HomeMy Public PortalAbout19990908 - Minutes - Board of Directors (BOD) Regional Open ace
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MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT
Meeting 99-22
REGULAR AND SPECIAL MEETINGS
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT
Wednesday, September 8, 1999
MINUTES
SPECIAL MEETING
I. ROLL CALL President Jed Cyr called the meeting to order at 6:35 p.m.
Members Present: Jed Cyr,Ken Nitz,Peter Siemens, Deane Little, Betsy Crowder(arrived 7:15 p.m.)
Members Absent: Mary Davey,Nonette Hanko,
Staff Present: Craig Britton, Sue Schectman,John Escobar,Mike Williams,Tom Fischer
11. CLOSED SESSION
J. Cyr stated that the Board would convene the Special Meeting and adjourn to Closed Session for the
purpose of discussing Closed Session Agenda Items 1, 2, and 3. The Board recessed to Closed Session at
6:35 p.m. and the Closed Session commenced at 6:35 p.m. The Board concluded the Closed Session at
7:35 p.m.
REGULAR MEETING
J. Cyr called the Regular Meeting to order at 7:37 p.m. He noted that no reportable actions had taken place in
Closed Session.
Additional Staff Present: Malcolm Smith,Deirdre Dolan, Peggy Coats, Randy Anderson,Del Woods,
Mary deBeauvieres
111. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS—There were none.
D. Woods introduced Thomas Fischer,the District's newly hired Land Protection Specialist
IV. ADOPTION OF AGENDA
Motion: B.Crowder moved adoption of the agenda. K.Nitz seconded the motion. Motion
passed 5 to 0.
V. ADOPTION OF CONSENT CALENDAR
B. Crowder requested that a draft response to written communication from Eva Blum be removed from the
consent calendar. P. Siemens requested removal of Agenda Item 2,Authorization to Solicit Bids for
Drainage Improvements and Resurfacing of Parking Lots at Los Trancos,Russian Ridge,and Windy Hill
Open Space Preserves;Determination That the Project is Categorically Exempt from the California
Environmental Quality Act(CEQA);Authorization for Staff to Solicit Bids for Resurfacing and Installation
of Drainage Improvements for Three Parking Lots at Los Trancos,Russian Ridge,and Windy Hill Open
Space Preserves.
Motion: B.Crowder moved adoption of the Consent Calendar, including Agenda Item 5,
Schedule Special Meeting of the Board of Directors for the Purpose of
Nondiscrimination and Sexual Harassment Training for Management Team Members
and Members of the Board of Directors,and Revised Claims 99-16. D. Little seconded
the motion.
330 Distel Circle * Los Altos, CA 94022-1404 e Phone:650-691-1200
FAX: 650-691-0485 * E-mail: mros(]@openspace.org * Web site:www.openspace.org Y
Board of Directors:Pete Siemens,,'glary C. Davey.led Cyr,Deane Little,Nonene Hanko, Betsy Crowder, Kenneth C. Nitz - General Manager:L.Craig Britton
Meeting 99-22 Page 2 ,
Discussion: B. Crowder noted that the response letter to Eva Blum could not be voted upon because
it was not agendized as a consent item. The Board determined that the letter could be
sent out without Board approval under the President's signature. C. Britton pointed out
that the words-april 1992"in the staff report for Agenda Item 5 should read"April
1993".
Vote: The motion passed 5 to 0.
V1. BOARD BUSINESS
A. Agenda Item 1 --Approval of Commercial License Agreement with the Lodge at Skylonda, Skyline
Area, for Use of District Lands For Group Hikes;Determination that the Recommended Action is
Exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act-,Adoption of Resolution Authorizing Acceptance
of Commercial License Agreement; Authorizing Officer to Execute Certificate of Acceptance of Grant
to District;Authorizing General Manager to Execute Any and All Other Documents Necessary or
Appropriate to Closing of the Transaction(La Honda Creek Open Space Preserve—Lands of Cosimo,
LLC)
C. Britton provided background. K.Nitz asked what would occur if Skylonda constructed more units
than the 32 specified in the agreement. C. Britton replied that if that were to occur,the District would
prohibit them from using the land until a new agreement was negotiated.
