Downtown SLO development: Bidding adieu to gas fumes and energy drinks

“There goes our view of the lovely green foothills and rocky peaks surrounding our San Luis Obispo town center.”

Ah, yes, fellow reader, I, too, will mourn the loss of the view from our former neighborhood gas station at Monterey and Santa Rosa streets. It seems like only yesterday we’d pack our daughter into her stroller for a stroll down to what once was surely one of the finest purveyors of gasoline, energy drinks and lotto tickets available in our fair town. There we’d stand, amidst the crowd of tourists, Red Bull and Twinkies in hand, and simply absorb the splendor of Cerro San Luis, made all the more magnificent by the almost rhythmic honking of commuters and the sweet aroma of gasoline and car emissions.

In all seriousness, SLO should be — and regularly is — commended for placing a high priority on the protection of our greenbelt. The proposed development at 1101 Monterey St. is the perfect use for that property, offering direly needed housing, a beautifully improved gateway to downtown and encouraging increased pedestrian access to the revitalized “uptown” area of Monterey. Thoughtful infill projects such as these should be encouraged, especially by those who place a high value on protecting our surrounding landscape.

This story was originally published March 8, 2016 at 12:56 AM with the headline "Downtown SLO development: Bidding adieu to gas fumes and energy drinks."