HomeMy Public PortalAbout20220223 - Agenda Packet - Board of Directors (BOD) - 22-06
SPECIAL AND REGULAR MEETING
BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE
MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT
Wednesday, February 23, 2022
Special meeting starts at 5:00 PM*
Special meeting starts at 5:45 PM*
Regular meeting starts at 7:00 PM*
A G E N D A
Consistent with Government Code section 54953(e) and Midpeninsula Regional Open Space
District Resolution 21-33, and in light of the declared state of emergency, the meeting will not be
physically open to the public and all members will be teleconferencing into the meeting via a
virtual platform. To maximize public safety while still maintaining transparency and public access,
members of the public can listen to the meeting and participate using the following methods.
THIS MEETING WILL BE VIA TELECONFERENCE ONLY
1. The meeting can be viewed in real-time at: https://openspace.zoom.us/j/83620231428 or listen to the meeting
by dialing (669) 900-6833 or (346) 248-7799 (836 2023 1428).
2. Members of the public may provide written or oral comments by submitting a public comment form
at: https://www.openspace.org/public-comment
• Comments on matters not on the agenda must be submitted prior to the time the board president calls
for public comments.
• Comments on agenda items must be submitted prior to the time public comment on the agenda item is
closed.
• All comments shall be subject to the same rules as would otherwise govern speaker comments at the
board of directors meeting.
• All written comments or requests to speak must be submitted via the public comment form. Requests
to provide oral comments may be made by leaving a message at 650-772-3614 at least one hour prior to
the start of the meeting. Comments via text or social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) will not be accepted.
Any comments received after the deadline, will be provided to the Board after the meeting.
5:00 SPECIAL MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE MIDPENINSULA
REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT – CLOSED SESSION
ROLL CALL
1. CONFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATORS (Government Code Section
54956.8)
Property: 1000 Verde Road, Half Moon Bay, CA 94019-2534
Agency Negotiator: Michael Williams, Real Property Manager
Meeting 22-06
Rev. 1/3/20
Negotiating Party: Ben Wright, Director of Land Acquisition, Peninsula Open Space Trust
Under Negotiation: Terms and Conditions
5:45 SPECIAL MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE MIDPENINSULA
REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT – STUDY SESSION
ROLL CALL
1. Review of the Housing Program and Policies (R-22-26)
Staff Contact: Brian Malone, Assistant General Manager
General Manager’s Recommendation: Receive a report on the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space
District Housing Program and related Policies. No Board action required.
7:00 REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE MIDPENINSULA
REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
This portion of the agenda is for members of the public to comment on items not on the agenda;
however, the Brown Act (Open Meeting Law) does not allow action by the Board of Directors on items
not on the agenda. Individuals are limited to one comment during this section.
SPECIAL ORDERS OF THE DAY
• Introduction of staff
O Nisha Ting, Human Resources Management Analyst II
ADOPTION OF AGENDA
CONSENT CALENDAR
All items on the Consent Calendar may be approved without discussion by one motion. Board members,
the General Manager, and members of the public may request that an item be removed from the Consent
Calendar during consideration of the Consent Calendar.
1. Approve the February 9, 2022 Board meeting minutes
2. Claims Report
3. Mindego Hill Grazing Lease Amendment Adding 98 Acres of Grazing Land and Extending
the Term of the Lease for Five Years (R-22-28)
Staff Contact: Susan Weidemann, Property Management Specialist II, Land & Facilities, Property
Management
General Manager’s Recommendation: Adopt a Resolution authorizing the General Manager to
execute a second amendment to the Mindego Hill grazing lease to add 98 acres of grazing land
and exercise the option to extend the lease with Bar DX Livestock for five years.
4. Formation of a Lehigh Quarry Review Ad Hoc Committee (R-22-27)
Staff Contact: Aaron Hébert, Senior Resource Management Specialist
General Manager’s Recommendation: Approve the formation of a Lehigh Quarry Review Ad Hoc
Committee of the Board and authorize the Board President to work with the General Manager to
Rev. 1/3/20
determine the best timing for forming the committee pursuant to Board Policy 1.04, Board
Committees. Consistent with other recent Ad Hoc Committees of the Board of Directors, these
meetings would be compensable. This action would expedite formation of the Ad Hoc
Committee once the right timing is identified based on the Santa Clara County Board of
Supervisors’ referral to County staff on the exploration of the feasibility of the County’s purchase
of the quarry and cement plant site.
5. Grant Award to the University of California for Forest Health and Resiliency Services (R-
22-25)
Staff Contact: Coty Sifuentes-Winter, Senior Resource Management Specialist, Natural
Resources
General Manager’s Recommendation: Authorize the General Manager to award a $173,000 grant
that spans over 5 years to the University of California, Berkeley to coordinate annual Sudden Oak
Death Blitz events and provide forest health and resiliency peer-review services.
BOARD BUSINESS
Public comment on agenda items at the time each item is considered by the Board of Directors.
6. Disposition of the Quam House and Accessory Structures (R-22-24)
Staff Contact: Omar Smith III, Senior Property Management Specialist, Land and Facilities
General Manager’s Recommendation: Retain the Quam residential structure for rental use and
complete driveway repairs and culvert replacements, as specified by Waterways Consulting Inc.,
and minor structure repairs and cleanup at a total cost of no more than $350,000. However, if
refined costs or bids come in above this cost, authorize the General Manager to demolish the
Quam residence and accessory structures and perform site remediation for an estimated cost of
$400,000.
7. Disposition of the Smith House and Smith Barn (R-22-23)
Staff Contact: Ivana Yeung, Capital Projects Manager II, Engineering and Construction
General Manager’s Recommendation: Approve the demolition of the Smith House and Barn at a
cost of approximately $250,000 and the associated Comprehensive Use and Management Plan
Amendment that reflects this decision due to the deteriorated condition of the buildings and other
factors as detailed in the staff report.
INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDA
• Review Use of Contingency Funds – FY21
• Rancho San Antonio Multimodal Access Implementation Update
INFORMATIONAL REPORTS – Reports on compensable meetings attended. Brief reports or
announcements concerning activities of District Directors and staff; opportunity to refer public or Board
questions to staff for information; request staff to report to the Board on a matter at a future meeting; or
direct staff to place a matter on a future agenda. Items in this category are for discussion and direction to
staff only. No final policy action will be taken by the Board.
A. Committee Reports
B. Staff Reports
C. Director Reports
ADJOURNMENT
Rev. 1/3/20
*Times are estimated and items may appear earlier or later than listed. Agenda is subject to change of order.
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need assistance to participate in this meeting,
please contact the District Clerk at (650) 691-1200. Notification 48 hours prior to the meeting will enable the
District to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this meeting.
Written materials relating to an item on this Agenda that are considered to be a public record and are distributed
to Board members less than 72 hours prior to the meeting, will be available for public inspection at the District’s
Administrative Office located at 330 Distel Circle, Los Altos, California 94022.
CERTIFICATION OF POSTING OF AGENDA
I, Jennifer Woodworth, District Clerk for the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (MROSD), declare that
the foregoing agenda for the special and regular meetings of the MROSD Board of Directors was posted and
available for review on February 17, 2022, at the Administrative Offices of MROSD, 330 Distel Circle, Los Altos
California, 94022. The agenda and any additional written materials are also available on the District’s web site at
http://www.openspace.org.
Jennifer Woodworth, MMC, CPMC
District Clerk
Rev. 3/15/21
R-22-26
Meeting 22-06
February 23, 2022
SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA ITEM 1
AGENDA ITEM
Review of the Housing Program and Policies
GENERAL MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION
Receive a report on the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Housing Program and
related Policies. No Board action required.
SUMMARY
As part of the acquisition of open space lands to expand the greenbelt, the Midpeninsula
Regional Open Space District (District) will periodically inherit residential and accessory
housing structures. These residences get folded into the District’s housing program and serve an
important role in supporting the mission by providing onsite employee residences to expedite
emergency call outs and provide District presence (eyes and ears) on the land throughout the day
and night. The housing program also enhances District employee recruitment and retention,
supports agricultural workforce housing needs, and is a source of annual revenue. The purpose of
this review is to provide the Board of Directors (Board) with a broad context to inform future
structure disposition decisions. This informational presentation also responds to Board inquiries
about the housing program. At this time, staff is conducting a review of the administrative
procedural policy for the Housing Program and preparing to incorporate updates under the
General Manager’s authority that have been reviewed and supported by the District’s Controller
and Chief Financial Officer to reflect changes in the rental market.
BACKGROUND
In 2017, the Board amended Board Policy 4.11, Housing Policy, and related policies regarding
District structures and improvements. These changes reflect new and emerging District housing
needs for effectively carrying out the mission, namely the need to shift more of the housing stock
to support District employees and to reflect that several residences are assigned to meet
agricultural housing needs. Since that time, the number of residences occupied by employees
has grown.
The Housing Policy has five possible residential assignments in the following order of priority:
• Employees who provide services
• Agriculture use
• Employees who do not provide services
• Employees of agency or nonprofit partners
• General Public
R-22-26 Page 2
The Housing Policy prioritizes residences first for employees who provide services to the
District and are needed for emergency or urgent calls outs for patrol response, such as search and
rescue, medical calls and fire, as well as for urgent maintenance needs, such as a broken water
line. These residences also provide a critical site presence at key locations throughout the
District. Employees who provide this service as part of their tenancy receive a 50% discount off
of market rates.
If needed to support onsite agricultural uses, the Housing Policy prioritizes use by agricultural
tenants or workers. Residences such as the Lobitos farmhouse and Toto Ranch house are rented
to the agricultural lessee to allow them to live on the property they lease for agricultural use.
These residences are rented at market rates. However, since they are surrounded by an
agricultural operation, their market value tends to be lower than a comparable house not
surrounded by an agricultural operation. Agricultural work force housing is an assignment to
house the employees of an agricultural lessee. A house in La Honda Creek Open Space Preserve
is currently the only designated District agricultural workforce housing. The rent to the
agricultural employee is restricted to no more than 30% of the household salary.
The 2017 amendments to the Housing Policy also created a new category of general employee
residences for the purpose of employee recruitment and retention. These employees are not
responsible for specific services as part of their tenancy and receive a reduced 25% discount off
market rates. An additional category was created to prioritize the remaining housing stock for
allied agency or nonprofit employees at market rate. Various residences have been rented to
California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) employees, including the Folger House that
is currently rented to a CDFW Warden. The remaining housing stock is available to the general
public at market rate, providing general housing opportunities and revenue to the District.
There are two additional categories of residences that are not covered by the Housing Policy that
apply in special circumstances. One is determinable fee/life estate. These are typically created
before or at the time a larger open space property is purchased, where long term rights are
transferred or retained by a private party as part of the land transaction. Typically, the District
has no maintenance responsibilities for these properties. The second category are residential
management agreements with outside parties/partners to reside within and maintain certain
historic structures (e.g., Fremont Older house and adobe and Picchetti Ranch historic house).
Structures with historic significance may also be assigned to other rental categories.
DISCUSSION
Housing Assignments
Board policy 4.09, Factors to consider for Structures Disposition, lists several factors to consider
when making a disposition decision for a structure. One of those factors is “Proposed and
Potential Uses”. This report provides the context for existing uses of District residential
structures to help evaluate future disposition decisions for these types of structures.
The District’s housing program contains 43 residential units. Most are single-family homes, and
some are apartments or split duplexes. While residences are spread throughout the District, they
are concentrated in the Skyline Area. There are currently three ongoing projects to rehabilitate
existing housing. One project is to legalize and repair a residence for ranger use located at the
end of Pheasant Road at Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve. Very little District housing exists in
R-22-26 Page 3
the southernmost reaches and this residence would serve as the only designated ranger housing
within this area. The second project involves repairs to a designated agricultural workforce
residence located at La Honda Creek Open Space Preserve that is part an existing conservation
grazing lease; only final punch-list items remain to closeout this repair project. Finally, the third
project involves short-term repairs to the Thornewood House in Thornewood Open Space
Preserve to allow for re-occupation. As part of this project, staff is also evaluating future long-
term repairs that will be needed to continue maintaining the structure. These three structures are
included in table 1.
Since Board approval of the 2017 Housing Policy amendments, two additional residences have
been acquired or secured: the Gordon Ridge residence and a Cloverdale residence through a
management agreement with Peninsula Open Space Trust. The addition of these two structures
has increased the housing stock from 42 in 2017 to 44 in 2022 (see table below).
Table 1. Change in housing stock assignments between 2017 and 2022
Housing Category^ 2017 2022
Employees who provide services 16 21
Agricultural* 3 3
General Employees 0 2
Other Agency 1 1
General Public 15 10
Historic 3 3
Determinable Fee/Life Estate 4 4
Total 42 44
^ Does not include the Hawthorn historic house and complex, which remains uninhabitable.
* Includes the Lobitos Farmhouse, which also has historic significance.
Consistent with Board policy, as residences rented to the general public have become available
since 2017, the District first evaluates whether they are needed for an employee residence or
agricultural residence. If not, they are offered to a general District employee. Finally, if there is
no District employee or allied agency employee interest, the residence is offered for public rental
use. As anticipated, this has been sufficient to gradually shift District residences from general
public rentals to employee rentals. While public rentals are month to month rental agreements,
the District has generally elected to continue renting to the public until they decide to move out,
at which time the District reassesses the housing assignment.
Policy Review
In 2018, the General Manager adopted the administrative Housing Program procedural policy to
implement the Board’s Housing Policy. As part of the 2021 review of the administrative
procedural policy, Property Management staff from the Land and Facilities Department
identified the following recommended changes: (1) increasing the administrative policy cap for
non-employee rentals from 5% to 10%, (2) utilizing the housing Cost of Living Adjustment
(COLA) to set annual market rates and scheduling a more detailed consultant analysis of local
market rates every 5 to 7 years, and (3) clarifying the occupancy time limits for employees.
These proposed changes are consistent with the Board’s Housing Policy and continue to base
District rental rates off of market rental rates. The Housing Program currently sets a 5% limit on
R-22-26 Page 4
annual rent changes. After five years of implementation, it is apparent that this limit conflicts
with Board direction to charge rental rates based on market rates. While most District rental rates
currently reflect market rates with appropriate discounts applied per policy, there are notable
exceptions due the limitations of the annual 5% cap. These differences are due to residences that
were already in the system at below market rate and some delays in implementing rental rate
changes due to a cumbersome market rate evaluation process that currently requires hiring a
consultant ever year to conduct reviews. A comparison of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward Consumer price Index (CPI) for residence rentals with
consultant recommended market rate changes reveals that the consultant recommendations
closely track the index.
Increasing the cap for non-employee rentals to 10% a year will ensure that undervalued rental
rates catch up to market rates. Rental increases for employee housing are recommended to
remain capped at 5%. Unlike public rentals, employee rentals are subject to an occupancy time
limit of seven years. When a new employee moves into a residence, the rental rate is reset to
market with the appropriate discount rate applied. There is an exception to the occupancy limit if
no other employees are interested in the residence that allows the employee to begin a new
occupancy period. One of the proposed changes to the administrative procedural policy would
clarify that the rental rate would be reset to market rates when an employee begins a new
occupancy period. Finally, the proposed changes would also streamline the timely annually
evaluation of market rates by basing them on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics San Francisco-
Oakland-Hayward Consumer price Index (CPI) for residence rentals. A detailed consultant
evaluation of local representative rental residences would be conducted every five years as a
check to confirm market rates.
These proposed administrative procedural changes were reviewed and supported by the District’s
Controller and Chief Financial Officer to ensure they effectively reflect changes in the rental
market. District staff will next be meeting with represented labor groups to receive their input on
the proposed changes. The General Manager expects to approve the changes in late March/early
April of 2022.
FISCAL IMPACT
Accepting the report has no fiscal impact. Proposed changes to the administrative Housing
program procedural policy as laid out in this report have the potential to provide an increase in
rental revenue.
BOARD AND COMMITTEE REVIEW
There was no Board Committee review of this item.
PUBLIC NOTICE
Public notice was provided as required by the Brown Act.
CEQA COMPLIANCE
This item is not a project subject to the California Environmental Quality Act.
R-22-26 Page 5
NEXT STEPS
Staff will update the administrative procedures for carrying out the Board’s Housing Policy per
this report, which will become effective in March/April of 2022.
Attachment:
1. Overview Map of the District’s Residential Properties
Responsible Department Head:
Ana Ruiz, General Manager
Prepared by:
Brian Malone, General Managers Office
Graphics prepared by:
Francisco Lopez Tapia, Data Analyst I
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Administrative
Office
Mora Unit B
Fremont Older
Residence
Folger
Ranch
House
Bergman Main House
Incerpi
House
Sherrill
Residence
A-Frame
House
Skyline
Ranch
House
Skyline
Field Office
Foothills Field
Office
Bergman Guest House
Hawthorns
Employee
Residence
Thornewood
Historical
Coastal
Area Outpost Silva Property
Big Dipper Ranch House
Palo Alto
Mountain View
Los
Altos Sunnyvale
Santa Clara
Cupertino
San
Jose
Menlo
Park
Redwood City East
Palo Alto
Los
Gatos
Saratoga
Campbell
Pescadero
San
Gregorio
Adobe
House
CLOVERDALE
Bergman Old House
Lobitos Ridge
Residential Area
Deer Hollow
Farm Residence
South Are
Office
Main
Slaght
House
Cunha
Residence
Dyer
Residence
Hosking Barn
A Residence
B Residence
C Residence
D Residence
Emerson/
Wasserman
Life Estate
Stevens Canyon Ranch
Residential Property
October
Farm House
Bluebrush
House
Bechtel
House
Mora Unit A
INE
Ranch/Rogers
House
Lone Madrone
Mobile Home
Purisima
Creek (Upper)
Residence
Slaght
House
Monte
Bello
Cabin
Fremont Older
Historic House
Richard
Life Estate
Flag Pole
House
Portola Height
Former Bean House
Rhus Ridge
Residence
Toto Ranch
Residence
Picchetti
Winery
Gordon Ridge
Residential
Premise
Lobitos Ridge
Ranch House
Jake Guenther
Life Estate
Smith House
Quam House
Hawthorns
Historical
House
Wilkins
Life Estate
Cloverdale
Ranch House
B E A R C R E E K
R E D W O O D S
E L C O R T E D E
M A D E R A C R E E K
F E L T O N
S TAT I O N
F O O T H I L L S
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MROSD Preserves
While the District strives to use the best available digital data, these data do not represent a legal survey and are merely a graphic illustration of geographic features.
