April 27, 2010
David H. Bieter
Mayor, City of Boise
Dear Mr. Mayor,
My name is John Kangas. I am a life time resident of Boise, airline captain, aviation buff, aerial photographer, and outdoor enthusiast. A couple of years ago, I worked in the filming of an Outdoor Idaho program about Hang Gliding in Idaho. Perhaps you saw the program, and felt some of the passion of soaring in our fabulous State? Here is a link to the segment if you missed it. www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1085337546075
If you ever have a chance to try soaring, whether in a Sailplane or a Hang Glider it is truly an experience you will never forget.
For the last 35 years, since their invention by NASA engineer Francis Rogallo, Hang Gliders have quietly graced the Boise skyline above a little foothill just north of the Crow Inn. Gliding enthusiasts in the valley call this hill "The Crow" and it is very dear to our hearts.
The Crow Hill is very close to our homes. We can fly in the evening after work. Many locals learned to fly at the Crow over the years as it has a near perfect slope, and faces NW into a gentle afternoon and evening breeze. There is a wide open landing area at the base of the hill. Often, folks in the local neighborhood sit in their yards and watch us. There is nothing like it near Boise. For those of us who love to experience "bird like flight" with the wind in our faces, or just watch the beautiful gliders, the Crow is one of the things that makes Boise a special place.
Since the early 70's we flew at the Crow with only a handshake agreement with the private owners. We were always respectful of their wishes, appreciative of their gift, and good stewards of their land. We always knew that development could close the Crow forever. We held our breath as development of the foothills moved closer. We enjoyed every moment as the years past. The most recent private owners met with us to discuss preserving open space in the development so our activity could continue.
Needless to say, we were thrilled when we learned of the City's purchase of the Hammer Flats property including the Crow Hill. We formed a small working group and met with BPR (Boise Parks and Recreation.) We came to the meeting with the President of the USHPA (United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association) representing 10,000 members. She is a remarkable and very talented Boise resident. We came to the meeting with the President of the Idaho Hang Glider Association representing 150 active members. He learned to fly at the Crow Hill. He is a lifetime Boise resident with a strong passion for Hang Gliding. I brought aerial photography, and experience in land use planning and surveying. We all came prepared to roll up our sleeves and to partner with our City in preserving a legacy open space gliding area.
During the introductory meeting with BPR and IDFG (Idaho Fish and Game) we shared the very low impact our sport has to the environment and our experiences with wildlife while soaring. Most of us have had hawks and eagles join up and fly with us. I shared a story about soaring above a grazing deer at Mt. Sentinel in Missoula that continued feeding completely undisturbed by my silent glider just a hundred feet overhead. I have also flown over elk and big horned sheep herds in Idaho that took no mind to my presence. We also communicated to the representatives that we had extensive expertise in our organizations, including wildlife biology, that could share information regarding our activity relative to deer and other wildlife behavior.
Official landing area below Mt Sentinel next to the University Golf Course in Missoula
At the meeting, we shared that our national organization has extensive experience with all types of agencies and municipalities. We partner the famous gliding site above Missoula at Mt. Sentinel with the Forrest Service and the University of Montana. This includes key access to a normally closed USFS access road to the top of the mountain. We fly in Yosemite National Park under a working agreement with the National Park Service. We have public gliding parks in Salt Lake City at Point of the Mountain, Famous Torrey Pines in San Diego, and even in a city park on a beach in Los Angeles. Since our basic need is only for open space and a hill facing into the wind, associated costs and infrastructure are always very low. Often they only amount to windsocks which we provide. Since our introductory meeting with BPR, we have been prepared to answer questions and provide follow-up information including details of our self regulation, and the extensive insurance provisions that we bring to official gliding sites.
My Son’s first flight at the Dockweiler Beach Hang Gliding Park in Los Angeles.
We waited patiently for follow up questions after the meeting, but regretfully the calls never came. When our group made inquiry, we were told that the management plan was being formulated interagency, between BPR and IDFG. We have since learned that a closed door meeting has already occurred and that we will probably not be allowed to fly at the Crow Hill. The IDFG has already locked us out and posted signs. This action is prior to any formal management agreement being reached. Meeting minutes from the closed door meeting have not been made available to us.
Mr. Mayor this seems almost surreal. Something is wrong. Does Idaho Fish and Game answer to the people of Boise or to outside interests? Where is the connection between authority and responsibility? No public hearings. No transparency. Just a closed door meeting in which some deal is made and locks and signs are put up. Our serial levy was not presented in this fashion. The official ballot said we were going to "preserve wildlife habitat" and "provide increased recreational areas." Nothing was said about locking out compatible uses.
