From: Fugate95 < >
Sent: Tuesday, September 17, 2024 11:15 AM
To: Web-City Clerk <[email protected]>
Subject: Public Comment for Council Meeting
*** EXTERNAL EMAIL: Please use caution when opening links or attachments. *** Attn.: City Council. This is public comment submission for the City Council meeting of September 17, 2024 regarding Agenda Item 12.a.
As the developer of the Cook Street Apartments project at Cook and McClelland Streets in the downtown area, I strongly urge you to move forward with the downtown agreement between the City and the Vernon Group. Our projects will be more effective at revitalizing the downtown area if they proceed together. The result will be that the low housing inventory problem can be partially addressed while at the same time creating a more vibrant downtown. That is what the downtown specific plan is all about.
Revitalization of the downtown can only occur when there is a presence of many people with things to do including shopping, dining, cultural activities and gathering as a community. I believe that while building apartments is critical for downtown revitalization because it provides for people to actually live in the downtown, it isn't enough by itself to promote the live/work/play lifestyle environment that leads to the success of local businesses both large and small. Approval of the downtown agreement with the Vernon Group will in fact benefit all of the Santa Maria community by furthering the goals of the downtown specific plan.
Thank you for your consideration,
Mark Fugate
Charter Investments Co.