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HomeMy Public PortalAbout19871028 - Minutes - Board of Directors (BOD) Meeting 87-25 .kh %L 3*&.==0 Ow 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 October 287-1-9­0 MINUTES I . ROLL CALL President Richard Bishop called the meeting to order at 7 : 32 P .M. Members Present : Katherine Duffy, Robert McKibbin, Teena Henshaw, Nonette Hanko, Gerry Andeen, and Richard Bishop. Members Absent : Edward Shelley. Personnel Present : Herbert Grench, Craig Britton, David Hansen, Jean Fiddes , Jim Boland, Mary Hale , Del Woods , Mary Gundert , Greg Grimm, Stanley Norton, and Cecilia Cyrier . II . APPROVAL OF MINUTES October 14 , 1987 Motion: R. Bishop moved that the Board approve the minutes of October 14 , 1987 . K. Duffy seconded the motion. Discussion : D. Hansen stated that the first sentence in the second paragraph of item D on page four should read " . . . the acquisition would provide District vehicular access and would allow installation of new restrooms . . . , " rather than " . . , the acquisition would provide vehicular access and ten parking spaces , would require installation of new restrooms . . . " . R. Bishop and K. Duffy agreed to include the changes in their motion. The motion passed 6 to 0 . III . WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS C . Cyrier reported that the Board had received the following written communications : 1) a letter dated October 14 , 1987 from Marianne Swan, 20300 La Paloma Avenue , Saratoga, Board Member of the Youth Science Institute , stating the Institute ' s interest in pursuing a lease of a portion of the Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve for their Garden Program. She noted that a draft response prepared by staff was attached to Ms . Swan ' s letter for Board consideration. 2) a letter received October 15 , 1987 , from Elizabeth Duveneck Dana, and her sister and brothers , discussing the Trust for Hidden Villa and expressing their support for the Trust and its management of Hidden Villa. Herbert Grench,General Manager;Board of Directors:Katherine Duffy,Robert McKibbin,Teena Henshaw,Edward Shelley,Nonette Hanko,Gerry Andeen,Richard Bishop Meeting 87-25 Page two R. Bishop stated the Board ' s consensus that the response to Ms . Swan should be sent and that no response was needed for the letter from the Duveneck family. IV. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS There were no oral. communications . V. ADOPTION OF _AGENDA R. Bishop stated that the agenda was adopted by Board consensus . VI . PUBLIC HEARING A. Completion-of-- A-nnexation of Certain District-Owned Lands in San Mateo County (Report R-87-158 of October 16 , 1987) H. Grench, using the wall map, pointed out the lands to be annexed that were part of the Long Ridge , Skyline Ridge , and Russian Ridge Open Space Preserves . He noted that all the land was owned in fee by the District and was within the District ' s Sphere of Influence . He said that the San Mateo County and Santa Clara County Local Agency Formation Commissions had both approved the annexation and that the final step was a District Public Hearing and adoption of the annexation resolution by the Board, the designated conducting authority. He also stated that the District ' s request for waiver of fees had been denied . In response to N. Hanko ' s question as to the amount of the fee , H. Grench replied that LAFCO fees would probably be within a few hundred dollars . R. Bishop opened the Public Hearing at 7 : 40 P.M. There were no comments or questions from the public . R. Bishop closed the Public Hearing at 7 : 41 P .M. Motion: K. Duffy moved that the Board adopt Resolution 87- 37 , a Resolution of the Board of Directors of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Annexing Certain Property to the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (Midpeninsula Preserves - 1987A) . T. Henshaw seconded the motion. The motion passed 6 to 0 . VII . BOARD BUSINESS A. Appointment of Peace Officer (Re-port R-87-161 of October 21 , 1987 . J . Boland introduced Greg Grimm, the newest member of the Ranger staff . Meeting 87-25 Page three Motion: R. Bishop moved that the Board adopt Resolution 87-38 , a Resolution of the Board of Directors of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Appointing Peace Officer . G. Andeen seconded the motion. The motion passed 6 to 0 . B . Final Adoption--of- t a a-he Preliminary Use and Management Plan _j_ for the Lin Property ition to the Sierra Azul n-S-P a c e Pre- erve , Mt . Umunhur Area (Report R-87-159 of October 15 , D . Hansen stated that escrow had closed on September 25 , 1987 and that no additional comments had been received from members of the public on the Preliminary Use and Management Plan for the 40 acre property. He said that the Preliminary Use and Management Plan called for the gate blocking Mt . Umunhum Road to be replaced with a standard District gate as part of an interim land management solution until the issue of final gate placement and the nature of public use in the area had been resolved through the upcoming master plan process . G. Andeen questioned whether the public can hike to the top of Ht . Umunhum; the effect the gate has on public hikers ; and what