HomeMy WebLinkAbout1/16/2018 Item 9, West
From:
To:E-mail Council Website
Cc:Richard Graziano
Subject:comments in support of extended use of Open Space trails
Dear Mayor Heidi Harmon, Vice Mayor Carlyn Christianson, and SLO City Council members Andy Pease, Dan
Rivoire, and Aaron Gomez,
We are writing in support of extended night hours for our surrounding Open Space trails. It has been an
exercise sanctuary that does not require paying for a soul-destroying gym. It’s an important and effective way
to stay active in the winter when dark arrives before most can leave work. It’s also an enlightening experience
as one can hear different wildlife sounds and view night skies. Not everyone can recreate during the day, and
this pilot project is asking for only a few hours beyond sunset during the winter when it’s harder to meet the
darkness deadline. Recreation and access to the outdoors is why most of us live here, and passive/low impact
recreation is a listed element of our Open Space policies.
Furthermore, we are not all over the mountain disturbing wildlife and causing havoc, but on designated trails,
which visitors travel heavily by day and where animals have been habituated to human presence. Riding on
Cerro San Luis today we encountered a group of young women screaming along the trail above Lemon grove
and playing music over speakers. We would note that daytime visitors on these trails can be arguably loud,
perhaps more so than those encountered at night. There are also far less of us on the trails at night—it’s
already a quieter experience.
In reference to preservation of and impacts to wildlife, why would we favor preserving nocturnal wildlife over
daytime wildlife? Choosing one over the other is arbitrary. True preservation would mean we never visit these
spaces, although we have for years. Diurnal life never gets a break; people visit it throughout the entire day. As
for the evening, the request is only a few hours beyond sunset.
We do support this type of night access for ALL open spaces in this county. We believe access points can be
chosen that don’t disturb residents in the area. For those worried about accidents, we would argue the
possibility exists whether day or night. A mountain biker, for instance will arguably take more risks during the
day, such as going faster. The city could install a system like Colorado has, which pays for rescue services: we
buy a $3 dollar “backcountry” insurance card that pays for services (CORSAR)
https://www.colorado.gov/dola/search-and-rescue-fund. The city can also instill codes of conduct as they do in
Japan; perhaps fines at night if not following them, such as screaming for no apparent reason!
We also think it’s really important this pilot study not be set up to fail. Funneling all night activity onto one
mountain is going to have a greater impact and possibly misrepresent the true effects of nighttime access. A
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solution would be to spread our numbers across the other trails we already recreate at night, such as Irish
Hills. By doing that, it’s possible that far less numbers visit Cerro San Luis that way, and thus reduce potential
impacts.
We are also hesitant to support a permit system. While the spirit of this component makes sense, if care is not
taken, it introduces the possibility that many of the daily permits will be taken by one or a group of people.
You’ve all likely experienced the difficulty in reserving a camping spot along the coast, even 6 months in
advance. It may be feasible that someone opposed to this project reserves all of them. Why not observe how
many access the trails before instilling a more complicated system that could be corrupted?
Most of us supporting this measure are also conservationists and environmentally sensitive citizens. We aren’t
out to destroy our surroundings, but simply want to exercise, see our city from a different perspective, view a
meteor shower, appreciate the wildness that surrounds us, and maybe even witness animals we don’t get to
see in the day. The area has been accessed during the evening for years, and its proximity to town means it’s
not isolated from human influence. Dan Rivoire noted that even trails through the pristine isolated wilderness of
the Sierra Nevada are open 24-7 to us. Aaron Gomez, too, has pointed out that humans are part of nature,
and, “we are better served finding balance and understanding how to be a symbiotic participant,” rather than
trying to erase our connection to the natural world. Recreating outdoors during all parts of a day is engrained
into the lifestyle ethos here. We are not asking for the moon. Just a better glimpse of it as we pursue healthy
activities in our open spaces.
Thank you for supporting this pilot program, and strongly considering extending it to other trails.
Responsible citizens and outdoor enthusiasts,
Rich Graziano and Amy West
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Multimedia Science Journalist/ Marine Scientist/ Outreach | c: 831.359.9186 |http://amyewest.com/|
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