Public's Park Remarks Are In by Mark Grossi The Fresno Bee - July 8, 2000 Twenty years later, the Yosemite Valley Plan appears at hand after having passed another milestone; the public comment period closed Friday. The draft plan to restore, rebuild and manage the sensitive valley drew about 7,000 comments, which is a pittance compared to the crowd that commented 20 years ago when Yosemite National Park's planning parade started. Sixty thousand people commented on the parks controversial General Management Plan in 1980. It took two decades to get past the arguments, politics and money snafus on the most controversial part of the park-- Yosemite Valley. Now, the National Park Service is aiming at having a final plan by December. Buildings will then be removed, flood plains restored, motel units constructed and camp-grounds relocated, along with many other changes de-signed to help people and nature get along in this well--traveled high Sierra destination. Why is it finally happening? Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt last year made it clear he wanted to finish the plan for this 7-mile- long and 1-mile-wide glacial valley and move the restoration job onto the fast track. But people shouldn't hold their breath waiting to see the major changes in the $343 million preferred alternative. "The major changes won't happen overnight," said Yosemite spokeswoman Christine Cowles. "It would take seven to 10 years for the major parts of the plan to be implemented." Campgrounds and picnic areas probably would be among the first features to be built, Cowles said. But before any changes take place, she said, officials need to sort through those 7,000 comments and respond to them. The comments--80% of them from California--run the gamut from full support of the Park Service's ideas to detailed opposition from environmental and gateway community groups. Forest Service workers and Yosemite employees will sort the comments into groups according to topics. Park officials will read through the groupings and incorporate possible tweaks and changes in the plan.