We, the undersigned residents and business owners of the neighboring community to the Flower Hill Promenade, believe that the pending City of San Diego Project No. 172026/SCH No. 200921078 made by Applicant: Protea Holdings, LLC to expand the shopping center is excessive and should be scaled back to maintain the character, bulk, mass, scale, density, and aesthetics of the surrounding communities and trade areas. Specifically, we oppose the planned expansion requiring a COASTAL DEVELOPMENT PERMIT, LOT LINE ADJUSTMENT AND AN EASEMENT VACATION for the demolition of a 14,000 square‐foot theater and construction of 35,000 square‐feet of market, 8,754 square feet of retail, 28,941 square‐feet of office, 2,300 square‐feet of storage, and a three‐story, four‐level, above-ground, 397‐ space parking garage within the existing Flower Hill Promenade commercial development; along with the realignment of Flower Hill Drive at its intersection with San Andres Drive, and the reconfiguration of the Via de la Valle/San Andres Drive intersection. This expansion project will result in significant environmental impacts to the following areas: TRAFFIC/CIRCULATION, BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES, PALEONTOLOGICAL RESOURCES, PUBLIC UTILITIES (SOLID WASTE), and additional traffic, increased local air pollution and increased local crime. We are opposed to building heights over 35 feet, any above-ground parking structure, the realignment of Flower Hill Drive, the removal of the existing theater complex, any change to the shopping center that will increase traffic, and the density, bulk, scale and mass of the proposed project. The proposed project as currently conceived, will further contribute to the over-commercialization of this country-coastal area by bringing additional national chain stores and additional traffic. This would impact locally owned-businesses and force our neighbors to close family-owned boutique establishments that have been life-long contributors to the greater Del Mar/Solana Beach/San Diego economy and community. We believe there is no need to have another high-end, natural food grocery store within this trade area, as this segment is already well-represented by Henry’s, Harvest Ranch, Jimbos, and Whole Foods stores that are close by. This type of predatory expansion is not necessary and will negatively impact locally-owned, specialty businesses including some of the current tenants of the Flower Hill Promenade. That, in turn, would add to the already significant turnover of tenants in the center, since its acquisition by Protea Holdings, LLC. We encourage the City of San Diego to place a deed restriction to limit the floor area ratio (FAR) within this shopping center, to prevent any continued piecemeal expansion and/or a potential future phase two expansion. In addition, as we the people who use the surrounding roadways to access our residences and carry on with our daily lives, we object to any restrictions on egress from Flower Hill Drive to San Andres northbound or southbound, and any use or construction that would lead to any increase in traffic on Flower Hill Drive. In order to maintain the aesthetics of our community, we believe that the exterior of the existing building improvements within the shopping center should be resurfaced to match any new architectural façades and elements, and suggest a finish schedule of natural rock and materials similar to those so beautifully utilized in the Del Mar Plaza. Additionally, all signage should be in compliance with the current Municipal Code requirements and also, in keeping with the compliance of the Municipal Code, the parking calculation for this or any approved project requires all restaurants/food and drink establishments within the center to park at a rate of 15 spaces per 1,000 square feet of improvements, including those within the primary shopping center buildings. So that laymembers of the community can more readily understand the increase in bulk and scale that any proposed project would add to the area, we request that an adequately scaled model be produced by the applicant, clearly depicting the proposed project in relationship to the entire shopping center and the surrounding hillsides, structures, roads and features, and that the model be displayed for a minimum of 90 days in an off-site community public area for public review and comment. We understand that growth and expansion are parts of vibrant life in San Diego. We simply want to be certain that our community grows in a responsible way that is beneficial to all, and not of excessive benefit to one business owner, or developer in the community at the expense of decreased property values, increased traffic, gridlock, congestion, and ultimately, decreased quality of life for all of the other members of the community. It is for these reasons we say NO to the current version of the proposed Flower Hill Promenade Expansion project.

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