HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 2 - Watry LetterGood day, Planning Commissioners:
My name is Peter Watry -- my wife's health is such that I am unable to
attend meetings, so I am using this method to share my remarks relative to the
project at 3rd & K streets. I am a member of Crossroads. Our main interest are
the decisions regarding land -use issues in Chula Vista. This proposed project
really upsets us.
The city spent almost $1 million to develop the original Urban Core Specific
Plan in 2008. The Plan created the C -1 Corridor, Third Avenue from almost
H Street south to L Street, and of course includes this property. Most of that
stretch of Third Avenue at present consists of small businesses, a few large ones,
and little if any residential.
In the original Urban Core Plan, C -1 properties could be re- developed as
office and/or retail buildings, but only 40% of a building could be residential.
"Mixed development" was the new catch -word.
Then in March last year, there were many adjustments to the Urban Core
Specific Plan. The most obvious one was correcting a problem they had with R -3
properties in the original Urban Core Specific Plan meetings. Crossroads II was
involved, too, particularly with certain parking requirements. But we do not
remember C -1 getting any attention at all.
But the fact is, without any public input the limit on residential space was
removed, and thus the project before you is 98% residential. None of us remember
being aware of that change at all. As you can see by the attached, there was never
any public notice about doing this. That is, the public has never had a chance to
discuss this very significant change to the character of western Chula Vista
that that change makes possible, indeed probable in view of the overwhelming
desire of developers to build residential in Chula Vista. This change will result in
yet more commercial property becoming residential. That is a "game- changer" for
western Chula Vista, maybe good, maybe not. If you approve this project, it will
be a precedent for the entire C -1 Corridor.
I urge you to postpone a decision on this plan before you, and hold some
bind of a Public Hearing about the wisdom of this dramatic change in the
nature of western Chula Vista. Or, if you choose to approve this development,
please include a condition that a Public Hearing must be held about the wisdom of
this dramatic change in the rest of C -1 before any more such projects are
considered.
Peter Watry
81 Second Avenue
Chula Vista, CA 91910
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(Note: NOWHERE does it mention deleting the maximum amounts for residential
or any other changes in C -1 or G2)
The "title" of Agenda Item #3 on the April 21, 2015 Council meeting:
A. ORDINANCE NO. 3341 OF THE CITY OF CHULA VISTA ADOPTING
AMENDMENTS TO THE URBAN CORE SPECIFIC PLAN TO: 1) REZONE
CERTAIN APARTMENT RESIDENTIAL (R -3) ZONED PARCELS AND
CERTAIN COMMERCIAL ZONED PARCELS FOR CONSISTENCY
WITHIN THEIR UCSP SUBDISTRICT AREA EXCLUDING THE
FOLLOWING SUBDISTRICTS: V-1; V 2; V-3; UC -12; AND UC -14; 2)
REMOVE THE MINIMUM FLOOR AREA RATIO IN CERTAIN
SUBDISTRICTS; 3) REMOVE LOT COVERAGE AS A MANDATORY
DEVELOPMENT STANDARD; AND 4) MAKE MINOR MODIFICATIONS
TO ENSURE CONSISTENCY WITH CITY POLICIES, PROCEDURES,
AND PROCESSES (SECOND READING AND ADOPTION)
B. ORDINANCE NO. 3342 OF THE CITY OF CHULA VISTAADOPTING
AMENDMENTS TO THE URBAN CORE SPECIFIC PLAN TO: 1) REZONE
CERTAIN APARTMENT RESIDENTIAL (R -3) ZONED PARCELS AND
CERTAIN COMMERCIAL ZONED PARCELS FOR CONSISTENCY
WITHIN THEIR UCSP AREA; 2) REMOVE THE MINIMUM FLOOR AREA
RATIO IN CERTAIN SUBDISTRICTS; 3) REMOVE LOT COVERAGE AS A
MANDATORY DEVELOPMENT STANDARD; AND 4) MAKE MINOR
MODIFICATIONS TO ENSURE CONSISTENCY WITH CITY POLICIES,
PROCEDURES, AND PROCESSES (SECOND READING AND
ADOPTION)
C. ORDINANCE NO. 3343 OF THE CITY OF CHULA VISTA
ADOPTING AMENDMENTS TO THE URBAN CORE SPECIFIC PLAN
LAND USE MATRIX TO ALLOW CERTAIN DELETIONS AND ADDITIONS
OF LAND USES AND PERMIT PROCESSES (SECOND READING AND
ADOPTION)
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(For you general enlightenment)
Gary Halpert vs. Adam Smith
Years ago, there was a local real estate gentleman active in Chula Vista business
and civic affairs. He kept stressing that we needed "more feet on the street." His name
was Chris Lewis. At one point, Ralphs built a new grocery near Naples. Not too many
years later, it folded. Chris spoke before the Chula Vista City Council one night and
berated them for causing the failure of that Ralphs -- the city had not encouraged enough
high - density housing to support that Ralphs. He clearly felt that residences should serve
the needs of business. He said that Ralphs failed because the Council had not put enough
"feet on the street."
On the other hand, in 1776 Adam Smith wrote: "Consumption is the sole end and
purpose of all production; and the interest of the producer ought to be attended to, only
so far as it may be necessary for promoting that of the consumer."
The then - current system Smith was opposing was the system of how the English
government gave so much monopoly power to a few men in the American colonies, and
how the English government used its power at home to help producers -- for instance,
high tariffs to keep out foreign competitors. He called that system the "mercantile
system." Smith continued: "But in the mercantile system, the interest of the consumer is
almost constantly sacrificed to that of the producer; and it seems to consider production,
and not consumption, as the ultimate end and object of all industry and commerce."
So Chris Lewis and Adam Smith represent the two opposite views of the object of
an economy -- do residents exist to serve businesses (Lewis) or do businesses exist to
serve residents (Smith)?
Currently our City Council is involved in creating "Community Facilities
Districts" in western Chula Vista, the purpose of which is to create higher densities than
currently exist in the older parts of Chula Vista. I do not remember that we who live in
western Chula Vista ever voted for such a change. Then why this effort? City Manager,
Gary Halpert, made it clear at a recent Council meeting. The discussion was about how
so many businesses fail in western Chula Vista because people are shopping at the malls
now. So how do we help our struggling businesses? By "putting more feet on the street,"
said City Manager Halpert. So Chris Lewis has a disciple in saying that residents exist to
serve businesses.
Sorry, Mr. Smith, your "free market" beliefs lost another one. The "mercantile
system" is alive and well in Chula Vista City Hall!
Peter Watry
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