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HomeMy Public PortalAbout19800813 - Minutes - Board of Directors (BOD) eeting 80-17 *Z04 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 August 13, 1980 375 Distel Circle, Suite D-1 Los Altos, California I. ROLL CALL The meeting was called to order by President Barbara Green at 8 : 44 P.M. Members Present: Katherine Duffy, Daniel Wendin, Barbara Green, Nonette Hanko, and Harry Turner. Director Turner arrived at 7 : 55 P.M. Members Absent: Edward Shelley and Richard Bishop. Personnel Present: Herbert Grench, Steven Sessions, Susan Bayerd, Pat Starrett, Cynthia DiGiovanni, Eric Mart, Stanley Norton, and Jean Fiddes. II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. July 9, 1980 B. Green stated the Board' s consensus that the minutes of July 9, 1980 were approved as presented. B. July 23, 1980 D. Wendin requested that the word "number" in the second sentence of paragraph three of Written Communications be changed to "proli- feration" since he was concerned about the amount of staff time that would be put into the agenda item on the location of signing on Skyline Boulevard. The Board concurred with the change. B. Green stated the Board' s consensus that the revised minutes of July 23, 1980 be approved. III. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS The Board discussed the July 27 , 1980 letter from the Santa Clara Valley Watercolor Society and the Peninsula Outdoor Painters re- garding being allowed to paint within the restricted area of the Picchetti Winery. K. Duffy stated she had been in contact with Millicent Bishop, spokesperson for the groups on this matter,and requested that a review of the District' s permit procedures and liability implications be included as an agenda item at a future meeting. She also requested the Board to refer the specific ques- tion of the use of the closed area at Picchetti to the Picchetti Winery Committee and asked that a letter of response be sent to Mrs. Bishop advising her of the Board' s actions and noting she would be invited to attend the Picchetti Winery Committee meeting. The Board concurred with K. Duffy' s requests on this matter. IV. ADOPTION OF AGENDA The agenda was adopted by consensus, V. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS Bob Mark, 725 Cowper, Palo Alto, noted Governor Brown had signed AB 990 which included $9 million for the addition of the Gill Mustang Ranch to Henry Coe Park. 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 80-17 Page Two VI. OLD BUSINESS WITH At.-ION REQUESTED A. Proposed Fire Management Plan for Monte Bello Open Space Preserve S. Sessions introduced report R-80-47, dated August 5, 1980, on the proposed Monte Bello Open Space Preserve fire management plan noting that fire management was part of a responsible land and vegetation management program. He stated that a public meeting had been held to inform neighbors of the plan, that an adjacent land owner had requested to have his lands included in the prescribed burns, that an Urban Forestry Grant was available to fund the first year ' s burn if approved by the Board, and that he was hoping the City of Palo Alto would issue a negative declaration for the project after reviewing the environmental assessment. He reported staff had received a letter from Robert R. Wall, Fire Marshall, Palo Alto Fire Department, stating the Palo Alto Fire Department approved the fuel management concept proposed for the Monte Bello Open Space Preserve and the construction of the proposed fire lines. Jason Greenlee of FLAME (Fire and Land Management Enterprises) ex- plained in detail the fire management plan he had prepared for the Monte Bello Open Space Preserve and showed a slide presentation to help explain the various details of a prescribed controlled burn. He stated he wanted to change the fire management program so that areas 5A and 5B, as indicated on the map of the Monte Bello Fire Management Area, could be included in the first year of controlled burning. He stated the fire management plan was designed to reduce the fuel buildup on the Preserve and reiterated that fire manage- ment had to be a very flexible operation since all conditions had to meet fire management criteria before a controlled burn would be undertaken. N. Hanko asked how long it would take to prepare an Environmental Impact Assessment for the City of Palo Alto. S. Sessions responded that a preliminary assessment would be prepared and forward to Palo Alto within the next thirty days. He noted that if Palo Alto did not issue a negative declaration for the project and required an Environmental Impact Report, the fire management project would probably be delayed for a year, and he stated he would report to the Board on the status of the reports. S, Norton stated that if the controlled burn was done properly and carefully there should be no liability problem,and if the burn were to "escape" and do damage to neighboring property, the District had adequate insurance to cover any liability. He noted that, in the broad sense, fire liability problems in the long-term could be greater if the District did not undertake a controlled burn program that minimized fire risk. Motion: N. Hanko moved the adoption of the Fire Management Plan for the Monte Bello Open Space Preserve, the authorization for the General Manager to enter into a grant contract with the California Department of Forestry to begin im- plementation of Phase I, including areas 1A, 1B, 5A, ' and 5B, of the plan in the fall and winter of 1980, and that staff be directed to proceed with obtaining environmental clearance for the project from the City of Palo Alto. D. Wendin seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. The Board recessed for a break at 9:55 P.M. B. Green reconvened for the public meeting at 10 :30 P.M. Meeting 80-17 Page Three VII. