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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC_2021-06-09_SP MinutesDove Creek Self Storage – Atascadero, California Dove Creek Self Storage 1 Exhibit A Dove Creek Self Storage Site Location Dove Creek Self Storage – Atascadero, California 2 Public Comment Letters as of the 5/4/21 PC Hearing NOTICING 300’ Typical 1,000’ This project – 979 + 74 interested parties 1,053 total 30,130 Atascadero Population (2019) One dot per address Green in support - 6 Orange in opposition – 15 Opponents submitted 29 letters as of the May PC Hearing Dove Creek Self Storage – Atascadero, California 3 Dove Creek Storage Surroundings Dove Creek Self Storage – Atascadero, California 4 Dove Creek Self Storage – Atascadero, California Dove Creek Storage Surroundings – Single & Multi-family 5 NAME Zone Permit Type Surrounding Neighborhood El Camino Self Storage Commercial Park CUP Residential & Commercial Palomar Self Storage Commercial Retail Not a permitted use Single Family Residential & Mix of Commercial Mini U Storage Downtown Mini Storage Commercial Service CUP Multifamily Residential & Commercial Stow It Mini Storage Traffic Way Storage Industrial Permitted, Allowed by Right Industrial, Single Family, & Multifamily Residential U Store It Mini Storage Commercial Neighborhood Not a permitted use Public Zone, Multifamily Residential & Commercial Dove Creek Self Storage – Atascadero, California Summary of Existing Storage and Surrounding Neighborhoods – All Are Next to Residential 6 Dove Creek Self Storage Site Plan Overview Dove Creek Self Storage – Atascadero, California 7 View from Viejo Camino Landscape detail Building E exhibit was shared with the Planning Commission (PC) on 5/4/21 as a result of discussions at the first PC hearing held on 4/20/21 Dove Creek Self Storage – Atascadero, California 8 Neighborhood Compatibility - Benefits DRC Approval of Design on 11/11/20 Walking trail connecting Viejo Camino and El Camino Real Community drinking fountain and bike repair station Riparian restoration at water way Dove Creek Self Storage – Atascadero, California 9 Environmental Design Solar panels with grid tie to offset energy consumption Drought tolerant planting and underground rainwater storage to supplement irrigation Cool metal roofing and expansive landscaping to reduce heat island effect Dove Creek Self Storage – Atascadero, California 10 Examples of Conditional Uses: Residential Care Facilities, Rehab Facilities, Churches, Child Care, and Self Storage Facilities Dove Creek Self Storage – Atascadero, California 11 Neighborhood Compatibility - Use Self-storage is an “accessory use/service” to nearby residents, non-profits, churches, sports teams, & business in Atascadero Self-storage is a good neighbor with high quality architecture Office Hours: 8:00am - 5:00pm Access Hours: 6:00am - 9:00pm Dove Creek Self Storage – Atascadero, California 12 Examples of Permitted Uses: Movie Theaters, Bowling Alleys, Go-Cart Tracks, Festival Grounds, Parking Lots, Shooting Ranges, Recycle Transfer Stations and Utility Sub-Stations Dove Creek Self Storage – Atascadero, California 13 1. Complimentary design with proportional massing and regional architectural details 2. Buildings configured to limit views of unit roll up doors 3. Generous landscape buffer, hedges and trees at perimeter to screen site activity Modern Class A Self Storage & Visual Aesthetics Dove Creek Self Storage – Atascadero, California 14 Neighborhood Compatibility – Traffic & Lighting Minimal vehicle traffic per Institute of Transportation Engineers 77 trips per day: 3 cars AM Peak Hour (6 trips in/out) 5 cars PM Peak Hour (10 trips in/out) Light pollution not allowed per City COA Dove Creek Self Storage – Atascadero, California 15 Dove Creek - First Submittal vs Current Submittal First Submittal Current Submittal Dove Creek Self Storage – Atascadero, California 16 Neighborhood Compatibility – Agrarian Design Dove Creek Self Storage – Atascadero, California 17 Page 4 Report dated 1/28/2019 by Terra Verde Environmental Consulting Biological Resources Assessment Memorandum for Dove Creek Self-storage Development Project EXPERT REVIEW & APPROVAL: Army Corp of Engineers, California Department of Fish & Wildlife, the Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) “Therefore, no federal wetlands (i.e., three-parameter wetlands defined by presence of hydric soils, wetland hydrology, and dominance of hydrophytic vegetation) were documented within the survey area.” “…current conditions do not support a sufficient hydroperiod to create or sustain hydric soils. Thus, the freshwater emergent wetland feature previously mapped within the proposed project site may have transitioned to more xeric conditions as a result of current and past land uses, as well as changes in the local climate and site hydrology.” Dove Creek Self Storage – Atascadero, California 18 Dove Creek Self Storage Site Profile is Compatible 931.9’ Top of Dome House 929.5’ Ridge of Building A 925.50’ Ridge of Building B 915’ Ridge of Building C 914’ Ridge of Building D 890’ Bottom of swale/manufactured creek bottom Dove Creek Self Storage – Atascadero, California 19 VIEW FROM SOUTH Four-sided architectural & landscape plans dated 12/7/2020 were submitted to staff Dove Creek Self Storage – Atascadero, California 20 Dove Creek – 2019 vs 2021 – El Camino Real 2019 2021 Dove Creek Self Storage – Atascadero, California 21 Dove Creek – 2019 vs 2021 – Viejo Camino 2019 2021 Dove Creek Self Storage – Atascadero, California 22 Dove Creek Self Storage Dove Creek Self Storage – Atascadero, California 23 Dove Creek Self Storage – Atascadero, California 24 Alternate Roof Line Building D – A107 Dove Creek Self Storage – Atascadero, California 25 Proposed Dove Creek Ministorage Facility: Costs vs. Benefits for Atascadero Monty Clouse, Ph.D., 11305 Eliano Street, Atascadero, CA 93422 Exhibit B Focus of this brief presentation is to show how the proposed mini- storage facility would be contrary to the orderly development of South Atascadero, at our city’s southern Civic Gateway 2 This resident homeowner (since 2006) has already written and spoken to the Planning Commission and City Council about two major objections, based on the General Plan, and the requirements for a Conditional Use Permit: Goal LOC 8. Watershed areas of Atascadero shall be protected. Policy 8.1: Ensure that development along Atascadero Creek, Graves Creeks, the Salinas River, blue line creeks, and natural springs, lakes, or other riparian areas does not interrupt natural flows or adversely impact riparian ecosystems and water quality. Applicable Programs: 3. The waterways in the City shall be maintained in a natural state and concrete channelization creeks shall be prohibited. 