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HomeMy Public PortalAbout19751218 - Minutes - Board of Directors (BOD) Ak dA. %Ik of Meeting 75-27 IVI ]AIM 4"M MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT Regular Meeting Board of Directors M I N U T E S December 18 , 1975 745 Distel Drive Los Altos , CA I . ROLL CALL President Duffy called the meeting to order at 7 : 37 P.M. Members Present: Katherine Duffy, Barbara Green, Nonette Hanko, Edward Shelley and Daniel Wendin. Personnel Present: Herbert Grench, Edward Jaynes, Anne Crosley, Carroll Harrington and Stanley Norton. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Minutes of December 10, 1975 D. Wendin said he did not think the motion on page five of the minutes was accurate , since it was his recollection that the Board had left to staff the determination of how many vehicles would be allowed on the Fremont Older Open Space Preserve. E. Shelley suggested the wording of the last phrase in the motion read . an including the limitation on vehicle permits. " D. Wendin referred to the third paragraph on page nine of the minutes, stating that his intention was that payment of specified expenses for subcommittee work would be made "only when approved by the Board" , rather than "only in special circumstances" , and asked that the minutes reflect this. B. Green said she recalled that N. Hanko advised she had driven a few hundred miles, rather than spent a few hundred dollars as reflected in the first paragraph on page nine of the minutes . N. Hanko agreed to the change. Two typographical errors on page four of the minutes were pointed out: the word ''Manager" should read "Manager" in the first sentence of the first paragraph; the word "train" should read "trail" on line thirteen of the third paragraph. Meeting 75-27 Page two Mr. Gordon Jennings, 441 East Meadow, Palo Alto, said he would like the fifth paragraph on page five of the minutes to read "the equestrians would support a loop trail" in place of "the equestrians would not object to a loop trail. " K. Duffy stated the consensus that the minutes of December 10 , 1975 be adopted as amended. PUBLIC HEARING A. Draft Master Plan of the Midpeninsula Regional Park District D. Wendin introduced his memorandum (M-75-189 , dated Decem- ber 15, 1975) suggesting a number of changes in the text of the Draft Master Plan of the Midpeninsula Regional Park District. He said the effort to eliminate unnecessary words from the text had in general resulted in an improvement in style; however, some sentences and phrases which had been deleted were important to the overall content of the Master Plan document, and these were discussed in his memorandum. He pointed out that if his recommendations were adopted, the Board might have to consider the 8�" x 11" format with a map insert, rather than printing the entire text on the back of a fold out-map. K. Duffy asked how much, if anything, could be added to the text. Don Weden, Santa Clara County Planner, said the amount of space available for any additions was very close , and his best estimate would be that four lines could be added. He said it depended upon how the type was set. K. Duffy suggested the Board consider D. Wendin ' s recommended changes as they relate to policy matters. D. Wendin referred the Board to the first two paragraphs on page three of his memorandum, explaining that the District ' s intention to take the lead in regional trail planning was altered during the editing process to state that the Dis- trict would participate, rather than lead, in the planning process. He urged that the original language be re-inserted in the text to emphasize the District ' s leadership role. B. Green suggested this could be accomplished by changing the fourth line of the second paragraph under Trails on page eight of the draft Master Plan to read " . . .take a lead in planning and to participate in the implementation of a. . . " in place of the words " . . .participate in the planning and implementation of a. . . " K. Duffy stated the consensus that the change be included in the draft Master Plan document. Meeting 75-27 Page three D. Wendin referred the Board to the fourth paragraph on page three of his memorandum, stating that he felt the strongly worded language regarding "prohibiting roadside advertising and other development incompatible with the scenic quality of the roadside and landscape" should have been included on page ten of the draft Master Plan document. E. Shelley said he felt scenic corridors were already ade- quately protected in this respect through County regulations . D. Wendin said the sentence was meant to include roads other than those protected as scenic corridors. After discussion, it was the consensus that the second para- graph under View from