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<br /> <br />From: Carol [mailto:whoareu17@aol.com] <br />Sent: Sunday, June 12, 2016 6:20 PM <br />To: _Council <br />Subject: Zoning changes... <br /> <br /> <br /> June 12, 2016 <br /> <br />Hello, <br />Thank you to all city staff, City Council members and Planning Commissioners who work <br />to improve our wonderful city. You are often the behind the scene voices to city issues <br />and changes. Often times the public is not aware of what is going on/being proposed. <br />It is our own faults as, I'm pretty sure, all information is public record and that <br />meetings are open to the public. <br />It is when an issue comes up that directly impacts our lives, living spaces, future - that <br />one might stop, reflect and then say, "Wait a minute...hold on there!" The proposed <br />change to the city of San Leandro zoning code to expand "downtown" San Leandro into <br />residential neighborhoods - or rezone "P" (Professional Office District) zones to "DA-2" <br />zones (Downtown Area 2) is one of those issues for me (and my husband). <br />I was born in Oakland, lived my entire childhood and most of my adult life in San <br />Leandro. I have lived at my current address for over twenty years. I love San <br />Leandro. I love my house and our beautiful tree lined street! <br />I live (with my husband) at 645 Joaquin Avenue. Our house is across the street from <br />the recently sold office/medical building on Bancroft Avenue. If the rezoning is passed, <br />that lot can (I understand) become a massive five story, 51 unit, apartment complex. I <br />invite all people involved in this decision to come to our house and see how a huge <br />complex will impact our living space (including our front patio, front and side front room <br />windows, front door and front porch and walkway). I believe building a 51 unit <br />apartment complex will negatively impact the parking situation in the area. Joaquin <br />Avenue traffic will especially worsen. Evidence of worsened, more congested, traffic <br />can be witnessed today at the start and end of the school day. I believe that the <br />property values of the houses on Joaquin Avenue (and all residential housing near the <br />proposed complex) will go down. I believe there will be a negative impact on the <br />surrounding single family homes in this area - the feeling of openness and space will be <br />lost to a huge structure! <br />I am not opposed to change. Make the lot into a much smaller apartment complex; <br />keeping the "P" zoning. Or build single family homes (which I believe home owners are <br />more vested in the integrity of their city/community). I understand rent on a two <br />bedroom, two bath apartment is proposed to be $4,000.00 a month. Really? I did <br />some research on current San Leandro rentals and found: Out of 32 two bedroom <br />rentals available in San Leandro - none are renting for $4,000.00 a month! The highest <br />cost apartment is $3,697.00; two are asking $2,500.00; and the remaining 29 <br />apartments are asking between $1,600.00 to $2,300.00 per month. Who is going to <br />move to San Leandro with our limited arts, dining, shopping and pay $4,000.00 per