HomeMy Public PortalAbout19740710 - Minutes - Board of Directors (BOD) L_--ting 74-15
MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT
Regular Meeting
Board of Directors
M I N U T E S
745 Distel Drive
July 10, 1974 Los Altos, CA
I. ROLL CALL
President Peters called the meeting to order at 7 :35 P.M.
Members Present: Katherine Duffy, Barbara Green, Nonette Hanko,
William Peters and Daniel Wendin.
Personnel Present: Herbert Grench, Edward Jaynes, Stanley Norton,
i Kuzak and Carroll Harrington.
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Audience of nine persons.
II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Motion: K. Duffy moved acceptance of the minutes of June 25,
1974 as presented. N. Hanko seconded the motion. The
motion passed unanimously.
III. ADOPTION OF AGENDA
K. Duffy asked that the Monte Bello Ridge Conservation/Development
Plan Public Hearing scheduled for July 18 , 1974 be placed on the
agenda under Old Business Requiring Action.
W. Peters asked that a letter he received from Ms. Dorothy Gray
be placed on the agenda under Written Communications.
W. Peters stated the consensus that the above requested items be
considered under their respective categories .
IV. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
There were no oral communications.
V. OLD BUSINESS REQUIRING ACTION
A. Policies Regarding Funding of Parks and Open Space Within Urban
Service Areas
W. Peters referred to paragraph 1 (b) of the Basic Policy of the
District which states that "The District will use its available
resources primarily to acquire open space outside the Urban Service
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Motion: K. Duffy moved acceptance of the minutes of July 10 ,
1974 as presented. B. Green seconded the motion.
Amendment: N. Hanko moved that the sentence on page
five stating "N. Hanko asked that the matter of the
Stevens Creek Trail be agendized for a future meet-
ing" be deleted inasmuch as she did not recall
making the statement. W. Peters said the statement
should have been attributed to him. There was no
second to the amendment.
W. Peters asked that his first complete sentence on
page two be amended to read as follows : "He said '
the Board had two questions to consider : (1) the
Primary question of whether or not the District should
reconsider its basic policies, and (2) the specific
request from the City of Sunnyvale for $1 million of
District funds. " K. Duffy accepted the changes of
N. Hanko and W. Peters as part of her motion. The
motion Passed unanimously.
Meeting 74-15 Page two
Area boundaries of the cities rather than within the cities. " He
said the Board had two questions to consider: (1) the specific
request from the City of Sunnyvale for $1 million of District
funds, and (2) the broader question of whether or not the Dis-
trict should reconsider its basic policies.
Mayor Charley Allen of the City of Sunnyvale introduced himself
and City Manager John Dever, City Attorney James Hildebrand and
City Councilman Charles Hefferlin.
C. Hefferlin explained the main points of the resolution of the
Sunnyvale City Council. He said the Council supported the Dis-
trict' s formation. They are now concerned that orchard lands,
an important part of Santa Clara Valley' s heritage, are rapidly
disappearing. He referred to paragraph l (b) of the Basic Policy
of the District which states that "The District' s priority will
be to use its limited resources to acquire interest in parcels
having high open space value which might be developed if the
District fails to act. " C. Hefferlin said the City of Sunnyvale
would be placing a $5 million bond issue before the voters in
November for open space acquisition. However, the residents of
Sunnyvale have already supplied the District with a substantial
percentage of its revenues, he added, and have received no direct
benefit in return. He said the average price of orchard land in
Sunnyvale is about $40, 000 per acre .
N. Hanko and W. Peters suggested the Perham Ranch and the trails
system would be of direct benefit to Sunnyvale residents.
N. Hanko commented that the District had no money until January,
1974. She said it would be difficult for the Board to make any
decisions until it had some maps indicating what parcels of land
Sunnyvale is interested in acquiring for open space. She sug-
gested the City of Sunnyvale consider the use of its police power
to change the zoning of orchard lands to keep them in agricultural
use.
W. Peters noted that a Santa Clara County study had shown that
recreational driving is the most used form of recreation for its
residents and that regional open space acquisition would be in
keeping with this demand. He said the District could not give
back all the money the cities had put into the District, or its
entire purpose would be defeated. The District was formed to
purchase lands of regional significance outside the Urban Service
Area, he stated. He mentioned that other agencies and persons
had requested District assistance in purchasing lands of special
significance within Urban Service Areas, and, although the Dis-
trict may sympathize with their goals, it could not afford to
honor all the requests and still continue to promote and fulfill
the purposes for which it was formed.
Tom Brown, 2374 Deodara Drive, Los Altos, said he supported the
District' s formation so that open space lands of regional signifi-
cance in the foothills and baylands could be preserved. This was
Meeting 74-15 Page three
a job which the County and cities were not doing. He urged the
Board to continue its existing basic policies and not become an
agency that simply sends revenues back to the cities.
Joan Brown, 2374 Deodara Drive, Los Altos, suggested the District
explore means of providing emergency loan funds to cities with-
out jeopardizing its primary function of purchasing open space
outside Urban Service Areas .
