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HomeMy Public PortalAbout20150311 - Agenda Packet - Board of Directors (BOD) - 15-06 SPECIAL AND REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT 330 Distel Circle Los Altos, CA 94022 Wednesday, March 11, 2015 SPECIAL MEETING BEGINS AT 5:00 REGULAR MEETING BEGINS AT 7:00 A G E N D A 5:00 SPECIAL MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT ROLL CALL 1. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL (GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54956.9(b)) Significant Exposure to Litigation – One matter: Mahronich v. Presentation Center 2. CLOSED SESSION: PUBLIC EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION (GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54957(b)(1)) Title of Employee: General Manager ADJOURNMENT 7:00 REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT ORAL COMMUNICATIONS The Board President will invite public comment on items not the agenda. Each speaker will ordinarily be limited to three minutes; however, the Brown Act (Open Meeting Law) does not allow action by the Board of Directors on items not on the agenda. If you wish to address the Board, please complete a speaker card and give it to the District Clerk. Individuals are limited to one appearance during this section. 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. Meeting 15-06 1. Approve Minutes of the February 25, 2015 Board Meeting 2. Approve Claims Report 3. Amendment to Vegetation Management Agreement with Ecological Concerns Inc. for a Total Authorized Amount of $142,970 (R-15-37) Staff Contact: Cindy Roessler, Senior Resource Management Specialist General Manager’s Recommendation: Authorize the General Manager to amend the existing agreement with Ecological Concerns Inc. to increase the agreement amount by $50,000 for a total not to exceed amount of $142,970, for an additional year of vegetation management services on multiple District preserves. 4. Harkins Bridge Selection and Award of Purchasing Contract (R-15-42) Staff Contact: Aaron Hébert, Project Manager, Operations Department General Manager’s Recommendation: Authorize the General Manger to enter into contract with Excel Bridge Co. for an amount not-to-exceed $71,170 to design, manufacture, store, and deliver a vehicle bridge, which includes a 5% contingency to cover any changes in fuel costs at the time of delivery and any minor modifications to the final design. BOARD BUSINESS The President will invite public comment on agenda items at the time each item is considered by the Board of Directors. Each speaker will ordinarily be limited to three minutes. Alternately, you may comment to the Board by a written communication, which the Board appreciates. 5. Adoption of Employee Compensation Guiding Principles (R-15-43) Staff Contact: Kevin Woodhouse, Assistant General Manager General Manager’s Recommendation: Adopt the Employee Compensation Guiding Principles Board Policy provided as Attachment 1 to the staff report. 6. Proposed Purchase of the Burton/Robinson Property as an addition to Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve located off of Mt. Umunhum - Loma Prieta Road in unincorporated Santa Clara County (Assessor’s Parcel Number 562-20-023). (R-15-39) Staff Contact: Michael Williams, Real Property Manager General Manager’s Recommendations: 1. Determine that the recommended actions are categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) as set out in the staff report. 2. Adopt a Resolution authorizing the purchase of the Burton property. 3. Adopt a Preliminary Use and Management Plan for the property as contained in the staff report. 4. Indicate the intention to withhold dedication of the Burton/Robinson property as public open space. 7. Calendar Year 2014 Field Enforcement Activity Report and Ten-Year Field Activity Summary (R-15-22) Staff Contact: Michael Newburn, Operations Manager General Manager’s Recommendation: Receive a presentation about the Calendar Year 2014 Miscellaneous Enforcement Activity Summary and the Ten-Year Field Activity Summary. INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM  Informational Report on the Accessibility Plan 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 factual information; request staff to report back 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 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, Maria Soria, Deputy 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 March 6, 2015, at the Administrative Offices of MROSD, 330 Distel Circle, Los Altos California, 94022. Agenda materials are also available on the District’s website at http://www.openspace.org. Signed March 6, 2015 at Los Altos, California. February 25, 2015 Board Meeting 15-05 SPECIAL AND REGULAR MEETINGS BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT Administrative Office 330 Distel Circle Los Altos, CA 94022 Wednesday, February 25, 2015 DRAFT MINUTES SPECIAL MEETING I. CALL TO ORDER President Siemens called the Special Meeting of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Board of Directors to order at 6:30 p.m. II. ROLL CALL Members Present: Jed Cyr, Nonette Hanko, Cecily Harris, Larry Hassett, Yoriko Kishimoto, Curt Riffle, and Pete Siemens Members Absent: None Staff Present: General Manager Steve Abbors, Assistant General Manager Ana Ruiz, Assistant General Manager Kevin Woodhouse, General Counsel Sheryl Schaffner, Public Affairs Manager Shelly Lewis, Real Property Manager Mike Williams, Planning Manager Jane Mark, Senior Planner Meredith Manning, Planner III Lisa Bankosh, Planner II Gretchen Laustsen, Supervising Ranger Mike Perez, Ranger Steve Gibbons, Natural Resources Manager Kirk Lenington, and Interim District Clerk Kim Marie Smith 1. Discussion Regarding Potential Donor Recognition for Mt. Umunhum Radar Tower Director Yoriko Kishimoto said that the Mt. Umunhum Conservancy had gone to staff to request a policy to allow some acknowledgement of donors, and asked for a general outline of the suggested framework. It is beneficial for the Conservancy to tell donors how they will be recognized. She reminded the Board members that the District has already agreed that they would wait for the Conservancy to raise half the amount before proceeding with a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Director Kishimoto said she had asked staff to provide examples of what had done with other major donors, which was handed out recently, and to include the existing donor recognition policy in the packet. She suggested Meeting 15-05 Page 2 a motion which would convey the board’s willingness to include major donor recognition as a part of the MOU. Director Hanko said it was the charge of the Legislative, Financial and Public Affairs Committee (LFPAC) to the question of a policy change, and suggested that the matter be referred to that committee. Director Harris said that the current donor policy addresses significant supporters and founders, and it may not be appropriate to add another category for financial supporters. Director Siemens referred to the donor policy which was in the packet, and sections of that may be applicable. At 6:45 p.m. the public discussion was opened. Mr. Brandon Lewke said he was a volunteer for the District and at Mt. Umunhum. He said that there is already signage in open space areas, and donor recognition is given at a certain threshold. If the Conservancy fails to reach its 50% share, the question is moot, but he did not see why there would be opposition to the Conservancy having a policy for major donors once that was reached. He talked about his personal experience with a family donation to the Computer History Museum. Mr. Sam Drake, President of the Umunhum Conservancy, said it was important to tell major donors how they would be recognized, so he requested that the District agree that signage is appropriate, and give an approximation how many square inches would be allowed for signage. He said the Conservancy had also been asked about the opportunity for donors to purchase personalized bricks. Mr. Drake said they have been fundraising for several months already, and he hoped to have an answer from the District in the next six weeks, if possible. The Board members discussed whether the matter should be referred to the LFPAC for further study. General Manager Steve Abbors explained that this request had originally been brought to staff, but he stopped their work on it and asked Mr. Drake to make the request directly to the Board under Public Comment. He noted that if the issue is sent to the LFPAC, the discussion should be whether a major donor policy is the appropriate thing to do or not, and if it is, what should that policy be. Motion: Director Kishimoto offered a motion to refer to LFPAC (1) the request to consider a donor plaque and/or personalized bricks. Director Riffle seconded. Director Cyr was opposed because he felt it would address details before a general policy had been developed. Director Hassett said he would like to see the MOU in place first. The motion failed Meeting 15-05 Page 3 VOTE: 2-5-0 (Directors Kishimoto and Hanko voted aye, Directors Hassett, Cyr, Riffle, Siemens, and Harris voted no). Motion: Director Kishimoto moved to refer to LFPAC the possible revision of district- wide policy 5.01, Site Naming, Gift and Special Recognition regarding donor recognition. Director Hanko seconded. Directors Harris and Cyr commented on the amount of time this would take at committee and the impact on staff. General Counsel Sheryl Schaffner said that, absent any amendment to the current policy, the section of the policy which appears to apply to this request says “LFPAC shall be the committee designated to discuss all requests that meet the criteria in the policy for special recognition…and after deliberation shall decide which requests shall be referred to the full board for a vote.” She said that just referring the matter to the committee will let LFPAC do its normal job. She wanted the board to be aware that the current motion goes a little beyond that policy, because right now it’s at the discretion of LFPAC whether to send a referral to the full board. After further discussion, Director Siemens called for the vote. The motion failed. VOTE: 2-5-0 (Directors Kishimoto and Hanko voted aye, Directors Hassett, Cyr, Riffle, Siemens, and Harris voted no). Director Siemens reviewed the outcome of this discussion and staff is not directed to do any work, and it appears the Board would be willing to consider more details when the MOU is developed. In the meantime, the existing policy would be followed. General Counsel Schaffner clarified that this particular site is not an historic site, so the pertinent section of Policy 5.01 would be Section III, Special Recognition. II. ADJOURNMENT Director Siemens adjourned the Special Meeting of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Board of Directors at 7:20 p.m. Meeting 15-05 Page 4 REGULAR MEETING I. CALL TO ORDER President Siemens called the Regular Meeting of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Board of Directors to order at 7:20 p.m. II. ROLL CALL Members Present: Jed Cyr, Nonette Hanko, Cecily Harris, Larry Hassett, Yoriko Kishimoto, Curt Riffle, and Pete Siemens Members Absent: None Staff Present: General Manager Steve Abbors, Assistant General Manager Ana Ruiz, Assistant General Manager Kevin Woodhouse, General Counsel Sheryl Schaffner, Controller Michael Foster, Administrative Services Manager Kate Drayson, Public Affairs Manager Shelly Lewis, Real Property Manager Mike Williams, Planning Manager Jane Mark, Planner II Gretchen Laustsen, Planner III Lisa Bankosh, and Interim District Clerk Kim Marie Smith III. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS No speakers were present. IV. ADOPTION OF AGENDA Motion: Director Riffle moved, and Director Cyr seconded the motion to adopt the agenda. VOTE: 7-0-0 V. CONSENT CALENDAR 1. Approve Minutes of the February 11, 2015 Board Meeting Motion: Interim District Clerk Kim Marie Smith noted a grammatical correction to page 7 of the minutes. 2. Approve Claims Report 3. Contract Award for a Deck Safety Replacement of a Tenant Residence at 20000 Skyline Boulevard Located at Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve (R-15-27) Meeting 15-05 Page 5 Staff Contact: Elaina Cuzick, Senior Real Property Agent General Manager’s Recommendation: Authorize the General Manager to enter into a contract with TKO Construction of Woodside, CA, for a not-to-exceed amount of $30,458, which includes the base bid amount of $27,689 and a 10% contingency amount of $2,769, to complete a Deck Safety Replacement Project at Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve. 4. Approval of Santa Clara County Funding Agreement to support the Purchase of the former Sargent Lysons Family Trust property as an Addition to Monte Bello Open Space Preserve located at 17251 Stevens Canyon Road in unincorporated Santa Clara County (Assessor’s Parcel Number 351-16-020). (R-15-35) Staff Contact: Allen Ishibashi, Senior Real Property Agent General Manager’s Recommendation: 1. Determine that the recommended actions are categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) as set out in this report. 2. Adopt the attached Resolution authorizing the General Manager to negotiate and execute a Funding Agreement with Santa Clara County for their contribution of half the purchase price of the former Sargent Lysons Family Trust property, or $740,000, in exchange for the conveyance of a Conservation Easement. 5. Revisions to Management Partners’ Professional Services Contract for a Financial and Operational Sustainability Model Study and Master Agreement Authorization for On-going Implementation Assistance. (R-15-34) Staff Contact: Kevin Woodhouse, Assistant General Manager General Manager’s Recommendation: 1. Authorize the General Manager to increase Management Partners’ Professional Services Contract for a Financial and Operational Sustainability Model Study by $9,985 to a not-to- exceed amount of $128,675. 2. Authorize the General Manager to enter into a separate master professional services agreement with Management Partners, of San Jose, CA, for a not-to-exceed amount of $125,000 to provide on-going implementation assistance through June 2016 related to organizational changes identified in the Financial and Operational Sustainability Model Study. Motion: Director Cyr moved, and Director Siemens seconded the motion to approve the Consent Calendar. Director Kishimoto moved, and Director Riffle seconded the motion to approve the Consent Calendar, including the amendment to the minutes of October 21, 2014. VOTE: 7-0-0 Meeting 15-05 Page 6 VI. BOARD BUSINESS 6. Appointment of Jessica Lucas as Peace Officer (R-15-20) Operations Manager Michael Newburn introduced Ms. Jessica Lewis, the District’s newest ranger. He reviewed her qualifications, which included park ranger positions for other agencies. She attended the Santa Rosa Park Ranger Academy, and has met all the Penal Code requirements for a Peace Officer. Motion: Director Riffle moved, and Director Hanko seconded the motion to adopt the Resolution of the Board of Directors of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District appointing Jessica Lucas as a Peace Officer. VOTE: 7-0-0 Operations Manager Newburn administered the oath of office to Ms. Lucas, and Supervising Park Ranger Mike Perez pinned on her badge. 7. Consideration of the Controller’s Report on the Proposed Fiscal Year 2015-16 Budget (R-15-36) Controller Michael L. Foster presented his report on the Proposed Fiscal Year 2015-16 Budget. He said that the District was entering the year in very sound financial condition, with a total cash balance of about $35 million. He highlighted the General Fund, the Measure AA Capital Fund, and the Hawthorn Fund. He said that the General Fund is about what the District used to have, with an overall forecasted growth of 6.5% for FY2015-16. The General Fund operating budget is $21.2 million, and even if this district spent 95% of this budget, operational spending would be at 55% of tax revenue, which is consistent with the post- Measure AA long-term financial model. He said the budget includes 9 new employees next year and could accommodate an additional 25 employees in the following 2 years. This is affordable and sustainable even at lower tax growths. He reviewed a series of charts including the FY2015-16 Cash Budget, the MROSD 30-year Cash Flow Projection using a variety of tax growth percentages, and the MROSD Projected Measure AA Tax Rate. Mr. Foster said that Measure AA Capital budget includes $18.03 million of spending on projects, partially funded by grants, for net MAA-funded spending of $17.57 million. That includes $1.3 million for staff labor for project management and construction He said that the Hawthorn Endowment fund will end the year with a cash balance of $1.1 million even after spending $543,800 from this budget. Meeting 15-05 Page 7 Director Harris asked for an explanation of the Measure AA Grants and Gifts category, which sounded like funds from Measure AA were being used toward grants and gifts. Mr. Foster said that on land projects sometimes they record the full value of what they buy, even though a lesser amount was paid. The title means grants and gifts for Measure AA projects, and he estimated that those would be about 8% of the Measure AA capital expenditure budget. Director Riffle asked why there was such a large jump in the non-Measure AA capital expenditures in FY2016-17, 2017-18, and 2018-19. Mr. Foster said it has $20 million of additional staff facilities. Director Riffle said that the board was considering hiring a lot more people in the coming years, and this will create space for them. Director Kishimoto asked if there is anything in the financial forecast that was worrying him, such as a period of inflation. Mr. Foster said that if cost inflation was not reflected in assessed valuation growth, which is not very likely in real estate, that would be a problem because the $300 million would not be worth as much, but hopefully inflation and assessed value growth are related. Director Siemens asked if operating expenses included compensation increases. Controller Foster said he did make some assumptions based his long history with the District and on what he had heard board members and staff members say, and those are included in the budget. General Manager Steve Abbors said, with respect to the Controller’s financial model, decisions that the board makes today must pencil out 30 years from now, and that those decisions will be affected by assessed valuations. The Directors thanked Mr. Foster for an excellent report. The report was accepted by consensus and no action was taken. 