HomeMy WebLinkAboutARC 04-06-2015 Correspondence - SchwartzFrom: Kenneth Schwartz <kschwartz25 @gmail.com>
Sent: Friday, April 03, 2015 4:36 PM
To: Carloni, Marcus
Subject: Request for reduced lot sizes in R -1 zone @ 323 & 353 Grand Ave.
Please forward the following message to members of the Architectural Review Commission as well as associated
members of City Planning
staff:
Dear ARC members:
I wish to register my very strong objections to the developer's request to reduce lots sizes on his proposed subdivision of
323 & 353 Grand Ave.
I simply ask your commission to understand the meaning of the word, "minimum." It has become apparent that
members of the development community and some City staff have forgotten the meaning of the word.
The City's planning regulations use the word meaningfully. Minimum does not meat optimum or average, minimum
means minimum. I would like to see your Commission hold to minimum standards.
As an architect - planner I know that we can design homes on smaller parcels of land. In fact, our zoning ordinance
recognizes these opportunities in, say, our R -3 and R -4 zones in which more housing units per acre are permitted. So,
we are not engaged here in a contest to see how many housing units can be "packaged" in a particular parcel of land.
No, we (you) are engaged in a processes of determining the architectural design compatibility of a group of houses
arranged on plots of land in a neighborhood all with the same density standards. I hope you understand the difference.
Somehow this simple understanding of basic Community Planning standards seems to have been lost in recent times. I
hope your commission has the backbone to bring these standards and basic planning principles back in line.
If this developer is interested in building more dense housing, he should be encouraged to purchase properly zoned land
for that purpose.
We should not be seeking silly justifications to increase housing densities in those parts of our community that have long
been zoned for single family use.
I have designed my own home (and others) in R -1 zones without seeking to alter the single family character of those
neighborhoods.
I have lived in this particular neighborhood for over 50 years; I am not interested in seeing its character changed by
insensitive land developers or by City staff or ARC members who do not understand the meaning of the word
"minimum."
Please carry out your responsibilities accordingly.
Thank you,
(signed)
Kenneth E. Schwartz, FAIA
San Luis Obispo, CA 93405