Area of
Detail
Redwood City
Belmont
Cupertino
Saratoga
Milpitas
Sunnyvale
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Residential, Agricultural
Residential, District Employee
(Service Provider)
Residential, General Public
Historical
Other Agency/
Non-Profit Employees
Determinable Fee/Life Estate
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Residential, District Employee
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Attachment 1
February 9, 2022
Board Meeting 22-04
REGULAR MEETING
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT
Wednesday, February 9, 2022
The Board of Directors conducted this meeting in accordance with California Government Code
section 54953(e) and Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Resolution 21-33. All Board
members and staff participated via teleconference.
DRAFT MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE MIDPENINSULA
REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT
President Kersteen-Tucker called the regular meeting of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space
District to order at 7:00 p.m.
ROLL CALL
Members Present: Jed Cyr, Larry Hassett, Karen Holman, Zoe Kersteen-Tucker, Yoriko
Kishimoto, Curt Riffle, and Pete Siemens
Members Absent: None
Staff Present: General Manager Ana Ruiz, General Counsel Hilary Stevenson, Assistant
General Manager Brian Malone, Assistant General Manager Susanna
Chan, Chief Financial Officer/Director of Administrative Services Stefan
Jaskulak, District Clerk/Assistant to the General Manager Jennifer
Woodworth, Natural Resources Manager Kirk Lenington, Management
Analyst I Sophie Christel, Resource Management Specialist II Matt Sharp
Chaney, Public Affairs Manager Kori Skinner, Chief Ranger Matt
Anderson, Foothills Area Superintendent Brad Pennington
President Kersteen-Tucker announced this meeting is being held in accordance with Government
Code section 54953(e) and Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Resolution 21-33,
allowing Board members to participate remotely. The District has done its best to conduct a
meeting where everyone has an opportunity to listen to the meeting and to provide comment. The
public has the opportunity to comment on the agenda, and the opportunity to listen to this
meeting through the internet or via telephone. This information can be found on the meeting
agenda, which was physically posted at the District’s Administrative Office, and on the District
website. President Kersteen-Tucker described the process and protocols for the meeting.
Meeting 22-04 Page 2
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
Craig Gleason provided comments in support of building trails to serve specific classes of users,
such as hikers or cyclists.
Nancy Reyering commented regarding a State requirement to add housing according to SB9,
which has an exception for protected species habitats. Additional data is needed regarding the
location of mountain lion habitats and wildlife corridors to better understand the areas to be
protected. Ms. Reyering requested the District expand its mountain lion study to include
additional areas.
Alayna Van Dervort with the Big Wild non-profit organization spoke in support of further
studying mountain lions along the peninsula and not just at Rancho San Antonio. Ms. Van
Dervort described the work her organization does to identify, study, and track mountain lion
activity.
ADOPTION OF AGENDA
Motion: Director Cyr moved, and Director Siemens seconded the motion to adopt the agenda.
ROLL CALL VOTE: 7-0-0
CONSENT CALENDAR
Public comment opened at 7:17 p.m.
Ms. Woodworth reported no comments had been submitted for the Consent Calendar.
Public comment closed at 7:17 p.m.
Motion: Director Siemens moved, and Director Riffle seconded the motion to approve the
Consent Calendar.
ROLL CALL VOTE: 7-0-0
1. Approve January 26, 2022 Minutes
2. Approve Claims Report
3. Quarter 2 Proposed Budget Amendments to the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 2022
(R-22-20)
General Manager’s Recommendation: Adopt a resolution approving the proposed Quarter 2
budget amendments for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022.
4. Contract with Comcast Business, Inc. for Fiber Optic Internet Services (R-22-19)
General Manager’s Recommendation: Authorize the General Manager to enter into a contract
with Comcast Business Inc., for five years of high-speed fiber optic internet services at an annual
Meeting 22-04 Page 3
amount of $180,000, for a total not-to-exceed amount of $900,000, based upon a cooperative
purchasing agreement through the State of California CALNET contract.
5. Award of Contract for Botanical Services in Support of the Fire Safe San Mateo
County-Highway 35 Evacuation Route Shaded Fuel Break Partnership (R-22-16)
General Manager’s Recommendation:
1. Authorize the General Manager to enter into a multi-year contract with Avila and Associates
of Concord, California to provide botanical services in support of a collaborative partnership
for fuel reduction work with Fire Safe San Mateo County for a base amount of $65,950.
2. Authorize an allowance of $3,966 for the development of mitigation measures, if deemed
necessary for project implementation.
3. Authorize a 10% contingency of $6,595 to cover unforeseen conditions and complexities, for
a total contract amount not-to-exceed $76,511.
6. Award of Contract for Botanical Services for Multiple Projects within the Skyline
Area (R-22-15)
General Manager’s Recommendation:
1. Authorize the General Manager to enter into a multi-year contract with AECOM Technical
Services, Inc., of Oakland, California to provide botanical services to support multiple
projects for a base amount not to exceed $69,170.
2. Authorize an allowance of $14,517 for the development of mitigation measures if deemed
necessary for project implementation.
3. Authorize a 12% contingency of $8,300 to cover unforeseen conditions and complexities, for
a total contract amount not-to-exceed $91,987.
7. Teleconferenced Board Meetings Pursuant to the Brown Act and Assembly Bill 361
(R-22-21)
General Manager’s Recommendation: Adopt a resolution affirming findings on the continued
need for remote teleconferenced public meetings pursuant to AB 361.
8. Award of Contract with Vollmar Natural Land Consulting for the Preparation of
Habitat Restoration Plans within the Irish Ridge Area of Purisima Creek Redwoods Open
Space Preserve (R-22-17)
General Manager’s Recommendation:
1. Authorize the General Manager to enter into a contract with Vollmar Natural Lands
Consulting to provide ecological surveys, analysis, planning, and permitting assistance for
land restoration work at Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve for a base contract
amount of $160,820.
2. Authorize a 10% contingency of $16,082 to cover unforeseen complexities or additional
biological survey needs, bringing the total contract to a not-to-exceed amount of $176,902.
9. Renewal of Enterprise Agreement with Microsoft Corporation (R-22-18)
General Manager’s Recommendation: Authorize the General Manager to renew a five-year
Microsoft Enterprise Agreement with Microsoft Corporation via license service provider Crayon
Meeting 22-04 Page 4
Software Experts LLC through a cooperative purchasing agreement with the California
Department of Technology for an amount not-to-exceed $526,000.
BOARD BUSINESS
10. Science Advisory Panel Findings on the Benefits and Impacts of Electric Bicycle Use
on Open Space Trails (R-22-13)
Management Analyst I Sophie Christel provided the staff presentation describing the role of the
District’s Science Advisory Panel (SAP) and the research question the SAP studied regarding the
benefit and impacts of electric bicycle use on open space lands. Ms. Christel introduced the
members of the SAP and the Technical Advisory Committee who also advised on the research.
Sean Baumgarten with the San Francisco Estuary Institute presented the results of the SAP’s
research and findings. Very few studies have been conducted for e-bike use in open space
settings; however, studies have been conducted regarding traditional mountain bikes in open
spaces. Mr. Baumgarten reviewed the impacts of traditional mountain bikes, including
disturbance to wildlife, soil degradation, vegetation trampling, etc. Benefits of traditional
mountain bikes include physical and mental health and increased support for conservation. Mr.
Baumgarten highlighted the demographics of typical e-bike users and average distance traveled
and ride frequency for e-bike users. Only one study is available regarding noise from e-bikes,
which showed most noise produced by e-bikes is higher frequency than noise produced by
traditional bikes. A study examined soil impacts from traditional mountain bikes and class 1 e-
bikes and found no significant difference in the impacts.
Additional research regarding implementation and management was also completed, and
management recommendations are similar to management strategies also used for traditional
mountain bikes. Mr. Baumgarten reviewed e-bike policies for other open space agencies and
additional considerations. If e-bikes are allowed, the SAP recommends an adaptive management
strategy and efforts to reduce visitor conflicts. Strategies include education and outreach for
visitors and users, sustainable trail design, various on-trail management practices, and continued
monitoring and research.
Director Riffle inquired if there are continuing research questions that agencies already allowing
e-bikes are still interested in learning more about.
Mia Monroe with the National Park Services and member of the Technical Advisory Committee
(TAC) reported they allow all types of mountain bikes, and their annual survey looks at the rate
of conflict, unexpected wildlife impacts, trail deterioration, etc. Since it is their first year, they
have little information on these topics, but they will continue to study them. However, their
information is not specific to e-bikes.
Director Riffle inquired regarding the potential increase in accidents related to e-bike use in open
spaces.
Mary Ann Bonnell with Jefferson County Parks and member of the TAC reported they have had
no accident reports directly related to e-bikes since they began allowing e-bikes in 2018.
Meeting 22-04 Page 5
Director Kishimoto requested additional information regarding enforcement of speed limits for
e-bikes and traditional mountain bikes.
Ms. Bonnell stated Jefferson County Open Space does not have a speed limit but does have
regulations regarding visitor courtesy and reported they have not had reports of speeding or
visitor conflicts specifically related to e-bike use.
Ms. Monroe reported on outreach efforts to promote positive visitor experiences among various
user groups.
Public comment opened at 8:12 p.m.
Mike Ferreira member of the executive committee for the Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter
expressed concern regarding the lack of studies and recommended additional study is needed
before they are allowed.
Owen Byrd spoke in support of an adaptive management approach and in support of a pilot
program to allow for further study of e-bikes on open space lands.
Deborah Goldeen expressed concern regarding the information contained in the SAP report and
lack of details included in the report.
Stephen Meier spoke in support of allowing e-bikes to allow more people to experience nature
and also to reduce the amount of miles traveled in an automobile.
Denise B. spoke in support of protecting natural open spaces and in opposition to allowing e-
bikes in District preserves due to negative impacts on preserve visitors and wildlife.
Pat Cuviello spoke in support of people continuing to be able to visit open spaces by hiking and
stated e-bikes are not required to access the open spaces.
Dave Greenfield stated he likes to hike and bike in open spaces and spoke in support of being
able to continue experience nature with his family using e-bikes.
Justin Hemann supported the District opening its preserves to e-bikes, similar to other nearby
park systems. Mr. Hemann summarized the benefits of e-bikes, including exercise for older
individuals.
Ms. Woodworth read the public comments into the record.
John Kunz provided comments in support of allowing e-bikes in District preserves stating this
will allow seniors to enjoy the trails.
Ed Noskowski stated e-bikes should be allowed on all trails that allow bikes because the impact
is the same.
Mike Castro requested the Board of Directors open District preserves to e-bikes stating they
should be treated the same as traditional bikes.
Meeting 22-04 Page 6
Robert Story provided comments in support of allowing e-bikes in District preserves where
traditional bikes are allowed because the research shows the e-bikes are slower going downhill
and allow older riders to continue riding.
Wynn White supports allowing e-bikes in District preserves because e-bikes allow many riders
to continue to enjoy biking even as they get older.
Kristin Mercer opposed allowing bikes on trails stating they erode trail surfaces and negatively
affect wildlife.
Lloyd Davies stated the purpose of the District is to enhance recreational opportunities and
expand access to recreational facilities. E-bikes help promote public access and should be treated
as equals to traditional bikes.
Tyson Messori provided comments in support of e-bikes stating it allows trail access for those
who would physically be unable to access trails with traditional bikes. Banning e-bikes prevents
a large section of the cycling community.
Jeff Vance stated e-bikes are the same as other bikes except they allow those who need physical
assistance to continue to explore open spaces.
Peter Maxwell supported allowing e-bikes on District trails and stated e-bike riders tend to be
less aggressive than some traditional bike riders.
Shane Bracken stated allowing e-bikes allows riders to spread out over more trail miles and
improve physical and mental health of riders.
Tom Angsten commented on the many benefits e-bikes can provide to older riders, including
improved mental and physical health.
Stefan Bolka supports allowing e-bikes on District trails that already allow traditional bikes and
allowing e-bikes would make the trails more inclusive for older visitors.
Scott Forstall provided comments in support of allowing e-bikes on District trails stating e-bikes
allow older cyclists to continue to enjoy the preserves. Mr. Forstall stated many e-bike riders are
older and even more cautious than those on traditional bikes.
Molly Forstall supports allowing class 1 e-bikes on District trails stating e-bikes are quiet and are
not like motorcycles, as some believe. E-bikes also have no more impact on open space than
traditional bikes.
Seth Gottlieb supports allowing e-bikes in District preserves.
John Baily supports allowing e-bikes in District preserves stating they allow older riders like
himself to continue to enjoy District rails, such as Alpine Road.
Mary and Bob Dodge support allowing e-bikes on District trails until evidence shows e-bikes are
more harmful than traditional bikes.
Meeting 22-04 Page 7
Susan Martin supports allowing e-bikes in District preserves because e-bikes allow many riders
to continue to enjoy biking even as they get older.
Jeff Kwan stated allowing e-bikes in District preserves will promote trail access for those who
are not physically fit.
Michael Poutre supports allowing e-bikes where traditional bikes are allowed. Allowing e-bikes
will increase inclusivity of trails, especially for those with physical disabilities, are older, or
unable to use a traditional bike.
Heidrun Utz provided comments in support of allowing e-bikes on District preserves and stated
e-bikes help older riders exercise more.
Curt Relick provided comments in support of allowing e-bikes on District preserves.
Bill Onderdonk supported allowing e-bikes on District trails.
Public comment closed at 8:48 p.m.
Members of the Board thanked staff, the SAP, and the members of the public for their interest in
the topic and stated they look forward to discussing the issue further.
Mr. Malone described the information to be presented to the Planning and Natural Resources
Committee regarding e-bikes, including the e-bike pilot project, noise study, intercept survey
results, public feedback, etc. The Committee will review the information and can make
recommendations to the Board or direct staff to complete additional work prior to the Board
presentation.
No Board action required.
The Board recessed at 9:09 p.m. and reconvened at 9:15 p.m. with all directors present.
11. Human-Mountain Lion Interaction Study and Management Plan Annual Update
(Year 1) (R-22-14)
General Manager Ana Ruiz discussed the role of the study in understanding the factors that may
contribute to potential negative interactions between mountain lions and humans and tools that
may avoid these occurrences to protect the safety of people and of the local mountain lion
population.
Resource Management Specialist II Matt Sharp Chaney explained the mountain lion study and
its purpose, including the process for the proposed behavioral modification approach for the
mountain lions. Mr. Sharp Chaney also described the District’s practices to educate and outreach
to visitors regarding mountain lions and how to avoid and stay safe during mountain lion
encounters. Mr. Sharp Chaney highlighted partner and advocacy group outreach and support
received from these organizations. Mr. Sharp Chaney reported the behavioral modification work
would take place during the day and described the process for notifying the public that a preserve
would be closed.
Meeting 22-04 Page 8
Dr. Chris Wilmers, with the Puma Project, described the study’s objectives to estimate the local
mountain lion population size, compare range sizes with other areas of the Santa Cruz
Mountains, assess factors influencing mountain lion-human interactions, and determine the
efficacy of deterrents. Dr. Wilmers provided an update on the various study objectives, including
the wildlife cameras being used to support the research and measure wildlife throughout Rancho
San Antonio, the impact of forested fire breaks, etc.
Director Riffle inquired how the information learned in the study would be used.
Dr. Wilmers reported the behavioral modification work would be used with lions throughout the
Santa Cruz mountains to increase the sample size. If it is successful, it can be used more widely
to prevent mountain lion habituation and attacks on humans.
The members of the Board asked clarifying questions and received additional information
regarding mountain lion behavior, the mountain lion study, and study results to date.
Public comment opened at 10:38 p.m.
Pat Cuviello expressed concern regarding the harassment of the mountain lions in their own
habitats and suggested additional education of the public is a better way to address the issue.
Denise B. spoke in support of the data and research gathered as part of the study but stated more
vehicle strikes are occurring than reported. Denise B. expressed concern regarding future
mountain lion extinction due to human activities, such as visitors to District preserves and trails.
Ms. Woodworth read the public comments into the record.
Annette Herz provided comments in support of the work to protect mountain lions, including the
Highway 17 crossing.
Alex Johnson supported the mountain lion study to help keep human and mountain lion
communities safe.
Public comment closed at 10:45 p.m.
Director Holman suggested limiting public access to specific areas of preserves where mountain
lions frequently visit to limit mountain lion-human interactions. It would be helpful if data on
potential patterns of behavior were determined.
Director Kishimoto suggested rerouting of trails at Rancho San Antonio may be a viable option
to reduce interactions.
Director Riffle spoke in support of additional education of the public regarding mountain lions
and in support of the science-based behavioral modification proposal.
President Kersteen-Tucker suggested removal of deer as a food source may be a helpful
deterrent.
Meeting 22-04 Page 9
Mr. Sharp Chaney stated major habitat modifications would be necessary to remove deer from
Rancho San Antonio. He stated the District works with its neighbors to remove food sources to
help discourage deer in the area.
No Board action required.
INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDA
• Highway 17 Wildlife and Regional Trail Crossings Project Status Update
• Suggested Topics for the February 16, 2022 Board Retreat
INFORMATIONAL REPORTS
A. Committee Reports
President Kersteen-Tucker reported the Board retreat ad hoc committee met on February 4 and
February 7, 2022 to discuss the topics and agenda for the February 16, 2022 Board retreat.
B. Staff Reports
Ms. Ruiz provided an update on media coverage of the District’s 50th anniversary.