8. Initial Review of the Proposed Action Plan and Budget for Fiscal Year 2015-16 (R-15-33) General Manager Steve Abbors said the controller’s report was an important prelude to this budget discussion, and it is a good reminder that there is not a huge acceleration in what the District is proposing to do. Rather, there is a supplement of $10 million from Measure AA, and the District is building the organization in order to spend that over a long period of time at the rate the controller has indicated. He noted that some of the department heads capacities had changed so they could focus more on their core functions, and that the budget includes a 20% to 30% contingency rate to address uncertainties at this particular time. He thanked the staff for the tremendous amount of work it took to produce this budget under very difficult circumstances. Administrative Services Manager Kate Drayson distributed copies of the slide presentation and highlighted a few items, including an explanation of how the projects were prioritized. She then highlighted the projects by program and funding source, and said that of the 156 projects, 46 of them were in public access and education. About 26% of the total projects are funded by Measure AA. Ms. Drayson highlighted the Administration and General Counsel budgets shown on pages 3-6 of Attachment I to the staff report, including project to replace IT and communications equipment, an upgrade to the Microsoft Office software, completing the document management system, and Meeting 15-05 Page 8 hiring a consultant to develop an IT strategic plan. Director Harris asked about the number of items in the budget column that carry a zero cost. Ms. Drayson explained that those items represent staff time. The only staff expenses identified here are those for Measure AA projects because of the reimbursement. Director Harris asked for an explanation of the phrase “building and testing an image” in the IT section, and the replacement of Fund Ware. Ms. Drayson said it is a technical term which references how each person’s computer profile is built. She said that Fund Ware replacement started two years ago, but the payroll section was delayed until now because of staff turnover. Natural Resources Manager Kirk Lenington highlighted the key projects in the action plan, including La Honda Creek grazing plan and the Highway 17 wildlife passage, including retaining an engineer to work on the conceptual design and feasibility study. Director Hassett asked about cost-sharing on the wildlife passage. Mr. Lenington said that Caltrans will assist with permitting and construction oversight, and possibly funding in a larger manner but that would delay the project. He said that that Santa Cruz only received a minor portion of the Caltrans grant they requested to their project has been delayed. Director Hanko asked if there has been community feedback on the wildlife passage. Mr. Lenington said that outreach will come later. He explained it would be an underpass for the animals, and people would go over. They originally looked at land bridges as done in Canada, but this area is not suited for a land bridge because of landslides, so instead they are looking for culverts as a solution. Director Harris said a lot of projects on page 7 of the attachment have to do with fencing and water systems, but is water going to be available for the tenants? Mr. Lenington said no, last year the properties ran out of water, and this year the tenants are being asked to stock the properties at a very low rate, anticipating that there may be water problems again. Mr. Lenington also highlighted the Prescribed Fire program development. Director Kishimoto asked why some of these items, including sudden oak death and prescribed fires, are priority 2. Mr. Lenington said these projects did not meet the priority 1 criteria set forth by the Administrative Services Manager. They will still get done, but may be delayed if the priority 1 projects fall behind. Director Hanko remarked about the salamander undercrossing, and said that Palo Alto had a similar problem with salamanders coming onto the road in the rain, and perhaps that city could offer some suggestions. Mr. Lenington said in this section of Alpine Road there are hundreds that are killed every year. Director Harris asked if they had talked to the Committee for Green Foothills and some other partner conservation groups about the Restoration Forestry Demonstration, because they were strongly opposed to the County doing something similar. Mr. Lenington said they had worked closely with the Committee for Green Foothills when developing the Forest Management policy, and the desire is to do a demonstration project to show what the District means when it talks about forest management and restoration. Meeting 15-05 Page 9 Director Siemens asked if the data was still available from the time when there was logging at Bear Creek, and he asked that Ms. Lennie Roberts be kept up to date on this project, since she had voiced a concern that the District would start to depend upon the money from logging, and she was active with many of the conservation groups. Mr. Lenington said he had the data from Bear Creek. Mr. Lenington highlighted the Watershed Protection programs at Corte Madera and La Honda Creek. Director Kishimoto noted that the wording in the scope of project for La Honda Creek Watershed protection should be changed from “design” of the road upgrade to “construction.” Operations Manager Michael Newburn highlighted the Stevens Canyon Trail Bridges project and the Seasonal Ranger Program. He explained that the ranger program will probably have two stages. The first ranger position would not be badged, and would help with public outreach, assisting with events, etc. The second ranger position would be badged, and would be recruited from the Santa Rosa Ranger Academy. Director Hanko asked that the board be notified when new events are happening, particularly in public access and education projects, so that the board members could attend. Mr. Newburn also highlighted the Preserve Entrance Signage Upgrades project, the AEDs for District Emergency Response Vehicles, District-wide Bridge Inventory, and District-wide Structures and Demolitions Inventory. Director Hassett asked if the Skyline Filed Office Safety and Maintenance budget will bring the road up to Cal Fire/County standards. Mr. Newburn explained that these are maintenance projects only, to repair potholes or crumbling roads, and will not be up to County standards. If the building were changed, the road improvement costs would be up to $1 million. Planning Manager Jane Mark gave an overview of her action plan, and said that of the 32 total projects, 15 are a continuation from the current action plan and budget, and the upcoming action project would have 11 new projects, and in total the department will be working on 22 public access and education projects. She that in order to expedite the Bear Creek Redwoods Preserve plan and environmental review, they will be contracting for some planning assistance. She said the key projects in this action plan are the Radar Tower Interim Repair, Mt. Umunhum Trail Construction, the Summit Restoration Parking and Landing Zone Project, the Guadalupe Creek Overlook and Bridges Project, and the Mt. Umunhum Road Design, Permitting and Implementation. She also highlighted the Mindego Public Access, Mindego Hill Trail, Bear Creek Redwoods Preserve, La Honda Red Barn Parking Area and Trail Connections as well as the Sears Ranch Interim Parking and Trail Connections. Ms. Mark also provided some responses to questions asked of staff by Director Kishimoto. Regarding the La Honda Sears Ranch, the proposed scope includes the planning work for the future trail connections as well as minor grading and improvements such as wheel stops, gates, Meeting 15-05 Page 10 fencing and signage. Also the scope of work for the Mt. Umunhum road will include design, engineering, and permitting for approximately 5.5 miles of paved road improvements, including consulting services for geotech, civil engineering, biologists, hazardous materials, and traffic, as well as permitting fees and contingencies. Director Harris asked about costs for the Cooley Landing Interpretive Design and Implementation Ms. Mark said the City of East Palo Alto is still the lead on the Cooley Landing project, and they are finishing the interpretive center at the site, but the District will work only on its own lands. Director Harris asked for more information about Bear Creek Alma College Site Rehabilitation Plan. Ms. Mark said that an inventory and assessment of the structures on the college site has been done, but at some point the Board redirected the planning staff to refocus on Mr. Umunhum, which put the combined master plan for Sierra Azul and Bear Creek Redwoods on hold. The Board has not made a decision on the master plan alternative which was developed, but the plan is to bring the preserve plan to committee and to the Board. Ms. Mark clarified language on the Mt. Umunhum Overlook and Bridges to indicate that “helicopter” means delivery of construction materials by helicopter. Director Siemens referred to the Mindego Hill Trail and True Ranch demolishing project, and said that public documents should no longer include the True Ranch name, and should just be referred to the Mindego Ranch House. He also suggested that staff consider establishing design standards for wheel stops and square curbs so that cars can roll up against them without scraping. Director Kishimoto referred to page 25, the Trail Database for the District’s website, and suggested that the advanced volunteers be recruited for this project. Director Hassett asked about page 24, District-wide Longterm Facilities Plan. Ms. Mark said that at this time, the team is composed only of internal staff and no consultants have been hired. Director Siemens asked if there were any plans to develop a Memorandum of Understanding with the San Mateo County. Ms. Mark said that was considered as part of their core function, and it was also part of the Financial and Operational Stability Model (FOSM) recommendations for process delivery improvements. Discussions have been initiated with the San Mateo County Planning Director. Director Siemens said that perhaps it would be good to have a board member present at a future meeting to indicate their level of interest. Public Affairs Manager Shelly Lewis highlighted key projects in the Public Affairs category, including Measure AA ribbon cuttings and project tours, updating Measure AA information materials and signage in the preserves, an educational campaign about Restoration Forestry, a new annual report at the end of each fiscal year, and a more robust legislative program. Director Hanko asked about the possibility of a state parks commission bond measure. Ms. Lewis said that a bare bones measure was introduced yesterday, but so far no dollar amount has been specified. General Manager Steve Abbors said that the District needs to plan for a Park Bond in 2016, but also in 2018, which might be more likely, so it must be closely monitored. Meeting 15-05 Page 11 Director Harris asked for more information about the project tours. Ms. Lewis said that not all the details have been decided, but she expected that invitations would go out to elected officials and other interested parties, and the open house tours are for the public as well as invited guests. Real Property Manager Mike Williams highlighted the Lot Line Adjustment/Property Transfer of Purisima Uplands, the Event Center and Apple Orchard Purchase, Bear Creek Redwoods – Moody Woods Gulch, improving existing rights to the road on Mt. Umunhum, and Ravenswood Bay Trail, CEQA, Permits and Implementation. Director Hanko noted that this is the missing link to the entire Bay trail, and she asked if Menlo Park has agreed to be the lead agency. Mr. Williams said that Menlo Park is not interested, although they will share management responsibility of portions of the trail. East Palo Alto has grant funds, but not the staff to manage it. He said that there is a grant proposal for construction, and there is a Santa Clara County/Stanford grant for $400,000 to get permits, and there are a lot of other opportunities and partnerships. This work is all happening at the staff level and has not yet gone to Menlo Park city council. Director Kishimoto asked for more information about the Alpine Road Regional Trail Connection. Mr. Williams said that they were in preliminary talks with San Mateo County Parks and Public Works staff and hoped to set up a tour to look at culvert failure areas and other sedimentation problem areas, and then discuss how much of that cost the County would bear and how much of the trail would go on District land. Ultimately the County would have to abandon or quitclaim the land for public trail purposes. Administrative Services Manager Kate Drayson reviewed the funding sources for the budget of $55.76 million, which is comprised of 2/3 from the General Fund, 32% from Measure AA, and 1% from grants. Operating expenses are about $21.2 million, which is 38% of the District budget. She said in prior years that was higher, so this reflects a shift of the resources to the Capital and Land programs. She noted that salaries and benefits increased by 15%, but when Measure AA reimbursable staff costs are removed it drops the increase to only 6%. She said the total Capital budget increased by 113% reflecting the influx of Measure AA funding and projects, and Land increased by 32% largely due to the Apple Orchard purchase. She said the total District budget increased by 27%. Ms. Drayson also highlighted the salary and benefits increase, staffing increases, retirement costs and the decrease in the CalPERS rate, increased costs for workers compensation, and she reviewed the costs for supplies, and additional staff positions. Assistant General Manager Ana Ruiz highlighted new positions shown on the organizational chart in Section II, page 7 of the staff report. The four high-priority staff positions are the Chief Financial Officer and Director of Administrative Services, the Engineering and Construction Manager, the Information Systems Manager, and the Special Projects Manager. She also discussed the Legislative and External Affairs Specialist, an additional GIS specialist and IT specialist position, and new Ranger and Supervising Ranger positions needed because of the opening of Mt. Umunhum and Bear Creek Redwoods. Director Kishimoto said she did not agree with adding another position for legislative activities, because there are already 6 people in the General Manager’s Office and 10 people in Public Affairs, and felt the public would be watching closely to make sure the District is watching its Meeting 15-05 Page 12 spending. Director Hanko said she felt it was time for the District to be paying close attention to all the bills that could affect the district or which could bring in grants. Director Cyr said that, given the extensive public affairs and outreach planned for next year, it would be easy to miss this important legislative connection. He felt this was a critical position. Ms. Ruiz added that without this new position the responsibility will fall to existing staff, and their review may not be as robust, or it would impact other projects. General Manager Abbors said that up to 2000 bills move through the legislature each year, and it is important to understand which ones may impact the District in order to address opportunities and threats. Sometimes action is required in a day or two, and current staff cannot respond that quickly. He said that there is a move to bring redevelopment back, which the cities want, and it’s important for the District to monitor that subject as well. Ms. Ruiz said that the position will also look for grant opportunities. Administrative Services Manager Kate Drayson reviewed the summary of the FY2015-16 Five- year Capital Improvement Program, and said that years four and 5 are very rough estimates, and there are often permitting delays, so the General Manager is recommending that the District go back to a 3-year CIP Program. Motion: Director Kishimoto moved to delete the Legislative and External Affairs Specialist from the budget. The motion failed for lack of a second. Motion: Director Cyr moved, and Director Hanko seconded the motion to direct staff to replace the Five-Year Capital Improvement Program with a Three-Year Capital Improvement Program. VOTE: 7-0-0 This was the first hearing on the budget, and the Final Action Plan and Budget will be presented for Board adoption at the March 25 meeting. VII. INFORMATIONAL REPORTS A. Committee Reports Director Riffle reported that the Planning and Natural Resources (PNR) Committee met on February 24 to review the Guadalupe Creek Overlook design guidelines and preliminary conceptual design, as well of the proposed closure of two trail segments Director Hanko reported that the Legislative, Funding, and Public Affairs Committee (LFPAC) met on February 19, and had an informational report from Mr. Ralph Heim of Public Policy Advocates. The members also discussed the future role and emphasis of the committee, and that discussion will continue at the March meeting, along with review of a short list of bills to watch. B. Staff Reports Controller Michael L. Foster reported that the decision was made to hire Sohail Bengali as the District Financial Advisor for the initial sale of government obligation bonds. Meeting 15-05 Page 13 General Manager Steve Abbors said that he had been invited to the Palo Alto Fellowship Forum and spoke about Measure AA, and as a result he has two recruits for the bond oversight committee. He said today he also spoke about the measure to the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority, about Measure AA and the Open Space Authority spoke on Measure Q. Mr. Abbors said he had also been working with the Bay Area Open Space Council which is recruiting an executive director. Mr. Abbors presented a monogrammed gavel to former President Cecily Harris, as a acknowledgement of her service. C. Director Reports Director Hassett reported that he attended the Midpeninsula and Cooley Landing event at which Director Hanko did a great job with remarks, as well as the 75th Anniversary for the San Mateo County Resource Conservation District, at which Director Harris did an excellent job representing the District. He and Director Harris noted they had both been asked to speak on a panel before the Coastside Democrats. Director Cyr said he attended both of those events. He said that he and Director Riffle planned to attend the Special Parks District Forum in Michigan in June. He said he would forward sign-up information on this event to all of the Board members. Director Kishimoto said she went on a Sempervirens walk to the Lagomarsino Redwoods. Director Hanko said she enjoyed the Cooley Landing event, which was very well attended, and she talked about the history of the Buffalo Soldiers. Director Riffle congratulated staff on their efforts for that event. Director Harris said she and some staff went to one of the Public Open Space Trust (POST) lectures and heard an interesting presentation about how livestock can stop desertification. VIII. ADJOURNMENT Director Siemens adjourned the Regular Meeting of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Board of Directors at 10:18 p.m. ___________________________________ Kim Marie Smith, MMC Interim District Clerk CLAIMS REPORT MEETING 15‐06 DATE 03‐11‐2015 MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT Check  Number Notes Vendor No. and Name Invoice Description Check Date Payment Amount Wire 11472 ‐ FIDELITY NATIONAL TITLE COMPANY Real Property Purchase ‐ Burton Property Pending $390,000.00 68822 * 10215 ‐ CALPERS‐FISCAL SERVICES DIVISION Health Insurance ‐ Customer id 2857159579 03/03/2015 123,900.97 68871 11107 ‐ SOUTHWEST FENCE AND SUPPLY COMPANY INC. McDonald Ranch Fencing project progress payment ‐ LHC 03/06/2015 49,968.00 68845 11454 ‐ DECON ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES, INC. Hicks Creek Ranch Demolitions (SA) 03/06/2015 31,406.44 68775 10540 ‐ CRAFTSMEN PRINTING Printing of Brochures: Rancho/Purisima/Windy Hill/So. Skyline 02/27/2015 18,349.32 Printing of Event flyers/Envelopes/Business Cards 02/27/2015 68844 11445 ‐ CROSS LAND SURVEYING INC. Boundary survey of former Gallaway Property ‐ ECM 03/06/2015 14,980.00 68766 * 11152 ‐ WELLINGTON PARK INVESTORS AO2/AO3 Rent ‐ March 02/24/2015 13,839.00 68843 10540 ‐ CRAFTSMEN PRINTING Printing of Measure AA Brochures/Spring OSV Newsletter/Postage 03/06/2015 8,092.59 68797 10276 ‐ PORTOLA PARK HEIGHTS PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOC Potola Heights Annual Road Agreement payment (LR) 02/27/2015 6,875.00 68795 * 10180 ‐ PG & E Electricity/gas 02/15 02/27/2015 5,980.85 68773 11161 ‐ CARNEGHI BLUM AND PARTNERS Freudenburg property appraisal ‐ potential land acquisition at Sierra Azul 02/27/2015 5,000.00 68832 10827 ‐ BAY AREA OPEN SPACE COUNCIL Sponsorship for Bay Area Open Space Council conference 03/06/2015 5,000.00 68825 * 10419 ‐ THE LINCOLN NATIONAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY AD&D MPOSD‐BL‐490450 03/03/2015 4,849.84 LIFE Insurance MPOSD‐BL‐490450 03/03/2015 LTD MPOSD‐BL‐490450 03/03/2015 68856 10058 ‐ LIEBERT CASSIDY WHITMORE Employee Relations Consulting ‐ HR 03/06/2015 4,275.50 68833 10141 ‐ BIG CREEK LUMBER CO INC Fencing materials (MR)/bridge materials (ECM) 03/06/2015 3,750.53 68768 10010 ‐ ARRANGED4COMFORT Ergo ‐ chairs for L. Hernadez and C. Lau/Adjustable Table 02/27/2015 3,529.59 68776 10031 ‐ DESIGN CONCEPTS Design of brochure/MROSD Fact sheet/Icons & Map for Web 02/27/2015 2,982.50 68806 10302 ‐ STEVENS CREEK QUARRY INC Road and trail materials ‐ SFO 02/27/2015 2,821.95 68852 10187 ‐ GARDENLAND POWER EQUIPMENT Field Equipment/Chainsaw Parts/Equip Repairs 03/06/2015 2,580.08 68808 10307 ‐ THE SIGN SHOP Install MROSD logos on trucks 02/27/2015 2,534.37 68804 10102 ‐ SHUTE, MIHALY & WEINBERGER LLP Ridge Vineyards Land Exchange ‐ Project Manager assistance ‐ MB 02/27/2015 2,382.20 68824 * 10211 ‐ PUBLIC POLICY ADVOCATES Legislative Advocacy Services 03/03/2015 2,333.34 68864 10265 ‐ PRIORITY 1 Install Code 3 equipment ‐ P104 03/06/2015 2,149.12 68800 10934 ‐ REGIONAL WATER QUALITY CONTROL BOARD Wastewater Discharge Permit ‐ OPS 02/27/2015 2,088.00 68829 10154 ‐ ALL PREMIUM PROMOTIONAL PRODUCTS T‐shirts for 2/21/15 Event ‐ RW 03/06/2015 2,001.09 68807 * 10969 ‐ THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST CO NA Escrow & Admin Agent Fee ‐ 1996 Revenue Bonds/2012 Refund Notes 02/27/2015 2,000.00 68858 11463 ‐ MARLENE EYRE Ranger Academy Accomodations ‐ OPS Training 03/06/2015 2,000.00 68769 11371 ‐ CALFLORA DATABASE Weed Manager Database improvements ‐ District‐wide 02/27/2015 1,890.00 68876 * 10583 ‐ TELEPACIFIC COMMUNICATIONS District Telephone Service + SAO Internet 03/06/2015 1,872.13 68816 * 10032 ‐ DEL REY BUILDING MAINTENANCE February JanitorialServices 02/27/2015 1,815.00 68784 11177 ‐ HARRIS CONSTRUCTION Floor repair at rental residence (Bergman House) 02/27/2015 1,802.63 68862 11129 ‐ PETERSON TRUCKS INC. WT02 Annual Vehicle Service 03/06/2015 1,760.41 68830 * 10128 ‐ AMERICAN TOWER CORPORATION Repeater communication site lease‐Coyote Peak 03/06/2015 1,668.00 68826 * 11003 ‐ UNITED ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES Basic Life/Supplemental Life GLUG‐45Y5 03/03/2015 1,609.53 68823 * 10212 ‐ PINNACLE TOWERS INC Tower rent ‐ Crown communication site id 871823 03/03/2015 1,600.20 68805 * 10952 ‐ SONIC.NET, INC. AO Internet Service for 3/2015 02/27/2015 1,573.63 68772 10723 ‐ CALLANDER ASSOCIATES Bay Trail gap project ‐ concept study plan ‐ RW 02/27/2015 1,504.20 68789 10073 ‐ NORMAL DATA Incidents Database ‐ Upgrades 02/27/2015 1,450.00 68874 10107 ‐ SUNNYVALE FORD M26/M29 Repair & Service 03/06/2015 1,397.75 68787 10058 ‐ LIEBERT CASSIDY WHITMORE Training Fees ‐ Harassment Prevention 02/27/2015 1,350.00 68788 10125 ‐ MOFFETT SUPPLY COMPANY INC Restroom supplies ‐ SFO Preserves 02/27/2015 1,292.60 68834 10289 ‐ CAL‐LINE EQUIPMENT INC Vehicle maintenance and repairs ‐SFO 03/06/2015 1,291.70 68796 10086 ‐ PHYTOSPHERE RESEARCH Sudden Oak Death Treatment 02/27/2015 1,223.10 page 1 of 3 CLAIMS REPORT MEETING 15‐06 DATE 03‐11‐2015 MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT