HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-16-2017 Item 5, Cooper (2)•.��. r -a r �a..r
COUNCIL MEETING: - —
ITEM No.: _ -- , . MAY 16 2017
SLO CITY CLERK
From: Allan Cooper [
Sent: Monday, May 15, 2017 8:19 PM
To: Harmon, Heidi <hharmon@slocitv.org>; Rivoire, Dan <DRivoire@slocity.org>; Christianson, Carlyn
<cchristianson@slocity.00 >; Pease, Andy <apease@,51ocity.oM>; Gomez, Aaron <agomez@slocity.or >; E-mail Council
Website <emailcouncil@slocity.or >; Johnson, Derek <dlohnson@slocitv.org>; Johnson, Lee <1iohnson@slocity.or8>
Subject: Avila Ranch Project
To: SLO City Council
Re: Consent Agenda Item No. 5 - Development Agreement Discussions With Avila
Ranch, LLC
From: Allan Cooper, San Luis Obispo
Date: May 15, 2017
The Avila Ranch project should be rejected because it is another example of urban sprawl
and runs counter to the principles of "smart growth". But perhaps more importantly, the
Avila Ranch project will not provide workforce or affordable housing "by design".
You may think otherwise because this subdivision is comprised of small houses on small
lots. Yet the price of this housing will still hover in the $500,000 range because: 1) each
household will have to carry the exorbitant costs of a "Community Facilities District"; 2)
each household will have to carry the developer's cost of extending Buckley Road to
South Higuera and the costs of installing new parks and bikeways; 3) the selling prices of
these so-called "net zero" homes will have to include the costs of solar panels, super -
sealed building envelopes, ductless mini -split heat pumps and highly insulated windows
and doors; and 4) by the time these houses are built, housing inflation will have already
taken its toll. Moreover, there is no certainty that any of the 30,000 workforce currently
commuting into SLO from outside communities will live here. Why? Because they will be
making a tradeoff between a larger home on a larger lot in a quieter, outlying community
to a smaller home on a smaller lot under a noisy airport flight path. So who will buy these
homes? Affluent parents of Cal Poly students and wealthy retirees... not our workforce.
Even if you fail to find the reasons stated above compelling, the draft EIR should convince
you otherwise. The draft EIR states that air quality, noise, land use, transportation and
traffic impacts created by this project will be significant and unavoidable. In the final
analysis, there are no over-riding considerations to justify this project. Thank you.