The CGC Communicator Newsletter Web Posting

The following unsolicited e-mail explains the one day postponement for the SCFCC November 2007 meeting and luncheon on Mt. Wilson.  Thanks to District Ranger Michael J. McIntyre for taking the time and effort to explain the situation to our readers.  Note that Ranger McIntyre's e-mail (below) is dated Nov 6 at 5:19 PM, immediately after CGC #816 and 817 explained that the meeting/luncheon would in fact be postponed by one day.

Subject: Event Date Change
From: Mike McIntyre, mmcintyre (at) fs.fed.us
Date: Tue, 6 Nov 2007 17:19:43 -0800

Mr. Gonsett -

I have a copy of your announcement of the change in date of the event as according to Mr. Fine.  I am the new ranger (as of February this year) and I can not speak to what has happened in terms of the permit in the past. But regulations are that if an event is held larger than 75 people, then a special use authorization is needed.  This event is larger than 75 people. Howard indicated that the locations would be outside the area currently under permit to the Mt. Wilson electronic users; therefore, outside any permit that is currently in use.

We tried to work with Mr. Fine and gave him three options.  We are currently in Forest Closure and are not issuing any permits for areas to use.  Mr. Fine wanted to use the Pavilion for food which we said he couldn't do under the Forest Closure.  We were open to them holding the event on the permitted area for the Mt. Wilson observatory as that is an active permit. I asked about parking for 100 people as I know the observatory can not handle it and due to the closure, the parking lots on Mt. Wilson are not available.  He said that cars could park within the electronic sites.  I said if he can provide the documentation that the electronic sites had the space for all the cars that would come up, and that they could walk to the event on the observatory, we would consider it.

I also said if they could postpone the event one day, the closure will be lifted which will make more space (pavilion, parking lots) available.

When we ended the phone call, Mr. Fine said he was going to check out the parking situation within the electronic sites.  And I offered him another option which escapes me at the moment.

We have been in Forest closure for fire danger for over two weeks now so Mr. Fine should have known that his event was affected by the closure and not wait to last Friday to contact the Forest.


Michael J. McIntyre
District Ranger
Los Angeles River Ranger District
12371 North Little Tujunga Canyon Road
San Fernando, CA 91342
(818) 899-1900 ext. 223
(818) 896-6727 (FAX)

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