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HomeMy Public PortalAbout19800326 - Minutes - Board of Directors (BOD) !eting 80-5 MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT 375 DISTEL CIRCLE,SUITE D-1,LOS ALTOS,CALIFORNIA 94022 (415) 965-4717 Regular Meeting Board of Directors M I N U T E S March 26, 1980 375 Distel Circle, Suite D-1 Los Altos, California I. ROLL CALL The meeting was called to order by President Barbara Green at 7: 30 P.M. Members Present: Daniel Wendin, Barbara Green, Edward Shelley, Nonette Hanko, and Harry Turner. Members Absent: Katherine Duffy and Richard Bishop. Personnel Present: Herbert Grench, Craig Britton, Steve Sessions, Charlotte MacDonald, Kathy Blackburn, Pat Starrett, and Jean Fiddes. II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. February 27, 1980 Motion: N. Hanko moved the adoption of the minutes of February 27, 1980 as presented. E. Shelley seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. III. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS J. Fiddes noted the Board had received a letter, dated March 14, 1980, from Rudd Crawford, the President of the Board of Directors of thet Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District, stating that his Board had voted unanimously to support the proposed MROSD amendments to the Public Resources Code. IV. ADOPTION OF AGENDA The Board adopted the agenda by consensus. V. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS Beez Jones, 16891 Stevens Canyon Road, Cupertino, referred to the meeting of February 27 , 1980 and asked how a Determination of Public Necessity was made, what the required Board vote was on such a matter, and how a price was established for property involved. Herbert A.Grench,General Manager Board of Directors:Katherine Duffy,Barbara Green,Nonette G.Hanko,Richard S.Bishop,Edward G.Shelley,Harry A.Turner,Daniel G.Wendin Meeting 80-5 tge Two C. Britton noted that the staff would prepare and present a report to the Board indicating why the land involved was important to the District and stated that a Public Hearing was required by law. H. Grench stated that a super-majority vote of the entire Board was required to adopt a Resolution of Necessity. C. Britton said that in a condemnation action, the normal procedure was to have an appraisal made by both parties involved. The parties would then try to agree on a price for the property involved, and if they could not, a court would establish the price. VI. OLD BUSINESS WITH ACTION REQUESTED A. Reschedulin of the Monte Bello Parking Lot Study Session H. GFe_n6h introduced memorandum -80-29' dated March 17, 190. N. Hanko stated that March 29, 1980 was not a convenient date for D. Woods and three members of the Palo Alto Planning Commission to attend the Monte Bello parking lot study session. She suggested that the session be rescheduled for Saturday, April 12, 1980 . Motion: D. Wendin moved that the Special Meeting of March 29, 1980 be cancelled and that a Special Meeting be scheduled for April 12, 1980 at 1: 00 P.M. for the purpose of reviewing the Monte Bello parking lot plan. N. Hanko seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. B. Long Ridge Open Space Preserve Parking and Trails S. Sessions reviewed report R-80-9, dated March 19, 1980, regarding possible signing and trail links near the Long Ridge Open Space Preserve and presented slides of the area in question. He noted that CALTRANS was willing to replace "No Parking At Any Time" signs with limited parking signs (dawn to dusk) at areas identified by staff and stated that CALTRANS does not have a sign in its inventory specifically designed for a scenic corridor. He noted that hikers can gain access to the site from roadside turnouts along Skyline Boulevard and that the construction of additional trails and/or any other improvements would not be consistent with the approved Use and Management Plan for the Preserve. Motion: E. Shelley moved the adoption of the recommendations contained in report R-80-9 . H. Turner seconded the motion. Discussion: B. Green asked if staff would work through the Legislative Committee to try to get a sign designed that was more aesthetically consistent with a scenic highway element. S. Sessions noted that the Legislative Committee could be involved. The motion passed unanimously. Meeting 80-5 Page Three VII. NEW BUSINESS WITH ACTION REQUESTED A. Proposed Addition to Monte Bello O en S ace Preserve (Melton Property C. Britton introduced report R-80-6, dated March 17, 1980, regarding the opportunity to purchase 17.5 acres of land as an addition to the Monte Bello Open Space Preserve. He noted that the property was actually an 11.25 acre existing legal parcel and a 6.25 acre vacant portion of an existing 13.8 acre improved residential site and that the purchase price was based on the value of the undeveloped site, the portion of the improved site, and the restrictions on the remainder. He stated that the remaining area of the improved site would be restricted under the terms of the agreement so that no residential construction or subdivision could occur. S. Sessions showed slides of the proposed acquisition and noted that the property would be managed as a natural area. He reviewed the use and management recommendations and recommended that the site be withheld from dedication since it was an isolated parcel with no public access. Beez Jones asked if the District would seek to