HomeMy WebLinkAbout6/1/2017 Item 1, McLean
Christian, Kevin
From:cc mc lean <ccmslo@att.net>
Sent:Tuesday,
To:E-mail Council Website
Cc:Pease, Andy; Gomez, Aaron; Harmon, Heidi; Rivoire, Dan; Christianson, Carlyn
Subject:Item 1 City Council June 1, 2017, Northside SLO Park Fund
Please post on agenda correspondence. Thank you.
Mayor and City Council:
The Northside neighborhoods of San Luis Obispo (Anholm, Bishop Peak, Cerro San Luis Foothills,
Bishop Foothills, Ferrini Heights, Foothill) has a large number of residents and is identified in our
General Plan, for over 40 years, as the only neighborhood with an "unmet need for a park." The area
is a large and multi-age (students, seniors, families, children) and increasingly residents are without
yards (The Villages & apartment dwelling students).
A few years ago many Northside residents started meeting with staff and elected officials, attending
meetings, writing to and speaking at Parks and Recreation, City Council and Advisory Bodies and
advocating for a park that would benefit the entire area and city as a whole. We saw opportunities to
purchase parkland disappear as the City grew and infill happened. In the early 1990's, $500,000
was allocated for our "North Broad Park" which was enough to purchase land then, but the city
wheels turned too slowly unlike those of the private sector and one by one suitable land was gone
and so were the funds. Many of us worked together and were advised by a City official to attend the
June 14, 2016 Council meeting and ask for earmarked funds for a park. There were unallocated
funds of $6,900,00 available. After much discussion, the City Council voted $900,000 to be
specifically in an earmarked fund for the North Broad Park. On November1, 2016, the City Council
adopted the Parks and Recreation Strategic Plan, Item 9 page 70, "A New Park in the North Broad
Street Neighborhood." Since then neighbors have been looking for a suitable site and we need the
City's involvement and cooperation to proceed with the positive change that a park would bring.
Please take this opportunity to uphold the City Council's direction of June 14, 2016 and
the November 1 , 2016 Strategic Plan section 4.3.2 "Pursue a new park located in the North Broad
Street Neighborhood." and support, both financially, by not taking our earmarked $900,000 park
fund, and in the spirit of working together with residents to create a positive and lasting change for a
large neighborhood area of the City of San Luis Obispo . Thank you.
Sincerely,
Cheryl McLean
Anholm resident 43 years
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