Check  Number Notes Vendor No. and Name Invoice Description Check Date Payment Amount 68840 * 10445 ‐ COMMUNICATION & CONTROL INC Repeater Communication Site Lease 03/06/2015 1,172.00 68828 11347 ‐ A&D AUTOMATIC GATE AND ACCESS Automatic gate (PCR) 03/06/2015 1,061.65 68827 * 10213 ‐ VISION SERVICE PLAN‐CA Vision Premium 00 106067 0010 03/03/2015 1,051.44 68790 11063 ‐ O'BRIEN, PAT Legislative services/analysis for January 02/27/2015 975.00 68860 10160 ‐ OFFICE DEPOT CREDIT PLAN Office Supplies 03/06/2015 954.26 68781 11195 ‐ GOODYEAR AUTO SERVICE CENTER P98 New Tires 02/27/2015 951.47 68863 * 10180 ‐ PG & E Electricity/gas 03/06/2015 915.01 68809 10069 ‐ THE WILFRED JARVIS INSTITUTE Leadership and organizational effectiveness consulting 02/27/2015 900.00 68873 10143 ‐ SUMMIT UNIFORMS Uniform Items ‐ SFO 03/06/2015 810.19 68859 10190 ‐ METROMOBILE COMMUNICATIONS 2 portable radios for AO/radio removal 03/06/2015 773.13 68811 10403 ‐ UNITED SITE SERVICES INC Sanitation Services (FOOSP/SA) 02/27/2015 745.52 68861 11144 ‐ PENINSULA MOTOR SPORTS Vehicle maintenance and repairs ‐SFO 03/06/2015 724.30 68869 * 10580 ‐ SHARP BUSINESS SYSTEMS Copier Machine Expense ‐ AO 03/06/2015 681.82 68782 10519 ‐ GREEN WASTE‐1500 Debris box exchange/ Garbage & Recyle  ‐ SFO 02/27/2015 677.59 68868 11485 ‐ SBC CONSULTING Fair & Impartial Policing Training 03/06/2015 650.00 68777 10567 ‐ EXAMINETICS INC Hearing tests for Field Staff 02/27/2015 637.50 68837 10352 ‐ CMK AUTOMOTIVE INC M42 Repair/M33 Service 03/06/2015 565.60 68799 10176 ‐ RE BORRMANN'S STEEL CO Construction Materials for Bird Nesting Boxes ‐ SAU 02/27/2015 545.24 68793 11144 ‐ PENINSULA MOTOR SPORTS Vehicle maintenance and repairs ‐ SFO 02/27/2015 515.42 68815 * 10029 ‐ CURT RIFFLE February Director meetings 02/27/2015 500.00 68839 11486 ‐ COLLEGE TRACK Participation in District Event 03/06/2015 500.00 68817 * 10050 ‐ JED CYR February Director meetings 02/27/2015 400.00 68818 * 10057 ‐ LARRY HASSETT February Director meetings 02/27/2015 400.00 68819 * 10072 ‐ NONETTE HANKO February Director meetings 02/27/2015 400.00 68820 * 10084 ‐ PETE SIEMENS February Director meetings 02/27/2015 400.00 68865 10176 ‐ RE BORRMANN'S STEEL CO Steel Vent (RSACP)/ATV Mounts 03/06/2015 378.72 68831 10606 ‐ ASCENT ENVIRONMENTAL INC Hendrys Creek Restoration CEQA assistance ‐ IS/MND ‐ SAC 03/06/2015 373.50 68770 11186 ‐ CALIFORNIA DEPT FISH AND WILDLIFE‐NAPA OFFICE Calif. State Roadwork Permit Fee ‐ OPS 02/27/2015 368.25 68854 10043 ‐ HOWARD ROME MARTIN & RIDLEY LLP Legal services ‐ Gullicksen Encroachment 03/06/2015 322.20 68877 10338 ‐ THE ED JONES CO INC 2 retirement badges 03/06/2015 294.75 68774 10170 ‐ CASCADE FIRE EQUIPMENT COMPANY Fire Equipment 02/27/2015 279.34 68850 10169 ‐ FOSTER BROTHERS SECURITY SYSTEMS Lock supplies ‐SFO 03/06/2015 276.55 68842 11180 ‐ COPY FACTORY Printing of Event Flyers 03/06/2015 271.88 68786 10394 ‐ INTERSTATE TRAFFIC CONTROL PRO AO parking lot stencil 02/27/2015 255.56 68794 10253 ‐ PETERSON TRACTOR CO Vehicle maintenance and repairs ‐ SFO 02/27/2015 229.52 68846 * 10032 ‐ DEL REY BUILDING MAINTENANCE AO janitorial supplies 03/06/2015 229.38 68870 10349 ‐ SHELTON ROOFING COMPANY INC Roof repairs at 21150 Skyline Blvd 03/06/2015 220.00 68814 * 10018 ‐ CECILY HARRIS February Director meetings 02/27/2015 200.00 68836 * 10454 ‐ CALIFORNIA WATER SERVICE CO‐949 AO Water 03/06/2015 199.83 68841 10184 ‐ CONTINUING EDUCATION OF THE BAR Subscription Update‐CA RP Sales Trans 4th Up 15 03/06/2015 199.28 68785 10421 ‐ ID PLUS INC Ranger/OST Name Tags 02/27/2015 191.50 68802 11108 ‐ SAN MATEO COUNTY HazMat Waste Disposal Permit ‐ SFO 02/27/2015 170.40 68867 10151 ‐ SAFETY KLEEN SYSTEMS INC Solvent Tank Service (FFO) 03/06/2015 158.80 68767 11170 ‐ ALEXANDER ATKINS DESIGN, INC. Design of Proclamation: SMCo Resource Conservation District 02/27/2015 150.00 68857 10189 ‐ LIFE ASSIST First Aid Supplies 03/06/2015 149.34 68813 11037 ‐ US HEALTHWORKS MEDICAL GROUP PC DOT Physical Exam ‐ HR Dept 02/27/2015 139.00 page 2 of 3 CLAIMS REPORT MEETING 15‐06 DATE 03‐11‐2015 MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT Check  Number Notes Vendor No. and Name Invoice Description Check Date Payment Amount 68851 10168 ‐ G & K SERVICES INC Shop Towel Service (FFO & SFO) 03/06/2015 137.84 68855 11491 ‐ LAU, CARMEN Mileage Reimbursement 03/06/2015 131.60 68879 * 10309 ‐ VERIZON WIRELESS Cell Phone charges 03/06/2015 125.81 68803 11059 ‐ SAN MATEO COUNTY HEALTH DEPT Water testing / tick testing 02/27/2015 122.00 68783 10267 ‐ HALF MOON BAY REVIEW Ad for Rental House Contract Work RFP ‐ RR 02/27/2015 120.00 68771 * 10172 ‐ CALIFORNIA WATER SERVICE CO‐3525 Water Service for rental residences 02/27/2015 110.72 68838 10385 ‐ COASTAL SIERRA INC Internet services ‐SFO 03/06/2015 109.00 68810 10200 ‐ TOOLAND INC Tools/Shop Supplies ‐ SFO 02/27/2015 104.80 68801 * 10136 ‐ SAN JOSE WATER COMPANY Water service for rental residence 02/27/2015 100.48 68821 * 10118 ‐ YORIKO KISHIMOTO February Director meetings 02/27/2015 100.00 68880 10796 ‐ WEMORPH INC District Timecards 03/06/2015 96.59 68778 10169 ‐ FOSTER BROTHERS SECURITY SYSTEMS Security Gate Locks (MB‐LYSON'S) 02/27/2015 86.42 68848 10186 ‐ FEDERAL EXPRESS Shipping charges 03/06/2015 81.74 68849 10186 ‐ FEDERAL EXPRESS Courrier Service ‐ Lehigh brief to Court of Appeal 6th District 03/06/2015 81.48 68792 * 10481 ‐ PACIFIC TELEMANAGEMENT SERVICE Monthly telephone ‐ MB 02/27/2015 78.00 68878 10200 ‐ TOOLAND INC Tools ‐ SFO 03/06/2015 75.19 68779 10187 ‐ GARDENLAND POWER EQUIPMENT Tree Trim Equip 02/27/2015 73.36 68780 10548 ‐ GARTSIDE, ELLEN Volunteer Supplies/Field Equipment 02/27/2015 71.43 68875 10152 ‐ TADCO SUPPLY Janitorial Supplies (RSACP) 03/06/2015 65.50 68872 10960 ‐ STATE WATER RESOURCES CONTROL Water Treatment Certification ‐ SFO 03/06/2015 55.00 68847 11151 ‐ FASTENAL COMPANY ATV Supplies 03/06/2015 54.50 68835 * 10172 ‐ CALIFORNIA WATER SERVICE CO‐3525 Monthly Water ‐ WH 03/06/2015 51.20 1210 ** 10172 ‐ CALIFORNIA WATER SERVICE CO‐3525 Water service for Hawthorn residence 02/27/2015 50.93 68866 * 11426 ‐ RIDGE WIRELESS INC. FFO Internet service 03/06/2015 50.00 68853 10416 ‐ HAPKE, ALEX Park Rangers Association 75% Reimbursement 03/06/2015 37.50 68798 10134 ‐ RAYNE OF SAN JOSE Water Service (FOOSP) 02/27/2015 26.25 68812 * 10165 ‐ UPS Shipping charges 02/27/2015 18.44 1211 ** 10180 ‐ PG & E Electricity/gas Hawthorn 03/06/2015 17.09 68791 10670 ‐ O'REILLY AUTO PARTS Vehicle maintenance and repairs ‐ SFO 02/27/2015 9.77 GRAND TOTAL $765,978.74 * Annual Claims ** Hawthorn Expenses BC = Bear Creek                                         LH = La Honda Creek                      PR = Pulgas Ridge                              SG = Saratoga Gap                                                        TC = Tunitas Creek CC = Coal Creek                                         LR = Long Ridge                               PC = Purisima Creek                         SA = Sierra Azul                                                             WH = Windy Hill ECdM = El Corte de Madera                    LT = Los Trancos                              RSA = Rancho San Antonio              SR= Skyline Ridge                                                          AO = Administrative Office ES = El Sereno                                            MR = Miramontes Ridge                RV = Ravenswood                             SCS = Stevens Creek Shoreline Nature                      FFO =  Foothills Field Office FH = Foothills                                             MB = Monte Bello                           RR = Russian Ridge                               TH = Teague Hill                                                            SFO = Skyline Field Office FO = Fremont Older                                  PR = Picchetti Ranch                       SJH = St Joseph's Hill                        TW = Thornewood                                                        SAO = South Area Outpost RR/MIN = Russian Ridge ‐ Mindego Hill  page 3 of 3 R-15-37 Meeting 15-6 March 11, 2015 AGENDA ITEM 3 AGENDA ITEM Amendment to Vegetation Management Agreement with Ecological Concerns Inc. for a Total Authorized Amount of $142,970. GENERAL MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION Authorize the General Manager to amend the existing agreement with Ecological Concerns Inc. to increase the agreement amount by $50,000 for a total not to exceed amount of $142,970, for an additional year of vegetation management services on multiple District preserves. SUMMARY The District has an agreement with Ecological Concerns to manage vegetation on three District preserves. The original agreement was executed under the General Manager’s authority on April 6, 2013 to control invasive vegetation at Los Trancos Open Space Preserve, purple star thistle and distaff thistle at Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve, and manage the restored tree farm area at Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve. This amendment will extend these services for one year, including the addition of purple star thistle control at La Honda Creek Open Space Preserve and discontinuing the tree farm restoration area management which is now at a level that can be managed by volunteers and field staff. DISCUSSION The existing agreement with Ecological Concerns Inc. was approved by the Board of Directors on March 27, 2013 for two years of vegetation management for $92,970 (see R-13-25). It provides for management of invasive plants on Los Trancos Open Space Preserve, the tree farm restoration portion of Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve and the Mindego Ranch portion of Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve. The original bid process was competitive and sent to eleven selected vegetation management firms. Staff recommends extending the existing agreement for one year and revising the project list to keep this time-sensitive work moving forward while Natural Resources staff concentrates on implementation of a new Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Program, including the hiring of a new IPM Coordinator. The contractor has exhibited satisfactory performance to date, and will be trained on any new procedures associated with the IPM Program. The project list will be revised to add the management of invasive plants at the Founder’s Circle at Mindego Ranch and at target areas around ponds on the Driscoll Ranch at La Honda Open Space Preserve. The tree restoration portion of Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve will be removed from the project list R-15-37 Page 2 since the amount of invasive plants at this site has been reduced to a level that can now be handled by volunteers and field staff. Continuation of this contract will provide best pricing, is at a competitive rate, and will assure continuity of service. Ecological Concerns Inc. has agreed to continue working at the same hourly rate as in previous years which is slightly less than another contractor has recently charged for similar work. Procedures of the new IPM Program and the type of work and field conditions of the new project areas are similar to those under which the contractor has performed well over the past two years. In particular, the contractor has consistently met the District’s expectations regarding protection of sensitive aquatic wildlife such as the California red-legged frog and coordination with biological monitors. FISCAL IMPACT Approval of the General Manager’s recommendation will cost the District a not-to-exceed amount of $142,970, which includes the original project proposal amount of $92,970 plus expanded scope costs of $50,000. The FY 2015-16 Natural Resources Department budget includes $50,000 for this additional work and will be considered by the Board on March 25, 2015. BOARD COMMITTEE REVIEW There was no Committee review for this agenda item. The original contract was approved by the full Board. PUBLIC NOTICE Public notice was provided as required by the Brown Act. No additional notice is required. CEQA COMPLIANCE Work conducted under this agreement will be consistent with the Final Environmental Impact Report for the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Integrated Pest Management Program, adopted by the Board on November 25, 2014. NEXT STEPS Upon Board authorization, the contract with Ecological Concerns will be amended to continue invasive vegetation management on District preserves. Responsible Department Head: Kirk Lenington, Natural Resources Manager Prepared by: Cindy Roessler, Senior Resource Management Specialist Contact person: Cindy Roessler, Senior Resource Management Specialist R-15-42 Meeting 15-06 March 11, 2015 AGENDA ITEM 4 AGENDA ITEM Harkins Bridge Selection and Award of Purchasing Contract GENERAL MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION Authorize the General Manger to enter into contract with Excel Bridge Co. for an amount not-to- exceed $71,170 to design, manufacture, store, and deliver a vehicle bridge, which includes a 5% contingency to cover any changes in fuel costs at the time of delivery and any minor modifications to the final design. SUMMARY The Harkins Bridge Replacement Project, Measure AA 3-4, entails the demolition of an existing deteriorated vehicle bridge and the construction of a new vehicle bridge 100’ upstream in Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve. On April 23rd, 2014 the Board approved the project approach and that a prefabricated truss bridge is the preferred option to replace the existing bridge. Staff is seeking authorization to procure the bridge. DISCUSSION The selection of a bridge is an essential part of delivering on this Measure AA project. The bridge design, manufacturing, and delivery process takes up to 20 weeks. For many projects, procurement is often done through the construction process and contract. The lead time of this project requires the District manage this process directly. By the District taking the lead, the estimated construction time is reduced by more than half and saves on the overhead expense of contractor procurement. Staff is concurrently pursuing three permit processes. The streambed alteration permit with the CA Department of Fish and Wildlife has been submitted for review. The District’s strong relationship with the Department and prior consultation should make the permit review time short. The project requires building, planning, and local coastal program review from San Mateo County. Permit review is underway, but requires a final bridge be specified for their review. The San Mateo Planning Commission meeting is tentatively scheduled for April, 2015. The project also requires construction in the jurisdiction of the Army Corps of Engineers (below the “ordinary high water mark”) and, through the Corps, Section 7 consultation with the US Fish and Wildlife Service regarding California red-legged frog and marbeled murrelet. The permit application to the Corps was submitted in November, 2014 concurrently with circulation of the Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND), which the Board R-15-42 Page 2 certified on December 17th, 2014. The Corps has received the permit but has not reviewed the permit or initiated the Section 7 consultation with USFWS, which, once started, typically takes six months or longer. Staff has negotiated the contract terms with Excel to include storage of the bridge if the permits are not in place in time for bidding, construction, and the seasonal work restrictions. This approach keeps procurement costs low while acknowledging the complex regulatory environment of the project. Four prefabricated bridge manufacturers were solicited for bids for a prefabricated truss bridge meeting the engineer’s specifications. Additionally, bids for ‘bow truss’ bridges were solicited. As seen in the following table, the bow truss option added $10,000+ to the base bid price. Given the surrounding vegetation and limited visibility of the bridge, the added aesthetic value was not deemed worth the cost. Standard Truss Bow Truss Big R $68,629.13 $82,634.18 Excel $67,780.50 $76,540.50 Contech $105,886.50 *did not meet spec Did not provide Pioneer $75,202.41 Did not provide FISCAL IMPACT If awarded, the $71,170 of costs would be covered under the larger project total $600,000 budgeted in FY2015-16. Construction, engineering, biological monitoring, permits, and contingency constitute the majority of those costs. BOARD COMMITTEE REVIEW The project approach and selection of the bridge type were reviewed by the Planning and Natural Resources Committee on April 15th, 2014. PUBLIC NOTICE Public notice was provided as required by the Brown Act. CEQA COMPLIANCE The selection and procurement of the bridge is not a project under CEQA. The construction of the project is covered by the IS/MND adopted by the Board on December 17th, 2014. R-15-42 Page 3 NEXT STEPS If approved, staff will finalize negotiations with Excel and coordinate the shop drawing submittal process with Questa Engineering. Staff will submit the final plans to San Mateo County for review. Staff will continue its efforts to assist the Army Corps and the USFWS with the permitting process. If all of the permits are not in place by July 1st, there will be insufficient time for bidding, contract awarding, and construction the FY2015-16. Excel will hold the bridge and deliver late spring, early summer 2016. Attachment A: Example Bridge Design Features from Excel Bridge Co. Responsible Department Head: Michael Newburn, Operations Manager Prepared by: Aaron Hébert, Project Manager, Operations Department Contact person: Aaron Hébert, Project Manager, Operations Department Attachment A: Example Bridge Design Features from Excel Example Railing Detail R-15-43 Meeting 15-06 March 11, 2015 AGENDA ITEM 5 AGENDA ITEM Adoption of Employee Compensation Guiding Principles GENERAL MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION Adopt the Employee Compensation Guiding Principles Board Policy provided as Attachment 1 to this staff report. SUMMARY On January 14, 2015, the Board of Directors reviewed and discussed the Action Plan and Budget Committee’s (ABC) work on developing an Employee Compensation Guiding Principles Board Policy. The ABC worked on developing a draft policy over the course of four meetings from October to December 2014. The ABC also considered staff’s preliminary cost analysis of the potential cost implications of the draft policy, as did the full Board at the January 14, 2015, study session. The Board reviewed and discussed several options concerning the benefits side of compensation addressed in Principle 6 of the draft policy. The ABC recommended an option that states it is the Board’s intent to provide a benefits package that helps attract and retain quality employees, rather than options that specify a targeted value range for benefits. After considering the policy options developed by ABC, the full Board did not provide different direction to the General Manager, therefore the recommended policy provided as Attachment 1 remains the same as was recommended at the January 14 study session. The preliminary cost estimate for implementing salary and benefits decisions based on the recommended policy is approximately $460,000 per year more than current salary and benefit costs based on current staffing levels. This estimate assumes, by way of example, a benefits package value enhancement of $150 per month per employee. With anticipated significant growth in the number of District employees in the coming decade, this cost impact could increase to $685,000 per year by 2025 (in today’s dollars). According to the District Controller, the District’s financial model can afford and sustain this cost increase. The operational implication of potential enhanced compensation for employees is the level of trade-off in being able to afford additional employees to accomplish the District’s Mission, including Measure AA projects. Adoption of an Employee Compensation Guiding Principles Board Policy is not in itself an action that sets employee compensation. Instead, the principles in the policy would help guide the General Manager’s consideration of changes to the District’s Classification and Compensation Plan in the future, with any recommended changes requiring Board approval at R-15-43 Page 2 that time. The principles would also help guide labor negotiations and the consideration of changes to employee benefits, which would also be approved by the Board at that time. DISCUSSION The background of the Employee Compensation Guiding Principles Policy development, summary of ABC’s work, summary of each principle in the draft policy, and cost implications are provided in Attachment 2, the January 14, 2015, study session report. The recommended policy states the overarching purpose of having such a policy, and then establishes principles regarding public accountability, affordability/sustainability, flexibility, legality, competitiveness, and future compensation studies. FISCAL IMPACT Total Annual Cost Estimate: Year 1 Year 10 (Current Workforce) (Estimated Future Workforce) Top-Range Salary & Benefits (Option C): $460,000 $685,000 If the Board adopts the recommended Employee Compensation Guiding Principles policy, setting the compensation target for top-range salary at median to 55th percentile of comparator agencies and not specifying a target value for benefits, it is estimated that potential changes to employee compensation could cost approximately $460,000 more than current salary and benefit costs based on current staffing levels. With anticipated significant growth in the number of District employees in the coming decade, this cost impact could increase to $685,000 per year by 2025 (in today’s dollars). The precise fiscal impact in the short term will be unknown until a detailed review and analysis of a final recommended salary schedule and where each employee sits in his/her salary range, as well as a comprehensive benefits package analysis, can be completed. According to the District Controller, the District’s financial model can afford and sustain the cost increases of this recommendation. The operational implication of potential enhanced compensation for employees is the level of trade-off in being able to afford additional employees to accomplish the District’s Mission, including Measure AA projects. The potential impact of the recommendation is estimated to be at the expense of being able to add four to seven additional employees that could otherwise be hired to accomplish the District’s Mission, including accomplishing Measure AA projects sooner. ALTERNATIVES The Board may wish to consider the following alternatives: 1. Final wording changes to specific principles as may be suggested and discussed by Board members and supported by a majority of the Board; 2. The Board may choose to revisit the other options (A and B) provided in the January 14, 2014, study session report concerning the benefits side of compensation addressed in Principle 6 of the draft policy; R-15-43 Page 3 3. Due to the potential fiscal impact of Principle 6, the Board may choose to delay a decision on this matter until a comprehensive position by position salary range analysis and benefits analysis can be completed and the Financial and Operational Sustainability Model Study is complete. With current staff workloads, position by position salary range analysis and benefits analysis are estimated to take two to three months to complete. 