information is being provided to the public at this time about access to the area . D . Hansen said that the summit areas of Mt . Umunhum and Mt . Thayer are closed to members of the public . He said that -members of the public are not encouraged to use that area . He said that in response to questions , members of the public are told that they can drive up to the first Mt . Umunhum road gate , park. on District land on the side of the road, and hike or ride a bike to Bald Mountain or up the road to the first yellow gate that marks Mr . McQueen ' s private property . He noted that the gate installation might only be a temporary measure until the 2,t).aster plan for the, area was completed. In response to K. Duffy ' s question as to the status of the master plan for the area, H. Grench responded that San Jose State University ' s feasibility study has been delayed due to the study being conducted by the Federal government on the potential toxics in the area and their subsequent removal ; he noted this latter study could take six months to one year to complete . He said that a positive factor occurring during this period of time is that the District continues to have the opportunity to purchase more lands in the area prior to preparing the master plan . Meeting 87-25 Page four R. McKibbin questioned if the National Weather Service was still. interested in the use of the site . H. Grench responded that the Service was still interested and that their environmental study would soon be completed and Presented to staff for review. Motion: K. Duffy moved that the Board adopt the Prelimi- nary Use and Management Plan for the Lin property addition to the Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve , Mt . Umunhum Area , including the naming , as con-- tained in report R-87-140 and withhold the property from dedication as public open space at this time . T. Henshaw seconded the motion. Discussion: G. Andeen said that the Board should vote against this Preliminary Use and Management Plan since it did not have a time schedule , it did not move fast enough to improve public access in the area , and since the plan did not distinguish between proper and good use of the land by the public to further the goals of the District . R. Bishop responded that a Preliminary Use and Management Plan was needed even if i-t was not as specific and complete as desired and that patience in achieving the best use of the land in this area was needed. The motion passed on the following vote : Ayes : T. Hen haw, F. Duffy, R . Bishop, R . McKibbin, and N. Hanks . Nc, : G. Andeen C . Review of the Com 'ehens� ve Use and Management Plan for the Thor n_ew_ood _0,pen Space: Preserve {Report R-87-153 of October 16 , 1987 ) D . Hansen , using the wall map , pointed out the three new acquisitions to the Preserve since the last review of the Use and Management Plan in July 1985 and reported on the first public tour of the Thornewood House in April 1987 . D. Woods reviewed the report in detail enphasizing that the site remains low on the Site Emphasis Plan, that there is no parking on the site at this time , and. that the area is used occasionally by local hikers and equestrians . fie showed slides to explain the proposed public access improvements and said that the design phase of the proi-ect along with a projected timetable for developnient and revised cost estimates would be presented to the Board for final approval . Meeting 87-25 Page five D . Hansen reported on the recent Thornewood Restoration Review Committee meeting that he and Director Andeen had attend,'.-,d . He stated that the areas need-; nci the most attention to fulfill the lease requirements are the grounds and gardens . G. Andeen reported that the Ganos expressed their concerns about public access to the property and said that the Gano ' s representative should attend future commit- tee Ynneetings . T. Henshaw encouraged staff to proceed as quickly as pos--- sible in providing for parking and other public access improvements on the site . Discussion followed on use of buses for the public tour of the house , use of the permit system for barbecue area , and the difficulty in hiking from Wunderlich County Park to Thornewood Open Space Preserve because of the difficulty in finding a safe trail. crossing across La Hondi Road . Eric Thompson, Star Route 2 , Box 415 , La Honda asked why the area around Schilling Lake was undedicated . D. Hansen said that the flexibility for trail_ development in the area necessitated this undedicated status at the present time . D . Hansen, referring to Marc Zand ' s letter of October 27 , which was distributed at the cieeting, said that it was Mr . 