The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About8/21/2018 Item 17, Grady Christian, Kevin From:John Grady <johngrady5@yahoo.com> Sent:Tuesday, To:E-mail Council Website Subject:Agenda Item 17 Dear Mayor Harmon & City Council Members, Per my detailed letter sent to all of you a couple weeks back, I am firmly opposed to your continued approval of development projects within and adjacent to our downtown which continue to erode the quality of life that brought so many of us residents here and which attracts so many tourists on a daily basis. Specifically, your allowance of building height exemptions, setback variances, density bonuses, lack of adequate parking, and our streets' inability to handle the additional traffic that will result from these developments - all of these things are gradually destroying our town and quality of life we know and love. I am opposed to your latest consideration of allowing an increase in the height limit of buildings along the upper Monterey corridor from the present 45 feet to a proposed 75 feet. This is more of the same along your path of the past two years, continuing the demise of what makes our city a unique and desirable place to live and a draw for tourists to visit. Lastly, some comments regarding your transparency in disseminating information about this item. Were I not a reader of the Tribune newspaper, as much as I try to stay in tune with city council meetings as well as other city commission hearings, I would never have known of your latest endeavors. Ironically, as I subscribe to city meeting announcements and other bulletins, just yesterday I received a city sent e-mail - here it is in its entirety ... -----------------------city email --------------------------------- San Luis Obispo to Consider Updates to Zoning Regulations Proposed updates address housing, parking and sustainability while preserving services for residents Post Date: 08/20/2018 12:00 PM On Tuesday, August 21, the San Luis Obispo City Council will review updates to the City’s Zoning Regulations that would address specific land uses, such as housing trends, compatible infill development, improved parking and sustainability. The updates also manage the City’s growth, preserving the natural environment and high level of services enjoyed by residents for future generations. The proposed Zoning Regulation updates implement land use and circulation policies contained in the City’s 2014 General Plan Land Use and Circulation Elements (LUCE), incorporate policies and programs that address sustainability and climate change, and address current California laws. Specific changes to residential and commercial buildings include: 1  Building heights—Lowering the maximum height for buildings in the low-density residential (R- 1) zone from 35 to 25 feet  Setbacks— Increasing setbacks for properties adjacent to lower density zones and creeks  Land uses—Consolidating land uses and providing flexibility for land uses in different zones  Rooftop decks—Limiting the hours of operations for commercial rooftop decks to 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.  FAR—Increasing the maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR) in the low-density residential (R-1) zone from 0.4 to 0.5 if certain building design requirements are met  Square footage—Adjusting the square footage density calculations for studio and one- bedroom units to 600-1,000 square feet, respectively  Density minimums—Setting minimum densities for medium-density residential (R-2), medium- high density residential (R-3) and high-density residential (R-4) zones to two units, three units and four units, respectively  Hillsides—Implementing new hillside development standards that assist in maintaining a natural appearance for hillsides and ridgelines Specific changes to parking include:  Implementing new electronic vehicle parking requirements  Increasing bicycle parking requirements  Revising vehicle parking requirements  Consolidating parking reductions from automatically allowed to dependent upon evidence Specific changes to ease of use and services include:  Establishing the role of the Architectural Review Commission (ARC) to be advisory to the Planning Commission  Setting a threshold of development review tiers (minor, moderate, major)  Consolidating multiple review applications to one final determination on all related review applications Review of the City’s Zoning Regulations began in February 2017. Since then, the City has conducted more than 50 interviews with stakeholders and residents, held two public workshops, and conducted numerous study sessions with the Council, advisory bodies, stakeholders and consultants to receive input on the proposed update. More information on the proposed changes to Zoning Regulations can be found on the City’s website here. For a quick view of the proposed changes and existing regulations read: Zoning Regulations --------------- end of city email -------------------- I almost became giddy with delight at reading things like .... "lowering the maximum heights for buildings in low-density residential, increasing setbacks for properties adjacent to lower density zones and creeks, limiting hours of operation for commercial rooftop decks, implementing new hillside development standards that assist in maintaining a natural appearance for hillsides and ridge lines". Were you finally hearing the concerns of your constituents? 2 However, included in your Title 17 Zoning Regulations agenda item for your August 21 Council meeting is the proposed building height increase along upper Monterey Street from 45 feet to 75 feet. Why the glaring omission to this significant detail in your system generated email to city residents? Even after downloading your meeting agenda packet for tonight's meeting, I can find nothing there about a 75 feet height increase along Monterey St. All I see in your several hundred page agenda packet is that you will be considering "extending the downtown development standards to Upper Monterey Street" and that "the ordinance to modify the Zoning Map is included in Attachment C". After searching to find Attachment C, which I believe it is a 1,000 plus page document titled "Title 17 Zoning Regulations of the City of San Luis Obispo", I could still not locate anything there about upper Monterey Street, nor should I have to search endlessly from one document or reference to another to see what you are deliberating at a public meeting. Your proposed intentions to make some (hopefully) positive changes to low density residential zoning were broadcast to all who subscribe to city announcements, yet there was no mention of the proposed changes on Monterey Street. This is disingenuous and a misleading way of doing city business. In closing, while you speak of inclusiveness and transparency and wanting the public to be involved in your deliberations, you make it near impossible for even the most interested to be informed. I hope you will address this issue and be more forthcoming with the public. I implore you once again to please stop your gradual destruction of our city's downtown and established neighborhoods and the demise of our quality of life by your continued support of developments with excessive building height, massing, density, lack of adequate parking, and lack of infrastructure to support the increased traffic. Thank you. John Grady San Luis Obispo Right-click or tap and hold here to Virus-free. www.avast.com download pictures. To help protect 3