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HomeMy Public PortalAbout19840523 - Minutes - Board of Directors (BOD) Meeting 84-13 MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT 375 DISTEL CIRCLE,SUITE D-1,LOS ALTOS,CALIFORNIA 94022 (415)965-4717 REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS MAY 23 , 1984 MINUTES I . ROLL CALL President Daniel Wendin called the meeting to order at 7 : 37 P.M. Members Present: Katherine Duffy, Daniel Wendin, Teena Henshaw, Edward Shelley, and Richard Bishop. Harry Turner arrived at 7 :47 P.M. Member Absent: Nonette Hanko. Personnel Present: Herbert Grench, Craig Britton, David Hansen, Charlotte MacDonald, Jean Fiddes , Del Woods , Mary Gundert, and Cecilia Cyrier. II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. May 9, 1984 Motion: E. Shelley moved the approval of the minutes of May 9 , 1984. K. Duffy seconded the motion. The motion passed 4 to 0 with D. Wendin abstaining from the vote because of his absence from the meeting of May 9 , 1984 . B. May 12 , 1984 Motion: E. Shelley moved the approval of the minutes of May 12 , 1984 . K. Duffy seconded the motion. The motion passed 5 to 0. III . WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS C. Cyrier stated the following written communications had been received: A letter, dated May 9 , from Richard B. Baird, President of Sequoia Audubon Society, informing the District that it has been chosen as an award winner in Sequoia's First Annual Awards Program in the category of "Open Space/Unique Ecosystem Preservations . " Awards will be pre- sented June 14 at Sequoia's general membership meeting in San Mateo; a letter, dated May 8 , from Glenn Lyles , Mountain View Parks Superin- tendent, regarding the lease of the Crittenden Marsh area, stating he would need to study the liabilities involved by checking with the County as to when they expect to complete the Bayfront trails , and what formal arrangements have been made for them to patrol this area; a letter, dated May 13 , from Bob and Marge Rice of Los Gatos , expressing their thanks to all who helped make the bus tour of District lands on Saturday, May 12 so enjoyable and informative; a letter, dated May 20 , from Charles E. Clement of Pescadero, citing numerous reasons why the easement from La Honda Road to provide access to the La Honda Creek Open Space Preserve should be questioned as public access , and indicating his belief that access should be from Skyline Boulevard; Herbert A.Grench,General Manager Board of Directors:Katherine Duffy,Nonette G.Hanko,Teena Henshaw,Richard S.Bishop,Edward G.Shelley,Harry A.Turner,Daniel G.Wendin Meeting 84-13 page Two a letter, dated May 18 , from Greer Sugden of Los Altos , commenting on the operation of the High Meadow Ranch and the general problems concerning the access to the Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve through Ravensbury Avenue; and a letter, dated May 22 , from Laura Anne Bryan, Attorney at Law, representing Eric and Margaret Krebs, landowners adjacent to La Honda Creek Open Space Preserve, stating that the Krebs have serious reser- vations of any public access through their property to the Preserve. D. Wendin stated he had been contacted by the Sequoia Audubon Society congratulating the District on the award and that H. Turner had agreed to represent the Board at the presentation on June 14 . D. Wendin stated that communications pertaining to access to the recently acquired property in the La Honda Creek Open Space Preserve would be addressed at the time that agenda item was discussed and that the other letters were referred to staff for appropriate action. IV. ADOPTION OF AGENDA D. Wendin stated the agenda was adopted by Board consensus. V. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS There were no oral communications . VI. OLD BUSINESS WITH ACTION REQUESTED A. Adoption of Interim Use and Management Plan for Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve (Wilkins Property) D. Hansen reviewed memorandum M-84-52 , dated May 17 , 1984 , noting that staff had not received any public comment concerning the use and management plan; however, staff was recommending the inclusion of items 9 through 13 , as listed in memorandum M-84-52 , to the interim use and management recommendations listed in report R-84-21 , dated April 13 , 1984 . The items include the installing of a pipe gate and hiking-equestrian stile at Tunitas Creek Road entrance to the Preserve, that the owner of the abandoned trailer on the property be requested to remove it, that a motorcycle barrier be installed across the motor- cycle path pioneered from Skyline Boulevard, and that the contractors be allowed to remove already cut hardwood logs but that no new cutting is to occur. Motion: E. Shelley moved that the Board adopt the use and management plan as contained in report R-84-21 and amended by memorandum M-84-52 and dedicate the property as public open space. T. Henshaw seconded the motion. The motion passed 5 to 0. B. Adoption of Interim Use and Management Plan for La Honda Creek Open Space Preserve (Collett Property) D. Hansen reviewed memorandum M-84-49, dated May 15 , 1984 , stating staff had received phone calls and written communications concerning protection of watershed from which the La Honda Vista Water Company obtains its water, concerning access to property for public , and concerning use of the existing easement that the District obtained as part of the purchase. Meeting 84-13 Page Three In response to D. Wendin's question for clarification of the letter from the attorney representing Mr. and Mrs. Krebs , C. Britton stated he had received a phone call from a person in the