C. Director Reports
Directors Riffle, Siemens, Hassett, Cyr, and Kersteen-Tucker reported they attended the Mount
Umunhum Radar Tour tower and thanked staff for organizing and hosting the tour.
Director Riffle reported he met with the Friends of Stevens Creek Trail and discussed proposed
access to Rancho San Antonio.
Director Kishimoto reported she attended a Santa Clara County LAFCO meeting on February 2,
2022 and a BCDC meeting on February 3, 2022.
ADJOURNMENT
President Kersteen-Tucker adjourned the regular meeting of the Board of Directors of the
Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District at 11:16 p.m.
________________________________
Jennifer Woodworth, MMC
District Clerk
MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT
CLAIMS REPORT
MEETING # 22-06
MEETING DATE: February 23, 2022 Fiscal Year 20-21 EFT:63.44%
Fiscal Year 21-22 EFT:66.61%
Payment
Number
Payment
Type
Payment Date Notes Vendor No. and Name Invoice Description Payment Amount
4105 EFT 02/04/2022 12201 - EMID Design Group New AO Furniture Procurement and Installation - Dec 2021 123,901.85
4100 EFT 02/04/2022 10813 - Almaden Printing Johnston Ranch & Newsletter/Purisima to the Sea postcard 38,259.31
82319 Check 02/11/2022 12147 - Nova Partners, Inc.New AO Project Construction Mgmt & Peer Review - Dec 21 30,830.00
4136 EFT 02/11/2022 10546 - Ecological Concerns, Inc.Plant Installation & Maintenance of Multiple Mitigation Sites -11/1/21 - 12/31/21 30,302.58
4152 EFT 02/11/2022 12194 - Royston Hanamoto Alley & Abey La Honda Creek Feasibility Study - Dec 2021 28,369.86
4106 EFT 02/04/2022 11748 - Environmental & Energy Consulting Consulting and Lobbying - 9/16/21 - 01/15/22 25,840.00
4104 EFT 02/04/2022 *10214 - Delta Dental Dental Benefits - Feb 2022 18,652.48
4133 EFT 02/11/2022 11391 - Chavan & Associates, LLP FY21 Annual Audit - final bill 14,275.00
4135 EFT 02/11/2022 10022 - Concern Employee Assistance Program - 1/1/22 - 12/31/22 14,200.00
4134 EFT 02/11/2022 12086 - Coastwide Environmental Technologies, Inc.Alma Abatement & Demo Project - 10/1/21 - 12/31/21 12,635.00
4132 EFT 02/11/2022 10616 - BKF Engineers Hawthorns Boundary Survey Windy Hill - 11/22/21 - 12/26/21 9,243.20
4110 EFT 02/04/2022 *10419 - Lincoln National Life Insurance Co.AD&D / Life / LTD - Feb 2022 7,895.16
4119 EFT 02/04/2022 *10211 - Public Policy Advocates 2021 Legislative Advocacy Fee for 11/1/21 - 12/31/21 7,500.00
4158 EFT 02/11/2022 *10216 - Valley Oil Company Fuel for District Vehicles 6,567.45
4150 EFT 02/11/2022 10079 - Page & Turnbull, Inc.DHF Historic Resource Evaluation - Dec 2021 5,700.00
4126 EFT 02/04/2022 10435 - The Ferguson Group LLC Retainer - Oct & Nov 2021 5,555.54
4149 EFT 02/11/2022 12151 - Navia Benefit Solutions Flexible Spending Account disbursements 5,425.69
4157 EFT 02/11/2022 12157 - SWCA Environmental Consultants Purisima-to-the-Sea Trail and Parking Feasibility - Dec 2021 5,262.75
4141 EFT 02/11/2022 **10555 - Knapp Architects Alma Construction Admin Service / Hawthorns Roof Replace - Dec 2021 5,040.00
4127 EFT 02/04/2022 *10216 - Valley Oil Company Fuel for District Vehicles 4,455.93
82322 Check 02/11/2022 *10309 - Verizon Wireless Wireless Service - 12/13/21 - 01/12/22 4,341.10
4103 EFT 02/04/2022 *10032 - Del Rey Building Maintenance Janitorial Service - SAO, AO, SFO & FFO 4,336.00
4143 EFT 02/11/2022 10058 - Liebert Cassidy Whitmore Legal services for negotiations - Dec 2021 4,053.00
82305 Check 02/04/2022 11520 - Community Initiatives Gratitude Hike at BCR 4,000.00
82323 Check 02/11/2022 12154 - Worldwide Wireless Connections dba Out ofthe Woods Administrative Office - Wood Milling 4,000.00
4109 EFT 02/04/2022 11906 - Law Offices of Gary M. Baum Legal Services - Dec 2021 3,906.00
4102 EFT 02/04/2022 11699 - Dakota Press 2022 Wall Calendar - (qty 1,000)3,782.19
4115 EFT 02/04/2022 12151 - Navia Benefit Solutions Flexible Spending Account disbursements 3,168.00
4118 EFT 02/04/2022 *10212 - Pinnacle Towers LLC Tower Lease-Skeggs Point - Feb 2022 2,650.00
82321 Check 02/11/2022 10472 - Sandra Sommer CA Riding & Hiking Trail Report #2 - 6/1/21 - 12/31/21 2,640.00
4124 EFT 02/04/2022 *11730 - Standard Insurance Company RV County of Santa Clara MROSD Supplemental & Life - Feb 2022 2,559.15
4142 EFT 02/11/2022 11326 - LexisNexis Subscription Renewal - 12/01/21 - 11/30/22 2,365.25
4130 EFT 02/11/2022 11799 - Aztec Leasing, Inc.Printer/copier leases - Jan 2022 2,357.10
82302 Check 02/04/2022 10141 - Big Creek Lumber Co Inc RSACP - Hammond-Snyder Trail / fencing lumber 2,089.38
4122 EFT 02/04/2022 12082 - Sicular Environmental Consulting La Honda Forest Management Plan - 8/1/21 - 12/31/21 2,060.00
4131 EFT 02/11/2022 11148 - Balance Hydrologics, Inc Lower Turtle Pond Spillway Design - 11/21/21 - 12/18/21 2,023.75
82310 Check 02/04/2022 10999 - Palo Alto Plumbing Heating & Air HVAC work at Stevens Canyon Ranch 2,005.48
4145 EFT 02/11/2022 11664 - LSQ Funding Group, L.C.Admin Support Clout Staffing - 01/09/22 1,980.00
4151 EFT 02/11/2022 12031 - Ray & Jan's Mobile Truck Service M223 & P103 Service / P103 & P106 brakes 1,929.00
4125 EFT 02/04/2022 10152 - Tadco Supply Janitorial Supplies (RSACP)1,716.16
82304 Check 02/04/2022 10014 - CCOI Gate & Fence SA07 - Replaced solar panel on electric gate / RSACP 1,674.40
4128 EFT 02/04/2022 *10213 - Vision Service Plan-CA Vision Premium - Feb 2022 1,525.20
4114 EFT 02/04/2022 10031 - Mills Design Fire Fact Sheet/Postcard notification template 1,481.25
82309 Check 02/04/2022 11141 - Jarvis Fay & Gibson LLP Legal Services - Dec 2021 1,402.00
4140 EFT 02/11/2022 10394 - Interstate Traffic Control Pro U-Channel Sign Posts - (42)1,322.34
82320 Check 02/11/2022 11129 - Peterson Trucks, Inc.Annual Service - WT02 1,182.43
4123 EFT 02/04/2022 10952 - Sonic.net Internet Services - Feb 2022 1,170.00
4148 EFT 02/11/2022 10125 - Moffett Field Supply Company Toilet Paper 1,115.50
4155 EFT 02/11/2022 11918 - SF North Bay Law Management Coaching - Dec 2021 1,092.50
4121 EFT 02/04/2022 11479 - Rootid, LLC Web Maintenance Retainer 1,080.00
82311 Check 02/04/2022 11129 - Peterson Trucks, Inc.Annual Service - M207, M22 1,074.10
4120 EFT 02/04/2022 12031 - Ray & Jan's Mobile Truck Service Repairs P103 & M31 1,048.18
82306 Check 02/04/2022 11224 - County of Santa Clara Communications Dept Service response to alarms at Tomita Tower 996.00
Electronic funds transfer (EFT) for accounts payable disbursements
to reduce check printing and mailing, increase payment security,
and ensure quicker receipt by vendors
page 1 of 2
MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT
CLAIMS REPORT
MEETING # 22-06
MEETING DATE: February 23, 2022 Fiscal Year 20-21 EFT:63.44%
Fiscal Year 21-22 EFT:66.61%
Payment
Number
Payment
Type
Payment Date Notes Vendor No. and Name Invoice Description Payment Amount
Electronic funds transfer (EFT) for accounts payable disbursements
to reduce check printing and mailing, increase payment security,
and ensure quicker receipt by vendors
4137 EFT 02/11/2022 11935 - Essential Operations, Inc RSACP/ EQ / RR - Septic system inspection/maint 973.00
4108 EFT 02/04/2022 10555 - Knapp Architects Hawthorns Conditions Assessment - Dec 21 890.00
4107 EFT 02/04/2022 10187 - Gardenland Power Equipment Helmets & Parts / Chainsaw Chain Sharpening 870.66
4146 EFT 02/11/2022 10190 - MetroMobile Communications Radio repair/install M207/M236/M29 840.42
4154 EFT 02/11/2022 *10136 - San Jose Water Company Water Service (SAO) (RSACP)826.70
82307 Check 02/04/2022 10186 - Federal Express Shipping 803.81
82316 Check 02/11/2022 10261 - ADT LLC (Protection One)Alarm Services - AO/SAO/FFO - 1/28/22 - 2/27/22 637.72
82308 Check 02/04/2022 10287 - Grainger, Inc.2 Chainsaw Backpacks 616.19
4156 EFT 02/11/2022 10793 - Sherwood Design Engineers LHC Loop Trail - Trail Design & Engineering Services - Dec 2021 600.00
4153 EFT 02/11/2022 11882 - Ryan's Sport Shop Fire boots - ranger 564.72
4113 EFT 02/04/2022 10190 - MetroMobile Communications Repair radios - M203, M85 (P85)521.11
4101 EFT 02/04/2022 10294 - AmeriGas - 0130 Propane Refill (FFO)499.90
82314 Check 02/04/2022 11852 - Western Exterminator Co.Extermination Services (RSA-Annex/Garage) 12/14/21 462.65
82315 Check 02/04/2022 11852 - Western Exterminator Co.Extermination Services (RSA-Annex/Garage) 11/12/21 462.65
4112 EFT 02/04/2022 11664 - LSQ Funding Group, L.C.Admin Support Clout Staffing- 01/02/22 445.50
82312 Check 02/04/2022 10102 - Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger LLP Coastal Commission Litigation Retainer - 8/13/2021, 11/30/21 350.10
82318 Check 02/11/2022 12176 - INWC Ignatius Nelson Water testing - Lobitos Ridge 350.00
4117 EFT 02/04/2022 10140 - Pine Cone Lumber Co Inc Shop Tools & Supplies 316.83
4147 EFT 02/11/2022 10288 - Mission Valley Ford Truck Sales, Inc.ATV15 Kubota RTV900 Parts 281.53
4144 EFT 02/11/2022 10791 - LSA Associates, Inc.Alpine Road CEQA/Permit Support & LHC Loop Trail Permit Support 273.00
82313 Check 02/04/2022 10201 - Turf & Industrial Equip. Co.Service - ATV18 268.83
82303 Check 02/04/2022 10289 - Cal-Line Equipment, Inc.Bandit Chipper parts 248.58
4129 EFT 02/11/2022 11170 - Alexander Atkins Design, Inc.Services for GeoPDF Signboard - 6/25/21 - 6/28/21 227.50
82317 Check 02/11/2022 10168 - Cintas FFO & SFO rag cleaning/exchange service 220.70
4116 EFT 02/04/2022 10271 - Orlandi Trailer Inc Parts for Chipper 186.60
4111 EFT 02/04/2022 10791 - LSA Associates, Inc.Alpine Rd. CEQA / Permit Support and LHC Loop Trail Permit Support 78.00
82301 Check 02/04/2022 11880 - A T & T (Calnet3)Mt. Um Safety Phone - 12/07/21 - 1/06/22 46.16
4138 EFT 02/11/2022 11151 - Fastenal Company Vehicle signs - tractors 32.48
4139 EFT 02/11/2022 10187 - Gardenland Power Equipment Blower parts 15.60
Total of Payments:486,948.20
*Annual Claims
**Hawthorn Expenses
A### = Administrative Office Vehicle HC = Hendry's Creek P### = Patrol Vehicle SCNT = Stevens Creek Nature Trail
AO2, AO3, AO4 = Leased Office Space HR = Human Resources PCR = Purisima Creek Redwoods SCS = Stevens Creek Shoreline Nature Area
BCR = Bear Creek Redwoods IPM = Invasive Plant Maintenance PIC= Picchetti Ranch SFO = Skyline Field Office
CAO = Coastal Area Office ISM = Invasive Species Management PR = Pulgas Ridge SG = Saratoga Gap
CC = Coal Creek LH = La Honda Creek RR = Russian Ridge SJH = Saint Joseph's Hill
DHF = Dear Hollow Farm LR = Long Ridge RR/MIN = Russian Ridge - Mindego
Hill
SR= Skyline Ridge
ECdM = El Corte de Madera LT = Los Trancos RSA = Rancho San Antonio T### = Tractor or Trailer
ES = El Sereno M### = Maintenance Vehicle RV = Ravenswood TC = Tunitas Creek
FFO = Foothills Field Office MB = Monte Bello SA = Sierra Azul TH = Teague Hill
FOOSP = Fremont Older Open Space Pres.MR = Miramontes Ridge SAO = South Area Office TW = Thornewood
GP = General Preserve OSP = Open Space Preserve SAU = Mount Umunhum WH = Windy Hill
Abbreviations
page 2 of 2
Rev. 3/15/21
R-22-28
Meeting 22-06
February 23, 2022
AGENDA ITEM 3
AGENDA ITEM
Mindego Hill Grazing Lease Amendment Adding 98 Acres of Grazing Land and Extending the
Term of the Lease for Five Years
GENERAL MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION
Adopt a Resolution authorizing the General Manager to execute a second amendment to the
Mindego Hill grazing lease to add 98 acres of grazing land and exercise the option to extend the
lease with Bar DX Livestock for five years.
SUMMARY
The proposed grazing lease amendment would allow the addition of 98 acres of grazing land,
referred to as the South Pasture, to be incorporated into the current grazing lease with Bar DX
Livestock, owned by Ronnie and Bartley Seever. The amendment would also exercise the option
of a five-year extension to the previous five-year grazing lease term.
DISCUSSION
Conservation grazing utilizes livestock as a management tool to manage brush encroachment in
open grasslands and preserve their unique biodiversity. This ecological focus distinguishes
conservation grazing from basic livestock production. The Mindego Hill Grazing Plan
developed for each grazing location sets the management parameters (such as stocking rates,
class of livestock, seasonality, and duration of grazing activity) to meet specific conservation
goals for the property. The District’s Conservation Grazing Program is a mutually beneficial
partnership with small-scale local ranchers.
Property Background
The Mindego Ranch property was acquired by the District as an addition to Russian Ridge Open
Space Preserve in 2008. After acquisition, a biological survey of the property confirmed the
significant presence of the endangered San Francisco garter snake (SFGS) and its native prey,
the California red-legged frog (CRLF). Habitat enhancement plans for these two important and
protected species guide all future District work within this property.
An amendment to the Use & Management Plan (U&M) for the Mindego Ranch property was
approved in 2014 calling for the introduction of conservation grazing as a management tool to
enhance and protect sensitive habitat for both SFGS and CRLF. Mindego Ranch is one of only
six known populations of the endangered SFGS.
R-22-28 Page 2
After a competitive Request for Proposal solicitation, a five-year lease with one option for a five-
year extension was executed with Bar DX Livestock in 2015 (R-15-114). When the lease was
executed, cattle were allowed access to three pastures on the 1,047 acres of Mindego Ranch.
The south pasture area was subsequently identified by District staff as a fourth potential pasture
and a future priority for conservation grazing expansion in the preserve to further protect and
enhance sensitive species habitat and reduce fuel loads.
At the January 22, 2020, Board meeting, two addenda to the Mindego Ranch Grazing Plan were
approved. The first addendum provided additional guidance regarding future management in the
south pasture expansion area. The second addendum was to approve the Mitigated Negative
Declaration for the Russian Ridge Use and Management Plan, in accordance with the California
Environmental Quality Act, in conjunction with the addition of the south pasture as part of the
conservation grazing area on the property. These approvals allowed staff to move forward with
preparing the south pasture area for conservation grazing.
Partnerships
The Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) is a federal agency under the US
Department of Agriculture that provides farmers and ranchers with financial and technical
assistance to encourage conservation practices as part of day-to-day agricultural activities. The
NRCS manages the following natural resources conservation programs that assist agricultural
producers with reducing soil erosion, enhancing water supplies, improving water quality,
increasing wildlife habitat, and reducing damage caused by floods and other natural disasters:
• Agricultural Management Assistance - Construct or improve water management or
irrigation structures.
• Conservation Stewardship Program - Improve resource conditions, such as soil quality,
water quality, air quality, habitat quality, and energy.
• Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) - Implement conservation practices,
or activities, such as conservation planning, that address natural resource concerns on
agricultural lands.
Ronnie Seever, the tenant at Mindego Ranch and owner of Bar DX Livestock, worked with the
local NRCS office to obtain funding assistance through the EQIP program, reducing District
costs, to install grazing infrastructure improvements in the south pasture expansion area. The
Board provided land-owner approval for the tenant’s participation in the EQIP program at the
January 22, 2020, Board meeting.