P. Siemens asked if Skylonda had received permission to construct another 16 units, and C. Britton
replied that they had, but the permission was contingent upon, among other things,resolving this matter
with the District.
K.Nitz inquired as to which preserves Skylonda ordinarily accessed. C. Britton replied that they usually
transported visitors in a van to various preserves.
Motion: K.Nitz moved that the Board determine that the recommended action is exempt from the
California Environmental Quality Act;and Adopt Resolution 99-34,A Resolution of the
Board of Directors of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Authorizing
Acceptance of Commercial License Agreement,Authorizing Officer to Execute
Certificate of Acceptance of Grant to District and Authorizing General Manager to
Execute Any and All Other Documents Necessary or Appropriate to Closing of the
Transaction(La Honda Creek Open Space Preserve—Lands of Cosimo,LLC) D.Little
seconded the motion.The motion passed 5 to 0.
B. Agenda Item 2-- Authorization to Solicit Bids for Drainage Improvements and Resurfacing of Parkin
Lots at Los Trancos, Russian Ridge,and Windy Hill Open Space Preserves-,Determination That the
Project is Categorically Exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act(CEQA);Authorization
for Staff to Solicit Bids for Resurfacing and Installation of Drainage
Improvements for Three Parking
Lots at Los Trancos, Russian Ridge,and Windy Hill Open Space Preserves
R.Anderson provided background to the Board. D. Little questioned the'amount of rock that would be
laid. P. Siemens questioned whether other preserves,such as Fremont Older,might have higher priority
for resurfacing.
Motion: B. Crowder moved that the Board determine that the project is categorically exempt from
the California Environmental Quality Act(CEQA),and authorize staff to solicit bids for
resurfacing and installation of drainage improvements for three parking lots at Los
Trancos,Russian Ridge,and Windy Hill Open Space Preserves. D.Little seconded the
Meeting 99-22 Page 3
motion. The motion passed 5 to 0.
C. Agenda Item 3-- Approval of Application to the California Coastal Conservancy for Addition to Bear
Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve;Adoption of Resolution App—ro-ving the Application to the
California Coastal Conservancy—San Francisco Bay Area Conservancy Pro-gram of the California
Coastal Conservancy for the 805-Acre POST Property Addition to Bear Creek Redwoods Oven Space
Preserve
C. Britton presented the staff report, noting that the property has been appraised at$17 million, and, if
the grant is successful,the District will be able to acquire the property from POST for$5 million, with a
matching gift from POST of$5 million.
Motion: P. Siemens moved that the Board adopt Resolution 99-35,A Resolution of the Board of
Directors of the Mid peninsula Regional Open Space District Approving the Application
for Grant Funds from the San Francisco Bay Area Conservancy Program of the
California Coastal Conservancy for the Following Project:Addition to the Bear Creek
Redwoods Open Space Preserve(Peninsula Open Space Trust)Acquisition. K.Nitz
seconded the motion. The motion passed 5 to 0.
D. Agenda Item 4--Proposed Addition of Eastfield Ming Quong Properly to Cathedral Oaks Area of
Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve; Determination that the Recommended Actions are Categorically
Exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act;Adoption of Resolution Authorizing Purchase of
the Eastfield Ming Quong Property;Tentative Adoption of Preliminary Use and Management Plan
Recommendations, Including Naming the Property as an Addition to Cathedral Oaks Area of Sierra
Azul Open Space Preserve, Indication of Intention to Withhold Dedication of the Property as Public
Open Space at this Time
D. Woods presented the staff report,and showed slides of the property. M. Williams provided details on
the purchase agreement. K.Nitz pointed out that the acreage of the property on page three of the staff
report was 44.56,and it should be 40.56.
Motion: K. Nitz moved that the Board determine that the recommended actions are categorically
exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act; adopt Resolution 99-36,A
Resolution of the Board of Directors of Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District
Authorizing Acceptance of Purchase Agreement,Authorizing Officer to Execute
Certificate of Acceptance of Grant to District,and Authorizing General Manager to
Execute Any and All Other Documents Necessary or Appropriate to Closing of the
Transaction(Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve—Lands of Eastfield Ming Quong, Inc.);
tentatively adopt Preliminary Use and Management Plan recommendations, including
naming the property as an Addition to Cathedral Oaks Area of Sierra Azul Open Space
Preserve;and indicate intention to withhold dedication of the property as public open
space at this time. P. Siemens seconded the motion. The motion passed 5 to 0.
