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Home My Public Portal About19951025 - Minutes - Board of Directors (BOD) Regional OVp ce ------------------ I I I MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT I Meeting 95-23 REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS October 25, 1995 MINUTES I. ROLL CALL President Pete Siemens called the meeting to order at 7:35 P.M. Members Present: Pete Siemens, Mary Davey, David Smernoff, Betsy Crowder, and Wim de Wit. Member Absent: Nonette Hanko and Teena Henshaw. Personnel Present: Craig Britton, Jean Fiddes, John Escobar, Malcolm Smith, George Sipel, Sue Schectman, Del Woods, Judy Law, Mary de Beauvieres and Patrick Congdon. II. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS Harry Haeussler, 1094 Highland Circle, Los Altos, expressed his support for the passage of AB700 and encouraged the District to go further with the bill by including other users, such as hikers and equestrians. John Harris of Woodside requested that the Board consider an abatement program for mountain lions on District property. Noting that mountain lions are incompatible with urban and suburban life and that their population is exploding, he said that the District should take preventative action by tracking down the mountain lions and relocating them to the Sierras. B. Crowder stated that she preferred not to place the item on a future agenda; no other member of the Board requested that the item be place on a future agenda. III. ADOPTION OF AGENDA Motion: W. de Wit moved that the Board adopt the agenda. D. Smernoff seconded the motion. The motion passed 5 to 0. IV. ADOPTION OF CONSENT CALENDAR Motion: M. Davey moved that the Board adopt the consent calendar including: approving minutes of the October 11, 1995 Board Meeting; the reply to the written communication from Sarah Christian, 408 Star Route 2, La Honda and direction to staff to respond to the written communications from Jenny Ann Occhipinti, 18367 McCoy Avenue, Saratoga and Michael Olivier 2011 N. Shoreline Boulevard, M/S 330 Distel Circle • Los Altos,CA 94022-1404 • Phone:415-691-1200 • FAX:415-691-0485 • E-mail:mrosd@netcom.com Board of Directors:Pete Siemens,Mary C.Davey,Teena Henshaw,David T.Smernoff,Nonette Hanko,Betsy Crowder,Wim de Wit General Manager:L.Craig Britton Meeting 95-23 Page 2 980, Mountain View, and approving Revised Claims 95-18. B. Crowder seconded the motion. The motion passed 5 to 0. V. BOARD BUSINESS A. Agenda Item No. 1 - Tentative Adoption of Long Ridge Qpen Space Preserve Use and Management Plan Amendment to Construct a Portion of Bay Area Ridge Trail, Including Crossing of Portola Park Heights Road. and Determination that Project is Categorically Exempt under CEOA (Report R-95-131 M. de Beauvieres reviewed the staff report, noting that staff recommended alternative two for crossing Portola Park Heights Road to construct a portion of the Bay Area Ridge Trail. She said that the estimated cost for the trail construction was $10,000, with construction tentatively scheduled for spring 1996. B. Crowder suggested putting up temporary signing since some Bay Ridge Trail users found the trail's alignment confusing at this time. C. Britton said he would prefer to wait until the trail was constructed to install signs since it was preferable that the public not get accustom to using the disc line. Dr. Linda Huntimer, 22400 Skyline Boulevard, #9, La Honda, stated she was the co-chair of the Portola Park Heights Homeowners Association and that the Association opposed any crossing of Portola Park Heights Road because liability concerns had not yet been resolved. She said that the elected association officers were Charlie Touchatt, Dick Carter, and David Craig, and herself and that these officers did not unanimously support the Alternative 2 trail crossing. She stated that Mr. Carter had retained a second attorney for the Association to work with them on the liability issues. She discussed the liability concerns the members of the Association have regarding the crossing of Portola Park Heights Road and requested that the four elected Association officers attend any future meetings regarding the crossing and the potential liability issues. B. Crowder stated that Alternative 2 would hopefully resolve some of the concerns of the Portola Park Heights residents. S. Schectman stated that the District, as fee owner, has the legal right to build a trail crossing as long as it does not interfere unreasonably with the ingress and egress of the road users. P. Siemens stated that he, personally, was willing to accept a certain amount of liability so that the Portola Park Heights neighbors do not have a problem and questioned under what context the District could do this. M. Davey expressed her hope that the Board would go ahead with the