Concerned Citizens of Cayucos August 1, 2007 Mike Wulkan, Senior Planner SUBJECT: Cayucos Del Mar Development Project Dear Mr. Wulkan: We are writing on behalf of the Concerned Citizens of Cayucos (CCC) regarding the Cayucos Del Mar Development Project, which is proposed for south Cayucos near the intersection of Old Creek Road and Highway One. The CCC was formed in opposition to this Project in February 2007, shortly after nearby residents became aware of the proposal. We have an active membership of approximately 80 members, and over 1,400 signatures on a petition of opposition, mostly from Cayucos residents and property owners. We do not oppose the development of the property in question. However, we do oppose this particular project because its massive size and retail activities are incompatible with the surrounding residential neighborhood. In July 2006 the Cayucos Citizens Advisory Council voted to support the Del Mar Development Project when they were unaware of how the neighboring residents would react. In March and April 2007 more than 200 Cayucos residents attended the CCAC meetings to voice their opposition to this development as submitted, and the Advisory Council agreed to reconsider their support pending the environmental review. However, we have been advised to bring our concerns to the attention of all involved governing bodies. Our anxieties involve compatibility; traffic; parking; deliveries and service; school bus service; architecture; water, light, noise, and air pollution. These are detailed below: COMPATIBILITY The neighborhood surrounding the site consists of single-family residences. Approximately a third of these are single-story, 800 - 1,200 square feet that are best described as beach bungalows, and the remainder are modest two-story 1,600 - 2,000 square foot homes. Because of the size of the residential lots in the area there are view corridors an average of every 50 feet, and the two-story houses in the immediate area are no taller than 24 feet. The Del Mar Project will literally dwarf these homes with its three stories, 30,000 square feet (55,000 square feet, if the subterranean garage is included), and minimum setbacks. The eastern aspect of the planned project will be approximately 225 feet long and 30 feet high. It will have common wall construction and no view corridors, creating a virtual wall in front of the residents on Orville Avenue. The site is a former gas station that hasn't operated in over 25 years. Approximately 15 years ago a collectables business operated for a period of time, followed by a very low volume automotive detailer, and presently it's being used as a storage facility for a local plumbing contractor. With the referenced minor exceptions, there has been no significant commercial/retail activity in this part of Cayucos for approximately 10 years and thus it is clearly not needed or wanted. All commercial/retail development that has occurred in Cayucos during the last 25 plus years has been solely in the downtown area in north Cayucos. We are not opposed to commercial and retail businesses that would be compatible in a residential neighborhood, further we would like an assurance that any businesses developed on the property would remain compatible even with a change of ownership. However we strongly oppose time-share condominiums because they tend to draw large gatherings that generate a party atmosphere, which can result in loud and rowdy behavior. TRAFFIC As with any new development, additional traffic, vehicular and pedestrian alike, will be introduced to the area. In this case the traffic would be of a transient nature, which would compound the negative impacts. The intersection at Old Creek Road and Hwy One is confusing and dangerous. It includes both Ocean Boulevard and Studio Drive which parallel Hwy 1 on the east and west respectively, with only a narrow greenbelt separating them from Highway One. Residents quickly become familiar with the hazards associated with the intersection and learn to approach it with caution, not so with visitors. The problems would be exacerbated if delivery and service vehicles were also involved. The proposed restaurant and convenience store would have a high demand for delivery and service calls, and whether the related vehicles utilized Ocean Boulevard or Orville Avenue, they would undoubtedly pass through the neighborhood in order to return to Highway One or Old Creek Road, because the streets are too narrow for safe and convenient U-turns. PARKING As in most beach communities, public parking on the surface streets is at a premium in the referenced area; this Project would compound those problems. This Project includes subterranean parking, but no off-street surface parking. Regardless of how many subterranean parking spaces are available, off-street surface parking will be necessary to accommodate motel check-ins, service, delivery, guest, and short-term convenience store parking. With no provision for adequate off-street surface parking, the already limited surrounding street parking will be further stressed. DELIVERIES AND SERVICE Delivery and service vehicles, mostly powered by diesel engines, and many with refrigeration units, are frequently left running while making calls, thus inundating the surrounding area with unwanted noise and air pollution. Commercial trash activity would produce new noise and air pollution. Much of these activities would occur frequently and at odd hours of the day, every day of the week. SCHOOL BUS SERVICE The Project site has been the school bus stop for the area's children for as long as can be WATER POLLUTION Since the site of the Project was a long time operating gas station in an era when regulations for leaking tanks were mostly nonexistent, we are concerned about pollutants from de-watering and excavation activities being released. We are aware that in 1998 some limited subsurface investigative work was done regarding the gas tanks. However, we believe it prudent that additional precautions be taken, due to the amount of excavation and de-watering associated with the subterranean garage, as well as the close proximity to residents and receiving waters (Willow Creek and Pacific Ocean). In particular, the gradient of the shallow groundwater should be determined, and multiple groundwater samples should be collected and analyzed for total petroleum hydrocarbons and related constituents. Once the underground area becomes an active parking garage, our concerns are for preventing automotive fluids and floor washings from being discharged into local waterways. Also attention should be paid to the impacts on the receiving waters from the additional storm water that will be discharged as a result of the site becoming largely impermeable. ARCHITECTURE The proposed Mediterranean style is not in keeping with the criteria contained in the Estero Area Plan, which stipulates that commercial/retail buildings be a Western or Victorian style. Although this Project is removed from the core commercial/retail area of Cayucos, there are other commercial/retail sites in south Cayucos, and, if developed, they should all comply with the Estero Area Plan. Therefore, no variance should be granted simply because this happens to be the first one. LIGHT POLLUTION The Project will result in the generation of light pollution in the form of additional traffic, signage, exterior lighting for deliveries and parking, and that emitted from within. This will adversely affect the surrounding residents. NOISE POLLUTION Noise will be generated from transient users who oftentimes bring a party mentality and "I don't live here so why should I care" attitude with them. Additional noise will be from vehicular traffic associated with patrons, and commercial vehicles making deliveries at all times of every day. The quiet residential neighborhood would no longer exist. AIR POLLUTION In addition to the vehicle exhaust referenced under the Deliveries and Service heading, we are concerned that the underground parking structure will also need to be vented of exhaust fumes and thus further impact the surrounding neighborhood. There will be cooking odors associated with food preparation in the restaurant. People living in the area of the project could potentially have their homes and neighborhoods inundated with cooking odors, for extensive periods of time, every day. In summary the negative impacts of the proposed Project will severely affect the quality of life for a large segment of Cayucos residents. If approved, as submitted, the Project would also be precedent setting, leading to additional incompatible developments on the other few remaining commercial/retail properties in south Cayucos. We have reviewed the county planning files pertaining to this development. In doing so we noted concerns raised by staff members, following are some of those concerns. In March 2007, the problem of orderly traffic associated with the two commercial units was raised and there was an issue concerning the Project's subterranean parking being in a flood zone. We were unable to locate anything in the file regarding the current status of these concerns, or if they were resolved, and if so, how? We appreciate your review of our concerns, and would like to meet with you for the purpose of determining what we can do to make sure the completed Project is truly compatible with the surrounding neighborhood. Sincerely, CC: Cayucos Citizens Advisory Council (CCAC): Ed Carnegie |