HomeMy Public PortalAbout19760908 - Minutes - Board of Directors (BOD) Meeting 76-24
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MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT
Regular Meeting
Board of Directors
M I N U T E S
745 Distel Drive
September 8, 1976 Los Altos, CA
I. ROLL CALL
The meeting was called to order by President Hanko at 7 : 30 P.M.
Members Present: Katherine Duffy, Barbara Green, Nonette Hanko,
Edward Shelley and Harry Turner. George Seager arrived at 7 : 37
P.M.
Members Absent: Daniel Wendin
Personnel Present: Herbert Grench, Edward Jaynes , Jon Olson,
Anne Crosley, Carroll Harrington, Phyllis Lee, Stanley Norton
and Del Woods.
II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
A. Minutes of August 25, 1976
N. Hanko referred to the second motion on page three of the
minutes of August 25, 1976 and pointed out that no second had
been made to the motion, although it did pass unanimously.
She suggested the Board pass a motion ratifying its action.
Motion: N. Hanko moved that the Board ratify its motion ap-
proved on August 25, 1976 which amended Exhibit A,
Category I by striking out paragraph 4 , page 2 , "An
interest in real property which is used principally
as the residence of the designated position making
the filing is not a reportable interest" . H. Turner
seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
N. Hanko asked that the last line in the seventh paragraph on
page seven of the minutes be changed from "City Council" to
"Municipal Council . "
H. Grench asked that the word "direct" in the second sentence
of the first paragraph on page seven of the minutes be changed
to do and that the last sentence in that paragraph be
deleted.
Meeting 76-24 Page two
H. Grench suggested the word "County" be added after the words
"Santa Clara" in the first paragraph under Informational Reports
on page seven of the minutes.
N. Hanko stated the consensus that the minutes of August 25 ,
1976 be approved with the above changes.
III . WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS
A. Crosley advised that there were three Written Communications
to the Board: (1) a letter dated September 2, 1976 from the
Sequoia Union High School District declaring its Farm Hill site
as surplus property; (2) a letter dated August 30 , 1976 from the
Cupertino Sanitary District announcing a meeting of the Cupertino
area governmental agency representatives on September 16; and (3)
a letter dated August 20, 1976 from the Loma Prieta Chapter of
the Sierra Club asking the District to investigate the Hassler
Canyon as a potential open space site.
IV. ADOPTION OF AGENDA
11. Grench suggested the Board consider the letters from the
Sequoia Union High School District and the Sierra Club under
New Business With No Action Requested.
N. Hanko asked that the Board consider conducting a meeting in
San Mateo County under New Business With Action Requested.
14. Hanko stated the consensus that the agenda be adopted with
the above additions.
V. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
Mr. Edward Schell, P.O. Box 1345, Los Gatos, said he would like
the Board to consider the possibility of allowing a small por-
tion of the El Sereno Open Space Preserve to be used as an
observatory site. He said a number of groups, including the
San Jose Amateur Astronomers and West Valley College, are
interested in such a project. Several individuals , including,
himself, are constructing telescopes which they would like to
use in an observatory building.
J. Olson said consideration of this type of structure would be
addressed in the long range use and management plan.
E. Shelley said there would need to be a more detailed plan
presented before the Board could seriously consider the pos-
sibility.
Mr. Gordon Jennings , 441 East Meadow, Palo Alto, mentioned that
copies of a newsletter and correspondence from the Los Altos
Hills Horsemen' s Association had been sent to Board members. He
Meeting 76-24 Page three
said a poll of the Association' s members showed that they very
strongly supported the District and did not want their area to
withdraw from the District.
VI. OLD BUSINESS WITH ACTION REQUESTED
A. Appointment to Mountain View Shoreline Park Study Subcommittee
H. Grench referred to his memorandum (M-76-138) dated September
8, 1976 regarding an Appointment to Mountain View Shoreline Park
Study Subcommittee. He recommended that the Board appoint a
representative to the Subcommittee as requested by the Mountain
View Parks and Recreation Commission in a letter dated July 15,
1976. He noted that the Board had delayed action on the appoint-
ment until Director Shelley was present, since he represents that
area.