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 (CEQA). NEXT STEPS Following approval of these principles, the General Manager will complete review and analysis of the 2013-14 Compensation Study results and bring forth any proposed compensation recommendations to the Board for consideration in the future following completion of the Financial and Operational Sustainability Model Study and labor negotiations with the Field Employees Association. Attachments 1. Draft Employee Compensation Guiding Principles Board Policy 2. Staff Report for January 14, 2015 Board Study Session (Without Attachments) Responsible Department Head: Stephen E. Abbors, General Manager Prepared by: Kevin S. Woodhouse, Assistant General Manager Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Board Policy Manual Employee Compensation Guiding Principles Policy # Chapter 2 – District Personnel & Board Support Effective Date: Revised Date: Prior Versions: ATTACHMENT 1 Purpose: The District’s Board of Directors values high-quality employees dedicated to fulfilling the mission of the District in service to the public. Competitive compensation is one important tool to attract and retain high-quality employees. By clearly setting forth Employee Compensation Guiding Principles in this policy, the District’s Board of Directors is establishing its compensation philosophy for represented and unrepresented employees, through a transparent and public process, to guide the General Manager’s employee compensation recommendations into the future. These guiding principles are flexible. Factors may prove to be more or less important in particular negotiations or situations. Guiding Principles: 1. As stewards of public funds, the District shall hold accountability to the public as a cornerstone value in maintaining competitive, fair, and equitable compensation for its employees for their high-quality and hard work in delivering excellent services to the public; 2. Employee compensation decisions shall be considered in the context of short and long- term affordability, and shall not negatively impact the District’s ability to fulfill its mission with excellent service into the future; 3. The Board of Directors shall always retain flexibility to address circumstances that may be negatively impacting the District’s ability to attract and retain high-quality employees and deliver excellent services to the public; 4. The Board will refer to the California Meyers Milias Brown Act (MMBA) to determine what, if any, factors the law identifies related to determining appropriate compensation through labor negotiations in local public agencies. An excerpt from the MMBA, as of the effective date of this policy and subject to future changes in the MMBA, is provided 2 as an Attachment to the policy to partially show factors in the law at this time related to determining compensation, but is not intended to represent the full extent of the law. 5. The Board of Directors shall consider the appropriateness of certain benefits between different groups of employees. 6. The Board of Directors shall consider salary and benefits as key factors comprising competitive compensation. Periodically, salaries and benefits may be evaluated in comparison to benchmark agencies that are determined through a combination of factors, typically including organizational type and structure, similarity of population, staff, budget, scope of services provided and geographic location, labor market, and compensation philosophy. When comparing to benchmark agencies using “top-range salary”, a competitive salary is defined as median to 55th percentile of the comparator agencies, plus or minus five percent, with no employee’s top-range salary below median or above 60th percentile unless under the Board’s decision-making flexibility as provided in this policy. Regarding the employee benefits part of compensation, it is the intent of the Board of Directors to provide a benefits package, when combined with salary, as well as other benefits described in Principle #7 below, that helps attract and retain quality employees over the long term. The plus or minus five percent from the compensation target is a range that the Board acknowledges as important to give the General Manager flexibility in achieving internal alignment within the organization on compensation recommendations, yet still remaining competitive. 7. The Board of Directors also considers one-time and individual monetary benefits and non-monetary benefits as factors in remaining competitive within the District’s labor market; 8. The Board of Directors acknowledges that the high Cost of Living in the Bay Area is an ongoing challenge for public sector recruitment and retention. While the guiding principles above that relate to maintaining competitive compensation within the District’s labor market help to partially address the Cost of Living challenges, the District is willing to explore innovative ideas, alone or in concert with other public agencies, to improve this regional challenge. 9. To determine competitive salaries and benefits in the District’s labor market in response to unforeseen, dramatic changes in the labor market or as new positions or work groups are established, and with the intent of managing potential “drift” of District compensation, the General Manager may periodically direct that a compensation study be performed, organization-wide or for specific departments, work groups or classifications. When conducting a compensation study, benchmark comparator agencies will remain as consistent as possible from study to study. 3 Attachment 1: Meyers Milias Brown Act The following is an excerpt from the Meyers Milias Brown Act and is intended to partially show factors in the law as of October 2014 related to determining compensation. This excerpt is not intended to represent the full extent of the law. Excerpt from California Government Code section 3505.4: (1) State and federal laws that are applicable to the employer. (2) Local rules, regulations, or ordinances. (3) Stipulations of the parties. (4) The interests and welfare of the public and the financial ability of the public agency. (5) Comparison of the wages, hours, and conditions of employment of the employees involved in the factfinding proceeding with the wages, hours, and conditions of employment of other employees performing similar services in comparable public agencies. (6) The consumer price index for goods and services, commonly known as the cost of living. (7) The overall compensation presently received by the employees, including direct wage compensation, vacations, holidays, and other excused time, insurance and pensions, medical and hospitalization benefits, the continuity and stability of employment, and all other benefits received. (8) Any other facts, not confined to those specified in paragraphs (1) to (7), inclusive, which are normally or traditionally taken into consideration in making the findings and recommendations. R-15-13 Meeting No. 15-01 January 14, 2015 STUDY SESSION ITEM 1 AGENDA ITEM Development of Employee Compensation Guiding Principles GENERAL MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION Review and discuss the Action Plan and Budget Committee’s work on developing an Employee Compensation Guiding Principles Board Policy and direct the General Manager to revise the policy as necessary and return to the Board of Directors at a future regular meeting for consideration of adoption of the policy. SUMMARY In March 2014, during final review and acceptance of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2013-14 Compensation Study prepared by Koff & Associates, the Board of Directors (Board) directed the Action Plan and Budget Committee (ABC) to develop Employee Compensation Guiding Principles for full Board consideration during FY2014-15. On October 7 and 31, November 18, and December 10, 2014, the ABC worked on developing such guiding principles by discussing and providing feedback on the provisions of the General Manager’s recommended draft Employee Compensation Guiding Principles Board Policy. Additionally, at the November 18 meeting, the ABC was presented the results of staff’s preliminary cost analysis of the potential cost implications of the draft policy, followed by the presentation of additional cost analysis results at the December 10 meeting. Based on the cost analysis results, the General Manager prepared alternative policy language for the Committee’s consideration related to employee benefits. Following the December 10 meeting, the ABC directed the General Manager to bring the draft policy to the full Board for review and discussion. The ABC recommends to the full Board the policy as currently drafted, except for Principle 6 regarding the definition of competitive compensation. The ABC recommends Option C in Principle 6. However, the ABC would like the full Board to be able to see and discuss all three options in Principle 6 (A, B, and C), to understand the cost implications of each, and if in agreement with the ABC’s selection of Option C, to consider wording revisions if necessary to make the intent of Option C clearer. The preliminary cost estimate for implementing salary and benefits decisions based on the ABC’s recommendation is approximately $460,000 per year more than current salary and benefit costs based on current staffing levels. This estimate assumes, by way of example, a benefits package value enhancement of $150 per month per employee. With anticipated significant growth in the number of District employees in the coming decade, this cost impact could increase to $685,000 per year by 2025 (in today’s dollars). Options A and B in Principle 6 are estimated to cost much more than Option C – a range from $675,000 to $995,000 per year based on current staffing levels and increasing to $1,000,000 to ATTACHMENT 2 R-15-13 Page 2 $1,480,000 over the next decade based on anticipated growth in the number of District employees. According to the District Controller, the District’s financial model can afford and sustain the cost increases of any of the options, although at varying levels of trade-off in being able to add additional employees to accomplish the District’s Mission, including Measure AA projects. The precise trade-off between enhanced compensation and the number of future employees cannot be calculated until a more detailed salary and benefits analysis could be completed, in addition to completion of the Financial and Organizational Sustainability Model Study. Adoption of an Employee Compensation Guiding Principles Board Policy is not in itself an action that sets employee compensation. Instead, the principles in the policy would help guide the General Manager’s consideration of changes to the District’s Classification and Compensation Plan in the future, with any recommended changes requiring Board approval at that time. The principles would also help guide labor negotiations and the consideration of changes to employee benefits, which would also be approved by the Board at that time. DISCUSSION Background On March 26, 2014, the Board accepted the organization-wide 2013-2014 Compensation Study prepared by Koff & Associates. Prior to this acceptance, during the March 12, 2014 study session to review the compensation study data, the Board directed the Action Plan and Budget Committee (ABC) to develop Employee Compensation Guiding Principles for full Board consideration during FY2014-15 and prior to Board consideration of implementation of any compensation changes based on the results of the study (R-14-17). The stated purpose for developing such Guiding Principles was to bring clarity to the Board’s employee compensation philosophy and minimize process and implementation inconsistencies from study to study. As presented to the Board at the March 12, 2014 Study Session, potential topics to be addressed in the guiding principles may include: • Purpose of competitive compensation, such as recruitment and retention of high-quality employees • Accountability to the public • Definition of “competitive” compensation • Non-compensatory benefits of District employment • Salary versus benefits • Future compensation studies – when, how, consistency with previous studies, consistency of comparator agencies • Focused compensation reviews vs. organization-wide studies In preparation for the ABC’s work, staff considered these potential topics and researched how/if other elected boards or councils have chosen to publicly develop their compensation policy in response to specific circumstances confronting the agency, such as dire financial challenges, heightened public scrutiny of public employee salaries and benefits (particularly pensions), or employee recruitment or retention challenges affecting the agencies’ service delivery. During this research, staff learned that although formally adopted Employee Compensation Guiding Principles are neither unique nor commonplace for public agencies, at this point in the District’s history development of such principles may help the Board set unrepresented employee compensation and develop bargaining proposals and consider employee bargaining proposals related to compensation. In addition, staff also learned that it is important for guiding principles R-15-13 Page 3 to be flexible; certain principles may be more important at some times and less important at others. Summary of ABC Meetings The minutes from each of the ABC’s meetings are provided in Attachment 1. 10/7/14 ABC Meeting At their first meeting, the ABC discussed the process for developing guiding principles, the structure of the guiding principle document, potential elements that could be addressed in guiding principles along with analysis of these elements, and specific language for each element recommended by the General Manager as a starting point for the ABC. The ABC acknowledged that a Board policy document would be the appropriate structure, that the process would likely entail multiple ABC meetings in which the members reviewed, discussed, and provided direction on draft policy language recommended by the General Manager, and that elements such as an introduction/purpose statement, public accountability, affordability, flexibility, legality, competitiveness, and future compensation studies were appropriate to address in the policy. The ABC provided numerous wording changes to draft principles and directed the General Manager to return to a future ABC meeting for continuing discussion of the policy, particularly related to the definition of competitiveness. 10/31/18 ABC Meeting At the second ABC meeting the discussion focused on different approaches to achieving competitiveness when looking at salaries and benefits as two different but important parts of compensation. Staff explained, and cited a specific example of, the challenge related to implementing a total compensation approach whereby adjustments to salary are intended to compensate for benefits that are low or high. This approach makes it difficult to achieve internal alignment of salaries amongst work groups, departments, or the whole organization. Instead, an approach that looks at salary and benefits separately, yet strives to ensure each is competitive, can also result in competitive total compensation. Staff also explained challenges associated with accurately quantifying and comparing benefit package values between comparators. Another discussion point in this ABC meeting was that it is acceptable within compensation study best practices that a range of plus or minus five percent from the target salary goal is considered competitive, yet allows necessary flexibility to achieve internal alignment within work groups, departments, or the whole organization. It is impractical to expect that every classification’s compensation could be set at the precise target salary goal of comparator agencies while maintaining internal alignment. Finally, the ABC discussed whether median top- range salary is the appropriate target salary goal. When they reviewed staff’s input about the normal practice of the plus or minus five percent, the ABC acknowledged its importance but expressed interest in a target salary goal that would not have any employee’s top-range salary be below median of comparators. The discussion evolved toward evaluating whether a target salary goal of the 55th percentile, plus or minus five percent, would better capture the ABC’s interest. The ABC directed the General Manager to return to a future ABC meeting to continue this discussion, as well as for the ABC to understand preliminary cost implications of not having any employee’s top-range salary, or benefits package value, be below median of comparators. The staff report for this second ABC meeting, provided as Attachment 2, contains more detail about the numerous topics addressed during this meeting. R-15-13 Page 4 11/18/14 and 12/10/14 ABC Meetings At the third and fourth meetings, the ABC primarily focused on the General Manager’s recommended policy language for the definition of competitive salary and competitive benefits, as well as the preliminary cost estimate. The ABC directed the General Manager to bring the policy to the full Board for discussion, stating that the ABC recommends to the full Board the policy as currently drafted, except for Principle 6 regarding the definition of competitive compensation. The ABC recommends Option C in Principle 6. However, the ABC would like the full Board to be able to see and discuss all three options in Principle 6 (A, B, and C), to understand the cost implications of each, and if in agreement with the ABC’s selection of Option C, to consider wording revisions if necessary to make the intent of Option C clearer. A summary of the draft policy provisions and explanation of the cost implications is provided later in this report. At the December 10, 2014, meeting the ABC also requested the General Manager provide an analysis of employee recruitment and retention. Based on research completed by the District’s Human Resources Division within the timeframe allowed for preparing this staff report, the data suggest the District’s recruitment efforts have been very competitive and successful and that retention of employees has also been very successful. For the small number of employees that have chosen to leave employment with the District, Human Resources’ staff did not find information that suggests that employee compensation was a main reason for their decision. A summary of the Human Resources Division’s research is provided in Attachment 3. Public and Employee Input During the process undertaken by the ABC, members of the public, as well as employees, have had the option to address the ABC during the public input time of the meetings, as well as provide any written public/employee comments. The ABC did not receive any input from members of the public. They did hear comments directly from numerous unrepresented and FEA represented employees, as well as received written comments directly. At the outset of the ABC’s work on this topic, the General Manager did not recommend that the process entail specific engagement with members of the public or employees, or surveys of these groups. Employee compensation decisions are management’s responsibility under direction from the Board and subject to meet and confer requirements with represented labor unions as necessary. It is the Board’s prerogative to provide compensation policy guidance to the General Manager that a Board majority deems best achieves the District’s mission in service and accountability to the public. Policy Summary by Provision The draft Employee Compensation Guiding