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS ontinued Harry Haeussler, 1094 Highland Circle, Los Altos, distributed to the Board a letter he had presented to the Santa Clara County Transportation Commission regarding the construction of roadside paths or trails to accomodate walkers, bikers, or equestrians. He requested that the District try to coordinate and work with the County on this proposed project. VIII. OLD BUSINESS WITH ACTION REQUESTED, continued B. Procedural Amendments to the Land Use and Management Planning Process S. Sessions reviewed report R-80-51, dated July 16, 1980, regarding the two revisions to the Land Use and Management Process that in- cluded the schedule of use and management plan reviews and the review of dedicated and undedicated land status. He noted that items concerning notification of city and county officials of District acquisitions and methods of notification for Public Hearings could be handled through internal office procedures. H. Grench noted the Board had requested at a previous meeting that an item pertaining to Public Hearings for land acquisitions, par- ticularly acquisitions dealing with eminent domain procedures,and to the definition of Public Hearings and their notification re- quirements be placed on a future agenda. N. Hanko stated her concern regarding citizen notification and input procedures for use and management plans, as well as notification for acquisitions and condemnation proceedings for adjacent landowners. B. Green felt it would be beneficial for the Site Use Committee to review citizen notification and input procedures for use and manage- ment plans with new staff members and stated .the Board's consensus that the Site Use Committee would do that and determine if there were any recommendations that the Committee felt should be pre- sented to the Board for consideration. Motion: B. Green moved that the Board approve the planning process procedural amendments outlined in the staff report. K. Duffy seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. IX. NEW BUSINESS WITH ACTION REQUESTED A. Use and Management Plan Review for El Sereno and Costanoan Way Open Space Preserves Motion: K. Duffy moved that this agenda item be continued to the next convenient meeting. B. Green seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. B. Schedule for Thornewood Proposal Solicitations S. Sessions reviewed memorandum M-80-56, dated August 7, 1980, re- garding the proposed schedule for proposal solicitations for the Thornewood house based on a high to moderate priority status. He noted that a moderate timeframe of six months to one year would not have a detrimental effect on the house and added that staff had received two inquiries from individuals interested in looking at the house and possibly submitting a proposal. Tom Gano, Box 59, Star Route, Woodside, expressed his dismay over the Board' s vote which rejected his proposal for the Thornewood house, saying that he felt he had been wronged and misled. He requested that the Board reconsider his proposal, especially since he had never had the opportunity to present his proposal per- sonally to the Board. Meeting 80-17 Page Four S. Sessions and H. Grench reviewed the types of open space manage- ment projects that would be affected if the solicitation of pro- posals for the Thornewood house was given a high priority by the Board. S. Sessions noted that a contractor was going to give staff a report on the condition of the house. T. Gano stated that he felt the glassed-in porch could not withstand another winter and noted there was dry-rot in some foundation walls. D. Wendin stated that a target date in a three to four month range should be established to determine if there were any other proposals for use of the Thornewood house. He noted that Board members or a consultant could be enlisted to help relieve the strain that might be put on staff to meet this target date. S. Sessions stated that staff could be prepared to ask for the Board' s authorization to solicit proposals by the second meeting in September and felt the Board could review proposals in November. N. Hanko explained the reasons she felt it was necessary to solicit proposals, noting that when the District accepted the gift of the Thornewood house and grounds from the Sierra Club, a plan was es- tablished that stated the District would solicit proposals for leasing the property, T. Gano stated he felt he had been more than fair with the District and that he had been very concerned about the public interest in the Thornewood House. He said that even though his proposal had been based on ownership, rather than a lease arrangement, dis- cussions had continued with C. Britton, and he felt it was unrea- sonable for the Board to ask him to wait more than three months before reconsideration of his proposal. Motion: D. Wendin moved that staff be directed to target