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HomeMy Public PortalAbout19740814 - Minutes - Board of Directors (BOD) Meeting 74-17 MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT Regular Meeting Board of Directors M I N U T E S August 14, 1974 745 Distel Drive 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, Anne Crosley, John Melton and Carroll Harrington. Audience of twelve persons. II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Motion: N. Hanko moved acceptance of the minutes of July 24, 1974 as presented. K. Duffy seconded the mo- tion. Discussion: D. Wendin asked that the word "budget" in the first sentence of the fifth paragraph on page three of the minutes be changed to "level of income" . N. Hanko and K. Duffy agreed to accept the change as part of the motion. The motion passed unanimously. III. ADOPTION OF AGENDA N. Hanko asked that a letter from C. Anderson of the San Jose Mercury addressed to the District be considered under Written Communications. W. Peters asked that agenda item No. 6, the Open Space Action Program for Santa Clara County, replace agenda item No. 2, Baylands Citizens' Task Force, and that agenda item No. 2 be considered at a future meeting. W. Peters stated the consensus that the above changes were acceptable to the Board. IV. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS Mrs. Lucille Gould, 26815 Ortega Drive, Los Altos Hills, asked if the District planned to give financial assistance toward II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Motion: D. Wendin moved acceptance of the minutes of August 14 , 1974 as presented. K. Duffy seconded the motion. The motion. passed unanimously. Meeting 74-17 Page two purchase of the Palo Alto Unified School District' s 62-acre parcel. She asked if the Board would need permission from the PAUSD or Los Altos Hills before it could purchase the property. D. Wendin said the District had no restrictions placed on it with respect to what properties it could pur- chase, although it did not have zoning powers or the power to condemn property belonging to another public agency. S. Norton advised that the school property did not fall within the category of "public property controlled by a municipality or county in the District" as provided in the enabling legis- lation (§5541) . Mr. James Hildebrand, Attorney for the City of Sunnyvale, said that he and Mr. William Hopkins, Assistant City Manager for Sunnyvale, were attending the meeting for informational purposes, and wanted an opportunity to study the materials concerning Urban Open Space of Regional Significance before offering an opinion. W. Peters said the District would send any future information concerning this topic to the City of Sunnyvale. Mrs. Dorothy Lyddon, 11801 South Stelling Road, Cupertino, asked how the District was funded, and what its relationship was to the East Bay Regional Park District. W. Peters ex- plained that both park districts were created under the same legislation, although the EBRPD has been operating for over 30 years and the MRPD is not yet two years old. D. Wendin commented that the EBRPD is the parks and recreation agency for that area, and receives $. 20 per $100 assessed valuation, as opposed to the MRPD, which receives $.10 per $100 assessed valuation and functions as more of an open space agency. V. OLD BUSINESS REQUIRING ACTION A. Policies Regarding Funding of Parks and Open Space Within Urban Service Areas H. Grench introduced his report (R-74-17) , Urban Open Space of Regional Significance, dated August 7, 1974, and offered the following definition: Urban Open Space of Regional Signifi- cance is undeveloped or essentially undeveloped land or water area located within the boundaries of an Urban Service Area with unique or unusual characteristics of sufficient natural value and importance to transcend its relevance to the imme- diate locality. He said the Board might want to be more re- strictive in its determination of what factors may be considered regionally significant if it did decide to conduct a funding program. He added that the Trails Task Force may, if the Board directs, give a report on what links within the Urban Service Areas it would recommend for funding by the District. He emphasized that the District was an open space agency, and not in the parks and recreation business. Meeting 74-17 Page three N. Hanko introduced a report entitled Available Sunnyvale Land Parcels, dated August 7 , 1974, which had been prepared by her- self and B. Green regarding Sunnyvale orchard lands. She indicated it would be helpful to the Board to know what por- tions of the report the City of Sunnyvale preferred be kept confidential, and what portions could be made public. Mr. Hildebrand said the City of Sunnyvale would so advise the District after studying the report. N. Hanko pointed out that the District is concerned with the apparent plans of Sunnyvale officials to change acquired orchard land into neighborhood parks. She said there was also a question regarding the use of the entire $5 million bond issue funds. N. Hanko advised that the new appointee of the Trails Task Force, Jerry Salisbury, would be making a report to the Trails Task Force at its September 18 meeting regarding bicycle trails in Sunnyvale. B. Open Space Action Program for Santa Clara County Don Weden, Santa Clara County Planning Department, introduced the Open Space Action Program for Santa Clara County, and said the document was a draft for consideration by citizens and agencies. Any proposed changes or comments should be received by the Planning Department prior to September 30. He said the Program offered open space policies and definitions, as well as proposed action to be taken and which agencies may take such action. A number of open space preservation tools are offered in the Program. N. Hanko offered to write a letter with her recommendations regarding this Program. D. Wendin suggested she send a copy of her letter to Don Weden and that the matter be placed on the September 11, 1974 Board meeting agenda. There was discussion about whether or not the District should be listed as having "authority" to take action on certain mat- ters in the Program, even though its policy, official or un- official, is that the