E. Agenda Item 6--Amendment to the Use and Management Plan for Long Ridge Oven Space Preserve
for a Minor Change in the Location of the Gate at the Junction of Skyline Boulevard and Portola Park
Heights Road;Adoption of Use and Management Plan Amendment to Approve a Minor Change in the
Location of the Electric Gate from its Previously Approved Location,Authorization of Payment of the
Final Invoice of$3,926.49; Waiver of Tentative Adoption of this Project Due to its Minor Nature,and
Recommendation to Proceed with Final Adoption of this Item
M. de Beauvieres provided background information. C. Britton pointed out two typographical errors in
the report under the"Project Description"section of"CEQA Compliance": 1)"perviously"should be
Meeting 99-22 Page 4
spelled"previously",and the phrase"...gate of ease..."should read"...gate for ease...
Motion: P. Siemens moved that the Board adopt the Use and Management Plan Amendment to
approve a minor change in the location of the electric gate from its previously approved
location approximately 30 feet southwest of the original manual gate,to the location of
the original manual gate; authorize payment of the final invoice of$3,926.49, bringing
the total District expenditure for this project to$10,000,and waive the tentative adoption
of this project due to its minor nature and proceed with final adoption of this item. D.
Little seconded the motion. Motion passed 5 to 0.
VIL INFORMATIONAL REPORTS
J. Cyr reminded the Board that,to comply with the Brown Act, informational reports and discussions should
be related to District business,or for the purpose of clarifying a question,and should be kept brief.
P. Siemens noted that he,C. Britton, and M. Smith met with the LAFCO subcommittee and tentatively
approved a letter which will be sent to boards of various special districts requesting that they agendize the
issue of joining LAFCO.
K.Nitz reported that he had hiked the new Sausal Pond Trail at Windy Hill Open Space Preserve on Sunday,
and saw eight dogs,three of them off-leash. He commented on the beauty of the trail.
B. Crowder reported that: 1) She hiked Bear Creek accompanied by a reporter from the Country Almanac,
who took a picture of her hugging a redwood tree. 2)There will be an event in Portola Valley on Sunday,
September 12,to raise money for acquisition of open space,and she will be making a presentation on the
success of the District in its acquisition process. 3)She attended the Santa Clara County Planning
Commission meeting where Stanford presented its recommendations for use of its open space. 4)She met
with three members of the Coastal Advisory Committee in Pescadero.
J. Cyr announced that: 1)B. Crowder will be recognized at the meeting she mentioned in Portola Valley,and
offered congratulations. 2)The Staff Recognition Event will be held September 9. 3)He received an
invitation to the Deer Hollow Farm Recognition Event,sponsored by the City of Mountain View.4)He
complimented M. Smith on his recent presentation in Pacifica.
C. Britton reported that: 1)The timber harvest request referred to in the"Comments on Mekler Timber
Harvest Plan" letter provided in the Board's FYI's has been withdrawn. 2) Due to the search and rescue
efforts in August,the Staff Recognition Event which was scheduled for August 19 had to be rescheduled to
September 9. He noted that Saratoga Springs,where the event is to be held,was gracious about the need to
reschedule and did not charge any additional fees. 3)The proposed Park Bond Act may go on the March 2000
ballot if signed by the Governor. 4)AB 1578 has been passed on to the Governor's desk, and the District has
written a letter urging him to sign it. 5)He asked K.Nitz to be prepared to be the alternate representative for
the Coastal Advisory Committee Meeting on September 14. 6)The District did not receive the$500,000
grant applied for through Santa Clara County Transportation Authority for Bear Creek Redwoods. 7)He
passed around a report prepared by the Eagle Scouts on their project at the backpack camp.
R. Anderson reported that he had attended the Los Altos Hills City Council meeting to comment on the Kerns
project. It was rejected on a 3 to 2 vote.
VIII. ADJOURNMENT—The meeting was adjourned at 9:03 p.m.
Peggy Coats
District Clerk