Principles Board Policy is provided as Attachment 4. A summary of each provision is provided below, along with key points discussed by the ABC in developing the specific language of each provision. • Purpose statement: This statement addresses the importance of high-quality employees in fulfilling the mission of the District and that compensation is one important tool amongst several to deliver consistent, high quality service from represented and unrepresented employees on behalf of the public. This statement also addresses the value of having clear and transparent compensation principles for employees and the public to understand the Board’s philosophy, and the importance of the Board retaining flexibility in compensation decisions. R-15-13 Page 5 • Principle 1, re: Public Accountability: The Board of Directors is accountable to the public and is thus constantly tasked with aligning its policy decisions with the priorities of the public. In recent years, public sector compensation, particularly the considerable value of a defined benefit pension system, has received increased public scrutiny. The importance of public visibility and accountability has also been elevated with the passage of Measure AA. • Principle 2, re: Affordability/Sustainability: The District’s compensation practices are critical to its short and long term fiscal health and all compensation adjustments must be made within this context. The Board is challenged with providing the staffing resources needed to most effectively and efficiently fulfill its mission in the present, while ensuring adequate financial resources are available in the future. • Principle 3, re: Flexibility: This principle states that the Board retains the flexibility in compensation decisions to respond to changes impacting the District’s ability to attract and retain high-quality employees. • Principle 4, re: Legality: This principle refers to the California Meyers Milias Brown Act (MMBA) to determine what, if any, factors the law identifies related to determining appropriate compensation through labor negotiations in local public agencies, and provides a point-in-time excerpt from the law as an attachment to the policy. • Principle 5, re: Flexibility: This principle conveys that the Board understands that different work groups of employees, such as represented or unrepresented, field or office, may have different levels of interest in different types of benefits, and that these differences should be considered when conducting a benefits analysis. For example, work time and place flexibility may be more highly valued by some employees than others. • Principle 6, re: Competitiveness: This principle conveys the ABC’s recommendation that salary and benefits should both, and independently, be competitive in order to achieve competitive total compensation. The ABC reviewed and understands the importance of achieving internal alignment of salaries within work groups, departments, or the whole organization. Raising salaries to make up for lower benefits, or lowering salaries to make up for higher benefits can be detrimental to internal alignment. Additionally, the ABC reviewed and understands that compensation, whether for salaries or benefit package values, within a plus or minus five percent of the target value is considered competitive in the labor market and that this range of flexibility is important to maintaining internal alignment. Therefore, the central question discussed by the ABC in developing this principle was at what level to set the target value for top-range salary and for benefits package value, understanding some employees’ compensation may be placed below or above the value by up to five percent, yet still achieve competitiveness. The ABC has developed three options for the full Board’s review and discussion, and recommends Option C: Option A (55/55): The target value for both top- range salary and benefits package value is median to 55th percentile of comparator agencies, plus or minus five percent, with no employee’s top-range salary below median or above 60th percentile. The Board retains its decision-making flexibility as R-15-13 Page 6 provided in the policy and also determines the core benefits that would be valuated and compared. Option B (55/50): The target value for top- range salary is median to 55th percentile of comparator agencies, plus or minus five percent, with no employee’s top-range salary below median or above 60th percentile. The target value for benefits package value is median, plus or minus five percent, with no employee’s benefits package value below 45th percentile or above 55th percentile. The Board retains its decision-making flexibility as provided in the policy and also determines the core benefits that would be valuated and compared. Option C: The target value for top- range salary is median to 55th percentile of comparator agencies, plus or minus five percent, with no employee’s top- range salary below median or above 60th percentile. For benefits, no specific target value is indicated, but the principle states it is the Board’s intent to provide a benefits package that helps attract and retain quality employees. The preliminary estimates of the different cost implications of these three options are described in the Cost Implications section of this report. • Principle 7, re: Competitiveness: This principle establishes that the Board of Directors also considers one-time and individual monetary benefits and non-monetary benefits as factors in remaining competitive within the District’s labor market. One-time and individual monetary benefits are payments that accrue to qualifying/participating individuals, such as merit increases, longevity pay, tuition reimbursement, tax benefits from 457 deferral plans, etc.. Non-monetary benefits are considerations such as meaningfulness of the District’s mission, job-stability, future of the organization and professional growth opportunity, organizational culture, work environment, recognition of quality work, etc.. • Principle 8, re: Competitiveness: The high Cost of Living in the Bay Area is an ongoing challenge for public sector employee recruitment and retention. The Bay Area’s higher cost of labor reflects in part the higher cost of living, but public agencies (and even private sector companies) are financially challenged to provide salaries that meet the cost of living, particularl y related to housing costs. Principle 8 in the policy acknowledges this challenge, states that the policy’s other principles that relate to maintaining competitive compensation within the District’s labor market help to partially address the Cost of Living challenges, and states that the District is willing to explore innovative ideas to improve this regional challenge. • Principle 9, re: Compensation Studies: This final principle is intended to bring clarity to when and why future compensation studies may be performed, that they are at the General Manager’s discretion, and that consistency of benchmark comparator agencies is important. Cost Implications Staff has conducted a preliminary cost estimate of the potential implications of the Employee Compensation Guiding Principles Board Policy, showing the difference between Options A, B, R-15-13 Page 7 and C in Principle 6, based on current staffing levels as well as increased staffing levels in the future. Data used to calculate the costs are based on Koff & Associates’ 2013-14 MROSD Compensation Study data. Although staff is confident that these preliminary cost estimates represent the order of magnitude cost impact that could be expected if/when future employee compensation decisions are guided by this policy, staff cannot precisely calculate the cost at this time due to the following reasons: - Precise salary costing requires a position by position salary range placement decision, which entails complex management decisions such as internal alignment, Y-rating, or salary increases or reductions, before precisely knowing the cost difference between current salary placement and recommended salary placement. The preliminary estimate assumes that everyone is at top range salary, no one’s salary is reduced, and salaries that exceed the recommended placement are Y-rated (meaning their salary remains status quo until the new range catches up to them). - Current data does not reflect the 3% cost of living adjustment received by District employees on July 1, 2014. Nor does it reflect changes in salaries or benefits other comparator agencies have made since the current study was completed in January 2014. - Precise benefits costing would require a comprehensive benefits package analysis, which entails assessing limitations of adjusting benefits differently for different classifications of employees. - A benefits package analysis will also entail Board direction and/or management decisions about what benefits should be compared with comparator agencies; those decisions cannot be made until the details of the benefits are analyzed. - Future growth in the number of District employees is not precisely known at this time. The District has grown by 50% over the last ten years, which includes a major recessionary period. The preliminary estimate assumes this same growth rate over the next ten years. There are currently 124.55 full-time equivalent budgeted positions, of which 112.5 receive benefits. The preliminary cost estimate for increased staffing levels ten years from now is based on 187 full-time equivalents, of which 169 receive benefits. Salary Cost Estimate (Annual): Year 1 Year 10 (Current Workforce) (Estimated Future Workforce) $255,000 $380,000 All three options in Principle 6 set the target top range salary within the range of median to 55th percentile, with no one’s top range salary below median nor above 60th percentile. The difference in annual salary costs between Koff & Associates’ recommended salary range placements between median and 55th percentile and no one below median, compared to salary range placements between 45th percentile and median is approximately $255,000 per year with the current workforce. This assumes all employees are at top-range salary, no one’s salary is reduced, and salaries that exceed the recommended placement are Y-rated. This cost impact could grow to $380,000 per year based on an estimated growth rate of 50% of employees over the next 10 years (slightly less depending on how many positions were Y- rated initially and how many years it takes for salary ranges to catch up to the Y-rated salaries). R-15-13 Page 8 Benefits Cost Estimate (Annual): Year 1 Year 10 (Current Workforce) (Estimated Future Workforce) Option A: $500,000 - $740,000 $750,000 - $1,100,000 Option B: $420,000 - $610,000 $625,000-$915,000 Option C: $205,000 $305,000 Option A in Principle 6 sets the target benefits package value within the range of median to 55th percentile, with no one’s benefits package value below median nor above 60th percentile. Option B sets the target benefits package value within the range of 45th percentile to median, with no one’s benefits package value below 45th percentile nor above 55th percentile. Option C does not specify a target value for benefits. However, just as an example for cost estimate purposes, a $150 increase in benefits value per employee per month was estimated. The estimated cost to raise the current benefits package value to median to 55th percentile range (Option A) would range from approximately $500,000 to $740,000 per year with the current workforce. This cost impact could grow to a range from approximately $750,000 to $1,100,000 per year (in today’s dollars) based on an estimated growth rate of 50% of employees over the next 10 years. The estimated cost to raise the current benefits package value to 45th to median range (Option B) would range from approximately $420,000 to $610,000 per year with the current workforce. This cost impact could grow to a range from approximately $625,000 to $915,000 per year (in today’s dollars) based on an estimated growth rate of 50% of employees over the next 10 years. The estimated cost to increase the current benefits package value by $150 per employee per month would be approximately $205,000 per year. This cost impact could grow to approximately $305,000 per year (in today’s dollars) based on an estimated growth rate of 50% of employees over the next 10 years. FISCAL IMPACT Total Annual Cost Estimate: Year 1 Year 10 (Current Workforce) (Estimated Future Workforce) Top-Range Salary & Benefits Option A: $755,000 - $995,000 $1,130,000 - $1,480,000 Top-Range Salary & Benefits Option B: $675,000 - $865,000 $1,000,000-$1,295,000 Top-Range Salary & Benefits Option C: $460,000 $685,000 If the full Board adopts the ABC’s recommended Employee Compensation Guiding Principles policy, setting the compensation target for top-range salary at median to 55th percentile of comparator agencies and not specifying a target value for benefits, it is estimated that potential changes to employee compensation could cost approximately $460,000 more than current salary and benefit costs based on current staffing levels. With anticipated significant growth in the number of District employees in the coming decade, this cost impact could increase to $685,000 per year by 2025 (in today’s dollars). The precise fiscal impact in the short term will be unknown until a detailed review and analysis of a final recommended salary schedule and where each employee sits in his/her salary range, as well as a comprehensive benefits package analysis, can be completed. According to the District Controller, the District’s financial model can afford and sustain the cost increases of any of the options, although at varying levels of trade-off in being able to add R-15-13 Page 9 additional employees to accomplish the District’s Mission, including Measure AA projects. Option C is the most affordable and sustainable option, at the expense of being able to add four to seven additional employees that could otherwise be hired to accomplish the District’s Mission, including Measure AA projects. Option B translates to an approximately seven to thirteen additional employee trade-off; Option A, an approximately seven to fourteen employee trade-off. The impact, particularly for Options A and B, would be to lengthen the time required to complete Measure AA projects. The precise trade-off between enhanced compensation and the number of future employees cannot be calculated until a more detailed salary and benefits analysis could be completed, in addition to completion of the Financial and Organizational Sustainability Model Study. ALTERNATIVES The Board may wish to consider the following alternatives: 1. Final wording changes to specific principles as may be suggested and discussed by Board members and supported by a majority of the Board; 2. Due to the potential fiscal impact of Principle 6, the Board may choose to delay a decision on this matter until a comprehensive position by position salary range analysis and benefits analysis can be completed and the Financial and Operational Sustainability Model Study is complete. With current staff workloads, position by position salary range analysis and benefits analysis are estimated to take two to three months to complete. 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 (CEQA). NEXT STEPS Following the Board’s discussion and input at the January 14th study session, and unless directed otherwise by the Board, the General Manager recommends that staff finalize revisions to the draft policy and bring the policy to a regular Board meeting in February for consideration of adoption. Following approval of these principles, the General Manager will complete review and analysis of the 2013-14 Compensation Study results and bring forth any proposed compensation recommendations to the Board for consideration in the future, which may be during the FY2015- 16 budget process or following labor negotiations. Attachments 1. ABC meeting minutes from October 7 and 31, November 18, and December 10, 2014 2. Staff report for October 31 ABC meeting 3. Summary of MROSD Recruitment and Retention Analysis 4. Draft Employee Compensation Guiding Principles Board Policy R-15-13 Page 10 Responsible Department Head: Stephen E. Abbors, General Manager Prepared by: Kevin S. Woodhouse, Assistant General Manager R-15-39 Meeting 15-06 March 11, 2015 AGENDA ITEM 6 AGENDA ITEM Proposed Purchase of the Burton/Robinson Property as an addition to Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve located off of Mt. Umunhum - Loma Prieta Road in unincorporated Santa Clara County (Assessor’s Parcel Number 562-20-023). GENERAL MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATIONS 1. Determine that the recommended actions are categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) as set out in the staff report. 2. Adopt a Resolution authorizing the purchase of the Burton property. 3. Adopt a Preliminary Use and Management Plan for the property as contained in the staff report. 4. Indicate the intention to withhold dedication of the Burton/Robinson property as public open space. SUMMARY The Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (District) is proposing to purchase the 40-acre Burton/Robinson property (Property) at a purchase price of $400,000.00 as an addition to the Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve (Preserve). The following report presents a description of the Property, a Preliminary Use and Management Plan, the District’s environmental review, the purchase terms and conditions, and financial considerations. The proposed purchase is identified as part of Measure AA Project # 25-1. The Fiscal Year (FY) 2014-15 Budget contains sufficient funds to cover the cost of this purchase. MEASURE AA The purchase of the Property would further the District’s Vision Plan Priority Action Items and Measure AA Projects. The Measure AA Project List was approved by the Board on October 29, 2014, which includes Project #25-1 (Sierra Azul: Loma Prieta Area Public Access, Regional Trails, and Habitat Protection). This project meets the criteria to further the goals of Project #25- 1 as it conserves open space, protects beautiful scenery and panoramic views, protects the Guadalupe River watershed resources and its wildlife habitats, facilitates future development of public access and trails, and is a desirable addition to the Preserve. R-15-39 Page 2 DISCUSSION The Property is an in-holding in the 18,831 acre Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve and drains into the Guadalupe River watershed. The property is highly visible from Mt. Umunhum within the Preserve and from Loma Prieta Mountain, which is immediately adjacent to the Preserve. The reasons for this purchase include advancement of both the Measure AA Priority Project #25 and elimination of an in-holding within the Preserve. Property Description and Regional Context (see attached map) The rectangular 40-acre property consists of one legal parcel, situated in unincorporated Santa Clara County. Access to the property is from Mt. Umunhum - Loma Prieta Road, by way of a non-exclusive easement over a fire break road. The property is approximately 1.5 miles from the summit of Loma Prieta Mountain and 3.5 aerial miles from the summit of Mt. Umunhum. The property is entirely contained within the Preserve. Rising to approximately 3,200 feet in elevation, panoramic views of the Preserve, Santa Clara Valley, the Diablo Range, Monterey Bay, and the Santa Cruz Mountains are visible from many locations on the property. Situated within the Guadalupe River Watershed, the western portion of the property drains into an upper tributary of Alamitos Creek and the eastern portion drains into a tributary of Barret Creek. Downstream, both creeks join near the intersection of Hicks Road and Alamitos Road in the Twin Creeks area, and flow into the Almaden Reservoir. The landscape of the property consists of oak woodland and mixed chaparral, on a high ridgeline between two steep canyons. Stands of oak woodland, including tanbark oak and canyon live oak, are dispersed along the edge of the disturbed areas and distributed through shrub lands of manzanita, chamise, and other plants associated with mixed chaparral. The property provides varied habitat for animals associated with the upper elevations of the Preserve, including large mammals such as deer, coyotes, bobcats, and mountain lions. A wide variety of bird species occupy and migrate through the general area. Land Use and Improvements The property has been operated as a private horse ranch since purchased by Ellen Burton in 1985. Five horses are still onsite. Richard Robinson still resides on the property. The property contains three mobile home trailers, two unpermitted structures erected by Ms. Burton, the remains of a burned mobile home, various outbuildings, vehicles and machinery, horse corrals and paddocks, and associated personal property and debris. Utilities consist of a potable well served by a diesel generator to operate the pump, and undergrounded telephone service. A rudimentary septic system is in place. No electricity is available. USE AND MANAGEMENT Planning Considerations The Property is comprised of one legal parcel, located in unincorporated Santa Clara County, and outside the urban service area or sphere of influence of any incorporated municipality. The 40- acre parcel has a General Plan designation of Hillside, with a zoning designation Hillside District (HS District). Per the Santa Clara County General Plan and zoning regulations, recreation, open space, and natural