HomeMy Public PortalAbout19910724 - Minutes - Board of Directors (BOD) Open Space
MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT
Meeting 91-24
REGULAR MEETING
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Jew 2 4 ,19.9.E
MINUTES
I . ROLL CALL
President Nonette Hanko called the meeting to order at
7 : 35 P.M.
Members Present : Katherine Duffy, Robert McKibbin, Teena
Henshaw, Ginny Babbitt , Nonette Hanko, and Betsy Crowder .
Richard Bishop arrived at 7 : 45 P .M.
Personnel Present : Herbert Grench, Mary Hale , Jean
Fiddes , Kathleen Hart , Del Woods , and Annette Coleman.
II . APPROVAL OF MINUTES
gtune 26 , 1991
B . Crowder said item E on page 4 under Motion should read
"Deka Property Addition" , not "Long Ridge Property
Addition" .
Motion: K. Duffy moved that the Board approve the
minutes of June 26 , 1991 as corrected. G.
Babbitt seconded the motion . The motion passed
6 to 0 .
July 9 , 1991
Motion: T. Henshaw moved that the Board approve the
_.__.�_.. minutes of July 9, 1991 . G. Babbitt seconded
the motion. The motion passed 6 to 0 .
Jul r�10 , 1991
H. Grench said the revised chart of priorities from the
workshop should have been attached, instead of the
memorandum from G. Ball .
Motion : R. McKibbin moved that the Board approve_. pp the
minutes of July 10 , 1991 as corrected. B .
Crowder seconded the motion. The motion passed
6 to 0 .
III . WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS
N. Hanko stated that the Board had received the following
written communications :
1 . A letter dated July 3 , 1991 from Linda Kahn, 3051
Colonial Way #33 , San Jose , regarding limited access
to El Sereno Open Space Preserve . She said that a
draft response was attached for Board consideration.
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Meeting 91-24 Page 2
2 . A letter dated June 27 from Robert Nellis , 22322
Regnart Road, Cupertino , on behalf of the Regnart
Ridge Homeowners ' Association, requesting an
amendment to the Fremont Older Use and Management
Plan to allow trail access to the ridge trail from
their adjacent open space land. She noted that
staff ' s response to the letter was attached.
G. Babbitt said that since the state of access at El
Sereno is still problematic , she feels further response is
necessary at this time. H. Grench said the draft response
accurately represents the District ' s current position. R.
McKibbin suggested pointing out the two access routes
which are available . G. Babbitt suggested changes to
alter the tone of the letter. N. Hanko agreed to make
these changes , and to include a map.
Referring to the letter from Robert Nellis , K. Duffy said
Kathy Nellis had called her and apologized for the trail .
D. Woods said the project has been field checked and the
trail slope exceeds 20% in some places . He said the
District standard is 7-10% slope , so the trail will have
to be changed.
K. Hart stated no additional written communications had
been received.
IV. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
Ranger Phil Hearin, 266 W. Campbell Ave. , Campbell , gave a
report on the District Volunteer Program, highlighting a
few of the many successful projects , including the July 20
project at Razorback Ridge on Windy Hill Open Space
Preserve.
Harry Haeussler, 1094 Highland Circle, Los Altos , said he
rode up Razorback Ridge earlier in the day and he
complimented the volunteers on their work. He suggested
trimming brush higher, with a pole clipper, for horseback
riders and recommended a volunteer project on Hamms Gulch
Trail .
N. Hanko thanked P . Hearin for his report and urged all
Board members to take part in volunteer projects .
V. ADOPTION OF AGENDA
N. Hanko stated that the agenda was adopted by Board
consensus .
VI . BOARD BUSINESS
A. Selection of District Loao (Report R-91-94 dated
July -18, 1991)
M. Hale introduced Deborah Mills , who showed the
Meeting 91-24 Page 3
Board refinements of the logo design based on
decisions made at the last Board meeting. D. Mills
displayed 10 different design variations . The
Board agreed by consensus on a final logo design . A
discussion followed on sign design. D. Mills
displayed various type faces , including Optima,
which is used on District stationary. She spoke in
favor of consistent typeface on all District
materials . The Board agreed by consensus to use
consistent typeface , include hills on District
signs , have all capital letters on the preserve
signs , and to use a red tailed hawk as the bird on
the logo.
