entry Enlarge .. w area replace with multipone and replace multi- Windowspanewindows .11 111110,11 • i Mid-Higuen Strw I:nhanol-ment Pian ' D. Pedestrian Spaces and Circulation Pedestrian spaces are encouraged. They should include sidewalks, pathways, courtyards, pa-tios, plazas, seating areas, landscaping and other amenities adjacent to the building entry or fagade. Including these features in new and renovated property can dramatically improve the Iambient quality of the area and attract more shoppers. 1. Pedestrian spaces should have detailed and well-defined I paving design. Materials may include concrete or brick pavers,tile,scored,colored and textured concrete,or stone. 2. Provide breaks in low walls and planters to provide for pe-destrian circulation and flood flows to allow return to the , creek. 3. Provide sidewalks and pathways to and from streets and ' parking lots, buildings, and other public spaces. These should be enhanced with lighting, planting, benches,foun- tains, public art, trellises, and textured paving. Use these ' elements for special points along pedestrian spaces. i I E. Landscape, Public Art, and Site Furnishings V .L. Well-designed sites will help beautify and revitalize the building frontage areas and image of the Higuera, Walker, Pismo, and ' Parker Street areas. Landscaping, public art, and site furnishings should be included with new development. Site furnishings could include sculpture,fountains,murals,benches,lighting fixtures, decorative banners,trashcons, and moveable pots or planters. The theme of the public art could ' commemorate historic events or people of the district. 1. Mines, espaliers, and potted plants are excellent elements for providing texture to walls, columns, and posts, "softening" large wall areas, and discouraging graffitti. 2. Planting should be used to soften or screen parking, trash, and service areas. 3. Flowering trees and colorful planting should be used to accent vehicular and pedestrian entries. 4. Use drought- and wind-tolerant planting where • ., ' possible. 5. Use a variety of tree types, sizes and forms. 6. Deciduous and evergreen trees should be used to provide a variety of texture, color, and form in planting areas. , ; 7. Tree grates will both allow water into and protect I the tree root area but also provide walking surface where the sidewalk is narrow in older established areas. These grates may be a simple concrete style or if funding allows, a more ' ornate metal style with a design that complements the other street furnishings, as shown in Figure 19. 67 �— Mid-HigucraStrect Enhancement Plan S. Planters with low walls behind them should be used to ' screen parking and service areas from the street. 9. Site furniture and light fixtures should follow the same agnclow design concepts as the major structures on the site. ' 10.Public art should be provided in the City open space r, park, as murals on blank walls that are in public view, or in pedestrian spaces. Plaques commemorating his- ' toric events could be incorporated into street furniture, or as wall signs. An opportunity exists for recreating "Gateway to Downtown"that once existing along Higuera near Madonna Road, or to create a "historic walk" with posts denoting historic places, events, or personalities in the area, either along Higuera Street or along the future creek trail corridor. Public art may be incorpo- rated into the new mini-plaza at the Pacific / Higuera ' intersection. F. forking Properly designed and landscaped parking lots ' will enhance the urban environment by provid- ing shade and greenery, as well as convenient ' access for shoppers and visitors. Parking lot en- trances should be well defined with landscap- ing. They should be shared by adjacent prop- erties where possible. 1. Parking lots should be landscaped with trees ' and shrubs to provide shade and soften the im- pact of larger expanses of paving. Trees with large canopies are encouraged. ' ots where possible, using accented 2. Pedestrian ways should be incorporated in parking l paving,trellises, and lighting. ' 3. Parking lots should be attractively and appropriately lit for safety of pedestrians and motor- ists with pedestrian-scale (16-feet tall or less, from finished grade to the light fixture) light poles and fixtures shielded to prevent glare across property lines. ' i Mid-HigacraStreet i_nha�xm�r.t I'iHn I G. Signs When signs are integrated into the building design, they contribute to the quality and ambi- ance of the commercial complex or streetscope. These guidelines are intended to balance the legitimate identification or signage needs of businesses with the need to beautify the district and prevent visual clutter. 