HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-10-2018 Item 4 - Voorhies
January 7, 2018
Mr. Doug Davidson
SLO Planning Department
Dear Mr. Davidson,
This letter is in support of Bob Lucas’s presentation at the January 10, 2018
Planning Commission meeting on the revised wording of Ordinance 1130. Thank
you for the opportunity to give our input and for taking our thoughts into
consideration.
In 2015 we bought the house at 1818 San Luis Drive for our retirement. Even
though the house had significant issues, we paid a premium price for the property
because we appreciated the fact that the backyard faced the creek and the
conservation open space and had a wonderful sense of privacy. It felt to us like a
small country retreat within a city. And, we figured, we could remodel the house to
bring it up to date and current code. However, with the construction of the
Monterey Inn, our backyard now faces not a country retreat, but a 6 to 7 story
edifice with windows looking down at our property. Yes, we know that the
Monterey Inn is a 4 story building, but because the ground level on San Luis Drive is
considerably lower than the ground level on Monterey St. across the creek, the
building appears much, much higher from our property. It does in fact look like a 6
to 7 story high rise. Definitely, we are disappointed and unhappy. Definitely, this
has lowered our property value and has wiped out a sizable chunk of the equity we
have invested in this property. And definitely, we are going to be looking into
having our property taxes reduced based upon the devaluation of our property.
And, we would be surprised if some of our neighbors do not do the same. But
lowered property taxes can only help to reduce our annual tax burden. It will in no
way compensate us for the loss of equity. We are going to have to live with that.
How is our personal story germane to the current discussion regarding the
proposed adjustments to Ordinance 1130 that have been presented? For the record,
we would first like to say that we fully support these proposed adjustments, but we
would also like to take this opportunity to add our own perspective on this issue
based upon our experience. Specifically, we believe the proposed height restrictions
should be used as a maximum guideline, but not an implied consent to every
developer who wants to stretch a new building up to that maximum amount. For
example, if there is another instance in the future where there is a significant
discrepancy in ground levels between one property and an adjacent property, then
an even lower height restriction should be enforced. Specific site considerations
should be considered and weighed heavily in making any future decisions, and
common sense should prevail.
In addition, we are relating our personal story to underscore the extent to which
the committee’s decisions can have profound and painful effects on the lives and
financial circumstances of city residents. In the case of the Monterey Inn, a whole
section of this neighborhood has been adversely affected, not just us. And there is
no quick fix. We have spoken to the owner/developer regarding his landscaping
plans to screen the building, and he has shared the blueprints for same. He says he
wishes to be a good neighbor and is willing to meet with people in the neighborhood
to discuss the plans. We intend to take him up on his offer to see if we can make
changes to ensure the long-term outlook for this neighborhood. However, at the
same time, we are painfully aware that any landscaping planted will not really grow
enough to affect us during our lifetime. It is for future generations and property
owners in this neighborhood, 20 to 30 years down the pike. Hopefully, we will be
able to come to some consensus with the owner as to what can be done to screen
the building and to speed up the process. An experienced landscape architect we
consulted suggested planting larger redwoods than those specified in the plans
(using 48-60” box trees instead of 24”) and using more redwoods (at least 12 , not
6) in order to effectively screen the building. As it will be a while before the
landscaping can have any effect, we also hope to consult with the owner regarding
the color and texture of the building to ensure that reflected light is minimized.
By now it is probably very apparent that we believe that the decision regarding the
Monterey Inn was a mistake. Looking forward, though, and not over our shoulder at
the past, what we want to do now is try and prevent it from happening again. That
is what the proposed adjustments to Ordinance 1130 are all about, and we sincerely
hope that you will give them serious consideration. In addition, and specifically, we
hope in the future that more consideration and evaluation is given to specific site
conditions and the possible adverse effects any new proposed development may
have on the value of adjacent properties. We thank you for allowing us to add to the
discussion and for your time.
Yours truly and respectfully,
Jon and Lydia Voorhies
(
Cc: Bob Lucas