4. The City shall strongly discourage underground piping, and Unnecessary disturbance of creeks and streams, and encourage use of bridges and arched culverts… The proposed project or use [for a CUP] will not be inconsistent with the character of the immediate neighborhood .. or contrary to its orderly development First fact … 3 Mini-storage buildings, once constructed, are very difficult to transform into different-use buildings. Their mass and footprint will be very, very long-term --or possibly permanent. Therefore, their impact on the surrounding community will be much more major due to their longevity --for better or for worse.. 4 Neighborhoods and developers of storage facilities are arguing about whether or not to allow them In many places across the world, right now, in … •Hendersonville, NC •Duluth, GA •Mequon, WI •Mason City, IA •South Orange, NJ •Cobb, FL •Manteca, CA •London, UK and … •Atascadero, CA Negative impacts of building mini-storage facilities on residential property values are a huge concern, they’re hotly debated, complex, and difficult to predict in any one situation 5 •“One of the first studies to document negative effects of commercial and industrial land uses upon home values and apartment rents was the work of Kain and Quigley (1970). Not all studies, however, find significant negative impact of nonresidential land uses upon home values, though proximity to industrial land uses is almost universally found to have a deleterious effect (See Grether and Mieskowski (1980)).” [emphasis added] --from “Commercial Development Spillover Effects Upon Residential Values,” March, 2010 •Other studies are more uncertain, unclear, or mixed in their estimates of the impacts of new storage developments What’s absolutely clear is the effort to sell mini-storage facilities to planning and zoning boards, as well as to neighborhoods that usually don’t want them 6 Huge focus of developers in their trade publications is –“How do we convince them to say ‘Yes!’ to our proposed storage facilities?” One developer of mini-storage facilities bluntly said, “Never accept, ‘No’ for an answer.” Impacts on neighborhoods could be negative, major, and long-lasting … Here are photos of a Class A mini-storage facility in Portland, Oregon, and the condition of a neighboring business just across the street from it. 7 8 This is a Class A storage facility at 685 SE Division Pl., Portland, OR, that was built in 2018, as shown on Google Street View in June, 2019: 9Directly across the street (at 624 SE Division Pl.) is this building, as it looked in June, 2019: 10Here’s the same building and address, in June, 2015: 11 … with a close-up view of the business’ name, A&K Designs. Note that the business is operating, and its landscaping is well-maintained. If the proposed Dove Creek Mini-Storage Facility is approved by the City Council… 12 … It might work out very well for the developer … … and also might work out very badly for scores of nearby homeowners, who’ve already said they don’t want it to be built… Would that be a good cost/benefit outcome for Atascadero, or a very bad outcome? Is it a bet that the Atascadero City Council wants to take? PUBLIC COMMENT PROVIDED BY EMAIL B. PUBLIC HEARINGS Item B-1 SUBMISSION FROM: Josh Cross From: Josh & Montse Cross <mojocross@gmail.com> Sent: Wednesday, June 9, 2021 4:43 PM To: Heather Moreno <hmoreno@atascadero.org>; Susan Funk <sfunk@atascadero.org>; Lara Christensen <lchristensen@atascadero.org>; Mark Dariz <mdariz@atascadero.org>; Heather Newsom <hnewsom@atascadero.org>; Charles Bourbeau <cbourbeau@atascadero.org> Subject: RE: Conditional Use Permit for a Self-Storage Facility Lara - I am unable to speak at the City Council hearing tonight. Would you please read my letter into the public comments regarding the Conditional Use Permit for a Self-Storage Facility. - Thanks. My name is Josh Cross and I am a resident of Dove Creek with twenty years experience as an urban planning and economic development professional. One of the hats I currently wear is as a professor of urban design at Cal Poly (CRP 202 & 213). Among the first assignments I provide my students is to evaluate the surrounding physical environment in order to determine the appropriate land use, scale, architecture, and landscape that would be appropriate to the site. In no way, would a mini storage be a use that an urban designer would propose because it is not reflective or characteristic of the surrounding residential and park uses. This use is simply not compatible and is why I recommend adoption of Resolution B that allows you to deny the Dove Creek Mini-Storage project. One resident commented that by denying this project, the City would be sending a message to developers that Atascadero is not development friendly. However, this resident should realize that other successful developers are engaging with the surrounding neighbors to discuss what an appropriate project would look like, thereby gaining supporters. To my knowledge, this developer has not conducted neighborhood outreach and is basically submitting a refined version of the project that was denied by the Council in 2018. Denying this project will send a message that developers should engage with surrounding residents. Speaking of engaging with surrounding residents. Let’s talk about next steps and solutions. If the project is denied today and the applicant wishes to move forward, I would recommend pursuing one of two projects.  