HomeMy WebLinkAbout1/16/2018 Item 9, K Oneill
To: The Mayor and each San Luis Obispo City Council
member
From: Kathleen O’Neill
Re: Support of pilot program for extended use hours on
Cerro San Luis Reserve
Date: 1/16/2018
My name is Kathleen O’Neill, and I have lived in San Luis
Obispo (SLO) County since 1962 when my parents
purchased a home on Bishop Peak. I worked in the city of
SLO for the County of SLO for 35 years, often hiking before
or after work on both Bishop Peak and Cerro San Luis all my
adult life. Being physically fit and active outdoors has always
been important to my quality of life and health. I have spoken
before this council in support of extended use hours at two
previous hearings on August 16, 2016 and on October 17,
2017; and my two previous letters dated 8/16/2016 and
10/18/2017 are a matter of public record. I will not repeat all
of my arguments as contained in my two previous
testimonies.
I applaud Mr. Robert Hill and this council for the dedication
and due diligence in fully researching all aspects of
extending the use of trails in the non-daylight savings
months. I have read all 40 pages of the report on this issue
and agree with the conclusion that a 2-year pilot program for
extended use of the Cerro San Luis Reserve (CSLR) would
have little to no impact on biological resources or the
community with the mitigation measures proposed. I believe
that the proposed online permitting process, limiting access
to 65 people during the expanded use hours, is reasonable.
I have been hiking with my middle-aged professional friends
one evening a week for the last 30 years and have never
had a problem. The CSLR trail is largely a safe, wide,
graded road with most of it away from neighborhoods; so it is
the logical choice for a pilot program. My friends and I have
never needed a rescue, have never disrupted wildlife or
neighbors, and were off CSLR during winter months by 8pm
prior to the current ordinance which limits access. Now my
friends who are off work at 5pm and I can no longer hike
together year round because the earliest we can all arrive is
5:30pm, and we would have to be off the trail by an hour
after sunset or about 6pm. This is not conducive to our
physical fitness and enjoyment of nature. Nor is limiting
access to our magnificent natural resources compatible with
the City’s mission statement or the Tourism Business
Improvement District’s (TBID) goal, which states “TBID
encourages outdoor activities for tourists and residents.”
I urge you to support the proposed pilot program. Thank you
for allowing me to speak to you tonight.
Sincerely,
Kathleen O’Neill
PO Box 15255
San Luis Obispo, CA 93406-5255
805-550-5010
koneill555@gmail.com