HomeMy Public PortalAbout19810910 - Agendas Packet - Board of Directors (BOD) - 81-22 Meeting 81-22
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MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT
375 DISTEL CIRCLE,SUITE D-1,LOS ALTOS,CALIFORNIA 94022
(415) 965-4717
N 0 T I C E
SPECIAL MEETING
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Thursday Council Chambers
September 10, 1981 Los Gatos Civic Center
7: 30 P.M. 110 East Main Street
Los Gatos, California
A Special Meeting of the Board of Directors of the Midpeninsula Regional
Open Space District will be held on Thursday, September 10, 1981 at the
above address in Los Gatos for the purpose of considering the following
agenda.
A G E N D A
(7: 30) ROLL CALL
(7 : 30) 1. Proposed Acquisition of a Portion of the Novitiate Property
for Los Gatos Creek Park -- D. Wendin
a. Staff Presentation
b. Public Comment
(9 : 30) 2 . Scheduling of September Meetings -- H. Grench
(9: 40) INFORMATIONAL REPORTS
CLAIMS
ADJOURNMENT
Herbert A Grench,General Manager
Board of Directors:Katherine Duffy,Barbara Green,Nonette G.Hanko,Richard S.Bishop,Edward G.Shelley,Harry A Turner,Daniel G.Wendin
Read into the recor' the Special Meeting of Sept. 1981
725 Cowper Street
Palo Alto, Calif. 94301
Sept. 9, 1981
Board of Directors
Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District
375 Distel Circle, Suite D-1
Los Altos , Calif. 94022
1 am unable to attend your special meeting of September 10. 1 wish to state
my support for the acquisition of 300 acres for Los Gatos Creek Park. If
the property cannot be acquired through negotiation, I urge you to proceed
with the resolution of public necessity.
Sincerely,
Dr. Robert Mark
Read into the rec* at the Special Meeting c
September 10 , 1981
Mrs. John Lincoln
58 Alpine Avenue
Los Gatos, CA 95030
September 9, 1981
Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District
375 Distel Circle
Suite D-1
Los Altos, CA 94022
Dear Board of Directors:
I am very much in favor of the acquisition of the Novitiate property
as open space and wish to express my strong support of the concept.
It has always been my hope that the hills and background of Los Gatos
would be preserved as a park. More than anything else, it is our hills
that make our Town beautiful and give it its unique charm. The preservation
of these hillsides would mean a great deal to our Town.
Sincerely,
3 `G�-z...v�,.,
Mrs. �John Lincoln
Read into the rec at the Special Meeting ��
of September 10 , 1
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R-81-38
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6, (Meeting 81-22
September 10 , 1981)
MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT
REPORT
September 4 , 1981
TO: Board of Directors
FROM: H. Grench, General Manager
PREPARED BY: C. Britton, Land Acquisition Manager
SUBJECT: Joint Acquisition Project With The Town of Los Gatos
For Los Gatos Creek Park (Lands of the California
Province of the Society of Jesus) .
Introduction: On April 8 , 1981, you adopted Resolution 81-26 approv-
ing and authorizing execution of a Joint Powers Agreement with the
Town of Los Gatos for acquisition of the subject property (see report
R-81-13 of April 1, 1981) . On April 20 , 1981, the Town of Los Gatos
adopted Resolution 1981-89 approving and authorizing final execution
of the Joint Powers Agreement. Additionally, at the same meeting,
the Town adopted Resolution 1981-90 finding and determining that the
public interest and necessity required the acquisition of the property,
as a prelude to the filing of an action in eminent domain.
Subsequently, the Superior Court for Santa Clara County found that
the Town did not have jurisdiction to condemn property outside the
Town City limits. This judgment is still subject to the possibility
of appeal.
