Loading...
HomeMy Public PortalAbout19801112 - Minutes - Board of Directors (BOD) Meeting 80-25 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 November _12 , 1980 I . ROLL CALL The meeting was called to order by President Barbara Green at 7 :38 P.M. Members Present: Katherine Duffy, Daniel Wendin, Barbara Green, Nonette Hanko, Edward Shelley, Harry Turner, and Richard Bishop. Personnel Present: Herbert Grench, Craig Britton, Steven Sessions, Charlotte MacDonald , Del Woods , Jean Fiddes, Pat Starrett, Joan Ferguson, Susan Bayerd, and Kathy Blackburn. II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. October 8 , 1980 Motion: N. Hanko moved the adoption of the minutes of October 8, 1980 as presented. R. Bishop seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. B. October 22, 1980 N. Hanko requested the first sentence of paragraph one on Page Seven be corrected to read "N. Hanko commented on an ordinance passed by the Santa Clara County Planning Commission and on its way to the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors which would release Stanford University from having to annex to a city once University land was within the city's Urban Service Area" . B. Green noted the fifth paragraph on Page Three should refer to Mrs . Morgan Stedman, not Mrs. Morris Stedman. Motion: N. Hanko moved the adoption of the minutes of October 22 , 1980 as amended. E. Shelley seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously, III. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS B. Green noted the Board had received a letter, dated October 14 , 1980, from Lois Evraiff, Chairperson, Peninsula Regional Group of the Loma Prieta Chapter of the Sierra Club, which contained five questions relating to the Thornewood property. S . Sessions stated staff had responded to the questions contained in the letter and would keep the Peninsula Regional Group informed of what was transpiring with the Thornewood property. K. Duffy suggested a staff or Board member attend one of the group' s meetings to discuss actions relating to Thornewood. B. Green stated that the two written communications regarding Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve and County Park would be read into the record during the agenda item on Development of Rancho San Antonio County Park. IV. ADOPTION OF AGENDA Motion: R. Bishop moved the adoption of the agenda as presented. B. Green seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. 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 80-25 1 3 Two V. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS Mr. Reed Sparks, Vice Mayor of Cupertino and a member of the Cupertino City Council , requested the Board consider allowing the piece of District land used for the widening of Regnart Canyon Road to be conveyed to the City without charge. J. Fiddes read an oral communication from Charlotte Biegelson, No. 7 Skylonda Drive, Woodside, regarding the views of her husband David and herself concerning the disposition of Thornewood. She said Mrs. Biegelson agreed with Barbara Felix's letter which appeared in The Country Almanac and felt the Thornewood property was the prize and the house was secondary. She felt a much more suitable use of the property would be to open the property to small groups, such as the Scouts . VI. SPECIAL ORDERS OF THE DAY B. Green stated Special Orders of the Day would be postponed until Joan Ferguson, the District's new Ranger, was in attendance at the meeting. VII. OLD BUSINESS WITH ACTION REQUESTED A. Cooley Landing-Acquisition of the Lands of Westbay Community Associates (Ideal Basic Industries, Inc. ) C. Britton reviewed report R-80-63 , dated November 5, 1980 , re- garding the acquisition of the two parcels of land located to the north and south of Cooley Landing and owned by Westbay Community Associates (Ideal Basic Industries, Inc. ) . He noted the District had expended $50 ,000 to extend the option to purchase until November 20, 1980 and $80 , 000 would be required to complete the purchase. S. Sessions reviewed the use and management recommendations con- tained in the report, and C. Britton stated staff was recommending that the parcels not be dedicated. E. Shelley noted the Board had discussed other conditions when the initial $50,000 expenditure was authorized and asked for a status report on what had transpired. C. Britton stated the Board had requested that the East Palo Alto Municipal Council pass a resolution stating the Council did not expect the District to be involved in the development of a marina project and that the Board had taken its action with the expecta- tion that the Leslie Salt/Cargill property would be offered to the District at a bargain price. He noted the East Palo Alto Municipal Council had passed the resolution