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Home My Public Portal About20020213 - Minutes - Board of Directors (BOD) Regional Open '` icy MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT Meeting 02-03 SPECIAL AND REGULAR MEETINGS BOARD OF DIRECTORS February 13, 2002 MINUTES SPECIAL MEETING I. ROLL CALL President Deane Little called the meeting to order at 6:32 p.m. Members Present: Jed Cyr, Mary Davey, Nonette Hanko, Larry Hassett, Ken Nitz, Pete Siemens, and Deane Little Members Absent: None Staff Present: Craig Britton, Sue Schectman, S. Thielfoldt, and J. Escobar H. CLOSED SESSION D. Little stated that the Board would adjourn to Closed Session to discuss Closed Session Agenda Items 1 and 2. The Board recessed to Closed Session at 6:32 p.m. and the Closed Session commenced at 6:32 p.m. The Board concluded the Closed Session at 7:30 p.m. REGULAR MEETING III, D. Little called the Regular Meeting to order at 7:33 p.m. and reported that regarding Closed Session Item No. 1, the Board had accepted a settlement offer that was signed by Matthew Ken, a District ranger, settling a pending legal dispute in the amount of$26,750. The vote of the Board was unanimous in favor of the settlement. He announced that following the regular meeting, the Board would reconvene the Special Meeting Closed Session to discuss Closed Session Agenda Item 2. Additional Staff Present: John Maciel, Gordon Baillie, Stephanie Jensen, and Matthew Freeman IV. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS—There were none. 330 Distel Circle - Los Altos, CA 94022-1404 * Phone:650-691-1200 Fax: 650-691-0485 * E-mail: mrosd@ol>enspace.org • Web site:www.openspace.org [ r tJ« Board ot'Directors:Pete Siemens,Mary C. Davey,Jed Cyr, Deane Little,Nonette Hanko, Larry Hassett, Kenneth C. Nitz . General Manager:L.Craig Britten Meeting 02-03 Page 2 V. ADOPTION OF AGENDA Motion: J. Cyr moved that the Board adopt the agenda. L. Hassett seconded and the motion passed 7 to 0. V1. ADOPTION OF CONSENT CALENDAR Motion: M. Davey moved that the Board adopt the Consent Calendar, including minutes of the Special and Regular Meetings of January 16, 2002; Agenda Item 4, Authorize the General Manager to Execute a Purchase Contract with Edward R. Bacon Company for One Transport Trailer at a Cost of $21,003; and Revised Claims 01-26. P. Siemens seconded the motion. The motion passed 7 to 0. N. Hanko abstained on#3219 of Revised Claims. VtI. BOARD BUSINESS A. Agenda Item No. I —Accept Informational Report on the Ranger Bicycle Patrol Program for Calendar Year 2001 - (Report R-02-12). G. Baillie presented the report. J. Maciel said they do not plan to add more bicycles at this time. He added that bicycle patrol is an excellent tool and the rangers make great contacts. N. Hanko complimented G. Baillie on his report. Motion: N. Hanko moved that the Board accept the informational report on the ranger bicycle patrol program. K. Nitz seconded the motion. Discussion: J. Cyr commended the program and hoped it would continue to expand. Vote: The motion passed 7 to 0. B. Agenda Item No. 2 - Accept Annual Progress Report on the Use of Radar on District Lands—(Report R-02-13). G. Baillie presented the progress report. He said many written warnings are issued. J. Maciel added that it is at the discretion of the officer whether to issue a verbal or written warning or a citation. It is an educational approach. C. Britton noted that the annual activity report to be presented at the next Board meeting would include more information. D. Little said he would like to see serious enforcement of high-speed violations. Meeting 02-03 Page 3 Motion: N. Hanko moved that the Board accept the informational report on the Radar Program. M. Davey seconded the motion. Discussion: L. Hassett asked about the use of radar. G. Baillie said information and experience would suggest that people tend to speed more when radar enforcement is not in effect. L. Hassett said in his experience, there seems to be a high degree of violation. He thought this was an opportunity for ROMP to become more of a disseminator of information at the trailheads. C. Britton said that ROMP is willing to do that. He said staff could give more tickets. J. Maciel said what the numbers reflect is what staff is actually catching and that is usually after bicyclists have been warned. He said if the District chooses to use zero tolerance, the problem becomes one of staffing. C. Britton said they would talk about it at staff level. C. Britton said there are speed limit signs. J. Maciel said most of the speeding violations are in St. Joseph and Fremont Older Open Space Preserves. He said staff targets those areas, as well as El Corte de Madera Creek Open Space Preserve. P. Siemens commented that percentages are fairly consistent over time, and he thought there should now be zero tolerance for anything over 20 mph. J. Escobar said the basic tenet of law enforcement is peace officer discretion. He thought there was some history of not picking a number. P. Siemens was informed that there was no database of previous citations, and that citations cannot be issued after the fact. J. Escobar said repeat offenders are not an issue. Board members agreed that staff should discuss the matter. D. Little encouraged staff to discuss citing those who go over 20 mph and agreed that the percentage of those now cited is too low. Vote: The motion passed 7 to 0. C. Agenda Item No. 3—Authorize the General Manager to Execute a Contract with Timothy C. Best, C. E. G. of Santa Cruz in an Amount Not to Exceed $39,000 to Assess the Roads and Trails at El Corte de Madera Creek Open Space Preserve and to Assist with Development of an Implementation Plan to Reduce Sedimentation into El Corte de Madera Creek - (Report R-02-26). Meeting 02-03 Page 4 M. Freeman presented the report. The Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB)has set a deadline of August to submit a draft implementation plan. He talked about Mr. Best's credentials. M. Freeman said the previous inventory cost $12,000. The RWQCB are now asking him to focus on sedimentation, evaluate the data he has already collected, go back to numerous potential problem sites Best has already identified, and rank them in terms of their impact to the streams. Mr. Best's previous study focused largely on vehicle access and some simple corrective measures field staff could take to correct drainage problems. This project is aimed at reducing and eliminating