Infrastructure Improvements
The infrastructure required for the 98-acre south pasture expansion consisted of fencing and
water system improvements as follows:
Perimeter fencing: Approximately 5,000 linear feet of new wildlife-friendly livestock
fencing was installed along the eastern and southern pasture boundary. Short sections of
fence were placed along the western boundary of the pasture to reinforce the natural barrier
of dense vegetation and steep terrain.
Water: No natural water sources were present within the pasture expansion area to support
grazing livestock. However, a clean reliable water source was already developed on
Mindego Ranch that uses a spring with a solar powered pump to supply water to a storage
R-22-28 Page 3
tank and water troughs in pastures adjacent to the expansion area. The existing water system
was modified to supply water to the expansion area. Three new wildlife-friendly concrete
water troughs were installed to supply water to livestock in the south pasture area. Two of
the new troughs were located within the south pasture at sites that are minimally visible from
the Mindego Hill Trail to reduce aesthetic impacts. A third trough was installed in the
holding field/corral area above the pasture to be accessible to equestrians using the trail. A
new 5,000-gallon, low-profile tank was installed in the corral area to supply water to the new
troughs.
Expansion Area
The 98 acres of the pasture expansion would be managed according to the guidelines established
in the 2019 Grazing Management Plan (GMP) Addendum prepared by Koopman Rangeland
Consulting. This addendum was adopted by the Board January 22, 2020. Per the addendum, the
expansion area would optimally be seasonally grazed during the winter and early spring and
could support 145.2 AUMs (12 cows over the six-month period) in an average rainfall year.
Utilizing the principles of the District’s conservation grazing program and following the
guidelines established in the GMP addendum, realization of District goals for improving wildlife
habitat, preserving native grasslands, and maintaining the local, rural agricultural character are
attainable.
Lease Extension
When the lease was approved, it was written for a 5-year term beginning in 2015 with an option
for one 5-year extension. The Board report, R-15-114 and the lease both contain this language.
However, the accompanying Resolution did not include the authorization for the General
Manager to execute the extension. It is now standard practice to include Board authorization for
the General Manager to approve a second term in Board resolutions approving a grazing lease.
Since expiration of the first five-year term, the tenant has been in month-to-month holdover
status pending this Agenda Item for Board approval of the lease area expansion and authorization
of the 5-year lease extension.
FISCAL IMPACT
The District lease rate for grazing properties is calculated by multiplying the number of Animal
Unit Equivalents (AUE) grazing on the property by the total number of months grazed for the
season/year to obtain the total Animal Unit Months (AUM). The AUMs are then multiplied by
the current AUM market rate to determine the total lease fee for the year. The Fiscal Year 2021-
22 (FY22) AUM rate utilized by the District is $10.89 per AUM. The estimated additional
annual lease revenue from Mindego Ranch for the addition of the 98 - acre expansion area is as
follows:
Ranch AUM AUM Rate (2022) Annual Lease Fee*
Mindego Hill 98- acre
expansion area
145.2 $ 10.89 $1,581
*The FY22 lease fee may need to be prorated depending on when cattle are actually introduced to the new
pasture based on site conditions and available water.
R-22-28 Page 4
BOARD AND COMMITTEE REVIEW
• January 2014: The Board adopted the CEQA Mitigated Negative Declaration and
approved an amendment to the Russian Ridge Use and Management Plan. (R-14-21)
• August 2015: The Board approved selection of Bar DX Livestock as grazing tenant on
Mindego Hill Ranch. (R-15-114)
• January 2020: The Board adopted an addendum to Mindego Hill Ranch Grazing
Management Plan to add the expansion area, amend the Russian Ridge Open Space
Preserve Use and Management Plan, and amend the Mitigated Negative Declaration for
the Mindego Ranch Use and Management Plan (R-20-10, Meeting minutes)
• May 2021: The Board awarded a contract to Bar DX Livestock to install grazing
infrastructure to expand grazing to the south pasture. (R-21-62, Meeting minutes)
PUBLIC NOTICE
Public notice was provided as required by the Brown Act.
CEQA COMPLIANCE
The Project was evaluated in a Mitigated Negative Declaration and Initial Study (IS/MND),
adopted by the Board on January 22, 2014, available at:
https://www.openspace.org/sites/default/files/2013.11.25.MindegoRanchISMND.pdf.
An Addendum to the IS/MND was adopted January 22, 2020 (R-20-10). The Addendum
addressed the infrastructure improvements included in this proposed contract and found they did
not alter any of the conclusions of the 2014 IS/MND. No significant environmental effects or a
substantial increase in the severity of previously identified significant effects will result.
NEXT STEPS
If approved, the General Manager will execute the second amendment to the Mindego Ranch
grazing lease that will add 98 acres of grazing land and extend the lease terms by five years.
Attachments
1. Resolution Authorizing the General Manager to Amend and Extend the Grazing Lease
with Bar DX Livestock (Mindego Ranch, Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve)
2. Map of South Pasture Expansion
Responsible Department Head:
Brandon Stewart, Land & Facilities Services Manager
Prepared by:
Susan Weidemann, Property Management Specialist II, Land & Facilities, Property Management
1
RESOLUTION 22-__
RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE
MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT AUTHORIZING
THE GENERAL MANAGER TO AMEND AND EXTEND THE GRAZING
LEASE WITH BAR DX LIVESTOCK (MINDEGO RANCH, RUSSIAN
RIDGE OPEN SPACE PRESERVE)
WHEREAS, the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (District) may, under the
provisions of California Public Resources Code section 5540, lease property owned by the
District; and
WHEREAS, the lease of Mindego Ranch for grazing and rangeland management
purposes is compatible with park and open space purposes, and the lease of such premises is in
the public interest; and
WHEREAS, the District wishes to amend the lease with BarDX Livestock to include a
pasture expansion area, and extend the lease on the terms as hereinafter set forth.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Board of Directors of Midpeninsula Regional Open Space
District does hereby resolve as follows:
1. The General Manager is authorized to grant an extension of the Grazing Lease on the
terms and conditions set forth in the Grazing Lease and amend the Lease to include the
98-acre south pasture expansion area. The General Manager and General Counsel are
further authorized to approve any technical revisions to the Lease, which are necessary or
appropriate to the implementation of the Lease.
2. The General Manager or designee is further authorized to sign and approve all other
documents necessary or appropriate to effectuate the purposes of the Grazing Lease.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Board of Directors of the Midpeninsula Regional
Open Space District on ______, 2022, at a regular meeting thereof, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTAIN:
ABSENT:
ATTEST: APPROVED:
Karen Holman, Secretary
Board of Directors
Zoe Kersteen-Tucker, President
Board of Directors
Attachment 1
Resolutions/2019/R-19-__DriscollLease 2
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Hilary Stevenson, General Counsel
I, the District Clerk of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, hereby certify
that the above is a true and correct copy of a resolution duly adopted by the Board of Directors
of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District by the above vote at a meeting thereof duly
held and called on the above day.
Jennifer Woodworth, District Clerk
Attachment 1
Midpeninsula Regional
Open Space District
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Attachment 2
Rev. 3/15/21
R-22-27
Meeting 22-06
February 23, 2022
AGENDA ITEM 4
AGENDA ITEM
Formation of a Lehigh Quarry Review Ad Hoc Committee
GENERAL MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION
Approve the formation of a Lehigh Quarry Review Ad Hoc Committee of the Board and
authorize the Board President to work with the General Manager to determine the best timing for
forming the committee pursuant to Board Policy 1.04, Board Committees. Consistent with other
recent Ad Hoc Committees of the Board of Directors, these meetings would be compensable.
This action would expedite formation of the Ad Hoc Committee once the right timing is
identified based on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors’ referral to County staff on the
exploration of the feasibility of the County’s purchase of the quarry and cement plant site.
SUMMARY
The Santa Clara County (County) Board of Supervisors (BOS) has directed County staff to
assess the feasibility of purchasing the Lehigh Cement Plant and Quarry (“Lehigh”) and return to
the BOS within 90 days. Lehigh Quarry, the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District’s
(District) immediate neighbor to the south of Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve,
proposed a Reclamation Plan amendment in 2019 and is currently revising that amendment. The
General Manager recommends working with the Board President to determine the best timing for
forming an Ad Hoc Committee (Committee) and to then assemble this advisory group to guide
the District’s input into the County’s acquisition assessment and clarify District goals for
potential partnerships with the County and/or other entities. The Committee would consist of
three Board members, appointed by the Board President with consent of the Board. Ad Hoc
Committees are appointed to address a specific topic and typically convene for up to one year.
DISCUSSION
In May of 2019, Lehigh Hanson, a subsidiary of Heidelberg Cement Group who operates Lehigh
Quarry, submitted a Reclamation Plan Amendment (“Rec Plan”) to the County. At that time, the
District formed an Ad Hoc committee to specifically guide the District’s response to the Rec
Plan (R-20-61). During the Ad Hoc’s tenure, the parent company, Hiedelberg Cement, sold off
all of its holding except Lehigh Quarry. The Rec Plan process has since stopped and Lehigh has
indicated that they are evaluating revising the Rec Plan with input from the District and others
(R-21-162). On January 25, 2022, the BOS, upon referral from Supervisor Joe Simitian, directed
County staff to produce a list of all violations within the last 10 years with the goal of clarifying
whether Lehigh’s violations “constitute the basis for further regulatory and/or legal action.” On
February 15, 2022, the BOS, upon referral from Supervisor Simitian, directed staff to report back
with “options for consideration relating to the potential acquisition of the Lehigh Cement Plant
R-22-27 Page 2
and Quarry property and “to consult with all relevant stakeholders and consider collaboration
with all potential partners in developing a planning process, timeline and eventually a proposal
for the property in question.” The District submitted a support letter for this assessment
(Attachment 1). In light of these recent County actions, an Ad Hoc Committee of the Board is
recommended to help steer the District’s response as a stakeholder and collaborator with the
County and others. In order to be ready to work with the Ad Hoc as soon as sufficient
information is gathered by County staff, the General Manager recommends that the Board
authorize the Board President to work with the General Manager to identify the best time to form
the Ad Hoc Committee. Formation is expected to occur some time within the next three months
and will be based on the County’s readiness to initiate discussions with the District.
Pursuant to Board Policy 1.04, Board Committees, the Lehigh Quarry Review Ad Hoc
Committee would be composed of three Board members appointed by the Board President with
the consent of the Board. This Committee would serve the purpose of reviewing and guiding the
District’s response as a stakeholder and collaborator on a potential acquisition.
FISCAL IMPACT
Formation of a new compensable Ad Hoc Committee is not expected to result in a fiscal impact.
The fiscal year budget anticipates both Committee and Board meeting attendance for Board
Directors. According to Board Policy 6.06 (Meeting Compensation, Reimbursement of
Authorized Necessary Expenses for Performance of Official Duties, and Adoption of Ethics
Training Requirements Pursuant to Government Code Section 53232 et seq. (AB1234)), the
maximum allowable total compensation per Board member is one hundred and five dollars
($105.00) per day or six hundred and thirty dollars ($630.00) per month. The Fiscal Year 2022-
23 Budget contains sufficient funds for Board compensation related to meeting attendance.
BOARD AND COMMITTEE REVIEW
This item was not previously reviewed by a Board Committee.
PUBLIC NOTICE
Public notice was provided as required by the Brown Act.
CEQA COMPLIANCE
This item is not a project subject to the California Environmental Quality Act.
NEXT STEPS
Upon approval by the Board, Committee members would be appointed by the Board President.
The General Manager or designee will schedule a kickoff meeting as soon as practicable.
Attachment:
1. Letter of Support for Lehigh Acquisition Assessment
Responsible Department Head:
Kirk Lenington, Natural Resources Manager
R-22-27 Page 3
Prepared by:
Aaron Hébert, Senior Resource Management Specialist
February 14, 2022
County of Santa Clara Board of Supervisors
70 West Hedding Street
East Wing, 10th Floor
San Jose, CA 95110
Dear Board of Supervisors,
Please accept this letter of support from the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (Midpen) for Supervisor
Simitian’s referral to County staff to assess a potential acquisition of Lehigh Cement Plant and Quarry. As
you know, Lehigh Quarry separates Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve and Rancho San Antonio County
Park (collectively “Rancho”) and Monte Bello Open Space Preserve. Rancho is our most beloved preserve and park
with over 800,000 visitors annually. And yet, these regionally important open spaces, which have been vital to
public health during the pandemic, are next to a quarry and cement plant that has a long and unfortunate history of
environmental degradation, including impacts to air quality, water quality, wildlife habitat, and scenic values for
which the 1972 Ridgeline Easement serves to protect and is now being carefully monitored by Midpen on behalf of
the County. We agree with Supervisor Simitian that “now is the time to envision and consider other possibilities
which are both in the public interest and fair to the property owner,” particularly as Lehigh is considering modifying
the 2019 Reclamation Plan amendment.
Midpen’s mission is to “acquire and preserve a regional greenbelt of open space land in perpetuity, protect and
restore the natural environment, and provide opportunities for ecologically sensitive public enjoyment and
education.” This mission requires a vision into perpetuity. For that reason, Midpen has been engaged in every
iteration of the Reclamation Plan and given input on behalf of the environment and the public to ensure the quarry is
reclaimed in a way that leaves the public with a site that is suitable for potential future beneficial uses that are
compatible with Midpen’s mission. In particular, Midpen has supported a reclamation of the site that facilitates
wildlife habitat, including corridors between open spaces, the restoration of Permanente Creek, preservation of
native plants, improved wildfire resiliency, protection of scenic resources, and opportunities for ecologically
sensitive public access. While the question of how the site should best be reclaimed requires further work, what is
certain is that the quarry will ultimately be reclaimed, and we believe now is the appropriate time to bring together a
vision for all stakeholders that supports this outcome sooner rather than later.
Midpen hopes to provide our expertise and input into this process as appropriate. Midpen thanks the County and
Supervisor Simitian for this proactive approach and for your continued leadership.
Ana Ruiz
General Manager
cc: Midpen Board of Directors
Attachment 1
Rev. 3/15/21
R-22-25
Meeting 22-26
February 23, 2022
AGENDA ITEM 5
AGENDA ITEM
Grant Award to the University of California for Forest Health and Resiliency Services
GENERAL MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION
Authorize the General Manager to award a $173,000 grant that spans over 5 years to the
University of California, Berkeley to coordinate annual Sudden Oak Death Blitz events and
provide forest health and resiliency peer-review services.
SUMMARY
Sudden Oak Death (SOD) is a forest disease that is quickly killing many oak species throughout
Northern California. Researchers have discovered how the pathogen (Phytophthora ramorum)
that caused SOD arrived in the states and studied several treatment options to protect native oak
trees. Dr. Matteo Garbelotto, the co-discoverer of P. ramorum and the Forest Pathology
Specialist for the entire University of California system, is actively working with local
communities to educate property owners, arborists, and the general public on preventive
measures that slow the disease and methods for protecting oak trees. The General Manager
recommends awarding a grant to the University of California, of Berkeley, CA to coordinate the
annual Sudden Oak Death Blitz and provide forest health and resiliency peer-review services in
the amount of $173,000 over 5 years. There are sufficient funds in the FY22 Budget to cover the
cost of the recommendation through the end of the fiscal year. Funds for future fiscal year
budgets would be proposed as a part of the annual Budget and Action Plan process.
DISCUSSION
Tanoak and several oak species in California, including those found on Midpeninsula Regional
Open Space District (District) lands, are threatened by a serious exotic disease, SOD.
Researchers have found SOD in the wildlands of 14 coastal California counties, from Monterey
to Humboldt. The District lies entirely within the federal quarantine area for SOD (Attachment
1). While patchy in distribution, with each passing year, the swath of infection continues to
become more contiguous. Symptomatic California bay tree leaves are often the first sign that
SOD has arrived at a location, and generally precedes surrounding oak infections. Management
options (i.e., sanitation, chemical preventative treatments, bay removal) are effective only if
implemented before oaks and tanoaks are infected. Early detection of the disease is critical to
slow down the SOD epidemic.
SOD-blitzes inform and educate the community about SOD, get local community members
involved in detecting the disease, and produce detailed local maps of disease distribution. From
2005 through 2018, SOD-blitz events have tested 1,905 samples in and around District lands.
R-22-25 Page 2
SOD Status On District Land Within 0.25 Miles Grand Total
Negative 403 622 1025
Positive 455 425 880
Total 858 1047 1905
The District uses these local maps to: 1) identify those areas where the infestation may be mild
enough to justify proactive management and 2) as one criterion for determining the location and
prioritization of fuel reduction work under the Wildland Fire Resiliency Program. The District
has also used the data in successful grant applications to secure outside funding that supports
multiple goals, including control of SOD, such as for the Los Gatos Creek Watershed
Collaborative Forest Health Grant Project (https://www.lgwatershedhealth.com/) and through the
State Coastal Commission’s Early Action Grant Program.
Principal Investigator
Dr. Matteo Garbelotto is an Adjunct Professor in Environmental Sciences at the University of
California, Berkeley, and the Forest Pathology Specialist for the entire University of California
system. He began his teaching and research career at Berkeley in 1996. Today, he is the head
of the Forest Pathology and Mycology Lab, which he established in 2001 and where he
supervises over 20 researchers and lab technicians. Dr. Garbelotto leads research in areas of
interest to the District, including:
• EXOTIC FOREST DISEASES: Uncovering the mechanisms behind invasions by exotic
forest pathogens, and use of molecular tools to understand their biology, ecology, and
epidemiology.
• FUNGAL ECOLOGY: Use of beneficial and pathogenic fungi as model systems to
understand issues of isolation by distance, island biogeography and community structure
in relations to habitat size and age.
• BIODIVERSITY and ALL TAXA INVENTORIES: Describing biodiversity and
conservation of natural resources. Use of population genetics and phylogeographic
studies to highlight how genetic diversity is structured (and ought to be maintained)
within species.
• MOLECULAR DIAGNOSTICS, GENOMICS: Testing the efficacy, sensitivity and
reliability of new diagnostic tools for the detection and study of forest diseases.
