CC Min 1999-12-06 Clsd - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

Public Comment: LaVerne Atherly expressed closing offthe levee would be in violation of Deed of Trust and felt that there were many people in Redwood Shores that would take offense to such closing. He stated an idea might be to allow any proposed lawsuits to go forward to clarify the legal issues as to the position the City should take. Robert Slusser acknowledged the position of the Council and encouraged pressure be placed upon Federal and State legislators to view the situation as the community being treated as predators with mitigation of the people not being a viable option. John DeVoy, President of a homeowners' association, believes that restricting public access to the levees around the Redwood Shores would be a mistake and that the City should be fighting the public's access to the area. Pete Hughes suggested hiring a public relations person, a lobbyist, form citizen groups and exercise leadership. John Curtis encouraged Council to not close the levees and asked that other solutions be explored to arrive at the correct decision. Clifton Scott suggested Council find an alternative to closing the levee, appreciates the wildlife but urged exploration of all alternatives prior to a decision. Glenn Kesselman stated that fencing is a mistake and urged collaborating with Fish & Wildlife in finding a creative solution. Mike Spence stated that the San Francisco Bay Bird Conservatory had presented documentation that shows the existence and importance of the area as endangered species habitat. He stated that the State and Federal government should be commended for their efforts in protecting the San Francisco Bay and that one small area should not be dealt with but rather all treated as being critically interconnected. Len Sheppard felt it is incumbent upon the Council representing all of Redwood City to take the action necessary to find an acceptable solution to preserve access to the trails and protect the endangered species. Tonya Light, representing the Bay Area Coalition of Animal Protection Organizations and the Homeless Cat Network, requested City assistance in providing a temporary facility for animals removed from the area in order to protect endangered species. REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING DECEMBER 6, 1999 AGENDA PAGE 4 MINUTES Book No.57 Page NO. 477