requested by the Board and a copy of the resolution was attached to the staff report. He said that negotiations for the salt pond purchase were going well and he was encouraged. N. Hanko asked what debris was referred to in the use and management reconunendation, "Staff would work with the other governmental agencies , including BCDC, having jurisdiction to investigate long term remedies for the elimination of the hazardous situation resulting from the debris on the site" , and she noted she thoughtsome of the concrete on the site might be useful for a marina project. S . Sessions responded the debris consisted of broken concrete, dirt piles , timbers , and pilings, but he did not know the extent or depth of the material. Meeting 80-25 1 Three S. Sessions noted staff was not proposing to dispose of the debris at this time, but was proposing to contact other agencies to find out what their concerns were with regard to the debris. N. Hanko asked if the Board would be notified of a staff decision to remove some of the debris material or whether the Board was ap- proving removal of the material by adopting the use and management recommendations. S. Sessions said staff could return to the Board before taking any action to remove the material if the Board requested. E. Shelley noted the District was dealing with a potential liability problem, and staff should be allowed to resolve the situation in the best possible way as soon as possible. Henry Anthony, a member of the East Palo Alto Municipal Council, stated a feasibility study contract for the marina would be signed in November and a Marina Task Force had been established. He said be had been instructed by the Council to express its support for the agenda item and to request that East Palo Alto be allowed, at some time, to purchase the subject property from the District at the purchase price the District paid. Jay Thorwaldsen, 244 Robin Way, Menlo Park, expressed his concerns regarding the District ' s staff contacting the Bay Conservation Development Commission (BCDC) about the hazardous material and the status of Mr. Carl Schoof. He said contacting BCDC staff might precipitate a judgment from that organization on the entire marina project and noted Mr. Schoof had been acting as the un- official caretaker for the property and hoped the current situation could continue. Motion: R. Bishop moved the adoption of Resolution 80-44, Authorizing Exercise of Option, 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 (Cooley Landing Bay Front Preserve-Lands of West Bay Community Associates) . H. Turner seconded the motion. Discussion: B. Green reiterated the two points made by Mr. Thorwaldson. S. Sessions stated staff would assume a go-slow position on contacting BCDC and would stay in contact and work with the person coordinating the marina project. S. Sessions said staff would inves- tigate the rent back situation for Mr. Schoof and would return to the Board with some recommendations regarding a nominal rent or an exchange of services. N. Hanko noted S. Sessions should contact the East Palo Alto Municipal Council to find out who would be coordinating the marina project. N. Hanko requested Mr. Schoof be sent a copy of the staff report as a courtesy item. D. Wendin stated he viewed the project as independent of Cooley Landing and recommended San Mateo County Baylands Reserve as an appropriate name. The motion passed unani- mously. Meeting 80-25 Age Four Motion: D. Wendin moved that the Board adopt the proposed use and management criteria, including the non-opening of the site and leaving these parcels in a non-dedicated status and that these parcels be unofficially called the San Mateo County Baylands Reserve. N. Hanko seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. B. Proposed Addition to Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve -,Petersen Property) C. Britton reviewed report R-80-64 , dated November 5, 1980 , re- garding the addition of the 80 acre Petersen property to the Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve. He noted a voluntary settlement had been reached prior to the condemnation case going to court and the final terms of the purchase would be by stipulated judgment. He said the Board was being asked to approve the settlement amount of $250 ,000 , which was listed on the revised claims . S. Sessions reviewed the use and management recommendations for the site, indicating trail reconstruction costs would have to be rebudgeted in the 1981-82 budget. Mr. Stanley Petersen, 24737 Prospect Avenue, Los Altos Hills, commented negatively on the District' s acquisition of his property and quoted an article from the November 9 San Franciso Chronicle regarding the use of condemnation to acquire land. Motion: D. Wendin moved that the Board authorize