• MANAGEMENT OF FOREST DISEASES: Efficacy and longevity of direct chemical
controls on forest diseases, with an emphasis on phosphonates because of their absence of
environmental side effects. Also, understanding how horticultural (e.g., pruning,
composting) and silvicultural (e.g., thinning) approaches may affect the epidemiology
and impact of forest diseases and detecting possible natural resistance or tolerance to
Sudden Oak Deaths in oaks, tanoaks and California bay laurel.
• NATIVE FOREST DISEASES and INTERACTIONS WITH INSECTS: The
relationships between the airspora and infection by root rot organisms, on the effects of
stump creation on root rots and on the role played by insects in vectoring vascular
diseases such as blackstain root disease.
Scope of Work
Under the proposed grant, the Forest Pathology and Mycology Laboratory would prepare,
coordinate, and train participants in community SOD Blitz events. The Forest Pathology and
Mycology Laboratory holds approximately 30 events each year, of which three are held within
the District’s boundary (past events were hosted in Woodside, Saratoga Summit, and Montalvo
R-22-25 Page 3
Arts Center). As part of these events, collected plant material 1 would be tested for the presence
of the pathogen and results shared with the District via a written report and with the general
public through their website at https://nature.berkeley.edu/matteolab/?page_id=6406. The SOD
Blitz events are funded by the US Forest Service, State and Private Forestry, PG&E Foundation,
and the National Science Foundation. Leveraging this funding, the District has been previously
funding SOD Blitz events since 2017.
At the February 9, 2022, Board meeting, staff discussed a recent local study that identified the
presence of two fungal species associated with significant Bay Area-wide acacia mortality,
including on San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) watershed lands. During a
May 2021 inventory of the Irish Ridge are of Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve,
mortality and decline of trees was observed. The cause of this mortality remains undetermined;
however, there is the potential for these fungal pathogens to occur at this site. Thus, and in
addition to coordinating the SOD blitzes, Dr. Garbelotto is uniquely qualified to assist the
District in reviewing management plans (especially restoration plans such as at Irish Ridge) and
recommending forest health and resiliency Best Management Practices.
FISCAL IMPACT
The award of grant to the University of California, Berkeley, includes $165,500 to coordinate
five annual Sudden Oak Death Blitz events and $7,500 to provide forest health and resiliency
peer-review services for a total amount of $173,000 over 5 years. There are sufficient funds in
the FY22 Budget to cover the cost of the recommendation through the end of the fiscal year.
Funds for future fiscal year budgets will be proposed as a part of the annual Budget and Action
Plan process.
The recommended action is not funded by Measure AA.
BOARD AND COMMITTEE REVIEW
Sudden Oak Death 10-Year Update
In February of 2016, staff presented to the Board of Directors the actions taken over the past ten
years regarding SOD in the preserves and new information regarding related diseases. The
Board authorize the General Manager to pursue additional SOD and related research and
management responses (R-16-06, Minutes).
Wildland Fire Program
In May of 2021, the Board of Directors adopted a resolution certifying the Final Program
Environmental Impact Report, adopted Findings of Fact, a Statement of Overriding
Considerations, a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program, and adopted the Wildland Fire
Resiliency Program (R-21-58, Minutes).
Award of Contract with Vollmar Natural Land Consulting for the Preparation of Habitat
Restoration Plans for the Irish Ridge Area of Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve
On February 9, 2022, the Board authorized the General Manager to enter into a contract
with Vollmar Natural Lands Consulting to provide ecological surveys, analysis, planning, and
1 Due to the federal quarantine and associated regulations (7 CFR 301.92 - 301.92-12), the Forest Pathology and
Mycology Laboratory must destroy all collected plant material after testing.
R-22-25 Page 4
permitting assistance for land restoration work at Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space
Preserve (R-22-17, draft minutes).
PUBLIC NOTICE
Public notice was provided as required by the Brown Act.
CEQA COMPLIANCE
The District concludes that SOD surveys and reporting is categorically exempt from the
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under Article 19, Sections 15306:
Section 15306 exempts basic data collection, research, experimental management, and
resource evaluation activities which do not result in a serious or major disturbance to an
environmental resource. These may be strictly for information gathering purposes, or as
part of a study leading to an action which a public agency has not yet approved, adopted,
or funded.
NEXT STEPS
Following Board approval, the General Manager would direct staff to enter into a funding
agreement with the University of California to coordinate the annual SOD Blitz and provide for
forest health and resiliency peer-review services in support of the District’s mission to protect
and restore the natural environment.
Attachment
1. Federal Quarantine Status Map
Responsible Department Head:
Kirk Lenington, Natural Resources Department
Prepared by:
Coty Sifuentes-Winter, Senior Resource Management Specialist, Natural Resources
Graphics prepared by:
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, United States Department of Agriculture
Attachment 1
Rev. 3/15/21
R-22-24
Meeting 22-06
February 23, 2022
AGENDA ITEM 6
AGENDA ITEM
Disposition of the Quam House and Accessory Structures
GENERAL MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION
Retain the Quam residential structure for rental use and complete driveway repairs and culvert
replacements, as specified by Waterways Consulting Inc., and minor structure repairs and
cleanup at a total cost of no more than $350,000. However, if refined costs or bids come in above
this cost, authorize the General Manager to demolish the Quam residence and accessory
structures and perform site remediation for an estimated cost of $400,000.
SUMMARY
On November 1, 2018, the prior tenants vacated the former Quam residence located at Russian
Ridge Open Space Preserve. The residence has remained vacant for the past three years due to
poor access conditions of the approximately mile long driveway, making travel unsafe during
inclement weather. Given long-term maintenance and repair costs to retain the residence, the
Board of Directors (Board) directed staff to evaluate disposition alternatives and costs and
present these to the Board to arrive at a long-term disposition decision. Staff evaluated two long-
term options for Board consideration. Based on the cost-benefit analysis, if repair costs come in
below $350,000, the General Manager recommends retaining and repairing the residence for
rental use. However, if permitting discussions with San Mateo County elevate these costs or
bids come in above this amount, the General Manager seeks authority to instead move forward
with demolition of the structures and reseeding the area with native seed.
BACKGROUND
Property Description
The former Quam residential site includes a single-family house constructed in 1977 (45 years
old). The residence is less than 50 years old and not deemed historic. The residential area is
comprised of several other structures and facilities (See Attachment 2):
• 960 square foot house with one bedroom, two bathrooms
• Four stall horse stable
• Two car garage with office room and half bath
• Large storage barn
• Garden structure and storage shed with 1/8-acre fenced area
• Wood storage lean-to structure
R-22-24 Page 2
• An extensive driveway that is over a mile and half from Skyline Boulevard (8,233 feet);
the first section serves several private residences and a complex of three District
residences; the last 3,545 feet only serves this residence.
Rental History and Driveway Condition
The house was leased to a general public tenant until November of 2018. After the tenant
vacated the property, staff determined that the driveway to the residence required significant
maintenance repairs prior to selecting a new tenant. The driveway serving the Quam residence is
approximately 3,545 linear feet further into the preserve from the Bergman residential compound
and has experienced failures in past years. The driveway is the only vehicle accessible route in or
out of the property and does not serve any other property management need. If and when needed,
the driveway can provide seasonal patrol and fire access to this area of the preserve if maintained
at a rural road standard and can provide year-round access if maintained at a residential road
standard. There are no plans to extend or connect this driveway to an additional outlet, route, or
destination.
Rental Income Potential
Staff estimate the potential income from the property to be $2,000 per month at gross market
rate. The house could serve as an employee housing unit (25% percent discount from market)
depending on employee interest or as general public housing (market rate). Due to its remote
location, the residence would not be considered a good candidate for employees providing
services (e.g., public safety emergency or maintenance staff call outs). District staff have
previously expressed interest in this house as a potential housing opportunity; however, interest
may change and may not always result in an employee entering into a lease.
Required Driveway Improvements
In March 2019, staff retained Waterways Consulting Inc., to prepare construction documents for
improvements to the entire driveway beginning at Skyline Boulevard and terminating at the
Quam residence. The construction documents divided the project into two sections: north and
south. The north section stretches from Skyline Boulevard to the Bergman Residences; the south
section extends from the Bergman residence to the Quam residence. Improvements identified are
typical of ranch roads and include culvert replacement, grading, and road surfacing (rocking).
The south section scope of work, from Bergman to Quam, was estimated to cost $204,216 in
2019 (equivalent to $260,000 in 2023 costs). If the residence is retained, these driveway repairs
will be necessary to maintain year-round residential access.
Due to staff turnover, the onset of COVID-19, and early pandemic uncertainty regarding future
budget constraints, the entire driveway improvement project was temporarily deferred until
2021. On October 23, 2021, the Board approved a contract to complete driveway improvements
from Skyline Boulevard to the Bergman property (R-21-134). This work is currently underway.
As part of prior action plan reviews, the Board directed staff to return with disposition options
and costs for the Quam residence to guide future next steps for this site, including whether to
proceed with driveway improvements for the lower section.
DISCUSSION
Disposition Options
Board policy 4.02 Improvements on District Lands provides for five categories of infrastructure
on District lands:
R-22-24 Page 3
1. Site protection, management, and stewardship
2. Public utilization
3. Contributes to the character of the site
4. Agricultural or other special uses
5. Income sources
The Quam residence falls into two of these categories: #1 as a potential employee residence and
#5 as an income source. Therefore, its viability can be evaluated by comparing potential revenue
over the next 25 years as general employee housing to the cost of maintaining the driveway and
residence versus the cost of demolition and no revenue.
Board policy 4.09 Factors to Consider for Disposition of Structures provides a series of
decision-making factors to consider for the disposition of structures. An evaluation of each factor
relative to this residence is included below followed by a description of the disposition options.
Factors to Consider for Structures: Evaluation/Conclusion
A. Board-Adopted District Policies Per Basic Policy, rental residences may be
allowed when it does not utilize significant areas
of natural land, does not unduly impact natural or
aesthetic resources, does not unreasonably restrict
public access, and provides benefits or income to
the District.
B. Compatibility with Open Space
Character of the Site
Minimal Impact - May detract from natural
surroundings but is not visible from most vantage
points.
C. Historic and Educational Value None - structures are not historic and do not
provide interpretive or educational value.
D. Partnership Opportunities /
Cooperation
None
E. Potential Financial Cost, Including
Liability and Management
See further below
F. Proposed and Potential Uses Residential employee or public rental
G. Public Sentiment and Input None - no public input has been received and
staff is not aware of any strong public interest.
H. Regional Important or Value None
I. Strategic Fit Minimal: nine (9) District-owned residences that
are in good condition already exist within three
miles of the site; may provide general District
employee housing to aid in future employee
recruitment and retention.
J. Tradeoffs and Impacts on District
Resources
Cost benefit analysis and tradeoffs is discussed
further below in the report.
K. Visitor Experience None
L. Condition of the Structure The structures are in good condition; the
driveway is in poor condition.
Based on the evaluation above, the primary factors for consideration for this structure are (1) the
financial costs, (2) the tradeoffs and impacts on District resources, (3) potential revenue, and (4)
use as general employee housing to support recruitment and retention.
R-22-24 Page 4
Option 1: Retain the Quam Residence; Repair Driveway and Residence
The construction documents prepared by Waterways Consulting Inc., can be used to prepare a
Request for Bids from qualified road/driveway construction contractors. Using the State
Department of General Services California Construction Index and annual escalation costs, the
driveway repairs are estimated to cost $260,000 using 2023 dollars. Staff anticipate an
additional $20,000 to complete minor structure repairs and cleanup of the residence buildings,
plus $10,000 in overall permit fees. To account for other potential hidden costs, a 15%
contingency is added ($43,500), for a total project cost of $333,500. Project permitting can be
initiated as early as this spring to allow construction in Summer 2023.
Permitting Uncertainty
At this time, it is uncertain what permit conditions may be placed on the driveway to
complete the repairs. If permits trigger fire vehicle turn-arounds and turn-outs, the cost of the
driveway repair could substantially increase.
Option 2: Remove the Quam Structures
Under this option, staff would proceed directly with the removal of all existing structures and
reseed the site to match the surrounding open space environment (See Attachment 2).
Based upon the recent Bergman Demolition project, staff estimates the total cost of removal to
be $300,000 to $400,000; costs reflect the long access driveway that remains in poor condition to
bring in equipment and off-haul the materials.
Cost-Benefit Analysis for Each Option
The following table estimates the 25-year costs and revenues for maintaining the residence.
Demolition costs were based on the cost of the nearby Bergman demolition contract (~$91,000 at
about one-quarter (¼) the size, located closer to Skyline Boulevard, and excludes a well
decommissioning). The high end of the estimated range is used for comparison.
Costs for structure repairs and cleanup are based on an average $5,000 a year for a typical
District residence. Structure maintenance includes plumbing repairs, HVAC service, sewer/septic
system maintenance, chimney sweeping, rodent control, and well and water system testing.
Although the Quam residence is currently in good working order, future capital repair and
replacement projects, such as roof replacement (~$25,000), appliance replacement, such as
HVAC and water heater (~$7,500), and window replacement (~4,000) will need to be budgeted
as part of ongoing operational costs. The estimated total capital cost for the Quam House over
the next 25 years is $36,500. The total cost for structure upkeep over 25 years is $161,500. This
does not include administrative staff time to manage or marginal cost to insure the property.
Driveway repair costs are based on an engineer’s estimate with a cost escalation to 2023.
Ongoing driveway maintenance for year-round residential access is based on $5,000 a year for
grading and rock, and $1,000 a year in staff time for regular checks and cleaning of culverts,
removing sluffed earth from road edges caused by winter storm events, and tree clearing. If the
structures are demolished the driveway will be left in place as a seasonal access road but will not
be a priority for maintenance, so the ongoing cost would just be $1,000/year, with the
understanding that if there is significant damage to the road it will likely not be repaired. An
initial investment ($20,000 in crew time) to install larger drainage swales that are typical of non-
residential preserve roads would be completed to reduce future maintenance needs.
R-22-24 Page 5
Rental revenue is based on $1,500 per month at a 25% employee discount off the estimated
$2,000 per month market rate, assuming an estimated 5% vacancy. All figures are expressed in
2023 dollars for comparison purposes. While ongoing residential/driveway maintenance will
increase over time, the rental income will also increase over time. Over 25 years, an additional
$142,500 of revenue could be generated if the residence was rented to the public at full market.
Per Board policy, employees are initially given preference over the general public; renting this
residence to the public would be a secondary option if there was no employee interest.
The Cost-Benefit Analysis table below indicates that the residence would operate at a loss to the
District over a 25-year time frame but would be less expensive than demolition when offset by
rental revenue, assuming the repair costs come in as estimated.
Cost-Benefit Analysis
Option 1 Repair Road1 Option 2 Demolition1
Demolition and Grading ($400,000)
Driveway and Structure Repairs ($333,500)
25 Years of Structures Maintenance ($161,500)
25 Years of Driveway Maintenance ($150,000) ($45,000)2
25 Years of Rental Revenue
(assumes as employee housing at
75% of market rate)
$427,500
Total 25 Year Cost or Revenue ($217,500) ($445,000)
1.All costs in 2023 dollars no escalation is included for rent or ongoing costs
2.Estimated cost to maintain marginally as a seasonal road – note that this is for an operational cost not associated with the residence
Natural Resources Considerations
Natural Resources staff evaluated the site to determine if there were natural resource benefits that
could be gained from the removal of structures and cessation of daily residential use of the
driveway. Staff noted purple star thistle currently exists along the driveway, therefore measures
should be taken to avoid spread of this invasive species. Continued use of the road and
residential area could increase risk of invasive species and pathogen introduction and spread.
There are historical occurrences of San Francisco Garter Snake (SFGS) nearby at Rapley Ranch
and an unconfirmed sighting at the Bergman residential complex. Natural Resources staff
describe the area as having ‘low potential’ for SFGS to be encountered. Nonetheless, resource
management training for any tenant should be provided if the residence is retained. Repair work
would follow protective SFGS/California red-legged frog provisions. Staff conducted
preliminary bat surveys and found low potential for bat use if the property does not stay vacant
much longer. Badger and burrowing owl are present in the area; however, continued residential
use would not impact these species unless new development occurs.
Housing Program Considerations
Neither retaining nor removing the Quam Residence would significantly impact the District’s
Housing Program. Currently, 50% of all District housing is located on Skyline Boulevard from
Highway 9 to Highway 92 – a total of 17 units. Of these units, eight house District staff that
provide services, and two house staff that do not provide services. Moreover, nine housing units
are located within three miles of the Quam Residence.
R-22-24 Page 6
Recommendation: Retain and repair if costs are under $350,000, otherwise authorize removal
The General Manager recommends retaining the Quam residence for rental use and completing
the necessary driveway repairs and culvert replacements and minor structure repairs and cleanup
at a total cost of no more than $350,000. However, if refined costs or bids come in above this
cost, such as due to the addition of costly County permitting requirements, the General Manager
seeks Board authorization to pivot and instead demolish the Quam residence and accessory
structures and perform site remediation for an estimated cost of $400,000.
FISCAL IMPACT
The FY22 adopted budget includes $207,000 for the 61026 - Quam Residence Road Repair
project. If the Board authorizes retaining and repairing the structure and driveway, the work will
likely take place in FY22 and FY23. There are sufficient funds in the adopted FY22 Budget for
anticipated expenditures in FY22 for option 1. Funds for future fiscal years will be recommended
in future fiscal year budgets as a part of the annual Budget and Action Plan process.
61026 - Quam Residence Road Repair FY22
Projected
FY23
Projected
FY24
Projected
Estimated
Future
Years
TOTAL
Option 1: Repair Driveway and Residence $48,500 $285,000 $0 $0 $333,500
Option 2: Remove Existing Structures and
Restore Site $0 $400,000 $0 $0 $400,000
The recommended action is not funded by Measure AA.
BOARD AND COMMITTEE REVIEW
There was no prior Board or committee review of this item.