for the second meeting in September to be prepared to ask for the Board' s authorization to solicit proposals. H. Turner seconded the motion. Discussion: H. Turner stated a Board committee could be established to augment the solicitation process. D. Wendin and N. Hanko said they would be willing to serve on such a committee and they were officially appointed to the committee by B. Green. The motion passed unanimously. C. Support for the California Parklands Act of 1980 H. Grench reviewed memorandum M-80-54 , dated July 31, 1980, re- garding the $285 million park bond act that will appear as Proposition 1 on the November ballot. He noted the Board was being asked to pass a motion of support so that an article could be placed in the next issue of Openspace. Motion: B. Green moved that the Board express its support for Proposition 1, the California Parklands Act of 1980. H. Turner seconded the motion. The motion passed unani- mously. x. OLD BUSINESS WITH NO ACTION REQUESTED A. Monte Bello Open Space Preserve Parking Lot Study S. Sessions reviewed memorandum M-80-55, dated August 5, 1980, and noted that the Palo Alto City Council had continued both the parking Meeting 80-17 Page Five lot item and trails plan item to their meeting of October 20, 1980. He stated that District staff was re-evaluating a previously identified location as a- possible site for the Monte Bello parking lot and indicated that the location was marked on the map attached to the memorandum. N. Hanko requested that S. Sessions distribute copies of the Palo Alto Planning Commission meeting to the Board so that the District' s Directors could have a clear understanding of what the Commission was suggesting. XI . INFORMATIONAL REPORTS H. Grench reported that Gary Foss, the District' s personnel consul- tant, had been working on the General Manager' s salary review, the revision of the rules and regulations, the District' s benefit plan, and some job specifications. H. Grench stated the Board of Supervisors of San Mateo County had set the public hearing to acquire the Edgewood property for September 16, 1980 at 11: 00 A.M. H. Grench reported the contract to acquire the Garrod property called for escrow to be handled through Valley Title and noted that unless the Board objected, staff was in the process of making a change to First American Title Guaranty Company since they could handle the escrow and issue the title insurance more easily. There was no objection. H. Grench showed the members of the Board a checklist of Santa Clara County' s birds which included bird counts taken at the Los Trancos Open Space Preserve and at Black Mountain. S. Sessions reported on a public hearing held by the Santa Clara Valley Water District on the Stevens Creek Plan of opportunities and noted the District would be receiving a letter from that agency granting public access to the Crittenden bridge and levies. S. Sessions said American Youth Hostels was still evaluating the Hassler Health Home site as a possible hostel location and noted that a new proposal for an executive conference center had been submitted. The new proposal, however, was opposed by the City of San Carlos and was not consistent with the requirements of the funding grant. S. Sessions reported Santa Clara County had begun Phase I con- struction for the Rancho San Antonio County Park. XII. CLAIMS Motion: H. Turner moved the adoption of the Revised Claims C-80-14, dated August 13, 1980. K. Duffy seconded the motion. Discussion: N. Hanko stated she would abstain from voting on Claim 1317 to IBM. The motion passed unanimously. XIII. EXECUTIVE SESSION The Board recessed at 11:25 P.M. to its Executive Session which, because of the lateness of the hour, it set for .ff!4u1rsday, August 14, 1980 at 7: 30 P.M. at the District office. Meeting 80-17 age Six Board members Hanko, Wendin, Duffy, and Green reconvened at 7:40 P.M. on Thursday, August 14 , 1980 at the District office. H. Grench noted that since First American Title Guaranty Company would be handling the Garrod acquisition it was necessary to add a claim to the Revised Claims list. Motion: B. Green moved that the Board add Claim 1335 to the Revised Claims C-80-14, dated August 13, 1980, in the amount of $300,000. 00 to First American Title Guaranty Company for the Garrod acquisition to supersede Claim 1151. N. Hanko seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. Director Turner arrived at 7:43 P.M. , and the Board began its Executive Session. The Board recessed at 10: 30 P.M. to continue its Executive Session to 7 : 30 P.M. on Thursday, August 21, 1980 at the District office. The Board reconvened for its continued Executive Session on August 21, 1980 at the District office at 7 : 30 P.M. Board members Duffy, Turner, Wendin, and Hanko were present. XIV,. ADJOURNMENT The Board reconvened to adjourn at 10 : 15 on August 21, 1980 . Jean H. Fiddes District Clerk Meeting 80-17 Page Sic CORRECTIONS TO MINUTES OFI II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. August 13, 1980 J. Fiddes noted the minutes should read that the meeting was called to order at 7 :44 P.M. , and B. Green stated the Board reconvened for the public meeting at 10:03 P.M. , not 10:30 P.M. as noted on Page Two. Motion : N. Hanko moved the approval of the revised minutes of August 13, 1980. B. Green seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. -- � _.