HomeMy WebLinkAboutSan Luis Ranch DEIR Public Comment received 1-29-2017 (Laguna Lake Neighborhood - Dixon 2) Meeting:
From:
Davidson, Doug
Sent:
Monday, January 30, 2017 7:35 AM
To:
Bergman, Katelin
Subject:
FW: Letter to Planning Commission
Attachments:
Final Neighborhood Letter With Endorsements.pdf
Follow Up Flag:
Follow up
Flag Status:
Flagged
More SLR comments....
From: Zoya Dixon [
Sent: Sunday, January 29, 2017 12:33 PM
To: Davidson, Doug <ddavidson@slocity.org>; Fowler, Xzandrea <XFowler@slocity.org>
Subject: Letter to Planning Commission
Item: SOffiv 5 �LV t -
RECEIVED
CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO
JAN 3 0 2017
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Good afternoon Doug and Xzandrea,
I spoke on Wednesday night's Planning meeting and emailed our community letter to the advisorybodies
email (though not in adequate time, unfortunately, for it to be on the record.) I have attached our letter to
you as well, as I understand comment is open until the Both; is there anyone else I should email this to?
Many thanks for your help,
Zoya
Zoya Dixon
DowntownABQ MainStreet Initiative
(
Dear Planning Commission:
We are concerned residents of the Laguna Lake neighborhood, which abuts the San Luis Ranch development. Some of
us have lived in the area for 43 years; others, just a few months. Though our backgrounds and professions may differ,
we all value our close-knit community, our access to open space, and our ability to live a lifestyle that San Luis Obispo
in particular cherishes and promotes. We have severe concerns about the quality of life in the neighborhood and the
impact the San Luis Ranch development will have on our community. .
We concur that housing is desperately needed in San Luis, and that tens of thousands of vehicle trips into the city
each day from neighboring communities is unacceptable and unsustainable. The planned implementation of parks
and open space in the plan is commendable, as is the trail connection to Bob Jones. That said, a few issues continued
to arise during our neighborhood meeting that was held on January 15:
Madonna & LOVR Already Overburdened with Traffic; Prado Overpass is Insufficient and Does Not Allow Access to
Highway 101
According to the EIR, the San Luis Ranch development would generate 16,000 new trips in the area (Section 4.2).
Madonna and LOVR are already overburdened and not properly planned for pedestrians, and the proposed mitigation
efforts for an overpass at Prado does not suffice to route traffic so that it is best absorbed into the existing
infrastructure.
In fact, according to the EIR (Environmental Impact Report) T-1 (page 8), 9 intersections would operate at
"unacceptable automobile, bicycle, or pedestrian LOS" (loads of service), with two of those impacts at the Madonna
Road & Dalidio Drive and Los Osos Valley Road & Froom Ranch Way intersections designated as Class I, significant
and unavoidable. Indeed, Impact T-2 on page 9 lists no fewer than 19 intersections that would operate at untenable
levels, and again subsequent mitigation efforts would still leave intersections at LOVR and Froom Ranch Way as
significantly impacted without avoidance.
These impacts are reiterated several times throughout the document. This is unacceptable. Suggested mitigation
efforts to optimize signal timing and construct an overpass at Prado at Phase 2 are insufficient as confirmed by the EIR
Exec. Summary page 9, which states that these impacts "may not be feasibly mitigated to a less than significant level."
Can we not alleviate traffic and construct the Prado overpass in an earlier phase? As members of this community
with families and with pets, who pride ourselves on our neighborhood and enjoy relative ease of access to Laguna
Lake, we cannot let such severe impacts go unnoticed, especially when it comes to our safety as pedestrians and as
citizens.
EIR Has Ignored Impact on Local Schools
The EIR does not address the impact of the new housing on local schools. This is important at least because streets
and sidewalks should be planned to provide safe ways to and from schools, especially where there are major streets
involved, and especially given that the project is promoting itself as affordable family housing where, presumably,
children will be able to walk to and from neighboring schools.
In addition, the burden of these extra children on the local schools has not been addressed. When can we expect to
hear about the impacts that this development will have on our school system?
Removing Wildlife from the Area Decreases Area Diversity and Abundance
The preservation of habitat for wildlife, especially that habitat that abuts the creek, and the proposed mitigation
efforts include the recruiting of nesting adult herons to new habitat "via decoys and playback of vocalizations." (Page
29, Executive Summary, EIR.)
There is abundant language on the preservation of agricultural views from Highway 101; can we not also think
creatively to preserve agricultural and riparian views from Oceanaire and from Madonna, rather than relocate
nesting birds with props and bird calls? As members of this community, we enjoy these views and want our children
to be able to enjoy these views, and their subsequent wildlife, as well.
In addition to our desire to preserve our local views and wildlife, the preservation of the wildlife itself is an important
issue. Information abounds that relocation of wildlife is most often disastrous for the wildlife and fails to achieve the
human goal. As the earth's dominating species, we have an obligation to those that do not go about life with heavy
machinery to protect their habitat and ways of life.
In summary, we understand the need for housing in the city of San Luis Obispo. As residents, we see the impacts of
city streets that are filled with mostly college students and rundown, overpriced homes. At the same time, it is in the
city's best interest to preserve what is truly fantastic about this area of town. We urge the commission members to
consider:
Would you feel safe having your children or grandchildren walk to school where an additional 16,000 trips
will be taking place daily on roads that are already overburdened?
Have you ever complained about the lack of school infrastructure and sufficient numbers of teachers and
classrooms to support your children and grandchildren as they learn?
How would you feel about telling your children about the heron nests, but regretfully saying that they can
no longer see them due to human disturbance that was caused by careless action?
We choose to live in the Laguna Lake area because of the unique beauty and community that it affords. Much
discussion has been made of increasing affordable housing in the city, and yet with this plan we are not honoring the
folks who live in one of the most affordable places in the city.
We appreciate your thoughtful consideration to these matters, in particular the questions above.
Signed,
The Laguna Lake Community, including:
1. Zoya Dixon, Oceanaire Court
2. Raquel Smith, Seaward and Oceanaire
3. Andrew Dixon, Oceanaire Court
4. AJ Smith, Seaward and Oceanaire
5. Scott Head, Oceanaire Dr
6. Carly Head, Oceanaire Dr
7. Theodora Jones, Oceanaire Dr
8. Deidre Crabtree, Oceanaire Dr
9. William C. Pierotti, Coral Street
10. Polly Gammons, Avalon St.
11. Philip Gammons, Avalon St.
12. Diane Anthony, Oceanaire Dr
13. Daniel Cramer, Huasna Dr
14. Vanessa Cramer, Huasna Dr
15. Maysun Wells, Oceanaire Dr
16. Kila Wells, Oceanaire Dr
17. Gary Smith, Oceanaire Dr
18. Dottie Andoli, Pinecove Dr
19. JoAnn Ruthenbeck, Oceanaire Court
20. Fred P Andoli, Pinecove Dr
21. Greg Crabtree, Oceanaire Dr