PUBLIC NOTICE
Public notice was provided as required by the Brown Act.
CEQA COMPLIANCE
Review of the disposition options is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA). An appropriate level of CEQA review will be conducted following the selection of an
option by the Board and before the option is implemented.
NEXT STEPS
If approved, the General Manager will direct staff to proceed with repairs and remain informed
as to the future refined costs to confirm the direction.
Attachments
1. Quam Driveway
2. Quam Residence
3. Site photos
Responsible Department Head:
R-22-24 Page 7
Brandon Stewart, Land and Facilities Manager
Prepared by and contact person:
Omar Smith III, Senior Property Management Specialist, Land and Facilities
Midpeninsula Regional
Open Space District
(MROSD)
10/15/2021
0 0.20.1
miI
While the District strives to use the best available digital data, these data do not represent a legal survey and are merely a graphic illustration of geographic features.
Attachment 1: Quam Driveway
Building
Present
Trail (classes)
Unpaved All-Season Road
Unpaved Seasonal Road
Trail
Abandoned / Unmaintained Road
Preserve Boundary (fill)
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Attachment 1
Attachment 2
Site Photos
Site Exterior
Site Exterior
Attachment 3
Site Interior
Site Road Condition
Attachment 3
Rev. 3/15/21
R-22-23
Meeting 22-06
February 23, 2022
AGENDA ITEM 7
AGENDA ITEM
Disposition of the Smith House and Smith Barn
GENERAL MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION
Approve the demolition of the Smith House and Barn at a cost of approximately $250,000 and
the associated Comprehensive Use and Management Plan Amendment that reflects this decision
due to the deteriorated condition of the buildings and other factors as detailed in the staff report.
SUMMARY
In November 1989, the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (District) purchased the
former Smith Property as an addition to Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve. The purchase
included the Smith House and Smith Barn. The Smith House, which has been vacant since
January 2021, is in marginal condition and requires significant improvements and investments to
make habitable again. The poor condition of the house is due to the extended tenancy of one
family since 1993, the exposure to extreme weather conditions given its location on top of a
ridge, and the fact that during the last year of tenancy, the tenant refused access to the District to
fix maintenance issues. The private driveway/road leading to the Smith House also requires
significant improvements. The nearby Smith Barn is also in a dilapidated state. For these
reasons, the General Manager recommends removal of the Smith House and Smith Barn. If
approved, demolition work would begin next fiscal year with funds added to the proposed Fiscal
Year 2022-23 (FY23) Budget.
BACKGROUND
On November 1, 1989 (R-89-155), the District approved the purchase of the 48.66-acre former
Smith Property as a ridgetop parcel addition to Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve. This
property is located at 105 Rapley Ranch Road adjacent to Mount Melville. With the purchase
came a 5-bedroom house (Smith House) located at the summit and a defunct wooden barn
(Smith Barn) located on the northern end of the property. See Attachment 1 for site maps.
The knoll where the Smith House is located offers panoramic views of the Bay Area in all
directions, including the Pacific Ocean, San Francisco and Oakland, and the South Bay. Given
its prominent setting, the house is also highly visible from other locations in the preserve and
beyond, including from preserve trails. Public trail access via a segment of the Ridge Trail
extends below the house and next to the barn; the public trail uses the lower/northern end of the
driveway before it veers separately to the south. There is no public access to the house site, and
no developed access to the summit of Mount Melville.
R-22-23 Page 2
Smith House
The Smith House is a 5-bedroom, 2,700 square foot house located at 105 Rapley Ranch Road.
The residence was constructed in 1977 and does not meet the 50-year threshold for historic
significance. The Smith House was continuously leased for 27 years to a member of the public
until December 31, 2020. The house requires an abundance of deferred maintenance repairs to
prepare the residence for new tenants, including repairs/replacement of the roof, siding,
windows, doors, floors, and painting. The estimated repair cost is approximately $400,000.
Smith Barn
The Smith Barn is a 1,300 square foot wood barn that is used by the District for interim storage
of old agricultural equipment that the District has inherited as part of land purchases. If
approved for demolition, the farm implements will be relocated to other District storage
buildings. In January 2022, LSA Associates, Inc., conducted a cultural resource assessment of
the barn (Attachment 2) and concluded that the structure is approximately 30 years old due to its
contemporary design and conventional building materials. Based on these facts, the structure
does not qualify as an historical resource for the purposes of CEQA. The barn is in a dilapidated
condition and would require approximately $150,000 to $200,000 of improvements and
stabilization repairs to meet current codes and retain for ongoing use.
DISCUSSION
As part of the District’s on-going effort to effectively manage site improvement that are inherited
as part of open space land purchases, such as buildings, barns, and utility structures, staff have
evaluated disposition options and costs for the Smith House and Smith Barn based on their
current condition. Board Policy 4.09, Factors to Consider for Structures Disposition, provides a
series of decision-making factors to consider for the disposition of structures. An evaluation of
each factor relative to the Smith structures is included below followed by a description of the
disposition options.
Factors to Consider for Structures: Evaluation / Conclusion
A. Board-Adopted District Policies Per Basic Policy, rental residences may be
allowed when it does not utilize significant areas
of natural land, does not unduly impact natural or
aesthetic resources, does not unreasonably restrict
public access, and provides benefits or income to
the District. The cost-benefit analysis and other
factors indicate demolition is a viable option.
B. Compatibility with Open Space
Character of the Site
Poor: house structure sits in a prominent
viewshed and is visible from surrounding open
space lands and trails.
C. Historic and Educational Value None: structures are not historic and do not
provide interpretive or educational value.
D. Partnership Opportunities /
Cooperation
None
E. Potential Financial Cost, Including
Liability and Management
See details below
F. Proposed and Potential Uses House, if repaired, can continue to be used as a
tenant residence; barn, if repaired, can continue to
be used for storage.
R-22-23 Page 3
Factors to Consider for Structures: Evaluation / Conclusion
G. Public Sentiment and Input None: no public input has been received and staff
is not aware of any strong public attachment.
H. Regional Important or Value None
I. Strategic Fit Minimal: nine (9) District-owned residences that
are in good condition already exist within three
miles of the site; may provide general District
employee housing to aid in future employee
recruitment and retention.
J. Tradeoffs and Impacts on District
Resources
Cost benefit analysis and tradeoffs is discussed
further below in the report.
K. Visitor Experience Prominent location on a ridgetop detracts from
the visitor experience; presence also impedes
opportunity to consider opening summit to public
access.
L. Condition of the Structure Currently uninhabitable given deteriorated
condition. The barn is also in poor condition,
with signs of major exterior wear.
Disposition Options
Option 1: Retain and Repair the Smith House and Barn ($806,000 total cost)
To make the Smith House habitable for rental, staff estimates the total cost at approximately
$400,000 to repair the roof and siding, replace flooring and windows, remodel the kitchen, new
interior and exterior paint, and other improvements. The barn is estimated to require
approximately $200,000 in repairs and stabilization work to retain for ongoing use. Costs for the
house and barn exclude staff resources to manage the repairs. The driveway (0.7 miles) leading
from the barn to the house received $25,000 in deferred maintenance repairs in January 2017;
staff estimates an additional $206,000 is needed for a full repair to provide year-round residential
access. Driveway repair costs would go up if San Mateo County permits require additional
unanticipated upgrades (e.g., widening, pull-outs). Based on financial records of the last ten
years, the recorded rental income since 2012 from the Smith House was $333,238.
Option 2: Remove the Smith House
Demolition of the Smith House would include the removal of all structures; removal or
abandonment of the septic system; and minor grading work and use of native seed to stabilize the
area. Staff estimates the cost of removing the Smith House and Smith Barn to be $250,000 based
on recently completed similar projects.
Cost-Benefit Analysis for Each Option
The following table compares the net cost for each option. If major capital repairs are made to
the house, then the anticipated ongoing maintenance cost will be lower than the previous history
of $165,203 over 10 years at more than $16,500/year. Due to the larger size of the Smith house,
the anticipated routine upkeep is $6,000/year ($5,000/year for a typical District residence), or
$150,000 over 25 years, plus another $55,000 for one-time major capital repairs, for a total of
$205,000 expected over 25 years. Structure maintenance includes plumbing repairs, HVAC
service, sewer/septic system maintenance, chimney sweeping, rodent control, and well and water
system testing. Appliances will also need to be replaced. Painting, and window and roof repairs
R-22-23 Page 4
are expected to occur more frequently due to the known exposed location of the residence. This
does not include administrative staff time to manage or the marginal cost to insure the property.
If the structure is retained, it would not be needed as a serviced-based employee residence for
emergency call outs given eight other nearby service-based employee residences. Therefore, per
Board Policy 4.11, it would be offered to a general employee. The estimated rental revenue is
based on $2,801 per month at a 25% discount off the $3,734 market rate and assumes a 5%
vacancy rate. All figures are expressed in 2023 dollars for comparison purposes. While ongoing
residential/driveway maintenance would increase over time, the rental income would also
increase over time.
Cost Items Retain and
Restore
Residence and
Driveway
Remove
Residence1
(General Manager
Recommendation)
Retain and
Restore Barn
Remove Barn1
(General Manager
Recommendation)
Structure
Demolition and
Grading
($150,000) ($100,000)
Structure Repair ($400,000) ($200,000)
Driveway Repair ($206,000)5
25 Years
of Residence
Maintenance
($205,000)
25 Years of
Driveway
Maintenance
($50,000)2 ($20,000)3
Rental revenue for
25 years (at 25%
market discount)4
$798,285
Total 25 Year
Cost or Revenue
($62,715) ($170,000) ($200,000) ($100,000)
1. All costs are in 2023 dollars
2. Estimated cost to maintain all season road to serve the residence.
3. Estimated cost to maintain as a seasonal patrol access road and trail.
4. 2021/2022 full market rate is $3,734/month. Per Board policy 4.11 Housing Policy, general employee housing may be
subject to rental discounts of up to 25% off market rate. This discount is based on the value of recruitment and retention of
employees in the Bay Area housing market.
5. The cost of the driveway repair is an estimate for construction and county grading permit requirements.
Natural Resources and Public Access Considerations
Removing the non-historic, deteriorated structures and returning the site to its natural state would
enhance habitat by eliminating potential wildlife entrapment hazards and restoring a developed
area to natural habitat. The summit offers spectacular 360-degree views of the Bay Area and is a
part of the prominent greenbelt of Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve. The driveway provides a
readymade trail connection to consider opening in the future for public access as an extension of
the Bay Area Ridge Trail to Mount Melville. Visitors prize access to scenic hill tops as
destinations for a hike or bike ride as demonstrated by the popularity of nearby Borel Hill and
Windy Hill. The proposed action to remove the house and barn is consistent with the District’s
R-22-23 Page 5
mission to restore the natural environment and provide opportunities for ecologically sensitive
public enjoyment and education.
Housing Program Considerations
Removal of the Smith House would not impact District housing along Skyline Boulevard.
Currently, 50% of all District housing is located on Skyline Boulevard from Highway 9 to
Highway 92 – a total of 17 units. Of these units, eight house District staff that provide services,
and two house staff that do not provide services. Moreover, nine housing units are located
within three miles of the Smith House.
Recommendation: Demolition of the Smith House and Smith Barn
The General Manager recommends the removal of the Smith House and Smith Barn, as they are
not historically significant, are located on a highly prominent and visible ridge that detract from
the surrounding open space and natural environment and the visitor experience of the preserve,
are in poor condition, and require significant investments to repair and maintain. Also, given the
presence of nine other District housing structures in the area, there already exists sufficient onsite
District presence (eyes and ears to monitor lands during off hours/presence to service on-call
needs) within the Skyline area. If approved, the footprints of the removed structures would be
returned to a more natural state using native seed.
COMPREHENSIVE USE AND MANAGEMENT PLAN AMENDMENT
A Preliminary Use and Management Plan (PUMP) was approved by the Board when the
property was first purchased (R-90-06). The PUMP established that the Smith property would
be withheld from dedication and public use, with the recommendation that the homesite be
marketed as a long-term or life interest for both the home and barn. The PUMP took effect at the
close of escrow and remained effective until a subsequent Comprehensive Use and Management
(U&M) Plan was approved on June 6, 1991 (R-91-69). The Comprehensive U&M Plan specified
continued use of the residence and barn as a long-term lease. If the Board approves the removal
of the Smith House and Barn, the following amendment to the Comprehensive U&M Plan is
required (deletions are shown in strikeout, additions are shown in underline).
Structures:
Staff will continue to seek a long term lease arrangement for the former
Smith house. Conditions for screening the house with native vegetation
from view of the adjacent preserve areas and adjacent neighbors will
be included in the lease. Contract for demolition of the Smith residence
and barn; revegetate site using native seed.
FISCAL IMPACT
If approved, the proposed demolition work would take place in FY23 with funding included in
the upcoming budget. The table below shows a comparison of costs for Driveway and Structure
Repair and Structure Demolition and Grading:
Structure Disposition
35010
FY23
Projected
FY24
Projected
Estimated
Future
Years
TOTAL
Driveway and Structures Repair $406,000 $400,000 $0 $806,000
House and Barn Demolition and Grading $250,000 $0 $0 $250,000
R-22-23 Page 6
The recommended action is not funded by Measure AA.
BOARD AND COMMITTEE REVIEW
There was no prior Board or committee review of this item.
PUBLIC NOTICE
Public notice was provided as required by the Brown Act.
CEQA COMPLIANCE
The proposed Smith demolition project is consistent with the Initial Study / Mitigated Negative
Declaration (IS/MND) for the Open Space Maintenance and Restoration Program (Program)
(SCH #2021080129) and in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
The residence was constructed in 1977 and does not meet the 50-year age threshold for historic
significance. LSA Associates, Inc., conducted a cultural resources constraints assessment of the
barn and concluded the structure appears approximately 30 years old due to its contemporary
design and conventional building materials. Based on these facts, neither structure qualifies as a
historical resource for the purposes of CEQA.
The District developed the Open Space Maintenance and Restoration Program to provide an
integrated approach for maintenance and low-impact facility improvements that applies a
consistent set of impact avoidance methods and best management practices (BMPs). The
Program includes a category of Restoration and Enhancement projects to improve or create
habitat for plant and animal species and to restore ecosystem function within District Preserves.
The Program identifies structural demolitions in sensitive areas as a form of habitat enhancement
under the Restoration and Enhancement Program category.
The Project site is located within habitat for the federally threatened California red-legged frog.
The District has also documented observations of federally endangered San Francisco Garter
Snake near the barn. Removal of the structures at 105 Rapley Ranch Road would enhance habitat
by eliminating potential wildlife entrapment hazards and restoring a developed area to natural
habitat. Other project activities, including seeding the building site with native plants and
conducting invasive pest management activities, would also contribute to habitat restoration and
enhancement.
The District determines that the demolition of the structures is consistent with the activities and
determinations established in the Program IS/MND for the Open Space Maintenance and
Restoration Program and would not result in new or more severe significant environmental
impacts, nor would the Project require additional mitigation measures.
NEXT STEPS
If the Board approves the demolition of the Smith House and Smith Barn, staff will complete the
Demolition Permit through the County of San Mateo and prepare to solicit bids to complete the
demolition and removal work in FY23.
R-22-23 Page 7
Attachments:
1. Smith Property Site Map and Site Photos
2. Smith Barn Constraints Assessment, (LSA Associates, Inc., 2022)
Responsible Department Head:
Jason Lin, Engineering and Construction Manager
Prepared by / Contact person / Graphics prepared by:
Ivana Yeung, Capital Projects Manager II, Engineering and Construction
Midpeninsula Regional
Open Space District
(MROSD)
2/9/2022
0 0.850.425
miI
While the District strives to use the best available digital data, these data do not represent a legal survey and are merely a graphic illustration of geographic features.
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Attachment 1
Smith House Exterior, South Elevation.
Smith House, North Elevation.
Attachment 1
Smith House Exterior, West Elevation.
Smith House Interior.
Attachment 1
Smith House Interior.
Attachment 1
Smith Barn Exterior, East Elevation.
Smith Barn Exterior, West Elevation.
Attachment 1
Smith Barn, Interior.
Attachment 1
CARLSBAD
FRESNO
IRVINE
LOS ANGELES
PALM SPRINGS
POINT RICHMOND
RIVERSIDE
ROSEVILLE
SAN LUIS OBISPO
157 Park Place, Pt. Richmond, California 94801 510.236.6810 www.lsa.net
January 7, 2022
Ivana Yeung, AICP
Capital Project Manager II
Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District
330 Distel Circle
Los Altos, CA 94022
Subject: Built Environment Resource Constraints Assessment for the Smith Barn, 105 Rapley
Ranch Road, Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve, La Honda, unincorporated San Mateo
County, California (LSA #: MOS2101; Task 03)
Dear Ms. Yeung:
LSA Associates, Inc. (LSA), conducted a cultural resources constraints assessment of a barn structure
(Smith Barn) at 105 Rapley Ranch Road (APN 078-210-100) in the Russian Ridge Open Space
Preserve north of the unincorporated San Mateo County community of La Honda (study area)
(Figure 1 and 2). This constraints assessment provides background information the design,
construction history, and status of the Smith Barn under national, state, and local historical resource
listings and inventories for the purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
The constraints assessment consisted of background research, including a records search, a map and
literature review, and a field review by an LSA architectural historian who meets the Secretary of the
Interior’s Professional Qualification Standards in History and Architectural History (36 CFR Part 61).
Please note that this constraints assessment does not include any eligibility evaluations (i.e.,
eligibility for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), the California Register of
Historical Resources (CRHR), or a local inventory or register of historical resources). Archaeological
and paleontological resources were not included in this constraints assessment.
Michael Hibma, M.A., AICP, prepared this Constraints Assessment. Mr. Hibma is an architectural
historian in the Point Richmond, California, office of LSA and has over 14 years of experience in
cultural resources management. Mr. Hibma holds an M.A. in History from California State University,
Sacramento; meets the Secretary of the Interior’s Professional Qualifications Standards as an
architectural historian and historian (48 CFR 44716); and is certified by the American Institute of
Certified Planners (AICP #32009).
