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MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT
Meeting 02-18
SPECIAL AND REGULAR MEETINGS
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
September It, 2002
MINUTES
SPECIAL MEETING
I. ROLL CALL
President Deane Little called the meeting to order at 6:35 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 and Sue Schectman
H. CLOSED SESSION
D. Little stated that the Board would adjourn to Closed Session to discuss Closed Sessi
on
Agen
da a Item 1.
The Board recessed to Closed Session at 6:35 p.m. and the Closed Session commenced at
6:36 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. He announced that the Board
had discussed Closed Session Agenda Item 1 in Closed Session and that no reportable
actions had taken place. The Board would be reconvening the Special meeting Closed
Session at the conclusion of the Regular meeting.
Additional Staff Present: Cindy Roessler, Del Woods, Lisa Zadek, Kathleen Hart,
Michael Newburn, and David Sanguinetti.
IV. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS—There were none.
V. ADOPTION OF AGENDA
Motion: K. Nitz moved that the Board adopt the agenda. P. Siemens seconded and
the motion passed 7 to 0.
330 Distel Circle . Los Altos, CA 94022-1404 . Phone:650-691-1200
Fax: 650-691-0485 - E-mail: mrosd@openspace.org .Web site:www.openspace.org �' OF ��,
Board of Directors:Fete Siemens,Mary C. Davey,led Cyr, Deane Little, Nonette Hanko, Larry Hassett, Kenneth C. Nitz +General Manager:L.Craig Britton
Meeting 02-18 Page 2
VI. ADOPTION OF CONSENT CALENDAR
L. Hassett removed the draft response to an e-mail from Mr. Henry Pastorelli,
Henry_yastorelli@MolDev.com. J. Cyr removed the minutes of the Special and Regular
meeting of August 14, 2002. D. Little removed the minutes of the Special and Regular
Meeting of July 24, 2002.
K. Nitz had a question regarding Claim 4342, Coastal Commission meeting expenses for
$1,400. C. Britton said he would get back to him with an answer.
K. Nitz commented on the length of the reply to Mr. Dufort in the FYIs. C. Britton said
they considered Mr. Dufort as a friend of Mt. Umunhurn so they gave him a broad
response, hoping he would help the District. J. Cyr commended staff on the
thoroughness of the reply.
Regarding the draft response to Mr. Henry Pastorelli, L. Hassett expressed his apologies
to the Board for any embarrassment it might bring to them, and thanked staff for the
amount of time they have had to spend on this issue. He had attended a ROW meeting
and the negative e-mails had stopped. He said he fully supported the"Hike With a
Director" program and hoped there had been no negative impact on that. He stated that
he appreciated the support he has received from the Board.
D. Little asked if the letter could be reworded to remove the reference to inappropriate
grabbing of the handlebars. P. Siemens agreed that it was a defensive action and thus not
inappropriate. L. Hassett agreed to amend the letter.
D. Little pointed out a spelling correction in the fourth paragraph on page 7 of the July 24
Minutes ("Canyon Duchet" should be spelled "Canyon de Chelly").
J. Cyr asked that the last paragraph on page 6 of the August 14 Minutes be changed to
replace "homebuyers sold on rails" with"trails near houses are seen to increase in home
value."
N. Hanko said the last sentence of the third paragraph under Informational Reports,
should be corrected to read, "She was pleased to see that none of the farmers spoke in
favor of the advisory vote."
Motion: M. Davey moved that the Board adopt the Consent Calendar, including the
Minutes of the Special and Regular Meetings of July 24, 2002, and August
14, 2002 as corrected; draft response to an e-mail from Mr. Henry
Pastorelli, Henry_yastorelli@MolDev.com as amended; Agenda Item 4,
Authorize Staff to Solicit for Bids to Purchase One Tractor; and Revised
Claims 02-14. J. Cyr seconded the motion. The motion passed 7 to 0.
VII. SPECIAL ORDER OF THE DAY
A moment of silence was observed in commemoration of the events of September
11, 2001.
Meeting 02-18 Page 3
VM. BOARD BUSINESS
A. Agenda Item No. 1 —Update on Resource Management Program: Review Status
of Resource Management Prop-ram,No Formal Board Action is Required -
(Report R-02-102).
