HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/17/2017 Item 8, Grady
Christian, Kevin
From:John Grady <johngrady5@yahoo.com>
Sent:Tuesday,
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:Agenda Item 8 - 1135 Santa Rosa St.
Dear Mayor Harmon and City Council Members,
I am writing regarding item #8 on the consent agenda for your meeting of October 17, 2017,
regarding modification of building colors at 1135 Santa Rosa Street.
It is unfortunate that at your last meeting you failed to uphold the findings of the ARC, our city's
advisory body on issues such as these. This body has much greater expertise than does city council
on such matters. The ARC conducted 4 (or more) hearings with far more staff and public input on
this matter and I believe you should have deferred to their judgment and findings. You undid many
hours of their hard work and deliberations in less than an hour.
City's staff report in your meeting agenda packet states:
"A lighter color treatment at the balconies would actually draw greater attention to the balconies and
make them "pop" and essentially increase the apparent mass.
The previously approved color scheme {by the ARC} included a lighter base color and a
darker color at the balconies, which would cause the balconies to visually recede and not
appear as massive."
So in hindsight the ARC actually had it right! Their prescribed color scheme would have lessened the
massive and monolithic appearance of this structure.
While staff's report proposes the possible addition of wood siding at the balconies, the proposed
resolution you will consider tonight does not so specify. Rather, it states (in Sec 3 (b)):
"The building colors, materials, or design shall be modified to achieve a visual reduction in apparent
building mass and scale..."
I urge you keep this wording, giving the ARC full discretionary authority in determining the best
means to accomplish these goals. Please don't prescribe to them that the application of wood siding
is the best (or only) solution, or even a viable consideration. Let them do the job they have been
charged to do!
Furthermore, I strongly encourage you drop the statement in Sec 3 (a) of your proposed resolution
which states, "The use of the existing Custom Merlex Blend finish as a primary building color is
acceptable with additional direction..."
Forcing the acceptance of this dark grey color (or any color) upon the ARC ties their hands from
being able to come up with the best solution (i.e., color combinations) to accomplish your stated
objective in Sec 3(b) of achieving "a visual reduction in apparent building mass and scale."
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Please give the ARC the freedom they need and deserve to best do their job of upholding our city's
Land Use Policy and Community Design Guidelines.
Thank you.
John Grady
San Luis Obispo
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