First would be to evaluate a small-lot residential or multifamily residential project. This would be compatible with surrounding land uses and would be an appropriate use to include next to Paloma Park. Unsightly fencing would not be necessary and the pedestrian experience along El Camino Real and Viejo Camino would be improved.  The second project would be to explore converting the existing design into a light commercial business park that would create jobs on the south end of town and add economic vibrancy. With help from the Community Development department, either or both concepts would work nicely on the site and could fit within the area proposed for building pads. We need projects that create jobs, we need projects that activate and enhance the El Camino Real Corridor, and we need a developer that listens to the Community and Council. We don’t need this project. Once again, please deny the project as currently proposed with mini storage uses. Thank You, JOSH CROSS SUBMISSION FROM: Haley Pinney From: haley pinney <hpinney@gmail.com> Sent: Wednesday, June 9, 2021 12:09 PM To: City Clerk <cityclerk@atascadero.org> Subject: Meeting 6/9 Appeal Dove Creek Mini Storage Hello my name is Haley Pinney I would like to say that I am opposed to the building of Dove Creek Mini Storage Facility. I have lived in Atascadero my whole life and for 13 of those years I was at The Bordeaux Apartments, right across the street from where the mini storage is planned. The last thing people need on the south side of Atascadero is mini storage especially when our town already has 7 other mini storages. A lot of people in the Bordeaux and the other surrounding apartments, mobile home units, and senior living areas can’t really afford the extra monthly cost of a storage unit. I think the land could be used to serve the people in a different way. The United Methodist up the street started have a community garden, the city can have one too. Lower income families can plant their own food, the wetlands won’t be as effected by development, and we can plant native species to support pollinators and local wildlife. Or if y’all don’t like that plan we can always use more low income housing or A locally owned grocery store, it’s hard to get to the other side of town for essentials, especially if RTA is your only choice. Don’t build the mini storage, we don’t need it, south Atascadero was a wonderful place to grow up and we can make it even better, a mini storage is basically a parking lot for stuff and we shouldn't waste more land on it. SUBMISSION FROM: Tori Keen From: Tori <torioreo@yahoo.com> Sent: Wednesday, June 9, 2021 9:27 AM To: City Clerk <cityclerk@atascadero.org> Subject: Public Comment on Dove Creek Appeal To the Atascadero City Council: My name is Tori Keen and I am a Planning Commissioner and resident of Atascadero. I do not support the Dove Creek Mini-Storage for various reasons. First, it does not conform with the surrounding neighborhood. Mini Storage is not only industrial in nature, the buildings are large footprints of hardscape. While efforts were made by the developer to make it more attractive, it doesn't change the fact there are multiple large, long buildings with asphalt between. The southern face of the project is a large wall facing the gateway to our city. While there are landscape plans, it will take years for the trees and other greenery to grow large enough to make it attractive. There is also a fence that encircles the property, closing it off to any other uses. Second, there is also the redirection of the creek the project proposes. This is in direct opposition to the Atascadero City General Plan. There have been quite a few references to a "similar" project in Nipomo. The mini storage is located in the Trilogy development. I drove to Nipomo to see this property and have enclosed pictures of them. Woodlands Mini Storage is not in the middle of the development. It is on the southwestern outskirts of the Trilogy neighborhood in a small industrial park. One does not have to ever see the mini storage when driving through the Trilogy neighborhood. As you can see, the Woodlands Mini Storage is a typical looking mini storage with rows of metal buildings. Unless one knows its there, the houses on the hill above, might never notice it. To me, that is the proper place and acknowledgment of a mini-storage. It does not belong on the main corridor of Atascadero in the middle of a residential neighborhood. I do not believe approving this Conditional Use Permit will help with Atascadero's economic development in any way. It does not bring jobs or tax revenue to the city, two goals I believe are important to the city's future. While I understand this is a difficult piece of property to develop, I hope that rather than develop for development's case, the City Council can focus on this strip of Public Use land and rezone it in the future during the General plan update in order to open up more and different options for developers moving forward. Photos: 117: Street view of Woodlands Mini Storage 118: View from street, Woodlands Mini Storage, Trilogy Neighborhood up the hill behind it 121: Undeveloped Industrial Park 122: Undeveloped Industrial Park with Trilogy Neighborhood up the hill 123: From the Trilogy Neighborhood, this service road runs down the hill to the entrance in photo 118 126: Panoramic view from top of hill: Water treatment plan on left side, Woodlands Mini Storage left center, undeveloped (future plan for expansion of mini storage) center right 128: Agricultural field, and future expansion of Woodlands Mini Storage 130: Taken from southwestern most cul-de-sac; water treatment plant to the south of mini storage 131: Taken from southwestern most cul-de-sac in Trilogy; houses with walls along property line, Mini storage is off to the left, outside of the photograph. Please contact me if you need any more information. Tori Keen Planning Commissioner 805-835-8599 117: Street view of Woodlands Mini Storage 118: View from street, Woodlands Mini Storage, Trilogy Neighborhood up the hill behind it 121: Undeveloped Industrial