HomeMy WebLinkAbout1/16/2018 Item 9, Neumann
From:Tom Neumann <
To:E-mail Council Website; CityClerk; Harmon, Heidi; Pease, Andy; Gomez, Aaron;
Christianson, Carlyn; Rivoire, Dan
Cc:Ann; Ambria
Subject:Cerro San Luis Natural Reserve
City Council Members,
We are asking that you do not increase the existing hours of night use on the mountain. The wildlife
on Cerro San Luis needs greater protection, not less. As it is, existing human use on the mountain is
far more than is good for the wildlife, especially for larger animals. Hikers, hikers with dogs (most of
which are off leash), and noisy, aggressive, bikers have steadily increased since my family and I moved
to the farthest house at the top of S. Tassajara Street seven years ago. Our backyard is the mountain.
There is a heavily used unofficial trail head in front of our house at the end of S Tassajara Drive.
Seven years ago we shared our backyard with a large number of deer. We'd have multiple sightings
of deer each week—bucks, does, and fawns. We'd watch them walk by and feed, listen to them walk
by at night, and see their droppings in the morning. There were a few times that they would sleep in
our yard and the neighbor's yard too.
Unfortunately, a lot has changed in only seven years. It’s been about a year since we last saw a dear
near our house. Not a single one. Over the seven years, we have watched the deer population
gradually decline until there are none left.
So what has changed that has virtually eliminated the dear from the mountain? Food is still plentiful.
Predators probably have not increased. Could it be that human activity has increased dramatically,
specifically bike activity? Absolutely it has. From our home, we can occasionally hear the loud
bells thatbikers often use and see their very bright headlights—so can the deer and other wildlife. Do
you really think deer and other nervous animals will stay on Cerro San Luis with increased night
activity?
Now the City wants to increase mountain access hours in order to increase human activity—bike
activity. This is disgraceful and completely inconsistent with the existing General Plan.
What's it going to be, City Council? Are we really going to protect our precious open spaces along
with our dwindling wildlife populations, or are we going to allow our mountains to become void of
wildlife. Bikers already have plentiful hours to bike.
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Don't think residents will be deceived. Your decisions must carry out the will of the people as
described in the General Plan. If you cannot do that, go back and change the General Plan
and prioritize aggressive recreation above that of open space and wild life protection.
Tom Neumann
Ann Neumann
Ambria Neumann
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