CORRESPONDENCE - 75A - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

(it: 4. • CPathbLirt CS* NEIGHBORHOODS f 17901 Von KZallikart Ave,Suite 600 Irvine,CA.92014 (949)556-8714 www.better-neighborhoods.com/ February 20, 2018 Santa Ana City Council HAND-DELIVERED 22 Civic Center Plaza Santa Ana, CA 92701 Re: Item # 75A, HAMPTON INN, on tonight's agenda Dear Hon. Mayor Pulido and Council Members: Better Neighborhoods, Inc., hereby wishes to enter this letter into the record with regard to the Council's consideration of the above-referenced matter, and to reiterate its objections to approval of the proposed Hampton Inn project (the "Project") on the following grounds, among others: 1. Variances. Variances should only be given to a developer if there are special circumstances. There are no findings of"special and unique circumstances"justifying the proposed variances. For example, what substantial property right would be preserved by granting the proposed variances? In fact, granting the variances for this Project would be detrimental to the surrounding business community due to the reduced public parking caused by the Project. 2. Historical Site. The developer Project intends to relocate one historical building to another location and to turn it into a bar, and to turn another historical building into a restaurant. The Historical Resources Evaluation Report says about the proposed move of the nationally historic Melton House, "the move will cause the Melton House to lose several aspects of historic integrity that includes location, setting, feeling and association." We believe the proposed mitigation measures to try to minimize the loss of the historical integrity of these historic buildings are completely insufficient. We do not see how you could possibly mitigate the magnitude of the historic losses merely by following the Secretary of the Interior's standards, as has been proposed. For these reasons and the many others given by others in the community tonight, we urge the Council to reject the proposed Project. Sincerely, 711eduid?diet J. Michael Goolsby President and CEO Better Neighborhoods, Inc.