HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/2/2018 Item 13, Maiorino02 October 2018
To: Mayor Heidi Harmon and SLO City Council
From: Rachel Maiorino, Downtown SLO Chief Operating Officer
RE: Proposed Loading Zones Ordinance Changes
Mayor Harmon and members of Council,
The Parking and Access Committee and Board of Directors of Downtown SLO would like to thank
you for the opportunity to provide input while you review the proposed loading zones ordinance
changes. A recommendation was made by the committee and upheld by the Board to not support
the proposed loading zones ordinance changes as written for reasons including a reduction in
parking inventory and the location of the proposed changes. We hold public safety as a top
priority and see this as an area for further discussion and collaboration.
Today, Downtown SLO is asking for additional Council consideration for a pilot program on
Higuera Street between Garden and Broad streets (where the issue originated from). Looking
forward there is a clearly expressed fear from our businesses that parking is scarce Downtown
and that we are losing business as a result of frustrated customers. If passed as written, an
estimated 100 spaces will be removed from the parking inventory after 6 PM. The effects would be
multiplied since each space could expect a 2-3 car turnover per night. If we are displacing
hundreds of visitors each evening we are missing out on valuable revenue and adversely affecting
the livelihood of local businesses that have been the backbone of San Luis Obispo and specifically
Downtown for generations.
Please consider further study of the proposed loading zones ordinance changes with focus on loss
of inventory and locations. We look forward to working together to address this public safety
concern in an appropriate and methodical approach.
Sincerely,
Rachel Maiorino
Chief Operating Officer
Downtown SLO
CC: Charlene Rosales, Daryl Grigsby, Scott Lee, Alex Fuchs
1135 Chorro Street ( San I....ds Obspo, CA 934011 I::lhone: (805) 541.....02861 I::bx: (805) .!8"V.....2647