HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-17-16 ARC Correspondence - Item 1 (Cooper)Meeting: a&,-2pi to
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Item:
To; SLO Architectural Review Commission
Re: 560 Higuera St. - "South Town Eighteen"
From: Allan Cooper, San Luis Obispo
Date: October 16, 2016
RECEIVED
CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO
OCT 17 2016
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Honorable Chair & Commissioners -
I would like to thank Arris Architects and the developer for reducing the amount of COR -TEN
steel used on the fagade (replacing it with terra cotta brick), for incorporating horizontal
elements, particularly on the vertical towers and for providing a better transition between the
height of the project and The Creamery. This is a much improved project from a contextual
standpoint.
My primary criticism of the project centers on the very preliminary landscape plan included in
this packet. There is no indication in this plan of the vertical living walls shown in the perspective
renderings nor is there any indication of how, through additional freestanding walls or
landscaping, the headlights from the parking garage will be screened from the homes on Dana
Street. I wish to restate my concern that the developer should extend the creek -walk abutting
the Creamery through their property without threading it through the proposed parking garage. It
should be noted that this recommendation has most recently come from the Downtown Concept
Plan Creative Vision Team.
There is also a missed opportunity for the existing Higuera St. parking lot to be brought up to
code. The ARC should require that planting areas generally be provided every six parking
spaces. The existing commercial structure adjoining this flag lot has12 parking spaces flanking
the Creamery and 10 parking spaces flanking the commercial building with no planting areas
shown.
I would also like to support the concerns expressed by the Dana Street residents. First, as I've
mentioned before, the car headlights should be shielded from the Dana Street homes. The
winter solstice shadow plan shows a mid-afternoon encroachment onto a neighbor's garden and
onto an array of photovoltaic panels and this could be mitigated by increasing the step backs
above the third floor. The neighbors have also expressed concern regarding noise emanating
from the balconies. I encourage you to consider enclosing the balconies with glass or plexiglas
up to 6 feet in height. This would serve the dual purpose of screening out unwanted noise and
protecting the balconies from the inclement year-round, westerly breezes.
Thank you for your time and consideration.