HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-21-2017 Item 17, Steinmaus'::OUNCIL MEETING:
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From: Scott J. Steinmaus [
Sent: Monday, March 20, 2017 1:07 PM
To: E-mail Council Website <emailcouncil@slocity.org>
Subject: RE: Agenda item 17 for 3/21/17: expanded winter hours for open space
To whom it may concern, I am in full support of expanding the access hours for all SLO Open Spaces with the
exception of Bishop Peak. I am a Cal Poly Professor and Department Head who does not get off work until
5PM and during the winter months I am in violation of the current code (1 hour after sunset) by the time I am
riding my mountain bike or hiking or trail running. I am in favor of setting hours such as until 8 or 9 PM rather
than use "dusk" as a reference point. As a biologist, I am well aware of the disturbance humans introduce to
ecosystems. The current trail systems built and maintained by CCCMB utilize methodologies that most
efficiently minimize human trail user impacts (e.g. drainage, route selection, ease of access, codes of conduct,
etc.). Expanded hours will obviously not affect these impacts. I am a plant biologist therefore not an expert on
wildlife biology and how expanded hours would impact wildlife. However, when considering wildlife impact I
would be looking for a consideration that these ecosystems have been heavily disturbed by cattle grazing and
human activity (trails, fire roads, construction road access, etc.) for decades. Consequently, there have
already been major impacts on wildlife such that expanding access a few hours after dusk in the winter time is
not likely to impact current wildlife status significantly.
Scott
Scott Steinmaus, PhD
Department Head and Professor
Horticulture and Crop Science
Biological Science
California Polytechnic State University
San Luis Obispo, CA