HomeMy WebLinkAboutSan Luis Ranch DEIR Public Comment received 1-25-2017 (Los Verdes Park Homeowners Assn. 1 and 2 - Flickinger) 2Los Verdes Park 1 Homeowners' Association, Inc.
Los Verdes Park 2 Homeowners' Association, Inc.
c/o Sarah Flickinger, Los Verdes Park 1 Homeowners' Association, Inc.
92 Los Verdes Drive
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
January 25, 2017
re: Planning Commission Hearing, San Luis Ranch DEIR
To the City of San Luis Obispo Planning Commissioners:
Meeting:
RECEIVED
CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO
JAN 2 7 2017
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
This correspondence is made as a joint statement of the two Homeowners' Associations for the two Los
Verdes Park developments located on either side of Los Osos Valley Road within the southern limits of
the City of San Luis Obispo. Our neighborhoods are planned urban developments (PUDs)—not unlike the
proposed San Luis Ranch Development—of single family homes on individual lots, with several
commonly held parcels for communal facilities. Between the two existing residential neighborhoods, we
represent more than 175 individual parcels as well as the common interest parcels, and are in direct
proximity of the impacts of this development. We are aware that many of our neighbors in the
neighborhood off Las Pradreras Drive and other neighboring residential developments echo our
concerns.
We recognize the additional residential needs outlined in the LUCE and General Plan updates as vital to
the long-term sustainability of our community and its shift toward a multimodal future. Our primary
concerns are real and immediate impacts to the safety, health and quality of life of our residents, whose
homes became a part of this City as early as 1974. CEQA requires that impacts to existing neighborhoods
affected by projects be addressed in the DEIR and EIR documents, in an effort to protect existing
residents' in the process.
The following are specific concerns formally adopted by both HOA boards, with suggestions for
amenable mitigations. We have been and continue to be willing to work directly with the developer and
the City to work through our issues with the DEIR prior to a subsequent release of the document in an
effort to avoid undue delays for the developer.
1). First and foremost, the proposed mitigation measure of an extended turn lane on Los Osos Valley
Road near the intersection of South Higuera Street was the subject a settlement agreement between
the two HOAs, the City of San Luis Obispo and CALTRANS, when it was proposed as part of the LOVR
Interchange Project. Its impacts compromised noise levels, air quality and safety of residential living
spaces and safety of vehicle, pedestrian and bicycle travel into, out of and in the vicinity of our
neighborhoods beyond acceptable levels. It also caused degradation of access for public safety vehicles
and put children loading and unloading at school bus stops at the intersection of Los Verdes Drive and
Los Osos Valley Road at risk. The settlement was reached in good faith by all parties, and any proposed
changes to the agreed upon striping and road alignments requires specific notification prior to
consideration (including scoping and DEIR release) under the terms of the settlement agreement.
This mitigation measure should be removed from proposal in the DEIR as its inclusion without prior
notice violates the terms of the settlement agreement and therefore cannot be legally imposed. As any
changes to the striping on Los Osos Valley Road in this vicinity would be infeasible without conflicting
with the terms of the settlement agreement, any such mitigation measures must also be removed from
proposal in the DEIR. Furthermore, none of these proposed mitigation measures were discussed in the
LUCE, making them incompatible with the City's General Plan. A suitable LUCE-evaluated alternative
mitigation measure for this area must be considered in lieu so that fair share funding may be assessed.
2). As removal or further reduction of the medians between the Los Verdes parks on LOVR would be
necessary in any restriping to additional or extended lanes on eastbound LOVR, it is again infeasible
under the terms of the settlement agreement, as it is expressly addressed therein. Any mitigation
requiring adjustment to the medians other than the medians' extension should be excluded from
consideration as part of this project.
3). The intersection of Los Verdes Drive at Los Osos Valley Road is not evaluated nor discussed in the
DEIR. While the document does include impacts at the intersection of LOVR and S. Higuera and LOVR
and the NB US 101 intersection, it never specifically addresses or evaluates impacts to the intersection
at LOVR and Los Verdes Drive, which serves as the sole vehicular and bicycle entrance and exit points to
our residential neighborhoods. There are two school bus stops serving several additional neighborhoods
in the greater area at this intersection, which also go unaddressed in the DEIR. This is also the single
access point for public safety vehicles traveling to homes within the neighborhoods. That this
intersection and impacts to access and public services caused by the addition of project traffic are not
discussed at all in this document makes it insufficient as those impacts are real and immediate as early
as Phase 1.