The methods and results of these tasks are presented below.
Attachment 2
1/7/22 P:\MOS2101 MidPen Historical Resources On-Call\Task_03_Smith_Barn\Constraints_Assesment\Smith_Barn_Constraints_Assessment_(LSA_1.7.22).docx 2
BACKGROUND RESEARCH
Records Search
At the request of LSA, staff at the Northwest Information Center (NWIC) in Rohnert Park conducted
a records search (File No. 21-0899) on January 7, 2022, of the study area and a 250-foot radius to
identify built environment cultural resources. The NWIC, an affiliate of the State of California Office
of Historic Preservation, is the official State repository of cultural resource records and reports for
San Mateo County.
As part of the records search, LSA also reviewed the following state inventories for cultural
resources in and adjacent to the study area:
• California Inventory of Historic Resources1;
• Five Views: An Ethnic Historic Site Survey for California 2;
• California Points of Historical Interest3;
• California Historical Landmarks 4; and
• Built Environment Resources Directory.5
Results. The NWIC records search identified no previously evaluated resources within the study area
and a 250-foot radius.
Literature and Map Review
LSA reviewed the following maps, publications, and websites for historical information about the
study area and its vicinity:
• Mindego Hill, Calif., 7.5-minute topographic quadrangle;6
• A People’s Guide to the San Francisco Bay Area;7
1 California Department of Parks and Recreation, 1976.
2 California Office of Historic Preservation, 1988. Electronic document,
https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/5views/5views.htm, accessed various
3 California Office of Historic Preservation, 1992.
4 San Mateo County. California Office of Historic Preservation, 2021a. Electronic document,
https://ohp.parks.ca.gov/ListedResources/?view=county&criteria=41, accessed various.
5 San Mateo County. California Office of Historic Preservation, 2021b. This directory includes NRHP, CRHR
listings, California Historical Landmarks, and California Points of Historical Interest. Electronic document,
https://ohp.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=30338&fbclid=IwAR0llwakK0TWEKbwaJaRY6N64TdqxXB64bN4kJTcLB
_9ONg5Md9t2f88gLs, accessed various.
6 U.S. Geological Survey, 1955, 1961, 1968, 1973, 1980, 1991, and 1997. Electronic document,
https://livingatlas.arcgis.com/topoexplorer/index.html, accessed various.
7 Brahinsky, Rachel and Alexander Tarr. 2020. A People’s Guide to the San Francisco Bay Area. Univ. of
California Press, Berkeley
Attachment 2
1/7/22 P:\MOS2101 MidPen Historical Resources On-Call\Task_03_Smith_Barn\Constraints_Assesment\Smith_Barn_Constraints_Assessment_(LSA_1.7.22).docx 3
• An Architectural Guidebook to San Francisco and the Bay Area;8
• Architecture of the San Francisco Bay Area: A History & Guide;9
• San Francisco Architecture: The Illustrated Guide to Over 1,000 of the Best Buildings, Parks, and
Public Artworks in the Bay Area;10 and
• San Francisco Architecture: An Illustrated Guide to the Outstanding Buildings, Public Artworks,
and Parks in the Bay Area of California.11
Results. Historic-period topographic quadrangle maps indicate that the study area and vicinity was
located in a relatively undeveloped rural area. The study area is depicted containing a large,
rectangular-shaped building or structure with a small addition at the southwestern corner. This
presumably represents an earlier and original configuration of the Smith Barn. This configuration
remains intact and depicted on topographic maps through 1980 (USGS 1955, 1961, 1968, 1973,
1980). By 1991, the barn as depicted in 1955 and through 1980 is replaced with a smaller, square
shape that appears to depict the extant Smith Barn building.
A review of local and regional architectural guidebooks did not identify any notable architectural or
built environment resources within or adjacent to the study area.
FIELD SURVEY
LSA Architectural Historian Michael Hibma reviewed the exterior of the two buildings in the study
area on December 22, 2021. The purpose of the review was to characterize the building’s design,
style, and identify prior structural alterations. The field survey was documented in field notes and
photographs taken with an Olympus Stylus Tough TG-4, 16-megapixel digital camera, see attached
for several images taken during the field survey.
Results
Smith Barn. Based on its form and design, the Smith Barn building was built circa 1990 as a small,
agricultural outbuilding containing four separate commercial spaces organized around a central
courtyard. The single-story commercial building is covered with medium-pitched shed roof,
sheathed in asphalt roofing, and slopes to the west. The walls are clad in unpainted plywood
sheeting. The symmetrical, main façade has modern aluminum-framed sliders. The primary entrance
is in the center of the west-facing façade and consists of a five-panel wooden door that appears
salvaged from an older building. The interior of the building has a concrete floor that appears
relatively recent. The walls and roof framing appears relatively new and incorporates modern
8 Cerny, Susan Dinkelspiel. 2007. An Architectural Guidebook to San Francisco and the Bay Area. Gibbs-Smith,
Publisher, Layton Utah
9 Schwarzer, Mitchell. 2007. Architecture of the San Francisco Bay Area: A History & Guide. William Stout
Publishers, San Francisco, California
10 Woodbridge, Sally B., John M. Woodbridge and Chuck Byrne. 1992. San Francisco Architecture: The
Illustrated Guide to Over 1,000 of the Best Buildings, Parks, and Public Artworks in the Bay Area. Chronicle
Books, San Francisco, California
11 Woodbridge, Sally B. and et al. 2005. San Francisco Architecture: An Illustrated Guide to the Outstanding
Buildings, Public Artworks, and Parks in the Bay Area of California. Ten Speed Press, Toronto, Canada
Attachment 2
1/7/22 P:\MOS2101 MidPen Historical Resources On-Call\Task_03_Smith_Barn\Constraints_Assesment\Smith_Barn_Constraints_Assessment_(LSA_1.7.22).docx 4
materials and building techniques. The barn is used as storage space, primarily of vintage
agricultural equipment. The extant Smith Barn appears as a detached, standalone single-story wing
of a larger transverse crib-style barn, a common barn typology in California that may have
resembled the earlier barn depicted on USGS topographic quadrangle maps. The field survey shows
the extant Smith Barn is of wholly new construction and not a rehabilitated structural remnant of
the earlier and older Smith Barn destroyed by 1990.
CONCLUSION
The constraints assessment identified one built-environment cultural resource in the study area:
the Smith Barn at 105 Rapley Ranch Road. It has not been previously evaluated for eligibility for
inclusion in a national, state or local register of historical resources. Background research and a field
review indicates this building is a common secondary building type in agricultural or rural areas in
San Mateo County and statewide. This building is contemporary in design and constructed using
conventional materials and information about its design and construction methods are widely
available. This building appears approximately 30 years old and would appear to be of insufficient
age to warrant evaluation for inclusion in the California Register of Historical Resources. Based on
these facts, LSA concludes that this building does not appear to qualify as a historical resource for
the purposes of CEQA due to a lack of sufficient age, contemporary design, and use of commonly
available materials.12 Further study of this building with respect to status as a historical resource for
the purposes of CEQA is not recommended.
Sincerely,
LSA Associates, Inc.
Michael Hibma, M.A., AICP
Associate/Architectural Historian
Attachments: Figure 1: Study Location & Regional Vicinity
Figure 2: Study Area
Site Conditions – 12/22/2021
12 The California Register of Historical Resources does not stipulate a 50 year (or any specific # year or age)
threshold for evaluating historical significance. According to the California State Office of Historic
Preservation (OHP), the 50-year rule “originally comes from 36 Code of Federal Regulations 60.4 which
pertains to the National Register,” OHP guidance goes on to state, “the California Register criteria (CCR
Section 4852) state that in order for a resource to achieve significance within the past 50-years, sufficient
time must have passed to obtain a scholarly perspective on the events or individuals associated with the
resource [emphasis added].” As this project does not involve federal funding or permitting, evaluation
using the NRHP 50-year threshold is not applicable. OHP guidance:
https://ohp.parks.ca.gov/pages/1071/files/CEQA-Understanding-50year-Threshold-VI.pdf.
Attachment 2
!
Alp
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ne R d
ST35
!S a n t a C l a r a
S a n t a C l a r aC o u n t y
C o u n t y
A l a m e d a
A l a m e d aC o u n t y
C o u n t y
S a n M a t e o
S a n M a t e oC o u n t y
C o u n t y
Study Area
(Smith Barn)
Project Location
SOURCE: ESRI World Street Map (2020).
I:\MOS2101\GIS\Maps\Cultural\Figure 1_Study Location and Regional Vicinity.mxd (12/8/2021)
FIGURE 1
Smith Barn Built Environment Resource Constraints AssessmentRussian Ridge Open Space Preserve, San Mateo County, California
Study Location & Regional Vicinity
0 1000 2000
FEET
LEGEND
Attachment 2
!
SOURCE: USGS 7.5-minute Topo Quads -Mindego Hill, Calif. (1995).
I:\MOS2101\GIS\Maps\Cultural\Figure 2_Study Area.mxd (12/8/2021)
FIGURE 2
Smith Barn Built Environment Resource Constraints AssessmentRussian Ridge Open Space Preserve, San Mateo County, California
Study Area
0 500 1000
FEET
Study Area
(Smith Barn)
Attachment 2
1/7/22 P:\MOS2101 MidPen Historical Resources On-Call\Task_03_Smith_Barn\Constraints_Assesment\Smith_Barn_Constraints_Assessment_(LSA_1.7.22).docx 7
Site Conditions – 12/22/2021
LSA photographs
Attachment 2
1/7/22 P:\MOS2101 MidPen Historical Resources On-Call\Task_03_Smith_Barn\Constraints_Assesment\Smith_Barn_Constraints_Assessment_(LSA_1.7.22).docx 8
Smith Barn – east and north façades, view to the southwest. LSA photograph, 12/22/2021.
Smith Barn – south and east façades, view to the northwest. LSA photograph, 12/22/2021.
Attachment 2
1/7/22 P:\MOS2101 MidPen Historical Resources On-Call\Task_03_Smith_Barn\Constraints_Assesment\Smith_Barn_Constraints_Assessment_(LSA_1.7.22).docx 9
Smith Barn – south and west façades, view to the northeast. LSA photograph, 12/22/2021.
Smith Barn – north and west façades, view to the southeast. LSA photograph, 12/22/2021.
Attachment 2
1/7/22 P:\MOS2101 MidPen Historical Resources On-Call\Task_03_Smith_Barn\Constraints_Assesment\Smith_Barn_Constraints_Assessment_(LSA_1.7.22).docx 10
Smith Barn – west façade, primary entrance. LSA photograph, 12/22/2021.
Smith Barn – representative fenestration type, size, and style. LSA photograph, 12/22/2021.
Attachment 2
1/7/22 P:\MOS2101 MidPen Historical Resources On-Call\Task_03_Smith_Barn\Constraints_Assesment\Smith_Barn_Constraints_Assessment_(LSA_1.7.22).docx 11
Smith Barn – interior. Southeast corner view northwest. LSA photograph, 12/22/2021.
Smith Barn – interior. Northwest corner view southeast. LSA photograph, 12/22/2021.
Attachment 2
1/7/22 P:\MOS2101 MidPen Historical Resources On-Call\Task_03_Smith_Barn\Constraints_Assesment\Smith_Barn_Constraints_Assessment_(LSA_1.7.22).docx 12
Smith Barn – interior. View south through interior space. LSA photograph, 12/22/2021.
Smith Barn – interior wall, east façade. LSA photograph, 12/22/2021.
Attachment 2
DATE: February 23, 2022
MEMO TO: Board of Directors
THROUGH: Ana Ruiz, General Manager
FROM: Stefan Jaskulak, Chief Financial Officer
SUBJECT: Review Use of Contingency Funds – FY21
_____________________________________________________________________________
This memo provides an overview of the contingency amounts approved and spent during the
fiscal year ending June 30, 2021 (FY21), running from July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021, as
requested annually by the Board to understand how much of the authorized contingencies are
used as part of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District’s (District) contracting work.
Policy:
Contracts over $50,000 are approved by the Board and subsequently executed by the General
Manager. These contracts may or may not have a contingency awarded. Typically, contingencies
range between 5% and 15% per Board Policy 3.03:
Public Contract Bidding, Vendor and Professional Consultant Selection, and Purchasing Policy
1.C. Contract Change Orders -- Staff may issue change orders to a contract, provided that the
aggregate of all change orders to that contract does not exceed fifteen percent (15%) of the
original contract price. A larger contingency may be authorized, based on unusual
circumstances. Change orders shall not exceed the total contract amount approved by the
Board, General Manager or other District employee as authorized by this Policy, including
any contingency amount. Any expenditure beyond the originally approved contract and
contingency amount shall be approved by the party authorized at that expenditure level under
this Policy.
Contingency Process:
Purchase orders are generated against the approved base contract amount. Once contingency
spending is deemed necessary, the project manager requests approval from their respective
Assistant General Manager or the Chief Financial Officer. This additional approval step was
added in October 2019 as an extra level of review to ensure that the use of contingencies are
within the scope of the project and/or critical to the successful completion of the contract/project.
A separate contingency purchase order is then generated in the accounting system (NWS) to
record contingency spending. Any additional amount beyond the Board-approved not-to-exceed
contract amount requires additional Board approval.
Review Process:
Contracts may span multiple fiscal years, either because of the multi-year scope of the project or
contract, or because it is initiated partway through a fiscal year and carries over into the next. For
this FY21 Contingency Review memo, staff pulled all contracts that were in effect during any
part of FY21. Since there is no automated method to aggregate the contingencies awarded per
contract, staff implemented a contingency purchase order approval process as of October 2019 to
keep track of actual contingency spending in New World System (the District’s enterprise
resource planning/financial system).
Findings:
Staff reviewed 84 new and existing contracts over $50,000 that were approved by the Board and
in effect during FY21. Some of these contracts were new, some were ongoing, and some were
closed sometime during that fiscal year. Staff also gathered data on the original amount of the
contract and on the amended amount, as contracts amounts may increase over time. The statistics
are as follows:
Contracts Reviewed: 84
Total Original Contract Amount: $47,571,342.35
Total Amended Contract Amount: $59,371,535.87
Board Authorized Contingency: $5,670,545.00
30 of the 84 contracts included a Board approved
contingency. The total contingency amount approved for
these 30 contracts equates to 11.92% of the original
contract amount and 9.55% of the amended contract
amount.
Contingency Expensed: $1,233,930.61
21.84% of the Board-approved contingency was used in
FY21, equating to 2.6% of the original contract amount and
2.08% of the amended contract amount.
Based on the findings above, 21.84% of the Board approved contingency amount was expensed
in FY21, which equates to just over 2% of the amended total Board-approved contract amount.
Compared to FY20, use of the Board-approved contingency amount in FY21 was notably lower
(see chart).
Next Step:
Staff will continue to report the above-mentioned statistics in the Annual Year-End report of the
Capital Improvement and Action Plan.