Discussion: Although the District has formally indicated its willing-
ness to cooperatively purchase this property with the Town as early
as October 11 , 1978 (see report 78-22 of October 4 , 1978) , you have
not had the opportunity to conduct a hearing in the Los Gatos area to
gather further information and public input. As has been your policy
in the past, such projects have provided the opportunity for local
hearings and public opinion. This project involves three major
questions which would make ideal topics for the receiving of public
testimony and consideration:
I. Is the subject property desirable for public open space?
This 300 acre portion of the Novitiate property is located
adjacent to the Town limits at the northern end of Lexington
Reservoir in an unincorporated area of Santa Clara County. Owned
by the Catholic Church and presently part of the Los Gatos
Novitiate, the property contains three grassland hills that
serve as the dominant scenic backdrop for the Town and form
prominent landmarks visible from State Highway 17 . Residents
have enjoyed hiking and jogging on the property and have
expressed great interest in its preservation as open space and
parkland. Due to its location adjacent to a reservoir recrea-
tion area with easy access to a State highway, such a property
R-81-38 Page two
would not only attract local visitors, but would be readily
accessible to residents of the entire midpeninsula, giving
such an acquisition project regional significance.
A. Description of the site
(1) Location and Boundaries
Located to the east of State Highway 17 , three
quarters of a mile south of the Los Gatos Town
center, the property is bounded by Lexington
Reservoir to the south, the Sacred Heart Novitiate
to the northwest, and the Sisters of Charity land
to the east. Lexington Reservoir is owned by the
Santa Clara County Water District and managed as a 634
acre recreational area by the Santa Clara County
Parks and Recreation Department. Activities include
sailing, power boating, water skiing, and fishing.
In addition, the District has acquired an extensive
open space complement to the water recreation area
encompassing more than 780 acres. District lands
are typically used for hiking and riding trails , in-
formal picnicking and related low-intensity recreation-
al activities normally associated with public open
space lands (see the map attached) .
(2) Topography, Geology, and Natural Landscape
Elevations on the site range from a high point of 1 ,293
feet at the summit of St. Joseph' s Hill to a low of 400
feet at the western boundary along Los Gatos Creek.
The project is located in a seismically active area.
The San Andreas Fault lies two miles to the south, and
the Shannon Fault is two and a half miles to the north-
east. The epicenter of the Los Gatos earthquake of 1973 ,
with a magnitude of 4 .0 on the Richter scale, was located
just one mile from the site.
Soils range from moderately fertile types used for dry-
land grape cultivation to severely eroded types
exhibiting rapid runoff and high erosion hazard, making
them suitable only for wildlife habitat, recreational
use and watershed protection.
The project area contains knolls of untended vineyards
which are gradually being invaded by brush. The moderate
to steep slopes ranging from 15% to 50% support
chaparral communities interspersed with pockets of
eucalyptus-oak-madrone woodland. The disturbed vegeta-
tion reflects the earlier agricultural and institutional
use of the property.
Wildlife associated with this type of terrain (and mixture
of ecologically disturbed plan communities) includes
coyotes, black-tailed deer, gray fox, and red-tailed hawk.
No rare or endangered species of plants or animals are
known to exist on the property.
R-81-38 Page three
B. Planning Considerations
The property is located within an unincorporated area of
Santa Clara County. The current zoning is A-20S, a low
density agricultural zoning, allowing one residential unit
on a site varying from 20 to 160 acres depending on slope.
The Santa Clara County General Plan designation is "education"
which may further limit agricultural or residential
development. A preliminary slope density matrix indicates
that a maximum of three sites could be developed.
Under the County General Plan, open space and park use and
development would be a conforming use.
Portions of the property are rated in the highest composite
scoring on the District ' s Master Plan.
Ordinarily, this property would not be annexed into the Town,
as it lies outside its Urban Service Area, and there is no
interest on the part of the Town in having this property
develop within its jurisdiction. However, it would be
desirable to annex this property after acquisition to
facilitate planning, development, operation, maintenance,
and patrol of the anticipated open space and recreational
area.
C. Relationship to Regional Trails
Trails on the property would connect with the Lexington
Reservoir recreational area and with streets leading to the
center of the Town of Los Gatos three quarters of a mile
away. Both the MROSD Draft Trails Plan and the Santa Clara
County Master Trails and Pathways Plan show a junction of
five regional trails at the north end of Lexington Reservoir.