recommended action to approve alternative 2 with staff continuing to work with the Association's elected officials in an attempt to resolve the liability issues. Motion: M. Davey moved that the Board tentatively adopt the amendment to the Use and Management Plan for Long Ridge Open Space Preserve to construct a portion of the Bay Area Ridge Trail following the alignment of Alternative 2; direct staff to continue to work with Portola Park Heights Homeowners Association in an attempt to resolve the liability issues; and determine that the recommended actions are categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act. B. Crowder seconded the motion. I . I Meeting 95-23 Page 3 Discussion: P. Siemens requested the wording of the first part of the motion be changed to "...tentatively adopt the amendment to the Use and Management Plan for Long Ridge Open Space Preserve and authorize construction of a portion of the Bay Area Ridge Trail following the alignment of Alternative 2.." M. Davey and B. Crowder agreed to the wording change. The motion passed 5 to 0. B. Agenda Item No. 2 - Tentative Adoption of Use and Management Plan Amendments n All Trails Dogs on Leash at Fremont Older. Coal Creek. Thornewood n Space Preserves and to Close Long Ridge Oven Space Preserve to Dog Access and Determination that Project is Categorically Exempt Under CEQA) (Report R-95-133) R. Anderson reviewed the staff report, noting that for the Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve dog access on the lower, western portions of the Limekiln and Priest Rock Trails will depend on Santa Clara County amending its dog access policies for Lexington Reservoir I County Park. Bob Wallace, 12881 Foothill Lane, Saratoga, stated that he felt the Kennedy-Limekiln Area was a potential and practical off-leash area because roads being used as trails. R. Anderson briefed the Board on the potential Caltrans oak mitigation project at Pulgas Ridge Open Space Preserve, noting that it appeared that the two uses (off-leash dog access and oak mitigation) could exist side by side. He said staff stills recommends fencing the off-leash area to clearly delineate it and to separate preserve users. He said it would be a T-past and hog wire fence and that it would not be necessary to fence all of the 16-acre off- leash area. W. de Wit stated that the fencing was not necessary. B. Crowder spoke in support of the fencing, noting the fence would make it easier for staff to monitor the area for compliance. C. Britton stated that the fence facilitated compliance since boundaries would be clearly marked; helped control dogs that might take off after an animal; and allowed users not interested in encountering dogs off-leash to be separated from them. John Carnes of Peninsula Access for Dos ADS stated that he was not sure h u e how the group felt about the fence; that, though the fence does not prevent total contact, it did separate users who did not want to encounter dos off-leash that it did help enforcement; P g •� P that, if the Board decided to go forward with the fence, PADS was a good group to approach for volunteer labor; that it was potentially an unnecessary expense; and that a minimal rather than extensive fence was preferred. John Bernstein spoke in support of the off-leash area at Pulgas Ridge Open Space Preserve and against the fence. Harry Haeussler said that the fencing should not be installed until the District found there was a need for it. P. Siemens stated that fencing was a significant issue, that the Board could never go back and fence the area later, that the District should start with tight control in off-leash areas, and that the success of the Pulgas Ridge off-leash area may allow for more off-leash areas ' in the District. Motion: B. Crowder moved that the Board tentatively adopt Use and Management Plan amendments for dog access at two preserves: 1) open all trails at Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve, Kennedy-Limekiln Area, except for the connection to El Sombroso and the Mt. Umunhum Area, and if and when Santa Clara County amends its dog access policies for Lexington Reservoir County Park to the connecting trails, extend on-leash dog access to the lower, western portions of the Limekiln and Priest Rock trails; and 2) create an off-leash dog access area i i Meeting 95-23 Page 4 at Pulgas Ridge Open Space Preserve at the former site of Hassler Health Home, including fencing as proposed, and determine that the project is categorically exempt from CEQA, based on the findings in the staff report. M. Davey seconded the motion. The motion passed 4 to I on the following vote: Ayes: P. Siemens, D. Smemoff, B. Crowder, and M. Davey. Noes: W. de Wit. Director de Wit stated he did not support the installation of the fence. C. Agenda Item No. 3 - Mid-Year