Clive Endress Statement to the BRTF

Monday, November 19. San Rafael.

BEFORE WE START, WE WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF YOU WOULD HOLD YOUR QUESTIONS UNTIL ALL THREE OF US HAVE COMPLETED OUR BRIEF REMARKS.

MADAME CHAIR, AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, MY NAME IS CLIVE ENDRESS. I AM A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT, AND I AM PRIVILEGED TO BE HERE TODAY AS A MEMBER OF THE BOARD, REPRESENTING THE HAVEN’S NECK PRESERVE. THE HAVENS NECK PRESERVE IS LOCATED AT THE SOUTHERN END OF SAUNDERS REEF RESTRICTION ZONE (SHOWN HERE ON THE MAP).

WE ARE A GROUP OF TWENTY NEIGHBORING FAMILIES WITH VARIED BACKGROUNDS, INCLUDING SCHOOL TEACHERS, LAWYERS, NURSES ARTISTS, ARCHITECTS, SOCIAL WORKERS AND MORE. WE CAME TOGETHER AS A GROUP TO PURCHASE THIS PROPERTY TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE IT FROM BEING DEVELOPED AND PLUNDERED FOR ITS NATURAL RESOURCES.

FIRST, I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT I AND MEMBERS OF THE HAVENS NECK PRESERVE ARE NEW TO THIS PROCESS. WE PURCHASED THIS PROPERTY LESS THAN A YEAR, AGO AND WE ARE ALL COMMITTED TO BEING ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDS OF THIS VERY SPECIAL PLACE.

WE WANT TO COOPERATE TO THE FULLEST EXTENT POSSIBLE TO PROTECT OUR FRAGILE COAST, BUT WE ARE ALSO VERY CONCERNED ABOUT OUR ROLE IN THIS INITIATIVE PROCESS.

BECAUSE WE ARE NEW, WE ARE HERE TODAY TO LISTEN TO ALL DISCUSSIONS AND SEE HOW BEST WE SHOULD PROCEED AS A GROUP, AND WHERE AND HOW WE BEST FIT IN. WE REALIZE WE ARE COMING IN AT THE ELEVENTH HOUR, BUT BELIEVE WE SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN ALL STAKE HOLDER DISCUSSIONS.

NOW WE ARE FACED WITH THE FACT THAT MUCH OF WHAT MAKES HANENS NECK SO SPECIAL, MIGHT BE TAKEN AWAY, OR SEVERELY RESTRICTED IN TERMS OF ACCESS. WE ARE CONCERNED THAT BY TAKING CONTROL AWAY FROM OUR PRESERVE, IT WILL NO LONGER GET THE PROTECTION THAT HAS KEPT IT IN ITS PRESENT UNSPOILED CONDITION. WE BELIEVE THAT THE INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY OWNERS ARE IN THE BEST POSITION TO PROTECT SUCH FRAGILE HABITATS AS IS ILLUSTRATED BY THE CONDITION OF THE RATCLIFF AND THE RICHARDSON RANCH PROPERTIES.

THE MARINE LIFE SURROUNDING HAVEN'S NECK IS ABUNDANT. THE POPULATIONS OF ABALONE AND ROCK FISH ARE A TESTAMENT TO THE PAST PROTECTION OF ITS PREVIOUS PROPERTY OWNERS , THE LOGANS AND MILLARD SHEETS.

I WANT TO MAKE A FEW VERY IMPORTANT POINTS ABOUT OUR MEMBERSHIP. JUST AS IT WAS WITH THE PREVIOUS OWNERS, PRESERVATION AND CONSERVATION WERE FOREMOST IN OUR MINDS. WE DEVELOPED A MISSION STATEMENT, AND A SET OF BYLAWS REFLECTING THAT GOAL.

OUR FIRST COOPERATIVE DECISION WAS THAT WE WOULD NEVER ALLOW BUILDING OR DEVELOPMENT ON THIS PIECE OF LAND.

SECOND OUR BY-LAWS INCLUDE , PRESERVATION OF VEGETATION, MANDATORY TRAIL RULES, REGULATIONS REGARDING DOGS, BEACHES, CAMPFIRES, BOATS, AND VERY IMPORTANTLY, RESTRICTIONS ON ABALONE TAKE. ABOVE AND BEYOND THAT REQUIRED BY DFG. THIS RESTRICTION ALLOWS FOR ONLY ONE HALF THE LEGAL LIMIT REQUIRED BY DFG /PER MEMBERSHIP. FURTHER, ALTHOUGH WE ENFORCE STRICT TRESPASSING RULES, WE HAVE PROVISIONS THAT ALLOW FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH RELATED TO ALL PLANT AND ANIMAL SPECIES ON THE PROPERTY.

FINALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT AGAIN , WE ARE VERY CONCERNED THAT WE AND OTHER PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS HAVE NOT BEEN INCLUDED As PRIMARY AND VALUABLE STAKE-HOLDERS IN THIS PROCESS .

WE LOOK FORWARD TO PARTICIPATING AND CONTRIBUTING IN THE MEETINGS AHEAD.

AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.