the expenditure of $250,00 from the Previous Land Commitments budget category as given in item 1601 of the revised claims list. E. Shelley seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. Motion: D. Wendin moved that the Board adopt the use and manage- ment recommendations made in the report, that the official name of the site be an addition to Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve/Windmill Pasture Area, and that the parcel be officially dedicated as open space land. H. Turner seconded the motion. The motion passed unani- mously. VIII . SPECIAL ORDERS OF THE DAY S. Sessions introduced Joan Ferguson, the District' s newest member of the Ranger staff. IX. OLD BUSINESS WITH ACTION REQUESTED, continued C. Public Notification Procedures Motion: N. Hanko moved the President be authorized to establish a committee to study the subject of public notification procedures. K. Duffy seconded the motion. Discussion: H. Grench reviewed memorandum M-80-80 , dated November 3, 1980 , noting a committee could study the question in depth. Harry Haeussler asked about a new law going into effect in January that would prohibit State and lccal government bodies from charging the public fees to receive meeting notices. H. Grench responded the committee would look into' the matter. B. Green stated the committee' s charge would be a broad one on notification in general , including identification of the issues in- volved, pre-acquisition notification, and notification Meeting 80-25 Page Five during the planning process . The motion passed unani- mously. H. Grench noted staff had been requested to place the question of listing land acquisitions as Public Hearings and the definition of Public Hearings on an agenda for Board discussion and asked if it would now be appropriate for the committee appointed by B. Green to study these issues. B. Green stated the Board' s consensus that the study of these two issues should be included in the committee 's charge. She appointed D. Wendin, N. Hanko, and K. Duffy to serve on the committee to study public notification procedures and requested that the committee' s meetings be publicly noticed since other Board members might wish to attend. D. Development of Rancho San Antonio County Park B. Green noted the Boar a Faa receive--cT-�W-r�:E-ten-c6mmunic4tions from Marcia Johnson, 1215 Arthur Court, Los Altos, and from Kathleen Schweifler, who lives near the Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve, regarding the negative effects the develop- ment of the Rancho San Antonio County Park would have on the District 's neighboring Preserve. H. Grench requested that the first recommendation of memorandum M-80-82 , dated November 7 , 1980, be deleted and asked that discussions regarding the integrity of the St. Joseph's bridge be deferred to a future Board meeting. The Board concurred with the request. S . Sessions reviewed his memorandum M-80-81, dated November 6, 1980 , to H. Grench in which he outlined the steps leading to the paving of the access road to the Preserve and communication problem that had occurred between District staff and members of the Board. He noted the phrase "paved access road" in the first paragraph of the second page of his report should read "adequate access road" . He stated that the vehicle bridge that would provide access from Cristo Rey Drive had been deleted from the County's Phase I construction plans and noted he recommended in his report that the Board ask the County to proceed with the construction of the bridge in order to reduce the number of vehicles using St. Joseph ' s Avenue and the St. Joseph' s bridge over Permanente Creek. H. Grench noted the County had included a bridge in its plans for the park to serve people using the picnic area that would be located on District property. He said that, if the Board requested the County to proceed with the bridge, they would in effect be confirming development of a picnic area on District land. D. Wendin noted that development plans for a picnic area or any other type of development on District land would have to come back to the Board for approval and said that, if the County were to acquire more land in the area ,it might not be necessary to have a picnic area of District land. Kathy Blackburn, the District' s Coordinator of Volunteers, stated that her main concern was that the Preserve retain its "wild" features and suggested that positive input could be received from various groups and concerned individuals for planning done in the future. Meeting 80-25 Page Six K. Duffy noted the need for joint County and District public hearings and study sessions for future planning for the park. N. Hanko asked if it might be possible for one or two Board members to attend meetings that District staff