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CC 2020-11-10_11a Supplemental No 2 MEMORANDUM TO: CITY COUNCIL FROM: WHITNEY MCDONALD, CITY MANAGER JESSICA MATSON, DEPUTY CITY CLERK SUBJECT: SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION AGENDA ITEM 11.a – NOVEMBER 10, 2020 CITY COUNCIL MEETING CONSIDERATION OF PRE-APPLICATION NO. 20-004; CONSTRUCTION OF A PROPOSED MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT CONSISTING OF 66 AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS AND 1,000 SQUARE FEET OF COMMERCIAL SPACE; LOCATION – 700 OAK PARK BLVD.; APPLICANT – HOUSING AUTHORITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO (HASLO); REPRESENTATIVE – MICHAEL BURKE DATE: NOVEMBER 10, 2020 Attached is correspondence received today by 4 PM for the above referenced item. cc: City Manager City Attorney City Clerk City Website (or public review binder) From:Hertel"s To:public comment Subject:HASLO PRE-Application - 700 Oak Park Agenda Item 11.a Date:Tuesday, November 10, 2020 9:11:26 AM I’m writing to express my opinion regarding the HASLO project at the corner of Oak Park and El Camino Real. I would like to say that I am in support of this project for several reasons including that there is a need in our community for more affordable housing and that HASLO has a proven track record for success of this type of project. I also applaud the “tiering” of the parking areas and buildings down the site’s elevation. I do have several concerns though that I believe will be addressed though the vetting process. First is neighborhood traffic safety. Traffic flow in and around Oak Park and Chilton Street is challenging. Turning onto Chilton from Oak Park either north or southbound is risky and/or dangerous. The access to the upper parking lots from Chilton Street will create some issues as Chilton is a narrow residential street. I would imagine that drivers traveling west bound from El Camino Real will turn left at Robles Street and then right onto Chilton to access the upper parking areas and most drivers would be inclined to take Chilton/Robles back to El Camino Real as opposed to turning left onto Oak Park. Traffic safety on Chilton and Robles Street will need to be addressed. This traffic pattern may cause more traffic on Hillcrest Drive from El Camino Real towards Newport, which is also a narrow residential street and grammar school access. Also, because this project is at one of the entryways to Arroyo Grande, I hope attention will be focused on the architectural elements of the buildings and of the landscaping. Lastly, I did not see as to what the 1000 square feet of commercial space would be used for. I hope that this will be discussed and the use be neighborhood compatible. All in all this is a good project and I believe all these concerns can be mitigated. Thank you, Mary Hertel From:Sam Oakley To:public comment Subject:Re: November 10 Agenda Item 11.a. Consideration of Pre-Application No. 20-004 Date:Monday, November 09, 2020 5:57:02 PM Please excuse my typos and include the following for public comment: Good evening Council and thank you for your time, I am writing regarding the November 10 Agenda Item 11.a. Consideration of Pre-Application No. 20-004--the large low-income development planned for the vacant lot on the corner of Oak Park and El Camino Real (700 Oak Park). I am one of several neighbors directly adjacent to the existing vacant lot. HASLO has performed great projects in our community and I am in support of the proposed project but it is crucial that careful and deliberate neighborhood outreach be implemented to help incorporate the project into the existing neighborhood. This is a 50 year-old neighborhood with a well-established oak woodland-aesthetic and active community engagement. According to the NYU Furman Center--a research center that is based on housing, neighborhoods, and urban policy--addressing neighborhood concerns will increase likelihood of project completion and success while also improving the surrounding neighborhood. As noted in the staff report,"the neighborhood may be impacted by the proposal if appropriate mitigation is not incorporated and implemented." It will be crucial to identify and address these potential impacts. As an adjacent neighbor to the project, my concerns include, but are not limited to: - increased police presence as a result of a substantial neighborhood population and population density increase. - increased lighting along chilton street for improved public safety. - restricting the project to noncommercial-use only to designate this as a housing-only project. - addressing increased traffic flow in and around the neighborhood on a narrow neighborhood street (Chilton) that can barely accommodate a single flow of traffic. - the far end of Chilton at Robles is not wide enough for emergency vehicles with the existing parking. - addressing increased traffic density in and around