Prop-ram Evaluation for 1995-1996 Action Plan for the Implementation of the Basic Policy of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (Report R-95-126) General Manager C. Britton and Program Managers J. Escobar, M. Smith, and J. Fiddes reviewed their respective sections of the mid-year program evaluation. Planning team members G. Sipel, R. Anderson, M. de Beauvieres reviewed the material for the Planning Program. Motion: M. Davey moved that the Board accept the 1995-1996 mid-year program evaluation with much appreciation from the Board. D. Smemoff seconded the motion. The motion passed 5 to 0. D. Agenda Item No. 4 - Endorsement of Santa Clara Countywide Trails Plan (Report R-95 126J Motion: M. Davey moved that the Board adopt Resolution 95-37, a Resolution of the Board of Directors of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Endorsing and Supporting Approval of the Santa Clara Countywide Trails Master Plan Update. D. Smemoff seconded the motion. The motion passed 5 to 0. E. Agenda Item No. 5 - Acceptance of 0.79-Acre Gift of Four Redwood Park Subdivision Parcels from Peninsula Open Space Trust: Tentative Adoption of Preliminary Use and Management Plan Recommendations, Including Naming the Property as an Addition to Purisima Creek Redwood Ql&n Space Preserve and Intention to Withhold the Propgrty from Dedication as Public Q=n Space and Determination that Project is Categorically Exempt Under CEQA (Report R-95-128) Motion: M. Davey moved that the Board adopt Resolution 95-39, 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); tentatively adopt the Preliminary Use and Management Plan including naming the property as an addition to Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve; indicate their intention to dedicate the property as public open space, and determine that the actions are categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act. D. Smemoff seconded the motion. The motion passed 5 to 0. F. Agenda Item No. 7 - Recommendation to Table the Controlled Bum at Russian Ridge QIKn Space Preserve Until Next Season (Report R-95-132) C. Britton stated that staff recommended tabling the bum decision until staff could return to the Board with additional information to fully address the concerns of Board members and the public. He said that the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF) A � Meeting 95-23 Page 5 continued to be very interested in working with the District and the recommended tabling of the burn did not present any problems for them. H. Haeussler stated that the Board needed to weigh the star thistle issue against protecting private lands and property adjacent to District land. Nick Moll, Star Route 2, Box 408, La Honda, expressed his appreciation to staff for taking his concerns very seriously and proceeding slowly with the proposed burn. Patrick Congdon discussed various scientific research on the timing of fall burns as a resource enhancement measure for grassland areas. D. Smernoff thanked the staff and the public for their interest and handling of this matter. Motion: W. de Wit moved that the Board accept staff s recommendation to table the burn decision until Board and public concern regarding resource impacts can g g P be addressed. D. Smernoff seconded the motion. The motion passed 5 to 0. VI. INFORMATIONAL REPORTS C. Britton reported that: 1) Governor Wilson had vetoed Marin County's AB'1830 that would have allowed Marin County to go to a public vote to form a county-wide benefit assessment district; 2) the Jarvis group had filed a new initiative for the November 1996; 3) Paul Romero from Riverside County had been appointed the new Parks and Recreation Director for Santa Clara County; 4) the Anthony property had closed escrow and since no public comments had been received there would be no formal second reading on the proposed use and management recommendations; and 5 individual directors and staff had received letters from Dr. Br uce Morris regarding rock climbing at Devil's Canyon and that he would be resp onding in g g gbehalf of P g District d the st ct an the B would e Board ou d receive a co f his response copy o s espo se letter. B. Crowder said that the San Mateo County sales tax measure for schools, libraries, and parks and open space would be deferred to the 1 1 r 99 ballot and reported on the Land Trust Allia nce Conference she attended at Asilomar. P. Siemens said that he is continuing to volunteer for the Grant House restoration project. D. Smernoff stated that Bay Area Action would be hosting an event at the Arastra property. W. de Wit reported on the visitor use censuses, the El Corte de Madera dump cleanup, and the training for the outdoor education leaders. VII. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 10:10 P.M. Jean H. Fiddes District Clerk