Scenic Roads and Highways on page ten of the draft Master Plan document should be changed to read as follows: .The District believes that local juris- dictions should protect key scenic cor- ridors by prohibiting roadside advertising and other incompatible development. " D. Wendin referred the Board to the seventh paragraph on page three of his memorandum regarding the deletion of a para- graph encouraging the preservation of agricultural preserves . He said he felt it was important that this statement of Board policy be included in the draft Master Plan. E. Shelley said the reference was withdrawn from the text because it was felt there were few, if any, parcels of land left in the Valley which could be designated agricultural preserves. D. Wendin referred the Board to page eighteen of the draft Master Plan, wherein the third sentence - "Importance of the area in performing individual open space functions considered in the District 's Open Space Acquisition Poli- cies" - combined what was previously two sentences, thereby changing the order of the factors involved in land acquisi- tion decisions. E. Shelley responded that the order of the factors was not significant. D. Wendin referred the Board to page four of his memorandum, pointing out that the last sentence of the paragraph under The Local Agency Formation Commission page nineteen of the draft Master Plan uses the verb "support" rather than the original word "encourage. " He asked that "encourage" be re-inserted in the sentence. Meeting 75-27 Page four K. Duffy stated the consensus that this change be included in the draft Master Plan document. D. Wendin referred the Board to page one of his memorandum, explaining that he felt the paragraph stating the importance of marshes and saltponds as feeding and nesting areas and as sanctuaries for waterfowl and migratory birds should have been included in the draft Master Plan text. B. Green suggested the following wording might accomplish that purpose with fewer words: "The marshes and saltponds of the baylands lie along the Pacific Flyway, providing a sanctuary and nesting area for waterfowl and migratory birds. . . " D. Wendin said he would oppose any shorter version. E. Shelley said he did not think the paragraph added to the draft Master Plan, but that he would support its addition if it did not change the printed format. It was agreed that this paragraph would be given further con- sideration at a later time. D. Wendin referred the Board to the first paragraph on page two of his memorandum, which suggests that the words "The District believes" should be inserted before the first sentence of the fourth paragraph under OPEN SPACE FOR THE PROTECTION OF WILDLIFE on page six of the draft Master Plan. E. Shelley and K. Duffy said they did not feel the words were necessary. D. Wendin referred to the second paragraph on page two of his memorandum, in which he recommends inclusion of the following sentence under Low Intensity Recreation on page seven of the draft Master Plan - "This accessibility will become increas- ingly important as the fuel shortage becomes more acute. " K. Duffy noted that fuel shortages were referred to under Trails on page eight of the draft Master Plan. D. Wendin referred to the fourth paragraph on page two of his memorandum, in which he recommends inclusion of the fol- lowing paragraph under Wilderness Experience on page eight of the draft Master Plan : "These sites will not accommodate a sub- stantial amount of human activity. On the contrary, use of the sites will need to be Meeting 75-27 Page five limited to a level which insures that their generally fragile environment is protected from disruption. " B. Green suggested the following language might be included after the word privacy at the end of the second sentence in the first paragraph under Wilderness Experience on page eight of the draft Master Plan: while remaining protected from dis- ruption from substantial amounts of human activity. " H. Grench suggested the words "a number of" in the third sentence of the first paragraph under Wilderness Experience could be replaced by the word "some. " K. Duffy stated the consensus that this change be made in the draft Master Plan document. Don Weden suggested the second sentence in that paragraph could be changed to read as follows: "Areas suitable for this experience should be protected to keep them free from the visual signs , sounds, and smells of civilization. . . " K. Duffy stated the consensus that B. Green's suggested addition to the second sentence in the first paragraph under Wilderness Experience on page eight of the draft Master Plan be included. D. Wendin referred to the last paragraph on page two of his memorandum, suggesting that two paragraphs previously deleted from the Master Plan text