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Home My Public Portal About20120919 - Minutes - Board of Directors (BOD) Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Meeting 12-31 SPECIAL MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT Arrillaga Family Community Center 700 Alma Street Menlo Park, CA 94025 September 19,2012 AMEN D E D MINUTES SPECIAL MEETING—CLOSED SESSION 1. ROLL CALL President Riffle called the Special Meeting of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Board of Directors to order at 6:00 p.m. Members Present: Jed Cyr, Yoriko Kishimoto, Pete Siemens, Larry Hassett, and Curt Riffle Members Absent: Nonette Hanko and Cecily Harris Staff Present: General Manager Steve Abhors, General Counsel Sheryl Schaffner, Planning Manager Ana Ruiz, and Senior Planner Meredith Manning. The Board entered into Closed Session. SPECIAL MEETING—REGULAR SESSION 11. ROLL CALL President Riffle called the Special Meeting of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Board of Directors to order at 7:05 p.m. Members Present: Jed Cyr, Yoriko Kishimoto, Pete Siemens, Larry Hassett, and Curt Riffle Members Absent: Nonette Hanko and Cecily Harris Meeting 12-31 Page 2 Staff Present: General Manager Steve Abhors, General Counsel Sheryl Schaffner, Planning Manager Ana Ruiz, Operations Manager David Sanguinetti, Public Affairs Manager Rudy Jurgensen, Administrative Services Manager Kate Drayson,Natural Resources Manager Kirk Lenington, Real Property Manager Mike Williams, Senior Planner Meredith Manning, Mount Umunhum Project Manager Gina Coony, Planner III Tina Hugg, Planner 11 Gretchen Laustsen, Planner III Lisa Bankosh, Foothill Superintendent Michael Newburn, Volunteer Program Manager Paul McKowan, Public Affairs Specialist Peggy Koenig, Website Administrator Vicky Gou, Real Property Specialist Allen Ishibashi, GIS Technician Alex Roa, Interim Media Communications Specialist Lallor Maune, IT Administrator Benny Hsieh, IT Technician Owen Sterzl, and District Clerk Michelle Radcliffe 1. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS There were none. 11. BOARD BUSINESS 1. Agenda Item #1 —Approval of a Portion of the Mount Umunhum Environmental Restoration and Public Access Project (Not Including the Radar Tower and Summit Area Amenities) as an Amendment to the Use and Management Plan for Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve (R-12-91) Senior Planner Meredith Manning provided an overview of the Mount Umunhum Environmental Restoration and Public Access Project and explained that it was developed to identify public access opportunities for the former Almaden Air Force Station atop Mount Umunhum. She stated that at its June 12 1h meeting,the Board certified the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the site and approved the demolition of existing structures (except the radar tower) as part of the first phase of public access. Ms. Manning explained that the purpose of this meeting is to approve a portion of the remaining elements of the project, excluding the radar tower and summit area amenities,to further progress to the goal of opening the site to the public. Ms. Manning gave an overview of the phased public access project atop Mount Umunhum and stated that the project elements under Board consideration include: a vehicle staging area at Bald Mountain, multi-use trail to the summit from the Bald Mountain staging area, safety upgrades and improvements to Mount Umunhum Road, parking area adjacent to the summit, a visitor center, vault toilet(s), dedicated 9-1-1 call box, hang gliding/paragliding launch site, water tanks, horse trough(s), environmental restoration, a new trail connection from Mount Thayer to Ralph's Mountain in the Lexington Basin area, and nesting structures for avian Species of Special concern. She explained that at a future public meeting, the Board will � Meeting82`D8 Page consider the remaining project elcmneutm, vvhichinc|ududleoo|cctionofatovvcr option and other summit amenities. � Next, Ms. Manning stated that the Sierra AzuV0nur Creek Redwoods /\dHoc Committee concurred with staff s recommendation to drop consideration o[a backpack camp from the project. She explained that although the environmental impact and vvi|d|and fire risk ofa backpack camp was evaluated iuthe E[R and was found to be less-than-significant, members of the public have expressed concerns about the potential for*/i|d|mud Ore and trespassing onto neighboring private land. She stated that a backpack camp at a different location could be considered as part of the 8iron/kzo| [)pen Space Preserve Master Plan. Then, Ms. Manning provided a summary of the public participation and feedback received u1 the Ju�' |0m }laducTo`�cr(]pcnHouse and Board �Vocksbop. She stated m � that at the July 10 meeting, staff provided the Board with apreliminary list of Factors toConsider tn help�uide the radar tower decision-nmukiogprocess. She � stated that since the July |@ meeting, staff has revised the factors and included new ones. Lastly, Ms. Manning provided an overview of the financial implications of the different phases of the public access as well as the cost to open the site to the public � with ofu|l build-out o[amenities. The 0ounj asked questions regarding various � � elements of the public access p '�c�project. � Lastly, Ms. Manning explained that the Board approved the projectE|RLut its June )2"' meeting and that the El8 analyzed all of the potential environmental impacts and mitigation measures associated with potential public access improvements and radar � tower options. She stated that the Board will need to consider adoption ufthe California Environmental (lun\�ty/kct<C�C]/\) Findings � . ` ` ' � Mitigated Monitoring Plan. � Public Comment: The following speakers stated their views oothe public uuceom | project: Thomas Higgins of San Jose; David Leeson nfunicnrporotcd Santa Clara County; Bern Smith; Tom Taber of San Mateo; Ken Nitzof Redwood City: Somn Drake of San Jose; Chuck BcdsoF San Jose; 0umiruJuborof San Jose; Jordan MakovverofSunnyvale; Scott Marshall nf Menlo Park; George Clifford of Los Altos Hills; Josh Moore of Woodside; Taylor Wing; Carissa Zenorini Hobbs of San Jose; and Kevin Muoi|inof San Jose. The Board held discussion on the backpack camp and agreed to consider having a � backpack camp iuthe Sierra Azu|/0cur Creek Redwoods Master Plan Project. � Director Kimhinno10 stated that the Board will need to have upolicy discussion on � whether the District has the infrastructure and capacity to provide u backpack camp. � The Board asked that the staff recommendation be amended to include the backpack camp uo part of the Sierra/lzu|DBear Creek Redwoods Master Plan Project. Discussion ensued. Motion: Upon motion by Director Cyr, seconded by Director Kisbimmok>, the Board adopted the California Environmental ()um|it�/\c� Findings ofFac�, approved �h� | - ! Mitigation Monitoring P|oo, approved the remaining projectelenncnb; except for the radar tower and summit area amenities for the Mount (Jmnunbuom Environmental Meeting 12-31 Page 4 Restoration and Public Access Project, adopted the resolution, directed staff to initiate � the design for the -trail _ -the summit and parking area _- Bald Mountain, _and removed consideration of the backpack camp from the MountOmunhum Environmental Restoration and Public Access Project, and instead, included consideration ofthe backpack camp as part of the larger Sierra Azul/Bear Creek Redwoods Master Plan Project. (Vote: 5-0-0; Abocnt: Houko and Harris) 111. ADJOURNMENT President Riffle adjourned the Regular Meeting of the Board of Directors of the Midpeninou(oRLcg{ono| Open Space District at 0:42 p.m. Michelle Radcliffe, CMC District Clerk