Larry Stone, 571 Belfast Court, Sunnyvale, said he did not be-
lieve the Board should base any decision regarding a change in
its Basic Policy under the threat of withdrawal of a city from
the District.
Mayor Allen said he personally would consider approaching LAFCO
immediately if the District did not act favorably on Sunnyvale' s
request.
C. Hefferlin said he would maintain an open mind about what ac-
tion he would support, depending upon the District' s approach to
the questions raised by Sunnyvale.
J. Dever assured the Board that Sunnyvale officials realized the
Board needed time to consider all the ramifications of Sunnyvale' s
request, and said he did not expect the Board to make a decision
tonight.
D. Wendin suggested the City of Sunnyvale and the District have
different emphases - the City is concerned with urban open space
and the District is concerned with open space outside the Urban
Service Area. Although urban open space may be of regional sig-
nificance, he said, the District does not have unlimited funds.
He proposed the District address itself to the question of pro-
viding financial assistance to cities for urban open space, and
that several factors be taken into consideration: (1) at what
dollar level, if any, would the program be administered; (2)
should the funds provided, if any, be dispensed through outright
grants, grants with conditions, loans, or matching grants; (3)
would present District funds or a new source of funds be utilized;
and (4) what criteria would be used for determining which pro-
grams are more important. D. Wendin emphasized that the District
was a unique agency - the only one with the power and resources
to purchase the open space lands in the foothills and baylands.
He advised that the District' s borrowing power was quickly dis-
appearing, and much of its revenues had already been tentatively
committed.
K. Duffy said the Board recognized that orchards were of regional
significance; however, they were very costly. She suggested the
District would be interested in exploring possible areas of coop-
eration between it and the cities.
W. Peters stated the consensus that the Board members should in-
vestigate and consider various means of possible financial assist-
ance to cities for urban open space purchase, as well as the
Meeting 74-15 Page four
broader question of the District' s Basic Policy. He suggested
that Board members study the maps offered by the City of Sunnyvale
and prepare their thoughts on the questions raised at this meet-
ing for discussion at the July 24 Board meeting. He stated the
consensus that the matter be continued to that meeting.
B. Santa Clara County Special Districts Association and Other
Organization Memberships and Meetings
W. Peters stated the consensus that this item be agendized for a
future meeting.
C. Monte Bello Ridge Conservation/Development Plan Public Hearing
K. Duffy advised that the public hearing for the Monte Bello Ridge
Conservation/Development Plan was scheduled for 1: 30 P.M. on July
18.
Motion: K. Duffy moved that the staff be directed to send an ap-
propriate letter to the Santa Clara County Planning
Commission in support of the Montebello Ridge Conserva-
tion/Development Plan. N. Hanko seconded the motion.
Discussion: D. Wendin and N. Hanko suggested the let-
ter include an indication from the Board that, although
it approved of the overall plan, perhaps stricter reg-
ulations could have been adopted. T. Brown urged the
Board to advise the Planning Commission that it recog-
nized the Plan was the result of a balancing of a number
of different factors. The motion passed unanimously.
VI. NEW BUSINESS REQUIRING ACTION
A. Discussion of Consent Items Category
D. Wendin said he would agree to placing this item on the agenda
of a future meeting. W. Peters stated the consensus that this
was acceptable to the Board.
VII. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS
D. Wendin commented that the Board was reviewing all letters it
received rather than singling out those it intended to discuss.
He suggested that letters intended for discussion be considered
at the time of the adoption of the agenda.
A. Letters Regarding Naming of Blair Property
W. Peters noted the Board had received three communications re-
garding the naming of the Blair property. He suggested the staff
be asked to look into the policies of other agencies with respect
to naming of lands.
B. Letter from City of Cupertino
Motion: N. Hanko moved the Board respond to the letter from the
Meeting 74-15 Page five
City of Cupertino by stating that the District would
like to participate on a City Council Committee, and
that representatives from Wards 1 and 2 be utilized.
D. Wendin seconded the motion.
Amendment: D. Wendin suggested the motion be amended
to state that a staff member would not be a participant
at this time. He also suggested the words "if such a
committee is set up" , then the District would be pleased
to join. N. Hanko accepted the amendment to her motion.
The motion passed unanimously.
VIII. CLAIMS
Motion: K. Duffy moved adoption of the revised claims (C-74-13)
as presented. D. Wendin seconded the motion. The mo-
tion passed on the following vote: AYES : K. Duffy, B.
Green, W. Peters and D. Wendin. ABSTAIN: N. Hanko,
because of item No. 575.
N. Hanko asked that the matter of the Stevens Creek Trail be
agendized for a future meeting.
IX. EXECUTIVE SESSION
The Board recessed to Executive Session at 10: 50 P.M. to discuss
Land Negotiations and Personnel Matters.
X. ADJOURNMENT
The Board reconvened to adjourn at 12: 15 A.M.
Anne Cathcart Crosley
Administrative Secretary