D. Current Use and Development
The Sacred Heart Novitiate and winery adjoin the project
area to the northeast. This use was established in 1886
by the Jesuits on an initial 39 acres where the buildings
now stand adjacent to the project area. Originally managed
as an instructional facility and winery, the Novitiate , in
recent years , has ceased to operate as an instructional
facility. The winery currently operates at 300 of capacity,
the vineyards are no longer cultivated, and the remainder of
the buildings serve as a retirement home and administrative
center.
The proposed project would not include any of the developed
area, and the steep slopes behind these existing facilities
would tend to provide a natural barrier between public and
private use. These private facilities would be situated on
approximately 40 acres of land remaining in the Novitiate
holdings.
The property is currently used by a large number of joggers
and hikers who move through the area with permission of the
owners on a trail connecting the Town Center to the
Reservoir.
R-81-38 Page four
II . Should public acquisition of this property be actively pursued,
including the exercise of the power of eminent domain, if
necessary?
A. Results or Benefits Expected
The project area would be used as a local park by resi-
dents of Los Gatos , whose town center is just five miles
away, and by recreationists who presently come to Lexington
Reservoir from the Santa Clara Valley/San Jose area
and from the coast side at Santa Cruz. It would expand
the reservoir recreation area by providing trails for
visitors who wish to hike or jog in a more remote environ-
ment than provided at the reservoir itself. Five schools
are within two miles of the project area, which makes
the site a potentially valuable field study area.
B. Threat of Development
The Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District has agreed
to participate in the acquisition and subsequent manage-
ment of the project. Both the Town and the District
feel that immediate acquisition is necessary because of
the threat of the property being sold for residential
development. As mentioned above , the winery is operating
at reduced capacity, the original instruction facility
has been reduced in use to a retirement and administrative
center, and vineyard cultivation has been abandoned.
This leaves the project area vacant and devoid of active
use, increasing the likelihood of sale for development.
The Jesuits own other lands in the vicinity of the subject
property, and have sold or entered into contracts to sell
some of these properties. The main purpose for the sale
of these lands has been to raise money for the endowment
of the retirement facilities now operated on the adjacent
lands. The adjacent Sisters of Charity property has been
for sale and been actively marketed over the past several
years. Sale of that property necessitates the building
of an access road from Alma Bridge Road across the project
area to serve the existing buildings on the Sisters'
property. The development of this major thoroughfare
and necessary utilities would greatly enhance the accessi-
bility and developability of the subject property. This
action might also trigger a reassessment and increase
the property taxes which would put further pressure on
the Jesuits to sell the property for development, subject
to legislation implementing the principles of Proposition 13 .
In the past, the Jesuits have been careful to protect the
allowable density and developability of their lands and
to such ends have appeared at both Town Council and
County Board of Supervisors meetings. The ultimate test
is the cost of running their current facilities both
now and in the future and assuring themselves that their
land investments will provide the necessary income,
either through sale or development to endow these costs.
R-81-38 Page five
C. Previous Acquisition Efforts
The subject of acquisition of the Novitiate property
began in 1971 , when the Town ' s Park Commission recom-
mended to the Town Council that the property be acquired.
The Town, with the assistance of the District, has been
working with the Novitiate representatives since 1978.
At that time , the Town applied for a federal Land and
Water Conservation Fund grant to supplement Town and
District funds for the purchase of this critical open
space and park property. The two agencies have had the
property appraised, made the required written offers ,
and held numerous meetings in an attempt to conclude
this acquisition project. The Town and District were care-
ful to consult the Jesuits every step of the way, including
personal contact and agreement for grant submittal, and
personal contact during the appraisal process. At no time
during this process was either agency discouraged from the
acquisition efforts. However, during that three year pro-
cess , we were never advised of the Jesuits' asking price
for the property. During that time , every effort was ex-
tended to negotiate with the Jesuits for the purchase of the
property, including personal contact from members of your Board
and letters from the President of your Board and the Town
Mayor. It was only after exhausting all possibilities that
the owners wrote a letter stating that the property was "not
for sale. "
The critical nature of this parcel , including its proximity
to existing recreational facilities , highly visible -topo-
graphy, and location in relation to existing regional and
local trails , required that further action be considered.