B . Response to Santa Clara County Grand JurLetter
(Report R-91-90 dated July 13 , 1991)
R. McKibbin recommended eliminating the last
sentence of the second paragraph. After discussion,
the Board agreed to change the second sentence in
the second paragraph to " . . . . several major issues
are being researched" .
Motion: R. McKibbin moved that the Board approve
the draft response as amended to the Santa
Clara County Grand Jury' s report regarding
access to the Mt . Umunhum Area of Sierra
Azul Open Space Preserve . B . Crowder
seconded the motion. The motion passed 7
to 0 .
C. Amendment to the Use and Management Plan for Rancho
San Antonio Open Space Preserve and Authorization to
Solicit Bids for Reconstruction Hollow --
Farm Access Bridae (Report R-91-91 dated July 10 ,
1991)
D. Woods reviewed the staff report, noting that the
cost estimate for the replacement bridge is now
$115 , 000 . He said that $70 , 000 had been budgeted
for the project and reported that construction would
start October 7 and go for 8 to 10 weeks . He
discussed projects that will be deferred during the
year from which additional funds for the bridge
would be transferred. Discussion centered on the
reasons the designated projects were being deferred .
D. Woods noted that staff could return to the Board
at a later date to request funding from the general
fund if there was time to complete any of the
deferred projects .
Motion.: R. McKibbin moved that the Board adopt the
amendment to the Use and Management Plan
for the Rancho San Antonio Open Space
Preserve to allow for the reconstruction
of the access bridge to Deer Hollow Farm
Meeting 91-24 Page 4
and that the Board authorize staff to
advertise for bids for the reconstruction
of the access bridge in accordance with
the plans and specifications presented.
G. Babbitt seconded the motion. The
motion passed 7 to 0 .
D. Preparation_ of Plans and Specifications for Public
Access Improvements _ate Windy' Hill—men Space
te
Preserve (Report R-91-89 dad July 11 , 1991)
Director McKibbin expressed concern about using
funds budgeted for the El Corte de Madera dump
cleanup for the Windy Hill project. D. Woods said
our relationship with Mr. Hosking precludes
preceding with the cleanup project at this time. K.
Duffy said the Budget Committee should identify
clearly how money is shifted in the budget and
review which projects budgeted for were not
completed. R. McKibbin said the Budget Committee
will look at this matter. H. Grench suggested that
the General Manager be instructed to return to the
Board if additional funds were needed to complete
any of the projects that staff thought would be
deferred.
B. Crowder said Portola Valley wants to know when
the site plans for Windy Hill Open Space Preserve
would be ready. D. Woods said plan preparation will
take about 8 weeks , and staff will use the plans to
seek grant funding. He said that the plan could not
be submitted for building permits to Portola Valley
without funding in place .
Motion: T. Henshaw moved that the Board authorize
staff to enter into a professional
services contract with Callandar
Associates to prepare plans and
specifications for public access
improvements at Windy Hill Open Space
Preserve in an amount not to exceed
$35, 000 . R. McKibbin seconded the motion.
The motion passed 7 to 0 .
Motion: R. McKibbin moved that the Board direct
the General Manager to return to the Board
if additional funds were needed to
implement deferred projects . T. Henshaw
seconded the motion. The motion passed 7
to 0.
H. Grench, referring to the previous agenda item,
said that the amendment to the Rancho San Antonio
Open Space Preserve Use and Management Plan
technically required a second reading. The Board
Meeting 91-24 Page 5
agreed o suspend a second reading for
the item.
E. OpenSpace
Conference—(Report .R-91-87 dated July 8 , 1.9 91)
Motion: R. McKibbin moved that the District co-
sponsor the 1992 International Open Space
Conference by making a $1000 contribution
to it. G. Babbitt seconded the motion.
The motion passed 7 to 0 .
F. Replacement on Finance Committee (Report R-91-93
dated-Jul 15 1991)
Motion: N. Hanko moved that the Board approve the
replacement of Director McKibbin with
Director Crowder on the Finance Committee.
R. McKibbin seconded the motion. The
motion passed 7 to 0 .
VII . INFORMATIONAL REPORTS
R. Bishop reported that the Finance Committee had met the
previous week and decided to arrange for a public poll to see
what their attitude would be toward a fund-raising measure
for the District. He said the committee discussed various
methods of raising funds and are awaiting the result of
legislation in Sacramento which would allow the passing of a
fund raising measure by a majority vote, rather than 2/3
vote .
