San Rafael
Chamber of
Commerce
817
Mission Avenue • San Rafael, CA 94901
(415) 454.4163 FAX: (415) 454-7039
May 21 2001
Mayor Al Boro and
City Council Members
City of San Rafael
1400 Fifth Avenue
San Rafael CA 94901
Dear Mayor Boro and
Council Members:
After
attending the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service workshop on May 1 and
participating in conversations with USFWS staffs it is clear that their public
process is severely flawed. They stated
that their meeting on May 1 was part of their scoping process, yet they cut off
public comments after an hour. They intend to have no more public hearings
until their draft plan is completed We feel that Out community has little to
say about land use decisions that will impart us for generations.
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questioning the validity of their process and the proposed boundaries. We
suggest that the Council issues a statement to the Acting Director of US Fish
and Wildlife, Marshal Jones, that includes the following points:
1. The
Baylands Wildlife Refuge is redundant, because these lands are already
protected through the Bayfront Conservation Zone and strong po1icies in San
Rafael general plan;
2. Local
elected officials ware not consulted, or even informed about the proposed
refuge before it was announced to the public.
3. Plans
for the development of properties within the refuge that were made by local
elected officials after considerable public process have been ignored;
4. Housing
creation and transportation improvements are critical for out community’s
future and will be severely compromised by the refuge.
No
adequate explanation for the proposed boundaries has been made;
6. The proposal for a wildlife refuge should be turned back to the local governing bodies of the City of San Rafael, the City of Novato, the City of Corte Madera and the County of Marin to determine its need and scope.
We
feel strongly that requesting only certain properties, or portions of
properties, be removed from the proposed boundaries while leaving others
included, is unfair to all the property owners and gives unspoken agreement to
the establishment of the refuge.
We ask that you
give significant consideration to our request.
Respectfully,