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MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT
Meeting 93-03
REGULAR MEETING
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
January 27, 1993
MINUTES
I. ROLL CALL
President Betsy Crowder called the meeting to order at 7:32 P.M.
Members Present: Pete Siemens, Nonette Hanko, Wim de Wit,
Robert McKibbin, Teena Henshaw, Ginny Babbitt, and Betsy Crowder.
Personnel Present: Herbert Grench, Craig Britton, Jean Fiddes,
John Escobar, Randy Anderson, Malcolm Smith, Mary Gundert, and
Emma Johnson.
II. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
H. Haeussler, 1094 Highland Circle, Los Altos reported that he
had found a fanny-pack on Windy Hill Open Space Preserve and
knows of no District policy regarding lost and found items. He
gave the item to the Board president.
III. ADOPTION OF AGENDA
N. Hanko requested that the letter to Daniel Bernstein be removed
from the consent calendar, B. Crowder requested that the minutes
of January 13, 1993 be removed from the consent calendar, and P.
Siemens requested the Property Management Agreement with
Peninsula Open Space Trust agenda item be removed from the
consent calendar.
Motion: R. McKibbin moved that the Board adopt the agenda as
revised. G. Babbitt second
ed the motion. The motion
passed 7 to 0.
IV. ADOPTION OF CONSENT CALENDAR
Motion: R. McKibbin moved that the Board adopt the consent
calendar as amended, including minutes of December 9,
1992 and January 11, 1993; response to the written
communication from Dorrado Federico, 2000 Fairway
Drive, Halfmoon Bay dated January 14, 1993; Annual
Review of the Relative Site Emphasis Plan and Schedule
for Use and Management Plan Reviews; Plan for
Compliance with the 1990 Americans with Disabilities
Act; Resolution 93-02, a Resolution of the Board of
Directors of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space
District Accepting Gift of Real Property and
Authorizing Execution of Certificate of Acceptance with
Respect Thereto (Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space
Preserve - Lands of Peninsula Open Space Trust) ; and
Revised Claims 93-02. G. Babbitt seconded the motion.
The motion passed 7 to 0.
Meeting 93-03 Page 2
V. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
January 13 , 1993
B. Crowder noted that Harry Haeussler's address was incorrectly
listed in Portola Valley rather than Los Altos on page 3 and the
informational reports on page 7 listed Anna Eshoo as a senator
rather than congresswoman.
Motion: R. McKibbin moved the approval of the minutes of
January 13, 1993 as amended. G. Babbitt seconded the
motion. The motion passed 7 to 0.
VI. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS
N. Hanko asked that the response to Daniel Bernstein's letter
regarding allowing dogs on District trails be revised to delete
all but the first two sentences of the second paragraph. She and
G. Babbitt volunteered to redraft the letter.
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B. Crowder noted that a copy of the Trail Use Guidelines should
be included with the response to the Federico letter.
Motion: T. Henshaw moved the approval of the written
communications as amended. R. McKibbin seconded the
motion. The motion passed 7 to 0.
VII. PUBLIC HEARING
Amendments to Conflict of Interest Code (Report R-93-17)
President B. Crowder opened the Public Hearing at 7:41 P.M. J.
Fiddes reported that the District is required to review its
Conflict of Interest Code and that proposed changes include
amending designated positions to reflect the staffing
reorganization and adding a consultant disclosure category. She
said the notice of the public hearing has been posted for 45 days
as required by law and that no member of the public had commented
on the proposed amendments nor requested to address the Board at
the Public Hearing.
President B. Crowder asked for public comment. There was none.
Motion: R. McKibbin moved that the Public Hearing be closed.
P. Siemens seconded the motion. The motion passed 7 to
0.
N. Hanko suggested that all consultants be required to file a
Conflict of Interest Code. Discussion focused on what type of
consultants should be required to file. The Board concurred that
more information is needed regarding the general manager's
discretionary powers to determine which consultants for the
District shall file and how exemptions might work.
Motion: P. Siemens moved that the Public Hearing be reopened.
N. Hanko seconded the motion. The motion passed 7 to
0.
Motion: T. Henshaw moved that the Board continue the Public
Hearing to the Board meeting of February 10. P.
Siemens seconded the motion. The motion passed 7 to 0.