Park 122: Undeveloped Industrial Park with Trilogy Neighborhood up the hill 123: From the Trilogy Neighborhood, this service road runs down the hill to the entrance in photo 118 126: Panoramic view from top of hill: Water treatment plan on left side, Woodlands Mini Storage left center, undeveloped (future plan for expansion of mini storage) center right 128: Agricultural field, and future expansion of Woodlands Mini Storage 130: Taken from southwestern most cul-de-sac; water treatment plant to the south of mini storage 131: Taken from southwestern most cul-de-sac in Trilogy; houses with walls along property line, Mini storage is off to the left, outside of the photograph. Opposed SUBMISSION FROM: Christian Marano From: Christian Marano <cgmarano@gmail.com> Sent: Tuesday, June 8, 2021 9:09 PM To: City Clerk <cityclerk@atascadero.org> Subject: Appeal Dove Creek Mini-Storage -DEV20-007 (Newton) Members of the City Council: I am Christian Marano, an Atascadero resident living in the Las Lomas neighborhood with my family of four since 2015, and I have worked in Atascadero continuously since 2002. I am writing to express my strong opposition to the proposed self-storage facility at 11450 Viejo Camino and 11505 El Camino Real. At the core of this issue is the unequivocal fact that this type of structure at the noted locations is not consistent with the provision stipulated in the Atascadero General Plan 2025 which states: "Ensure that new development is compatible with existing and surrounding neighborhoods" (Policy 2.1). Despite any structural redesign, landscaping, or architectural features that may be applied to this project, the fact that it is a storage facility is in itself INCOMPATIBLE with the surrounding multi- and single-family neighborhood and parkland. Determining how a storage facility can be compatible with the neighborhood goes against Policy 2.1 of the Atascadero General Plan. Contrary to the findings, the visual aspect should not be the criteria which determines compatibility of any development with existing and surrounding neighborhoods. The character of surrounding areas goes deeper than the superficial appearance. Families and residents live and play in this area. What does a storage facility add to the character of our neighborhood? It does not add adequate jobs nor does it contribute to our quality of life. My opposition is also based on these potential/probable negative effects:  The loss of neighborhood and community character  Decreased natural appeal of the nearby Paloma Creek Park where many children and families play, walk, and bike  A decrease in the market value of my home and my neighbors’ homes  There will be Increased traffic congestion adding to an already dangerous situation and rapidly deteriorating roads on Viejo Camino and Santa Barbara Road owing to large construction trucks and high-volume traffic and parking along Viejo Camino during sporting and equestrian events on Paloma Creek Park  The likely destruction of wetlands and subsequent detrimental effects on nature  Once the facility is granted approval, the developer may change the original concept with minimal oversight I urge you to please exercise prudence and DO NOT approve the Dove Creek Self-storage. Sincerely, Christian Marano 11150 Eliano Street Atascadero, CA 93422 SUBMISSION FROM: Scott Head -----Original Message----- From: Scott Head <scottdhead@gmail.com> Sent: Tuesday, June 8, 2021 5:06 PM To: City Council <CityCouncil@atascadero.org> Cc: City Clerk <cityclerk@atascadero.org> Subject: Dove Creek Mini Storage Dear Atascadero City Council, My family are residents at 11235 Eliano St near the proposed site for Dove Creek Mini Storage. I urge you to to appeal the Planning Commission’s decision and deny a Conditional Use Permit for Dove Creek Mini Storage. We love this side of town and are eager to see it developed in a manner that supports its residents well. What we could use are more grocery stores, restaurants, and other retail commercial services. Those that use Paloma Park would also benefit from more services on this side of town. There are already 7 other mini-storage facilities in Atascadero. It’s simply not what we need on this side of town. That type of facility is better suited for the far outskirts of town or somewhere in a more industrialized environment which the currently proposed area is not at all. I urge you to put this area to better use and bring services that will make our neighborhood even better. This project was denied a permit in 2019 as well. Regards, Scott Head SUBMISSION FROM: Trevor Fry From: Trevor Fry <tfryinc@hotmail.com> Sent: Tuesday, June 8, 2021 4:25 PM To: City Council <CityCouncil@atascadero.org>; City Clerk <cityclerk@atascadero.org> Subject: Mini Storage Project by Dove Creek To whom it may concern, I am strongly opposed to the mini storage project by Dove Creek and ask you to please consider not approving this project. Our town already has at least 7 mini-storage locations, and adding another one doesn't seem like the type of business the attract new people and tourism to our town. Setting up a retail area in this location would be much better suited as it would attract people who are at the park, as well as the various neighborhoods that have sprung up all around there. Even the little liquor store that is right there has a lot of traffic going to it. Imagine if there was more supporting infrastructure for the south end of our town; it could attract people from Santa Margarita and SLO as a destination, much like people from Atascadero travel to Paso Robles for wining and dining. I urge you to reconsider this project and please do not allow it to be approved. Thank you for your consideration //Trevor Fry (805) 710-1636 11270 Eliano St, Atascadero, CA 93422 SUBMISSION FROM: Navtej Singh -----Original Message----- From: Navi <navi4u4@gmail.com> Sent: Tuesday, June 8, 2021 2:53 PM To: City Council <CityCouncil@atascadero.org> Cc: City Clerk <cityclerk@atascadero.org> Subject: Dove Creek Mini Storage I object to the city’s plan for this storage. One side San Luis, paso and five cities are bring