HomeMy WebLinkAboutSan Luis Ranch DEIR Public Comment received 1-30-2017 (Wells)RECEIVED
CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO
JAN 3 0 2017
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Meeting:
item: .Sky,Lvi5 bE19--
To whom that may care about our SLO city as I do.
1/29/17
Myself, my wife, and our two young children live on Oceanaire Drive on the east side
of Madonna Rd. We bought our home ten years ago after graduating from Cal Poly.
We liked the convenience of this part of town and its close proximity to schools and
parks and hiking trails. I have decided to devote some of my time and efforts
toward aiding in the impacts that will result from a proposed San Luis Ranch
development. Someone recently told me that through positively engaging with local
government, one could actually have an impact; I hope to do that here.
Although I would love to have the old Dalidio Ranch remain unchanged completely, 1
understand the situation both with the developer and the city, and want my efforts
and opinions to be realistic and based on good judgment and data. I have a few
points of concern pertaining to the San Luis Ranch EIR that I wanted to get to you in
writing. They are as follows:
1. The EIR does not provide substantial evidence that the Prado Road overpass is
required in Phase 2 of the development. In simple talk, the traffic report provides
that the proposed development, once complete, would plague some of the city's
main traffic arteries with unavoidable negative impacts on traffic; mainly LOVR and
Madonna. At certain times, both these roads currently get backed up with traffic at
levels that are irritating to the SLO human. The traffic report states a worsening of
traffic on LOVR and Madonna even with the Prado overpass. Without the overpass,
or in its absence for the years following the San Luis Ranch project but before it gets
built, the traffic would be considered unacceptable, by citizens and city planners
alike.
The main point is to ensure that the Prado overpass is a "condition" of allowing this
project to even begin. Letting development commence without clear Caltrans
approval, realistic design, bidding, and funding, is irresponsible and leaves a door
open for finger pointing, unaccountability, and possible litigation down the road.
We as a city should not waste our taxpayer dollars on overlooked assumptions.
2. The EIR alternatives analysis does not describe a range of reasonable
alternatives. It incorrectly discards a "reduced project, vehicle trip reducing
alternative" on the grounds that it would be inconsistent with the City's Land Use
Circulation Element. In fact, a reduced project alternative is consistent with the
LUCE, and could cut the project traffic in half potentially eliminating traffic impacts,
and certainly reducing the severity of impacts.
A new and realistic alternative, studying a reduced build out, should be conducted
and added to the current EIR. The build out size of this alternative should be close to
the low end parameters designated for this parcel in the 2014 LUCE. Findings
should be re -presented to the community and City Planning.
3. Within the traffic study done for the EIR, the mitigations pertaining to Madonna
Rd. did not include or suggest the construction of a pedestrian/bicycle overpass. Our
neighborhood has a number of children who cross the Madonna/Oceanaire
crosswalk twice a day, to and from CL Smith Elementary, and the Laguna Middle
School. There are also park goers, hikers, bikers and folks bring their dogs to the
Laguna Lake Dog Park who all cross the Modonna/Oceanaire intersection.
Unfortunately the kids returning from school and afterschool programs have to
cross during current peak traffic hours. The impact the pedestrian crossing at
Madonna and Oceanaire has on the traffic slows the whole artery of Madonna Rd.
down considerably. Every driver can relate to the "white walking man image" still
illuminated on the sign, even though the biker or jogger who pressed the button has
long since crossed.
Many agree that this intersection is currently one of the city's traffic bottlenecks.
Now jump ten years into the future. Imagine the added vehicles on Madonna
resulting from the San Luis Ranch, plus the added pedestrians and bikers originating
from the said development, also needing to cross this intersection. This creates a
scenario too unsafe and time consuming to accept. This is SLO town. That does not
mean we like driving slow! It means we appreciate a SLO lifestyle, one that affords
us the pleasure of not having to sit in traffic as other cities to the north and south do.
A legitimate mitigation to this is a pedestrian/bike overpass (or tunnel). All the
crosswalk hassle and danger that current and future, Madonna Rd. drivers, and
crossers, would have to deal with, should the proposed development occur, could be
eliminated by an overpass (or a tunnel).
This should be looked at in the traffic section of the EIR, and if it is deemed a
possible aid to this part of town, then the money to build it should be considered
necessary and well spent. After all, safety, efficiency, and mental well being for our
citizens are factors we all can agree to care about.
Thank you for your consideration of these matters.
Ma un Wells
I .
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1654 Oceanaire Dr
San Luis Obispo, CA 93405
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