members had with County officials when discussing the park. H. Grench responded it would be better for staff members to follow-up with County officials and report to the Board on what had transpired in meetings. D. Wendin requested that staff provide a monthly informational report on developments and activities relating to the County' s actions relating the park. R, Bishop noted the need for the members of the Board to be Involved in all future planning for the County park in order to try to maintain the characteristics of the Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve that currently attract people to the area. Joyce Roderick, a Los Altos resident and the Director of the Environmental Volunteers , expressed her concerns regarding the the effectsrecent development would have on the Preserve, said she would like to be involved in an future planning activities, and urged that a master plan be developed for the area. Frank Leahy, 1885 California Street, #79, Mountain View, stated the installation of the County 's bridge would have a negative effect and would not reduce traffic on St. Joseph' s Avenue. He said that construction of the bridge should be part of a larger master plan. Harry Haeussler, 1094 Highland Circle, Los Altos, expressed his concerns regarding individuals who felt that Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve was for their private use and encouraged individuals who cared about the Preserve to become actively in- volved in planning activities at all governmental levels. D. Wendin stated that it would be a mistake, at this time, to request that the County complete its bridge construction. He felt it was important to review the County's acquisition plans and to evaluate problems the District might face, such as il- legal access to the Preserve. S. Sessions noted there was a need to discuss the integrity of the St. Joseph' s bridge and said staff would return to the Board with a staff report on the matter. Motion: N. Hanko moved that staff be directed to develop a master plan for the site that would involve the County of Santa Clara, the City of Mountain View, and interested user groups, as deemed appropriate by District staff, and that the results of such efforts be reported monthly to the Board. The motion was not seconded. Motion: D. Wendin moved that the Board direct staff to renew joint planning for development, use, and management of both the County park and the affected areas of the District' s Preserve with appropriate involvement of the City of Mountain View and interested user groups . This is to include specifically the control of vehicle access across the Meeting 80-25 Page Seven planned Cristo Rey Bridge, and staff is requested to report back monthly in an Informational Report on their progress. N. Hanko seconded the motion. Discussion: D. Wendin noted that, in due course, a master plan of the whole area was necessary. K. Duffy said that a joint planning/study session would be appropriate. The motion passed unanimously. Motion: D. Wendin moved that the Board request the County to chip seal the access road and to proceed with an interim landscaping plan. B. Green seconded the motion. Discussion: Marcia Johnson requested that the Board consult with the County on the type of landscaping that would occur. K. Duffy indicated she would vote against the motion since the chip sealing and major landscaping could wait until a plan was developed for the area. She said grass could be planted at this time as a landscaping measure. R. Bishop requested that the Board review the County' s landscaping plans . D. Wendin noted it was im- portant to have the cuts for the access road landscaped before the winter rains. Amendment to the Motion; D. Wendin moved to amend his motion, seconded by B. Green, by removing the request to chip seal the access road and by adding the words " ,a fter review of the plan by District staff" at the end of the motion. N. Hanko seconded the amendment to the motion. The amendment to the motion passed unanimously. The amended motion passed unanimously. The Board recessed for a break at 9 :50 P.M. The Board reconvened for the public meeting at 10 :00 P.M. X. OLD BUSINESS WITH NO ACTION REQUESTED A. Camping at Windmill Pasturei Area S. Sessions reviewed memorandum M-80-85, dated November 7, 1980 , noting he would be meeting the following week with Hidden Villa staff to discuss their camping needs and the District's concerns over camping at Windmill Pasture. B. Green asked when camping on Monte Bello would be implemented. S. Sessions responded that camping on Monte Bello was part of the Monte Bello Development Plan and was tied directly to the provision of amenities , such as access, toilet facilities , and water. He said staff was currently working on the parking