E. Shelley said he would be pleased to serve on the Subcommittee.
Motion: N. Hanko moved that Director E. Shelley be appointed
as the District 's representative to the Mountain View
Shoreline Park Study Subcommittee. B. Green seconded
the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
VII. NEW BUSINESS WITH ACTION REQUESTED
A. Federal Land and Water Conservation Fund Grant Application
for Permanente Creek Park Addition
H. Grench introduced his report (R-76-25) dated August 27 , 1976 ,
regarding the proposed Federal Land and Water Conservation Fund
Grant Application for Permanente Creek Park Addition. He said
the District has been successful in the past two fiscal years
in receiving approval to use about $310 ,000 in federal Land and
Water Conservation Funds to help finance District purchases.
In accordance with the District' s Basic Policy, which encourages
seeking grants to supplement tax revenues, it is recommended
that the Board approve an application for funds to aid in the
purchase of a 20 acre addition to Permanente Creek Park. The
parcel is owned by the Archdiocese of San Francisco and is
located adjacent to the St. Joseph' s Seminary.
H. Grench pointed out that the District may have an opportunity
to use the gift portion of a bargain sale of foothills property
to the District as local matching funds for the grant. The
foothills site consists of 274 acres above Palo Alto and Portola
Valley. He emphasized that approval of the grant application
does not commit the Board to a decision to acquire either or
both of the parcels . He said Environmental Impact Assessments
for both sites were attached to his report.
Meeting 76-24 Page four
J. Olson said the 20 acre site was a predominantly meadow
area with large oak trees , offering a contrast to the topo-
graphy of the existing Permanente Creek Park which is generally
hilly. The proposed addition would be suitable as a picnic
and playfield area, and with its purchase, the District would
own both sides of Permanente Creek. He pointed out there
could be other similar uses if Santa Clara County and the
District enter into a joint project. At the present time,
there is no specific boundary for a joint project.
H. Grench said the application requests up to $350,000 for
the site' s purchase; however, the exact amount may depend
upon how much of the North Foothills Open Space Preserve Addi-
tion purchase is considered a gift. In answer to a question
from B. Green, he said the assessed value of that site may
or may not be in line with the appraised value. He recom-
mended the Board approve the grant application.
Motion: B. Green moved adoption of Resolution No. 76-25, a
Resolution of the Board of Directors of the Midpenin-
sula Regional Park District Approving the Application
for Land and Water Conservation Funds for the Perman-
ente Creek Park Addition Acquisition. K. Duffy
seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
N. Hanko stated the consensus that Director K. Duffy be named
alternate to both D. Wendin and B. Green in the event either
of those Directors are unable to attend any of the intergovern-
mental park project meetings with Sunnyvale and Santa Clara County.
B. Meeting in Annexed Portion of District
N. Hanko said discussions have recently been held regarding the
possibility of holding District meetings in the newly annexed
south San Mateo County area, rather than the present location,
to encourage attendance by those residents and to acquaint them
with the programs of the District. She said she felt this was
a good idea, and that perhaps a meeting in the latter part of
September could be held which included items of particular
interest to south San Mateo County residents. She suggested
the Board's next regular meeting be held in the San Carlos
City Council Chambers.
E. Shelley said he agreed it was a good idea to hold some meet-
ings in the annexed area; however, he would prefer that they
be special meetings. He felt people expected District meetings
to be held in a particular place at a particular time, and the
logistics of moving the usual meeting materials to another
location require a special effort.
Mrs. Dorothy Jennings , 441 East Meadow, Palo Alto, said she
was concerned that the Board would change its established
meeting place and time.
Meeting 76-24 Page five
H. Grench said the tentative agenda items for the second meeting
in September were the Master Plan, a revision of the office
lease, consideration of ranger and planning positions , and
possible support of an application by the City of San Carlos
for Land and Water Conservation Funds.
B. Green said she felt meetings away from the office should
only be done infrequently so as not to be too disruptive.
N. Hanko said it appeared there were enough agenda items for
one meeting, but not two meetings, and the Board had already
committed itself to one special meeting on September 13.
S. Norton said his opinion was that if the Board meets on its
regular night at its regular time, it can still be considered
a regular meeting even if held at a different location as long
as the location is announced 48 hours prior to meeting time.
However, if the meeting is held on a different night, it is
considered a special meeting.
N. Hanko said she felt if people in south San Mateo County
would come to a meeting in their own area, they might be
encouraged to come to a different location the next time.