service to their communities. Atascadero town Palmer is working on building storages for them.what a poor vision for the town. Plan for a growth which serves the community. Not the Self operated storages or motels. Navtej Singh 2039187552 SUBMISSION FROM: Ashley Fry From: Ashley Fry <helloashleyfry@gmail.com> Sent: Tuesday, June 8, 2021 1:50 PM To: City Council <CityCouncil@atascadero.org>; City Clerk <cityclerk@atascadero.org> Subject: Mini Storage Project by Dove Creek To whom it may concern, I am strongly opposed to the mini storage project by Dove Creek and ask you to please consider not approving this project. A mini storage facility is not consistent with the family-friendly activities and atmosphere we enjoy in our neighborhood and would add unnecessary traffic and parking concerns. My children regularly play at Paloma Creek Park and utilize the sports fields and I really worry about added cars going down an already busy road. Because we live in the Southern part of Atascadero and truly act as a gateway into the rest of the city, it would make so much more sense to bring retail in that provides food, breweries, wine tasting, family-friendly activities, etc to this part of town to for all the families on this side of town to enjoy, but also to really welcome visitors in. I urge you to reconsider this project and please do not allow it to be approved. Thank you for your consideration. Ashley Fry 11270 Eliano St, Atascadero, CA 93422 SUBMISSION FROM: Steve Silva From: Steve M. Silva <estimating@dasilvaunderground.com> Sent: Tuesday, June 8, 2021 12:00 PM To: City Clerk <cityclerk@atascadero.org> Subject: 11450 & 11505 El Camino Real Storage Facility Opposition Atascadero Planning Commission, I wanted to write to you that I strongly oppose the development of the Dove Creek Mini Storage project. Owning a construction company myself, I can appreciate the value of development but in a responsible manner. I’ve never been in a town where there are more storage facilities and adding another doesn’t seem logical. In addition, the location of the proposed development will significantly reduce the value, charm and quality of our South Atascadero area. Please do NOT approve this development and please consider a more responsible project for our community. Sincerely, Steve M. Silva President License #: 1040132 P: (805) 234-4620 estimating@dasilvaunderground.com SUBMISSION FROM: Barbara & Jack Bridwell From: Barbara Bridwell <jbbridwell@sbcglobal.net> Sent: Tuesday, June 8, 2021 11:23 AM To: City Clerk <cityclerk@atascadero.org> Subject: Submittal to be included in the City Council agenda RE: Appeal meeting on DEV 20-0076 Respectfully submitted as an attachment. Thank you, Jack R and Barbara Bridwell Jack R. & Barbara Bridwell Atascadero, CA 92422 June 8, 2021 To the City Council: RE: Dove Creek Mini Storage Project 11450 and 11505 El Camino Real. It is very frustrating and disheartening that we must continually make our voices heard in opposition to the same project being presented over and over with minor revisions. Thrown at us again and again until we wear down and succumb! This proposed project is STILL NOT CONDUSIVE to our family neighborhood at the southern gateway of Atascadero. The City Council made the correct decision the first time. My husband and I live next door to this project in a 1914 Colony Home. It is causing us great anxiety that our property may be destroyed due to flooding above ground and the very real and past experienced underground flooding. We would love to get behind and fully support a project that falls under the existing General Plan, current zoning and LOC Policy 8.2. Such as a public pool, sports facility and Pavilion, etc. We are pleading to your better judgement, care and concern for our neighborhood and the Southern Gateway to our great city. Please do not approve DEV 20-0076 Dove Creek Mini Storage as it does not fit with our beautiful family neighborhood. To authorize the destruction and rerouting of the existing wetlands and blue line creek flies in the face of LOC Policy 8.2. It would be destined to cause permanent damage to our Historical 1914 Colony Home. Sincerely, Jack & Barbara Bridwell SUBMISSION FROM: Chris Neary From: Chris Neary <diabloridr@yahoo.com> Sent: Sunday, June 6, 2021 9:34 AM To: City Clerk <cityclerk@atascadero.org> Subject: Dove Creek Mini-Storage (Agenda Item DEV20-0076) Dear Council Members: My wife and I are residents in the neighborhood where the Dove Creek Mini-Storage is proposed. We provided comments on the original proposed project which the Council did not approve in 2019 (attached below). We agree with the basis of that disapproval and believe that basis remains valid for the proposed project now before you. The current project has been revised to (1) reduce the square footage of the buildings, (2) change the appearance of the buildings, and (3) plant landscaping. None of these revisions invalidate the reason the Council disapproved the project in 2019: It is fundamentally incompatible with the surrounding neighborhood, including the adjacent farmhouse which dates back to the original Colony, as well as Paloma Creek Park. Since the project is proposed within a designated "Gateway" into the City the development is in conflict with General Plan Policy 1.3 Item 8 and should not be approved. Thank you for your attention, Chris Neary & Tracey Adams ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A staff member has submitted a resolution to your online request. DETAILS: RE: Use permit for 11450 Viejo Camino & 111505 El Camino Real (Mini Storage) As a landowner near the proposed project, I wish to register my opposition based on the followng reasons: 1) The proposed replacement of the natural "blue line" drainage with an engineered wetland and channelized drainage does not comply with the General Plan policy for a 20-foot setback from all jurisdictional creeks and watercourses. The proposed channelized drainage will have no setback from one project building and will move the drainage to within 25 feet of the adjacent property, increasing flooding risk for the owner of this Colony home. 2) The proposed project will create a solid wall of buildings to the north of the adjacent residential property, replacing their rural view with a simulation of a prison wall. No effective mitigation is proposed. 