lot portion of the plan. D. Wendin suggested the Board might want to address the Monte Bello camping issue separately in the event the parking lot issue holds up other parts of the plan. N. Hanko said the Board had not given its final approval for the Monte Bello Development Plan, but noted the plan could be amended into segments if necessary in order to proceed on certain parts of the plan. She said the Site Emphasis Committee would probably ask the Board to address camping as an issue. H. Turner requested S. Sessions to report back to the Board after his first meeting with the Hidden Villa representatives. Meeting 80-25 Page Eight XI. NEW BUSINESS WITH ACTION REQUESTED A. Proposed Addition to Manzanita Ridge Open Space Preserve (Guadalupe Rubbish Disposal Co. Property) C. Britton reviewed report R-80-61, dated November 3, 1980 , re- garding the acquisition of 338 acres of land which ould be added to the Limekiln Canyon Area of the Manzanita Ridge Open Space Preserve. He noted that 240 acres would be purchased and 98 acres would be a gift to the District. He noted the purchase agreement called for a purchase price of $300 , 000 with a down payment of $87 ,000 , with the balance of $213 ,000 to be paid in ten annual payments of $21,300 plus interest at 8% per annum computed on the unpaid balance. S. Sessions reviewed the use and management recommendations in the report and noted staff was recommending that the proposed acquisition be withheld from dedication. Motion: K. Duffy moved the adoption of Resolution 80-45, Authorizing Acceptance of Agreement to Purchase Real Property, Authorizing Officer to Execute Certificate of Acceptance of Grant to District, Authorizing Officer to Execute Certificate of Acceptance of Gift Deed to District, and Authorizing General Manager to Execute Any and All Other Documents Necessary or Appropriate to the Closing of the Transaction (Manzanita Ridge Open Space Preserve - Guadalupe Rubbish Disposal Co. Property) . R. Bishop seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. Motion: K. Duffy moved that the Board approve the interim use and management recommendations , that Manzanita Ridge Open Space Preserve - Limekiln Canyon Area be designated the unofficial name of the site, and that the 338 acre acquisition not be dedicated. R. Bishop seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. B. Progosed Addition to Manzanita Ridge Open Space Preserve (Duffy-Barnes Property) C. Britton reviewed report R-80-62, dated November 3, 1980 , re- garding the proposed acquisition of a 44 acre parcel adjacent to the land approved for acquisition by the District in the previous agenda item. He noted this would be an all cash transaction and said the total price of the parcel was $75,000 . S. Sessions reviewed the use and management recommendations for the site, noting staff was recommending that the site be withheld from dedication. K. Duffy stated for the record she was not related to the co-owners of the property, Mr. and Mrs. Leo Duffy. Motion: B. Green moved the adoption of Resolution 80-46, Authorizing Acceptance of Agreement to Purchase Real Property, Autho- rizing officer to Execute Certificate of Acceptance of Grant to District, and Authorizing General Manager to Execute Any and All Other Documents Necessary or Appro- priate to Closing of the Transaction (Manzanita Ridge Open Space Preserve - Duffy-Barnes Property) . R. Bishop seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. Meeting 80-25 Page Nine Motion: B. Green ved that the Board adopt interim use and management recommendations , withhold the property from dedication, and adopt Manzanita Ridge Open Space Preserve - Limekiln Canyon Area as the official name of the site. R. Bishop seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. C. Scheduling of Second Meeting in November H. Grench reviewed memorandum M-80-78 , dated November 6, 1980 , and recommended the Board cancel the second Regular Meeting in November which fell on November 26 . He noted that if it were necessary to have a second meeting in November a possible date for the meeting was November 19. Motion: R. Bishop moved that the Board cancel the Regular Meeting that would fall on November 26 and, if necessary, that the Board hold a Special Meeting on a date to be selected. N. Hanko seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. D. APPOINTMENT OF PEACE OFFICER S. sessions reviewed memorandum M-80-83 , dated November 6, 1980, noting that Joan Ferguson had completed the necessary courses required under the Penal Code to qualify her as a limited status peace officer. Motion: N. Hanko moved the adoption of Resolution 80-47, appointing Joan E. Ferguson as a Peace Officer pursuant to Section 830 . 