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HomeMy Public PortalAbout19860723 - Minutes - Board of Directors (BOD) Meeting 86-18 MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT OLD MILL OFFICE CENTER,BUILDING C,SUITE 135 201 SAN ANTONIO CIRCLE,MOUNTAIN VIEW,CALIFORNIA 94040 (415)949-5500 REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS JULY 23 , 1986 MINUTES I . ROLL CALL Vice President Daniel Wendin called the meeting to order at 7 :35 P.M. Members Present: Katherine Duffy , Daniel Wendin, Teena Henshaw, Nonette Hanko, Harry Turner and Richard Bishop. Member Absent: Edward Shelley, Personnel Present: Herbert Grench, Craig Britton, David Hansen, Mary Hale , Jean Fiddes , Stanley Norton, Del Woods , James Boland and Emma Johnson. II . APPROVAL OF MINUTES A) July 9 , 1986 Motion: R. Bishop moved the approval of the minutes of July 9 , 1986 D. Wendin seconded the motion. Discussion: K. Duffy referred to the Informational Report concerning the proposed road over the Novitiate property and requested the item be corrected to note that the Town of Los Gatos had approved a use permit for the College which required a road but had not approved a road plan. R. Bishop accepted the amendment as part of his motion. The motion passed 5 to 0 , with T. Henshaw abstaining because she was absent from the meeting. III. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS E. Johnson reported that the Board had received a letter dated July 5 from Robert Zatkin of Woodside critical of the manner in which downed trees are sectioned and discarded on the Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve and proposing a program of removal and stockpiling for firewood and milling stock.* J. Boland explained the sequence of events following a major landslide on the Preserve which resulted in the downed trees referred to by Mr. Zatkin and showed slides of the Preserve. He said that , as time and ground conditions permit Rangers do remove unsightly dead and downed trees or those which present fire hazards . D. Hansen added that the District attempts to return the forests to as natural a state as possible. He noted that the District uses extreme caution if burning dead and downed trees in areas near residences. T. Henshaw said she would like to have the present policy on downed trees reconsidered. R. Bishop said he favors the present policy, that downed trees are part of the natural process. D. Wendin said the question should be considered during the Use and Management Plan for Purisima Creek Open Space Preserve when it is presented to the Board in the fall. 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 86-18 Page two D. Hansen noted he would consult with Mr. zatkin during the Use and Management Plan review process . IV. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS Harry Haeussler, 1094 Highland Circle , Los Altos referred to a newspaper article regarding development of the Neary Quarry land and suggested the District should be alert so that no trail and access rights are lost. C. Britton said that staff is meeting with the buyer to determine what he proposes for the area and that the District ' s primary interest is in keeping the trail open between Windmill Pasture and the stable area. Kathy Kennedy-Miller, 16222 Skyline Boulevard, Woodside, President of Kings Mountain Association reported that she had not received packet information to date. H. Grench stated that the packet mailed on July 18 would have been the first since her subscription began and that the Skyline area has had mail delivery problems in the past. V. ADOPTION OF AGENDA D. Wend7n-stated that the agenda was adopted by Board consensus. VI . BOARD BUSINESS A. Final Adoption of the Revised Use and Management Plan for Fremont Older Open Space Preserve (Report R-86-56 of July 18,, 1986) D. Hansen noted that the Board had requested that staff address the issues of the disposition of the adobe residence and the pro- posed lease of the hayfield. C. Britton reviewed various options for the adobe and said that staff recommends protection and restora- tion of the building by offering it and the surrounding gardens in the existing Older house tenant's lease at no cost with required phased restoration included. D. Woods reviewed the results of a 1981 study regarding the nesting of meadowlarks in the hayfield and said that staff recommends pursuing an agricultural tenant for the hayfield for spring 1987 incorporating conditions for the timing of the harvest and discing and for undisturbed vegetative islands to promote potential nesting . N. Hanko noted that there is historical interest in the adobe and said that she supported staff's recommendations . K. Duffy