attorney 's office and said the Krebs ' concerns were what the District' s plans were for public access to the property since the Norgard easement was not usable at the present time, and whether the District anticipated acquiring other property in the area. C. Britton said that alternate access to the property was not an issue to be decided at this meeting. Jim Warren of La Honda, a former resident of the area, expressed his concern of the dangers involved in using the easement as ingress and egress and said that the collapsed bridge never was a bridge in the legal sense of the word. Eric and Margaret Krebs , P.O. Box 384 , La Honda, asked if there were plans to improve the access to the property at this time or if the District was not encouraging use of the easement as access to the property. Charles E. Clement of Pescadero requested that the District do more than suggest that people seek permission from adjacent property owners as access to the property and said the District should inform people that the area was not open to the public. Linda Fischman, 148 La Honda Road, Woodside asked staff how they had obtained access to the property during the negotiating process and requested that con- sideration be given to privacy of the participants in the cystic fibrosis program she directs on her adjacent property. Staff responses to these concerns were that District did not at this time plan any improvements to the easement; that the District was not encouraging access to the property; and that staff had gained access with permission to the property over Linda Fischman's property and also via Bear Gulch Road. D. Wendin asked for clarification of what the use and management plan said regarding access to the property by the public and what would people who call the office be told about access to the property. D. Hansen reported that a third item under section E of the Interim Use and Management Recommendations was to have been included and should read: "The site should be open to hikers and equestrians who can gain access from adjacent private property with permission of the owners . " D. Hansen also said that people should be discouraged from going onto the property since it is virtually landlocked unless they have per- mission from an adjacent landowner. He said the intent at this time is to seek other trail connections from Windy Hill Open Space Preserve. Concerns regarding retaining privacy and feeling of safety if the area is open to the public before the trail system was implemented on the Preserve were expressed by Marc McGill representing the Benjamin and Anita Reynoso family, 2312 Cheshire Way, Redwood City; June Genis , 111 La Honda Road, Woodside; and Margaret Krebs . In response to Jim Warren' s questions of the possibility of the District acquiring adjoining properties by eminent domain, R. Bishop state that the District preferred to deal with people on a voluntary basis . E. Shelley noted that the former Collett property was not being dedicated as public open space at this time. Meeting 84-13 Page Four Robert Fisse of the South Skyline Association asked if the boundary plaques referred to in the use and management recommendations would be placed along Old La Honda Road. D. Hansen said the plaques would be property line plaques , and none would be placed along Old La Honda Road. Motion: D. Wendin moved that the Board tentatively adopt the use and management recommendations in report R-84-22 including withholding the site from dedication, with the addition that the site should be open to hikers and equestrians who can gain access from adjacent private property with the permission of the owners and that inquiring members of the public will be told this is the only means of access . T. Henshaw seconded the motion. Discussion: Discussion by the Board members centered on public access to the property and the status of the existing easement. R. Bishop stated that the public should not be encouraged to use the easement because of the condition of the bridge and that the only access to the property should be by permission of adjacent owners . E. Shelley stated he would support the motion as long as it was recognized that the District was not giving up or jeopardizing the use of the easement for the public in the future. D. Wendin stated that he did not believe the problems would be as ominous as antici- pated by the neighbors , that adjacent property owners should contact the District if problems do arise, and that staff should properly inform members of the public about the current lack of public access to the property. The motion passed 6 to 0. VII. NEW BUSINESS WITH ACTION REQUESTED A. Coal Creek Open Space Preserve Initial Use and Management Plan D. Hansen introduced the initial use and management plan for the Preserve as contained in report R-84-25 of May 8 , 1984 , and D. Woods used the wall map to point out the sequence of features through the Preserve that the slides would illustrate. David Wexler, 100 Crazy Pete' s Road, Woodside, sought clarification that the main access to the Preserve was via Skyline Boulevard and that Crazy Pete' s Road was for ingress and egress by District patrol. D. Hansen said that public vehicles were not allowed, although hikers and equestrians were, and that staff would be negotiating a road agreement with the adjoining owners. Motion: R. Bishop moved that the Board tentatively adopt the initial use and management plan for the Coal Creek Open Space Preserve, including the transfer of the 23 acre former Fine property from the Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve to the Coal Creek Open Space Preserve. H. Turner seconded the motion. The motion passed 6 to 