HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-09-2015 B1 RugglesLomeli, Moni ue
Subject: FW: Park ranger funding and city open space protection
From: Philip Ruggles [philipkruggles @gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, June 9, 2015 7:53 AM
To: Marx, Jan; Ashbaugh, John; Carpenter, Dan; Christianson, Carlyn; Rivoire, Dan
Cc: Hill, Robert; apRoberts Kathy
Subject: Park ranger funding and city open space protection
Dear Mayor Jan Marx, Vice Mayor John Ashbaugh and Councilpersons Dan Carpenter, Carlyn Christianson and Dan
Rivoire,
Given the ever - increasing use of the city's 3,500 acres of Open Space, including the disproportionately high use of
Bishop Peak, we feel there should be far more than the single additional park ranger allocated in this years budget.
Bob Hill has indicated that Bishop Peak receives about 80 percent of open space hiking traffic, with approximately
150,000 users from the Highland and Patricia trailheads annually; at the Park and Recreation Commission meeting he
stated that when the Foothill Road (unauthorized) trailhead users are added, estimated usage could conceivably double
to as high as 300,000 user per year!
With that in mind, it seems reasonable for the city to be supporting the addition of five to six additional positions, not
one. This is in line with the city's major goal to "protect and maintain open space."
We also must point out that the City's General Plan clearly ranks its priorities for the management of open space land as:
Number 1 priority: PROTECTION OF NATURAL RESOURCES Number 2 priority: PASSIVE RECREATION.
Given that hierarchy, all park rangers currently employed as well as any new park rangers should work FIRST for the
enforcement of the City's Open Space regulations as their NUMBER ONE PRIORITY with trail expansion and maintenance
- passive recreation support - as their second priority.
In speaking before the meeting of the Parks and Recreation Commission on June 3, one of our current rangers declared
that there was inadequate staff to pursue enforcement of existing open space regulations. He said that rangers are
primarily used for maintenance. This focus is in direct conflict with not only the city's General Plan prioritization but also
the priority of city residents.
We appreciate your consideration of the above.
Philip and Joanne Ruggles
COUNCIL MEETI /
ITEM NO.: