HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-06-2019 PRC Item 3 - Cooper1
Goodwin, Heather
From:Allan Cooper <allancoope@gmail.com>
Sent:Tuesday, February 5, 2019 3:00 PM
To:Stanwyck, Shelly; Advisory Bodies
Cc:Alice C. Loh; Larry Loh
Subject:LC YC Cheng Park
Attachments:802_05_19...chengpark.pdf
Dear Shelly -
Would you kindly forward the letter attached below to the
Parks & Recreation Commission? This letter pertains to
their February 6, 2019 meeting. Thanks!
- Allan
To: San Luis Obispo Parks & Recreation Commission
Re: LC YC Cheng Park Expansion
From: Alice Loh Professor Emerita, Larry Loh Professor Emeritus and Allan Cooper Professor
Emeritus
Date: February 5, 2019
Dear Parks & Recreation Commission -
We are writing this letter in response to your February 6, 2019 Agenda Item #3 “Further Public Input
On Parks and Recreation Element and Master Plan”.
Our recommendations more specifically address “park connectivity” and “natural/botanical park
spaces”.
We would like to call your attention to a public workshop that was held in conjunction with the
recent update to the Downtown Concept Plan. In response to the question “what type of
improvements do you feel are most appropriate for downtown?” the majority of respondents stated
“improve the existing parks in and near downtown” and “improve access to and across San Luis
Creek”. In response to this, the Downtown Concept Plan stated the following: “new parks are also
proposed that expand exis︎ting park space, such as the park in Block 19 adjacent to the Creek Walk,
or the expansion of Cheng Park (Block 47). More specifically it states for Block 47 “Cheng Park is
shown expanding across the creek onto the existi︎ng surface parking lot, with a paseo providing
connec︎tions to it from Marsh and Pacific Streets.” We are including for your information the graphic
in the Downtown Concept Plan showing this recommendation.
San Luis Obispo Downtown Concept Plan Supplement |3.2
Figure 3.1. Downtown Concept Plan Illustrative
DANA
PALM
MILL
MONTEREY
HIGUERA
MARSH
PACIFIC
PISMO
MISSION PLAZA
MASTER PLAN
HIG
U
E
R
A
PALM
MONTEREY
HIGUERA
MARSH
PACIFIC
P I S M O WALKERARCHERCARMELBEACHNIPOMONIPOMOBROADBROADGARDENCHORROCHORROMORROMORROOSOSOSOSSANTA ROSASANTA ROSATOROJOHNSON AVEJOHNSON AVEPEPPERTORO1
9
10
1918
2
11
3
12
20
45444342414039
38
323130292827
26
5857565554535251
4
13
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33
46
59
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14
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34
47
60
6
15
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48
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61
BLOCK NUMBERSSee block descriptions in plan supplement27
COMMERCIAL MIXED USE
Street-front commercial uses with upper level residential and/ or office uses
OFFICE MIXED USEOffice uses with compatible residential and/ or commercial uses
RESIDENTIALWide variety of medium density and high density housing
HOSPITALITY Hotels and conference facilities
COMMUNITY SERVINGGovernment facilities, museums, churches, and schools
PARKINGAbove or below ground parking that may include roof top public spaces
PARKS
May include publicly accessible historic sites, gardens and walkways
PLAZA, PASEOS, AND SHARED STREETSPaseos may include publicly accessible private property
As you can see, the plan for Block 47 shows a bridge over San Luis Creek connecting the existing
park with a new expanded park area flanking the southern bank of the Creek. The plan also shows
a mid-block paseo running along the southwest border of this park connecting Marsh Street with
Pacific Street. This paseo would connect up with Block 34. Block 34 is also envisioned to be
redeveloped to take advantage of the Creek with addi︎tional outdoor pati︎os, paseos, and pocket
plaza areas.
Alice Loh, a Cal Poly Landscape Architecture Professor Emerita, is President of Chinese Garden
SLO, a non-profit organization committed to promoting understanding and cultural exchange
between the American and Chinese people. Alice initiated the construction of this park at 1095
Marsh Street (which was completed in 2006) in order to preserve the history of the early Chinese
pioneers, commemorating the Chinese laborers who settled here beginning in the 1870's and their
contribution to the growth of San Luis Obispo.
Of course we would like to improve the current condition of the Park. As a botanical garden, this
park would benefit from improved maintenance and additional shrubs and ground cover. But we
also believe that the City’s suggestion of a bridge (perhaps a “moon bridge” in the Chinese style)
would “improve access to and across San Luis Creek” and the proposed paseo would improve
“connectivity” between Higuera Street and Pacific Street. Thank you!