regarding accessibility to open spaces by trails and trail rights-of-way be re-inserted in the draft Master Plan. He said it could be the second sentence in the second paragraph under Trails on page eight of the draft Master Plan. After discussion, it was the consensus that the following sentence be included as the second sentence in the second paragraph under Trails on page eight of the draft Master Plan document: "Various methods may be used to estab- lish trail rights-of-way, including acquisition of trail easements. " E. Shelley said he hoped the Board was not backing away from its decision on the Master Plan format. Meeting 75-27 Page six D. Wendin referred the Board to the third paragraph on page three of his memorandum, in which he suggests that language be re-inserted into the draft Master Plan to emphasize the District ' s concern for the preservation of scenic ridgetops, regulation of low density development and that no intensive development in the foothills be permitted. E. Shelley and K. Duffy said they felt the language was al- ready included in the first paragraph under The Scenic Back- drop on page ten of the draft Master Plan. H. Grench suggested the word "reasonable" could be deleted from the second line of the third paragraph under The Scenic Backdrop on page ten of the draft Master Plan K. Duffy stated the consensus that this change be adopted. D. Wendin referred the Board to the last paragraph on page three of his memorandum, in which he suggests that references to the automobile as a polluter be re-inserted in the para- graphs under OPEN SPACE FOR THE PROTECTION OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY on page thirteen of the draft Master Plan. He further recommended deletion of the second paragraph on that page which reads "The preservation of open space lands may also contribute to the protection of air and water quality. " B. Green suggested the second paragraph could be changed to read as follows : "Air and water quality are greatly enhanced by the preservation of open space lands. " K. Duffy stated the consensus that this change be made on page thirteen of the draft Master Plan document. S. Norton said he had a number of editorial changes to pro- pose which might improve the reading of the Master Plan docu- ment. He referred the Board to paragraph three on page one of the draft, suggesting that the last phrase be rearranged to read as follows : " . . .each of whom is elected from a separate ward within the District for a four year term. " K. Duffy stated the consensus that the change be adopted in the draft Master Plan document. S. Norton suggested the word "basic" was used in more than one way in the second paragraph on page three of the draft Master Plan, and perhaps one "basic" should be deleted. H. Grench suggested the word "major" could replace the first "basic. " After discussion, K. Duffy stated the consensus that the words "major" and "basic" in the eighth and nineth lines of the second paragraph, respectively, be deleted from the draft Master Plan document. After further discussion, K. Duffy stated the consensus that the word "five" on line three and line eight of the second paragraph on page three of the draft Master Plan be deleted. i Meeting 75-27 Page seven S. Norton referred the Board to the last line of the paragraph under Open Space Acquisition Policies on page three of the draft Master Plan, and suggested the words "it will acquire" should replace "to acquire" for better reading. K. Duffy stated the consensus that this change should be made. S. Norton referred the Board to the fourth line of the first paragraph under THE FUNCTIONS OF OPEN SPACE on page four of the draft Master Plan, and suggested the word "among" was more appropriate than the word "between" in this instance. K. Duffy stated the consensus that this change should be made. S . Norton referred the Board to the third line of the first paragraph under Wilderness Experience on page eight of the draft Master Plan, and suggested the word "setting" might replace the word "area" after "natural . " K. Duffy stated the consensus that this change should be made. S. Norton referred the Board to the second paragraph under OPEN SPACE FOR GUIDING URBAN FORM on page nine of the draft Master Plan, and suggested that paragraph should be changed to read as follows : "Along with the planning and regulation of development, there should be selective acquisition of permanent open space areas on the urban fringe to induce compact development and to limit urban sprawl. This critical open space, particularly threatened by development, is most valu- able for guiding urban form. " K. Duffy stated the consensus that the above paragraph should replace the second paragraph on page nine of the draft Master Plan. S. Norton referred