HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-28-2017 - apRobertsCOUNCIL MEETING: Co nn.
ITEM NO.: '&j
TO: City Council
FROM: Neighborhood Residents
SUBJECT: Open Space Goals
Dear City Council Members,
RE EIVE
JAN 2 0 2017
SLO CITY CLERK
We appreciate the tremendous amount of work that you are doing to set community
goals. As residents of neighborhoods adjacent to the city's natural open spaces, we
believe that it is extremely important that any open space goals (and subsequent open
space work programs) are made within the framework of the city's general plan.
To briefly summarize, our City's general plan states that the primary_ purpose of open
space is protection of natural resources, with a secondary goal of allowing passive
recreation if it does not degrade the natural resources being protected or create
compatibility impacts with neighborhoods. The Municipal Code's Open Space
Ordinance additionally has specific requirements for protecting these natural resources
(wildlife and their habitats) and for avoiding "neighborhood compatibility
impacts". (Attachment)
We believe that these general plan and municipal code requirements are more important
than ever due to the increasing overuse of several of the City's natural reserves. For
example, the Bishop Peak Natural Reserve now has approximately 200,000 annual user
visits with commensurate impacts on wildlife, their habitats, and the adjacent
neighborhoods.
We request that your open space goals and work programs are clearly consistent with
these general plan and municipal code priorities and requirements.
We also believe that living immediately adjacent to the City's natural open spaces gives
us a unique, twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, awareness of their condition and
developing issues, as well as any emerging neighborhood compatibility situations. We
therefore request that the residential neighborhoods adjacent to natural open spaces be
given an ongoing, meaningful role in the feedback loop required for effectively
identifying emerging open space issues, and effectively managing them.
Sincerely,
Kathy apRoberts
Jim apRoberts
Sid Bartholow
Dan Blanke
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Carla Saunders
David Blakely
Naomi Blakely
Joanne Ruggle
Phil Ruggles
Barbara Bell
Alison Haupt
Roger Steele
Emily Rosten
BK Richard
Gail Karacsony
Pete Karacsony
Ruth Holzhauer
Janice Elliott
Mary Kay Eltzroth
Tom Eltzroth
Bert Forbes
Candace Forbes
Nara Clark
ATTACHMENT
"The main goal (of Open Space) is to protect open space and wildlife habitat, with a
secondary goal of providing passive recreation where it will not harm the environment"
(2006, SLO General Plan, Conservation & Open Space Element)
"The City will consider allowing passive recreation (in Open Space) where it will not
degrade or significantly impact open space resources and where there are no significant
neighborhood compatibility impacts". (2006 Conservation and Open Space Element)
"Lands acquired or otherwise controlled by the city for open space purposes are not
considered to be parks (as `parks' are defined in Chapter 12.20 of the Municipal Code)
and shall not be construed to be appropriate for, or used for, structured recreation, such as
team sports, large gatherings or other intensive uses of the property or site." (Open Space
Ordinance, City of San Luis Obispo)
"On open space land that the City manages, the City may decide to permit more than one
type of activity or use. Where different uses may not be compatible, the following
priorities will guide decisions:
Priority 1. Protection of existing wildlife and natural habitat generally. Protection of
existing listed species and their existing habitat, or re-establishment of such habitat where
damaged. Protection of public resources such as water quality..."
Priority 2. Public access and passive recreation. Protection of scenic resources.
Priority 3. Scientific study. Agricultural production." ... (2006 Conservation & Open
Space Element, Appendix C: Management of Open Space Lands)
"The City may form an Open Space Committee to advise staff on Open Space acquisition
and management." (2006 Conservation & Open Space Element, Appendix C:
Management of Open Space Lands)