Brooke Hoyer
I don't know how many of you on this email list are also part of Mazamas
... But they are having a public meeting on whether they should throw their
support behind Friends of Mt. Hood which is attempting to block the park.
Looks like it's an open meeting and if there are some well spoken
advocates, they should be on the agenda. From the way I see it, it looks
like Mazamas is concerned that the environmental impact process was not as
thorough as it should have been. If that's the case, the most persuasive
argument a project advocate could make is that environmental impact due
diligence was appropriately performed. Additionally, positive data from
other projects of this type could bolster claims.
I think the thing to remember is that Mazamas is not the "enemy." They are
not opposed to cycling access, per se. So keep comments constructive.
----- Forwarded message -----
From: adventure@mazamas.org
To:
Subject: ALERT: Timberline Mountain Bike Park Meeting Notice and Invitation
Date: Wed, Mar 6, 2013 5:34 pm
Dear Members and friends -****
Mazamas Executive Council will be making a signifigant and difficult
decison on Tuesday March 12th, 2013 surrounding the proposed mountain bike
park development at Timberline Lodge, which is scheduled to start
construction in the summer of 2013. ****
****
Friends of Mt. Hood with support from the CRAG law center have asked the
Mazamas to be involved both in name and with administrative and financial
support in a forthcoming lawsuit and injunction against the USFS and
Timberline/RLK Mgmt. to stop the building of these mountain bike trails. ***
*
****
Executive Council will be deciding if we should participate in this lawsuit
and injunction next Tuesday at 7PM and wants and needs YOUR input on the
decision. There are a multitude of issues to consider, as well as
signifigant potential costs and benefits on both sides of the decision.****
****
Mazamas has previously opposed the project at the recommendation of Mazamas
Conservation Committee because the Executive Council agreed that it was
very important that the USFS carefully evaluate the potential enviromental
impacts of the project. The USFS performed an Environmental Analysis and
issued a 'Finding of no signifigant impact' decision http://goo.gl/wHqcq on
11/19/13. Mazamas then signed onto an administrative appeal of this
decision to the Regional USFS office. On 2/28/13 the Regional USFS office
affirmed the decision by Mt. Hood National forest to allow the project to
proceed, along with a variety of mitigation and monitoring efforts.****
****
Here is the USFS page with several linked documents on the project:****
http://goo.gl/tA6mk****
** **
Here is the Timberline Lodge website describing the development:****
http://www.timberlinelodge.com/play/other-mountain-activities/mountainbike/*
***
****
Here is the Friends of Mt. Hood page describing their position on this
development:****
http://www.friendsofmounthood.org/Timberlinebikepark.htm****
****
*Meeting Details*****
The meeting will be held on March 12th, 2013 at the Mazama Mountaineering
Center at 527 SE 43rd Ave. in Portland and discussion around this item will
begin at 7PM. All members and the general public are welcome to attend.
Anyone who wishes to present or speak to Executive Council on the matter
will be alloted 2-3 minutes. Please contact Lee Davis our Executive
Director at lee@mazamas.org in advance and/or arrive as early as possible
if you wish to speak and no later than 6:20PM so that we can get you on the
list. We intend to fairly divide the presentation time between differing
viewpoints. We are encouraging input and expect high attendance.
Presentations will end at 8PM, Executive Council will discuss and debate as
they see fit until 8:20PM and the decision will be made at 8:25PM.****
****
Thank you,****
****
Doug Couch****
President