the Board to the Acquisition Policy under Geological and Topographical Features on page eleven of the raft Master Plan, and suggested the third line could be changed to read " . . .would serve to preserve unique. . . " rather than " . . . is valued for the purpose of preserving unique. . . " D. Wendin noted the same language was used under Historical and Archeological Resources, and said he preferred the word "valued. " S . Norton referred the Board to line two of the first para- graph under OPEN SPACE FOR THE PRODUCTION OF MINERALS on page twelve of the draft Master Plan, and suggested the words "commercially valuable" could replace the word "appreciable. " K. Duffy stated the consensus that this change be made. I Meeting 75-27 Page eight S. Norton referred the Board to the first paragraph under OPEN SPACE FOR THE PROTECTION OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY on page thirteen of the draft Master Plan, and suggested the word "lands" replace the word "areas" in the first line, and that the words "which could threaten" replace the words "which could pose threats" in the third line of that para- graph. K. Duffy stated the consensus that these changes be made. S. Norton referred the Board to line ten of the third para- graph under URBAN OPEN SPACE OF REGIONAL SIGNIFICANCE on page fourteen of the draft Master Plan, and suggested the words might also be replace the words are also. K. Duffy stated the consensus that this change be made. S. Norton referred the Board to the Acquisition Policy on page fourteen of the draft Master Plan, and suggested the policy should be changed to read as follows : "While the District ' s primary purpose will be the acquisition of non-urban open space lands, it will occasionally consider acquiring urban open space land or rights in such land if they are of regional significance . " D. Wendin suggested the Board delete the words "continue to" in the first line of the Acquisition Policy on page fourteen of the draft Master Plan. K. Duffy stated the consensus that this change be made. S. Norton referred the Board to the second line of the first paragraph under ANALYSIS OF THE OPEN SPACE LANDS COMPOSITE EVALUATION MAP on page sixteen of the draft Master Plan, and suggested that either the word "data" be changed to "datum" or the word "indicates" be changed to "indicate" to make both singular or plural. K. Duffy stated the consensus that the word "indicates" be changed to "indicate" in line three of the first paragraph on page sixteen of the draft Master Plan. S. Norton referred the Board to the eighth line of the second paragraph on page sixteen of the draft Master Plan, and sug- gested the word "values" replace the word "functions. " D. Wendin said the word functions was defined earlier in the document and was appropriately used in this instance. S. Norton referred the Board to the third line of the first paragraph under Open Space Preservation Powers of the Dis- trict on page seventeen of the draft Master Plan, and sug- gested the word "either" be deleted. K. Duffy stated the consensus that this change be made. i Meeting 75-27 Page nine H. Grench referred the Board to line four of the first para- graph under Open Space Preservation Powers of the District on page seventeen of the draft Master Plan, and suggested the word "of" be inserted between the words "or" and "lesser" in that line. K. Duffy stated the consensus that this change be made. S. Norton referred the Board to the first line of the second paragraph under Open Space Preservation Powers of the Dis- trict on page seventeen of the draft MasterPlan, and sug- gested the words "To help finance its acquisition efforts. . . " replace the words "To increase the effectiveness of its acquisition efforts. . . " S. Norton then suggested the words "To enhance its acquisition efforts . . . " , and K. Duffy stated the consensus that this change would be made. S. Norton referred the Board to the first line of the third paragraph under Open Space Preservation Powers of the District on page seventeen of the draft Master Plan, and suggested the word "also" be deleted. K. Duffy stated the consensus that this change be made. S . Norton referred the Board to the eighth land acquisition factor on page eighteen of the draft Master Plan, and sug- gested the word "owner (s) " be replaced by the word "landowner" in the sentence "Initiative or willingness of the owner(s) to negotiate acquisition terms; " . K. Duffy stated the con- sensus that this change be made. Mr. Gordon Jennings suggested to the Board that the phrase "Composite open space importance" as part of the third land acquisition factor on page eighteen of the draft Master Plan was difficult to understand. D. Wendin suggested the phrase could be clarified by changing it to read as