3 (1) of the Penal Code of the State of California. B. Green seconded the motion. The motion passed unani- lously. XII . NEW BUSINESS WITH NO ACTION REQUESTED A. Recap of Legislative Program for 1980 Motion: N. Hanko moved that agenda item 10 be referred to the Legislative Committee for review and discussion in the near future. R. Bishop seconded the motion after H. Grench briefly reviewed his report R-80-65, dated November 4 , 1980 , on the District's Legislative Program. The motion passed unanimously. XIII, INFORMATIONAL REPORTS C. Britton reported that the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors had approved all of the District's requests relating to the Park and Recreation element of the draft Santa Clara County General Plan. He noted that, while the Santa Clara County Planning Commission had recommended the deletion of the green line in Stevens Canyon, the Board of Supervisors had voted to keep it in. B. Green stated she told the Supervisors that the District would participate in a planning study with the County on Stevens Canyon, and the Supervisors had agreed to leave the designation of Stevens Canyon with a green line on the map until the plan was formulated. She noted the District was responsible for contacting the County to initiate development of the plan. C. Britton noted there would be a dedication ceremony for the Rancho San Antonio County Park at 2:00 P.M. on December 14 , 1980. D. Wendin and B. Green said they would attend. N. Hanko stated that the Site Emphasis Committee would meet on Wednesday, November 19 at 7 :30 P.M. H. Grench stated the Assembly' s Revenue and Taxation Committee had held a public hearing on special taxes levied by public agencies to cover debt and noted he, H. Turner, and R. Bishop would be Meeting 80-25 Page Ten meeting with Senat Marz Garcia to discuss t. District's special levy. H. Grench handed out copies of the schedule for the 1980 Park and Recreation Administors Management Institute on Developing Human Potential he was attending. H. Grench requested that the members of the Board set aside February 4 as the tentative date for the Program Evaluation Workshop. D. Wendin stated he had received a call from a representative from the Committee for Green Foothills regarding a meeting between members of the District's Board of Directors , the Palo Alto Planning Commission, and the Palo Alto City Council to discuss communication with Palo Alto in the future. He felt the full Board should give direction to those members attending the meeting on what should and should not be discussed, and he requested that a staff member attend the meeting. After con- siderable discussion, the consensus was . that the. meeting should be scheduled for a date when H. Grench could attend and that the District's representatives should not discuss alternate locations for the Monte Bello parking lot. B. Green stated that Board members should be more aggressive in contacting local city and county officials to discuss the District. K. Duffy requested that a current list of Board Committees be placed the each of the Director' s notebooks and that the notebooks be updated. XIV. CLAIMS Motion: D. Wendin moved the approval of the Revised Claims C-80-20, dated November 12, 1980 . E. Shelley seconded the motion. Discussion: N. Hanko stated she would abstain from voting on Clarm-1557 to IBM. The motion passed uanimously. XV. EXECUTIVE SESSION The Board recessed to Executive Session at 11:03 P.M. XVI. ADJOURNMENT The Board reconvened to adjourn at 12:45 A.M. Jean H. Fiddes District Clerk 1 .*a CORRECTIONS TO MI14UTES OF y J.a I I II APPR OVAL OF MINUTES A. October 27, 1980 e �I N. Hanko requested the first sentence of paragraph five on Page Two be corrected to read "N. Hanko reviewed minutes of previous Board meetings for the Board members present, noting that the Board had not appr('ved any development on District property" . B. Green stated Boar d con sensus of this correct ion. The revised minutes were adopted by Board consensus. B. November 12 , 1980 R. Bishop requested that" paragraph five of Page Six be corrected to read "R. Bishop noted the need for the members of the staff to be involved in all future planning for the County park with the County staff in order to try to maintain the characteristics of the Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve that currently attract people to the area" . N. Hanko requested the first sentence in paragraph five, Page Seven, Item X be corrected to read "N. Hanko said the Board had not given its final approval for the Monte Bello Development Plan, but noted the plan could be amended to exclude the parking lot in w order to proceed with the rest of the plan" . Motion: R. Bishop moved the adoption of the minutes of November 12, 1980 as amended. B. Green seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.