3) The proposed project would allow general lighting until 11PM, inconsistant with the surrounding neighborhood. The adjacent Paloma Park only permits lighting until 9PM, which I can see from my property which is 1/4 mile away. My family normally goes to sleep at 9:30, so the project lighting will likely disrupt our routine. 4) The Environmental Analysis screened Agricultural Resources impacts as "Not Applicable" by relying on web-based tool, ignoring the Terra-Verde's finding that property is regularly grazed by goats. The inconsistancy of these two findings ignore reality and only serve to further the applicant's desired use. For all these reasons, I urge the Planning Commision to deny this request. Chris Neary RESOLUTION: Thank you. I will make sure the Commission gets these comments. This request has been closed. Click On The Link Below To View This Ticket https://www.atascadero.org/legacysites/index.php?option=com_chc&page=ticket&tracki ng_id=2468 Should you have any questions regarding the system please call (805) 470-3400. SUBMISSION FROM: Bing Anderson From: Bing Anderson <bianders777@gmail.com> Sent: Sunday, June 6, 2021 8:41 AM To: City Clerk <cityclerk@atascadero.org> Subject: Public comments for the June 9 City Council meeting, Re SELF-STORAGE FACILITY AT 11450 VIEJO CAMINO AND 11505 EL CAMINO REAL To the City Council: I live on La Paloma Court. I oppose Scott Newton's Dove Creek self-storage project. In 2019, Scott Newton lost his appeal to the Atascadero City Council for his proposed mini-storage project at the same site. Part of that was due to strong opposition from most of us living in the neighborhood. A mere one year later, he is allowed to give it another try? What if Scott Newton tries it for a third time? What if a fourth time? Do we have any respect to the City Council's decision in 2019? I am sure the mini-storage will ask the tenants to sign a document on what cannot be stored. But my own experiences with other mini-storages is that they had very little checking on what goes into those storage units. What if something dangerous gets stored there? Some poisonous chemicals that eventually leak out to sicken or kill many in the community, or something inflammable or explosive that one day incinerates the entire neighborhood. Most economists would agree that free market is a good thing, except when there is externality. Externality is just when it hurts a bystander, and that's when the government should come in and intervene to protect the innocent bystander. Scott Newton's project is going to hurt a lot of innocent bystanders. This is a beautiful residential neighborhood. Putting a business facility of that size right in the heart of a residential neighborhood, that's very unusual, and something I have never heard of before. It's going to forever change the characteristic of the neighborhood, and depress the real estate prices in the entire neighborhood and beyond. When the value of my home goes down, I am hurt by the project, and I won't be alone. In situations like this, governments should come in and stop that person from hurting many innocent bystanders. But in Atascadero, if the City permits Scott Newton to build the mini-storage, the government will be helping him instead. Yes, the storage facility may bring some tax revenue. But once it depresses house prices in the neighborhood, how much property tax revenue are we going to lose? Is it really worth it, even just from a purely financial view? If we add the environmental damage, the traffic impact, etc. , all those hidden costs, the picture is even worse. Why would the City even consider a project that brings no net benefit to the city, over the opposition of many of its residents? An apple rots a bit first, then the rot gets bigger and bigger over time, till eventually the whole apple is gone. The decline of a neighborhood or a city is the same. When we look back 20 years later, this putting a mini-storage facility in the middle of a beautiful residential neighborhood, may very well be that first bit of rot that eventually brings down the whole apple. Please, please, don't let that happen. Bing Anderson 9318 La Paloma Court Atascadero, CA 93422 SUBMISSION FROM: Caroline Li From: caroline li <shuyunli126@gmail.com> Sent: Sunday, June 6, 2021 8:37 AM To: City Clerk <cityclerk@atascadero.org> Subject: Public comments for the June 9 City Council meeting, Re SELF-STORAGE FACILITY AT 11450 VIEJO CAMINO AND 11505 EL CAMINO REAL Dear Members of the City Council, I own a house on La Paloma Court. I oppose Scott Newton's self storage project in my neighborhood. Putting a business facility of that size right in the middle of a residential neighborhood is unheard of, and is just a plainly awful thing to do. It's going to hurt the neighbors all around it, and depress the real estate values of the entire neighborhood. The value of my home is affected by the values of homes around it. When the price of a house on one side of my house goes down, it will drag down the value of my house. After my house price goes down, it will in turn drag down the price of the house on the other side. This propagates. Prices of the houses in the immediate neighborhood go down first, then farther out, then even farther out. It's going to hurt a lot of people. I have been to the inner city neighborhoods of Detroit, Chicago, and other places. Those horrible neighborhoods, they all once had a prosperous past. The change and decline were never overnight. Very often, the decline of the real estate prices was the first thing to happen. Next, people who can afford to move out, they move out of the neighborhood. People who cannot afford to live anywhere else, they move in. Then, you have more crimes, trash on the sidewalk, graffiti on the walls. Eventually, you have boarded- up windows, metal window bars, with feces, used condoms, syringes on the sidewalk. It's like