follows: "Com- posite value as open space of the area involved. " K. Duffy stated the consensus that this change be made. S. Norton referred the Board to the fifth line of the first paragraph under OTHER AGENCIES on page nineteen of the draft Master Plan, and suggested a period be placed after the word "resources, " deletion of the word "and" , and insertion of the words "It will also" to replace the word "will. " K. Duffy stated the consensus that this change be made. S. Norton referred the Board to the last paragraph on page nineteen of the draft Master Plan, suggesting the word "ensuing" replace the word "next" and the word "procedure be inserted after the word "This" in the sixth line of that paragraph. K. Duffy stated the consensus that these changes be made. S. Norton referred the Board to the last sentence in the second paragraph under Regional Agencies on page twenty of Meeting 75-27 Page ten the draft Master Plan, and suggested the sentence read as follows : "Although it has very limited power to implement its plans , it is important to the MRPD because it is the regional clearinghouse for review of applications for state and federal grants, including grants for open space land acquisition. " K. Duffy stated the consensus that the above change be made. S. Norton referred the Board to the first paragraph under Federal Agencies on page twenty-one of the draft Master Plan, and suggested the word "adjoin" replace the words "are adja- cent to" in the fourth sentence , and that the words "of" and "which" in the sixth and seventh lines of that paragraph, respectively, be deleted. K. Duffy stated the consensus that these changes be made. S. Norton referred the Board to the first sentence in the first paragraph under PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS on page twenty-one of the draft Master Plan, and suggested the word "significant" could replace the words "a variety of important" in that sentence. K. Duffy stated the consensus that this change be made. S. Norton referred the Board to the last paragraph on page twenty-one of the draft Master Plan, and suggested the spe- cific names of major landowners be deleted. D. Wendin said he felt the names should appear. K. Duffy opened the Public Hearing at 9 :38 P.M. Dr. Robert Mark, 725 Cowper, Palo Alto, said he did not think it had been a productive use of time for Board members and others to try to fit the draft Master Plan on the back of a map. He said it did not appear to him that there would be sufficient room on the draft Master Plan to make comments or changes, and that the Board should have printed the draft Master Plan text as it had been originally composed on 8�" x 11" sheets with the map inserted in a jacket. He said he had been assured at one time that the Master Plan map would not be emphasized, but now this did not appear to be the case. Mr. Gordon Jennings said he agreed with Dr. Mark's statements. He suggested the Master Plan document was bound to grow on the basis of input from citizens and other agencies. He said he felt the Board had not distinguished itself through its editing process and should have been concerned with more im- portant matters than minor editing decisions. Meeting 75-27 Page eleven K. Duffy closed the Public Hearing at 9 :41 P.M. E. Shelley said the decision to print an edited version of the draft Master Plan text on the back of a map was predicated by the view that more people would be inclined to read the document in that form. Motion: E. Shelley moved that the Board adopt all changes agreed upon for inclusion in the draft Master Plan text, providing the text would be referred to the Master Plan Subcommittee if the entire text does not fit in the alloted space. K. Duffy seconded the motion. Discussion: D. Wendin said he preferred that the Board consider separate motions on the text and the format. E. Shelley withdrew his motion. Motion : E. Shelley moved that the Board adopt a condensed draft Master Plan text, printed on the back of the Master Plan map, as the format for distribution of the draft Master Plan document. K. Duffy seconded the motion. The motion passed on the following vote : AYES - E. Shelley, K. Duffy and B. Green; NOES - D. Wendin and N. Hanko. Discussion: D. Wendin requested that the draft 14aster Plan document also be printed in the W' x 11" for- mat for use by the Board. K. Duffy suggested the District Clerk could make arrangements to do that. Motion: E. Shelley moved that the Board adopt the draft Master Plan text as submitted by Don Weden, includ- ing those changes agreed to by consensus of the Board. K. Duffy seconded the motion. No action was taken on this motion. Motion: N. Hanko moved that the Board include, under OPEN SPACE FOR THE PROTECTION OF WILDLIFE on page six of the draft Master Plan