HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-07-2016 ARC Correspondence - Item 2 (Smith)Meeting: AC -3--T - (& -
Item: 2
From: Carolyn smith <
To:"advisorybodies(o-)..slocity.com" <advisorybodies(@slocity.com>
Sent: Sunday, March 6, 2016 3:09 PM
Subject: ARC March 7th - Item #2 - 40 Buena Vista Street
Chair Wynn and Commissioners-.
RECEIVED
CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO
MAR 0 7 2016
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
have attended several of the previous meetings that have been held on this residential
project, including the January 19, 2016, City Council meeting wherein this project was
appealed by the Applicant. While the Applicant was granted a Use Permit at that
hearing, there were numerous comments by the Mayor and other council members that
this project did not meet the very clear Hillside Development Standards, pursuant to
LUE 6.4.3.
Council also did not feel that this project should be granted the exceptions that Staff had
granted the Applicant.
While there appears to be some minimal changes to this project, from what I can tell, it
is basically the same project that was presented at the Council Appeal hearing. The
height has been minimally reduced (not noticeably so) but still requires an exception,
as does the setback. The side setback exception has been eliminated but it appears
that the general design is the same. These changes do not appear to address the
Council's concerns with the support poles still visible on the hillside and the
preponderance of glass that will illuminate the hillside at night making it very visible from
101 and during the day create glare from the sun reflecting off the glass. Staff
continues to provide excuses for the exceptions and non-conformance but does not
provide any alternatives that could make this project in compliance with the Hillside
Development Standards that were created to protect this type of sensitive area.
All other property owners in this area had to meet all of the strict hillside and
development standards when they built their homes due to this area's Special
Consideration Overlay Zoning. Therefore, applicant should not be given special
privilege by granting him exceptions that no other property owner in the area was given.
have driven up this street several times and I must be seeing things a lot differently
than Staff since I don't believe this home's design is anything like the other homes in
this area. It is a modern design with a much different roof line than the existing homes
which allows this project to have a roof deck, unlike any other home in the area. The
roof lines and designs of the existing homes allow them to visually blend in with the
hillsides, which is a vital standard in our Hillside Development Standards. This project
is noticeably more visible (despite the brown tone colors) and not compatible with the
other homes in this area of the street.
There is also still the issue of the curve in the road with vehicles backing out into the
street from this home, making for a dangerous collision concern.
request that you send this project back to Staff with specific direction that they work
with the applicant to provide an alternative design that would more closely follow the
Hillside Development Standards, LUE 6.4.3 and LUE 6.5.3, as directed by the Council
at the January 19th appeal hearing.
Thank you.
Carolyn Smith
San Luis Obispo Resident