rolling a boulder down the hill. Once it starts rolling, it's very hard to stop the decline. If 20 years down the road, this part of Atascadero declines into that, do you think the rest of Atascadero can remain a land of oasis? There are many, unexpected ways the plight of this part of Atascadero can spread and infect far and wide. Robert Putnam is a professor of Public Policy at Harvard. In his book, Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis, on page 77, he wrote: Parental incarceration is a strong predictor of bad educational outcomes. Indeed, the pernicious effects of incarceration "spill over" onto the classmates of kids whose dads are imprisoned, even if the dads of those classmates are not in prison. If you live in Atascadero, no matter how far from the site of the self storage, I urge you to vote against the project. Given time, this project is going to hurt us all. As Ernest Hemingway wrote in his novel For Whom the Bell Tolls : "never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for you." Sincerely, Caroline Li 9318 La Paloma Court Atascadero, CA 93422 SUBMISSION FROM: Cathy LeMoine From: Cathy LeMoine <cathylouiselemoine@gmail.com> Sent: Sunday, June 6, 2021 7:58 AM To: City Clerk <cityclerk@atascadero.org>; Heather Moreno <hmoreno@atascadero.org>; Heather Newsom <hnewsom@atascadero.org>; Charles Bourbeau <cbourbeau@atascadero.org>; Mark Dariz <mdariz@atascadero.org>; Susan Funk <sfunk@atascadero.org> Subject: Mini Storage at 11450 Viejo Camino Please deny the Mini Storage facility as presented. In my previous correspondence I mentioned our concerns: Traffic over the narrow bridge on Viejo Camino; Large tow vehicles and vans coming by the entrance to Paloma Park; The size of the project; The interference with the creek ; The poor maintenance this owner has shown at his other facilities; Ruining a beautiful piece of property that is at a gateway location to our City. There are so many better uses for this very visible piece of property. Please deny this project as presented. We are long time Atascadero City residents and our home is our biggest investment. This project will not add value to our home or our community. Jerry & Cathy LeMoine 11385 Eliano St from 1/2006 to present homeowner 8930 Ortega Rd from 1986--2001 homeowner 805-748-6365 SUBMISSION FROM: Lon Allen From: Monty Clouse, Ph.D. <mclouse@pacbell.net> Sent: Wednesday, June 9, 2021 8:52 AM To: City Clerk <cityclerk@atascadero.org>; City Council <CityCouncil@atascadero.org> Subject: FW: we're trying to protect one of Atascadero's Colony Homes -- please read As requested below, the email immediately below is from Lon Allan. Monty Clouse From: Lon Allan <lonallan39@gmail.com> Sent: Tuesday, June 8, 2021 1:36 PM To: Monty Clouse, Ph.D. <mclouse@pacbell.net> Subject: Re: we're trying to protect one of Atascadero's Colony Homes -- please read This city has never seen a commercial project it didn't like. There is no thought to "does this fit being here" I remember taking a picture of that beautiful home surrounded by water. I believe inserting a storage facility onto that site would cause nearby flooding. It simply doesn't belong there; it would ruin the rural nature of the neighborhood. That home was built in 1916 according to Historical Society records by someone named Hubbard. At one time Atascadero's general plan called for "preservation of our rural lifestyle. Inserting a mini-storage anywhere in this neighborhood would violate the quality of life here. Sorry I didn't respond sooner. I've been away. You may forward this letter to the city if you please. In Favor SUBMISSION FROM: Zoe Zappas From: Zoe Zappas <zoe@zvillages.com> Sent: Wednesday, June 9, 2021 1:10 PM To: City Clerk <cityclerk@atascadero.org>; Annette Manier <amanier@atascadero.org> Subject: Special Session City Council: Please Read into Public Comment Hello City Council, My name is Zoe Zappas, Atascadero resident, and real estate manager and developer. I am writing in support of this proposed Self Storage Facility located at 11450 Viejo Camino. As a resident that lives in the area around this proposed project, I see no issue with it's compatibility with the surrounding neighborhood. In fact, this might be the most beautiful and well designed storage facility that I have ever seen. The neighborhood is fairly quiet and calm and a self storage facility fits within the noise threshold that this neighborhood values. I have also been in this community long enough to remember when El Nino hit and Paloma Park was basically a large puddle. With the extensive water mitigation this project is taking on it will basically ensure that our park and surrounding neighborhood stays in a well maintained state when that next big storm comes. It's pretty unfortunate to hear the extreme NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) mentality coming out in full force opposition to this project. While I enjoy a healthy discourse about smart city planning, I fail to see a strong argument against this project. It's pretty straight forward, this is a neighborhood filled with multi-family housing and single family homes that need commercial services. From our experience managing apartment complexes, we know that residents are always looking for more storage, not to mention the potential fire hazard and neighborhood parking problems that residents impose upon themselves when they use their garages for storage. Thank you. Thank you, Zoe Zappas Z Villages Management & Development 6100 El Camino Real Suite C zoe@zvillages.com 805-674-6817 CONFIDENTIAL COMMUNICATION This electronic mail message and any attachments are intended only for the use of the addressee(s) named above and may contain information that is privileged, confidential and exempt from disclosure under applicable law.If you are not an intended recipient, or the employee or agent responsible for delivering this e-mail to the intended recipient, you are herebynotified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you received this e-mail message in error, please immediately notify the sender by replying to this message. SUBMISSION