CC Min 1998-05-18 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

Vice Mayor Ruskin said that at the Council's priority setting workshop in January, Pete Hughes suggested that the Council consider "providing some funds to help with recreational access and I got the sense from that that there was a consensus of the Council at that time... that some amount of funding was desirable, and so... we were consciously incapsulating the sense of the Council in our recommendation." Council Member Claire said, "that there are a great number of Redwood City residents who utilize Bair Island quite extensively for recreation purposes and I think that has to be taken into consideration." He suggested that it might be beneficial to work with the Board ofBCDC and, "try to convince them... that the safety issues are paramount in the minds of many of us." He suggested that the argument be made to the Board that human life was at stake and must be considered, and suggested that the Task Force pursue that issue. Council Member Leipzig said he agreed with Council Member Claire and asked the Task Force or staff for a Roster ofBCDC Board members. MEMO 5/19/98 Mayor Howard called upon those people in the audience who wished to speak to this issue. Pete Hughes, 18 Admiralty Court, advised everyone that John Murphy, a dedicated Council watcher, had suffered a heart attack eleven days ago and had immediate triple bypass surgery. He said that Mr. Murphy is home recuperating but had asked Mr. Hughes to give his report before the Council. Mr. Hughes said that Mr. Murphy had prepared a research report which pointed out some conditions that would preclude the construction of a connector road. He said that if by some chance a connector road was somehow built it would primarily benefit San Carlos. Mr. Hughes said that Mr. Murphy was on the road to recovery. Pete Hughes expressed his own opposition to a connector road on pragmatic grounds. He said he had also attended almost all of the meetings and the possibility of a connector road could be characterized as "slight and slim." Mr. Hughes said there was no money to build the road and encouraged everyone to talk about something more useful such as ensuring that the residents of Redwood City had access to recreational opportunities on Bair Island for hiking trails, bird watching platforms and perhaps a bridge to the outer islands. He said he was afraid that if Redwood City did not take some aggressive action in this matter the "only people who will have access to this land will be the environmental elitists who in most cases don't even live in Redwood City." Mayor Howard asked Mr. Hughes to give the Council's best regards to Mr. Murphy. Scott Mace, 104 Elm Street, San Mateo, Director of the Midpeninsula Bicycle Coalition, said he fully supported the effort to complete the Bay Trail from Whipple to the San Carlos Airport area. He said he had attended some meetings of the Bair Island Task Force and was troubled by the possibility of a connector road along Highway 101. Mr. Mace REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTE BOOK NO. 56 MAY 18, 1998 MINUTES Page No. 488 PAGE 10