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HomeMy Public PortalAbout19731128 - Agendas Packet - Board of Directors (BOD) - 73-24 —-------- -—------- MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT Board of Directors Agenda Regular Meeting November 28 , 1973 7 :30 p.m. Sunnyvale Community Center, Room 109 550 E. Remington Ave. Sunnyvale ROLL CALL APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 14, 1973, MEETING SPECIAL ORDERS OF THE DAY 1. Proposed and Existing Trails of Interest to the Midpeninsula Regional Park District - Barbara Rusmore and Tony Look REPORTS 2. Possible Changes in Regional Park District Enabling Legislation - S. Norton 3. Rengstorff House - W. Peters and H. Grench RESOLUTIONS AND ORDINANCES UNFINISHED BUSINESS 4. Goals and Objectives D. Wendin NEW BUSINESS WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS ORAL COMMUNICATIONS CLAIMS ADJOURNMENT I f )roved November _28 , 1973 11/28/73 MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT C L A I M S Amount Name Description 260 $391.44 Dow Jones & Company Advertisement in Wall Street Journal for Asst; Mgr. 261 12. 60 Carroll Harrington Mileage 268 16 .80 Stanley Norton Telephone, mileage —------ - -—------- MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT Memorandum November 16, 1973 To: Board of Directors From: H. Grench, General Manager Subject: Priority List for 1974 State Beach, Park, Recreational and Historical Facilities Bond Act Funds In my report dated August 14, 1973 , on the 1974 State Bond Act, I pointed out that priorities for expenditure of the entitlement to the District could be set near the end of 1973, if it seemed important to do so at that time. A priority list of projects had been re- quested by Mr. Mott for use in publicity during the campaign to pass the Act. At a meeting today of County park and recreation ad- ministrators it was decided that no such list should be submitted, since it was so difficult to compile one 18 or more months before funds would be available and since the publicity might affect negotiation positions on parcels. The allocation formula would instead be sent to Mr. Mott at this time. A priority list will be necessary by June 30 , 1975, if the bond measure passes. HG:chh MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT Memorandum November 19 , 1973 To: Board of Directors From: H. Grench, General Manager Subject: Rengstorff House A status report on the Rengstorff House will be presented on November 28, 1973. H G•chh I I I D R A F T MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT Memorandum November 20, 1973 To: Board of Directors From: D. Wendin, President Subject: Basic Policy Draft The following is a distillation of all comments. Please come to the meeting of November 28 with SPECIFIC amendments, not just general comments, although the latter are appropriate, too. 1. To purchase or otherwise acquire interest in the maximum amount of strategic open space land within the District, including baylands and foothills. (a) Open space land is most simply land or water area which is essentially in its natural state, used for agriculture or other- wise undeveloped. It may have some dwellings or other structures , such as agricultural buildings or buildings devoted to recrea- tional use. (b) The District is primarily an Open Space agency. Its primary purpose is preservation of open space; parks and recreation in the traditional sense will be left to the cities and the County. (c) The District will be acquiring direct interest in land. It does not have the power to zone lands to accomplish its ends. Often, perhaps most often, the interest acquired will be a fee interest, that is outright ownership. However, less than fee interest will often accomplish the same result with less immediate expenditure of District funds . For example, acquisition of a remainder interest would allow current use of land to continue - ---------- - ------ - Basic Policy Draft page 2. with no expenditure for land management. Open space or scenic easements may be acquired. Purchase and leaseback is feasible where agriculture is at least marginally profitable. The Dis- trict will work to acquire such interests through gift and matching grants as well as through expenditure of District funds. (d) Some open space land within the District faces immediate and intense development pressure, while other open space is less threatened. The District's priority will be to use its limited resources to acquire interests in those parcels which have the highest value as open space and which might be lost as open space if the District did not act. (e) Open space exists which is completely surrounded by urban development. Acquisition of interest in such open space is not ruled out but the available resources of the District dictate that parimary attention be focused on the baylands and foothills outside the cities ' Urban Service Area boundaries . The baylands will be given their fair share of attention and resources, but there is little doubt that the primary efforts will be expended in the foothills. (f) The District has the power to acquire land outside the Dis- trict boundaries. If such an opportunity arises and it would beneficially affect the District, the acquisition might be made. However, the primary thrust of the District will be within our own boundaries. 