N. Hanko reported on the successful Docent Appreciation Party
held on July 20, which was attended by five Board members .
N. Hanko thanked B . Crowder and R. Bishop for their efforts .
N. Hanko said that she and S . Norton will be meeting with
supporters of a new open space district in Santa Cruz County
next week. N. Hanko said that Santa Clara County has decided
on a redistricting plan based on census information, and the
District should review the census data to determine if ward
adjustments were necessary. She said she will work with J.
Fiddes on the project .
B . Crowder stated that she had attended a Woodside Town
Council meeting regarding Teague Hill and the council had
tentatively voted to have an advisory vote on the November
ballot to determine whether the Council should form an
assessment district to raise funds to purchase a portion of
Teague Hill Open Space Preserve for up to three million
dollars .
B. Crowder reported she had received a call from a Portola
Valley Planning Commissioner who runs on Windy Hill Open
Space Preserve who said he meets illegal bicyclists on the
Meeting 91-24 Page 6
preserve every night at supper time . He said he saw 11 in
one hour on Hamms Gulch Trail , and some of them were very
abusive. Discussion focused on specific patrols to curb the
illegal bicycle use .
N. Hanko said there will be a number of changes on the
planning calendar and she will talk with D. Zucker and H.
Grench about them.
H. Grench reported that he and N. Hanko attended the Town of
Los Altos Hills ' dedication of the Artemus Ginzton Trail on
Saturday, July 13 . He said the Committee for Green Foothills
newsletter, Green Footnotes contains an article on the
Vidovich property. He noted he spoke to the Humanist
Community at Stanford on "Open Space, How Much is Enough?"
H. Grench requested that the written interim program
evaluation for 1991-1992 be waived this year because of staff
workload and an oral presentation be substituted .
Motion : R. Bishop moved that the mid-year evaluation be
done orally rather than through a written report.
R. McKibbin seconded the motion. The motion passed
7 to 0 .
H. Grench reported that John Escobar has scheduled a meeting
with Rubin Diaz , Assistant Sheriff of Santa Clara County, to
talk about new and improved patrol procedures for the Mt .
Umunhum area .
H. Grench said the District has received support from various
organizations for the Land and Water Grant application for
the Saratoga Gap acquisition, noting most recently the Santa
Clara County Parks Commission voted to support it . He said
that Tom Nolan, President of the San Mateo County Board of
Supervisors noticed what the commission had done and had
placed an item in support of the grant application on the
Board of Supervisor ' s agenda.
H. Grench said that he is attending meetings of the Local
Government Task Force Committee for Santa Clara County which
is focusing its attention on impacts of redevelopment
projects on funding for local agencies . He said the task
force committee will write a final report on this topic.
H. Grench reported on an event planned for Sunday, August 11
involving the scow schooner Alma , a vessel restored by the
National Park Service . He stated that he had been working on
a task force organized by William Penn Mott , to draw other
park agencies into the schooner event to showcase their own
treasures and that the District could publicize an event at
Ravenswood Open Space Preserve which would involve Fish &
Wildlife, East Palo Alto, Menlo Park , and San Mateo County.
He said that staff had suggested two additional events :
Meeting 91-24 Page 7
dedication of a section of the Bay Trail and a bicycle ride
across the Dumbarton Bridge.
H. Grench gave a report on the District publications
Connections , Volunteer Voice , and Walks and Hikes-. He
discussed issues concerning writing, distribution,
production, and graphics . The Board agreed to consider the
issues raised at the Public Communications workshop scheduled
for October . R. Bishop verified that there was an
understanding that no drastic changes would be made in these
publications without advising the Board.
Annette Coleman reported on three minor accidents on the
preserves .
VIII . CLAIMS
Motion: T. Henshaw moved that the Board approve Revised
Claims 91-14 . R. McKibbin seconded the motion.
The motion passed 7 to 0 .
Ix. CLOSED SESSION
H. Grench announced that the potential acquisition of the
Tymes property would be discussed in Closed Session. He
stated that the property is Santa Clara County assessors
parcel number 558-29-016, and the negotiators are LaRoy and
Sharon Tymes .
The Board recessed to Closed Session at 10 : 00 P.M.
X. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 10 : 40 P.M.
Kathleen Hart
Recording Seccretary