HomeMy WebLinkAbout7/16/2019 Item 15, Vandehey I/�y � ,,
ission San Lws O6isPo de To�osa
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13 June 2019
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Downtown SLO
Attn: Bettina Swigger ��C.��,. .� � �������
1135 Chorro Street �
San Luis Obi o CA 93401 ` ����� �-d-- ��� �� ���
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RE: PBID: Property-Based Business Improvement District
To Whom It May Concern:
This morning I met with Ms. Swigger, at her request, to talk about activities that Downtown SLO
is currently involved in and in particular the desire to add"Ambassadors"to the Properry-Based
Business Improvement Di�strict. She presented me with a packet of information conceming the
proposal and an enclosed Petition to Form the Downtown San Luis Obispo Property Based
Business Improvement District. Apparently this packet had previously been sent to the legal land
owner: Roman Catholic Bishop of Monterey, CA,but no response had been given to the petition.
According to Ms. Swigger,the volunteer steering committee, after having received feedback
from an initial petition, "refined the PBID map and assessment formula accordingly."This
refinement included a reduction of the assessment for non-profits of 50%. For Old Mission San
L.uis nbisps��'ath�lac�heareh that translates to a� assess�ne�t of$',,473.20 annualiy.
From the moment that Father Junipero Serra(now Saint Junipero Seira) founded the mission in
�7'��������av,��t��t t�����aaauara�'r��y�r�u�� gr�►��-������it. Well,indeed�a��az��a���ty
c��`��r��,�;��4����pc� �i�+� �r-��a�u��t���t�+��i��ai�a�. ,�r��Z�words of Ms. S�i��r, ����i�the
���������a��������."'"���wc�,�l�c��at����ar�any years the Old Mission and the City of San
Luis Obispo have attempted to work together to ensure that our Catholic Parish could remain
vibrant and active with the celebration of eighteen Masses per week,nearly weekly weddings,
baptisms, and numerous other parish activities,but also that the City of San Luis Obispo, owner
of the plaza directly in front of the Mission, could accommodate all types of]ocal events.
Generally speaking this has worked successfully and it has been beneficial to both.
Old Mission San Luis Obispo, the fifth of 21 Missions�"�����1 p��Father Junipero Serra,has
become a major tourist attraction drawing p�ople from�+��,���t the United States and the
world. Father Serra's vision of a strong community spreading forth from the Mission has indeed
become a reality. The City of San Luis Obispo has ever so freyuently used the Mission and
images of the Mission in its own promotion at no cost to the city.
The Mission is consistently clean, inviting, and attractive and continues to provide a tranquil and
beautiful place of rest and prayer, as well as an historical resource to the thousands of visitors
who enter upon its campus. For years it has provided a gateway to tourism into the downtown
district adding to its retail clientele.
Ms. Swigger stated clearly that if the proposed plan is adopted"all property owners would be
levied and there would be no exceptions." Old Mission San Luis Obispo is not a business; we are
a church and we operate on a very limited budget dictated by the contributions of the people who
come here in faith. The bottom line is that we are not able to absorb an assessment, certainly not
an annual assessment of nearly$7,500.00.
Therefore, as the Pastor of Old Mission San Luis Obispo Catholic Church, I do not approve of
this Petition or of the proposed annual assessment on our parish property.
Sincerely,
LL � �
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Rev, �������M�`���i�:��y �
Pastor
Cc: Bishop Daniel Garcia
Rev. Peter Crivello
Mr. Clancy D'Angelo
Ms. Susan Mayer