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HomeMy Public PortalAbout19841108 - Minutes - Board of Directors (BOD) Meeting 84-24 Al AA, %1L OF vo _Q=A MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT 375 DISTEL CIRCLE,SUITE D-1,LOS ALTOS,CALIFORNIA 94022 (415)965-4717 SPECIAL MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS NOVEMBER 3 , 1934 MINUTES I . ROLL CALL The Special Joint Meeting of the Board of Directors of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District and the Commissioners of the Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Commission was called to order by Commis- sioner Pat Kammerer at 7 : 17 P .M. at La Hacienda Restaurant, 18940 Saratoga-Los Gatos Road, Los Gatos. Board Members and Commissioners Present During the Meeting : Katherine Duffy, Daniel Wendin, Teena Henshaw, Edward Shelley, Nonette Hanko, Larry Turner, Richard Bishop, Lee Bergman, Betsy Blais Chatwell, Pat Kammerer, Mary Cude, Garry Stoddard, and Andrew Bonfield. Staff Members Present: Herbert Grench, Craig Britton, David Hansen, Charlotte MacDonald, Jean Fiddes, Del Woods, John Escobar from the District, and Larry Norris, Terry Dunning, Charles Rockwell , Felix Errico, and Ulrike Sugiyana from the County. Members of the Public Present: Ralph Brown from Peninsula Open Space Trust and Beez Jones. DINNER AND INFORMAL DISCUSSION After introductions of everyone present and welcoming remarks from Commissioner Kammerer, Larry Norris briefly described the status of the County's Five-Year Parks Acquisition and Development Plan. H. Grench provided an overview of the District ' s history, its current acquisition and management programs, and cooperative efforts that the District has had with Santa Clara County. Dinner and informal discussion followed. DISCUSSION Ralph Brown, Associate Director, Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) , discussed his October 16, 1984 letter to Larry Norris regarding the concept of working out a cooperative relationship between Santa Clara County Park and Recreation Department and the District. He noted the relationship would involve the expenditure of County acquisition funds on certain areas adjacent to District property and the assumption by the District of management responsibilities at certain County parks . He discussed in detail the acquisitions POST was proposing the County undertake and the management responsibilities POST was proposing the District undertake in exchange, and added that POST would assist the County in identifying acquisition opportunities as outlined in the proposal and would work with the State to have them manage Upper Sanborn and the additions as outlined in the proposal . 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 84-24 page two Larry Norris questioned the importance of acquisition in the area of Mt. Umunhum, and C. Britton noted that such acquisitions would help bring the County' s trail plan to fruition. D. Hansen discussed the natural features and history of the area, and H. Grench noted the parcels currently owned by POST were outside the District' s boundary and realistically the District could not acquire all the land, but would be in a good position to manage it . Discussion then centered on the proposed trail connections between Almaden Quicksilver County Park and Mt. Umunhum and the POST proposal with respect to the Skyline area. Ralph Brown stated he had discussed with State representatives the possibility of the State patrolling Upper Sanborn Park and sites that connect to Saratoga Gap. N. Hanko spoke in favor of the District' s management of Upper Steven' s Creek Park, and E. Shelley noted the trail link between Upper and Lower Stevens Creek County Parks was essential. Larry Norris questioned whether the District would consider enterprise activities to generate income and whether the Bayfront Trail was more important than the activities proposed for the Skyline area. D. Wendin stated the District had a policy that it would not become involved in commercial operations, and H. Grench responded that the Bayfront Trail was extremely important but that all the projects that had been discussed should not be weighed against each other. Larry Norris stated that a tough issue facing the Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Department was the need to generate equitable forms of revenue from people using Rancho San Antonio County Park, that Rancho San Antonio was becoming a problem, and that the masterplan for the Park should be re-considered. He noted the County was finding it diffi- cult to operate Rancho San Antonio with the revenues that existed and added that parking fees set the tone for behavior in a park. He said, however, that parking fees were not being considered for Rancho San Antonio. T. Henshaw noted that County staff should be involved in the six month trail conflict planning that District staff was undertaking for Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve, and H. Hanko stated County staff participation in the District' s review of public transportation to District sites would be helpful . Larry Norris outlined the planning process currently in progress for the Lexington Reservoir area, noting there was no District representative on the master plan committee. Andrew Bonfield invited K. Duffy to attend the next meeting of the Lexington Reservoir Masterplan committee, noting it would be held at 2 : 00 P .M. , Wednesday, November 14 at the Los Gatos Town Council Chambers. Betsy Blais Chatwell stated that the ac-tivity of Directors and Commis- sioners meeting and discussing topics of mutual interest should continue, and she thanked everyone at the meeting for their participation. N. Hanko noted the group could continue, at a later date, to discuss the topics that were raised during the meeting. K. Duffy suggested smaller group interaction and the attendance of Directors and Commissioners at regular Board or Commission meetings. E. Shelley suggested the group select a few specific proposals discussed during the meeting and follow-up as appropriate. The possibility of in-depth workshops on specific items was discussed, and H. Grench and Larry Norris were directed to discuss possible items that should be discussed further, the type of follow-up meeting, and the appropriate time to hold such meetings. The meeting was adjourned at 9: 55 P.M. Jean Fiddes District Clerk