and R. Bishop added their support for staff 's recommendations. Motion: R. Bishop moved that the Board approve the Revised Use and Management Plan for Fremont Older Open Space Preserve as contained in Reports R-186-49 and R-86-56 . K. Duffy seconded the motion. The motion passed 6 to 0. B. Review of the Use and Management Plan for the San Mateo County Bay- lands Reserve and Stevens Creek Shoreline Nature Study Areas (Report R-86-55 of July 17 , 1986) D. Woods showed slides of the two areas illustrating the current conditions and proposed improvements. D. Hansen reviewed the staff report, noting that there has been one addition to the San Mateo County Baylands Reserve since the last Use and Management review. He reported that San Mateo County Parks and Recreation Department had applied for a trail development grant from the California Coastal Conservancy to fund the purchase of necessary trail easements and construction of the South Bay Trail segment from Runnymede Street to Bay Road and encircling the former salt pond adjacent to Bay Road. He said that Phase 1 of a three- phased project would include a parking area on Bay Road and would provide access to the Bay Road portion of the Reserve. He noted that District staff had prepared the grant for the County . It Meeting 86-18 Page three D. Hansen said that staff recommends monitoring the Lucky Acres Development Plan with BCDC. He said further recommendations in- clude construction of a hiking and bicycling trail, a parking area and signs , and a bridge as well as working with San Mateo County and California Coastal Conservancy on the implementation of the South Bay Trail from Runnymede Street to Dumbarton Bridge. D. Woods showed slides of the Stevens Creek Shoreline Nature Study Area. He said it is a popular site and that the addition of the amphitheatre has concentrated activities at Shoreline Park' s main gate area. He added that staff will monitor plans for a proposed con- ference center in the area and its potential impact on the Preserve and will follow up on the source of a drain at the site. Motion: N. Hanko moved that the Board tentatively adopt the Use and Management Plan recommendations for the San Mateo County Baylands Reserve and Stevens Creek Shoreline Nature Study Area contained in the staff report. K. Duffy seconded the motion. Discussion: K. Duffy said that signing is needed in Shore- line Park to direct visitors to the District' s areas . D. Woods said that the signing would be proposed to the City of Mountain View and added that staff is working on a brochure which will assist visitors in finding the Nature Study Area. The motion passed 6 to 0. C. Request to Support the San Mateo County Access Grant Application to the Coastal Conservancy (Report R-86-54 of July 17 , 1986) Motion: H. Turner moved that the Board adopt Resolution 86-43 , a Resolution of the Board of Directors of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Supporting and Approving the County of San Mateo' s Application for California Coastal Conservancy Funds - Baylands Bicycle Trail (Runnymede Street to Cooley Landing Area) . N. Hanko seconded the motion. The motion passed 6 to 0 . D. Review of Public Notification Policies (Report R-86-53 of July 15 , 1986) N. Hanko noted that neighbors to the preserves have expressed concerns regarding the District' s notification policies. She said that present policies require notification of neighbors of an acqui- sition after close of escrow and suggested that the District would have a better sense of public and neighborhood interest if policies were amended to advise both public and neighbors at the time land is being considered publically for acquisition. She suggested that Section 1. b) of the Public Notification Policies be amended to delete "After close of escrow for purchase of a parcel and before second reading of interim use and management plan. " and to retain "Notification of owners of properties contiguous to parcel to advise of acquisition and of opportunity to be placed on a mailing list for notification of preserve land use and management planning matters . " . She suggested staff draft a further refinement of the language which would include notification of neighbors sharing a private road that would access the parcel. N. Hanko referred to H. Grench' s memorandum to her dated July 11 regarding notification lists for various preserves and the adminis- trative difficulties in maintaining such lists and suggesting Meeting 86-18 Page four having all interested persons receive agendas for all meetings for a minor cost of $5-10 per year. D. Wendin expressed some concern that giving notice in advance may delay acquisitions unnecessarily and