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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2/13/2019 Item 2, Peterson Goodwin, Heather From:Bell, Kyle Sent:Tuesday, January 29, 2019 9:28 AM To:Goodwin, Heather Subject:RE: Atoll proposal--Part 2 Attachments:Atoll Project Letter.docx From: Shirley Peterson < Sent: Monday, January 28, 2019 3:00 PM To: Bell, Kyle <KBell@slocity.org> Subject: Re: Atoll proposal--Part 2 HI Kyle Thank you so much for contacting me. I'm overwhelmed at the thought of having a development now at 702 units on Laurel Lane and trapped between the railroad tracks and bike path. It just can't be safe on so many levels. I would like my letter included for Feb 13 meeting. However, I had problems uploading the document when I originally submitted it. What you provided me today is only part of the original letter I had written. I have attached the complete letter--which a paragraph at the end comparing this type of project to ones close to Cal Poly where the City has indicated that they do not have adequate policing resources to address concerns of dense student population. I would appreciate you including my entire letter in the packet for the February 13, 2109 meeting. Thanks again for following up with me. Shirley Peterson 1 February 8, 2018 Dear Mr. Bell This letter expresses my strong opposition to the size of the proposed development on the Atoll property on Laurel Lane. Although I understand the need for additional housing and new commercial development in the area, the size of the proposed project is too massive for the area. Laurel Lane is already under review by the City for traffic concerns. Adding over 600 housing unit, plus the commercial space on Laurel, will cause traffic jams, delays and safety issues. Back up traffic at certain times of the day is already a concern for the area, especially at the intersection of Laurel and Orcutt. Adding the complication of the train tracks and nearby school just increases the concern. The Laurel Lane area, plus Orcutt and Johnson Ave will be impacted greatly by the Righetti development already under construction. Adding the proposed number of housing units and commercial space of the Atoll project to the area will have great negative impacts on the area in the way of traffic, noise, safety and parking. Since the Atoll area is nearly empty at the moment, it has little impact on the current traffic, noise and safety consideration of the area. So, the Atoll proposal is like adding a new development to the area and should be considered as such and not a re-use of the area when taking in to account the impacts of the neighborhood. My objections are also to the height of the proposed developed. Nothing else in that area is four stories. The majority of the current development on Laurel Lane consists of single and two-story structures with a couple small three story rental complexes. Any four-story structure would be inappropriate for the neighborhood. And how could that size property reasonably and safely provide for adequate parking? There is basically no street parking in that area--the development must provide for all parking that is needed. An additional concern is for children in the area is for those who use the parks and attend Sinheimer Elementary School. The sidewalks are already inadequate in the area due to different types of posts being placed in the sidewalk. Children, and anyone else who walk that area, are commonly forced to move into the street to get around these posts. Imagine a parent pushing a stroller with a couple young children walking along and coming to a post— someone will end up in the street. Since I walk the area often, I have personally seen this happen and I have also ended up in the street as there’s inadequate room to pass someone else using the sidewalks or to even walk side-by-side with another person. If the children who live in this development attend Sinsheimer Elementary School, there will be additional traffic when parents drop off and pick up their children from school . Some families just like to take their children to school, others would be con cerned for the safety of the children due to the sidewalk issues and increased traffic on Laurel Lane. I ask that the ARC, Planning Commission, Planning Department and City Council please consider the impact on current residents in the area. Most of us live on this side of town as we prefer this quieter area away from downtown and Cal Poly. We will already be impacted by the Righetti Development. Please don’t add another over-sized project to our neighborhood. Thank you for the opportunity to state my concerns. The City of San Luis Obispo has recently written a letter to Cal Poly expressing how the addition of 6000 students will negatively impact the City and that the City d oes not have adequate resources for this many new students in the community. The City’s concerns about the additional students included noise, parking, water, traffic and the need for more police services. The City particularly noted that it does not have current police resources for that many new students. The proposed Atoll development would bring the same concerns to the Laurel Ln area. When so many people are put in such a small space, there will be concerns that involve law enforcement.