HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-01-16 ARC Correspondence - Item 1 (Rioux)Lomeli, Monique
Subject: Attn: ARC, 71 Palomar
Meeting: 1
From: Jerry Rioux [
Sent: Monday, August 01, 201611:38 AM Item:,
To: Advisory Bodies <advisorybodies@slocity.org>
Cc: Davidson, Doug <ddavidson@slocity.org>
Subject: Attn: ARC, 71 Palomar
Dear Members of the SLO Architectural Review Commission:
RECEIVED
CITY OF SAN LMS OBISP(c_
AUG 0 1 20;51
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
I am writing to support the proposed apartments at 71 Palomar because the project is consistent with
City requirements and housing is desperately needed in the City of San Luis Obispo and throughout
our county.
This county has had the lowest rental vacancy rate in the entire state according to the US
Census. Our low vacancy rate has resulted in this county having very high incidences of both severe
housing cost burden and homelessness. Simply by adding more units to our rental housing stock,
this project will directly improve our local vacancy rate. It should also help bring down our rates of
housing cost burden and homelessness.
Please do not be swayed by people who argue against this project because it will impose on a single
family neighborhood, or destroy cultural and historic resources. Even if these arguments were true,
they are not within your purview. Your primary role is to review the project to ensure that its
architecture and design are functional, consistent with the City standards and compatible with the
neighborhood. Your job is to help improve the project, not to find ways to stop it.
The proposed project is consistent with City zoning and the Housing, Land Use and Circulation
Elements of the City's General Plan. In addition to providing needed housing, the project will correct
a long-standing deficiency in the Circulation Element. The Cultural Heritage Committee found that by
relocating, restoring and providing a buffer for the historic Sanford House, the project is also
consistent with the Conservation and Open Space Element. In fact, this project is the only
reasonable option for preserving the Sanford House and solving a circulation bottleneck.
The site of the proposed apartments is surrounded on three sides by high density housing and has
been zoned for high density housing for decades. The site has been planned for high density
housing for longer than many of those who oppose it have lived or worked in the City. It was intended
for high density housing for longer than some of them have probably been alive.
Sincerely,
Jerry Rioux
PS Those who argue that a building as large and old as the Sandford House cannot be moved should
be referred to www.wolfehousebuildin-qmovers.com/proiect.
SA Not U 1 S• OBISPO OCOU NTY
.1 s
f U 11 A L d`
Gerald L. "Jerry" Rioux, Executive Director
San Luis Obispo County Housing Trust Fund
71 Zaca Lane, Suite 130, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
phone: (805) 543-5970; e-mail: website: www.slochtf.org