'hand ' s understanding that no public access or use is allowed on his ten acre open space easement and that it is not sub- ject to dedication by the District . D. Hansen said that Mr . Zand had also requested that the map be corrected to accurately reflect the status of the open space easement prior to being distributed to the public . D . Hansen said that staff would resolve these issues with Mr . Zand and incorporate them in the Use and Managerrient Plan. prior to its return to the Board for final approval . Mot-ion: R. Bishop moved that the Board tentz'itively adopt the revised Comprehensive Use and Management Plan for Thornewood Open Space Preserve as contained in thEk report . G. Andeen seconded the motion. The motion passed 6 to 0 . D . Review of the__Cp-Comprehensive Use and Mana e-mg for the_,n_p_ q_ El Serino SpIce Pr es ry e ( -__ -87-163 of October ;� -__-Fep_ori P, 22 , '1987 ) D . Hansen, using the wall map, pointed out the three addi- tions to the Preserve since the last Use and Management Plan review in December 1983 . D . Woods used the wall map and slides to e.:,�plain the five potential. access points to the Preserve . D . Hansen said that since the BohIman Road site provides the c9reatest flexibility for access development that it will become th,-_--, Meeting 87-25 Page six main entrance to the Preserve and that people would access it from Saratoga . He noted that Linda Vista , Overlook, Sheldon , and Oak Knoll Roads are private roads . Gibson Anderson, 19571 Farwell Avenue , Saratoga said he and some fellow mountain bikers have received permission to ride their bikes from landowners in the Sheldon Road area . He asked that the Board put a priority on development of ease- ments for mountain hikers and hikers to allow access to the Preserve . Motion: N. Hanko moved that the Board tentatively adopt the revised Comprehensive Use and Management Plan for El Sereno Open Space Preserve as contained in the report. T. Henshaw seconded the motion. The motion passed 6 to 0 . E . Particiration in "Ring Ar_o._und the Bay" Study (Report R-87-- port, H . Grench reported that a District representative needed to be appointed to the Citizens Advisory Committee for this study to be conducted by the Association of Bay Area Govern- ments . He said that the Committee would meet every other month with sub-committee meetings as needed and that the first meeting is scheduled for Thursday, December 3 . He said that D . Woods would principally represent the District on the Technical Advisory Panel . T. Hen5haw vclunteered to serve on the Citizens Advisory Committee with the understanding that she would have to see how her time was impacted . R. Bishop appointed Director Henshaw as the District repre- sentative on the Advisory Committee with Board consensus . Motion: R. Bishop moved that T. Henshaw ' s cormittee appointment be compensable . N. Hanko seconded the motion . The motion passed 6 to O F . November Meetipa_Sche-Aqle___(R -T -160 of October c __qr�t RT-871- 19 8 7)_ Motion: R. Bishop moved that the Board schedule to Special Meeting for 7 : 30 P .M. Wednesday, November 4 for the purpose of holding a Closed Session to discuss land negotiation matters ; that the Board resched- ule the November 11 Regular Meeting to 7 : 30 P .M . Tuesday, November 10 ; that the Board reschedule the November 25 Regular Meeting to 7 : 30 P .M. Tuesday, November 24 ; and that all meetings would be at the District Offices . K. Duffy seconded the motion. The motion passed 6 to 0 . Meeting 87-25 Page seven VIII . INFORMATIONAL REPORTS H. Grench said that extra announcements for the November 7 fifteenth anniversary hike had been distributed to the Board. He reported that Californians for Parks and Wildlife , sponsors of the California Wildlife , Coastal , and Park Land Conservation Bond Act Initiative , had achieved its goal of 600 , 000 signatures in preparation for being included on the June 1988 ballot . He reported on his recent meeting with Ralph Heim, the District ' s Legislative Advocate , and with Ross Henry, head of Grants and Local. Assistance for State Parks , to discuss possible funding sources for the underpass connection from Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve to the Alpine Pond area of Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve . He noted that funding suggestions included placing a line item in the new budget for $150 , 000 ; sponsoring a special bill to fund the project ; trying to use the environmental license plate fund; and seeking foundation funding. He said that another topic discussed at the meetings was the best method to be used in working with CalTrans . N. Hanko reported that the Board of Supervisors of Santa Clara County had voted unanimously to adopt the Report of the Preser- vation 2020 Task Force and that the Committee members had been asked to reconvene to discuss how to implement the plan. She said that she would be happy to continue on the committee if the Board concurred. R. Bishop stated the Board ' s concurrence that she should continue to serve on the Task Force . G. Andeen showed a book Day__qikin H Near Sun Valley in loose-leaf �i n notebook format , noting the format might be used at the District . H. Grench showed a video tape recording of Channel 36 ' s Left , Right and Center Program, Summer Park Time , that aired in May and in which he and J. Boland were interviewed. Ix. CLAIMS Motion: N. Hanko moved that the Board approve Revised Claims 87-24 . R. Bishop seconded the motion. The motion passed 6 to 0 . X. CLOSED SESSION S . Norton announced that potential litigation matters to be discussed in Closed Session fell under Government Code Sections 54956 . 9 (a) and (b) (1) . The Board recessed to Closed Session at 10 : 05 P .M. XI . ADJOURNMENT The public meeting reconvened to adjourn at 11 : 30 P .M. Cecilia A. Cyrier Secretary