potential chronic fine-grain sediment that can be more widely disbursed. He said fine-grain sediment can be transported quite a long way downstream. The National Marine Fishery Service states that they consider this to be an impact to steelhead which spawn well below El Corte de Madera. Discussion followed regarding measuring turbidity. M. Freeman said staff does not have to measure it in order to take corrective action. C. Britton said the District is presently utilizing the methods Mr. Best suggested in his previous report. He thought this was a good practical approach and it is also relatively low cost. M. Freeman described the compliance and effectiveness monitoring. He said in the longer term, the District has agreed to participate in an area-wide program. Agencies have agreed it will take a regional approach. M. Freeman said Mr. Best had designed a long-term monitoring program in Redwood National Park. M. Freeman said the project represents an opportunity to take advantage of some of Mr. Best's implementation and corrective measures. He talked about some of the techniques that were used. P. Siemens commented on the overall program, noting that Mr. Best would tell us how to fix the problem. C. Britton reiterated that this was a very practical program. C. Britton stated that the density of roads in El Corte de Madera is much higher than at any other preserve. In addition, bicyclists have re-opened a lot of the trails that had been closed. He said Mr. Best would help identify those. Staff is implementing some of the actions from Mr. Best's first round. Motion: N. Hanko moved that the Board authorize the General Manager to execute a contract with Timothy C. Best, C.E.G. of Santa Cruz in an amount not to exceed $39,000 to assess the roads and trails at El Corte de Madera Creek Open Space Preserve and to assist with development of an implementation plan to reduce sedimentation into El Corte de Madera Creek. M. Davey seconded the motion. Meeting 02-03 Page 5 Discussion: J. Escobar commented that since the regulatory agencies are choosing to regulate the District,the District can choose to set an example for the community and be the kind of agency we are supposed to be. Staff thought the Board would prefer to be on the leading edge and work cooperatively with these agencies. C. Britton added that Tim Best will be one of the panelists at the stewardship conference that will talk about erosion, and El Corte de Madera will be showcased. Board Members agreed that this was a sound approach. D. Little added that the District has the opportunity to show that our actions are having an impact using science. He thought it would be nice if we could get data that quantifies what the issues and problems are. Vote: The motion passed 7 to 0. VM. INFORMATIONAL REPORTS P. Siemens said the Budget Committee has met and he thought things were progressing. L. Hassett: 1. He talked about his hike to the tafoni formation. 2. He said he had a wonderful time at the State of the District meeting, and it was very well done. M. Davey: 1. She agreed that the State of District meeting was wonderful and said she learned a lot. 2. She spoke before the Sunnyvale Rotary and said the new slide show is good. 3. Committee for Green Foothills is celebrating its 40w anniversary. She had a brochure that included a schedule of activities. They will recognize the District on September E and other conservation groups at other events. K. Nitz: 1. He hiked at Pulgas and joined a hike with the California Native Plant Society. 2. He said people were using a redwood stump in El Corte de Madera as a restroom. 3. He showed day lilies he received from Ms. Kathy Woodbury of the State of Washington not the District's Planning Manager). . g N. Hanko asked about the information on bicycle use in the newspaper article regarding the Driscoll acquisition. C. Britton said it is anticipated that this lease would be turned over to the District. The resource management and public access plans for the property will take precedent over the grazing. The public access plan will be subject to public hearings. Public recreational uses on the land will be up to the District Board once it takes over the lease. The press release referred to typical activities the District allows. He said he did not see that this was an opportunity to pass through that ranch to get to the coast. He quoted from an e-mail from Ross Finlayson regarding uses. this r Tall Tree recipients: Ja served n h 'u that awarded i s year's H s said he had se ed o the L. Has sett jury Y P Y Thorwaldsen as professional, Lois Fogle as volunteer, and Hidden Villa as organization. Meeting 8 02-03 Page 6 D. Little asked about the current status requirement for helmets for adult bicyclists on District Preserves. S. Schectman said adult bicyclists are required to wear helmets. D. Little described an incident with a cyclist who was not wearing a helmet and who was of the opinion that he was allowed to ride without one. C. Britton: 1. He handed out"Yes on 40" buttons and information on the proposition. He said the polling indicates 52 percent support. 2. He had a survey done by San Mateo County regarding parks. 3. The Bay Area Open Space Council Spring Conference scheduled for May 31, was changed to September 27. 4. The District received a grant of $462,500 for the Lower(POST)Tyson property. We have three years to complete the project. 5. The FYis included a list of list of ROMP members now involved in local politics. 6. The FYIs also included a note from Cal Poly regarding a presentation given by T. Fischer. 7. He showed a blowup of a postcard from 1907 that showed St. Joseph's Hill. J. Maciel informed them that Michael Bankosh had been promoted to Lead Open Space Technician. S. Thielfoldt talked about the leadership training on emotional intelligence in the workplace, noting that it was well received by staff. J. Escobar said he was speaking on behalf of management and thought the State of the District went well, and he was very happy with staffs presentations. He thanked Board Members for attending. C. Britton referred to the clipping about Gilroy Hot Springs and said this is an important piece of property. IX. ADJOURNMENT At 8:46 p.m., the Board adjourned the Regular Meeting and reconvened the Special Meeting Closed Session to discuss Closed Session Agenda Item 2. The Closed Session commenced at 8:53 p.m. and concluded at 9:18 p.m. No reportable action was taken. Roberta Wolfe Recording Secretary