AgdaPkt 2004-09-13 - Laserfiche WebLink

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� . � � � � Redwood City is well below visitor use at similar trails in the San Francisco Bay in habitat with the same endangered species. Although it is impossible to predict refuge use, visitors to the completed Bair Island Wildlife Refuge in Redwood City should exceed current casual use of existing Bay Trails. Coupling that with the complete elimination of Whipple Street parking and it is evident that more parking should be made available. Similarly, school classes or organized expeditions that would logicall�� travel to the refuge in groups have no bus parking available in the NWRS lot. Exiting the parking lot, according to the NWRS plan, a refuge visitor must then walk 0.5 miles along the Bair Island parking lot access trail to reach the Whipple Street entrance to the refuge. While traveling to the refuge entrance this higher level of pedestrian traffic will use an unimproved path between residential developments and an area of pickleweed critical habitat. We are not aware of any FWS harvest mouse studies or counts in this area but with the amount of pickleweed habitat available it is likely salt marsh harvest mouse critical habitat. The City believes that using the Whipple street trailhead entrance will encourage public access, including unleashed dogs, in conflict with existing residential structures and will encourage transit along an unprotected stretch of occupied habitat outside of the refuge boundaries. During operating hours of the refuge, the Whipple Street refuge entrance will remain open. The City is concerned that mainta.ining the Whipple Street entrance will discourage a permanent parking solution for Bair Island Refuge visitors. The current unregulated parking situation at the Refuge will be encouraged under the refuge plan. This will result from the lack of sufficient parking in the NWRS lot or b�- persons who have grown used to Whipple Street parking for access. The Whipple Street entrance is an open invitation to common predators who would seek easy prey on the Bair Island refuge. This issue will be explored in further detail in describing the Ciry plan for the Bair Island refuge. Under the NWRS plan once a visitor has entered at Whipple Street entrance they can walk on either of two trails that terminate with an observation platform at either of the two levee breach locations at Smith Slough. If one were to measure the distance from the parking lot to the nearest observation platform that would constitute a total travel d.istance of over 1.5 miles. Travel distances to the overlook on the airport side of Bair Island would exceed 2 miles. The City believes that this distance is too long. The Cit�T of Redwood City believes that it can assist the NWRS in addressing the interface between a National Wildlife Refuge and an urban American city. Any urban cin� must consider delivery of services to a wide variery of constituents. The City must consider the needs of physically challenged citizens, sensitive subpopulations, school age children and seniors. Furthermore, modern faciliry planning must find a 17