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HomeMy WebLinkAbout3/16/2021 Item 12, Barnickel Wilbanks, Megan From:Christopher Barnickel < To:E-mail Council Website Subject:Item 12 03/16 agenda This message is from an External Source. Use caution when deciding to open attachments, click links, or respond. ________________________________ Dear Council Members: Please support the continuation of ongoing open space winter hours as presented by your staff. I suggest and support the further step of simply allowing access to open spaces until 10pm year-round. I am frustrated to read that $175,000 is scheduled to be spent on this pilot program. It frustrates me further to see a heavy price tag tied to the continuation of a limited program, especially in a time of budget cuts and constraints. It seems reasonable that oversight of the lands could be conducted with regularity during normal operating hours and evening patrols would be unnecessary. Please focus staff and funding on significant impacts to the residents of the city like homelessness. While we don’t know the impacts fully as it relates to CEQA in a level of significance, it does seem reasonable that 826 mountain bikers over a two year time period would have little impact on wildlife as they are using existing trails and limiting their usage of this access to reasonable hours. If traffic is a concern, perhaps a continuation of permitting during peak usage times like the holiday season would be helpful in mitigating potential wildlife impacts. Other areas around the nation permit usage of their trails year-round without issue. I love that we live in an area that is beautiful and remains fairly natural. Let’s be reasonable and smart about allowing access to these areas for responsible working individuals who enjoy recreating at night—either by choice or due to nature of their work schedules. Respectfully yours, Christopher Barnickel Sent from my iPhone 1