HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/10/2018 Item 2, Wiest
Sheffield, Alexis
From:LynAnne Wiest <lynannewiest@icloud.com>
Sent:Tuesday, October
To:Advisory Bodies
Cc:Davidson, Doug; Fowler, Xzandrea
Subject:Planning Commission, regarding tiny homes on wheels
As a resident of San Luis Obispo, I want to express my support for the approval of an updated zoning
ordinance that allows for tiny homes on wheels.
In reading over the proposed changes, I strongly urge the Planning Commission to remove the 12-month time
limit on a tiny house permit. Tiny homes should not be considered “temporary.” The people who choose to
live in tiny homes are the people who are grasping at a version of home ownership in this town that is
notoriously unaffordable. I hope to live in a tiny home one day, and I hope to do that in San Luis Obispo. I want
to stay here and be a citizen that contributes to this town. We know that people who own their own home
take better care of it an invest more in their community because they know they have stability here. Making
tiny home residents go through a re-permiting process every year, not knowing if their home will be re-
approved, undermines the person's sense of stability in the community. In addition, the person who is leasing
the land to the tiny home would be less inclined to pay for the infrastructure to allow the tiny home on their
property if they feel it might only be there for one year. PLEASE remove this 12-month time limit.
Secondly, I urge the Planning Commission to remove the requirement that the tiny home must be located
“toward the rear of the property screened from view from any public right-of-way.” This is completely
unnecessary and prohibitive to the feasibility of tiny homes. First of all, tiny houses are not going to be ugly.
They are stick built homes, built by people who love them and are going to invest in their character. Why are
there so many TV shows about tiny homes these days? Because people LOVE to see them! Second, this is
simply an unnecessary requirement. What about a house on a corner lot where 2 sides of the property are
visible from the street? What about those odd lots with a big front yard because the house is built so far back?
I think you will find that tiny homes will not corrupt the nature of our neighborhoods, but will rather enhance
and bring even more charm to our neighborhoods.
Lastly, Please remember that we are in a housing crisis, and this community desperately needs small homes
that can be affordable for average SLO citizens. Tiny homes are a wonderful infill strategy that can preserve
the look of a neighborhood and still provide space for small, affordable housing. The more regulations put on
tiny homes, the harder it is going to be to make these a viable housing option for hardworking people who are
trying to live here.
Thank you,
LynAnne Wiest
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