that there will be times when it may not work. C. Britton noted that the District uses assessors' records to deter- mine names of adjoining owners, and that these records are not always up-to-date . He said that he hoped that if policies are changed, the General Manager would still be permitted to delay notification of neighbors if there is sufficient reason to do so. H. Grench suggested that staff could return to the Board with explicit language for the proposed changes . K. Kennedy-Miller read a Resolution from the Kings Mountain Associa- tion which urged in part adoption of a responsible notification procedure for "all interested and adjacent property owners through- out the . . .District, " with further suggestions as to timing and definition of property owners. She gave a copy of the resolution to District staff . Janet Schwind, 11825 Skyline Boulevard, Los Gatos and Beez Jones , 16891 Stevens Canyon Road, Cupertino suggested the proposed changes would be better public relations for the District, noted that wording of the notice was important, and suggested that the notice include a map of the property under consideration. David Miller, 16222 Skyline Boulevard, Woodside, said neighbors may have input and information about situations and activities that may be valuable to the Board. Motion: R. Bishop moved that the Board approve the concept of N. Hanko's two proposals and requested that staff formu- late language reflecting the Board' s discussion including sending agendas to adjoining property owners and all rights- of-ways and such owners that may seem reasonable under the Kings Mountain Association resolution, and that this be considered at a future Board meeting after language is drafted. H. Turner seconded the motion. Discussion: R. Bishop clarified that he did not intend that staff incorporate the KMA resolution word for word but to use language and recommendations from it that are feasible. Motion to Amend: D. Wendin moved to delete from the motion the reference to the Kings Mountain Association resolution. T. Henshaw seconded the motion. R. Bishop said he accepted the amendment to his original motion. Motion: R. Bishop restated his original motion to request staff formulate language giving consideration to the Kings Mountain Association resolution but not be bound by all language contained in the resolution. H. Turner, as seconder, accepted the revised wording for the motion. Discussion: D. Wendin expressed the Board' s consensus that the matter be considered at the first meeting in September. The motion passed 6 to 0 . Meeting 86-18 Page five K. Miller said the Kings Mountain Association would like to have the opportunity to address the Board regarding access to the Dyer property and to meet with staff. D. Wendin suggested the meeting with staff should occur prior to scheduling an agenda item so that staff could make recommendations to the Board. Responding to KMA' s concerns, R. Bishop noted that the District does not always intend to bring the maximum number of people onto a new property and that it some- times is years before access is fully developed. VII . INFORMATIONAL REPORTS D. Hansen called attention to J. Boland' s letter to Mr. Seaby responding to his article in the Kings Mountain Echo regarding controlled burning. J. Boland reported that the sheriff ' s patrol had begun at Mt. Umunhum on the basis of a verbal agreement and that he will continue to work on a formal agreement. S . Norton announced that the Hybl vs. Rose litigation has been affirmed on appeal in favor of the District' s position. He reported that Closed Session litigation matters to be discussed fell under subdivision (b) (1) of the Government Code Section 54956. 9 . VIII. CLAIMS Motion: D. Wendin moved approval of Revised Claims 86-14 . T. Henshaw seconded the motion. The motion passed 6 to 0. IX. CLOSED SESSION The Board adjourned to Closed Session at 9 : 20 P.M. X. ADJOURNMENT The Board reconvened to adjourn the meeting at 10 :20 P.M. Emma Johnson Secretary CORRECTION TO MINUTES OF JULY 23 , 1986 APPROVAL OF MINUTES . A. July 23 , 1986 Moti6ii7.— T. Henshaw moved the approval of the minutes of July 23 , 1986. R. Bishop seconded the Motion. Discussion: D. Wendin requested the minutes show under Written Communications that Robert Zatkin made an oral report, using slides to illustrate his comments , in addition to his written communication regarding downed trees at Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve and his proposal for use of the wood. T. Henshaw accepted the amendment as part of her motion and R. Bishop agreed to the addition. The motion passed 6 to 0 with E . Shelley abstaining because he was absent from the meeting.