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Home My WebLink About12-05-2016 ARC Correspondence - Public Hearing 1 (Cooper)Meeting: Rt --t, Il- os, I u Katelin, ARC — Please post and distribute. Erica, CC — Please log and file. RECEIVED CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO DEC 0 5 20108 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT From: Allan Cooper [ma ilto:aIla ncoope@gmail.com] Sent: Friday, December 02, 2016 10:21 PM To: Advisory Bodies <advisorybodies@slocity.org>; Council_AII <Council_AII@slocity.org>; Johnson, Derek <djohnson@slocity.org>; Davidson, Doug <ddavidson@slocity.org>; Codron, Michael <mcodron@slocity.org>; Lichtig, Katie <klichtig@slocity.org> Subject: Architectural Review Commission 12/05/16 Review Of 22 Chorro Street ARCH -2794-2016 Would you kindly forward the letter attached below to the Architectural Review Commission before their December 5, 2016 meeting? Thank you! - Allan Allan Cooper 756 Broad St. San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 Greg Wynn, Chair, and Members Architectural Review Commission City of San Luis Obispo 990 Palm Street San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 Re: Architectural Review Commission 12/05/16 Regular Hearing Project: 22 Chorro Street ARCH -2794-2016 This project will be detrimental to and will have specific adverse impacts on the health, safety, and welfare of those working or residing in the vicinity because the project is inconsistent with the City's General Plan, Design Guidelines and Zoning Code, specifically with respect to parking, height, setback and compatible development, and there are no feasible methods of satisfactorily mitigating or avoiding these adverse impacts other than disapproval of the project. Per San Luis Obispo Municipal Code section 17.16.060 the project requires 55 spaces on-site parking spaces. The project proposes 33 parking spaces and has requested a 40% parking reduction which is the maximum combined reduction allowed per SLOMC (mixed-use parking reduction) and (G)2 (bicycle space parking reduction). The justification for the 30% parking reduction based on the mixed use development is wholly inappropriate in that the times of the proposed mixed-use parking demand from the two uses will coincide in such a way that it will have detrimental impacts on the surrounding area. In other words, the proposed "mix" of uses and the parking demands from each of those uses is not commensurate with the requested reduction and that, as a consequence, the project will be deficiently parked and vehicles will further impact the surrounding neighborhood. The proposed setback of zero feet along Chorro Street is inconsistent with Land Use Element Policy 2.3.9.A and the setback requirements of SLOMC17.16.020.C. For this zone, the setback requirement for a street yard setback equals "As provided in zone of adjacent lot" which, in this case equals 20 feet due to the R-1 zoning immediately adjacent to the proposed project. The setback requirements as set forth in SLOMC 17.16.020.0 establish objective standards to protect the health, safety and welfare of the community and that, as proposed, the project is incompatible with the adjacent neighborhood and fails to provide a smooth transition between the two uses in this regard and adversely impacts the immediately adjacent neighbors by disrupting the neighborhood setback pattern. The proposed height of 43 feet is inconsistent with Conservation and Opens Space Element Policy 9.2.1 and Circulation Element Policy 15.1.2 because the project will block views of Cerro San Luis Mountain from Foothill Boulevard which is designated as having moderate scenic value. The proposed project height is inconsistent with the Land Use Element Policy 2.3.9.E Compatible Development and Community Design Guidelines sections 5.3.A.1 and 5.3.C: Architecture; the project's height and scale does not provide a smooth transition between the existing and proposed development because the existing development immediately surrounding the project is predominantly one story and the proposed development would create an abrupt height differential thus creating a substantial disconnect between the structures with the neighborhood and overwhelm neighboring properties. The proposed project height is inconsistent with the Land Use Element Policy 2.3.9.F Compatible Development: Privacy and Solar Access; the project will overlook into adjacent properties and does not respect the privacy of neighboring building and outdoor areas. In conclusion, I urge you to heed the findings that can be found in Richard Racouillat's letter to you. Mr. Racouillat is a lawyer serving San Luis Obispo in corporate law, business law and real property cases. He not only has concerns regarding the fact that this project is severely overbuilt, but has stated in no uncertain terms that it is severely under -parked because under applicable law the maximum allowed parking reduction is 12 spaces (not 22 spaces). He clearly illustrates how the mixed-use parking reduction has been miscalculated. Mr. Racouillat also explained in his letter how the proposed project will help create a more dangerous Chorro/ Foothill intersection for both cars as well as for pedestrians and bicyclists. Also please heed Council Member John Ashbaugh's persuasive call for a traffic study at this intersection before approving this bizarre proposal to erect a four-story building in such an unsuitable location. The necessity to conduct such a study before adopting a proposal of this kind should be self-evident to you, to administrative staff as well as to all Council Members. Thank you for your time and consideration. Respectfully Submitted, Allan Cooper