SLO neighborhood’s street crusade proves you can fight City Hall — and win

A group of concerned neighbors has triumphed in its yearlong effort to keep San Luis Obispo’s Luneta Drive closed to through traffic.

The street near the Foothill Plaza Shopping Center, shut off with posts that block cars, had long been in the city’s plans to open to vehicle traffic, but after listening to residents’ concerns and learning of the results of a traffic study that said no significant impacts would occur by keeping it closed, the City Council voted 5-0 to maintain its closure Tuesday.

The decision came to the delight of roughly 60 community supporters in attendance who waved green signs in support of maintaining the blocked street. They say the street, located two blocks south of Foothill Boulevard, serves as a de facto pocket park, community gathering hub, and safe area for pedestrians and kids on bikes.

Over the course of the last year, community members worked with city staff members to address concerns, highlight the uses of the closed street and evaluate the best alternative moving forward.

“This is a top-notch example of community organizing,” said Mayor Heidi Harmon. “You guys could teach a class on this in the future.”

Roberto Monge, an area resident, showed the council a video he produced, capturing neighborhood ice cream gatherings and chalk street art. Monge’s young son spoke about his desire to keep riding his bicycle in the area safely.

“It has been our park,” Monge said. “Save Luneta. Save our neighborhood.”

City traffic studies showed that if the street remains closed, slightly more vehicle traffic will be diverted to Ramona Drive, the parallel street one block over, after the neighborhood reaches full buildout, increasing to 345 trips from 330 during an average peak hour.

The current daily volume of cars on Ramona is about 4,000. The city raised its daily vehicle threshold to 5,000 with a speed limit of 25 miles per hour, and traffic calming measures would be added if average volumes and speeds are measured beyond those limits.

The opening of Luneta would have taken place near the 71 Palomar property, where the council has approved a development of 33 residential units.

A lawsuit submitted by a group called Friends of 71 Palomar was filed against the city and developer LR Development Group claiming the the city failed to analyze “environmental and significant impacts” as required under the California Environmental Quality Act.

But San Luis Obispo Superior Court Judge Barry LaBarbera issued a final judgment on Monday in favor of the city and developer, saying guidelines were properly followed.

Pending any appeal of the case, construction on the site now may begin once the developer obtains building permits.

This story was originally published October 25, 2017 at 4:27 PM with the headline "SLO neighborhood’s street crusade proves you can fight City Hall — and win."