Because the project was initiated by the Town, and since the
Land and Water Conservation Fund project was technically
the Town 's ,the action outlined in the introduction of this
report was taken.
D. Eminent Domain Defined
"Eminent domain" is the inherent power of government to de-
vote private property to public use upon payment of just
and fair compensation. It is inherent in the sovereignty
of the state because it is an essential power for the achiev-
ment of the ends of our organized self-government. It is a
power of constitutional authority, recognized in both the
United States and California constitutions, which make it
subject to the requirement that just and fair compensation
be paid for all private property acquired for public use.
The California Legislature has sensibly and specifically
enacted statutes which set forth the preservation of open
space as a recognized public use, for which the eminent
domain power may be exercised. The legislature has also
enacted a fairly lengthy set of formal legal procedures
which must be followed to exercise the eminent domain power ,
M-81-38 Page six
in order to ensure that the rights of the owner of private
property are respected in full and that fair and just
compensation is paid for all property so acquired.
The formal legal procedures, and the case law which has
grown up around them, require the filing of an action in
court and a determination by the court of what is the
"market value" to be paid for the property. Court decisions
and subsequent statutes have defined "fair market value" as
the highest price that would be agreed to by a seller,
willing to sell but under no urgent necessity to sell, and
a buyer who is ready, willing and able to buy but under no
urgent necessity for buying, assuming that both buyer and
seller are aware and informed of all possible uses for
the property.
As so defined, "fair market value" obviously incorporates
a substantial degree of subjective judgment. Private owners,
whose property a governmental agency seeks to acquire, there-
fore traditionally do whatever they can to draw attention
to their property and to increase the sense of importance
attached to it, in order to lend the maximum support to
their contentions in court as to the high price an informed
seller and buyer would be willing to agree upon for their
property.
III. When and if the subject area is acquired for public open space
and recreation, what are the potential and proper uses for the
property?
A. Potential Use and Management
The location, only five minutes from the Town Center of Los
Gatos , makes this property a prime, easily accessible
recreational area for local residents. Five schools are
within two miles of the site , making it a potentially valuable
field study area.
The project area would become a low development park and
open space complement to the Santa Clara County reservoir
recreational area. The acquisition would be a cooperative
effort with the Town of Los Gatos. Initially the site would
be kept in its present state as minimally developed open space
with recreational opportunities afforded by existing roads
and trails. As funds become available, development of park
facilities could include picnic areas and an expanded trail
system. Specific use and management recommendations would
be made after further public meetings and input nearer to
the time of actual acquisition.
Environmental impacts associated with the project would be
overwhelmingly favorable since the land would be protected
from development and responsibly managed by a park agency
to reverse any existing trends towards environmental de-
gradation. Visitor impacts would be mitigated by establish-
ing a regulatory presence in the park through patrol by
Town police and District rangers.
R-81-38 Page seven
The property is currently used by a large number of joggers
and hikers who move through the area via a route connecting
the Town center to the reservoir. Subsequent to acquisition,
such use would be allowed to continue. In order to facilitate
movement through the park, directional trail signs and
regulatory signs would be installed within a year after
acquisition.
B. Environmental Impact of Proposed Action
The major sociological impact of the project would be a
beneficial one of providing a locally and regionally
accessible recreational area open to the public free of
charge and within five minutes of the center of the Town
of Los Gatos and ten minutes from the City of San Jose. The
bulk of the site, especially St. Joseph' s Hill, forms a
highly visible landmark for travellers on Highway 17 . The
property also serves as a dominant scenic backdrop for
the Town of Los Gatos. Residents are especially anxious
to keep the property as open space if for no other purpose
than for this passive use as part of the scenic landscape
surrounding the Town.
The property has a history of ecological disturbance through
agricultural and institutional use. The cultivation of
grapes and subsequent abandonment of the vineyards has
resulted in the invasion of brushland plants and star
thistle into the former grassland areas. Particularly
notable also are groves of mature eucalyptus trees as
well as individual trees scattered throughout stands
of native woodland.
