HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-13-16 PC Correspondence - Item 1 (Cooper)Lomeli, Monique
Subject:
1299 Orcutt Road
From: Allan Cooper [
Sent: Wednesday, April 13, 2016 9:53 AM
To: Bell, Kyle
Subject: Fwd: 1299 Orcutt Road
Dear Kyle -
RECEIVED
CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO
APR 13 2016
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Meeting: fl� 04-13-+cP
Item:. Z
Would you kindly forward this letter to the Planning
Commission before their meeting tonight? Thanks!
- Allan
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Allan Cooper <
Date: Wed, Apr 13, 2016 at 9:38 AM
Subject: 1299 Orcutt Road
To:
John, et. al. -
Would you kindly forward this letter to the Planning
Commission and to Dave Watson, the contract planner,
before their meeting tonight? Thanks!
- Allan
Honorable Planning Commissioners
Tonight you will be evaluating another housing subdivision and will be
recomme
nding adoption of a Mitigated Negative Declaration. This Orcutt Area Specific Plan, along
with the Avila Ranch Specific Plan, the San Luis/Froom Ranch Specific Plan, the
Margarita Area Specific Plan and the roughly 24 other housing developments currently in
the pipeline, when completed, will nearly meet our 2035 buildout projections. What you
may not know is that the 2035 buildout will result in cumulative adverse impacts on the
City's water supply, its jobs/housing imbalance, the provision o
f
low-income housing and on its roads and infrastructure.
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With regards to water: Contrary to the City's assurances to the contrary, and particularly
because the, City has yet to factor climate change into their long range forecasts, we will
be "running on empty" long before we achieve the projected 2035 build out.
With regards to our jobs/housing balance: Projects currently in the pipeline will provide
approximately 4,500 more housing units, roughly 9,700 more residents and 2,800,000 sq.
ft. of non-residential development bringing an additional 9,600 jobs to SLO. Because there
will be over twice the number of jobs to the number of housing units, these new
developments will only worsen - not improve - our jobs/housing balance.
With regards to the provision of low-income housing: Buildout will create 9,600 new
jobs and roughly 3,500 will be at very low income level (these include employees working
in the hospitality, retail and assisted care industries). Yet, the 4,500 new housing units will
only provide us with a 5% pro ratio of 225 very low income units leaving 3,225 additional
poverty level employees without affordable housing. In 2008, 8,823 existing households in
SLO were earning less than $35,000 a year qualifying them for very low income units. So
the unmet demand for very low income housing will increase - not decrease -
exponentially.
With regards to traffic impacts: The potential environmental impacts of full development
under the City's General Plan were evaluated in the Environmental Impact Report for the
2014 Land Use and Circulation Elements Update. When the City adopted the update and
certified that EIR, it acknowledged that the planned growth would have significant,
adverse impacts. These impacts would be: conversion of prime agricultural land to urban
use; increased water usage; unacceptable levels of service for traffic on most arterial
streets; change from rural to urban character; the number of workers increasing faster
than the number of residents; and certain localized impacts due mostly to street widening
or extension projects. Schools would also be further impacts.
All of this brings me back to your recommended adoption of this Mitigated Negative
Declaration
for 1299 Orcutt Road.
Water: "Buildout population demands (2014; Utilities Department) are estimated at 7,128
afy, or 71 % of total available annual supplies. The City's investment in multi -source water
supplies has afforded responsible use options even following some of the driest years on
record." "The OASP FEIR determined that implementation and build -out of the GASP will
not result in any significant impacts related to delivery of domestic water..."
Response: This is not true. The Deputy Director of San Luis Obispo's Utilities Department
has admitted that our water supply projections will need to be recalibrated over the next
several months by taking climate change into account.
Provision of more low-income housing: "It provides a sizable affordable component
that is distributed throughout the site." "A range of different housing types to appeal to
households of varied income levels and needs."
z
Response: Providing 4 low income units and 6 moderate income units out of a total of
172 units is not a "sizable affordable component". Yes, the patio homes are small and
sited on small lots but the "affordability by design" concept will not necessarily result in
more affordable housing given the high unmet demand for housing in San Luis Obispo.
Traffic impacts: "The subject project, as well as all other development that occurs in the
future pursuant to the OASP and the City General Plan, will increase traffic in the area."
"The traffic study found that the project is estimated to ultimately generate approximately
1,486 Daily Trips..."
Response: The above quote pretty much says it all. So why, may I ask, is this relegated
to an "insignificant impact"?
In conclusion, I suspect you will recommend adoption of this Mitigated Negative
Declaration but please do not accept all of its findings at face value. And please be aware
of your role in contributing to cumulative adverse impacts. Thank you.
Allan Cooper, San Luis Obispo
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