Regarding “Hillcrest project to add parking” (Local, Sept. 13)
While it is a positive move by the City Council to approve a project that will add 121 public parking spaces in Hillcrest, one has to wonder how the public is going to get to, and from, the additional parking. The streets that surround the project are congested much of the time now. Emergency vehicles have difficulty traversing the area.
What will the situation be like after the 12-story building with 96 residential, plus retail, and a total of 322 off-street parking spaces are added? The City Council had an opportunity to require the developer to do an extensive environmental impact report on traffic in the area. Instead, it chose to accept a computer-generated conclusion and adopt a “Mitigated Negative Declaration” without requiring mitigation measures that would ensure a smooth flow of traffic.
There are things the city could do to alleviate the congestion: (1) Make Robinson and University avenues one-way streets from First to Fifth Avenue; (2) Make Third Avenue a one-way street (Fourth is already one-way); (3) Remove all on-street parking on University from First to Fifth, thereby making University a four-lane street; (4) Stop all cross-traffic ingress and egress on University and Robinson avenues from First to Fifth except at controlled intersections.
In making the motion to approve the project as presented, Councilwoman Toni Atkins, who represents the Hillcrest area, expressed concerns about the height and traffic. I believe she was just giving lip service to those who opposed the project. In fact, the only council member who felt there needed to be more study and input was Donna Frye. The other council members could take a lesson on the “right thing to do” from her.
Dean Shores, San Diego
