HomeMy WebLinkAbout5/4/2021 Item 19, Marx
COMMENTS ON THE DRAFT PARKS AND RECREATION ELEMENT Council Member Marx
This draft is extremely through and beautifully done as it pertains to parks and recreation. When it
comes to open space and natural preserves, however, Council needs to correct inaccuracies and prevent
confusion.
The 2006 Conservation and Open Space Element (COSE), not the Parks and Recreation Element, is the
legally controlling authority when it comes to open space conservation information, programs and
policy. It explicitly states (see pages 2,7,9,13,23,90, 94,99,141 and Footnotes #1 and #2) that the
primary purpose of natural reserves/open space is “protection of natural resources, including wildlife
and their habitats” A secondary purpose is to allow specified types of passive recreation if it does not
degrade the natural resources being protected or create conflicts with neighborhoods.
This distinction between parks and open space must be made abundantly clear at the very beginning of
the document and throughout. Stating this distinction explicitly is necessary in order to afford natural
reserves/open space the high level of environmental stewardship which residents, city councils,
conservation easement holders and grant funding entities intended to afford and relied upon when
these pristine properties were acquired or put under City protection.
Residents and community members who fought hard for decades to create our Open Space program are
putting their trust in this City Council to be staunch guardians of our natural preserves/open space
program. (see the 2017 letter from residents and leaders) Hopefully, this Council, like all former
Councils, will live up to, not violate, that trust.
The following are my specific comments. Deletions are struck through. Additions are bolded.
Page
2 Vision “by creating community through people, parks, programs and open space trails.”
Add a statement on the same page below the vision statement, such as: “The City owns and
maintains approximately ________ acres of natural preserves and open space properties. The primary
purpose of the Open Space Program is the protection of natural resources, including wildlife and their
habitats, not recreation. The Conservation and Open Space Element of the General Plan (COSE 8.5.1),
not this Parks and Recreation Element, sets programs and policies in this regard.
7 Under “Evaluate Recreation Programs and Services” sixth line “classes; aquatics; open space
preservation and trail maintenance…”
9 Under “The value of Parks” line 4. …”people, parks, programs and open space trails.”
13 line 6, “and Open Space trails…
28 Put in bold font the last sentence of the first paragraph: “Finally, San Luis Obispo owns and
manages 13 open spaces…not the subject of the Plan.”
42 last sentence “Figures 2-16 and 2-17 2-17 and 2-18
50 header: “Parks and Urban Open Spaces Public Areas…
76 last paragraph fourth sentence “passive enjoyment of open space conservation areas where
environmentally permissible…”
87 Multipurpose recreation center: consider adding splash pads with recycled water
90 Laguna Lake Park, line four “open space preserve where passive recreation is environmentally
permissible.”
99 second to last paragraph: “promoting non-motorized access to the City’s open spaces while not
negatively impacting bordering neighborhoods.
104 second paragraph line 5: “areas, and shall not be located permitted within City Open Space”
128 & 130 Planned Improvements second paragraph second bullet point: “Consider renovation for
staff offices and or/relocation of the Senior Center.” Check the deed…It specifies the building must be
used for a Senior Center. The building is historically protected and MUST NOT be demolished. Instead
add: Consider creating an additional accessible center for Seniors.
141 Understanding the cost of Parks next to last bullet point in the first column: add at the end of
second column **Open Space Maintenance by Rangers: $300-$600 per actively managed acre.”