preserves are allowable uses in HS Districts. A finding of compliance with the General Plan for all open space acquisitions by the District in Santa Clara County was made by the Santa Clara County Planning Department in 1999. R-15-39 Page 3 If purchased, the property will be incorporated into the Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve. Subsequent planning for the property will be coordinated with the District’s planning efforts for the Preserve. The planning effort will analyze opportunities for natural resource management and compatible public trail use as outlined in Measure AA Priority Project #25. Subsequent planning will include consultation with appropriate agencies and organizations. The planning process will include public workshops to gather input on the draft and final plans. Further environmental review will be prepared as needed. Williamson Act Considerations The Burton/Robinson property is subject to a Land Conservation Agreement between the County of Santa Clara and Ellen L. Burton under the California Land Conservation Act of 1965 (also known as the Williamson Act), recorded in 1986 (Contract #86.005). The Williamson Act Contract (Contract) is a voluntary agreement between a landowner and the County to encourage ongoing commercial agricultural use in exchange for property tax reduction. The Contract also provides for the compatible uses of open space and recreation. Per the County of Santa Clara Planning Office’s database of Williamson Act Contracts, a Contract non-renewal was filed by the property owner with the County in October 2008 (Recorded Document #20012768). The Contact will therefore terminate on October 14, 2018. If the purchase is approved, the District will continue to comply with the Contract provisions during the non-renewal period until the Contract termination date. Preliminary Use and Management Plan The Preliminary Use and Management Plan (PUMP) establishes a status quo land management approach in the interim between the purchase and the completion of a subsequent long-term plan. The PUMP will take effect at the close of escrow and remain effective until the PUMP is amended or a Comprehensive Use and Management Plan or Preserve Plan is approved for Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve. The PUMP includes minor restoration and maintenance of the property in its natural condition, as described more fully below. If changes to land use or the physical environment are proposed in the future, the plan would be subject to further environmental review and public input. Public Access: Designate the property as closed to public use at this time. Signs and Site Security: Fences and Gates: Roads and Trails: Patrol: Install Preserve boundary and closed area signs, where appropriate. Install gates as necessary on access road to prevent unauthorized vehicular entry. Remove internal fences and gates that impede patrol or wildlife movement. Maintain access route through site in a serviceable condition. Scarify and re- contour disturbed areas to facilitate natural re-vegetation of site. Implement maintenance and minor erosion and sediment control measures in accordance with District standards. Routinely patrol property using existing access. R-15-39 Page 4 Structures and Improvements: Demolish and remove all structures and any remaining materials. Remove septic system. Assess whether to secure or decommission the well located on the property. Resource Management: Conduct invasive plant and animal management activities consistent with the District’s Resource Management Policies. Wildfire Fuel Management: Implement standard District-wide fuel management and defensible space practices consistent with the District’s Resource Management Policies. Williamson Act Contract: Comply with the existing Williamson Act contract during the nonrenewal period. Name: Name the property as an addition to Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve. Dedication: Indicate the District’s intention to dedicate the subject property as open space. CEQA COMPLIANCE Project Description The project consists of the purchase of the 40-acre Burton/Robinson property as an addition to the District’s Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve and concurrent adoption of a Preliminary Use and Management Plan for the property, which includes demolition of all structures per the provisions of required demolition permits issued by the County of Santa Clara; re-contouring and implementation of erosion control measures in disturbed areas as needed to prevent water quality degradation and facilitate re-vegetation; and minor resource management activities to control invasive plants. The land would be permanently preserved as open space and maintained in a natural condition. CEQA Determination The District concludes that this project will not have a significant effect on the environment. It is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under Article 19, Sections 15301, 15316, 15317, 15325 and 15061 of the CEQA Guidelines as follows: Section 15301 exempts the repair, maintenance, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of use beyond that existing at the time of the lead agency’s determination. The Preliminary Use and Management Plan specifies no alteration or expansion of use at this time beyond activities associated with the clean up and re-vegetation of the site. Section 15316 exempts the acquisition of land in order to create parks if the land is in a natural condition and the management plan proposes to keep the area in a natural condition. The Preliminary Use and Management Plan specifies that the land will not be developed and will remain in a natural condition. Section 15317 exempts the acceptance of fee interests in order to maintain the open space character of an area. The District will acquire fee interest in the property in order to maintain the open space character of the site. R-15-39 Page 5 Section 15325 exempts transfers of ownership of interests in land in order to preserve open space. This acquisition will transfer fee ownership of the property to the District and ensure that the open space will be preserved. The Preliminary Use and Management Plan ensures that the property is preserved as open space by incorporating it into the Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve. Section 15061(b)(3) exempts actions recommended in the Preliminary Use and Management Plan as it has been determined that there is no possibility the recommended actions will have a significant effect on the environment. TERMS AND CONDITIONS The 40-acre Burton/Robinson property is proposed for purchase at a price of $400,000.00 or 10,000 per acre. The property is currently listed on the open real estate market for sale at $400,000. This price is considered fair and reasonable for a single building site improved with a well, rudimentary structures and year round road access. The property would be purchased on an all-cash basis. As part of this proposed purchase, the District is withholding $50,000.00 from the purchase price in escrow to ensure removal by seller of personal property, trailers, vehicles, five horses, and cleanup of the remains of a burned trailer, and debris. The District will issue Mr. Robinson a license agreement to continue to reside on the property to complete the site cleanup and removal personal belongings from the property. After the close of escrow, staff will regularly monitor the site cleanup and removal work. If this work is completed to the District’s satisfaction, the funds withheld in escrow will be released to the sellers. If cleanup work is not completed, the District will use these funds to complete this work. Preliminary site demolition and site restoration costs are estimates at $243,000. BUDGET CONSIDERATIONS FY2014–2015 Budget for New Land Purchases: New Land Purchases Budget $8,500,000.00 Land approved for purchase this year ($4,157,500.00) Burton/Robinson Property ($ 400,000.00) New Land Purchase Budget Remaining $3,757,500.00 The District Controller was consulted on this proposed purchase and has indicated that, considering cash flow and account balances, funds are available for this property purchase. Installation of boundary demarcation and gates/fencing as necessary to prevent unauthorized vehicular entry is estimated at $5,000. Demolition of structures and erosion control measures are estimated at $243,000. These costs are included in the Real Property budget for FY2015-16. No other capital costs are required as part of the purchase. BOARD COMMITTEE REVIEW The District’s Real Property Committee held a meeting on February 17, 2015 to review information about the property and receive public input on the proposed purchase. Notice of the meeting was distributed on February 10, 2015 to property owners of land located adjacent to or R-15-39 Page 6 surrounding the property and interested parties. No members of the public were in attendance. Staff provided an overview and photo tour of the property, described how it would be managed as an extension of the surrounding Preserve, and reviewed the purchase terms and proposed Preliminary Use and Management Plan. The Real Property Committee approved recommending this purchase to the full Board of Directors in a vote of 2-0. PUBLIC NOTICE Property owners of land located adjacent to or surrounding the subject property and interested parties have been mailed a copy of the agenda for this meeting. Accordingly, all notice required by the Brown Act has been provided. NEXT STEPS Upon approval by the Board of Directors, staff would proceed with the close of escrow for the purchase of the property is anticipated to close on March 31, 2015, execute a license agreement with Mr. Robinson to allow him to reside on the property until September 30, 2015, for the purposes of site clean-up and removal of personal property, and take the next steps identified in the Preliminary Use and Management Plan as contained in this report. The District’s South Area Outpost Field Office would manage the property as an addition to Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve. Attachments: 1. Resolution – Authorizing Acceptance of Purchase Agreement, Authorizing General Manager or Other Officer to Execute Certificate of Acceptance of Grant to District, and Authorizing General Manager to Execute Any and All Other Documents Necessary or Appropriate to Closing of the Transaction (Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve - Lands of Burton/Robinson) 2. Location Map Responsible Department Manager: Michael Williams, Real Property Manager Prepared by: Michael Williams, Real Property Manager Elish Ryan, Real Property Planner III Graphics prepared by: Casey Hiatt, GIS Administrator RESOLUTION 15-__ RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT AUTHORIZING ACCEPTANCE OF PURCHASE AGREEMENT, AUTHORIZING GENERAL MANAGER OR OTHER OFFICER TO EXECUTE CERTIFICATE OF ACCEPTANCE OF GRANT TO DISTRICT, AND AUTHORIZING GENERAL MANAGER TO EXECUTE ANY AND ALL OTHER DOCUMENTS NECESSARY OR APPROPRIATE TO CLOSING OF THE TRANSACTION (SIERRA AZUL OPEN SPACE PRESERVE - LANDS OF BURTON/ROBINSON) The Board of Directors of Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District does hereby resolve as follows: SECTION ONE. The Board of Directors of Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District does hereby accept the offer contained in that certain Purchase and Sale Agreement between Ellen L. Burton, an Unmarried Woman and Richard C. Robinson, an Unmarried man, as Joint Tenants and the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, a copy of which purchase agreement is attached hereto and by reference made a part hereof, and authorizes the President of the Board of Directors, General Manager or other appropriate officer to execute the Agreement and all related transactional documents on behalf of the District to acquire the real property described therein (“the Burton/Robinson Property”). SECTION TWO. The General Manager, President of the Board of Directors, or other appropriate officer is authorized to execute a Certificate of Acceptance for the Grant Deed on behalf of the District. SECTION THREE. The General Manager or the General Manager’s designee shall cause to be given appropriate notice of acceptance to the seller and to extend escrow if necessary. SECTION FOUR. The General Manager or the General Manager’s designee is authorized to expend up to $10,000.00 to cover the cost of title insurance, escrow fees, and other miscellaneous costs related to this transaction, and up to $243,000.00 for the demolition and restoration of the property. SECTION FIVE. The General Manager and General Counsel are further authorized to approve any technical revisions to the attached Agreement and documents, which do not involve any material change to any term of the Agreement or documents, which are necessary or appropriate to the closing or implementation of this transaction. SECTION SIX. The purpose of this Section is to enable the District to reimburse its general fund for the cost of certain land acquisitions. The District wishes to finance certain of these real property acquisitions and expects to use tax-exempt debt, such as bonds, but a tax-exempt financing is not cost- justified for the District unless the principal amount of the financing is large enough to justify the related financing costs. Consequently, it is the District’s practice to buy property with its general funds and, when a tax-exempt financing is cost-justified based on the aggregate value of acquisitions, to issue tax- exempt obligations to reimburse itself for previous expenditures of general funds. These general funds ATTACHMENT 1 are needed for operating and other working capital needs of the District and are not intended to be used to finance property acquisitions on a long-term basis. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Board of Directors of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District on ________, 2015, at a Regular Meeting thereof, by the following vote: AYES: NOES: ABSTAIN: ABSENT: ATTEST: APPROVED: Secretary Board of Directors President Board of Directors APPROVED AS TO FORM: General Counsel I, the Interim 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. Interim District Clerk 2 F i r e b r e a k M t. Umunhum Rd. Loma P r i e ta- L o m a Prieta-Mt. U munhum Rd. L o s G a t o s C r e e k Ll a g as Creek U vas Creek LosGatos Cr e e k Midpenin s ul a Reg io na lOpen Space D is tr ict Bu r t o n / R o b i n s on Pro pe rt y Fe bruary, 2015 Path : G:\Projec ts\Sierra_Azul\BurtonProperty\Burton_BoardPacket_Landsc ap e_8.5x11.m xd Created By: mchilds 0 0.50.25Miles (MROS D)High lig hte d Pro pe r ty Othe r Pr otect e d O pe n S p aceor Park La n ds M RO SD Pr ese rv e s Priva t e Pr op er t y Dev e lop ed La n d Whi le th e Distr ic t strive s to use the b est av ailab le d igital d ata, th is d ata d oe s no t r ep r ese nt a legal sur ve y and is merel y a gra ph ic illu stratio n o f ge ograp hi c f eatu res. Water s h ed L a nd Santa Cru z S i e r r aAzul Area ofDetail 17 85Sierra AzulOpen S pacePreserve Sa nta Clara C o.Open S pa ce Aut horit y Burton / RobinsonAPN 5 62-20-0 23 Sa n Jose Wa ter C o. Sphere of Influence 35 Los Gatos A l a m i t o s C reek R-15-22 Meeting 15-04 March 11, 2015 AGENDA ITEM 7 AGENDA ITEM Calendar Year 2014 Field Enforcement Activity Report and Ten-Year Field Activity Summary GENERAL MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION Receive a presentation about the Calendar Year 2014 Miscellaneous Enforcement Activity Summary and the Ten-Year Field Activity Summary. SUMMARY This report provides a summary of the enforcement and emergency response activities on District lands. Detailed information about activities which occurred in calendar year 2014 is provided, with historical information about the preceding nine years provided for perspective. The total violations on District property (including both District Ordinances and non-District Ordinances) decreased by 4% over calendar year 2013. However, 2013 was an unusually active year (see Appendix C), and the chart below includes information about the average for the nine years prior to 2014 (2005 – 2013), which shows that violations increased 10.9% over the nine year average. 2013 2014 % Change Prior 9 Year Average Change from Prior 9 Year Average District Violations 1,974 1,917 -2.9% 1,713 11.9% Non-District Violations 176 146 -17.0% 147 -0.6% Total Violations 2,150 2,063 -4.0% 1,860 10.9% DISCUSSION Since April 1995, staff has provided the Board written monthly reports on emergency incidents and enforcement activities on District land. At the end of each calendar year, the Board receives a summary for that year as well as a comparison with previous years. Information for this year’s report was generated from the Incidents Database, which was placed in service for data collection on January 1, 2010. In reviewing changes from prior years, it is important to understand that differences in record keeping systems can account for different counts in the violations. R-15-22 Page 2 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Prior 9 Year Average Change from Prior 9 Year Average 1. Bike - closed area 49 74 75 58 84 76 70 80 62 65 70 -6.8% 2. Bike - speed 117 85 89 85 103 67 72 59 90 66 85 -22.6% 3. Bike - helmet 119 151 153 142 156 129 91 78 142 93 129 -27.9% 4. Bike - night ridimg 26 18 12 12 25 13 17 17 39 9 20 -54.7% 5. Bike - unsafe operation 29 43 67 64 73 1 2 6 1 36 -97.2% TOTAL BICYCLE VIOLATIONS 340 371 396 361 441 286 252 234 339 234 336 -30.3% Before 2010, the creation of this report primarily relied on manual data collection methods, which were more prone to error and had more limited data collection capabilities. For 2009, and prior years, data was imported from the old system. Work continues to refine the database to collect the desired information and improve the presentation of data and analysis from the system. Three summaries are presented for Board review: the CY2014 Miscellaneous Enforcement Activity Summary (Appendix A); the Ten-Year Field Activity Summary (Appendix B.1); a summary of the actual violation codes, listed in order of frequency of occurrence (Appendix B.2). Note that information for prior years in Appendix B.2 is not necessarily complete. Graphical representation of trends is shown in appendices C and D. The Miscellaneous Enforcement Activity Summary (Appendix A) lists for the past year, contacts made or reports taken by staff of potentially serious, violent, or other criminal activity on or near District land. This is not a comprehensive list of incidents but reflects incidents of special interest or concern. Events which posed special concern for ranger safety or were unusual in nature are included. The Ten-Year Field Activity Summary includes violations of District Land Use Regulations, emergency responses, criminal activity, and mutual aid incidents. Only contacts that resulted in some form of written record, such as a District incident report, written warning, citation, or mutual aid assistance report have been included in these summaries. General assistance to preserve visitors, informational contacts, and verbal warnings have not been included. Trends and Issues In comparison to 2013, 2014 saw a decrease in the number violations recorded in all categories (District ordinances, non-District Ordinances and parking violations), as well as a decrease in the number of accidents. There was also a decrease in the number of fatalities on District lands (from seven in 2013 to three in 2014). The number of citations issued to people decreased from 735 in 2013 to 617 in 2014 (-16.1%). However, the average for the prior nine years was 550 per year, so citation issuance increased by 12.2% over this average. There was a drop in bicycle violations in comparison to both 2013 and to the prior nine-year average. Dog violations decreased from 396 in 2013 to 298 in 2014; though there was a 5.8% increase in the number of dogs being in prohibited areas. Leash law violations decreased by 40.7%. Because of limitations in the old data collection system there is not as detailed information about R-15-22 Page 3 prior years for dog violations, but the average for dog off leash violations is 204 incidents over the prior nine-year period. The average number incidents of dogs in prohibited areas are 100 incidents. 