City of San Rafael
Albert J. Boro
Council Members
Paul Cohen
Barbara Heller
Cyr N. Miller
Gary D. Phillips
May 2. 2001
Cathy Osugi
US Fish & Wildlife Service
911 NE 11th Avenue
Portland, OR. 97232-4121
Re: Marin Baylands National
Wildlife Refuge
Dear Ms. Osugi:
In response to the scheduled
Open House to discuss the proposed Marin Baylands National Wildlife Refuge, the
City of San Rafael wishes to go
on record as opposing the inclusion of the western portions of the St.
Vincent’s and Silviera properties in your
boundary evaluation. Our reasoning is as follows:
1. The process for considering the proposed refuge boundaries end management policies is flawed.
Property owners have not been involved at the outset, and it seems the proposed boundaries were established with input from a
single interest group. We also believe that the open house format and
solicitation of written comments has
eliminated opportunities for a hire public dialogue about the proposal. It is
OUT understanding that, following the open houses, Fish and Wildlife, staff
will complete their studios and a decision will be announced, without a public
bearing before decision makers ever being bold.
2. The land use study initiated by Multi County and the City of San
Rafael for the St. Vincent’s and Silviera properties was an example of a community process that brought
together all interest groups - environmental organizations, business groups,
the League of Women Voters, neighborhood representatives housing advocates and
the community at large, to reach consensus. They recommended that the entire
eastern half of the properties remain as open space, but that portions of the
properties west of the railroad tracks be devoted to critical housing needs.
Consigning the entire 1,200 acres to environmental preservation ignores the
balancing of needs.
3. The proposed boundaries are inconsistent with the Baylands
Ecosystem Habitat Goals Project, a four year effort which involved numerous
resource agencies, including U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and extensive
public input. The Goals Project recommends for the Silveira and St. Vincent’s
properties that there be restoration of tidal marsh on one half of the
properties cast of the railroad tracks, that seasonal wetlands and transitional
uplands ho preserved and enhanced between the new marshland and the railroad
tracks, and that seasonal wetlands and oaks be preserved West of the tracks.
These recommendations are very consistent with General Plan policies of both Marin County and the
City of San Rafael.
4. There is not a need to
designate portions of the St. Vincent’s and Silveira properties west of the
railroad frocks as part of a future refuge to preserve adjacent upland habitat
and seasonal wetlands. The recommendations of the St. Vincent’s/Silviera
Citizen’s Advisory Committee include preservation of the adjacent oak woodlands
on Pacheco Ridge and the large seasonal wetlands near the railroad tracks. The
Advisory Committee’s proposal would require preservation of at least 70% of the
area west of the railroad tracks, leaving substantial areas for habitat
corridors. This plan would, however, provide a balance between environmental
protection and other county-wide needs.
5. While the proposed refuge designation may not affect local land use authority, it certainly will affect public perception regarding development west of the railroad tracks. Given the level of controversy that a development proposal would engender, we believe it would not be prudent to include designation of the lands as a potential refuge into the community debate.
It is our hope that the Fish
and Wildlife Service will seriously consider alternative boundary proposals
that exclude the western portions of the St. Vincent’s and Silveira properties.
Please fool free to contact
Bob Brown, our Community Development Director, at (415) 485-3090.
Sincerely,
Mayor
cc: City Council