My Email to Eagle County commissioner Jon Stavney

[pcp911]

To: Jon Stavney
Subject: Say No to hidden gems

Dear Eagle County Commissioners,

As a eight year resident of Eagle County, I wanted to write to you to ask you not to support the Hidden Gems proposal. I have spent hundreds of days exploring and playing in one of the areas that will be affected by this proposal. I will say that yes I believe the area that stretches from Red Sandstone Rd. in Vail to Wolcott is beautiful, and it is something I would like to preserve for future generations but I do not think that we should do this by making the area into wilderness. I snowmobile twenty to thirty days a season in this area and it is an amazing feeling sitting next to your friends 10 miles out with views of both Vail and Beaver Creek. It is these days spent with friends and my children out in these remote areas that I would not be able to access without a motorized vehicle. If Hidden Gems proposal passes there will be no more day hikes for my children, friends and myself out of piney lake, no more canoeing on the lake, and no more hikes around Lost lake. These things will be lost forever to the majority of people who live in Eagle County. How many of us have the time, equipment and skills to hike 10 miles into Piney lake and then up the Gore? How many families will be stopped from sharing the love of the outdoors and camping with their children because they are now forced into carrying everything on their back into the wilderness to bring their family camping? Yes we live in one of the most beautiful areas in the world but it is almost pointless if you can not go out and enjoy the beauty and breath taking views. How do the elderly, injured, out of shape business men and women, poor, and young children enjoy these areas if we take away any easy access? One of my friends in Eagle County is a quadriplegic and although he loves the outdoors he is unable to access areas like Piney without use of his handicapped van and electric wheel chair. If the Hidden Gems proposal passes not only will I loose magical areas that I have recreated in for years and years but thousands of other people both visitors and locals alike will loose their ability to explore and enjoy this, our national treasure.

The WILD Foundation defines wilderness areas on their web site as: "The most intact, undisturbed wild natural areas left on our planet - those last truly wild places that humans do not control and have not developed with roads, pipelines or other industrial infrastructure." I do not think that this area should even qualify as wilderness. There are hundreds of miles of dirt roads throughout this area. Miles and Miles of power lines criss crossing the area, power transformers, and years of logging. When I think of wilderness areas that need to be protected they do not include any of these things. I hope you take your time to listen to the arguments and the people who are making them. My feeling is that the vast amount of proponents of the Hidden Gems proposal do not live in Eagle County and will not be directly affected by it. As a long time Eagle County resident who lives, works, pays taxes and votes in Eagle County please say No to the Hidden Gems.
thank you,
Patrick Porsche

-------Jon's first reply------------
To: Patrick Porsche
Subject: RE: Say No to hidden gems



Patrick,

Thanks for your specific input on this.

Is the portion that encumbers your historic use in Lower Piney, Spraddle Creek or Freeman Creek proposals? FYI: Red and White Mountain is not included.

Thanks.

Jon Stavney
County Commissioner
Eagle County Government
970.328.8605 t
970.328.8629 f

------- My Responce---------
To: Jon Stavney
Subject: RE: Say No to hidden gems

Yes the area's that I was talking about include Spraddle Creek, Freeman Creek, and especially Lower Piney. I used Red Sandstone Rd. as a reference point to the area I access, from Red Sandstone Rd. in Vail to Wolcott. Thank you for taking the time to clarify this. I wanted to come to the meeting tonight but I am working at Vail Valley Medical Center tonight, 5pm till 730am. I hope that the County Commissioners realize how much locals and tourists enjoy to recreate in these areas.
Thank you in advance,
Patrick Porsche

----------Jon Stavney's responce--------
Patrick,

That is good, specific feedback. Please pass along that this kind of input is exactly what we are seeking. Thanks again.

Jon Stavney
County Commissioner
Eagle County Government
970.328.8605 t
970.328.8629 f

 

[pcp911]

Atleast there is someone in eagle county who seems intersted in what we want, please continue to send letters explaining how you use the area, how long you have used the area, and include your address and phone number so they know that this is comming from a real person and not one person pretending to be many others.
here is his info
Patrick,

That is good, specific feedback. Please pass along that this kind of input is exactly what we are seeking. Thanks again.

Jon Stavney
County Commissioner
Eagle County Government
970.328.8605 t
970.328.8629 f
email = Jon.Stavney@eaglecounty.us

thanks
patrick

 

[black swan]

I wouldnt hold my breath w/ Stavney, he seems already bought and paid for.

But awesome letter, none the less......

 

[MtnDoo]

110% agreed.

If we were trying to repeal Wilderness, or open areas currently closed, I doubt he'd be "fair" an "unbiased" with the motorized/mechanized community.

MD.

 

[rev440alaska]

i'll send him an email...probably not a good one though

 

[AndrettiDog]

I've talked to John Stavney in person. He is a bright good guy, but I will tell you this much. He wants to see a comprimise between both sides. A middle ground where both parties meet and shake hands. We need him to understand that someone has come and asked for our back yard and is now willing "give" and "comprimise" some of the area in that yard. He's a politician and wants all the people to be happy. I don't fault him for that, but I do want him to understand that this whole project is not good for Eagle County.