HomeMy WebLinkAboutPublic Comment - 6-24-2019 CHCEREIVED
24 2019
Good evening and thank you for your service on the Cultural Heritage Co �-y CI r-- _K
My name is Betsy Amato. I was born in San Luis Obispo in the 1950's and grew up
here in a simpler time, with family, friends and playmates in the old neighborhoods
though -out the town. They were special places then, and much more so today.
I'm proud to be an owner, along with other family members, of a residential property
within the Mill Street Historical District that is a Contributing Property on the city's
inventory of historic resources.
My concern for protecting and preserving this historical neighborhood, as well as our
other local resources, has prompted me to speak out here tonight.
When considering the proposal to be constructed in this neighborhood, on this
challenging parcel, the 3 -story home, as applied for, won't pass muster when using the
criteria and historical preservation guidelines required.
It is critical to know the hillside nature of the precise location at which the 3 story home
is proposed and that it is a historical overlay neighborhood, as designated by the city, not
just an address fronted on Palm Street, and is viewed from many areas including the
Monterey Street corridor and Higuera Street.
The existing home, as well as those to its left and right, are built on a quite steep
downslope, which by its nature alone, required construction of a partial deep foundation
on the Monterey Street side. Most structures appear as 2 stories from that rear viewpoint,
as ours does and the said property next door, No are but a single story on their frontage
on Palm Street. All follow the contour of the slope requiring a huge foundation. The
apartment building on the south side of us is not a contributing historical resource. Its
foundation is on the slope due to engineering necessity. The building's full height is
only reached on one face of the buildim at the back where the building sits on this
foundation. It is a 2 -story building fronting Palm Street. It was not built as a free-
standing 3 story building. I have heard this building's height used as a comparison and
justification for the height of the proposed project and would remind you that there is
not one single family home at 3 stories in this neighborhood. Be cautious of precedent
setting — particularly in this heritage neighborhood please.
This proposed 3 story home would not frontft Palm Street, nor be built into the
hillside, nor be bermed to disguise its towering nature, but would be built on open land,
using additional fill, as a full 3 -story, free standing house (which ultimately raises its
height in the hillside cityscape to closer to 40 feet). In fact, the Monterey Street side
property line of our lots sits atop a b ft. retaining wall behind I Fix It parking lot, adding
a full story height below the project which dramatically elevates exposure on the
Monterey Street corridor, which has open views of t 1e Mill Street Historical District
hillside for thousands of people per day.
*As stated in the description of Mill Street Historical District 5.2.4
predominant architecture features include:
A. One- and occasionally two-story houses
*Historical Preservation Policy
14.01.080B Purposes of Historic Districts
#4 to enhance and preserve the setting of historical resources so that
surrounding land uses and structures do not detract from the historic or architectural
integrity of designated historical resources and districts.
*From Historical Preservation Program Guidelines
Chap. 3 Treatment of Historical Resources
3.2.2 Architectural compatibility
New development should not sharply contrast with, or significantly
block public views of, or visually distract from, the historical architectural
characteristics of historically designed structures located adjacent to the property to be
developed or detract from the prevailing historical architecture of the Historical District.
Contrary to the developer's contention that the project meets and conforms to the
protections of historical resources (ie: retaining public views of historic properties, not
detracting from said or adjacent historical properties) by locating this 3 -story home at
the rear of the lot of the existing home, it hides its towering presence from Palm Street
only and no where else. In addition, the placement will completely obstruct views of the
original historical house which is, and has been, in full view from Monterey and Higuera
Streets since built in 1900.
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I'm respectfully requesting the city install story poles in the site indicating completed
project height at the pea and four corners, an that the committee members have an on-
site meeting to view height and se and view the site from Montere Street, Palm
Street and neighboring properties BEFORE a recommendation is made. Story Doles
owng swould entest aries te appottunity to view the impact of
such potential change.
You are tasked with protecting and preserving our designated historical resources and a
hasty approval at this stage could set a precedent for 3 -story single family homes to be
built where there have been none and where there should be none.
Thank -you for your time. �.
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