HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-27-2016 PC Correspondence Item 2 (Vujovich-LaBarre)To: Maier, John Paul
Subject: RE: Planning Commission - 1101 Monterey
From: Mila Vujovich- LaBarre [
Sent: Wednesday, January 27, 2016 3:29 PM
To: Maier, John Paul
Subject: Planning Commission - 1101 Monterey
Date: January 27, 2016
L L0 JAN 2 7 2016
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To: San Luis Obispo City Planning Commission
John Larson (Chair); Michael Multari ( Vice- Chair);Hermalata Dandekar; Michael Draze;John Fowler;
Ronald Malak; William Riggs
Re: 1101 Monterey Street
Dear Chair Larson and Planning Commissioners,
As a resident of San Luis Obispo, I am passionate about communicating on matters that I am concerned about
for the benefit of residents and to preserve the character of the City of San Luis Obispo.
The current proposal for 1101 Monterey Street has me extremely concerned. I object to the current design due
to its bulk and scale.
In reality, I feel that I am the voice of the common person who simply loves the charm of San Luis Obispo.
It is my understanding that this building is in the commercial retail zone that has a maximum height limit of 45-
feet. To approve a building that is 75 -feet in height would not only be inappropriate, it would set a
terrible precedent for renovation and development north of Santa Rosa.
There will be substantial negative impacts from a building of this magnitude. Since I have attended meetings of
Save Our Downtown recently, I believe that their group also shares my concerns about the negative impacts of
taller buildings. It is also my understanding from Residents for Quality Neighborhoods (RQN) that they are also
against the size and scale of this commercial and retail development.
While I completely understand the developers' desire to maximize the building pad for their profit, it is not
congruent with the desires of local residents, renters and tourists.
The "money maker' for San Luis Obispo is the fact that most people enjoy being able to see the mountains,
trees and the sky as they walk, bike or drive through town. They enjoy the air flow throughout the city streets
while walking or biking. Residents do not want to be subjected to traffic jams and breathe fumes from idling
cars.
Recently, in a private meeting with a different developer in town, he stated that he wanted the downtown
streets of San Luis Obispo to "have the feeling of Paris," with tall buildings and little restaurants because he
"has an apartment in Paris." I stated that that is not how I envision the future of San Luis Obispo and pointed
out that I always admired the height restrictions in the seaside village of Carmel. That charm is what people
love about the that town.
San Luis Obispo is poised for development due to the updated Land Use Circulation Element, the current
update for the Master Plan for the Downtown area as well as the recent update of the Master Plan for Cal Poly.
With all that being said, I am not asking for a one level building height restriction that was adopted for some
areas of Carmel, I am simply pleading with you to preserve the skyline of San Luis Obispo and to limit the
proposal before you to two stories with a severely stepped back third story. That would in my opinion would be
"fair" to the developer.
The current proposal is asking to be three stories taller than the County Government Building which is four
stories, five stories taller than the San Luis Diagnostic Center and five and one -half stories taller than the
adjacent Bank of America building. The building under it's current plan would stick out like a proverbial "sore
thumb" and it is simply not necessary.
I am also concerned about the water for this development and with other proposed new development
throughout the city. The developers tend to ignore the fact that California is still in a drought. So for many
residents including me, whether it be a hotel, restaurant, "affordable housing" or high -end housing, it is difficult
to understand the rationale for new construction given that San Luis Obispo city residents have been asked to
ration their daily water use - allowing their lawns to die and even limiting the water usage in their respective
households.
If, in your professional opinions, the drought is over and you are convinced that the City of San Luis Obispo
has plenty of water for current residents, please limit this proposal to a two- story structure on the street front
and, as a proverbial "olive branch" allow them a third story that is setback.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Mila Vujovich -La Barre
650 Skyline Drive
San Luis Obispo, California 93405
milavu@hotmaii.com
Mila Vujovich -La Barre
Laguna Middle School
mvujovichlaharrea,slcusd.org