HomeMy WebLinkAbout7/5/2017 Item 12, Cross (2)
Christian, Kevin
From:Brett Cross <brettcross@yahoo.com>
Sent:Sunday, July
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:San Luis Ranch Park Requirements
Dear Council Members,
The San Luis Ranch Project is inconsistent with the City's Park requirements by a substantial amount. The mitigation
measure proposed in the Environmental Impact Report is inconsistent with the City's Parks and Recreation Element
Policies.
"Mitigation Measures. The following mitigation measure would be required to reduce impacts to parks and recreational
facilities: REC-1 " The in-lieu fees collected from the project shall be directed to new projects or improvements to existing
parks and recreation facilities within the City of San Luis Obispo parks system."
The use of In-Lieu fees for improvements to existing parks and recreation facilities is clearly inconsistent with the City's
policy to " shall develop and maintain a park system at a rate of 10 acres of parkland per 1,000 residents."
"Development of the project would add an estimated 1,293 residents to the City (546 new single family and multi-family
dwelling units x 2.29 people/unit \[Department of Finance 2015\] and 34 new affordable units x 1.25 people/unit).1 Based
on the City’s parkland standard of 10 acres of parkland per 1,000 residents, five acres of which must be neighborhood
park (Policy 3.13.1 of the Parks and Recreation Element), the project would result in the additional need for approximately
12.9 acres of parkland, including 6.5 acres of neighborhood parkland. The project would add 3.4 acres of parkland in the
City. As such, the project would not meet the Citywide parkland standards and would exacerbate the exiting shortfall of
parks and recreational facilities within the City. As a result, cumulative adverse physical effects on the environment from
recreational development would be potentially significant, and the project’s contribution to this impact would be
cumulatively considerable. With payment of the City’s required parkland in-lieu fees to ensure compliance with the policies
and performance standards in the City’s General Plan as part of the project, required by Mitigation Measure REC-1, the
project contribution to cumulative impacts associated with parks and recreational facilities would be reduced to a less than
significant level.
Mitigation Measures. The following mitigation measure would be required to reduce impacts to parks and recreational
facilities: REC-1 Parkland In-lieu Fees. The project applicant shall pay parkland in-lieu fees in accordance with the City’s
parkland in-lieu fee program for the parkland shortage. The project’s specific fee shall be determined by the City at the
time of project approval, after accounting for parkland provided within the San Luis Ranch Specific Plan Area. The in-lieu
fees collected from the project shall be directed to new projects or improvements to existing parks and recreation facilities
within the City of San Luis Obispo parks system.
San Luis Obispo Parks and Recreation Element and Master Plan (2001). The City’s General Plan Parks and Recreation
Element and Master Plan describe existing parks and recreation facilities, activities, and financing within the City. The
Master Plan identifies unmet needs, details a park vision for the future, and outlines an implementation strategy for the
development of new parks and recreation facilities and programs. The following Parks and Recreation Element policies
establish parkland provision standards in the City:
Policy 3.13.1. The Parks System. The City shall develop and maintain a park system at a rate of 10 acres of parkland per
1,000 residents. Five acres shall be dedicated as a neighborhood park. The remaining five acres required under the 10
acres per 1,000 residents in the residential annexation policy may be located anywhere within the City’s park system as
deemed appropriate.
Policy 3.13.2. Parks shall be designed to meet a variety of needs depending on park size, location, natural features and
user demands.
Policy 3.13.8. Park site acquisition should enhance the City's recreational trails, pedestrian transportation, and open
spaces in keeping with adopted policies. Policy 3.15.1. Neighborhood Parks. San Luis Obispo residents shall have access
to a neighborhood park within 0.5 to 1.0 mile walking distance of their residence.
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Policy 3.15.3. Neighborhood Parks. All residential annexation areas shall provide developed neighborhood parks at the
rate of five acres per 1,000 residents.
Policy 3.15.4. Neighborhood Parks. In neighborhoods where existing parks do not adequately serve residents, mini-parks
may be considered. City of San Luis Obispo Land Use Element (2014). Section 8.1.4 of the City’s General Plan Land Use
Element provides direction for future development under the San Luis Ranch Specific Plan as follows: “This project site
should be developed as a mixed use project that maintains the agricultural heritage of the site, provides a commercial /
office transition to the existing commercial center to the north, and provides a diverse housing experience. Protection of
the adjacent creek and a wellplanned integration into the existing circulation system will be required.”
San Luis Ranch Project EIR Section 4.11 Recreation
City of San Luis Obispo
4.11-7
Although parks and recreational facilities are not explicitly mentioned in the policy framework for the site, the Land Use
Element establishes a performance standard to include at least 5.8 acres of parkland within the San Luis Ranch Specific
Plan Area. "
Sincerely,
Brett Cross
1217 Mariners Cove
San Luis Obispo
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