0 . B. Proposed Addition to Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve of Lands of Jenkins, Peninsula Open Space Trust, Guenther, and Lohr C. Britton introduced staff report R-84-24 of May 14 , 1984 by pointing out the parcels on the wall map and showing their relationship to the recently acquired Quinn property. He noted that Robert Augsburger of Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) had worked with staff on the trans- action. Meeting 84-13 Page Five C. Britton discussed the four separate contracts that totalled rights in approximately 233 acres of land at a total purchase price of $232 , 000 . He said the 96 acre POST parcel is physically landlocked; the 54 acre Jenkins parcel also included a Right of First Refusal agreement on the remainder of Mr. Jenkins ' property if he ever decides to sell; and the 40 acre Guenther easement and the 30 acre Lohr easement transactions are contingent on boundary line adjustments by San Mateo County. D. Hansen reviewed the use and management section of the report and indicated that access to the site will be via District lands or private property and that boundary signs will be placed at appropriate points. D. Woods showed slides of the area. C. Britton, responding to Robert Fisse' s question, said that the proper- ties are outside the District boundaries--as was true of the Quinn property--but within the Sphere of Influence. Motion: D. Wendin moved the adoption of Resolution 84-23 , a Resolution of the Board of Directors of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Authorizing Acceptance of Purchase Agreement, 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 (Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve - Jenkins Property) . R. Bishop seconded the motion. The motion passed 6 to 0 . Motion: D. Wendin moved the adoption of Resolution 84-24 , a Resolution of the Board of Directors of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Authorizing Acceptance of Purchase Agreement, 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 (Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve - Peninsula Open Space Trust Property) . R. Bishop seconded the motion. The motion passed 6 to 0 . Motion: D. Wendin moved the adoption of Resolution 84-25 , a Resolution of the Board of Directors of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Authorizing Acceptance of Purchase Agreement, 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 (Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve - Guenther Property) . R. Bishop seconded the motion. The motion passed 6 to 0. Motion: D. Wendin moved the adoption of Resolution 84-26 , a Resolution of the Board of Directors of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Authorizing Acceptance of Purchase Agreement, 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 (Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve - Lohr Property) . R. Bishop seconded the motion. The motion passed 6 to 0. Meeting 84-13 Page Six Motion: D. Wendin moved that the Board tentatively adopt the use-and management recommendations contained in the staff report,' name the properties as additions to the Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve, and indicate its intention to dedicate the District's interests in the properties as open space. R. Bishop seconded the motion. The motion passed 6 to 0. C. New Safe Deposit Box J. Fiddes presented memorandum M-84-51, dated May 16 , 1984 , indicating that the District had the opportunity to acquire a new safe deposit box. Motion: D. Wendin moved the adoption of Resolution 84-27 , a Resolution of the Board of Directors of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Establishing Signatories for Entering Safe Deposit Boxes (First Interstate Bank of California - Los Altos) . H. Turner seconded the motion. The motion passed 6 to 0 . D. Scheduling of Special Meeting on June 6 , 1984 H. Grench, referring to memorandum M-84-50 of May 16 , 1984 , recommended scheduling a Special Meeting on Wednesday, June 6 , 1984 , at 7 :30 P.M. at the District office to consider the 1984-1985 salary survey data and to conduct the annual performance evaluation of Board appointees in Closed Session. Motion: K. Duffy moved that the Board schedule a Special Meeting for June 6 , 1984, at 7 :30 P.M. at the District office for the purpose of considering the 1984-1985 salary survey data and holding performance evaluations of Board appointees . E. Shelley seconded the motion. The motion passed 5 to 0 . T. Henshaw was not present for the vote. VIII . INFORMATIONAL REPORTS D. Wendin reported that he and H. Turner had met on Tuesday, May 22 with Rosemary Young, President of Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) , and Robert Augsburger, Executive Director of POST, to consider the committee structure for the Skyline Ranch Master Plan. D. Wendin requested that he be permitted to appoint H. Turner and himself as an interim committee to meet with POST representatives and said he would place an item on a future agenda to report on the outcome of the committee meetings. There was no objection. C. MacDonald reported that 55 guests, or 30 percent of the invitees , attended the recent tour of District lands for public officials . H. Grench reported on the Special District Finance Seminar, sponsored by the California Special Districts Association, he had attended. IX. CLAIMS Motion: E. Shelley moved that the Board approve Revised Claims 84-10. R. Bishop seconded the motion. The motion passed 6 to 0. X. CLOSED SESSION The Board adjourned to Closed Session at 9: 27 P.M. XI. ADJOURNMENT The Board reconvened to adjourn at 11:45 P.M. Cecilia A. Cyrier Secretary