2013 2014 % Change Dogs Prohibited [701.1(b)] 139 147 5.8% Dogs Off Leash [701.1(c)] 246 146 -40.7% Off Leash Area [701.1(d)] 2 0 Nuisance Dog [701.1(e)] 0 1 Pets/dogs on 6 foot leash or radio collar/voice control [SC CO] 9 4 -55.6% Total Dog Violations 396 298 -24.7% District rangers continued their focus on reducing the number of off-road vehicle incidents (District Ordinance 802.1). Those had reached a high of 38 in 2010 and have declined since then. However, they did increase slightly in 2014 over the previous year, with 17 incidents in 2013 and 21 incidents in 2014. Violations of District ordinances continue to be the main issues which District rangers deal with. The most common violations continue to be after-hours use, entry to closed areas (principally Mt. Umunhum) and dog violations. The most common violations are illustrated in Appendix B.2. Due to retirements, promotions, and an extended medical leave for a staff member, the ranger force was not fully staffed for the 2014 calendar year. Court Appearances by District Rangers During the Board’s discussions regarding proposed changes to the District’s Land Use Ordinances and Bail Schedule (see reports R-14-06 and R-14-09) questions were raised about the impact which the higher fine amounts, caused by the Courts’ addition of increased penalty assessments and other fees, might have on the number of times District rangers were required to go to court because a citation was appealed. In response to the Board’s questions staff began tracking the number of court appearances by District rangers and developed the following information for 2014. Violation Number of Incidents Number of Citations Issued Number of Court Appeals Percentage of Citations Appealed 500.1 - Trail Use Speed Limit 66 23 7 30.4% 502.1 - Closed Area - Bicycle 65 32 2 6.3% 502.3(b) - Helmet Possesion Required 7 2 1 50.0% 701.1(b) - Dog in prohibited area 147 87 1 1.1% 701.1(c) - Dog Leash Required 146 94 3 3.2% 803.2 - Reckless Driving 6 3 1 33.3% 805.2(a) - Enter Closed Area (Infraction)212 152 10 6.6% 805.3 - After Hours 336 165 8 4.8% Total for Listed Violations 985 558 33 5.9% Total Number of citations issued:664 33 5.0% R-15-22 Page 4 Staff feel that the relatively low rate (5%) of citations which are appealed to court mean that the current bail schedule is appropriate for the violations, even with the additional amounts levied by the courts. FISCAL IMPACT No fiscal impact is anticipated from the acceptance of this information. PUBLIC NOTICE Public notice was provided by the Brown Act. No further notice is required. CEQA COMPLIANCE This proposed action is not a project under the California Environmental Quality Act and no environmental review is required. NEXT STEPS Staff will continue to actively enforce District regulations, encourage all users to act in a manner which provides for the protection of the natural resources, and allows for the safe and enjoyable use of the preserves by all visitors. Appendices: Appendix A - 2014 Miscellaneous Enforcement Activities Appendix B1 - Field Activity Summary Appendix B2 - List of Frequent Violations Appendix C - Chart - District Enforcement Activities – Ten Year Summary Appendix D - Chart - Accidents by User Type Responsible Department Head: Michael Newburn, Operations Manager Prepared by: Gordon C. Baillie, Management Analyst II Appendix A Page 5 PUBLIC SUMMARYDATE Other Agency #StaffRangers OCCURRENCES OF SPECIAL INTEREST 2014 January Jan 03 A visitor found a jogger unconscious on the Farm Bypass Trail. The visitor called for help, and the farm maintenance worker, District rangers, and Santa Clara County fire and sheriffs responded. The visitor and farm maintenance worker started CPR. Advanced cardiac care was provided, the patient was transported by wheeled litter to a waiting ambulance. Staff later learned that the patient had not survived. 2 AR 14F008 Preserve Rancho San Antonio Location Farm Bypass Trail RM Amb. 2 SCCF 3 SCCSO 1 Jan 09 District rangers were called out after-hours on a report of a person possibly attempting suicide. The rangers met with Palo Alto Police personnel; a Santa Clara County Sheriff helicopter was also searching the area of the Black Mountain Campground. Police officers and a District ranger proceed to the campground where they found the individual in a tent. The brother of the individual and a friend were in the parking lot and said the individual had left a note. On a previous trip he had also threatened to jump off a cliff. The individual was taken into custody by the Palo Alto Police for a mental evaluation. 2 IR 14S018 Preserve Monte Bello Location Black Mountain Camp PAPD 4 SCCSO Jan 12 A boater reported being in distress in San Francisco Bay. Six Menlo Park Fire department staff responded with their airboat. District rangers were requested to respond to the preserve where the airboat was launched. The airboat contacted the boat in distress and returned the boater to the Alviso launch ramp. 2 MA 14F022 Preserve Off District Lands - Foothills Location Bay Road MPF 6 Jan 16 A District maintenance supervisor looking at District boundaries on the internet, observed what he thought might be an encroachment onto District lands. A boundary bisects a pond where many improvements had been made. An outdoor kitchen and large stone slab eating table and seats area has been installed, as well as a pathway to a beach area of the pond where sand had been imported. 1 IR 14S028 Preserve Monte Bello Location District boundary shared with the Leak property Jan 17 A subject was jogging and tripped hitting his head on a bridge handrail. The subject complained of paralysis. District rangers, Santa Clara County Fire Department, Rural Metro Ambulance, and Life Flight responded. Life Flight flew the subject to the hospital. 2 AR 14F025 Preserve Rancho San Antonio Location Wildcat Loop Trail LIFE 3 RM Amb. 2 SCCF 4 Jan 19 A District ranger on patrol observed an unattended stroller on the trail. When looking down toward the creek he observed a couple with children. The man was urinating close to the creek in plain view of the trail. He became very agitated and abusive, claiming he did not to have to do what the ranger said, that he was going to leave and do whatever he wanted to do. He refused to provide identification and at that point the ranger called for backup and for the San Mateo County sheriff to respond. The couple and children proceeded to leave the scene and hike toward the parking lot, all the while shouting how they did not have to obey the rangers instructions. After the group arrived at the ranger's patrol truck the ranger showed his District ranger identification to the man, at which point the individual produced his California driver's license. A citation was issued and the man scribbled "rediculous" across the citation before signing it. He stated he was taking the rangers information so that he could file a complaint and file a lawsuit. 3 IR 14S033 Preserve Purisima Creek Redwoods Location Whittemore Gulch Trail and creek area SMCSO 1 R-15-22 Page 6 PUBLIC SUMMARYDATE Other Agency #StaffRangers OCCURRENCES OF SPECIAL INTEREST 2014 Jan 30 A District ranger stopped on the freeway for a car which was on fire. The ranger was unable to put the fire out with the hand held extinguisher. Palo Alto Fire and Santa Clara County Fire Department responded and extinguished the fire. CHP directed traffic and assisted with scene safety. 1 MA 14F044 Preserve Off District Lands - Foothills Location Hwy 280 CHP 1 PAF 3 SCCF 4 February Feb 01 District rangers copied radio traffic of a bicycle accident in the preserve and responded to the scene. The patient had hit something on the trail sending him off his bike. He had landed on his head. The patient was unconscious for an estimated three to four minutes. When the ranger arrived at the scene the patient was being wheeled up the trail by fire personnel to a waiting helicopter which flew him to a hospital. A riding companion was wearing a GoPro camera and had recorded the entire episode which was shown to the District ranger. 2 AR 14S043 Preserve El Corte de Madera Creek Location LIFE SMCF Feb 09 While on patrol in a closed area of the preserve, District rangers heard approximately 300 gunshots which were fired over a period of approximately 45 minutes. Three rangers searched the area and surrounding roadsides, but were not able to find the location where the shots were being fired from. The most likely location was a remote ridgeline. 3 IR 14F050 Preserve Sierra Azul Location Feb 10 A District ranger heard a loud whistle from within a closed area of the preserve. Rangers checked the area. A baseball hat and water bottle were located on the road, which were not there when the rangers started their search. A subject was located, hunched over and moving down a drainage. When ordered to stop the individual ran from the rangers. He was not located again. 3 IR 14F051 Preserve Sierra Azul Location Feb 13 A District ranger was flagged down by a group of road bicyclists and advised that one of their group had crashed and broken his collar bone. The ranger requested Palo Alto Fire for medical aid, provided medical care and oxygen and kept the patient comfortable. The patient transported to hospital by ambulance. 2 MA 14S051 Preserve Off District Lands - Skyline Location Page Mill Road 2 miles east of Highway 35 Feb 16 While on patrol, District rangers observed a couple laying on the side of a hill after-hours. The male was naked from the waist down and on top of the female. The couple was asked to get dressed and were walked back to their vehicle at the Windy Hill picnic tables where other rangers were waiting. Both individuals were cited for the after-hours violations and released. 3 IR 14S054 Preserve Windy Hill Location Feb 18 A District ranger stopped a vehicle driving within the preserve. The ranger cited the driver for a vehicle-prohibited violation. A passenger said they had entered the preserve using his padlock that had been added to the District's gate. The padlock and keys were taken as evidence. The ranger discovered that putty had been placed in the District locks at three preserve gates to make them unusable. 1 IR 14F058 Preserve Sierra Azul Location R-15-22 Page 7 PUBLIC SUMMARYDATE Other Agency #StaffRangers OCCURRENCES OF SPECIAL INTEREST 2014 Feb 20 A District ranger attempted to stop a subject for a bicycling after-hours violation. The subject fled. Santa Clara County Sheriff and Los Gatos Police were requested. At one point the subject fell from his bike, but got back up and continued to flee. The ranger continued to try and stop the individual, who refused to stop. Two other rangers checked the area but were unable to locate the individual. 3 IR 14F059 Preserve St. Joseph's Hill Location Feb 22 District rangers found some golf clubs in the preserve. A label on the clubs had the name of the owner, and listed a golf course in southern California. The ranger followed up and located the owner. The clubs have been stolen seven months before. The owner was contacted and the golf clubs returned. 1 IR 14F072 Preserve Sierra Azul Location Feb 22 The Skyline Field Office received a phone call from a volunteer trail patrol member who reported that there were two saddled horses running loose in the Monte Bello Preserve. District and City of Palo Alto rangers responded and began a search for the horses and their riders. A mountain bicyclist at Grizzly Flat reported that she had returned the two stray horses to their riders. The mountain bicyclist also said that there had been a total of three horses and riders involved. Two of the horses had been spooked by a loose rope and bucked the riders off. One of the riders had hiked out and driven himself to the Saratoga Summit Fire Station where he was treated and released. The ranger followed him back to the Grizzly Flat trailhead where he met up with the other riders. A second patient complained of minor neck pain. 4 MA 14S062 Preserve Off District Lands - Skyline Location Upper Stevens Creek Co. Park, Grizzly Flat Trailhead CDF SCCP 1 Feb 23 A visitor complained to a District ranger about subjects illegally using a disabled parking placard. Rangers contacted the subjects who were unable to state a specific person in their group that the placard belonged to. The vehicle was issued a disabled vehicle parking citation. The ranger confiscated the placard. 2 IR 14F062 Preserve Rancho San Antonio County Park Location March Mar 06 A neighbor in the area of the preserve reported hearing motorcycles in the preserve and also finding fresh motorcycle tracks. District rangers responded to the area and were unable to find any suspects but did find evidence of motorcycles in the preserve. The reporting party also relayed his information to the San Mateo County Sheriff's office. 3 IR 14S070 Preserve El Corte de Madera Creek Location Near Gate CM06 and Gate CM08 Mar 07 District rangers were informed of a vehicle accident which had damaged the fence at the Hawthorns property. A vehicle failed to stop at the intersection and had broken through the property boundary chain link fence. The driver was cited by San Mateo County Sheriff's deputies for driving under the influence. District rangers responded to the scene to take a report. 2 AR 14S071 Preserve Windy Hill Location Alpine Road at Portola Road SMCSO 2 WFD 1 R-15-22 Page 8 PUBLIC SUMMARYDATE Other Agency #StaffRangers OCCURRENCES OF SPECIAL INTEREST 2014 Mar 07 Two District rangers responded to a report of a rider-less horse in the preserve. The rangers met a group of people with the horse on Stevens Canyon Road. The owner of the horse arrived a few moments later. The owner stated he had left the horse tied up at the winery while he had a glass of wine, and thought that someone had untied the horse. 2 IR 14F083 Preserve Picchetti Ranch Location Zinfandel Trail Mar 10 A District ranger was flagged down by people at the Windy Hill picnic area on Skyline Blvd., who reported they had seen two men in the preserve carrying a bow and arrows. Weapons are prohibited on District lands. The men had entered the preserve on the Anniversary Trail, but were then seen leaving the trail and heading down into the Hamms Gulch drainage. The men were located by rangers several hundred feet down from the trail. When contacted the men stated they were just target practicing and were new to the area. The owner of the bow and arrows was cited for the weapons violation and the other person in the group was given a written warning. 3 IR 14S076 Preserve Windy Hill Location Mar 13 A District ranger copied radio traffic of a motorcycle/vehicle accident. When the ranger arrived the other agencies were already on scene and requested the ranger establish a helicopter landing zone. Unfortunately the patient died at the scene, and the helicopter was cancelled. The ranger then performed traffic control until relieved by CHP personnel. 1 MA 14S078 Preserve Off District Lands - Skyline Location Highway 35, 1.5 miles south of Alpine Road CDF CHP 4 SMCCOR 1 SMCF Mar 15 A neighbor on the preserve notified Mountain View Dispatch of finding District signs with gun shots in them. The responding District ranger found two signs had been damaged. One sign had 17 bullet holes and the other sign had 21 bullet holes. Another neighbor stated he had been riding in the area a few days prior and had not noticed the signs being defaced. In searching the area, the ranger found another private property sign also with bullet holes. All three signs appeared to have been shot with the same caliber gun. 2 IR 14S084 Preserve Miramontes Ridge (Formerly Mills Creek) Location Madonna Creek Ranch Mar 21 A District ranger stopped and cited one subject for a closed area violation and warned them for fishing. The person was observed in the pond, fishing from a float tube. He admitted to crawling under a fence to access the area. 1 IR 14F101 Preserve Bear Creek Redwoods Location Bear Creek Redwoods Pond Mar 22 A District employee discovered a new irrigation line in a closed area of a preserve. Rare native plants had been cut around the line. The employee notified a District ranger of the irrigation line. The ranger completed a report and notified the Santa Clara County Sheriff Marijuana Enforcement Team. 1 IR 14F107 Preserve Sierra Azul Location Newhagen Meadow Mar 30 A District ranger made a vehicle stop in the preserve for reckless driving. A visitor was seen driving in the parking lot spinning donuts with a group of other people. He was cited for reckless driving and released. The rest of the group were given verbal warnings. 2 IR 14S099 Preserve Skyline Ridge Location Equestrian parking lot April R-15-22 Page 9 PUBLIC SUMMARYDATE Other Agency #StaffRangers OCCURRENCES OF SPECIAL INTEREST 2014 Apr 02 A District ranger recognized pictures of two motorcyclists trespassing on a neighbors private property that were taken by a trail camera. A San Mateo County deputy contacted one of the motorcyclists after the ranger identified him. One of the suspects agreed to meet with the neighbor and he agreed to return trail cameras which he had stolen from the District, and neighbors', properties and to stop riding on private property. A second suspect refused to meet. The suspect returned the stolen cameras to the neighbor who, in turn returned the District camera to the ranger. Given the circumstances the District did not request that charges be filed against the subject who returned the cameras. 1 IR 14S101 Preserve El Corte de Madera Creek Location Galloway Property SMCSO 1 Apr 04 A woman was sitting with her dog when another dog approached her in a threatening manner. The woman yelled "no" at the dog. The owner of the other dog then started yelling at the woman, and threatened to taze her. The victim walked away and the suspect continued to yell obscenities at her, and pulled out what appeared to be a taser. The victim contacted the District by email and staff followed up with her by telephone. A description of the suspect, and her dog, was obtained and staff are watching for the suspect. 1 IR 14F114 Preserve Pulgas Ridge Location Dog Off-Leash Area Apr 06 A District ranger was first on scene to a solo road bicycle accident. The bicyclist had a head injury, altered breathing, and was unconscious. Santa Clara County Fire department requested the ranger to do traffic control. The ranger was released when Santa Clara County Sheriff Deputies arrived. 1 MA 14F115 Preserve Off District Lands - Foothills Location Foothill Expressway RM Amb. 2 SCCF 3 SCCSO 3 Apr 06 District rangers responded to the scene of a hiking accident in the parking lot of the newly opened El Corte de Madera staging/parking area on Skyline Boulevard. A woman fell while trying to take a picture of the new sign. Fire units were already on scene and requested District rangers to assist with immobilizing and splinting the victim's injured ankle, and help loading her on the gurney. The patient was transported by ambulance to hospital. It was found that the patient had dislocated and broken her ankle and would require surgery. 2 AR 14S104 Preserve El Corte de Madera Creek Location Near entrance to new parking lot/staging area CDF WFD Apr 06 A visitor flagged down a District ranger to report that five days previously she had seen a green pickup truck drive up a trail and had seen the driver throw a "hog tied" dog over the trail edge. The ranger responded to the location described and found a dead coyote which had been dumped off of the trail. A check was made with a university which has a permit for driving in the preserve, and they have no knowledge of the incident. 1 IR 14F116 Preserve Sierra Azul Location Kennedy Trail R-15-22 Page 10 PUBLIC SUMMARYDATE Other Agency #StaffRangers OCCURRENCES OF SPECIAL INTEREST 2014 Apr 11 While in the preserve, a District ranger observed two rider-less horses running north on Skyline Boulevard. The horses had escaped from a private residence on Skyline. The owner's husband stated his wife had left the gate open that morning and he did not know how to handle the horses. Visitors in the area said the horses entered the preserve at the Ancient Oaks pullout on Alpine Road and headed up the Ridge Trail. The horses were located at the northern fence line at gate RR06. The rangers kept visual contact with the horses until the owner's husband and a friend with horse experience arrived with a horse trailer and rangers helped load the horses. 4 IR 14S107 Preserve Russian Ridge Location CHP 2 Apr 12 District rangers responded to reports of an injury bicycle accident in the preserve. The patient's wife did not witness the accident, but found her husband unconscious, gurgling, and possibly having a seizure. District rangers responded with a wheeled litter, set up a landing zone for a helicopter, and assisted in bringing the patient out to the helicopter for transport to hospital. 3 AR 14S108 Preserve Long Ridge Location LIFE SCCF 2 SCCP 1 SCRCF Apr 14 Hikers in the preserve discovered a possible marijuana grow site in a drainage. The hikers contacted the Skyline Field Office with a detailed report of the location as well as information about black plant containers, tubing, camping gear, and food containers. The witness could not tell how long these items had been there or if the area was an active marijuana grow site. District staff are following up on the report. 1 IR 14S118 Preserve Skyline Ridge Location Off of Lambert Creek Trail Apr 20 A District ranger on patrol stopped a hiker with a dog off leash in a prohibited area. The person fled but was later found just outside the preserve hiding in the bushes. He was cited for dog in a prohibited area, leash required, and resisting a peace officer. 3 IR 14S114 Preserve Purisima Creek Redwoods Location Apr 21 District rangers responded to the scene of a vehicle accident where the vehicle went off Portola Heights Road. Both airbags deployed and both occupants received injuries. Cal Fire and San Mateo County Sheriff's deputies were already on scene. The driver initially declined medical care but later complained of pain to his right shoulder. The passenger had a possible broken ankle and broken ribs. When CHP arrived a breathalyzer test was administered to the driver. The driver was intoxicated and failed the test and was placed into custody. Both he and his passenger were transported by ambulance to the hospital. 