Praise for SLO neighborhood organizers

It is good to witness “a group of concerned neighbors” win a yearlong effort to preserve the parklike quality of their neighborhood (to keep Luneta Drive closed to through traffic). According to the recent Tribune article, “Community members worked with city staff members to address concerns … and evaluate the best alternative moving forward.”

SLO is a city that could benefit enormously from concerned residents who provide “top-notch” expertise in planning, architecture and environmental considerations.

Former mayors, city councilors, planning commissioners, supervisors, professors and longstanding residents are untiring in their commitment to the general well-being of SLO’s downtown, neighborhoods and open spaces. They possess a rich, pertinent knowledge of SLO: its history, its general plan, its ordinances. They reference their contributions with relevant comparisons to equivalent California cities and an awareness of Sacramento guidelines and expectations.

May the city staff and City Council welcome, respect and reflect upon their contributions, rather than dismiss them as obstructive and antagonistic. They are not out to “fight City Hall,” but to use reasoned discourse to work with City Hall toward the common good, toward a city that preserves its essential character, while accommodating changes that honor its core values and vision.

This story was originally published November 7, 2017 at 7:22 PM with the headline "Praise for SLO neighborhood organizers."