Loading...
HomeMy Public PortalAbout19800528 - Minutes - Board of Directors (BOD) Meeting 80-10 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 May 28, 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: 03 P.M. Members Present: Daniel Wendin, Barbara Green, Edward Shelley, Nonette Hanko, Harry Turner, and Richard Bishop. Member Absent: Katherine Duffy. Personnel Present: Herbert Grench, Craig Britton, Steve Sessions, Charlotte MacDonald, Pat Starrett, Susan Bayerd, Michael Foster, Stanley Norton, and Jean Fiddes. II. EXECUTIVE SESSION The Board recessed to an Executive Session dealing with personnel matters at 7 : 04 P.M. The Board reconvened for the public meeting at 7: 30 P.M. III. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS J. Fiddes indicated that there were no written communications. IV. ADOPTION OF AGENDA H. Grench requested that Item 2, Use and Management Plan Fallow-Up for Williams Property Acquisition, and Item 3, Presentation of Preliminary Budget for Fiscal Year 1980-81, be interchanged since S. Norton would not he able to attend the first part of the meeting. B. Green noted that it might be necessary to continue the meeting's Executive Session to another time since two Board members would be leaving the meeting to attend the Palo Alto Planning Commission meeting. She stated the Board's consensus that, if necessary, the meeting would be continued to 8:00 P.M. , Thursday, May 29, 1980. The revised agenda was adopted by consensus. 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 80-10 Page Two V. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS B. Green informed the Board that she had been contacted by Brad Stamper, Mayor of East Palo Alto, regarding a possible tour of the Cooley Landing area and a discussion with members of the East Palo Alto Municipal Council regarding recent developments involving Cooley Landing. Since Mayor Stamper was not able to attend the meeting, he had suggested the dates of June 3 or 5 for the tour to B. Green. Discussion centered on possible dates for the tour and what type of action might be required of the Board. B. Green noted that she would formalize the date and time of the tour and would inform Board members and staff members so that the tour, which would constitute a Special Meeting of the Board, could be noticed appropriately. VI . SPECIAL ORDERS OF THE DAY C. Britton introduced Susan Bayerd, the District's legal intern for the summer. R. Bishop introduced newly-elected San Carlos Councilman Victor Stoltz . VII. PUBLIC HEARING A. Public Hearing on Hassler Health Home Buildings S. Sessions reviewed memorandum M-80-39 , dated May 21, 1980 , and noted that the American Youth Hostel had not submitted to date a formal proposal to use the Hassler Health Home buildings for recreational purposes and that a representative from the organi- zation was not in attendance at the meeting. He noted that Jean Rusmore, a member of the Board of Directors of the American Youth Hostels Golden Gate Council, and Mark Ahalt, Hostel Development Manager, had been notified of the Public Hearing by letter. B. Green declared the Public Hearing open at 7:40 P.M. J. Fiddes noted that Joe Rick, 135 Leslie Drive, San Carlos, a resident of the Brittan Heights area, had telephoned the District's office and asked that his comments be read at the meeting since he could not be in attendance. She stated that Mr. Rick was opposed to the establishment of a youth hostel on the Hassler property. It was his understanding that the property would be maintained as open space and the buildings would be destroyed, and he did not wish to increase his taxes to support a youth hostel. She also noted that Mr. Richard Lynam, 3375 Brittan Avenue, No. 12, San Carlos , had called the office and stated that he and his wife were definitely not in favor of a youth hostel at the Hassler site. He felt this would not be in keeping with the idea of open space and said that noise would be a problem, as well as potential fire hazards. Meeting 80-10 .age Three Judy Wahn, 3331 Brittan Avenue,No. 8,San Carlos, secretary of the Brittan Heights Condominium Association, stated that she was unofficially representing the association at the meeting. She had polled the five members of the association's board and one member was definitely opposed to a youth hostel and four members were interested in going along with the youth hostel idea, but needed more information about the operation. She said that the association' s board was not familiar enough with the concept of a youth hostel to discuss it with other Brittan Heights residents and noted that they were under the impression that all the buildings would be demolished, save one which would be used for a ranger residence. She stated that since the association had not been notified in time of the Public Hearing, it had not been possible to discuss the hostel with local residents, and she requested as much information as available on the hostel. S. Sessions reviewed the general concept of youth hostels, but noted that the District's staff had not received the formal American Youth Hostel proposal ,and therefore he could not specifically state how their hostel