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From:Tony Crapo <br />To:publiccomment <br />Subject:Public Comment: Anti-Camping Ordinance – Bair Island Public Safety Concerns <br />Date:Friday, July 18, 2025 4:32:43 PM <br />You don't often get email from tonycrapo@gmail.com. Learn why this is important <br />Dear Mayor and Councilmembers, <br />As a resident of Bair Island, I am writing to express my strong support for additional measures <br />to protect public safety in our community, particularly in relation to the ongoing fire risk and <br />increasing number of homeless encampments in and around our neighborhood. <br />While the recent presentation at the Community Meeting indicated an overall decrease in <br />encampments citywide, this does not reflect the reality in our area. Encampments around the <br />Highway 101 pedestrian underpass, the Docktown Marina, and near the car lots adjacent to the <br />Whipple Ave exit have grown significantly. In just the past few years, there have been at least <br />six fires in this small zone—three in the past few months alone. This repeated fire activity <br />puts all Bair Island residents at serious risk, especially considering the limited access points in <br />and out of our neighborhood. If a fire breaks out near the car lots or by the Marriott, hundreds <br />of residents could be trapped with no safe evacuation route. <br />Furthermore, the pedestrian underpass beneath 101 is used daily by commuters and children <br />walking to school. The presence of growing encampments in this area creates a real and <br />perceived safety risk, and many parents and students report feeling unsafe using it. <br />I respectfully request that the City designate Bair Island as a "Special Fire Risk Zone", similar <br />to how the City treats locations near schools—allowing encampments in this area to be <br />addressed and removed within 48 hours. The current conditions present a clear and ongoing <br />danger, and proactive action is needed to prevent a potentially catastrophic event. <br />Thank you for your attention to this matter and for your continued service to the Redwood <br />City community. <br />Sincerely, <br />Tony Crapo <br />Bair Island Homeowner <br />Sequoia Union High School District Employee