FROM: Max Zappas From: Max Zappas [mailto:max@zvillages.com] Sent: Tuesday, June 8, 2021 10:48 AM To: Annette Manier <amanier@atascadero.org>; City Clerk <cityclerk@atascadero.org> Subject: City council hearing message to be read in public comment My name is Max Zappas, I am an Atascadero resident, real estate broker, and developer with Z Villages Management and Development. Thank you for reading this message for me, I appreciate the opportunity to weigh in on this project. This is a tough project for all of the council members here tonight, thank you all for taking the time to review this project and for giving the applicant another chance. I commend your patience and commitment to bettering our community. This has been a controversial project from the beginning and any decision you make will be met with frustration from at least a portion of the Atascadero residents that are concerned about the project for conflicting reasons. There will likely be many people speaking their opinion tonight but there is a larger portion of our Atascadero population that will not voice their opinion or cannot voice it tonight. The renter population. Our company manages over 300 rental units here in town and we are well aware of the storage constraints our renter population faces. It is a problem and a fire hazard. Garages are full, closets are full, and existing rental storage units in our city have very low vacancy rates compared to other cities. Our renter residents need more storage and the largest concentration of rental housing in our city is surrounding this proposed project. It is the perfect location for a storage facility as it will cut commute times for our lowest income residents reducing greenhouse gases and wasted time for them. It will help foster the small business community that desperately needs storage/light industrial spaces and it will fill a very big need for that lower income portion of our population that needs an affordable storage solution nearby. More than half of the population in town are renters and renters are much more likely to need storage than homeowners who have more room. These folks do not have time to attend hours-long hearings like this one tonight and do not typically write in letters of support for projects in general so you likely won't hear from them. However, you must realize that you represent those people as well and they are not as vocal as others but are the larger percentage of your constituents compared to any/all homeowners speaking tonight. A large concern for the surrounding community members is the compatibility with the neighborhood. Neighborhood compatibility is an opinion and it is problematic to give too much weight to this portion of the approval process because it is subjective. A beautifully designed storage facility will add to property values in the neighborhood, it will encourage further development in the area, and it will fulfill a big need that is very apparent here in Atascadero but particularly this neighborhood. The neighborhood would be enhanced by this project and other proposed projects such as the one on the corner of Santa Barbara which is also being met by similar NIMBY opposition. When you consider the alternatives for the site, there isn't really much that would be compatible here besides more of the same and more of the same would squash out any hopes of orderly development or diversity of property uses. The design that has been proposed fits as well as it possibly can with the neighborhood characteristics. Nearby residents also felt the project proposed on the corner of Santa Barbara would not fit with their neighborhood characteristics but good planning is not all the same use in a given area, there has to be diversity and, more than that, there has to be viable businesses to service the needs of the community members. Lastly, denying this project sends a very clear message to the real estate development community and the business community that the city of Atascadero's approval process is risky and the decision makers are extremely unpredictable. Projects in Atascadero are therefore more inherently risky and risk is the biggest consideration for business owners and lenders alike. Large businesses looking to locate here see and hear about these types of things and it is impossible to attract them if you can't deliver their facility or project in a timely manner. Risk, time, and continuous design changes kill projects. Every developer in the county is aware of this project and they are watching to see how the city handles the approval process this time around. Our company works with the REACH organization that is trying to attract more jobs to the area to help offset the Diablo Power Plant closure but we will never be able to get those new jobs if we can't get out of our own way and get things built for them. How can we expect to attract businesses like a large manufacturing facility, an amazon distribution center, a cloud computing facility, a large custom office build out, if it will take 2-3 years to deliver it for them? They need things approved and under construction in 6 months or less and the state of California is already hard enough to deal with. They look at the City of Atascadero with a 3 year runway vs the city of Salt Lake City where they get paid to locate there and are open within a year. I encourage you to approve this project tonight, thank you for your time and consideration." -- Thank you, Max Zappas Z Villages Management & Development 6100 El Camino Real Suite C max@zvillages.com 805-674-4743 Con Lic # 1048492 RE Lic # 01997012 CONFIDENTIAL COMMUNICATION This electronic mail message and any attachments are intended only for the use of the addressee(s) named above and may contain information that is privileged, confidential and exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If you are not an intended recipient, or the employee or agent responsible for delivering this e-mail to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you received this e-mail message in error, please immediately notify the sender by replying to this message.