C. Roessler gave a PowerPoint presentation reviewing the Resource Management
program this year including rare species, invasive plant control, control of feral
pigs, update on sudden oak death, native seed collection program, update on
Russian Ridge grassland management, and the Pulgas Ridge project. She
answered questions and noted directives from the Board.
B. Agenda Item No. 2- Adopt the Attached Resolution to Honor the Committee for
Green Foothills This Month, In Celebration of its 40th Anniversary—(Report R-
02-104).
S. Jensen presented the staff report.
Motion: N. Hanko moved that the Board adopt Resolution No. 02-29,
Resolution of the Board of Directors of the Midpeninsula Regional
Open Space District Honoring the Committee for Green Foothills
Upon the Occasion of its 40t" Anniversary. J. Cyr seconded the
motion. The motion passed 7 to 0.
C. Agenda Item No. 3—Application to Habitat Conservation Fund Program for the
Arroyo Leon Property Addition to Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space
Preserve: Determine that the Recommended Actions are Categorically Exempt
from the California Environmental Quality Act(CEQA) As Set Out in This
Report: Adopt the Attached Resolution of the Board of Directors of the
Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Approving the Application to the
Habitat Conservation Fund Program for the Arroyo Leon Property Addition t
Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve—(Report R-02-103).
D. Woods presented the staff report and showed the property on a map. He noted
that the property's highest value was its steelhead trout habitat.
N. Hanko said this was a very exciting parcel, and talked about the importance of
the connection to Purisima Creek Redwoods.
Motion: N. Hanko moved that the Board determine that the recommended
actions are categorically exempt from the California
Environmental Quality Act as set out in the staff report; and adopt
Resolution No. 02-30; Resolution of the Board of Directors of the
Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Approving the
Application for Grant Funs for the Local Agency Grant Program—
Fiscal Year 2002-2003 Under the Habitat Conservation Fund
Program of the California Wildlife Protection Act of 1990 for the
Meeting 02-18 Page 4
Following Project: Arroyo Leon Property Acquisition. M. Davey
seconded the motion.
Discussion: D. Woods said the property is owned by Walter Ferenze. D.
Sanguinetti commented that Mr. Ferenze and the staff have a good
relationship. C. Britton noted that the District is in exclusive
discussions with the owners and he thinks they want to see it
preserved as open space. D. Woods said the Ferenze's son, Tom,
is pushing this project, and that he is a good friend of the District
and the preserve. He added that this is a valuable addition to the
preserve, with or without the grant.
D. Woods explained that Walter Ferenze and his wife would like to
stay on the property, so they are discussing a life estate with staff.
He said the buildings consist of a small house and a barn which are
completely hidden on the site.
Regarding the dams which had been removed, they were farmers'
dams located downstream from the property.
The motion passed 7 to 0.
IX. INFORMATIONAL REPORTS
M. Davey: 1. She said the Bear Creek Redwoods thank you event last Friday was great,
and staff did an excellent job. 2. She told Sempervirens that the Marble Murrelet was in
Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve, and they did not believe her. She asked
that staff send a digital photo of the Board to them. 3. She had the Resolution from the
Committee for Green Foothills on the District's 30 year anniversary. 4. Ten percent of
the sales of books sold on September 21 at Kepplers Bookstore in Menlo Park will go to
the Committee for Green Foothills. 5. Gordon Earl, new vice president for
communications at Stanford, will be the person to communicate with the community
regarding the Stanford trails.
K. Nitz said that L. Hassett, L. Zadek and he worked at the District's booth at the Art and
Wine Festival in Palo Alto two weeks ago.
N. Hanko said the Committee for Green Foothills event that M. Davey chaired was the
best event she had been to that was sponsored by an environmental group. She agreed
with M. Davey that the winery site was beautiful. She talked about valuable contacts
made at the event. She hoped the District 30'h anniversary event would bring some of the
same people together.
P. Siemens attended the Bear Creek Redwoods event on Friday and agreed it was very
well done. People who attended were appreciative of the fact that the District recognized
their efforts in this difficult acquisition.
Meeting 02-18 Page 5
J. Cyr went to the Mountain View Art and Wine Festival. The District did not have a
booth there this year.
L. Hassett: 1. The Mt. Umunhum event went superbly well and the tour was an eye-
opener. He complimented staff. 2. The staff recognition event was also a classy event.
