HomeMy WebLinkAbout4/10/2018 Item 2, Cooper (2)
Christian, Kevin
From:Allan Cooper <
To:CityClerk; Council_All
Subject:Zoning Regulation Update Study Session
To: SLO City Council
Re: Zoning Regulation Update Study Session
From: Allan Cooper, San Luis Obispo
Date: April 10, 2018
Mayor Harmon and Council Members -
Tonight, you have before you a recipe for disaster. First, significantly increase the
densities in R-2, -3 & -4 residential neighborhoods; second, quadruple the densities of
housing in our downtown core; third, increase our densities in R-1 residential
neighborhoods through ADU’s and tiny homes; fourth, reduce or eliminate the opportunity
for public comment on virtually all projects while consolidating decision making powers in
the hands of the Administrative Hearing Officer; and fifth, cut back on automobile parking
altogether.
Many of the property owners and landlords who are in opposition to these proposed policy
changes are not speaking from personal financial interest. Should you green light all eight
proposals tonight, our property values will go up and our rental incomes will increase.
Why? Because the homes we live in will now be valued based on the increase in potential
rental income they will earn should we decide to vacate them and our rental properties will
become lucrative mini-dorms.
But instead of focussing on our pocket books, we are here tonight fighting for the heart
and soul of San Luis Obispo. We all believe the SLO Life, the good life we’ve all enjoyed
up until now, will be a thing of the past should you continue to move this aggressively
toward densification - toward stacking and packing more people into tighter quarters.
Traffic congestion will become untenable, parking will become unavailable and
neighborhood solidarity will decline.
With countryside visible from every corner, there is a feeling of being in the country while
also being in the city. This will be lost once San Luis Obispo continues to promote the
construction of mid-rise and high-rise buildings. “SLOTOWN” is the rallying cry of a city
that resists the civic homogenization that can turn any town into every other town. This too
will be lost once our former emphasis on public engagement, good planning and
contextual fit is taken off the table.
1
Please put a stop to this steamroller mentality centered on affordable housing, this knee
jerk reaction to State mandates and, yes, even to this apparent sell out to the
development community. Thank you!
2