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HomeMy WebLinkAboutComment Received 07-26-2017 - Avila Ranch (General) (HEAL SLO) COALITION PARTNERS: Bike SLO County Boys and Girls Club – South County Cal Poly State University Art and Design Department Center for Sustainability Food Science & Nutrition Department Kinesiology Department STRIDE CenCal Health City of San Luis Obispo Parks and Recreation Community Action Partnership of SLO Community Foundation of San Luis Obispo County Dairy Council of California Diringer & Associates First 5 San Luis Obispo County Food Bank Coalition of SLO County French Hospital Medical Center Lucia Mar Unified School District One Cool Earth Rideshare – Safe Routes to School San Luis Sports Therapy SLO Council of Governments SLO County Departments: Board of Supervisors Health Commission Planning and Building Public Health SLO County Office of Education The Community Foundation SLO County UC Cooperative Extension YMCA of SLO County HEAL-SLO is the SLO County obesity prevention coalition and its mission is to increase healthy eating and regular physical activity among County residents through policy, behavioral and environmental changes. In carrying out that mission, a subcommittee called the Healthy Communities Work Group provides responses to Planning staff from a healthy community’s perspective on proposed land development projects, ordi nance and general plan amendments, and special projects. July 24, 2017 TO: San Luis Obispo Planning Commission Chair Chuck Stevenson and Commissioners Kim Bisheff, Hemalata Dandekar, John Fowler, Ronald Malak, Scott Mann, Nicholas Osterbur FROM: HEAL SLO - Healthy Communities Work Group RE: Support for a continuous Class II bike lane on Buckley Road The Healthy Communities Work Group requests that the San Luis Obispo Planning Commission support and require consistent Class II bike lanes on Buckley Road, a key connector to the Avila Ranch Development Project proposed on 150 acres at 175 Venture Drive in San Luis Obispo. We believe that the City and County of San Luis Obispo are responsible for finding a viable solution for continuous Class II bike lanes as a condition for approving Avila Ranch. HEAL SLO is the SLO County obesity prevention coalition and its mission is to increase healthy eating and regular physical activity among County residents through policy, behavioral and environmental changes. In carrying out that mission, a subcommittee called the Healthy Communities Work Group provides reports from a healthy community’s perspective on proposed land development projects, ordinance and general plan amendments, and special projects. The group’s objective is to provide research and evidence-based recommendations in order to create a healthy place for all residents to live, work, and play. There is an urgent need for complete Class II bike lanes on Buckley Road. While the developer has agreed to add Class II bike lanes from Buckley Road’s extension to Higuera Street to the eastern boundary of the project site, there remains an approximate one-mile gap in the Class II bike lanes from the project site to Thread Lane. By ensuring that there are continuous Class II bike lanes, there is an opportunity to better align Avila Ranch with the City’s stated goals of climate action, 20% mode share, and promoting a healthy community. The 2015-16 County Bikeways Plan’s priority list includes Class II bike lanes on Buckley Road between Highway 227 and Vachell Lane, including the one-mile segment in question. Buckley Road is already perilous for people on bikes during commute hours because it lacks consistent Class II bike lanes. Traffic has steadily increased on Buckley Road and Highway 227 as more work sites are added in the airport area, including the unincorporated area. COALITION PARTNERS: Bike SLO County Boys and Girls Club – South County Cal Poly State University Art and Design Department Center for Sustainability Food Science & Nutrition Department Kinesiology Department STRIDE CenCal Health City of San Luis Obispo Parks and Recreation Community Action Partnership of SLO Community Foundation of San Luis Obispo County Dairy Council of California Diringer & Associates First 5 San Luis Obispo County Food Bank Coalition of SLO County French Hospital Medical Center Lucia Mar Unified School District One Cool Earth Rideshare – Safe Routes to School San Luis Sports Therapy SLO Council of Governments SLO County Departments: Board of Supervisors Health Commission Planning and Building Public Health SLO County Office of Education The Community Foundation SLO County UC Cooperative Extension YMCA of SLO County HEAL-SLO is the SLO County obesity prevention coalition and its mission is to increase healthy eating and regular physical activity among County residents through policy, behavioral and environmental changes. In carrying out that mission, a subcommittee called the Healthy Communities Work Group provides responses to Planning staff from a healthy community’s perspective on proposed land development projects, ordi nance and general plan amendments, and special projects. Traffic will increase significantly as Avila Ranch is phased in and Buckley Road is extended to Higuera Street. A consistent Class II bike lane should be a priority so people who choose to ride bikes have a safe way to reach their destinations. The regional bicycle transportation network must be complete to provide transportation choice, help reduce traffic congestion and greenhouse gas emissions and to achieve the County’s multi-modal and climate action goals. Buckley Road is now an integral connector, not a country road, and must be safe for all users. Sincerely, Healthy Communities Work Group