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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-04-2016 Item 7, CooperCOUNCIL. MEETING: - try -24DI ITEVi NO.: R ECFV lie Ci i To: SLO City Council & Planning Commission OCT 0 3 2016 Re: Study Sessions SLC CITY CLERK From: Allan Cooper, Secretary Save Our Downtown Date: September 30, 2016 Honorable Mayor, Council Members and Planning Commission - Save Our Downtown conducted a Visionary Workshop in 2008, a Downtown Small Business Visionary Workshop in 2009, a Walkability Workshop in 2011, an Awareness Walk and Discovery Walk in 2011 and assembled and submitted to the City in 2012 a Draft Downtown Pedestrian Plan which included a critique of the Downtown Concept Plan. We are delighted to inform you that our findings and recommendations coming out of all of these efforts are closely correlated to findings mentioned in this draft Michael Baker Downtown Concept Plan Community Engagement Report. Downtown Concept Plan Update Summaries of the small group exercises which took place at Workshop #2 revealed that six of the seven groups generally did not want to see increases in height beyond the current condition in downtown and that views of the hills should be preserved. Save Our Downtown supports these findings. The Online Survey conducted by Michael Baker ranked bars number four (at 13%) after panhandlers, traffic and parking under the heading "What do you dislike about Downtown SLOT'. Again Save Our Downtown supports this finding. We would also like to highlight the Issues and Concerns (see below) that came out of meetings involving residents who live or own homes in the downtown or surrounding neighborhoods. These are the same issues identified through our community outreach efforts as well. Issues and Concerns Pedestrians: Narrow sidewalks, obstructions and short crossing times. Setting: Crime, vandalism and the over concentration of bars. Housing: Need for a neighborhood market Historic Character: Important to preserve Growth: Lack of diversity of use, demographic imbalance, blocked views, involve residents in decision-making about building heights. Height, Massing and Intensity of Development Support limitations on new building height Policy Enforcement: Public comments are not reflected in decision-making Ideas and Opportunities Improve Crosswalks: More mid -block crossings Conduct road diets (widen sidewalks) More restroom facilities More bulb -outs, medians, improved crosswalks Trees/Nature Increase public park space Preserve existing trees Neighborhood Amenities More local shopping opportunities The takeaways or overall themes so far garnered from several workshops and a survey conducted by Michael Baker is that the vast majority of community members value the small town feel, historic character and views of open space. Not coincidentally, these core values can be found in Save Our Downtown's Mission Statement. Mission Plaza Assessment & Master Plan Development Save Our Downtown is also pleased to recommend to you the following design proposals contained in Attachment H in your packet. In particular we urge you to give serious consideration to the August 26, 2016 Mission Plaza Reimagined document authored by former Mayor Ken Schwartz, Pierre Rademaker, Chuck Crotser and T. Keith Gurney. We endorse the ideas of creating a scramble intersection at the intersection of Chorro and Monterey Street and the repurposing of the Leitcher Boardinghouse property (see below). Our Awareness Walks indicated that many drivers miss seeing Mission Plaza when driving down Chorro. A paving pattern, perhaps combined with a speed hump and bulb out, would "announce" the presence of Mission Plaza. We also found that high levels of pedestrian traffic in this area should dictate improved access to Mission Plaza from Monterey Street. A scramble intersection would help address this problem. We are also recommending a scramble intersection with decorative paving at the Santa Rosa/Monterey St. intersection. Moreover, we agree with the Creative Vision Team that Monterey Place is inconsistent with the Downtown Concept Plan. We feel that this project interferes with views from and into the Creek and creekwalk. Before the Monterey Place project was proposed, we had hoped that an extension of Mission Plaza would have been possible incorporating a functional amphitheater and an enlarged play area for the Children's Museum. We are delighted with the idea that the City could negotiate a land swap with developer Mike Hodge. This should be done at the earliest opportunity in order to make this vision a reality. Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter. The Chorro/Monterey St. Intersection: A pedestrian scramble configuration with ornamental paving at this intersection. The concept of extending the paving pattern from Mission Plaza across the intersection to the opposite side off Chorro Street was first raised in the Smith and Williams report in 1963. The Leitcher Property: This property has been proposed for a major development project that has been approved by the city, despite the fact that it was fundamentally inconsistent with the Downtown Concept Plan that was approved by the City Council in 1993. That concept Plan is now in the process of being updated under the aegis of the CVT. We feel the city should take action and open negotiations with the property owner to acquire a major portion of this property that stretches between Monterey Street and San Luis Creek (outside of the Leitcher boarding house) . The City should consider offering a potential trade of the surface parking lot site at the corner of Nipomo and Higuera streets for this particular site that is crucial to extending Mission Plaza to Nipomo street. If the city could acquire it, we would envision that the following improvements could be made to the property. * Refurbish the historically significant Leitcher Boardinghouse and convert it into a B and B with an outdoor dining area. * Locate closest to the frontage of the San Luis Creek a significant amphitheater, which could be used for outdoor performances by the nearby Little Theater. * Provide space for expansion of the Children's Museum. Swapping a portion of the Children's Museum property closest to the Creek for a portion of the Leitcher property would make room for a larger amphitheater and a children's play area.