acquire neighboring land if the Melton acquisition was approved by the Board. H. Grench responded that there was always the possibility that the District might seek to acquire more land in the area. He noted that the Melton parcel was being considered now because it was an opportunity purchase. Beez Jones noted that the trail that ran under the power lines was not open to the public since it crossed private property. S. Sessions responded that if the property was acquired, the site would be used by individuals who could gain access from adjoining private properties with the permission of the property owners. Motion: E. Shelley moved the adoption of Resolution 80-14 , a Resolution of the Board of Directors of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Authorizing Acceptance of Agreement to Purchase Real Property, Authorizing Officer to Execute Certificate of Acceptance to District, and Authorizing General Manager to Execute Any and All Other Documents Necessary or Appropriate to Closing to the Transaction (Melton Property) . H. Turner seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. Motion: H. Turner moved that the Board adopt the use and management recommendations presented in the report, withhold the site from dedication, and adopt Monte Bello Open Space Preserve as the official name of the site. E. Shelley seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. Meeting 80-5 e Four B. Proposed Addition to Monte Bello Open Space Preserve (Swanson Property) C. Britton reviewed report R-80-7 , dated March 17 , 1980 , regarding the opportunity to purchase 10 acres of land which would be dedicated as open space land and added to the Monte Bello Open Space Preserve. S. Sessions presented slides depicting the proposed acquisition and noted that the property would be managed as a part of the Monte Bello Open Space Preserve. Motion: N. Hanko moved the adoption of Resolution 80-15, a Resolution of the Board of Directors of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Authorizing Acceptance of Agreement to Purchase Real Property, Authorizing Officer to Execute Certificate of Acceptance of Grant to District, and Authorizing General Manager to Execute Any and All Other Documents Necessary or Appropriate to Closing of the Transaction (Swanson Property) . B. Green seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. Motion: N. Hanko moved that the Board approve the interim use and management recommendations contained in the report of March 17, 1980 , designate Monte Bello Open Space Preserve as the officical name of the site, and dedicate the site as open space. B. Green seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. C. Proposed Addition to Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve (Williams Property) C. Britton reviewed report R-80-10 , dated March 20 , 1980, regarding the purchase of the 32. 3 acre Williamsproperty. He noted that the property would be acquired in two parcels and would become an addition to the Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve. He stated that the northern parcel of the property, Parcel A, contained 11. 3 acres and was improved with a residence and that the southern parcel, Parcel B, contained 21 acres and was the vacant Mount Melville parcel. He noted that the purchase price for Parcel A was $205,000, and the purchase price for Parcel B was $225,000 . Since the Board had approved the two previous transactions on the agenda, he stated that it would be necessary to allocate funds for this purchase from the Opportunity Purchases budget category. S. Sessions presented slides of the proposed acquisition and reviewed the use and management recommendations for the property. H. Grench stated that dedication had been a difficult question at the staff level and that staff had decided to recommend that the property be withheld from dedication because it was a small, isolated, partially developed parcel and because of Proposition 9 . He noted that if Proposition 9 should pass, the District might be caught short of funds and might have to sell or trade portions of the property. Meeting 80- 5 age Five Discussion then centered on the question of whether to dedicate both parcels, or Parcel B only since it is one of the most obvious viewpoints on Skyline Boulevard ,or to dedicate an appropriate open space easement on the property. N. Hanko suggested that staff return to the Board in six months with pertinent information on the dedication of the property. E. Shelley stated that there was an urgency to discuss dedication because of Proposition 9 and noted that the visible part of Mount Melville (Parcel B) should be dedicated before June 3. Motion: D. Wendin moved that staff be directed to return at a meeting prior to the June election with a recommendation on dedication of an appropriate open space easement for Parcels A and B separately. E. Shelley seconded the motion. Discussion: D. Wendin withdrew hismotion until the Board H—ad decided to purchase the property. Motion: N. Hanko moved the adoption of Resolution 80-16, a Resolution of the Board of Directors of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Authorizing Acceptance of Agreement to Purchase Real Property, Authorizing Officer to Execute Certificate of Acceptance of Grant to District, and Authorizing General Manager to Execute Any and All Other Documents Necessary or Appropriate to Closing of the Transaction (Williams Property-Parcel