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Meeting 93-03 Page 3
VIII. BOARD BUSINESS
A. Citizens' Presentation on the Current Status of the Proposed
Blue Oaks Subdivision in Portola Valley (Report R-93-23)
Anna Loy Nikkum, president of the Los Trancos Woods
Community Association and acting chair for the Committee to
Save the Mariani Ranch, said the ranch is a key piece in the
land acquisition puzzle and the group would like to persuade
the District to add the ranch to its list of acquisitions.
She proposed a working partnership with the District to
acquire the land.
Linda Drey Nightingale explained the impacts to the
ecosystem if development is allowed to take place on the
property, and Gale Smith proposed that the Committee to Save
the Mariani Ranch work with the District.
Gale Smith and Robert Zimmermann of Los Trancos Woods said
the only opposition to preserving the land as open space
that they are aware of is from the developer.
N. Hanko noted that the residents of Los Trancos Woods live
in an unincorporated area of San Mateo County and that the
property is in the Town of Portola Valley limits. She
explained that the District has adopted policies to acquire
only land outside urban service areas of cities and towns.
B. Crowder added that, in addition to the master plan
policy, the District is in a difficult financial situation
and available funding is necessary for commitments already
made by the District. She said that the District could not
offer to buy the property but could make suggestions as to
what might be tried. T. Henshaw suggested that B. Crowder
work as liaison with the group and staff. H. Grench said
the District has a lot of knowledge about financing and
could be helpful to the group as to what may be possible.
P. Siemens suggested that, since the property is in the Town
of Portola Valley limits, the group may want to discuss a
potential assessment district with the Town or San Mateo
County.
B. Acceptance of a Gift to Fund Construction of the Monte Bello
Open Space Preserve Disc Line Bypass Trail (Report R-93-21)
M. Gundert showed the location of the proposed trail, noting
that District funding had been eliminated during budget
revisions in December 1992. She said Noel and Karen Calvin,
neighbors of the preserve, have offered to fund the
construction cost up to $10, 000.
Motion: R. McKibbin moved that the Board accept and
acknowledge the gift to fund construction of the
disc line bypass trail and reinstate the project.
N. Hanko seconded the motion. The motion passed 7
to 0.
C. Trail Use Guidelines and Mitigation Measures (Report R-93-
20)
Motion: R. McKibbin moved that the Board adopt the Trail
Meeting 93-03 Page 4
Use Guidelines and Mitigation Measures contained
in report R-93-10 and as amended in report R-93-
20. G. Babbitt seconded the motion. The motion
passed 7 to 0.
D. Strategic Plan for the Nineties (Report R-93-14)
H. Grench reviewed the background and purpose of the
Strategic Plan for the Nineties. He said the plan was
presented to the Board in May 1991 and later presented to
the Board in its present form in July 1992. He continued
that the initial state budget crisis interrupted focus on
the plan, but that it is now time to renew efforts to
complete a long-term strategic plan document.
Discussion focused on whether to modify the document because
of the budget crisis or adopt it in its existing form and
whether to include other documents such as the action plan,
site emphasis plan, and the plan for compliance with the
1990 Americans with Disabilities Act.
N. Hanko requested two changes be made in the Plan. She
said the language should be more specific regarding
assessment districts and proposed that option G on page two
of the Strategic Plan be amended to reflect that assessment
districts would not be considered unless petitions are
submitted by the affected citizens to form an assessment
district. N. Hanko stated that an overlaying policy
objective for the entire Strategic Plan of protecting and
defending the District's existing property tax revenue
should be included.
G. Babbitt noted that the District has already launched into
certain of the activities and suggested that there needs to
be some consolidation and some understanding of the
direction being pursued. She said she is concerned about
the implementation and added that the site emphasis plan,
the public affairs plan, and the action plan incorporate
Strategic Plan activities, and that all the documents be
integrated. T. Henshaw suggested that a workshop be held to
discuss integration and implementation. There was consensus
that a workshop is needed, and the timing of a workshop was
discussed, possibly in September after the budget crisis is
better understood or resolved.
Motion: P. Siemens moved that the Strategic Plan be
adopted with an added goal overlaying all the
Strategic Plan to "protect and defend existing
property tax revenue from reduction by the state"
and that Action G under Basic Policy Objective 11
be amended to read: "Pursue alternative methods,
such as fundraising, cooperative projects, and
joint management agreements. Consider assessment
district petitions where there is unusually high
local benefit and support in order to raise an
additional $5 million. " T. Henshaw seconded the
motion. The motion to adopt the Strategic Plan as
amended passed 7 to 0.