###
CONTINGENCY USAGE REPORT
Status Contract Vendor
Original Contract
Amount
(Column D)
Revised Contract
Amount
(Column E)
Board Authorized
Contingency
Contingency
Expensed on PO
Closed/Complete 2020-00000070 - South Area Field Office Renovation Project Agbayani Construction Corporation $3,604,000.00 $4,028,146.74 $529,350.00 395,778.99$
Closed/Complete 2021-00000037 - ADA Barrier Removal Project Andreini Brothers Inc $429,504.00 $453,207.07 $55,836.00 23,703.07$
Closed/Complete 2020-00000046 - Bergman Residences Reconstruction Phase III Belz Construction $238,000.00 $264,796.64 $35,700.00 26,796.64$
Closed/Complete 2016-00000117 - Ravenswood Bay Trail Connection Design & Construction Mgmt Callander Associates $398,870.00 $448,040.00 $52,026.00 34,869.17$
Closed/Complete 2019-00000004 - Saratoga to the Sea City of Saratoga $265,000.00 $1,365,000.00 -$ -$
Closed/Complete 2020-00000122 - ADA Barrier Removal Project CXT Vault Restrooms CXT Incorporated $153,061.00 $153,061.00 $13,915.00 -$
Closed/Complete 2021-00000036 - Upper La Honda Grazing Infrastructure (P3 Spring Dev)ECAST Engineering Inc.$96,434.00 $96,434.00 $8,767.00 -$
Closed/Complete 2016-00000107 - Invasive Species Management - District-wide Ecological Concerns, Inc.$373,483.00 $1,176,966.00 -$ -$
Closed/Complete 2017-00000035 - IPM Implementation - Roads and Trails BCR Ecological Concerns, Inc.$148,000.00 $148,000.00 -$ -$
Closed/Complete 2021-00000048 - Madonna Creek Ranch Remediation Project Engineering Remediation Resources Group Inc $106,625.65 $290,609.00 $15,994.00 15,851.76$
Closed/Complete 2020-00000018 - Ravenswood Bay Trail Connection Project Granite Rock Company $3,555,356.00 $4,034,842.01 $525,800.00 263,418.01$
Closed/Complete 2021-00000038 - Purisima Creek Redwoods Fencing Project Hammer Fences $96,110.00 $96,110.00 $8,735.00 -$
Closed/Complete 2019-00000039 - Mindego Ranch Ponds Enhancement Project Hanford Applied Restoration & Conservation $466,119.00 $466,119.00 $60,798.00 -$
Closed/Complete 2020-00000056 - Rancho San Antonio Multimodal Access Study IBI Group $61,600.00 $61,600.00 $5,600.00 2,300.00$
Closed/Complete 2016-00000011 - Human Resources - Legal Consultation Liebert Cassidy Whitmore $80,000.00 $180,000.00 -$ -$
Closed/Complete 2018-00000041 - District-wide ADA Self Evaluation & Transition Plan Update Mig, Inc.$205,000.00 $205,000.00 $25,667.00 5,418.75$
Closed/Complete 2021-00000065 - Coal Creek Fuel Management Overstory Land Stewardship $68,890.00 $68,890.00 $6,263.00 5,703.04$
Closed/Complete 2020-00000113 - Alma College Cultural Landscape Rehabilitation Plan PGA Design, Inc.$75,778.00 $75,778.00 $89,996.00 -$
Closed/Complete 2020-00000110 - Madonna Creek Ranch Remediation Rincon Consultants, Inc.$69,702.00 $69,702.00 $6,337.00 6,288.78$
Closed/Complete 2020-00000020 - Santa Cruz Mountains Climate Resilience Project San Mateo County Resource Conserv. Dist.$49,999.00 $50,999.00 -$ -$
Closed/Complete 2018-00000167 - Los Trancos Eucalyptus Removal Santa Clara County FireSafe Council $275,000.00 $275,000.00 $25,000.00 17,024.91$
Closed/Complete 2021-00000059 - DHF White Barn Structural Stabilization Project Shellco General Contractor Inc $235,551.00 $254,262.06 $35,333.00 18,711.06$
Closed/Complete 2020-00000081 - SAO Special Inspection Services Signet Testing Laboratories, Inc.$34,265.00 $52,265.00 $5,500.00 5,396.46$
Closed/Complete 2018-00000108 - New South Area Field Office Facility, Campbell Terry J Martin Associates $307,450.00 $307,450.00 $40,100.00 8,456.00$
Closed/Complete 2018-00000087 - Work Order and Asset Mgmt Software Implementation/Consulting Timmons Group Inc $137,000.00 $179,450.00 $4,520.00 4,520.00$
Closed/Complete 2020-00000115 - South Area Field Office Underground Fuel Storage Tank Removal Top Line Engineers, Inc.$46,650.00 $107,830.00 $16,175.00 -$
Closed/Complete 2019-00000189 - Deer Hollow Farm White Barn Structural Stabilization Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc.$171,350.00 $171,350.00 $22,350.00 2,599.65$
Open 2020-00000119 - Hwy 17 Wildlife & Regional Trail Crossing & Trail Connections Aecom Technical Services Inc $1,580,000.00 $2,499,700.00 $182,500.00 -$
Open 2021-00000086 - CEQA Services for LHC Red Cabin Demo& White Barn Structure Rehab Ascent Environmental Inc $238,184.00 $238,184.00 $21,653.00 17,596.64$
Open 2021-00000093 - Administrative Office Renovation Project BHM Construction, Inc.$19,984,221.00 $21,575,069.80 $2,158,422.00 63,406.00$
Open 2021-00000068 - Purisima Upland Oil Well Decommissioning Project Bonkowski and Associates, Inc.$68,230.00 $68,230.00 $8,900.00 -$
Open 2020-00000067 - Audit of Financial Statements and Major Pgm Compliance FY 18-21 Chavan & Associates, LLP $70,500.00 $70,500.00 -$ -$
Open 2019-00000030 - Provision of Emergency and Non Emergency Communication Services City of Mountain View - Finance $1,193,401.00 $1,193,401.00 -$ -$
Open 2020-00000101 - Alma Demolition and Abatement Project Coastwide Environmental Technologies, Inc. $402,000.00 $549,300.00 $60,300.00 24,000.00$
Open 2019-00000065 - Bear Creek Redwoods Plant Installation and Maintenance Confluence Restoration $109,868.00 $109,868.00 $14,331.00 -$
Open 2020-00000062 - IPM: Revitalize Stream, Upland, and Wetland Habitats Ecological Concerns, Inc.$132,990.00 $398,970.00 -$ -$
Open 2020-00000078 - Plant Install. & Maint. of Multiple Mitigation Sites, 2019-2022 Ecological Concerns, Inc.$850,123.00 $850,123.00 $71,829.00 48,607.20$
Open 2021-00000146 - Electronic Doc Management Implementation and Scanning Services ECS Imaging, Inc.$168,044.00 $168,044.00 -$ -$
Open 2021-00000089 - AO Interpretive Planning and Design Edquist Davis Exhibits $78,000.00 $112,150.00 $2,250.00 -$
Attachment 1
CONTINGENCY USAGE REPORT
Status Contract Vendor
Original Contract
Amount
(Column D)
Revised Contract
Amount
(Column E)
Board Authorized
Contingency
Contingency
Expensed on PO
Open 2021-00000074 - Legislative Consulting and Lobbying Services Environmental & Energy Consulting $79,070.00 $316,280.00 $6,200.00 -$
Open 2020-00000087 - GIS Software Enterprise License Agreement Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. $137,500.00 $137,500.00 -$ -$
Open 2021-00000127 - Mount Umunhum Radar Tower Repair Project George Bianchi Construction Inc $1,986,539.20 $2,189,301.88 $238,385.00 -$
Open 2019-00000130 - San Mateo Countywide Fine Scale Vegetation map Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy $168,000.00 $168,000.00 $18,000.00 -$
Open 2017-00000025 - Cooley Landing Native Planting and Interpretive Project Grassroots Ecology $90,000.00 $180,470.00 -$ -$
Open 2018-00000001 - Hendrys Creek Restoration Project Grassroots Ecology $165,000.00 $279,027.36 $25,000.00 25,000.00$
Open 2020-00000084 - Service-Learning on District Preserves Grassroots Ecology $295,417.00 $295,417.00 -$ -$
Open 2020-00000112 - Native Plant Production and Propagule Collection, 2020-2024 Grassroots Ecology $160,000.00 $160,000.00 -$ -$
Open 2018-00000058 - Alma College Bat Relocation & Habitat Replacement - HT Harvey H.T. Harvey & Associates $80,905.00 $80,905.00 $9,473.00 -$
Open 2018-00000084 - Ravenswood Bay Trail H.T. Harvey & Associates $55,672.00 $701,605.00 $91,628.00 31,427.49$
Open 2020-00000042 - Ravenswood Revegetation and Plant Maintenance Hanford Applied Restoration & Conservation $386,290.00 $501,830.00 $55,729.00 22,350.00$
Open 2021-00000092 - DistrictWide Habitat Enhance. through Invasive Species Treatment Hanford Applied Restoration & Conservation $275,000.00 $550,000.00 -$ -$
Open 2019-00000015 - Programmatic Environmental Permitting Horizon Water and Environment, LLC $99,734.00 $799,563.00 $81,507.00 -$
Open 2020-00000111 - Bear Creek Stables Improvements (Water System Design)Hydroscience Engineers $87,190.00 $87,190.00 $20,756.00 -$
Open 2017-00000099 - Bear Creek Stables Improvements Design Development John Northmore Roberts & Associates $833,423.00 $888,270.69 $77,017.00 77,017.00$
Open 2019-00000157 - Alpine Rd. CEQA/Permit Support and LHC Loop Trail Permit Support LSA Associates, Inc.$188,140.00 $188,140.00 $24,540.00 13,497.75$
Open 2020-00000045 - Beatty Parking Area and Trail Connections LSA Associates, Inc.$183,000.00 $183,000.00 $23,876.00 -$
Open 2021-00000072 - Beatty House Removal and Site Restoratoin LSA Associates, Inc.$83,775.00 $83,775.00 $3,989.00 -$
Open 2019-00000051 - New Administration Offices (AO) Facility Noll & Tam Architects $386,951.00 $1,969,141.00 $256,845.00 30,495.50$
Open 2021-00000064 - Admin Office Renovation Project Construction Mgmt & Peer Review Nova Partners, Inc.$546,823.00 $546,823.00 $71,325.00 -$
Open 2019-00000088 - CEQA: Prescribed Fire Program Development Panorama Environmental, Inc.$341,914.00 $734,473.00 $115,334.00 -$
Open 2021-00000047 - Alma Cultural Landscape Rehabilitation Plan PGA Design, Inc.$201,116.00 $201,116.00 $26,250.00 -$
Open 2019-00000184 - BCR Phase 2 Trail Design and Permitting Questa Engineering Corp.$258,750.00 $702,710.00 $62,310.00 12,500.00$
Open 2020-00000055 - Budget Management Software Questica Ltd.$127,250.00 $171,933.00 -$ -$
Open 2021-00000046 - Human-Mountain Lion Interaction Study Regents of the University of California $500,000.00 $500,000.00 -$ -$
Open 2020-00000118 - Web Design and Development Rootid, LLC $86,378.00 $86,378.00 $7,853.00 -$
Open 2020-00000139 - Web Maintenance and Strategic Support Rootid, LLC $51,840.00 $51,840.00 -$ -$
Open 2019-00000103 - American Badger and Burrowing Owl Habitat Suitability Study San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory $235,675.00 $251,425.00 $21,425.00 7,497.24$
Open 2020-00000063 - Science Advisory Panel San Francisco Estuary Institute $100,000.00 $219,000.00 -$ -$
Open 2021-00000014 - S.Clara, S.Cruz Countywide Fine Scale Veg Map & Related Products San Mateo County Resource Conserv. Dist.$224,000.00 $224,000.00 $24,000.00 -$
Open 2021-00000152 - SFO Solar Panel Installation Sandbar $151,533.00 $166,354.12 $15,153.00 -$
Open 2019-00000008 - Costsharing Agreement for Guadalupe River Coordinated Monitoring Santa Clara Valley Water District $60,630.00 $60,630.00 -$ -$
Open 2018-00000157 - La Honda Creek Loop Trail Design Sherwood Design Engineers $169,728.00 $169,728.00 $22,138.00 -$
Open 2020-00000008 - La Honda Forest Management Plan Sicular Environmental Consulting $91,993.00 $107,293.00 $12,000.00 -$
Open 2021-00000122 - AO Special Inspection Services Signet Testing Laboratories, Inc.$113,129.50 $135,682.50 $12,540.00 -$
Open 2019-00000037 - Fire Ecology Services: Prescribed Fire Program Spatial Informatics Group LLC $116,438.00 $340,405.00 $59,588.00 -$
Open 2021-00000079 - Purisima-to-the-Sea Trail and Parking Feasibility Study SWCA Environmental Consultants $287,000.00 $287,000.00 $26,000.00 1,158.50$
Open 2021-00000101 - Tyler Munis ERP Migration Tyler Technologies Inc $497,289.00 $497,289.00 $19,800.00 -$
Open 2021-00000043 - Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting, 8 Sites for 5 yrs, 2020-24 Vollmar Natural Lands Consulting, Inc $109,422.00 $109,422.00 $8,130.00 -$
Attachment 1
CONTINGENCY USAGE REPORT
Status Contract Vendor
Original Contract
Amount
(Column D)
Revised Contract
Amount
(Column E)
Board Authorized
Contingency
Contingency
Expensed on PO
Open 2021-00000154 - Botanical Services at Cloverdale Ranch Vollmar Natural Lands Consulting, Inc $130,805.00 $130,805.00 -$ -$
Open 2020-00000031 - Water Rights Services Wagner & Bonsignore $100,000.00 $100,000.00 -$ -$
Open 2019-00000090 - Alpine Road Trail Improvements- Design & Engineering Waterways Consulting $302,429.00 $302,429.00 $34,882.00 1,779.50$
Open 2019-00000125 - Mount Umunhum Radar Tower Assessment Project Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc.$123,855.00 $213,830.00 $16,155.00 -$
Open 2021-00000088 - Sierra Azul New Ranger Housing Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc.$74,250.00 $74,250.00 $6,750.00 -$
Open 2019-00000181 - Structure Stabilization at Multiple Preserves ZFA Structural Engineers $203,130.00 $312,857.00 $66,020.00 25,281.50$
TOTAL $47,571,342.35 $59,371,535.87 $5,670,545.00 1,238,450.61$
Percentage based on Original Amount (Column D)11.92%2.60%
Percentage based on Revised Amount (Column E)9.55%2.09%
Attachment 1
DATE: February 23, 2022
MEMO TO: Board of Directors
THROUGH: Ana Ruiz, General Manager
FROM: Susanna Chan, Assistant General Manager
SUBJECT: Rancho San Antonio Multimodal Access Implementation Update
_____________________________________________________________________________
BACKGROUND
The 2021 Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (District) Rancho San Antonio
Multimodal Access Study (Study) explores and evaluates non-motorized mobility, transit
options, and parking alternatives for Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve (Preserve). The
Study aims to encourage visitors to use greener modes of transportation and reduce parking
demand and traffic, while maintaining equitable access for both local and regional visitors. The
Study identifies15 transportation management strategies and prioritizes them into three sets of
recommendations. The Board of Directors (Board), at its April 28, 2021 meeting, approved the
implementation of the first set of recommendations, including the following six strategies:
• Bike facilities
• New and improved bike access
• Subsidized ride hail
• Free or low-cost shuttle service
• Carpool restricted lot
• Dynamic or Variable Signage
A capital improvement project is included in the fiscal year 2021-2022 (FY22) budget to
implement these strategies. This memo provides an update the implementation work.
DISCUSSION
Strategy Implementation
Bike Facilities
This strategy includes installation of various bike amenities, such as bike racks, bike repair
stations, and bike lockers at strategic access locations to encourage visitors to shift from driving
to biking. After a thorough review of existing bike facilities at the Preserve, three additional bike
racks accommodating 21 bikes were installed at the Mora Trail entrance, the Deer Meadow Trail
off Stovehaven Drive (St. Joseph Avenue), and the Open Air Barn. Additionally, a bike repair
station has been ordered for installation at the main parking lot.
New and Improved Bike Access
This strategy entails working with neighboring jurisdictions to improve neighborhood bike
access leading to the Preserve, such as along Cristo Rey Drive to the Preserve main entrance, St.
Joseph Avenue leading to the Deer Meadow Trail, and Mora Drive to the Rhus Ridge Trailhead.
Staff has worked with the City of Cupertino to prioritize bike access improvements on Cristo
Rey Drive as described in their adopted Bicycle Transportation Plan. Cupertino has committed
to include the improvements in their 2022 annual paving project for this summer. Additionally,
staff is monitoring the City of Los Altos planned project to improve bike access on St. Joseph
Avenue as part of their safe routes to school program, which is also scheduled for this summer.
Subsidized Ride Hail
This strategy involves participating by existing rideshare services and utilizing the existing
loading/unloading zone at the main lot. To incentivize use of these services, users could get a
discount for choosing the service. Free passes could be considered for seniors and low-income
residents. Staff is currently seeking consulting support to develop a potential subsidized ride hail
plan through a Request for Proposals (RFP) process that would be forwarded to the Board of
Directors for consideration.
Free or Low-cost Shuttle Service
This strategy would provide a free or low-cost shuttle service for Preserve visitors aimed to
reduce their reliance on personal vehicles to access the Preserve. Operating a shuttle program
would be a significant investment for the District that requires careful planning and evaluation.
As District staff has no prior experience in developing and operating a shuttle program, staff
initiated the planning process by reaching out to neighboring agencies and organizations with
prior experience in shuttle services, such as the Cities of Cupertino and Mountain View, and
Commute.Org, to learn from their experiences. Staff is also participating in the Santa Cruz
Mountain Stewardship Network (SCMSN) Shuttle Explore Team, a group composed of park and
land management agencies with interest in shuttle programs. Through this learning and
collaboration, staff has identified a two-step approach to ensure the shuttle program meets the
unique needs of Rancho, including retaining a transportation consultant to develop the shuttle
program model and a separate selection process for the shuttle operator. The RFP process for the
transportation consulting firm is currently underway with a goal to complete the program
development this summer. If successful and with subsequent Board confirmation to proceed
with the next step, staff would begin selection of a shuttle operator by the end of this calendar
year.
Carpool Restricted Lot
This strategy would dedicate a carpool restricted lot during peak visitation periods to incentivize
carpooling to the Preserve, thereby reducing overall vehicle trips. A pilot project to study the
feasibility of this strategy will begin this spring on weekends and holidays. During these
peak visitation periods, parking in the lower equestrian lot will be reserved for carpools of three
or more. ADA-accessible spaces and equestrian trailer parking will always remain
available. The restrooms at this location will also remain available to all visitors. The lot would
remain open to all when not limited to carpool visitors.
Dynamic or Variable Signage
This strategy includes the addition of dynamic or variable signage or wayfinding within and/or
leading to the main parking area. The original intent is to deploy portable, manually-programmed
signs that display parking lot status at locations leading to the main parking area. However,
through consultation with field staff, it was determined that this approach is not sustainable over
the long-term as it would require dedicated field staff to constantly monitor parking conditions
on-site and manually update sign messages. Staff has since explored other options and identified
electronic signage with traffic sensors as the best solution to address Preserve needs. With this
solution, an electronic sign could be installed at the preserve entrance displaying current parking
availability informed by several traffic sensors installed at strategic locations within the parking
area. Real-time information would also be available on the District’s website for potential
visitors to check before they leave home. Staff is currently working closely with a selected
vendor to optimize the configuration given the terrain of the parking areas and anticipates
implementation in spring of this year.
Public Communication/Education
Successful implementation of these strategies, in part, depends on effective public
communication and education. To date, staff has promoted the new strategies as follows:
• Ongoing updates to the Rancho San Antonio Multimodal Access project web page.
• Addition of information about bicycle-friendly routes, bicycle rack locations and the Via
Cupertino Shuttle on the Rancho San Antonio Preserve webpage and project webpage.
• In November 2021, the District partnered with Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition (SVBC)
to host a “Ride to Rancho”. SVBC led a bicycle ride to the Preserve, demonstrating a safe
and efficient route from the Mountain View Caltrain station.
The District’s communication plan that promotes the new carpool restricted lot and dynamic
signage includes:
• A-frame signage in parking areas with posted information.
• Articles in the Views newsletter (Spring 2022) and Plug Into Nature e-news (April 2022
and ongoing).
• Pop-up tabling at Rancho San Antonio on March 28.
• Press release (2 weeks prior to implementation).
• E-mail to Rancho San Antonio interested parties e-mail list.
• Coordination with partner organizations and cities for inclusion in newsletters and other
publications.
• Coordination with Santa Clara County Parks to share information via their Nextdoor
account.
###