3. He said he would do something about the District's booth location at the Palo Alto Art
and Wine Festival next year. 4. He also enjoyed the Committee for Green Foothills
event and also was able to network with a lot of people. He talked about the items he had
successfully bid on during the auction. 5. The Bear Creek Redwoods event was
wonderful.
D. Little: 1. He attended the staff appreciation lunch and thought it was a nice event and
was held in a beautiful area. 2. The Committee for Green Foothills dinner was a
beautiful event. He said that he and C. Britton received a commendation. He said the
District should consider that site for own events in the future. 3. He noted for field staff
that there is an illegal bicyclist who has been coming down Black Mountain Trail and
down Rhus Ridge Road.
C. Britton: 1. He pointed out the flyer on Proposition 50 in the FyIs which stated that
that the San Mateo Coast was the most used coastline in Northern California. 2. There
was a letter in the FYIs to the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors on their
proposed lot line adjustment ordinance as the result of Byron Sher's bill. It is important
to the District and staff is following it closely. 3. He talked about the solar shade
ordinance that came before Santa Clara County as a result of state law where people are
not allowed to grow plants that shade more than 10 percent of a person's existing solar
system. They are processing an exemption for the District. J. Cyr said his attorney was
of the opinion that the ordinance was not enforceable. C. Britton said this applied to pre-
existing panels. 4. He met with Mary Burns of San Mateo County Parks and is working
with her and Santa Clara County on the population overlaps from Proposition 40. 5. He
was on a panel last week which interviewed four finalists for the job of Director of Parks
for Santa Clara County. 6. There was a going-away picnic for John Kowaleski. 7. He
went to both field offices for a second time regarding the EIR on the coastal annexation
to answer questions and clarify the program. 8. The press conference at Mt. Umunhum
was August 27. He said this is the farthest they have gotten in terms of federal
recognition. 9. On August 28, the staff recognition day was held at Rancho de
Guadalupe. He talked about the speakers at the event. He said he thought it was
important for staff members to see District properties. 10. The great thing about the
September 6 Bear Creek event was the fine partners that the District has. He said he has
learned that it is important to thank people, especially the politicians. 11. He talked
about the Committee for Green Foothills event. 12. There was a clipping in the FyIs
regarding Stanford's refusal to pay for the EIR to analyze the trails. He said he thinks the
matter is headed for court, as Stanford is not in compliance with the GUP. He hoped that
the county would stand their ground. 13. This Friday at Saratoga Springs is the staff
evening event. All Board Members will be attending. 14. He asked which Board
Members would be attending the Bay Area Open Space Council Conference on
September 27 at the Presidio from 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. 15. He had an invitation to the
Pony Tracks Ranch fundraiser on September 22. 16. Board Members are invited to the
Deer Hollow Farm annual celebration on October 6. 17. M. Davey is one of the
Meeting 02-18 Page 6
nominees for the Tom Ford award that will be presented on October 24. 18. Sepi
Richardson of the City of Brisbane (and LAFCo) has invited him to give a presentation
about the District and the annexation at the San Mateo County Council of Cities dinner in
Woodside on September 27. 19. There is money in the budget for the Board President to
go to the Special District Forum which will be held in British Columbia June 9-13, 2003.
S. Schectman: 1. The comment period closed on the coastal EIR. The comments have
been collated and will be distributed to the Board. Taped comments are being
summarized as well. Staff and the consultants have begun the process of preparing the
final EIR. The Coastal Ad Hoc Committee will meet tomorrow to begin to talk about
that phase of the project. The team of consultants and staff met today to begin focusing
on the key public comment issues. 2. She will be coming to the Board with a request to
file an Amicus brief in a case involving Sonoma County Agriculture and Open Space
District. Other agencies may be joining them.
N. Hanko added that she enjoyed being with staff this morning as the flag was being
raised and lowered to half-staff in commemoration of the September 11 event.
D. Sanguinetti said he was pleased that the District completed the Jack Paulin purchase.
Mr. Paulin left the property in very good shape. Staff is in the process of securing the
property at this time.
President D. Little announced that the Board would reconvene in Closed Session and
continue discussion of Closed Session Agenda Item No. 1.
X. ADJOURNMENT
At 9:40 p.m., the meeting was adjourned to Special Meeting Closed Session.
The Special Meeting Closed Session was reconvened at 9:48 p.m. and concluded at 10:34
p.m. No reportable action was taken.
Roberta Wolfe
Recording Secretary