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<br />accessing the Island itself." Mrs. Rust said when POST acquired the property it also <br />acquired Bair Island Road. <br />Mrs. Rust said, "I want to be clear. POST does not oppose (the Riab) development. We <br />are not trying to oppose development at all. We are not endorsing it... all we are looking <br />at is the public good. With these increased developments we see increased safety issues on <br />access to Bair Island. So we are looking to you to work with us on these issues. Delay... <br />this finding having to do with the condemnation action for a month so that we might work <br />with this owner and developer of the Riab property, to come to some mutually agreeable <br />conclusion about how to do this in a way that the public is served... POST is not a for <br />profit organization. We are doing this purely and solely for the public good... We are not <br />trying to stop the Riab development in any way. We have no interest in doing that. We <br />want to find a good conclusion. ... But we need some time to do that." <br />Norman Matteoni said, "POST does have to come forward to protect its position and it <br />feels it has to negotiate mitigation measures up front to know that the project as proposed <br />and adopted by you.... does serve the National Wildlife Refuge use created on Bair Island <br />that POST is dedicated to accomplish. He said what POST is proposing, "both by way of <br />objection and a means to solve the objection. It is not simply a matter of money, it is a <br />matter of making the proposed road project compatible in the context that Audrey Rust <br />just described to you." Mr. Matteoni referred to the negotiations held with the City's <br />eminent domain attorney, "we have proposed measures that include parking, appropriate <br />safety measures across the road, tying in already dedicated path ways west of Bair Island <br />Road at the point of extension to the bridge crossing to Inner Bair Island. What we want <br />to do is to delineate exactly how those things can be accomplished and work collectively <br />with the City and we assume with the developers participation, to make the project fit and <br />be a safe point of access for the general public and citizens of Redwood City." <br />Mr. Matteoni said he cited a Government Code Section in his referenced letter that states, <br />"when a privately held piece of property, or property purchased by a non-profit, is for the <br />purpose of preserving the natural condition of that property, that non-profit association is <br />supported by donations and has tax exemptions, all of which POST has, the property is <br />irrevocably dedicated to the public in terms of the contract POST has with its soon to be <br />partner agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, that that use by the entire holdings of <br />POST, all the areas (including Bair Island Road) is under the law, the best and most <br />necessary public use. The City certainly has public use establishment powers in any road <br />that serves the entire City and general public, but that must be balanced against this best <br />and most necessary public use. And that's the crux of what we are trying to address. We <br />feel that we need some time for a fair discussion of that, and...(we) fail to see the need to <br />rush to a litigious situation tonight." Mr. Matteoni suggested waiting until the Final Map <br />was recorded and then have the City proceed if necessary by eminent domain to acquire <br />the area for the road. He advised that BCDC has jurisdiction over this area and would <br />require the City or the developer to obtain a permit. He said POST could be of assistance <br />in coordinating that process if there were means of making that road compatible with <br />POST's purposes. He said they were requesting "a short time to work with the City as a <br />REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTE BOOK NO. 56 APRIL 6,1998 <br />MINUTES Page No. 376 PAGE 16 <br />