Unless a road is constructed on the property to serve
the Sisters of Charity holdings , vehicles would not
be allowed on the site. Access to the site would be via
State Highway 17 and Alma Bridge Road to a public parking
and staging area, in addition to local neighborhood
access on foot. No vehicles , other than for patrol
purposes , would be permitted on the project area. Access
would be on foot, horseback or bicycle only.
General visitor use impacts would be minimized by regular
patrol.
C. Future Potential
Under the Joint Powers Agreement approved by both agencies ,
the property would remain as a low-intensity recreation
open space supplement to existing nearby recreation areas
and other public lands. As long as the property was
devoted to this use, the District would provide the
primary maintenance, operation and patrol of the property.
R-81-38 Page eight
However, the Town could, through any process of its
choosing, but subject to District review and concurrence,
develop the property as a more traditional "park" . It is
assumed that this process would involve extensive public
hearing and comment. At such time as the property was
developed as a "park" , the Town would assume all responsi-
bility for operation , maintenance and patrol , but subject
to a restrictive easement held and monitored by the District.
The property would be "dedicated" park and open space land
(see Sec. 38440 , et seq. of the Government Code and
Sec. 5540 of the Public Resources Code) . Reference to
the executed Joint Powers Agreement is recommended for
specific terms and conditions.
Recommendation: It is recommended that you schedule consideration
of a resolution finding and determining the public necessity of
acquiring the subject property for a Special Meeting at the
District office on Tuesday, September 29 , 1981 .
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M-81-93
(meeting 81-22
September 10, 1981)
MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT
MEMORANDUM
September 1, 1981
TO: Board of Directors
FROM: H. Grench, General Manager
SUBJECT: Scheduling of September Meetings
At this point, you have cancelled the September 9 Regular Meeting
and scheduled Special meetings for September 10 and 16 , in addition
to your September 23 Regular Meeting.
I suggest that the second Special Meeting be scheduled at the
District office for Tuesday, September 29 rather than September 16 .
This would allow more time for preparation of agenda materials.
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MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT
375 DISTEL CIRCLE,SUITE D-1,LOS ALTOS,CALIFORNiA 94-,22
(415) 965-4717
August 28 , 1981
Honorable Marz Garcia
Room 4057
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814
Dear Senator Garcia:
Assemblyman Byron Sher has introduced in our behalf AB 597 relating
to regional park and open space districts. There are four such
districts in the State operating under Public Resources Code Section
5500 et seq. ; namely, the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District,
the Marin County Open Space District, the East Bay Regional Park
District, and the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District. The
bill has the support of all four districts. The bill has now moved
to the Senate floor, and we would greatly appreciate it if you would
manage the bill to achieve Senate concurrence.
Our own district boundaries encompass about 330 square miles, in-
cluding 15 cities and unincorporated area in northern Santa Clara and
southern San Mateo Counties. In the time since the District was
formed in 1972 to provide a regional greenbelt for public use, we
have acquired about 10, 000 acres of land, and we manage this resource
in close cooperation with the counties.
The bill is basically a housekeeping measure which would accomplish
the following things:
(1) It would update and bring the portions of the District's
legislation having to do with nominations and elections
into conformity with the California Elections Code. This
would aid the counties' Registrars of Voters and the dis-
tricts in conducting elections.
(2) It would allow dedicated district lands to be transferred
to another governmental entity for Park or open space
purposes, while maintaining the strict requirements for
release from dedication. Such a change would allow trans-
fers to be made where the lands could be operated more
efficiently or effectively by the county; for example,
where the county already has a contiguous park facility.
Incidentally, there are three ways of releasing lands from
dedication: a majority vote of the electorate of the district,
a unanimous vote of the district's board of directors (limited
Herbert A.Grench.General Manager
Boardof Directors:Katherine Duffy,Barbara Green.Nonette G t1anko,Richard S Bishop.Edwd G Sh,;'ey H3•ry A Turner.Daniel G Wenjin
Honorable Marz Galka
Page Two
to trading up to ten acres per year for land contiguous to
district holdings) , and a resolution adopted by two-thirds
of the board and a concurrent resolution of the Legislature.
