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Home My Public Portal About19830209 - Minutes - Board of Directors (BOD) Meeting 83-3 ,AA le MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT 375 DISTEL CIRCLE,SUITE D-1,LOS ALTOS,CALIFORNIA 94022 (415) 965-4717 SPECIAL MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS FEBRUARY 9 , 1983 MINUTES I . ROLL CALL President Barbara Green called the meeting to order at 7 : 40 P.M. Members Present: Katherine Duffy, Barbara Green, Edward Shelley, Richard Bishop, and Harry Turner. Members Absent: Nonette Hanko and Daniel Wendin. Personnel Present: Herbert Grench, Craig Britton, David Hansen, Jean Fiddes, Pat Starrett, Suzanne Shipley, Stanley Norton, and Joan Combs . II . APPROVAL OF MINUTES January 26 , 1983 Motion: R. Bishop moved the approval of the minutes of January 26 , 1983. E. Shelley seconded the motion. Discussion: H. Turner stated he would like to see the minutes reflect his recommendation that the District obtain an open space easement in order for District funds to be applied. The motion carried unanimously. III . WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS J. Combs stated the following written communications had been received: 1) a letter, dated February 24 , 1983, from Jean-Marie Spockman, Secretary, Western Field Ornithologists, noting 21 species of birds nested on The Hill property; 2) a letter, dated February 6 , 1983 , from Frances Spangle and Jean Rusmore, expressing the hope the District could be helpful to the proposed assessment district, if successful; 3) a letter, dated February 7 , 1983, from Clarence Heller of Atherton, endorsing the District ' s proposed donation of $250 , 000 and recom- mending that the District agree to manage the property if an assess- ment district were formed; 4) a letter, dated February 8 , 1933, from Bruce Wilcox, Stanford University, expressing the opinion that The Hill should be preserved. IV. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS There were no oral communications . V. PUBLIC HEARING Request for District Support - The Hill President Green opened the Public Hearing at 7 : 45 P.M. H. Grench introduced memorandum M-83-17 , dated February 4 , 1983 , noting that District staff was directed at the last meeting to present management options for The Hill . 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 83-3 Page two D. Hansen reviewed memorandum M-83-17 , dated February 3, 1983 , and stated that District staff had visited the site to consider it in terIns of management. He noted much of the cost of site management could be lowered by active community involvement and support. He said an urban site such as The Hill would be a substantial change in the District ' s current manner of management, and said staff was recom- mending that the District not be actively involved in management of the site. Richard Brady, 2160 Monterey Avenue, Menlo Park, said he felt there was no need for a fulltime caretaker/Ranger to manage the site. Hope Johnson, 441 Marsh Road, Atherton, asked what were the alternatives to management by the District. H. Grench said one option was to use a non-profit organization to manage the site. He said San Mateo County or the City of Menlo Park was the most logical entity to take title to the site. Sylvia Ferguson, 707 Continental Circle, Mountain View, suggested discussion of management of property might be premature. John Hiams , 2161 Valparaiso, Menlo Park, said he felt opposition to the acquisition was primarily based on the state in which The Hill has been kept, and felt in order to insure acquisition, a clear management plan was needed. Bart Maughan, 2088 Camino de los Robles, Menlo Park, said District staff had presented an objective and understanding picture of the situation. He expressed concern about the political and economic ramifications involved in acquiring the site--the high cost of acquisition versus limited benefit to the public. Bill Tupper, 2150 Camino de los Robles, Menlo Park, said he was concerned about the cost of acquisition and the financial burden to the property owners in the proposed assessment district. R. Bishop reviewed the formation of the assessment district in San Carlos in order to purchase the Hassler property. He said a govern- mental agency must act as a sponsoring body once 60% of the property owners sign the petition in favor of forming an assessment district. He said he felt that the question of management was important to resolve now in order to get the requisite number of signers . He suggested the possibility of the District managing the property providing some way was found to reimburse the District for the cost of management. Reg Rice, 2250 Tioga Drive, Menlo Park, asked if signatures could be obtained before a lead agency is found. S . Norton said The Hill is in Menlo Park, but the assessment district would include parts of Atherton and San Mateo County. He said to form an assessment district legally, one of the three agencies would have to agree to be the lead agency. He said he believed the agreement of the three political agencies was necessary as to which would be the lead agency and conduct assessment proceedings. He said there was a serious question as to whether the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District could conduct the proceedings . Hazelle Miloradovitch, 2190 Monterey Avenue, Menlo Park, thanked the District for its time and consideration, and the challenge posed to the community. _J Meeting 83-3 Page three K, Duffy said the commitment made by the Board should help essentially the local effort to secure the acquisition of The Hill. She asked how the District ' s commitment could best help the local community in securing the property. Discussion centered on the desirability of formulating a management plan for The Hill before attempting to form an assessment district. Phyllis Cangemi, 1331 American Way, Menlo Park, said it was her under- standing that the assessment district is the mechanism whereby the acquisition is made, and the maintenance would need to be a separate entity. Having another maintenance assessment district was viewed by many as being undesirable because two separate assessments would he unpalatable to many people. Lyndall Schiller, 1274 Orange Avenue, Menlo Park, said it was necessary to consider what the costs would be if The Hill property were developed, and mentioned potential flooding, and increased traffic and pollution. B. Green declared the Public Hearing closed at 9: 10 P.M. H. Turner introduced a proposed resolution to the Board, concerning the District ' s possible contribution to management of the property, if acquired. Discussion followed concerning the wording of several of the points and intended meaning. Motion: H. Turner moved the Board approve in principle the following proposed resolution: Resolved, that the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District will provide 5% of the purchase price, not to exceed $250, 000, for property management of The Hill, subject to the following conditions : a) fee title of the entire 38 acres is acquired at a price agreed to by a willing seller; b) District will receive an open space easement over the entire property; c) use of the property must be publicly accessible open space; d) District will not hold fee title to the property; e) District would provide advice, if reauested, on providing use and management plans for the site; f) District will not accept primary responsibility for the property' s management; g) the funds provided will form an endowment to provide income for the purpose of management of the property; h) this commitment is void if property has not been acquired by February 9, 1985 . E. Shelley seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. B. Green stated the Resolution would be on the agenda of the Special Meeting of February 16 . V. INFORMATIONAL REPORTS D. Hansen reported the City of Palo Alto is currently clearing brush along Page Mill Road, including part of the District' s property. He said the brush clearing extends 10 feet beyond the normal right of way, and noted that Board approval was needed. Motion: K. Duffy moved the Board approve the brush clearing. R. Bishop seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. Meeting 83-3 Page four D. Hansen stated a trail easement had been required by the City of Palo Alto through the Reimer subdivision on the western side of Foothill Park, to be exercised at a future date. H. Grench reported he attended the Santa Clara County LAFCO meeting during which the appellate court decision to force counties to adopt Spheres of Influence for special districts was discussed. He said one possibility was for the District ' s current boundaries to become the District' s Sphere of Influence. VI. CLAIMS Motion: E. Shelley moved adoption of the revised claims 83-3 , dated February 9 , 1983 . R. Bishop seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. VII. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 9 : 50 P.M. Joan Combs Secretary