2. To influence and work with other public and private agencies to preserve open space. (a) The District will encourage and promote cooperation in open ---------------------------------- ------ - - - - --------- - - Basic Policy Draft page 3. space preservation with local agencies, organizations and individuals, as well as County departments. This cooperation will especially occur in the implementation of the open space conservation and parks and recreation elements of several plans. (b) The District will be proposing and urging preservation of open space to these agencies whenever it can. Where feasible, it will lend support to those groups which are urging such agencies to take actions consistent with the District' s goals. At the same time the District will take care that it remains independent from any particular faction and that anyone who would speak in its name has authority to do so. (c) Joint efforts may often be feasible in the preservation of open space. The County or other government agencies may have resources available to commit to land management but not acquisition. Any opportunity may require more funds than any one agency can make available. Joint studies may be the most economical way of gathering the data needed to make an acquisition decision. 3. To educate and make clearly visible to the public the purposes and actions of the District and to encourage communication from the public to the District. (a) The District will work through a variety of avenues, including newspaper, brochures, speakers, and the schools , to carry its message of open space value and preservation to the public. In particular, landowners and potential donors must be adequately - -- ---------- ------------------- --------------------------------- Basic Policy Draft page 4 . informed of the District' s purpose, goals and the possible methods of preserving land as open space. (b) The District will work in the open, making its actions and motives clearly visible to its constituency. However, the District may need to wait before announcing its strategy relating to acquisition of an interest in a particular parcel to insure the best price to the District. (c) Encouraging communication from the public to the District covers two broad areas. First are comments on what the District should be accomplishing and how to go about it. And second is the information on specific parcels of land, helping to give the District the data it needs to make its acquisition decisions. 4 . To develop a land management policy that provides proper care of open space land, allowing public access appropriate to the nature of the land and consistent with proper care. (a) Once the District acquires an interest in land, it must take proper and adequate care of this land. (b) The District is treading on new ground. No district in this area has contemplated acquiring and maintaining land as open space in such quantity so close to urban areas. The resources required for land management will be an overriding consideration as the District successfully implements its acquisition strategy. (c) Careful planning and great care must be taken to protect the natural beauty and ecology of the District's lands. In addi- tion, the District's lands must be maintained so as to not create a threat to public health and safety. This includes obvious things such as fire prevention, but it also includes ---------------- ---------- - - - - Basic Policy Draft page 5. minimizing the impact on surrounding lands. (d) Although the District is committed to allowing public access to its lands, it has also committed itself to a maximum acquisition effort. It is clear that the more funds expended in development and supervision of public access, the less will be available for acquisition. This constraint will necessitate limitization of the types and quantity of access to at least some of the District's land. The allowed access will be for primarily low intensity recreation, such as riding and hiking, and will be regulated according to availability of facilities, supervision and posted regulations. In some cases use may be allowed only by a permit system. Where possible the District will seek arrangements with the County whereby the County will provide maintainance and facilities. (e) In some cases access may be limited by consideration of safety factors such as fire hazard, terrain, and other physical properties as well as by the consideration of threats to the natural environment such as the presence of endangered species. Agricultural land may also require restricted public use. --- -------- - - - - --------- - - - ------ ------------------ ----------------- MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT Memorandum November 26 , 1973 To: Board of Directors From: Herbert Grench, General Manager Subject: Monte Bello Ridge At their last meeting, the Hillside Subcommittee of the Planning Policy Committee decided not to undertake a cost/ revenue or cost/benefit study for any portion of the Monte Bello Ridge Study Area. The Committee will be renewing con- sideration of the various area sketch plans over the next four months. Their schedule calls for a zoning recommendation to be sent to the County Planning Commission in June, 1974 , for a workshop. The public hearing by the Commission could then be held in July. Bob Amyx and I have been invited to speak at the next meet- ing of the Hillside Subcommittee regarding park and open space plans. The Board may wish to discuss beforehand particular facets of MRPD goals and planning which should be emphasized. Representation by one or more Board members should also be considered. The meeting will be held in the Planning Department offices of Santa Clara County, 70 W. Hedding, San Jose, at 7 :45 p.m. on December 18 , 1973 . - - - - - - - ---- - - --- - - - ---- -- - ----- - -- ---- MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT Memorandum November 28 , 1973 To: Board of Directors From: H. Grench, General Manager C. Harrington, Administrative Secretary Subject: New Office The staff is pleased to announce that as of tomorrow, November 29 , 1973, the Midpeninsula Regional Park District office will be located at 745 Distel Drive, Los Altos, 94022. Telephone: 965-4717. Formal cards announcing the move are now being prepared by Jim Stockton and will show the new District logo. We hope that you' ll stop by soon, see the office, and have a cup of coffee with us.