A) H. Turner seconded the motion. Discussion: Robert Fisse, 20225 Skyline Boulevard, a neighboring land owner and a member of the South Skyline Association, noted that the District should be aware of of the problems associated with snow in the winter and with the inadequate parking along Skyline Boulevard. He felt it was a mistake to consider dedicating the Mount Melville parcel,while thinking of selling the northern parcel, since the northern parcel provided access to Mount Melville off of Langley Hill Road. The motion passed unanimously. Motion: H. Turner moved the adoption of Resolution 80-17, a Resolution of the Board of Directors of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Authorizing Acceptance of Agreement to Purchase Real Property, Authorizing Officer to Execute Certificate of Acceptance of Grant to District, and Authorizing General Manager to Execute Any and All Other Documents Necessary or Appropriate to Closing of the Transaction (Williams Property-Parcel B) . B. Green seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. Motion: D. Wendin moved that staff be directed to return at a meeting prior to the June election with a recommendation on dedication of an appropriate open space easement for Parcels A and B separately which would protect the scenic vista on Parcels A and B. E. Shelley seconded the motion. Discussion: D. Wendin requested that District Counsel advise the Board on the feasibility of dedicating an open space easement on the property. The motion passed unanimously. Meeting 80-5 Page Six D. Wendin requested that the minutes indicate that the Board did not dedicate the parcels. Motion: H. Turner moved that the Board explicitly decide to withhold the property from dedication tonight. D. Wendin seconded the motion. Discussion: E. Shelley stated he was concerned with H. Turner' s approach in making the motion. H. Turner responded that he had made the motion to get the Board's explicit action in the minutes. N. Hanko requested that H. Turner amend his motion to indicate that the Board had withheld the property from dedication pending a report from staff prior to the June election. - Amended Motion: H. Turner amended his motion to state that the Board explic tly decide to withhold the property from dedication tonight contemplating consideration of the decision after the Board reviews the report requested by D. Wendin. The amended motion passed on the following votes: Ayes: D. Wendin, B. Green, N. . Hanko, and H. Turner. Noes: E. Shelley. D. Voter Education Program About the Possible Effects of Proposition 9 on the District H. Grench introduced report R-80-8 , dated March 18, 1980, regarding a voter education program that would discuss the possible effects of Proposition 9 on the District and C. MacDonald reviewed the recommendations and extent of the program. Beez Jones asked if the District was allowed to use taxpayers ' money for the voter education program or to include discussion of Proposition 9 in the minutes. H. Grench responded that S. Norton had provided a ruling for the Board stating that the Board could take a stand on such propositions and could present factual, educational material on the effect the proposition would have on the District. H. Turner requested that the following changes be made in "Jaws II" and the Open Space District: 1. Replace "will have the opportunity to" in the first para- graph with "will choose whether or not to" . 2. Replace "such as windfall taxes on oil company profits" in paragraph four with "such as petroleum-related windfall tax revenues" . D. Wendin requested that the words "in half" be deleted from the first paragraph. Discussion centered on whether the Rangers should distribute copies of the "Jaws II" and the Open Space District statement on District sites. S. Sessions noted that the Rangers need to be well informed about the effects of Proposition 9 on the District in order to respond to questions from the public while in the field. He stated that the distribution of material would be a responsive action on the part of the Rangers when they were asked about Proposition 9 . Meeting 80-5 F j Seven Motion: E. Shelley moved that the Board approve the recommendations contained in report R-80-8 with the minor modifications recommended by H. Turner and D. Wendin in "Jaws II" and the Open Space District. B. Green seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. VIII. INFORMATIONAL REPORTS K. Blackburn reported on the Western Interpreters Conference she had attended and on the Bay Area Environmental Fair held on March 14 in San Jose. She noted the District had an informational booth set up at the fair. She also reported on the training course to be held this spring for new docents and on proposed plans for the celebration of Earth Day. H. Grench presented a brief update on legislation of interest to the District, including SB 1550, AB 2314, and AB 2938. C. Britton reported that he, B. Green, C. MacDonald, and S. Sessions had made a presentation on the District to the Santa Clara County Planning Commission on March 20. IX. CLAIMS Motion: E. Shelley moved the adoption of the Revised Claims C-80-5, dated March 26, 1980 . H. Turner seconded the motion. N. Hanko abstained from item 870 . The motion passed unanimously. X. EXECUTIVE SESSION The Board recessed to Executive Session at 9 :27 P.M. XI. ADJOURNMENT The Board reconvened to adjourn at 11:20 P.M. Jean H. Fiddes District Clerk