1 . These guidelines are intended to supplement the City's t, -Y •" . Sign Regulations. =z a. Signs should be integrated into the building de- c '° , s, sign, complement the architecture, and be com- patible with the building colors and materials. b. Signs may be painted on the building. c. Signs should not protrude above the roof line, yy' Ia' fascia, eave, or be located on the rooftop. 160 2. Handcrafted, wall-mounted, and hanging signs are encouraged to be unique to the business and to con- ' vey the business' image. ,r a. Specially designed logos,symbols,and icons add individuality to businesses and are encouraged. ... I3. Window signs should be grouped to minimize block- -Y ing views into business. 4. Small-scale kiosks and information booths are en- couraged and should be located in pedestrian gath- ering areas near parking lots or along walkways. 5. Internally-illuminated cabinet signs are discouraged and shall require Architectural Review ' Commission approval. ' H. Site and Building Lighting These guidelines apply to on-site lighting of the different properties in the planning area and not street lighting which is discussed below in the Streetscape Improvements. Effective light- ing will provide safety for vehicles and pedestrians,advertisement and security for businesses. Light types may include pole lights, spotlighting, wall-mounted lights, landscape lighting, and sconce lighting. 1 . New development that is adjacent to residential neighborhoods should be particularly careful to avoid bright lighting and glare. I 69 Mid-HigueraStrcet Enhanct!mCni !"iari 2. Spot lighting should be shielded from neighboring properties and directed ata specific object or target, such as an entry. 3. Light fixtures should be designed or se- lected to be architecturally compatible with the main structures on a site. 4. Wall-mounted lighting should be posi- tioned no higher than 10 feet from ground level and should be directed downward to reduce glare. 5. Pedestrian light poles along pathways and sidewalks should be 10 to 16 feet high. 6. The overall height of parking lot light standards should not exceed 16 feet from ground to the light fixture, and should reflect the architectural character of-the project. 7. Industrial-style wallpack lighting and unshielded area lights are prohibited. 11C), I AB 116� R&I J1111 01 i Mid-Hisucra Street Enhanc :mcnt flan I I 11. PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS Introduction Public improvements that are incorporated into the public right-of-way complement and enhance I surrounding development. Such improvement typically include street furniture, plantings and street trees, sidewalk and pedestrian amenities, and light fixtures. I The "streetscape," the visual corridor including the street, sidewalks, parkways, street trees, and other features in the right-of-way, acts as a unifying element for the project area by creating a consistent visual link through the area. Streetscape improvements are often implemented as a _ cooperative effort between the City and private development. The proposed improvements will occur as street widening, street realignment, and property redevelopment occur within the area, and should include undergrounding the overhead utilities. The suggested treatments may also be ' implemented when driveways onto Higuera are reconfigured as necessary to accommodate new development or redevelopment A. Street Furnishings 1 . Benches will be of the general style as seen in the examples and will be provided in City projects and as organizations and businesses - ' fund them. They will be located on every block and sited so as not to block I pedestrian circu- lation. I 2. Trash and recycling recep- tacles should complement the bench style and may be com- bined with the benches and or street lighting, and should be located on every block. I 3. Light fixtures should have a historic character, similar to the one shown in Figure 38, and be of an appropriate scale for the area of use. The taller style (25'-30') will be used at intersections, while the shorter style (16' recom- mended) will be used along public sidewalks. Figure 38 4. In areas of high pedestrian traffic volumes, ornamen- Decorotive streetlight tal tree guards that complement the bench and trash recep- tacles should be used. r = �rl ` 1i1�\ s�■■ I i Mid-Higuera Street F.nh,-ncd,nent Plan I Figure 39, Crosswalk Detail fbmiedcowMeba-W I ,sem aok B. Pedestrian Crosswalks a cow 1. Textured crosswalks are proposed at key inter- o� I sections along Higuera Street, as well as main °� intersections on Parker and the extension of Brook Street, as shown in Figure 39. These ` { should be treated with granite-like concrete I bands at the edges and tan-colored pavers in T the pedestrian traffic areas. a I lr C. Landscaping 1. Street trees should be provided along the public ' sidewalk,to meet city standards. The variety should provide shade while allowing visibility to the storefronts and minimizing organic litter. A species different from those utilized down- ' town may be chosen. Suggested trees that will provide the canopy spread needed for the arterial streets include Quercus Virgioniona,Raywood ,• , r Ash,Chinese Pistache,and London Plane. (Some of ' ' these are not on the 2000 City approved street tree x• list, which may need to be revised,accordingly). 