the arterial corridor of Oak Park. Currently the interface between neighborhood streets and the Oak Park corridor ( Oak Park-El Camino/Chilton/Sierra intersections) is dangerous and has resulted in frequent traffic accidents. - parking is already a concern in the neighborhood due to the condition and size of the streets and degraded curbs; additional cars would negatively impact the existing lack of street parking. - two parking lots are shown to be accessed from Chilton. Restricting parking access to El Camino Real/Oak Park only. - 56/66 units would require the height of the building to block existing views on existing adjacent properties. Housing height should be limited to the character of the neighborhood at 2 stories max and/or include adequate screening from Chilton residences. - 56/66 units would possibly require the demolition of protected oaks that define the character and aesthetic of the neighborhood. Protection of the oaks on-site should be of high priority and will help to scale and screen the new development with and from existing properties. - creating a park or parklet on the property that is designated for use by the neighborhood. While reviewing Agenda Item 11.a, I respectfully ask you to please consider these items, as well as for reducing the scale of the proposed development, and requiring HASLO to outreach with the neighborhood to develop a cooperative design. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help. Thank you for your consideration. Respectfully, Sam Oakley On Mon, Nov 9, 2020 at 11:53 AM Sam Oakley < wrote: Good evening Council and thank you for your time, I am writing regarding the November 10 Agenda Item 11.a. Consideration of Pre- Application No. 20-004--the large low-income development planned for the vacant lot on the corner of Oak Park and El Camino Real (700 Oak Park). I am one of several neighbors directly adjacent to the existing vacant lot. HASLO has performed great projects in our community and I am in support of the proposed project but it is crucial that careful and deliberate neighborhood outreach be implemented to help incorporate the project into the existing neighborhood. This is a 50 year-old neighborhood with a well-established oak woodland-aesthetic and active community engagement. According to the NYU Furman Center--a research center that is based on housing, neighborhoods, and urban policy--addressing neighborhood concerns will increase likelihood of project completion and success while also improving the surrounding neighborhood. As noted in the staff report,"the neighborhood may be impacted by the proposal if appropriate mitigation is not incorporated and implemented." It will be crucial to identify and address these potential impacts. As a an adjacent neighbor, my concerns include, but are limited to: - increased police presence as a result of a substantial neighborhood population and population density increase. - increased lighting along chilton street for improved public safety. - restricting the project to noncommercial-use only to designate this as a housing-only project. - addressing increased traffic flow in and around the neighborhood on a narrow neighborhood street (Chilton) that can barely accommodate a single flow of traffic. - The far end of Chilton at Robles is not wide enough for emergency vehicles with the existing parking. - addressing increased traffic density in and around the arterial corridor of Oak Park. Currently the interface between neighborhood streets and the Oak Park corridor ( Oak Park- El Camino/Chilton/Sierra intersections) is dangerous and has resulted in frequent traffic accidents. - parking is already a concern in the neighborhood due to the condition and size of the streets and degraded curbs; additional cars would negatively impact the existing lack of street parking. - two parking lots are shown to be accessed from Chilton. Restricting parking access to El Camino Real/Oak Park only. - 56/66 units would require the height of the building to block existing views on existing adjacent properties. Housing height should be limited to the character of the neighborhood at 2 stories max and/or include adequate screening from Chilton residences. - 56/66 units would possibly require the demolition of protected oaks that define the character and aesthetic of the neighborhood. Protection of the oaks on-site should be of high priority and will help to scale and screen the new development with and from existing properties. - creating a park or parklet on the property that is designated for use by the neighborhood. While reviewing Agenda Item 11.a, I respectfully ask you to please consider these items, as well as for reducing the scale of the proposed development, and requiring HASLO to outreach with the neighborhood to develop a cooperative design. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help. Thank you for your consideration. Respectfully, Sam Oakley -- ~Sam