Citizen Letter 4/28

Dear Mr. Lucan,

I used to park at the airport and bike back and forth on Binford Road getting in a little safe workout.  I used to also part at the airport and run to Rush Creek trailhead to lengthen my run.  I am not safe to do so today.  Weekly there are assaults and gun fire reported from the RV’ers on Binford Road.   I no longer feel safe to go on a road that is paid for by tax payers.

We’re told the county doesn’t have the money to tow the abandoned vehicles.  Today’s IJ talks about the extra $44.4 million extra.  The County DOES indeed have the funds to tow.

Since the IJ ran the big article and you stated what all you are going to be doing, the RVs are now up to 90, and parking on both sides of the road.

City of Novato did a great job by the library in taking care of their tented people, supplying them what they need, while making the general population nearby feel safe and proteced.

I am writing to you today to express my deep concern about the people living in inhumane conditions and the damage being done to the wetlands as a result. While I appreciate the Sheriff’s Department’s efforts to remove abandoned cars and RVs from the area, there is still much more work to be done in regards to personal items and hoarding spilling into the wetlands.

I understand that there has been talk of “grandfathering” the existing RVs at Binford Road. That’s ridiculous.   It is simply not acceptable for people to continue living in such poor conditions, especially when it is causing damage to the surrounding environment. Additionally, it has come to my attention that Binford Road is being used as a free storage facility for boats, jet skis, a Harley Davidson, and even an expensive Chevy Nova. This is clearly an abuse of the situation and must be addressed immediately.

Furthermore, I am concerned about the slow progress being made in putting up berms to prevent further damage to the wetlands. With three more RVs/vans now occupied and open spaces on the wetlands side soon to be occupied, this situation is only growing more urgent. The berms that have been installed at the end of Binford have already been flattened out by DPW in some spots, allowing tents to pop up.

I strongly urge you to take action on these issues as soon as possible. The RVs need to be relocated to the former Honor Farm or back to the Civic Center where the Supervisors drove them out. This will not only help the people living in these conditions but will also protect the wetlands from further damage.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.