HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-12-2017 Item 1, Grether
COUNCIL MEETING: G/
ITEM NO.: 11
From: Claire Gretherfmailto:
Sent: Tuesday, April 04, 2017 1:47 PM
To: E-mail Council Website <emailcouncil@slocity.org>
Subject: Zoning Ideas
Dear Members of the City Council,
RECEIVED
APR 0 7 2017
SLO CITY CLERK
I recommended a book to Mayor Harmon, Happy City: Transforming Our Lives Through Urban
Design by Charles Montgomery. I have also suggested it for Cuesta's Book of the Year/City-wide
Read. I highly recommend it to each of you. An Amazon review says: "Urban design proves not
only exciting, but integral to our future."
Mayor Harmon encouraged me to send my ideas for San Luis Obispo, adapted from some of the
ideas used by other cities, to all of you. I appreciate her suggestion.
If we agree on three premises, then I make the recommendations below.
1. San Luis Obispo will grow.
2. Housing is very expensive due to high demand and low supply. I am also referencing Alan
Iftiniuk, CEO French Hospital, Local Viewpoint, The Tribune, April 2, 2017.
3. San Luis Obispo seeks to reduce our contribution to global warming by reducing the number
of car trips.
I recommend the following:
Please fast track granny units. Building additional housing units in existing backyards would increase
density in neighborhoods in SLO, increase walk -ability and bike -ability, producing less greenhouse gas
emissions. Encouraging renting out granny units would help homeowners with their taxes and
mortgages, etc. Someone could design three possible plans and have them approved by the city. For
example, builders/homeowners could choose Plan A, 650 sq ft, Plan B, 750 sq ft or Plan C, 850 sq ft.
Pre -approved plans would save building costs, permit costs and time.
SLO is already doing a good job in many aspects recommended by Charles Montgomery, author of
Happy City, such as building residential units downtown and zoning for mixed use projects. Why not
integrate smaller units for affordable rentals when building more expensive places such as the units on
Marsh St., east of Santa Rosa St.?
Can you ask a variety of developers for their ideas on how to include more affordable housing units in
small developments in already developed areas of our city?
How can we gradually dis-incentivize car ownership? I propose an idea that comes naturally to
gradually discourage driving, please stop requiring off street parking for numerous cars in every new
housing application. Street parking would become more challenging, but what might be the benefits?
Would we start using shared cars? Would many of us own only one car per household and then have
more discretionary funds? Could we include more small parks in neighborhoods by changing zoning so
pieces of what would now be setback from the street and driveway parking spaces, could be shared
among a number of households and become small parks?
An obvious example of discouraging car trips is London's "Congestion Charge Zone". People pay
approximately $15.00 to drive a car into inner London. It has been accepted and people are willing to
take trains or subways in London. I wouldn't propose that for SLO, I mention only to say that we can
accept change. Getting out of our cars makes us happier.
Finally, to improve equity (so lower income and middle income people can share the same
neighborhoods), "Governments must step in with subsidized social housing, rent controls, initiatives
for housing cooperatives or other policy measures." Montgomery p. 241, I would promote housing
cooperatives such as a cluster of tiny houses with a shared outdoor kitchen. In Yuba City, 14 Forward
with some support of Habitat for Humanity, purchased Tuff Sheds and added port -a -potties,
specifically to house the homeless. But this idea could be for people with good incomes as well. If two
lots could support eight or ten tiny homes or small manufactured housing units with indoor plumbing
and kitchens, we increase the density of population in walkable distance to jobs and services. There are
many people who have resources who would prefer to limit the amount they spend per month on
housing. The units could be owner occupied or rented. A shared outdoor kitchen and lockable storage
units for bicycles, etc. could be included.
Thank you for listening. Please consider the book, HMpy City. I borrowed the audiobook from our
county library.
Respectfully,
Claire Grether