Paraglider Sunset at The Crow
Perhaps in our enthusiasm of a fortuitous purchase, and our desire to minimize costs, we have overlooked basic principles. Hikers have a place to walk. Bikers have a place to ride. Lovely gliders should continue to fly down a little hill in a beautiful city called Boise.
Please look into this matter and contact me at your earliest convenience.
Sincerely,
Captain John Kangas
Proud Citizen of Boise, and member of the Idaho Hang Gliding Association and USHPA
----- Original Message -----
From: Mayor@cityofboise.org
To: JOHN A KANGAS ; Julia Grant
Sent: Tuesday, April 27, 2010 4:23 PM
Subject: J Kangas Hang Gliding at Hammer Flats "Crow Hill" 4/27/10
Dear John,
Thank you for your interest in the long-term management of Hammer Flat. I appreciate you voicing your concerns. Keeping the main reason we purchased the property in mind, protecting the property as wildlife habitat, Boise City has just begun to work with IDFG on the formal management agreement for the property. We have heard from a number of Hammer Flat neighbors and other interested parties why their particular recreational use should be allowed on Hammer Flat. I will ask Julia Grant, The Foothills Open Space Management Director to be sure to send you a copy of the agreement in a month or so once it is finalized along with a brief explanation on the thought process.
Sincerely,
David H. Bieter
Mayor
From: JOHN A KANGAS
To: David Bieter
Cc: Julia Grant ; Lisa Tate ; Blaine Perkins ; Jim Hall
Sent: Wednesday, May 12, 2010 3:35 PM
Subject: Re: J Kangas Hang Gliding at Hammer Flats "Crow Hill" 4/27/10
May 12th, 2010
An open letter to
David H. Bieter
Mayor, City of Boise
Thank you for your prompt reply about a plan for Hammer Flats and the Crow Gliding Area. It is the top down decision making policy that concerns us. Despite our offer of assistance from local, and national hang gliding organizations, we have not heard back from the folks who are making the decisions. One gets a sense that hang gliders and other outdoor enthusiasts are going to be excluded from the final plan. Thrown under the bus so to speak. We are hearing rumors that fast and quiet deals are being made that will basically lock everyone out. Hope we are wrong. Makes for a sad story. We have enjoyed the Crow Gliding Area for 35 years with private owners of the land. Boise buys it with our money and the citizens who voted for the levy are locked out. Perhaps this is why folks are holding tea parties.
Mr. Mayor, we know that good decisions do not begin with a solution, but rather in drawing deeply from a pool of options. Hammer Flats and the and the Crow Gliding Area has been purchased with serial levy funds that promised to do 5 important things. They are; protect water quality, preserve wildlife habitat, limit overdevelopment and traffic, protect natural vegetation, and provide increased recreational areas for walking, biking, and other outdoor activities.
In reading the ballot, we find the statement that "Approved levy funds will:" do the 5 listed items. We can not see that these 5 items are mutually exclusive. As in, the City will pick and choose and maybe only do one of these things with your money and exclude all other stated benefits. In retrospect, we do not recall anyone from the City stating, either prior to or after the election, that the money would be used to lock the people out, give short term control to IDFG (Idaho Department of Fish and Game), and then later perhaps sell the property to IDFG so they can open a special hunting area.
Mr. Mayor, "We the people" of Boise voted for a marvelous open space initiative that would balance many important outdoor values. We did not raise our taxes to buy property for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game and the special interest group that they serve. We are hearing that outdoor enthusiasts, who would be locked out from Hammer Flats and the Crow Gliding Area by IDFG, include neighbors, hikers, climbers, bicyclists, equestrians, and the hang gliders who have flown here for 35 years. Please stop the closed door discussions about a memorandum of understanding with IDFG until public input from all interested parties and a comprehensive and inclusive plan can be considered. Please consider the wishes of the people of Boise rather than the narrow focus and desires of an outside state agency.
As indicated in our previous correspondence, IDFG has locked the gates and posted signs. Prior to any public meetings and any formal agreement, we are now apparently "locked out" from the Crow Gliding Area and our open space. Mr. Mayor, we believe that the process and direction our City is taking regarding Hammer Flats and the Crow Gliding Area is violation of the letter and the intent of the Open Space Serial Levy. From this point forward, we respectfully request that business involving Hammer Flats and the Crow Gliding Area be conducted in an open, honest and transparent fashion, rather than in secret behind closed doors.
Sincerely,
John Kangas,
Spokesperson -Idaho Hang Gliding Association
cc Boise City Council, Foothills Conservation Advisory Committee, Boise Parks and Recreation Commissioners, Open Spaces and Trails Advisory Board, Jim Hall, Julia Grant, Blaine Perkins, Lisa Tate, Area Media Contacts, and others
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