2.Medians: Street trees should be provided within the landscaped medians to buffer the wide expanse of the street. Median trees should not interfere with ' traveler visibility or truck traffic. The groundcover should be drought tolerant and provide seasonal color, but should not grow to obstruct views for motorists. ' 3. Boxed and tub plant containers should also be used to enhance sidewalks, plazas, building entries, or courtyards. The style should complement the street furniture . ' 4. Tree grates will be used to provide texture in the sidewalk by introducing a 3' wide concrete acid-etched grate and paver band detail, as shown in Figure 40. I TREE GRATE DETAIL Gnirft POW Figure 40 :: � r mforaw Tree grate detail I Tao IDCI W.M r Ar n i Mid-HigueraStreet 'Enhancement Flan I D. Planned Street Improvements The following streetscape views are provided to illustrate the positive impact that the planned improvements will hove on an otherwise plain street environment. BEFORE I d 's O.' Figure 41: View looking south on Higuero Street at Marsh Street AFTER 1 .y` r 1 r. .�F I I 731 i Mid-Higuera Street 3lic-11,,cm Ilan I Planned Improvements 1. Higuera Street - northern entry a. Planted center median with new street trees b. Underground utilities I c. Expand City open space/habitat restoration area to the western comer d. Add textured crosswalks I e. Add planted median island at off-romp right tum lane I I I I I I 74 I i Mid-Higuera Street I IPlanned Improvements 2. Parker Street a. Underground utilities b. Add sidewalk to both sides of the street c. Add new street lights with historic character I d. Add planters next to buildings to improve street facades while maintaining nexessary handicapped access e. Plant street trees per City standards I BEFORE R •tom T j Ny� Figure 42: View looldng northwest on Parker Street at South Street ' AFTER J„rti OX r t r I �+1 ��i w i Mid-Higuera Street Enhanc nient Nan I 4 yH7�,fti�'�L u2SPy 6•��rc.k�cz6"�� Pd � /ao=F'x 4: k':d,'Y; City of San Luis Obispo Bicycle Transportation Plan,October 1993. I City of San Luis Obispo Circulation Element,November 1994. I City of San Luis Obispo Flood Damage Prevention Regulations(Ord.#1259), 1994. City of San Luis Obispo Flood Management Policy(Resolution 5738), 1983. I _. City of San Luis Obispo General Plan Land Use Element,July 1996. I City of San Luis Obispo Housing Element, September 1994. City of San Luis Obispo Mid-Higuera Enhancement Plan, Background Report& Special Studies, I November, 1999. City of San Luis Obispo Noise Element,May 1996. i City of San Luis Obispo Zoning Regulations, February 21, 1997. ' 'Me Da the Rains Came: January.1973. San Luis Obispo,California: Mrs.LaVerne Scbneider for the Environmental Center of San Luis Obispo County, 1973. I Flood Control and Drainage Master Plan for the San Luis Obispo Creek Watershed,Nolte, 1977. Flood Insurance Rate Map(FEMA). f Flood Plain Information San Luis Obispo Creek,U.S.Army Corps of Engineers, 1974. Gebhard,David and Laren Weiss. Architectural Historical Survey of Hi"mera Street: From Marsh Street to Madonna Road. Santa Barbara, California: August, 1979. Harth, Stan, Liz Kneger, and Dan Krieger• War Comes to the Middle Kingdom,Volume I: 1939- 1942. San Luis Obispo, California EZ Nature Books, 1991. Sinsheimer Collection, Robert E. Kennedy Library, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. ' Stream Corridor Management Plan for San Luis Obispo Creek, 1997. I Survey Report for Flood Control and Related Purposes,U.S.Army Corps of Engineers, 1986. Tigner, J.H. Souvenir Published in the Interest of the Relief Fund of the San Luis Obispo Fire I Department. Los Angeles, California: J.H."riper, 1904. !I 11,11011 01 01 I I c('v Fr�r v""'�ry a-� O r titin 1. '3 L �' ' �_ '7r�`rt-.`�•� 7 .,_.�i �� ;� r `r!! r��t 1l• aF .�a��, sic' �. ." � � g;11-i' a 4#•-+r, '' v l®@ •�.L'+sY �11 r� +w K is w 3.3-py. .�•r-'J�- 17 L�_ � �-� t Z ILS+•+v� yy,� ry��f+ ht,+ -f.� ,.l � ' city of New 60feway ' 'ffim2is san Luis oBj spo Pork Crawford �-/1 ' Multari . on Clark &i ASSOCIATES ����� ' Mohr RRM DESIGN GROUP 1