would operate. He noted that the ultimate plan was to have youth hostels spread ten miles apart up and down the coast. Celia Hartnett, 3443 Brittan Avenue, San Carlos, asked how many people could be accomodated in a hostel at one time and where other hostels were located in the area. S. Sessions responded that he thought the hostel at the Hassler site might have about twelve beds and that hostels were located at Sanborn Park and Hidden Villa Ranch. Judy Wahn asked if there was a limit to the amount of time a person could stay at the hostel, if people would be bused to the hostel, and if motorcycles would be allowed. S. Sessions responded that he did not know how long a person could stay at the hostel and noted that the District does not permit motorcycles on its preserves. He felt that people would use public transportation to reach the hostel. D. Wendin noted that the question of vehicular access would have to be reviewed as a part of a hostel proposal. Celia Hartnett asked what the specifications of the Federal grant were with regard to the demolition of the buildings. R. Bishop noted that the grant stated that any buildings on the property have to be related to recreational and open space type of use. Don Hartnett, 3443 Brittan Avenue, San Carlos, noted that people had not been made aware of the Public Hearing and said that he did not feel that it was realistic to think that people would be in favor of using one of the large buildings for a hostel. He thought there might be an overflow problem if there was only room for twelve people. Meeting 80-10 Page Four Judy Wahn noted that the Brittan Heights Condominium Association had not been informed of the Public Hearing and noted that future meeting announcements could be distributed directly to condimunium owners by the association. H. Turner stated that he had just contacted Jean Rusmore by telephone and that she said it was her understanding that the letter that had previously been sent to the District was sufficient for their response at the Public Hearing. She noted that the American Youth Hostel 's staff person would work up a detailed proposal in July which would first be presented to the hostel ' s board before being forwarded- to the District. She had said that she thought August was the District's cutoff date. He noted that she was very interested in the Hassler site, but that other members of the American Youth Hostel Executive Board were "cool" on the idea. Discussion centered on a timetable to present to the American Youth Hostel staff outlining when appropriate information and a formal proposal must be presented to the District. B. Green declared the Public Hearing closed at 8 :28 P.M. The Board directed staff to communicate with the American Youth Hostel staff that a proposal on the use of the Hassler Health Home buildings must be presented at the first meeting of July. Information contained in the proposal should include the details of what the hostel project includes and that the American Youth Hostel had made the decision to go ahead and participate in the cost of an Environmental Impact Report on the retention of the buildings. Directors N. Hanko and D. Wendin and staff member S. Sessions left the meeting to attend the Palo Alto Planning Commission meeting. VIII. NEW BUSINESS WITH NO ACTION REQUESTED A. Presentation of Preliminary Budget for Fiscal Year 1980-81 H. Grench reviewed report R-80-24 , dated May 22, 1980, regarding the preliminary budget for fiscal year 1980-81 and noted that over 90� of each expenditure dollar was allocated to the Open Space Acquisition Program and thatthe new land purchases budget was $2 .5 million, of which $500,000 was designated for opportunity (bargain) purchases. He stated that the budget had been prepared under the assumption that Proposition 9 would not pass. C. Britton reviewed the Open Space Acquisition Program's portion of the budget, noting that funds available for new open space acquisition projects in 1980-81 had been increased over the 1979-80 budget by approximately $500,000 . He reviewed the projects for which land acquisition funds had been previously committed and noted that his budget included $12 ,000 in contingency funds in the event it was necessary to continue the land acquisition representative position for an additional six months. Meeting 80-10 Page Five H. Grench reviewed the Open Space Managment Program' s portion of the budget, focusing on recommended clarifications for the Open Space Management funding guidelines. He stated that these policies had been reviewed with the Budget Committee to determine where refinement or interpretation was needed. He reviewed the method for determining Open Space Management's budget limit base and the policy pertaining to major site development capital improvements. C. MacDonald stated that the items contained in the Public Communications and Governmental Liaison Program's budget were essentially the same as last year and noted that major increases were for the production of an updated Master Plan and for the increase of her hours from 2/3 to 3/4 time. Two new budget categories for her program were computer services and office furniture. J. Fiddes