(3) It would update the maximum interest rate allowed on district
notes to the 10% figure allowed by the Government Code, which
overrides our code in any event, and would cross-reference
our rate to that allowed by the Government Code for future
changes. In one instance of an installment purchase of land,
a title company did not necessarily agree that the Government
Code was overriding, and we encountered considerable delay in
closing escrow.
(4) It would allow a seven member board to borrow money or enter
into installment purchases with the affirmative votes of five
members rather than the six votes now required. This require-
ment would still constitute more than a simple majority. We
have found installment purchases to be a very effective way of
acquiring land before its value escalates further and before
it is lost to development, particularly since so many land-
owners would prefer to receive time payments. There has not
been a dissenting vote on our board in the eighteen debt
transactions into which we have entered. However, there has
been trouble at times in six board members being able to
attend the critical meeting because of illness or out-of-town
business or vacations. Some negotiated transactions have a
very short time available for board action. A district is, of
course, restricted by law in the total amount of debt which
can be authorized by the board. Four votes would continue to
be required for five member boards.
(5) It would make clear that when the district acquires an open
space easement and the easement is dedicated for open space,
the lands shall be deemed to be enforceablv restricted and
assessed accordingly. At this point, although it is clear
that a district can acquire such easements, it is not clear
to the assessors that the property is to be assessed taking
the easements into account, as the assessors do for easements
granted to cities, counties, or non-profit land conservancies.
We stand ready to answer questions you have. Thank you for considering
our request.
Sincerely,
Herbert Grench
General Manager
HG:ej
cc: B. Sher
M.R.O.S.D. Board of Directors
R. Beckus
All,
Xh I —
0 400,M,
MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT
375 DISTEL CIRCLE,SUITE D-1,LOS ALTOS,CALIFORNIA 941,22
(415) 965-4717
August 28 , 1981
Honorable Marz Garcia
Room 4057
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814
Dear Senator Garcia:
Assemblyman Byron Sher has introduced in our behalf AB 597 relating
to regional park and open space districts. There are four such
districts in the State operating under Public Resources Code Section
5500 et seq. ; namely, the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District,
the Marin County Open Space District, the East Bay Regional Park
District, and the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District. The
bill has the support of all four districts. The bill has now moved
to the Senate floor, and we would greatly appreciate it if you would
manage the bill to achieve Senate concurrence.
Our own district boundaries encompass about 330 square miles, in-
cluding 15 cities and unincorporated area in northern Santa Clara and
southern San Mateo Counties. In the time since the District was
formed in 1972 to provide a regional greenbelt for public use, we
have acquired about 10, 000 acres of land, and we manage this resource
in close cooperation with the counties.
The bill is basically a housekeeping measure which would accomplish
the following things:
(1) It would update and bring the portions of the District's
legislation having to do with nominations and elections
into conformity with the California Elections Code. This
would aid the counties' Registrars of Voters and the dis-
tricts in conducting elections.
(2) It would allow dedicated district lands to be transferred
to another governmental entity for Park or open space
purposes, while maintaining the strict requirements for
release from dedication. Such a change would allow trans-
fers to be made where the lands could be operated more
efficiently or effectively by the county; for example,
where the county already has a contiguous park facility.
Incidentally, there are three ways of releasing lands from
dedication: a majority vote of the electorate of the district,
a unanimous vote of the district' s board of directors (limited
Herbert A Grench,General Manager
Board of Directors:Katherine Duffy,Barbara Green,Nonette G Hanko.Richard S Bishop.Edward G Sne:Tey Ha-,yA Turner Daniel Wendm
Honorable Marz Gar, .a
Page Two
to trading up to ten acres per year for land contiguous to
district holdings) , and a resolution adopted by two-thirds
of the board and a concurrent resolution of the Legislature.
(3) It would update the maximum interest rate allowed on district
notes to the 10% figure allowed by the Government Code, which
overrides our code in any event, and would cross-reference
our rate to that allowed by the Government Code for future
changes. In one instance of an installment purchase of land,
a title company did not necessarily agree that the Government
Code was overriding, and we encountered considerable delay in
closing escrow.