District will not exercise that author- ity. D. Weden said he would consider alternative symbols that might show an agency' s intention as well as its authority. VI. RECESS The Board recessed at 9: 15, and reconvened at 9:30. VII. OLD BUSINESS NOT REQUIRING ACTION A. Master Plan of the Midpeninsula Regional Park District L. Anderson introduced his report, a Guide for the Compilation of Data for the Master Plan of the Midpeninsula Regional Park District, dated August 8, 1974. He said the process of pre- paring the Master Plan had slowed down somewhat due to the Meeting 74-17 Page four effort given to the preparation of the scoring system. Data collection had begun, and the County had been very active in this area. He asked the Board what its thoughts were regard- ing the kinds of facilities which would be appropriate for low-intensity recreational purposes. W. Peters replied that there had been discussion of the definition of low-intensity recreation, but no consensus had ever been reached. He said it appeared to him that the intensity of use of an area was in direct relation to the number of facilities placed in it. N. Hanko suggested that the words "or for the protection of scenic values" be placed after the words "for the purposes of the protection of public health and safety" in paragraph one, entitled OPEN SPACE USE, on page four of Mr. Anderson' s report. L. Anderson referred the Board to the questionnaire entitled Survey of Priority Rating of Open Space by Midpeninsula Regional Park District Board of Directors, dated August 8 , 1974. He explained that the form is designed to ask for Board members ' views of the District' s priorities, and in what areas they feel other agencies should exercise action. B. Santa Clara County Special Districts Association and Other Organization Memberships and Meetings W. Peters advised that he had attended a meeting of the Santa Clara County Special Districts Association. Discussion followed as to the program of the Association. He suggested that H. Grench be directed to ask the Association to keep the District informed of its activities, and, if future events indicated that membership would be beneficial to the District, such action could be taken. He stated the consensus that the District would not join the Association at this time, but would ask to be kept informed. VIII. NEW BUSINESS REQUIRING ACTION A. Referral from Trails Task Force Regarding Road Abandonments Motion: N. Hanko moved the recommendations of the Trails Task Force as set forth in Alan Grundmann' s letter of August 8 , 1974 be accepted and that the General Manager be directed to implement such recommendations by way of letters to the appropriate persons. K. Duffy seconded the motion. Discussion: D. Wendin said he did not agree with par- agraph 2 (A) of Mr. Grundmann' s letter. N. Hanko said the intention of her motion was to approve the recom- mendations as set forth in the letters drafted by H. Grench. She asked H. Grench to include in the letters an indication that the Board would like to be kept informed. The motion passed unanimously. Meeting 74-17 Page five IX. ITEMS REQUIRING MINIMAL DEBATE A. Resolution of the Board of Directors of the Midpeninsula Regional Park District Calling Election and Requesting Consolidation (Resolution No. 74-18) Motion: W. Peters moved adoption of Resolution No. 74-18, a Resolution of the Board of Directors of the Midpenin- sula Regional Park District Calling Election and Re- questing Consolidation. D. Wendin seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. B. Procedure for Control of District Funds (1) Ordinance Authorizing Signatories to Checks, Warrants, Withdrawal Applications and Santa Clara County Claim Forms for the Midpeninsula Regional Park District (Ordinance No. 74-1) Motion: W. Peters moved adoption of Ordinance No. 74-1, an Ordinance Authorizing Signatories to Checks, Warrants, Withdrawal Applications and Santa Clara County Claim Forms for the Midpeninsula Regional Park District. N. Hanko seconded the motion. The motion passed unan- imously. (2) Resolution of the Board of Directors of the Midpenin- sula Regional Park District Establishing Financial Instrument Signatories of the District for Santa Clara County Accounts and Amending Rules of Procedure in Conformity Therewith (Resolution No. 74-19) Motion: W. Peters moved adoption of Resolution No. 74-19, a Resolution Establishing Financial Instrument Signatories of the District for Santa Clara County Accounts and Amending Rules of Procedure in Conformity Therewith. B. Green seconded the motion. Discussion: J. Melton advised that this resolution must come before the Board each time the signatories change. The motion passed unanimously. (3) Resolution Authorizing Signing and Endorsing Checks and Other Instruments (Bank Form) (Resolution No. 74- 20) Motion: W. Peters moved adoption of Resolution No. 74-20, a Resolution Authorizing Signing and Endorsing Checks and Other Instruments. B. Green seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. Meeting 74-17 Page six X. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS N. Hanko informed the Board she had received a copy of a let- ter to the District from C. Anderson ofthe San Jose Mercury, which requested that the press receive FYI and other non- agenda related items that normally only the Board has received. She expressed her desire that the press receive this informa- tion also, with the exception of those items which are clearly confidential. Motion: N. Hanko moved that staff be directed to prepare a proposed policy regarding dissemination of written communications and informational items to the press, and that the matter be placed on the September 11, 1974 Board meeting agenda. D. Wendin seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. XI. CLAIMS Motion: W. Peters moved acceptance of the revised claims (C- 74-17) dated August 14, 1974 , as presented. K. Duffy seconded the motion. The motion passed on the follow- ing vote: AYES: W. Peters, K. Duffy, B. Green and D. Wendin. ABSTAIN: N. Hanko. XII. EXECUTIVE SESSION The Board recessed to Executive Session at 10:45 P.M. to dis- cuss land negotiations. XIII. ADJOURNMENT The Board reconvened to adjourn at 11:45 P.M. Anne Cathcart Crosley Administrative Secretary