HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-16-2016 Public Comment, O'NeillRECEIVED
AUG 16 2016
8/16/2016 LO CITY CLERK
COUNCIL ME= •TING: V 16, ZQ
ITEM NO.: r,)
Honorable Mayor and San Luis Obispo City Council Members:
My name is Kathleen O'Neill, and I am here today to ask for an
amendment to the current City ordinance, which restricts
access to local mountains after one hour after sunset. I have
been a resident of San Luis County since the 1960s when my
parents purchased a home on Fel-Mar Drive on the foothills of
Bishop Peak. I have been hiking on Bishop Peak for most of my
adult life. In 1990 I started hiking on either Bishop Peak or
Cerro San Luis every Thursday evening with a couple of
friends. This grew into an informal larger hiking group of
friends who still to this day hike weekly on either or both of
the two mountains, weather and time permitting. For me
hiking with friends on these mountains is social, physical, and
spiritual as we so much enjoy exercising together outdoors in
the fresh air.
Access to hiking the mountains in San Luis Obispo became very
problematic last winter with the institution of a curfew on the
mountains. Most of our hiking group works and do not get off
work until 5pm. In the winter when it is dark at 5pm, it is
physically impossible to hike up and down a mountain safely
before the curfew. We have been accustomed to hiking all year
round and in the winters use headlamps. We are typically off
the mountains by 8pm. We all know the twists and turns of
these mountains like the back of our hands. Walking with our
headlamps never created any problems, and I have always
found the city of SLO especially beautiful in the winter when
we were up above it in the dark as it gleamed like jewels in a
jewelry box below. We have always been respectful of
neighbors near the mountains and have never caused anyone
any problems.
I have been a respected member of the San Luis community
since the 1960s, graduated from Cal Poly in Mathematics, and
served 35 years in an administrative capacity in San Luis
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of a department within the County Health Agency. I do
understand the government process that you work within.
I respectfully request that thoughtful consideration be given to
persons such as myself and my hiking friends, who are
responsible and respectful adults, that would allow us to hike
year round. Perhaps some kind of training and permit process
could be instituted so that we could continue to maintain our
physical fitness during the winter months on our local trails.
Another alternative would be to limit access on the local
mountains to either 8pm or the one hour after sunset,
whichever is later. San Luis City markets itself by its healthy
outdoor lifestyle. Accommodating us hikers would support
that goal. Thank you very much for considering our request.
Sincerely,
Kathleen O'Neill
PO Box 15255
San Luis Obispo, CA 93406-5255
805-550-5010
koneiII555@gmail.com