She suggested the matter of meetings at other sites be placed
on a future Board meeting agenda.
A. Crosley suggested the Board have an alternative meeting
date or location in mind, since city council chambers are
often reserved one or two months in advance for other public
or private group meetings.
Motion: E. Shelley moved that the Board of Directors hold a
Special Meeting as its second meeting in September
in south San Mateo County at a location to be
determined by staff. G. Seager seconded the motion.
Discussion : N. Hanko stated the consensus that
if the San Carlos City Council Chambers was not
available on September 22 , an alternative date would
be September 23. G. Seager reminded the Board that
people from San Carlos and Redwood City think the
District offices are very distant from them. He
suggested the Board needs to show its willingness to
cooperate, and he said he would make the effort to
invite people to the meeting. The motion passed
unanimously.
The Board recessed at 8 :25 P.M. and reconvened at 8 :40 P.M.
VIII. NEW BUSINESS WITH NO ACTION REQUESTED
A. Letter from Sequoia Union High School District
H. Grench said the surplus Farm Hill site referred to in the
Sequoia Union High School District letter was near Canada
Meeting 76-24 Page six
College, but that the School District has not been responsive
to requests to preserve the site. He noted that the cost
($1 ,350 ,000) was very expensive. He said staff's usual pro-
cedure for a referral such as this was to send a brief letter
stating the District is not interested at this time, or, to
simply not respond.
N. Hanko expressed interest in seeing the site.
G. Seager said it might be a good idea to allude to the offer
at the next meeting to point out that the District is selective
and to encourage the School District to preserve the site. He
suggested a letter be sent advising that the District is not
interested in the property.
E. Jaynes said his preference would be that the Board withhold
statements about properties until staff has had an opportunity
to investigate them.
H. Grench said he would hold off on a response for now.
B. Letter from Sierra Club
N. Hanko stated the consensus that the letter of August 16 ,
1976 from the Sierra Club regarding the Hassler Canyon area
be considered by the Board as a Written Communication at the
second meeting in September. H. Grench said he would advise
the Sierra Club when the date and location of the meeting is
definite.
IX. INFORMATIONAL REPORTS
A. Candidates for November 2 , 1976 Election
A. Crosley advised that the following persons had qualified as
candidates for Director of the District in the November 2 , 1976
general election: Ward 3 , Barbara Green; Ward 4 , Edward G.
Shelley; Ward 6 , Harry A. Turner and Nancy Jewell Cross; Ward 7 ,
George Seager.
B. Mid-peninsula Cities Study Group Meeting
H. Grench advised that he and Directors H. Turner and G. Seager
would be attending a meeting of the Mid-peninsula Cities Study
Group on September 18 to discuss interaction between the Dis-
trict and cities who are members of the Study Group.
N. Hanko asked if San Carlos could be invited since they are
the only city within the District which is not also a member
of the Mid-peninsula Cities Study Group. G. Seager wondered
if H. Grench would be the appropriate person to make the
request. H. Grench said he would do so.
Meeting 76-24 Page seven
C. Presentation of Master Plan to Menlo Park City Council
H. Turner advised that the Menlo Park City Council would be
reviewing the District 's Master Plan at their October 5, 1976
study session, and he planned to attend the meeting.
H. Grench added that he would give a presentation on the Dis-
trict's Master Plan and the progress being made on extending
it into south San Mateo County.
D. Status of Site Use and Management Plans
N. Hanko asked if staff could report on the status of use and
management plans for District sites.
H. Grench said staff was working on Permanente Creek Park plans
at the present time.
N. Hanko suggested an informational report be presented at the
next meeting, which would also help acquaint residents of the
annexed area with the District's sites and planning process.
She further suggested staff prepare a brief slide presentation
about the District' s accomplishments and Master Plan for the
next meeting.
X. CLAIMS
Motion: K. Duffy moved acceptance of the revised claims (C-76-
16) dated September 8 , 1976 . B. Green seconded the
motion. The motion passed unanimously.
XI. EXECUTIVE SESSION
The Board recessed to Executive Session at 9 :00 P.M. to discuss
land negotiations.
XII. ADJOURNMENT
The Board reconvened to adjourn at 9 :58 P.M.
Anne Cathcart Crosley
District Clerk