HomeMy WebLinkAboutExtended Open Space Public Comment, Cohen
Christian, Kevin
From:josh cohen <
Sent:Wednesday,
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:Expanded Open
Esteemed members of Council and Mayor Harmon,
I'm writing to you as a 20 year City of San Luis Obispo resident and 15 year city of SLO small business owner to urge you to go ahead with
the pilot program for expanded hours on Cerro San Luis, as well as in the future consider expanded winter hours in the Irish Hills open
space as well.
Having moved here in 1996 for Cal Poly and only spending 1 summer back in Los Angeles since, I've been riding on the open space trails
since before the current rules were in place. I fondly remember warm fall evenings riding up behind Cal Poly or Cerro San Luis at night,
getting up on the trail and shutting off the lights to look up at the stars. Its a really neat experience, which I suggest, if you haven't done it,
you all try it. The riding, the town, the view at night, those were all factors in my decision to make SLO my home for the last 20 years.
As a business owner, who worked 27 of 30 days in September, many times 10 plus hours, I found much of the commentary at the Oct 17th
Council meeting to wreak of privilege of those who are retired, or have flexible schedules, non retail jobs. I often don't have that time
flexibility along with my 10 employees. Many of my employees have class all day, then work 30 plus hours a week at the store and would
like to be able to legally ride after work, because thats really the only time some of them can get out. To say to them, well, 4 months out of
the year to bad, its really doing the city an injustice, and makes it less attractive in the long term to the younger generation.
As a Central Coast Concerned Mountain Bikers Trail Crew Leader, I'd like to thank Mayor Harmon for her remarks at the end, recognizing
that the people who put in much of the work on trail maintenance, and trail development for all trail users, hikers / runners, cyclists, dog
lovers, and equestrians are stewards of the land and fight for it to benefit the residents of the City while preserving it as open space.
Additionally, I'd like to point out something that I noted during the October 17th meeting. Proponents of this proposal are my peers, still
working, Gen X types and younger. A vibrant town does not exist with only retirees and college kids, it needs a middle ground. I'm the
middle ground. My friends are the middle ground. We would like to be able to legally ride and hike after work.
Council Woman Pease, I applaud you for listening to your constituents that spoke up last night. However, I would urge you to re examine
what and who you listened to. I'm sorry to say this but the older retirees of this community are not its future. We change as situations
change. Many of my peers are home with children or are still at work, as I was, up until about 5 minutes before the comment segment
started. We are the group that wants to see this happen. The people who spoke of "night rescues" had no data to back their claims and if
we are truly honest with ourselves, most of us know that up until the increased enforcement of the open space rules, people night hiked
and rode all the time. If there were so many additional rescues, city fire would have the data that says that already, which city fire said they
don't. The fact is that the people who are going to get out there after dark are not the newbies who get in over their heads. I urge you to
not be swayed by the people shouting the loudest, but by the people who represent the future of this city.
Thank you Council for your consideration into this matter.
Righ
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Josh Cohen
Owner of Foothill Cyclery
CCCMB Crew Leader
20 year city resident
All around great guy.
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