(4) It would allow a seven member board to borrow money or enter
into installment purchases with the affirmative votes of five
members rather than the six votes now required. This require-
ment would still constitute more than a simple majority. We
have found installment purchases to be a very effective way of
acquiring land before its value escalates further and before
it is lost to development, particularly since so many land-
owners would prefer to receive time payments. There has not
been a dissenting vote on our board in the eighteen debt
transactions into which we have entered. However, there has
been trouble at times in six board members being able to
attend the critical meeting because of illness or out-of-town
business or vacations. Some negotiated transactions have a
very short time available for board action. A district is, of
course, restricted by law in the total amount of debt which
can be authorized by the board. Four votes would continue to
be required for five member boards.
(5) It would make clear that when the district acquires an open
space easement and the easement is dedicated for open space,
the lands shall be deemed to be enforceablv restricted and
assessed accordingly. At this point, although it is clear
that a district can acquire such easements, it is not clear
to the assessors that the property is to be assessed taking
the easements into account, as the assessors do for easements
granted to cities, counties, or non-profit land conservancies.
We stand ready to answer questions you have. Thank you for considering
our request.
Sincerely,
ki
Herbert Grench
General Manager
HG :ej
cc: B. Sher
M. R.O.S.D. Board of Directors
R. Beckus
Claims 81-18
September 10, 1981
Meeting 81-22
Revised
MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT
C L A I M S
# Amount Name Description
2453 69. 80 Bay Microfilm, Inc. Paper
2454 70. 83 Carolyn Caddes Publicity Photo
2455 750. 00 California Advocates, Inc. Legislative Services-Aug.
2456 213. 00 Communications Research Co. Equip. Maintenance-August
2457 4 . 88 Pete Ellis Dodge District Vehicle Expense
2458 7. 40 Excel Pool & Patio Water System-Saratoga Gap
2459 830. 00 First American Title Guarantee Prelim. Title Reports
2460 92 . 97 Hipp Welding Signing Supplies
2461 9. 31 Hubbard & Johnson Construction Supplies
Skyline Cabin
2462 380. 81 Mobil Oil District Vehicle Expense
2463 255. 95 Multiplex Slide Storage Cabinet
2464 47. 70 Stanley Norton July Expenses (phone,. copies)
2465 174. 37 PG&E Utilities-7400 St. Joseph
2466 690. 96 Pacific Telephone Telephone Service
2467 5. 00 City of Palo Alto Utilities
2468 9. 59 Peninsula Blueprint Service Bluelines
2469 52. 72 Pitney Bowes Postage Meter Rental
2470 70. 51 Rancho Hardware & Garden Shop Misc. Field Supplies
2471 202. 45 Shell Oil District Vehicle Expense
2472 23. 00 Specialty Towing Vehicle Towing
2473 157. 00 Title Insurance & Trust Preliminary Title Report
2474 150. 00 U.S. Postmaster Postage-OPYNSPACE Newsletter
2475 163. 12 Union Oil Company District Vehicle Expense
2476 464. 34 Xerox Corp. Xerox Supplies
2477 143. 75 Monta Vista Garden Center Field Construction Supplies
2478 104 .10 John Pound Private Vehicle Expense
2479 49 .00 Del Woods Private Vehicle Expense
2480 175.00 Jon C. Cummings Site Analysis-Monte Bello
Parking Lot
2481 390 .00 UC Berkeley-Extension Training Course - D. Camp
and J. Escobar
?482 200 .00 Assn. of Bay Area Governments Training Course - Gundertt
and Watt
Claims 81-18 Revised
September 10, 1981
Meeting 81-22
Page Two
# Amount Name Description
2483 40 .22 Charlotte MacDonald Private Vehicle Expense
2484 33.00 Pat Starrett Private Vehicle Expense
2485 187. 16 Harfst Associates, Inc. Computer Services
2486 80 .00 Stanley Norton August Expenses (phone,
copying, out-of-town meetings?
2487 30 . 00 Calif. Park & Recreation Land Manager Recruitment Ad
Society
2488 127. 58 Petty Cash Private Vehicle Expense ,
Postage , and Meal
Conferences