text, the paragraph on marshes and saltponds as set forth on the first page of D. Wendin 's memorandum (M-75-189 , dated December 15 , 1975) , providing it fits on the back of the map for- mat. D. Wendin seconded the motion. Discussion: E. Shelley asked if N. Hanko would con- 9-1—der amending her motion to adopt the shorter version of that paragraph set forth by B. Green. D. Wendin withdrew his second to N. Hanko 's motion. Substitute Motion: B. Green made a substitute mo- tion that the Board include , under OPEN SPACE FOR THE PROTECTION OF WILDLIFE on page six of the draft Master Plan text, the paragraph on marshes as sug- gested by B. Green, which would read as follows : Meeting 75-27 Page twelve "The marshes and saltponds of the bay lie along the Pacific Flyway, providing a sanctuary and nesting area. " E. Shelley seconded the motion. The motion passed on the following vote: AYES - D. Wendin, B. Green, K. Duffy and N. Hanko; NO - E. Shelley. Motion: D. Wendin moved that the Board add, after the word "privacy" in the sixth sentence of the first para- graph under Wilderness Experience on page eight of the draft Master Plan text, a comma and the words "while remaining protected from disruption from any substantial amount of human activity. " B. Green seconded the motion. The motion passed on the fol- lowing vote : AYES - D. Wendin, B. Green, K. Duffy and N. Hanko; NO - E. Shelley. Motion: K. Duffy moved deletion of the words "be free from the visual signs , sounds, and smells of civilization, and should" from the second sentence in the first paragraph under Wilderness Experience on page eight of the draft Master Plan text. E. Shelley seconded the motion. The motion passed on the following vote: AYES - K. Duffy, E. Shelley and B. Green; NOES - D. Wendin and N. Hanko. Motion: E. Shelley moved that the Board adopt the condensed version of the draft Master Plan text, as amended by consensus and further motions of the Board. K. Duffy seconded the motion. The motion passed on the fol- lowing vote: AYES - K. Duffy, D. Wendin, B. Green and E. Shelley; NO - N. Hanko. Motion: K. Duffy moved that the Board submit the adopted version of the draft Master Plan document to the public for comment. B. Green seconded the motion. The mo- tion passed on the following vote : AYES - B. Green, K. Duffy and E. Shelley; NOES - D. Wendin and N. Hanko. Amendment to Motion: K. Duffy moved to amend her mo- tion to state that the draft Master Plan document should be submitted to public agencies within the District and be made available to individual members of the public upon request. There was no second to the amended motion. Discussion: C. Harrington suggested the language migHt appropriately include "submitted to city and town governments , County and other public agencies , interested private organizations and other inter- ested citizens. " She added that persons on the District' s mailing list for agendas and minutes would receive notice that the draft Master Plan is available upon request. Meeting 75-27 Page thirteen K. Duffy suggested the language of her motion could simply include "appropriate distribution at the dis- cretion of the staff. " K. Duffy stated the consensus that distribution of the draft Master Plan document would be left to the discretion of the staff. IV. CLAIMS Motion: E. Shelley moved acceptance of the revised claims (C-75-24) dated December 18 , 1975 . B. Green seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. V. EXECUTIVE SESSION The Board recessed to Executive Session at 10 :08 P.M. to dis- cuss land negotiations. VI . ADJOURNMENT The Board reconvened to adjourn at 10 :45 P.M. Anne Cathcart Crosley District Clerk II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. Minutes of December 18 , 1975 A. Crosley advised that the following action, which had been inadvertently omitted from the December 18 , 1975 minutes , be added as the last paragraph on page five : �I "B. Green suggested the phrase 'and to give access to open space in the foothills and baylands ' be added after the word 'demand' in the fourth line of the first paragraph under Trails on page 8 of the draft Master Plan. K. Duffy stated the consensus that this change be made . " N. Hanko said she recalled voting in favor of the last motion on page twelve of the minutes of December 18 , and asked that a change be made to reflect her vote . E . Shelley referred to the second to the last on paragraph page three of the December 18 minutes , stating that his intention was to assure that no other significant nt changes had been made in the order of thefactors listed on a page eighteen of the draft Master Plan. He asked that the minutes be changed to reflect this . K. Duffy stated the consensus that the minutes of December 18 , 1975 be approved as amended. f