HomeMy Public PortalAbout20120612 - Minutes - Board of Directors (BOD) Meeting 12-17
SPECIAL MEETING
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT
June 12, 2012
A M E N D E D MINUTES
SPECIAL MEETING – CLOSED SESSION
I. ROLL CALL
President Riffle called the Regular Meeting of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space
District Board of Directors to order at 6:00 p.m.
Members Present: Jed Cyr, Yoriko Kishimoto, Pete Siemens, Cecily Harris, Nonette
Hanko, Larry Hassett and Curt Riffle
Members Absent: None
Staff Present: General Manager Steve Abbors, General Counsel Sheryl
Schaffner, Planning Manager Ana Ruiz, Operations Manager
David Sanguinetti, Senior Planner Meredith Manning, Ascent
Environmental Inc. Principal Gary Jakobs, Ascent Environmental
Inc. Environmental Planner Mike Parker, Wildland Resource
Management Fire Prevention Expert Carol Rice, and Page &
Turnbull Architectural Historian Christina Dikas.
At 56:03 p.m., the meeting entered into Closed Session.
Meeting 12-17 Page 2
REGULAR MEETING – OPEN SESSION
I. ROLL CALL
The Board of Directors reconvened into Open Session at 7:04 p.m.
Members Present: Jed Cyr, Yoriko Kishimoto, Pete Siemens, Cecily Harris, Nonette
Hanko, Larry Hassett and Curt Riffle
Members Absent: None
Staff Present: General Manager Steve Abbors, General Counsel Sheryl
Schaffner, Assistant General Counsel James Atencio,
Administrative Services Manager Kate Drayson, Operations
Manager David Sanguinetti, Planning Manager Ana Ruiz, Interim
Natural Resources Manager Kirk Lenington, Public Affairs
Manager Rudy Jurgensen, District Clerk Michelle Radcliffe,
Senior Planner Meredith Manning, Ascent Environmental Inc.
Principal Gary Jakobs, Ascent Environmental Inc. Environmental
Planner Mike Parker, Wildland Resource Management Fire
Prevention Expert Carol Rice, and Page & Turnbull Architectural
Historian Christina Dikas, Mt. Umunhum Project Manager Gina
Coony, Planner II Gretchen Laustsen, Planner III Lisa Bankosh,
Planner III Tina Hugg, Media Communications Specialist Peggy
Koenig, Planning Administrative Assistant Jeannie Buscaglia, and
IT Technician Owen Sterzl
President Riffle stated there were no reportable actions for the Closed Session Agenda
Item No. #1.
II. BOARD BUSINESS
1. Agenda Item #1 – Adoption of a Final Environmental Impact Report for the Mount
Umunhum Environmental Restoration and Public Access Project, and Approval of
Phase I: Demolition (Not Including the Radar Tower) (R-12-57)
General Manager Steve Abbors provided opening remarks and introduced Senior Planner
Meredith Manning. Mr. Abbors stated that the purpose of the meeting is to adopt the
Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) for the Mount Umunhum Restoration and
Public Access Project (Project) and to consider approval of demolition of structures at the
site except for the radar tower.
Ms. Manning provided an overview of the project timeline and the schedule of the
remaining phases of work. Gary Jakobs, Principal at Ascent Environmental, provided a
thorough explanation of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) process for
the Project and explained that the three radar tower options were included in the CEQA
analysis. Discussion ensued.
Meeting 12-17 Page 3
Public Comment: The following people shared their thoughts on the Project: Ann
Waltonsmith, Saratoga; Bob Wallace, San Jose; Basim Jaber, San Jose; Ellenetta
Longworth, Los Gatos; Ben Dunn, San Jose; Pat Pizzo, San Jose; Jim Frain, San Jose;
Wayne Michelsen, Menlo Park; Don Herrick, San Jose; Daniel Bremond, Sunnyvale;
Harry Pottol, Sunnyvale; Bern Smith, Half Moon Bay; Taylor Wing, San Jose; Chuck
Berls; Karin Khan, San Jose; and Paul Carrick, Los Gatos.
President Riffle recessed the meeting at 8:20 p.m. to allow District staff to respond to
some of the comments made during the Public Comment period. At 8:48 p.m., President
Riffle reconvened the meeting with all Directors present.
Ms. Manning responded to comments regarding hang gliding and birds and clarified that
the required clearance of 1,000 feet is for known nests in the area.
Ascent Environmental Inc. Environmental Planner Mike Parker responded to comments
regarding traffic and road conditions on Mount Umunhum Road and Hicks Road and
stated that based on traffic engineer analysis of the two roads, there are no safety issues to
be concerned about.
Wildland Resource Management Fire Prevention Expert Carol Rice responded to
comments regarding car exhaust fumes and its effects on non-native plants on Mount
Umunhum Road. She explained that Mount Umunhum Road will not be heavily used
and that car exhaust fumes will have minimal effects on non-native plants.
Director Hanko questioned if the federal appropriation the District received is sufficient
to cover the costs of removing the buildings the Board is considering. Mount Umunhum
Project Manager Gina Coony explained that the demolition will still need to go out to bid,
but the District’s budget for the demolition is between $1.2 million to $1.5 million and
that there is $1.2 million in federal funds allocated. She stated that if the winning bid is
at $1.5 million, the District will need to cover approximately $300,000. Next, Ms. Coony
explained that the bid documents were prepared to be received for three distinct areas to
allow the District to phase demolition if needed and that the radar tower is not included in
the base bid. She stated that for informational purposes, the District is asking for an
additive alternative in the bid documents to include the radar tower so that staff can get
an idea of the price of demolishing the radar tower.
Brief discussion was held on the re-use of buildings at the site. Director Kishimoto
questioned if the former recreation building could be salvaged and used for other
purposes. Mount Umunhum Project Manager Gina Ms. Coony explained that because of
how the structure was built and the level of remediation work that has been done, it
would not be feasible to re-purpose it for other uses. Discussion ensued.
Motion: Upon motion by Director Hassett, seconded by Director Siemens, the Board
adopted the Final Environmental Impact Report in accordance with the California
Environmental Quality Act for the Mount Umunhum Environmental Restoration and
Public Access Project. (Vote: 7-0-0)
Meeting 12-17 Page 4
Motion: Upon motion by Director Hassett, seconded by Director Harris, the Board
adopted the California Environmental Quality Act Findings of Fact as described in
Attachment 2 of the Board report. (Vote: 7-0-0)
Motion: Upon motion by Director Hanko, seconded by Director Kishimoto, the Board
approved the Mitigation Monitoring Response Plan for Phase I demolition of all
structures (not including the radar tower) at the former Almaden Air Force Station.
(Vote: 7-0-0)
Motion: Upon motion by Director Cyr, seconded by Director Siemens, the Board
approved the Phase I demolition of all structures at the former Almaden Air Force Station
with the exception of the radar tower. (Vote: 7-0-0)
III. ADJOURNMENT
President Riffle adjourned the Regular Meeting of the Board of Directors of the
Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District at 9:18 p.m.
Michelle Radcliffe, CMC
District Clerk