Colin Fiske – May 19, 2023 – Open streets and dense neighborhoods

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    Commissioners,
    Regarding the draft Design Element you’ll be reviewing at next Tuesday’s meeting, CRTP requests that you keep in mind
    in your deliberations the impact of design policies on the city’s ability to both allow and encourage economically
    feasible, dense, mixed‐use, walkable and transit‐oriented development.
    We also specificaly call your attention to Policy D‐2b, which as currently written commits the city to maintaining vehicle
    access on all downtown streets (“shall include amenities…while maintaining vehicle access”). This appears to preclude
    any future car‐free or “open” streets being implemented in the future. CRTP has long supported open streets on some of
    the Plaza‐fronting rights‐of‐way and other downtown streets, and we believe that this broadly popular idea should not
    be foreclosed by a General Plan policy.
    Finally, regarding the proposed Land Use map changes which you may also review on Tuesday, we reiterate our support
    for upzoning low‐density neighborhoods, particularly those near major activity centers such as downtown, Cal Poly
    Humboldt, and Valley West, in order to allow the development of more walkable, transit‐oriented housing.
    Thank you.
    ‐‐
    Colin Fiske (he/him)
    Executive Director
    Coalition for Responsible Transportation Priorities