The Public Works Department of the City of Santa Clara has decided to relocate the Ulistac wetlands right on top of the Oak Savannah and several Oak Woodlands that are part of our restoration project. This means that many of the oaks that you planted and maintained will be dug up and the location flooded.

This plan was presented to the city council in a report last Tuesday night.
To see the report, go to this URL:

http://cityclerkdatabase.ci.santa-clara.ca.us/wx/mainframe.asp

If that does not work, go to this URL for the city council agenda, find the item about the wetlands (6C), and click on the REPORT word after it.

http://cityclerkdatabase.ci.santa-clara.ca.us/wx/pubhtml/pubhtml/3009.html

Do this immediately. This material will be replaced Saturday. If you miss it and would like a JPEG of the report and its map, e-mail me. The report can also be checked out from the Reference Desk at the Main Library.

What Can We Do?

The Director of Parks and Recreation, Larry Wolfe will be holding a public meeting to discuss the wetlands relocation on TUESDAY EVENING, MARCH 11, 2003, at 7 PM, at the Lick Mill Park, across the street from Ulistac Natural Area. Please come to that meeting and express your opinions. Bring your homework, set the VCR, and PLEASE COME.
The plan does not offer any alternatives. It does not give any justifications. If just says that they are going to dig up our oaks, and that is that. There is no oak relocation plan. There are many other areas of the park where they could put wetlands. They could even put them outside of UNA. But they are silent on these ideas. I will be sending out a second e-mail with specific issues and talking points. If you can give people from a particular area a ride to this meeting, let me know and I will let others know. If you get a chance to read the report, and whether you come to the meeting or not, you can also write a letter. Let them know that this plan is unacceptable and that they must put the wetlands somewhere else. If you have not read the report, do not write until my next e-mail give you more information.

Write to: Steve Yoshino Public Works Director and Jennifer Sparacino City Manager both at City of Santa Clara 1500 Warburton Ave. Santa Clara, CA 95050 It is unprofessional to offer no alternatives or explanations, and unbelievably cruel and vicious to destroy our work.

DO NOT write to the city council yet. Focus on the public meeting. Give the staff a chance to correct there mistake. There *will* be another hearing before the city council later.

BUT FIRST, COME TO THE MEETING!!! 7:00 PM MARCH 11, 2003 Lick Mill Park Community Room

- Chris Salander