HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/9/2021 Item 4a, Jensen
From:David Jensen <djdvm@yahoo.com>
Sent:Monday,
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:OPEN SPACE WINTER HOURS OF USE AT CERRO SAN LUIS NATURAL RESERVE
This message is from an External Source. Use caution when deciding to open attachments, click links, or respond.
Dear Council Members,
Thank you for your consideration of the continuation of the winter access policy for the
recreational use of the Cerro San Luis hiking trails for the winter months of 2021-22. The
recent program of a permit based, limited land use winter access in prior years has been a
very welcomed decision that has allowed me much needed access to safe, physical activity
after my work day. This has been exponentially more important with the advent of Covid-19
difficulties. My one evening a week winter hikes have been a tremendous treat which I look
forward to throughout my work week as I have for the last 25 years.
I appreciate there needs to be a balance between human access, preservation of the
natural resource and protection of wildlife. I applaud the recent decision to limit the
number of people on the mountain by the issuing of permits and the very efficient
functioning of the web based permiting system. This appears to be a winning policy from
my observations and from the comments of my fellow hikers. As a veterinarian I am
mindful of the concern of potential impact to wildlife on Cerro San Luis. The only specific
information on this topic to my knowledge is the conclusion of the Initial Study and
Environmental Review which states, "there is no substantial evidence, in light of the whole
of the record before the agency, that the project may have a significant effect on the
envirionment". As a strong proponent of evidence based, rational thinking, this is important
information now available to support a decision as to the presence or abscense of an
environmental impact.
I would like to encourage you to continue your committment in making policy decisions
based on scientific facts from reliable statistices gathered over the trial periods. We all
want what is best for our community with preservation of our outdoor space. I would
encourage the SLO City Council to continue to come to their studied conclusions with an
eye toward evidence based decision making in their role of serving this community.
A final note, I would like to emphasize to the Council it seems a bit of a misnomer to view
the winter policy of the last few years as an "extention of the hours of use" of the trails of
Cerro San Luis as it has sometimes been described in the press. It is merely allowing
1
citizens access to Cerro San Luis for the same number of hours during winter months that
is already afforded them during the other months of the year.
Thank you for your consideration.
Warm regards,
David W. Jensen, DVM
2