HomeMy WebLinkAbout6/4/2018 Item 2, Cliff (3)
From:T. Menzies Cliff <
To:Advisory Bodies
Subject:ARC communication 1575 Monterey Los Padres Inn
Dear ARC Members,
Vladimir Nabokov, the author of Lolita, found motels the quintessence of America. He wrote Lolita on a series of 5x7
cards while staying in motels in his travels throughout the West. San Luis Obispo has long been famous for having the
first hotel specifically designed for drivers, the Milestone Mo-Tel Inn. The Los Padres Inn, originally built in the 1940’s is
of an increasingly rare architectural type and likely should have been considered for Master Listing. That option is,
however, the choice of the property owner.
CEQA regulations state that “ The fact that a resource is not listed in, or determined to be eligible for listing in the
California Register of Historical Resources, not included in a local register, or identified in an historical resources survey...
does not preclude a lead agency from determining that the resource may be historical...”
The lead agency is the SLO Planning Department. When questioned about the possible historic designation of this
motel, I was told we decided it wasn’t important. Wouldn’t a more than cursory look be prudent? There are multiple
writings on the importance of motels in American life throughout the 20th Century and their even international impact
may be seen in the photographs below. The two colored postcards are for sale on eBay in Ireland and the UK.
T.Menzie Cliff
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