Meeting 93-03 Page 5
E. Final Adoption of the Public Affairs Plan (Report R-93-161
M. Smith reported that the Public Affairs Plan is flexible and
may be altered with the Board's consent, to reflect changing
circumstances. He said three levels of implementation were
developed and the present plan is mid-level implementation.
N. Hanko said neighborhood organizations and homeowners groups
should be included in the list of organizations.
B. Crowder stated that she had non-substantive wording changes
that she would relay to M. Smith.
Motion: R. McKibbin moved that the Board approve the Public
Affairs Plan with minor changes. G. Babbitt seconded
the motion. The motion passed 7 to 0.
F. Proposed Property Management Agreement with Peninsula Open Space
Trust for Former Liles Property (Report R-93-15)
P. Siemens questioned whether the public would be allowed on the
property. C. Britton replied that the District will not
encourage the public to trespass to reach the property, which is
typical of other management agreements with POST.
Motion: P. Siemens moved that the Board authorize the Board
President to sign the Liles property management
agreement with Peninsula Open Space Trust for the
former Liles property. T. Henshaw seconded the motion.
The motion passed 7 to 0.
G. Appointment of Board Committees for 1993-1994 (Report R-93-18)
P. Siemens suggested that several committees could be combined
under an Operations Committee that could consider trail and dog
issues, various enterprise contracts, and perhaps even gift
polices. N. Hanko agreed that dog and trail issues could be
combined as well as Picchetti, Fremont Older, and Thornewood
oversight committee. She suggested that P. Siemens place the
matter on a future agenda for Board consideration.
R. McKibbin requested a straw vote on keeping the Trails
Committee. The vote was five yes and two no.
Motion: N. Hanko moved that the Board disband the office space
committee and approve the assignments to ad hoc
committees as presented by B. Crowder. T. Henshaw
seconded the motion. The motion passed 7 to 0.
IX. INFORMATIONAL REPORTS
N. Hanko stated that H. Grench reported to the Finance Committee
about a possible new assessment district type of legislation
which would be a positive type of assessment district, and the
committee has directed staff to continue working on language and
sponsorship for legislation to allow such a district. She said
that M. Smith had given the committee a copy of the proposed
public opinion poll and that the committee asked staff to return
to the committee with a budget on implementing various funding
options.
G. Babbitt said the Gift Policy Committee wanted to give other
Board members the opportunity to be involved in site naming. She
Meeting 93-03 Page 6
noted a recent article in the San Jose Mercury about volunteerism
in San Juan Bautista in its struggle with state budget cuts.
B. Crowder said she had attended the memorial service for Ripp
King, producer of the District's 20th anniversary public service
announcements.
T. Henshaw reported that the Legislative Committee had a meeting
with Peninsula Open Space Trust's Board of Directors and District
lobbyist Ralph Heim to discuss the District's financial
situation. She said a follow-up meeting is planned to draft
language and process for contacting legislators.
C. Britton distributed materials being mailed to potential
interested parties for the Teague Hill land auction. He said
over 2000 packets were mailed.
R. Anderson said he spoke against the San Mateo County density
credit transfer plan along with many others but the Planning
Commission unanimously voted for its approval. He said staff is
working on two ISTEA grant applications.
J. Escobar reported on a solo bicycle accident at Monte Bello
Open Space Preserve. He said he would show a video after the
meeting that was shot at Purisima Creek Open Space Preserve and
made for a health plan.
H. Haeussler, 1094 Highland Circle, Los Altos said that the road
problem on Eagle Trail is not the one that is going to be
repaired. He also questioned whether the amount of legal fees
paid by the District was excessive.
X. CLOSED SESSION
C. Britton announced that personnel matters and labor negotiation
matters would be discussed in Closed Session. He announced that
land negotiations to be discussed were Santa Clara County
assessor's parcel numbers 558-01-023 and 562-03-001, owner
General Convention of New Jerusalem, negotiated with Edwin Capon;
Santa Clara County assessor's parcel number 562-06-011, owner
Linda Johnson et al. , negotiated with Gary Beck; San Mateo County
assessor's parcel number 067-208-010, owner Peninsula Open Space
Trust, negotiated with Audrey Rust.
The Board recessed to Closed Session on land acquisition, labor
negotiations, and personnel matters at 10:05 P.M.
XI. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 11: 30 P.M.
Emma Johnson
Recording Secretary