HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-17-2017 Item 10, Ciesinskii_3 k- _
Mail: P.O. Box 1014
San Luis Obispo, CA 93406
Office: 246 Higuera St., SLO
ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER
OF SAN LUIS OBISPO
Protecting and enhancing the Central Coast since 1971
October 17, 2017
City of San Luis Obispo
Attn: Mayor and City Council
990 Palm Street
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
RE: Pilot program for winter open space hours of use
Dear Councilmembers:
Phone: (805) 544-1777
Email: info@ecoslo.org
Online: ecoslo.org
ECOSLO strongly urges you to reject the the pilot program proposal that would extend the hours of
use of the Cerro San Luis Natural Reserve when daylight savings time is not in effect.
ECOSLO is devoted to the City of San Luis Obispo's Open Space Natural Reserves, as for the past 21
years we have partnered with the City on the SLO Stewards educational outings program. Currently
we have eight ECOSLO volunteer docents who lead about three outings per month in the City of San
Luis Obispo Open Space. So far this year over 30 outings have taken place, all of which are open to
the public, and over 250 participants have come out to learn more about the open space, how it was
preserved, what lives there, etc. ECOSLO docents have volunteered 85 hours in leading these hikes.
Per the city of San Luis Obispo's Open Space Regulations code, in 12.22.020, the "Purpose of open
space lands", Section A, it states:
The open space element principles state that uses on open space lands owned or managed by
the city:
1. Should preserve the natural amenities of the open space land,
2. May not include uses which would degrade or significantly impact resource
preservation on-site or on an adjacent parcel;
This pilot program would result in the support of degrading open space as staffs report
summarizes: "It is likely that some level of indirect impact will occur, however the extent and
severity of those potential impacts remain unknown."
Supporting the extension of open space hours, for even a limited amount of time, in a limited area,
would go against what City residents support and what is outlined in the Open Space Regulations,
which have been in place for over 20 years.
As many have brought up, just three years ago; the 2014 Land Use and Circulation Elements Survey
found that City residents view protection of open space as the number one priority of the City, and
the only thing that they were personally willing to pay more for.
This one small change would start to chip away at what has been built these past 20 years to make
our community special, which is having the priority, and the foresight, to prioritize the preservation
of natural amenities of open space land.
Thank you, f r
r } u _.
Mary A. Ciesi i, Executive Director