HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-09-2016 PC Correspondence - Item 1 (Smith)I.dhD 1i0 1n1C 4
From: Advisory Bodiesi -�
To: carolyn smith
Subject: RE: Planning Commission Meeting - March 9th, Item 1, 175 Venture Drive
From: carolyn smith [
Sent: Tuesday, March 08, 2016 8:16 PM
To: Advisory Bodies
Subject: Planning Commission Meeting - March 9th, Item 1, 175 Venture Drive
Chair Larson and Commissioners:
I have lived in the Laguna Lake area for 37 years. I will be unable to attend
Wednesday's meeting due to a previous commitment, however, I feel the need to again
comment on this project.
One of the many quality of life amenities that draws people to live here and/or to remain
here has been the ability to drive across town to work, shop, or visit family or friends
within 10 minutes or so. In many cities, traffic is a continual battle of stop and go,
bumper -to -bumper traffic, waiting at long traffic lights, making city travel a frustrating
endeavor. For many years, SLO avoided creating this type of problem by smart
planning, maintaining reasonable growth and circulation policies --wisely developing
within our infrastructure limitations. However, over the past several years, our City has
lost sight of this plan and the shouts of special interest groups (some from out of the
area) for commercial development and affordable housing are drowning out the voices of
concerned existing SLO residents --ignoring the historical caution our city has used in its
development. The growth set forth in the updated LUCE is a plan that many residents
feel was skewed by development interests, ignoring existing residential quality of life.
Growth is inevitable and can be healthy for a city, but if it's done too quickly and
carelessly, it will destroy the quality of life we all desire and appreciate.
Avila Ranch is a large residential project that places significant burdens on our limited
city resources. Traffic is just one of these burdens. Since this project is not being built
on an island, connection to the rest of the city is important. However, the traffic this
connection creates should not cause catastrophic congestion to the surrounding
arterials, thoroughfares, and neighborhoods. Existing residents are tired and fed up
with fighting the traffic on South Higuera, Los Osos Valley Road, and 227 which are
already over -burdened. The large amount of additional traffic from this development will
only exacerbate our existing problems.
Buckley's two lane road is insufficient for the traffic this 720 residential unit development
will create. Even if the developer extends Buckley to South Higuera, the bottleneck on
South Higuera and LOVR will only become worse. However, if the Buckley extension is
considered a mitigating measure, it should be done when the R-1 and R-2 housing
portions of this development are built --not wait until after all of the residential units are
built --creating traffic problems that residents will have to suffer with for an indefinite
period of time. Further, Buckley should be improved into a 4 -lane roadway in order to
safely accommodate the additional traffic from this development. Some sort of traffic
signaling should be installed at Jesperson and Davenport Creek Roads in order to allow
for residents' safe entrance onto Buckley. There should also be improvements to
Suburban Road to accommodate the heavier traffic entering and existing this
development from the north, as well as requiring the eventual connection to Tank Farm
Road before the final phases are completed.
I believe residents should not have to "expect" traffic to get worse in our city and/or be
expected to just "put up" with the traffic circulation problems the city creates from its
poor planning. Most residents who live here, or who want to live here, do not want to
suffer large city traffic, from which many have escaped. If we grow wisely, making sure
proper and sufficient infrastructure is in place, traffic should be manageable and will
preserve our safe quality of life.
Thank you.
Carolyn Smith
SLO Resident
z