Combined Workshop Summary

The public input process successfully continued on during the Combined Workshop, with approximately 100 community members showing up at the Paso Robles Event Center to further inform the Uptown and Town Centre vision.

The consultant team presented further ideas for transforming Uptown and the Town Centre into pedestrian-friendly, mixed-use districts, corridors, and neighborhoods. In addition, existing demographic conditions, sustainable storm-water strategies, and traffic issues were presented (PDF of Powerpoint presentation available below). The community then provided comments and suggestions and asked questions.

Following is a summary of the community’s input:

Comments During Public Workshop

1. Parks:
   
   1. Will public art be a part of the Uptown and Town Centre improvements?
2. Salinas River:
   
   1. The Salinas River is dry most of the year.
   2. Will the Salinas River Vision be incorporated into Salinas River master plan that is generated as part of this Specific Plan effort?
   3. Will detention ponds be used to filter out street runoff before it reaches the Salinas River?
3. Street and Transportation Improvements:
   
   1. How encourage people living east of the 101 Freeway to get to the west side without driving in a car?
   2. Like idea of street car – particularly for seniors and people with disabilities.
   3. There are a lot of pedestrians in Uptown and a serious lack of pedestrian infrastructure such as sidewalks and crosswalks.
4. Parking:
   
   1. More parking is needed in Downtown.
   2. Where will additional parking that is needed Downtown be put?
   3. There is a need for more parking for people with disabilities.
5. Buildings, Uses, and Code
   
   1. How will Specific Plan affect existing houses/industries? Will change be mandatory? Will form-based code be easy to use and will property owners know what to do?
   2. What cities have adopted form-based codes?
   3. Form-based codes are dynamic and can change over time. How do we as community keep the code or what is being approved from being compromised?
   4. Do form-based codes supercede existing codes?
   5. Will Council Members be educated in regards to form-based codes and the related process?
   6. Existing businesses in historic homes on west side of Vine Street: What if businesses move or go out of business? What keeps the buildings from falling into a state of disrepair?
   7. What are some ways of funding the renovation of historic structures?
   8. Regarding building style, would like to encourage the inclusion of the Western style.
   9. Will building permit process be streamlined?
6. Economics
   
   1. What will make Paso Robles attractive to developers?
   2. What will prevent land values from rising too much?
   3. What will the museum improvements/expansions cost and how will they be funded?
   4. Will the Uptown and the Town Centre improvements be funded by a special assessment or a sales tax increase?
7. Miscellaneous
   
   1. When will the sulfur spring that has opened up just south of City Hall be repaired?
   2. Will there be any to celebrate ethnic heritage in Uptown?
8. Public Services Utilities:
   
   1. Will the wastewater treatment plan be incorporated into the plan?
   2. Will water saving strategies be incorporated into the Specific Plan?