HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-04-2017 Item 16, LoperCOUNCIL MEETING: y " L� " RECEIVED
ITEM NO.: APR 0 g 2017
SLO CITY CLERK
From: Jloper [
Sent: Monday, April 03, 2017 2:33 PM
To: E-mail Council Website <emailcouncil@slocity.org>
Cc: Pease, Andy <apease slocitv.or >; Harmon, Heidi <hharmon@slocity.or >; Gomez, Aaron <agomez@slocitv.org>:
Rivoire, Dan <DRivoire@slocity.or >; Christianson, Carlyn <cchristianson@slocity.orJg>
Subject: 71 Palomar
Dear City Council --
First off, let me thank you all for the amount of time you have each put into
listening to the extensive input on the 71 Palomar project. I can't imagine that all
your projects meet with such interest and involvement. I consider that a sad
aspect. We should all be interested in the preservation of the historical beauty of
SLO. I am a life long resident of SLO — born in the old French hospital and
raised on the Cal Poly campus as my dad was an instructor there. I am saddened
to have watched the uniqueness of both the campus and our town slip away to
progress and what I see as the constant need for change and growth. I consider
some of that change based on greed as we put in as much as we can in all open
space. Reading an article from a May 24, 2007 copy of the Tribune, Jean Martin
(my second grade teacher) warned us that if we didn't watch out, our downtown
would be lost and I believe that is what has happened over all as I watch the many
many projects underway.
As far as the 71 Palomar property goes and the Sanford House, I see that you are
put in a difficult position, preserve the house and let the owner move forward. I
appreciated how we've been listened to, interpreted and have sent the archetect
back to redesign. And, as much as I appreciate their attempt at redesigning, I fail
to see how what they did change will truly honor the Sanford House. I see it, the
house, becoming just another old house stuck on a modernized lot. I know the
trees are not a direct part of the deal but they are what adds to the character of the
house. Moving the house, removing the trees and crowding as many people as
possible on that lot will forever displace the house as an honored part of our
history. What I found that was so amazing is the full history of that house and
how so few people are aware of it. As a kid, I walked past it through the open
space surrounding it before the development of any student housing and had no
idea what it represented. I went there as a teenager when it was a Frat house and
was impressed by the interesting design of the house. But I had no idea of the
importance of the people who had designed it and lived in it. I do wish we had
the historical society connnected in on all of this.
I can only hope that we can encourage the project to once again be revised,
reduced or even rejected and encouraged to go elsewhere. I, of course, would like
to see the property open to public use and purchased by the city knowing that
there are very few lots left that could offer what 71 Palomar can offer and I also
know that I'll be told that there is no money for that. Why is that in a town a
affluent as SLO we can't pull this off... I hope in your wisdom you will really
see that what is currently planned does not honor the Sanford house and will still
over shadow it. I also worry about the overall impact to the rest of the
neighborhood which is already crowded with many cars and a lot of traffic on
Ramona.
Thank you for your time and interest.
Jackie Loper
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