reviewed the General Management and Program Support budget, noting that the budget categories of elections expenses, rents and leases, and other professional services accounted for a large portion of this activity area's increased budget. H. Grench noted that the Budget Committee had had some discussion on the question of whether to build a permanent office building or continue to rent office space and would be including the topic in the budget report at the next meeting. R. Bishop noted that he felt the entire Board should be included in the decision process involving the question of building or leasing office space and requested that, as a matter of record, he be included in any discussions on the subject. B. Green received the preliminary budget on behalf of the Board. IX. OLD BUSINESS WITH ACTION REQUESTED A. Use and Management Plan Follow-Up for Williams Property Acquisition H. Grench reviewed report R-80-21, dated May 2, 1980, regarding the question of dedication of the former Williams property on Mt. Melville which had first been discussed at the meeting of March 26, 1980 and was tabled at that time. He noted that possible ways to dedicate a portion of the property included creating a lot split on one or both of the parcels, dedicating a portion of the property without a lot split, or conveying an easement to another agency. He felt that none of the options were worth pursuing because of staff time involved and possible pitfalls and recommended that the property remain in an un- dedicated status. B. Green noted that the property represented an important trail link and that she was uncomfortable with the concept of lot splitting. E. Shelley asked if it was possible to dedicate an open space easement that was "floating" in character. F_ Meeting 80-10 .,age Six S. Norton responded that clarification from San Mateo County would be needed to make sure that such an action would not effect density trade-off factors . C. Britton noted that one of the main options to consider was the fact that this was a valuable piece of property and the Board, at some time, may want to make a trade of a portion of it for other larger acreage. Motion: E. Shelley moved that the Board adopt a motion of intent stating that if all or part of the former Williams property is ever released for private development or ownership, the District at that time shall reserve an open space easement of other assurances against develop- ment with respect to the undeveloped portion of the property from Skyline Boulevard to the top of the ridge. H. Turner seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. H. Grench reviewed report R-80-20 , dated May 1, 1980 , from S. Sessions regarding the recommendations for disposition of the Williams House. He noted that staff was recommending that the buildings be secured and that space be rented at the site for a trailer house. The rental of space for the trailer would also allow on-site presence near the structures. Motion: E. Shelley moved that after the previous owner vacates the premises, the buildings should be secured and a rental of a trailer house space be made available until the end of 1980 to provide on-site presence near the structures. R. Bishop seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. X. INFORMATIONAL REPORTS H. Grench reported on S. Sessions ' memorandum of May 28, 1980 regarding the proposed fire management plan for the Monte Bello Open Space Preserve. He noted that an educational meeting would be held for Upper Page Mill Road residents and neighbors of the Monte Bello Open Space Preserve on fire hazard control and that the Board had not made a decision as to whether an on-going controlled burning program would be implemented. XI. CLAIMS Motion: R. Bishop moved the approval of the Revised Claims C-80-9, dated May 28, 1980 . B. Green seconded the motion. Discussion: C. Britton explained Claim 1065, noting that the Lindhs had moved to another house on the former Stanford property and that they were now post-acquisition tenants. H. Grench noted that Claim 1060 for $8 . 51 fell into a "gray" area since Board members were normally not reimbursed for private vehicle expenses. Discussion centered on the appropriate- ness of approving such a claim and whether the Board would be setting a precedent whereby Board members would expect to be reimbursed for expenses incurred that had not been authorized in advance by the Board. H. Turner Meeting 80-10 ige Seven called the question. The motion failed by the following vote: AYES: H. Turner, R. Bishop, and B. Green. NOES: E. Shelley. S. Norton noted that a majority vote of the full Board was needed to approve the claims. Motion: H. Turner moved that the Revised Claims C-80-9 with the exception of Claim 1060 be approved. B. Green seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. XII. EXECUTIVE SESSION The Board recessed at 9 :20 P.M. to an Executive Session which was scheduled for 8 :00 P.M on Thursday, May 29, 1980 . The Board convened for the Executive Session at 8 :00 P.M. on Thursday, May 29, 1980 , at the District office. XIII. ADJOURNMENT The Board adjourned at 11:20 P.M. on May 29, 1980 . Jean H. Fiddes District Clerk