HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-22-2013 C8 CooperRegarding Consent Item No. 8: "Grant Application For Preparing A Master Plan For
The Mission Plaza And Cultural Corridor. (JohnsonlMurry)"
Dear Mayor and fellow Council Members:
Save Our Downtown is recommending the following amendment to the wording of this
grant application:
"Grant Application For Preparing A Master Plan For The Mission Plaza, THE TWO
BLOCK CREEK WALKAnd Cultural Corridor"
Why:
"Our Town "projects must address one primary criteria:
• "A systemic approach to civic development..." This is NOT a systemic
approach to civic development. How can the Mission Plaza and so- called
"cultural corridor" be revitalized without addressing the Creek walks and
the ongoing encroachments onto the public right -o_f -way by developments
currently in the pipeline... is this "systemic "?
Examples for "Our Town "projects, applicable to San Luis Obispo, were as follows:
o "The development q f ... for public art. "Shouldn't other areas
- besides Mission Plaza and the so- called "cultural corridor" - be
considered when developing a `public art masterplan "?
• "Design of public spaces, e.g., &M c ieees., infrastructure, and brkk!z,s...
Shouldn't we be considering the design of "landscapes, infrastructure
and bridges" within the Creek Walk as works of art?
Beyond discussing the merits of this proposal, Save Our Downtown believes that this
master plan should be coordinated with the City's new Pedestrian Plan, revised
circulation element and an updated Downtown Concept Plan. An updated Downtown
Concept Plan should not necessarily include proposed street closures nor should it
include, as the Chamber insists, additional lighting in Mission Plaza. Money would be
better spent on increased lighting along the high crime corridors including Osos Street
and upper Higuera Street. Instead of engaging in controversial and costly street
closures we would be better off spending money on street calming improvements
including more mid -block crosswalks and bulb outs.
Respectfully Submitted,
Allan Cooper, Chair Save Our Downtown
756 Broad Street
S.L. O
AGENDA �,