The addition of project traffic, both near and long term is significant and will have impacts to the safety
of Los Verdes Park residents at the intersection of Los Verdes Drive and Los Osos Valley Road for both
vehicular and bicycle travel. The impacts further compromise the already failing LOS at the unmentioned
and unmitigated intersection and the direct and indirect safety and wellbeing of residents, public
servants, service providers (mail, utilities, contractors) and others who travel through this intersection.
The addition of project traffic should warrant signalization at Los Verdes Drive prior to completion of
Phase 1 to ensure the continued safety of Los Verdes residents and others who travel in and around our
neighborhoods.
4. We are concerned about the safety of children traveling between our portion of the City to our
neighborhood schools of CL Smith and Laguna Middle School, as well as to/from Pacific Beach High
School, particularly for children traveling by bike, as pedestrians or as bus riders. The addition of project
traffic on Froom Ranch Way, Oceanaire Drive and Madonna Road is of concern and should be addressed
through mitigations, such as (but not limited to): protected, signalized crossing for bikes and pedestrians
at the east Oceanaire Drive area Bob Jones Trail instersection with Froom Ranch Way; removal of the
right turn on red from southbound Madonna onto the west side of Oceanaire Drive; removal of the right
turn on red from westbound Oceanaire Drive on the east side of Madonna onto Madonna Road and
striping to support safe bicycle coexistence with vehicle stacking and crossing of Madonna at Oceanaire
Drive, including vehicle lane striping and buffered bike lanes on both sides of Oceanaire. This is a
common crossing for school children, and is already dangerous. The addition of project traffic would
exacerbate this condition.
5. As Oceanaire is a safe route for multimodal transport for families traveling to and from schools and
neighborhood services in this region, the retention of as many mature trees as possible is of great
concern. The large mature trees on the San Luis Ranch site provide positive noise (birds and leaves
rustling) and shield airborne particulate matter, including vehicle emissions, agricultural activities, dust
and pollen, preserving the air for cyclists and pedestrians. Additionally, the use of monecious and female
trees within the proposed development, rather than standard male trees, could help maintain or even
reduce airborne pollen counts in this area.
6. We are concerned that the inclusion of the yet unevaluated crossing of 101 at Prado Road (unknown
impacts are cited in the DEIR) may cause additional uncalculated impacts to Los Osos Valley Road
between our neighborhoods in the near-term scenario, prior to final buildout, particularly if the Prado
crossing is denied or restricted in any means by CalTrans. This is something we have already experienced
with the addition of shopping centers and housing along LOVR and S. Higuera and in the airport area.
Furthermore, the final phase Prado interchange being questionable at this time and the unknown state
of extension of Prado beyond S. Higuera, means that LOVR will likely still be the preferred crossing area
for this portion of town.
As an alternative mitigation until Prado can be built in its entirety, we suggest advancing the LOVR
Bypass, approved as part of the LUCE as a solution to regional traffic issues at the intersection of LOVR
and S. Higuera. As a mitigation, the San Luis Ranch development could contribute fair share funding to
this new roadway.
7. We are concerned as to how bicycles coming off the Bob Jones Trail at Prado Road will be addressed
and integrated into the regional traffic flow of the proposed crossing. This is currently our safe
alternative toward downtown for those not wanting to ride bikes or walk with traffic along S. Higuera
Street. This is also a safe route for students travelling to the High School from our area of town. Could
there be bicycle and pedestrian crossing protections put into place at S. Higuera and Elks Lane and Prado
and Elks Lane to offer an alternative route for multimodal transportation along Elks Lane, as the
corresponding portion of S. Higuera is neither pleasant nor safe for multimodal transportation?
Our neighborhoods remain open and available to support the City and developers in achieving the goals
of the General Plan through collaborative efforts that serve existing and contemplated developments, as
well as the greater communities of the City and County of San Luis Obispo. We regret that we were not
able to review the DEIR in its entirety prior to release through the CEQA Clearinghouse or we would
have provided this feedback and worked with the developer and City to address concerns in advance of
publication in an effort to avoid substantive changes that necessitate a new release of the DEIR.
Sincerely,
Los Verdes Park 1 Homeowners' Association, Inc.
Special Board Member
Sarah Flickinger
Los Verdes Park 1 Homeowners' Association, Inc.
President, Board of Directors
Los Verdes Park 2 Homeowners' Association, Inc.
Special Board Member
Darrell Goo
Los Verdes Park 2 Homeowners' Association, Inc.
President, Board of Directors
Bob Barker Cameron Boyne