HomeMy WebLinkAbout1/16/2018 Item 9, Felsman
From:Gary Felsman <
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:Support Extended Use Hours for San Luis Mountain
January 15, 2018
San Luis Obispo City Council
990 Palm Street
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
Subject: Extended Hours Use Program for San Luis Mountain
Dear Mayor and Council Member;
As a long time supporter of Open Space Acquisition, Restoration, Wildlife and Habitat Protection, we want to express
our support for the two-year study program being proposed by the Parks and Recreation Department and Bob Hill.
The four items recommended by Staff in the Environmental Report, BIO1 – BIO4, are good control measures to see what
is happening during these extended hours, help document what is currently going on, limit access to help the City better
understand what is occurring on San Luis Mountain and what affects that might occur.
The City of San Luis Obispo are the stewards of the Open Space Areas it controls. As part of that stewardship the City
needs to help educate the public on these resources that have been protected in one form or another. The extended
hours being considered for San Luis Mountain is one method for exposing people to what happens during the evening
hours. Anyone who has camped, backpacked, spent a night in a lodge, cabin inside a park knows that part of that
experience is to go out in the evening to see, hear and experience what is out there. Pinnacles National Park, Yosemite
National Park, Sequoia National Park all have evening programs, and docent led outings to help educate the public.
The City of San Luis Obispo has the opportunity to provide this experience in an urban setting on San Luis Mountain with
little impact as outlined in the Environmental Study prepared by Bob Hill with the mitigation measures being proposed.
The study does not pre-propose that other open space areas be opened up for extended use hours. We need to make
sure we continue to protect the neighborhoods, sensitive wildlife and habitat in those areas.
Yes, there will always be some who just don’t get it, try to bend or break the rules.
However, we believe the benefits outweigh the risks involved, it will help bring people closer to the outdoors and
garnish additional support for the City’s Open Space Program.
Please approve the proposed, two year extended use hours study program for San Luis Mountain.
Sincerely,
Gary and Darlene Felsman
1266 Sumac Court
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
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