HomeMy WebLinkAboutExtended Open Space Public Comment, Otto
Christian, Kevin
From:Garrett Otto <
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:Open Space Trail use hours
Mayor and Council,
I am writing to urge you to approve the trial open space hour extension. As working professionals, I am at work from
7AM to 5:30 or 6:00PM every day. I have lived in SLO for 14 years and have always relied on the year round access to the
open space for my exercise. During the winter I am at work during the entire daylight hours. I have been riding at night
for many years during the winter months. As a donor and member of CCCMB, I have helped building and maintain many
of these trails. I love the outdoors and wilderness and all it has to offer. Part of the reason my wife and I chose to live in
SLO is the easy access to a plethora of outdoor activities right out our back door including world class mountain bike and
hiking trails. We consider ourselves environmentally conscience and do not want to harm our wilderness. It seems
counter productive to take access away from some of the biggest advocates for sustainable trail use and those building
the trails in our community.
Your Natural Resource Manager pointed out in his report, there is likely not a significant impact to wildlife due to the
occasional mountain biker or hiker on the trail after dark. Gain the data from the trail and observations, and please do
not regulate just based on beliefs or who is yelling the loudest right before you vote. I know you were inundated with
the usual barrage of nay sayers, but want to remind you that there is a large contingency of working families that are
under represented at these meetings. I am urging you approve the extended hours and collect data to make a fact based
policy in the future. I would also urge you to allow the extension to Irish Hills and Johnson Ranch open spaces too. By
only limiting to Cerro San Luis, you concentrate trail use, which skews the trail use data.
Thank you,
Garrett Otto
Lincoln St., SLO
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