Santa Cruz County residents call for local meeting on national monument

Farmers and loggers are not always on the same page, but they agree on this: Whoever writes the proclamation to include the Cotoni-Coast Dairies property as part of a national monument stretching along the California Coast better assure it’s not a burden on local fire and rescue services and potential traffic hazards are addressed. Both David Van Lennep, Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau president, and Bob Berlage, of Big Creek Lumber, urged Santa Cruz County supervisors to ask federal officials for a local meeting on the national monument. If that request is denied, then hold your own public meeting and invite those officials, said Lennep. Others spoke of trash left by an influx of visitors, resources needed for policing and protecting animal migration. “These things need to be addressed in a realistic way so we don’t ruin the North Coast,” said Doug Rowe, who lives in Davenport. Clay Peters, a Bonny Doon resident who worked for the National Park Service and the House Interior Committee, said it’s too late for Congressional action but “something could happen with a presidential proclamation.” He said he handed a letter detailing the local issues to Interior Secretary Sally Jewell six weeks ago. “Try to get a response to that letter,” Peters said...more