HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-07-2017 Item 6, GradyCOUNCIL. MEETING:
ITEM NO.:
From: John Grady [
Sent: Sunday, February 05, 2017 8:41 PM
To: E-mail Council Website <emailcouncil@slocity.org>
Subject: 22v Chorro Street project appeal
Dear Mayor Harmon and City Council Members,
�_ -7-17
FEB 0 6 2017
I urge you to uphold the appeal before you regarding the 22 Chorro Street proposed development at
your meeting on February 7, 2017, and return this project for further review and amendments by both
the ARC and the Planning Commission.
This project is inappropriate at its proposed location in terms of its mass, density, encroachment upon
its neighboring house property line (on Chorro Street), lack of meaningful commercial space, token
allotment of affordable housing units, and particularly for its lack of sufficient parking for residents and
their guests and its excessive height.
The developer is clearly gaming the system and seeking every concession imaginable yet offering
nothing meaningful in return. To consider the inclusion of four'affordable housing' studio units on the
very top floor as justification for the many variances the applicant is seeking is an insult to you and to
our community. It is up to you - now - to take a stand and speak out for our community as our elected
representatives.
As proposed, this project would consist of twenty-three two bedroom units and four studio units. This
easily equates to 100 residents (4 per two bedroom unit and 1 per studio unit) which equates to 100
vehicles! And these residents (and their visitors) are to be accommodated by 33 parking
spaces? Seriously, how could anyone argue this is reasonable? Bicycle parking is plentiful, and
while some residents (mainly students) may have and use bikes, to suggest this means they will not
also own (and need to park) a car is ludicrous.
I bike daily to work and around town, but I also need and own (and park) a car.
This woeful lack of parking will exacerbate an already difficult parking problem in the adjoining
neighborhood, and could well lead to health and safety issues as a result. You should not approve
this project with the knowledge of these inevitable safety problems you will be imposing on the
neighbors, particularly as the city has established "neighborhood wellness" as one of its priorities
and city goals. To argue that the state 'forces your hand' is to shirk your duty to represent the welfare
of the residents of San Luis Obispo whom you have been elected to represent!
When I drive by this irregularly shaped and small lot, I cannot really imagine all the negative impacts
of a project of this scale, but I know it is completely out of proportion for this lot and its surrounding
area. And the token commercial inclusion (of little value to non-residents of the project)
hardly qualifies this project for exemptions as a mixed use project.
Please take a stand for our city's current residents in support neighborhood wellness; send a clear
message to this developer and the many developers whose projects are yet to come. Uphold the
appeal to deny this project as proposed and send it back to the ARC and Planning Commission for
refinement and improvement into something appropriate and compatible for the city and for this
project's neighbors.
Thank you.
John Grady
San Luis Obispo