3 AR 14S117 Preserve Long Ridge Location Portola Heights Road, Highway 35 CASP 1 CDF CHP SMCSO R-15-22 Page 11 PUBLIC SUMMARYDATE Other Agency #StaffRangers OCCURRENCES OF SPECIAL INTEREST 2014 Apr 26 A District ranger was parked on Skyline Boulevard at Grizzly Flat trailhead when she was contacted by a bicyclist who said he had fallen and broken his collarbone. The bicyclist initially said he did not want any medical care, and just wanted a ride. The ranger convinced the patient to be seen by paramedics. The patient's wife arrived on scene, and refused to transport her husband to hospital in their private vehicle, citing concerns over what might happen on the way to the hospital. The patient was convinced to be transported by ambulance to the hospital. The patient said that he had been riding in Long Ridge, hit a root on the trail and was thrown over the handlebars. 2 AR 14S121 Preserve Long Ridge Location Near Stegner Bench AMR CASP 1 CDF SMCF SCRCF May May 02 Witnesses reported seeing suspicious persons moving items from a vehicle onto District Lands. The witnesses believed that people were growing marijuana. A witness also reported that a vehicle regularly parked in the same location every Friday morning. A District ranger checked the area and found evidence that items had been dragged into the preserve. The ranger advised the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Marijuana Eradication Team about the activity. 1 IR 14F132 Preserve Sierra Azul Location Cathedral Oaks gate SA17 SCC MET 1 May 04 A District maintenance supervisor advised rangers of an encroachment which consisted of a new electric gate, new paving, several large containers with junipers planted in them, and a berm which blocked the last 50' of road access. The District historically used the location to access the Teague Hill Open Space Preserve. The encroachment was documented and information was forwarded to the Real Property department for follow up. 2 IR 14S132 Preserve Teague Hill Location At the end of Oakhill Drive in the Town of Woodside May 06 District Staff found an abandoned backpack off trail. District Rangers checked the backpack and found old food and other items likely related to marijuana cultivation. The Santa Clara County Marijuana Eradication Team was notified of the backpack. 2 IR 14F136 Preserve Sierra Azul Location Mt. Umunhum Road May 07 A District ranger found empty duffle bags, mobile phone containers, and plastic bags abandoned in the preserve. The items were likely associated with marijuana cultivation. The ranger notified the Santa Clara County Marijuana Eradication Team. 1 IR 14F137 Preserve Bear Creek Redwoods Location BC02 May 08 District rangers observed a portable office building had been placed on what appears to be District property in violation of District ordinances. The situation was documented, and forwarded to the Real Property department for further investigation. 2 IR 14S143 Preserve Miramontes Ridge (Formerly Mills Creek) Location Madonna Creek Ranch area R-15-22 Page 12 PUBLIC SUMMARYDATE Other Agency #StaffRangers OCCURRENCES OF SPECIAL INTEREST 2014 May 10 While on patrol, District rangers observed two visitors walking with a dog off leash. A companion walking with the owner of the dog told the owner she didn't have to answer any of the ranger's questions and proceeded to leave the scene. She was verbally abusive, calling the ranger several names. She was informed that resisting, delaying or obstructing a peace officer was a misdemeanor. When she attempted to walk away again, dispatch was contacted to start San Mateo Sheriff's office to the scene. The woman finally signed the citation, but refused to take her copy which was given to the companion who stated she would give it to the suspect. 2 IR 14S135 Preserve Windy Hill Location May 10 Department of Fish and Wildlife wardens saw an underage person drinking in his vehicle. The wardens attempted to stop the vehicle which fled down the road. The vehicle hit a guardrail and stopped. A District ranger, California Highway Patrol officers, and Sheriffs deputies also responded. The warden cited the driver for DUI, drinking while underage, driving without a license, evading a peace officer, and reckless driving. A Sheriff's deputy drove the subjects to be picked up by a parent. The vehicle was towed. 1 IR 14F142 Preserve Sierra Azul Location Mt. Umunhum Road CA F&W 2 CHP 2 SCCSO 2 May 12 District rangers, Cal Fire, Rural Metro paramedics, and California Highway Patrol officers responded to a report of a vehicle that had driven off of a District road. Cal Fire determined that the vehicle was unoccupied. CHP determined that the vehicle had been stolen. CHP planned to remove the vehicle the next day. 2 IR 14F146 Preserve Sierra Azul Location Loma Prieta Road CDF 13 CHP 1 RM Amb. 2 May 17 A District ranger stopped a juvenile for a closed area violation. The ranger contacted the juvenile's father who advised that the juvenile was wanted for assaulting his sister with a crowbar/deadly weapon. The ranger requested a Sheriff's deputy response and handcuffed the juvenile, then waited approximately one hour for a Sheriff's deputy to respond and take custody of the minor. The deputy transported the juvenile to San Jose and transferred him to a San Jose Police Department officer. 2 IR 14F152 Preserve Sierra Azul Location Almaden Air Force Station SCCSO 1 May 18 A District ranger driving into work observed fireworks containers in the parking lot. He informed an on-duty District ranger who went to the scene and found detonated fireworks consisting of five tubes and two boxes of sparklers lying on the ground inside the parking lot. No suspects were seen in the area. 2 IR 14S139 Preserve Los Trancos Location Parking lot May 31 While on patrol District rangers found 10 marijuana seedling trays in the middle of the trail. Further along on the trail they also found a small amount of marijuana wrapped in paper. No one was seen in the area, and the objects appeared not to have been there very long. The materials were taken into custody by the rangers. Local law enforcement agencies were informed of the find. 2 IR 14S153 Preserve Monte Bello Location June Jun 08 District rangers on patrol, observed a vehicle in the parking lot spinning donuts and breaking traction. The driver admitted he was spinning donuts and said he did it because "it was fun." The driver was cited for reckless driving and released. 2 IR 14S157 Preserve Skyline Ridge Location Equestrian parking lot R-15-22 Page 13 PUBLIC SUMMARYDATE Other Agency #StaffRangers OCCURRENCES OF SPECIAL INTEREST 2014 Jun 09 A District ranger copied radio traffic of a person falling out of a second story window on Allen Road. Responding fire agencies decided to use the helicopter landing zone at La Honda Creek Preserve. The ranger responded to the event and assisted with transporting the injured party from the ambulance to the helicopter. 1 MA 14S158 Preserve Off District Lands - Skyline Location La Honda Creek Preserve near permit parking lot on knoll KMFD LIFE SMCF SMCSO Jun 13 District rangers and maintenance crew responded to a report by the District's Contingent Project Manager of a vehicle fire spreading into the preserve. A District ranger was first on scene and started initial attack on the fire. The District water tender and additional staff arrived on-scene as well as CAL FIRE, Palo Alto Fire, Santa Clara County Fire, Palo Alto Rangers, Palo Alto Police, and Santa Clara County Fire. The fire was extinguished after burning approximately 2/10 of an acre in the preserve. Cal Fire dispatched an air tanker that dropped two loads of fire retardant. A District Maintenance Supervisor assisted by providing water from the water tender on the ground. District personnel staffed road closures above and below the fire. District staff continued to monitor the area for hot spots throughout the night. The driver of the vehicle declined any medical assistance and was released to a parent. 4 IR 14S160 Preserve Foothills Location Off Page Mill Rd. CDF CHP PAF PAPD 2 PAR 2 SCCF Jun 17 District rangers stopped two subjects for being in the preserve after hours. One of the subjects was carrying an ax concealed beneath his shirt and pants. The subject was handcuffed and searched for additional weapons. When the axe was returned to the subject by placing it in the opened truck of the subject's car, a firearm was visible in the trunk. The weapons was unloaded and properly registered. Both subjects were cited for after-hours use prohibited, and warned for possession of a concealed weapon. 3 IR 14S163 Preserve Windy Hill Location Skyline Blvd. picnic area Jun 21 While on foot patrol, a District ranger observed an individual throw a brown bottle into the preserve and heard the bottle hit the ground. The man and a companion were sitting on a bench on the Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail located south of gate LR13 in Castle Rock State Park. The bottle was thrown into the Long Ridge Preserve. Both people appeared to be intoxicated and had been to a party earlier. A strong odor of marijuana was present. A State Park ranger was requested and arrived as the couple were being released after being cited for littering. 2 IR 14S166 Preserve Long Ridge Location Gate LR13 CASP 1 Jun 25 District rangers were notified of a marijuana grow site (approximately 2-3 acres) within the preserve. District rangers, Santa Clara County Sheriff's Department Marijuana Enforcement Team and California Department of Fish and Wildlife took part in the eradication of the garden. A total of 8,600 plants were removed. Four subjects fled and were not caught. Fertilizer, pesticides, propane tanks and over 1,000 pounds of garbage were found at the site. 2 IR 14F198 Preserve Rancho San Antonio Location CA F&W SCC MET R-15-22 Page 14 PUBLIC SUMMARYDATE Other Agency #StaffRangers OCCURRENCES OF SPECIAL INTEREST 2014 Jun 26 District rangers heard radio traffic regarding a smoke check on Highway 35 north of Page Mill Rd. The fire occurred approximately 100' east of Highway 35 west of the Razorback Trail and measured 20 x 50 feet. When rangers arrived CAL FIRE was already on-scene and stated the fire was probably one day old and was probably human caused. The acting area superintendent and rangers took information for this report and directed traffic around the scene. 3 IR 14S171 Preserve Windy Hill Location Approximately 100 ft. east of Hwy. 35 CDF SMCF Jun 28 A District ranger assisted CAL FIRE and San Mateo County Fire in providing traffic control, and assistance to relatives of an injured boy, who had fallen from a zip-line located in a neighboring area off Alpine Road. The boy had landed on his head then had a seizure about 15 minutes later. Relatives drove him to the intersection of Alpine Road and Skyline Boulevard, where they flagged down CAL FIRE who took over patient care. The patient was transported to a local hospital. The District ranger transported the boy's uncle back to his residence. 1 MA 14S174 Preserve Off District Lands - Skyline Location Alpine Road & Hwy. 35 CDF SMCF July Jul 02 One subject was stopped and cited for a vehicles prohibited violation. The subject rode up to the Preserve entrance on his motorcycle and squeezed through the pedestrian stile and continued up the road. 1 IR 14F205 Preserve Sierra Azul Location SA08 Jul 03 A subject riding his motorcycle observed a small fire near the power pole at the intersection of the road. He called in the fire on his cell phone and CalFire responded along with District rangers. The fire occurred in the dry grass between the paved road and the disc line and was approximately 10x50 feet. Rangers arrived on scene first and were able to apply water from their truck to the remaining fire. Rangers secured the scene until CalFire arrived and took a report. 2 IR 14F206 Preserve Sierra Azul Location Hicks & Pheasant Rd. CDF 1 Jul 04 A District ranger found vehicle tracks inside the preserve. An illegal trail connects to a single track loop near the rear of the suspect's property, descending to a creek crossing with an improvised bridge and then continues into the preserve. The owner of the property said he had a permit to enter but did not have it with him. He was warned that he was not permitted to drive vehicles onto District land. 1 IR 14S178 Preserve Miramontes Ridge (Formerly Mills Creek) Location Inside Gate MR01 Jul 05 A visitor's dog was attacked by another visitor's off-leash dog. While attempting to separate the two dogs, three visitors fell off the trail and sustained minor abrasions. One person sustained scratches and reported dog bites from both dogs. The dogs involved in the incident were taken into custody for quarantine by the Peninsula Humane Society/SPCA Animal Rescue and Control Officer. 1 AR 14F210 Preserve Pulgas Ridge Location SMCF SMCSO SPCA R-15-22 Page 15 PUBLIC SUMMARYDATE Other Agency #StaffRangers OCCURRENCES OF SPECIAL INTEREST 2014 Jul 05 A hiker in the preserve called 911 to report a fire in a redwood stump on the Tafoni Trail. District rangers responded to the area as did San Mateo County Fire, Cal Fire and Kings Mountain Fire. San Mateo County Fire found the fire in a old tree stump. The fire was very small and was quickly extinguished The reporting party said that she had not seen any suspicious activity in the area. The following day a District ranger returned to the scene to take photographs and found what appeared a small amount of burned toilet paper. No other evidence was found in the area. 4 IR 14S179 Preserve El Corte de Madera Creek Location CDF KMFD SMCF Jul 12 A Palo Alto park ranger called the Skyline office to report that two people had driven into Foothills Park and reported that one had been bitten by a rattlesnake, and the other injured his hand while climbing on some rocks along the Ridge Trail off Skyline Blvd. The Palo Alto ranger administered first aid to both and offered to call EMS but the snake bite victim declined, stating he would seek further medical attention if necessary. The District ranger made a follow up call to the snake bite victim and learned he had gone to a hospital and staff there determined anti-venom was not necessary and that he was fine with only minor pain at the wound site. 1 AR 14S183 Preserve Russian Ridge Location PAR 1 Jul 12 An encroachment incident (unlawful construction) was investigated by a District ranger in the preserve adjacent to a new home construction project on Rainbow Drive in Cupertino. Two road width bench cuts were made into the hillside and a concrete block retaining wall had been partially constructed. There were also additional building materials and equipment stored on District property. 1 IR 14F217 Preserve Fremont Older Location 21740 Rainbow Drive in Cupertino, northern border of FOOSP Jul 13 District rangers, on their way home from work, found a juvenile motorist had driven off Highway 35 landing adjacent to the Monte Bello Preserve. Another juvenile, who did not witness the accident, was assisting the victim who appeared to be in shock and was acting erratically. The vehicle's airbags had deployed. The doors of the car were pinned closed, so the driver had to exit through the sun roof. San Mateo Fire and Cal Fire arrived on- scene and took control of the scene. District personnel then cleared. 3 MA 14S185 Preserve Off District Lands - Skyline Location Highway 35, 1/4 mi south of the Skyline Ridge Open Space parking lot CDF 2 CHP SMCF WFD 1 Jul 13 A District ranger contacted members of a tracking club who were examining something at the trailhead. A witness said he had traced the drag marks back into the preserve for about 1/4 mile. The following day, the witness said he had traced the drag marks further into the preserve where he found two unspent .22 caliber bullets. A District ranger documented the drag marks and a small amount of dried blood as evidence of illegal hunting. No suspects were seen in the area. 1 IR 14S184 Preserve Russian Ridge Location Jul 15 District rangers were flagged down on Page Mill Road for a motorcycle accident. The patient complained of pain to the left side of her neck after she hit her head when she fell off her motorcycle. Rangers requested Palo Alto Fire and held C-spine and took secondary assessment. Rangers were released by the fire department when they arrived on scene. The patient later signed AMA papers for the fire department and was released. 2 MA 14S188 Preserve Off District Lands - Skyline Location Page Mill Road between Foothills Park Gates 2 & 3 PAF PAPD PAR R-15-22 Page 16 PUBLIC SUMMARYDATE Other Agency #StaffRangers OCCURRENCES OF SPECIAL INTEREST 2014 Jul 21 District rangers observed a gathering of vultures in the vicinity of Gate SR09 off of Alpine Rd., in the part of the preserve known as the Big Dipper Ranch. A deer carcass was found approximately 100 feet above the gate. Also found was an arrow about 3' from the carcass. Fish & Wildlife was contacted who took the arrow as evidence and left the carcass in place. This part of the preserve is closed to the public and hunting is prohibited. 3 IR 14S194 Preserve Skyline Ridge Location 100' uphill from gate SR09 off Alpine Rd. "Big Dipper Ranch" CA F&W 1 Jul 24 A large marijuana cultivation area was eradicated by law enforcement. Over 15,000 plants were destroyed on site. Garbage and irrigation tubing left on site was also removed. Three stream diversions were also restored. No suspects were apprehended. 1 IR 14F232 Preserve Sierra Azul - Cathedral Oaks Area Location CA F&W 2 SCC MET 8 Jul 25 A marijuana cultivation area was eradicated by law enforcement with 3,216 plants destroyed on site. 1 IR 14F233 Preserve Sierra Azul - Rancho de Guadalupe Location CA F&W 3 SMC MET 6 Jul 26 District rangers were at the dedication event for the Bo Gimbal Trail when a District employee radioed a report that a cyclist had fallen and was injured. The patient stated he did not remember what happened and his riding companion stated the patient hit a bump and fell. The victim was dizzy and had stopped to rest for about five minutes before starting to walk out and meeting up with the rangers who contacted dispatch to request Fire and EMS. The patient appeared to have an altered level of consciousness and had trouble remembering simple things like his age and zip code. Rangers provided a took C-spine precautions and provided additional medical care. A ranger met the responding agencies at the parking lot gate to escort them to the patient who was transported by ground to a local hospital. 5 AR 14S199 Preserve Russian Ridge Location AMR LHFD WFD Jul 29 District rangers assisted San Mateo County Narcotics Task Force and CAMP [Campaign Against Marijuana Planting] in the eradication of two marijuana gardens; one in La Honda Creek and the other in Tunitas Creek OSP's. A ranger accompanied the task force in the helicopter to provide orientation for a fly-over of the area. Approximately 5,600 plants were removed from La Honda Creek Preserve, 550 plants removed from Tunitas Creek Preserve. The La Honda Creek eradication operation was suspended after officers on the ground reported hearing gunshots in the area. This garden is considered still active since the operation was not completed. 2 IR 14S206 Preserve La Honda Creek Location CAMP SMC MET August Aug 03 A District ranger was first on scene of a small fire inside a car. The ranger extinguished the fire and contacted Mountain View dispatch who relayed information that the car was reported stolen. The ranger contacted San Mateo County Fire who did not respond. CHP advised that they were responding but were very extended. After two hours the ranger cleared the scene. The vehicle had been removed by the next morning. 2 MA 14S213 Preserve Off District Lands - Skyline Location Highway 35 at Windy Hill Picnic Area CHP 1 R-15-22 Page 17 PUBLIC SUMMARYDATE Other Agency #StaffRangers OCCURRENCES OF SPECIAL INTEREST 2014 Aug 05 While on patrol, two District rangers discovered a lean-to type of structure at the end of a creek near the waterfall. It was constructed of native vegetation and rocks, a board and held together with electrical tape. There was also a fire ring that was associated with the structure. The rangers dismantled the structure and fire ring. 2 IR 14F250 Preserve Sierra Azul Location Hendrys Creek Aug 10 A person with a model airplane was injured in the preserve. After placing his airplane in the open truck bed of his vehicle the plane started to move off the truck bed and he grabbed it and the propeller cut the palm of his hand. A District ranger was in the area, responded and controlled the bleeding. Santa Clara County Fire arrived and took over patient care. The patient was transported to the hospital. 1 AR 14F253 Preserve Rancho San Antonio County Park Location Airplane Parking Lot RM Amb. 2 SCCF 3 Aug 10 An encroachment occurred into the Hendry's Creek area. A District ranger observed water lines in the creek used to capture water for the adjacent private property. A report was filed for further follow-up. 1 IR 14F255 Preserve Sierra Azul Location Hendrys Creek / Lupin Lodge Aug 15 Cal Fire responded to a small wildland fire at 5:45 AM. They reported the incident to District rangers who took a report. An area of approximately 10' by 15' area had burned up a steep slope on the border of the preserve and Castle Rock State Park. 2 IR 14S226 Preserve Long Ridge Location Highway 9, between Long Ridge & Castle Rock State Park Aug 16 A Puma Project biologist and his assistant found new looking black plastic tubing in the preserve while looking for a deceased mountain lion. Approximately 500 meters below the trail they found three new looking plastic pipes and a green hose at a spring, in a side drainage. Two days later the Sheriff's Marijuana Enforcement Team and Fish and Wildlife wardens investigated the water lines and found they were old and not part of an active marijuana grow. 1 IR 14F260 Preserve Sierra Azul Location Kennedy Trail area CA F&W 1 SCC MET 1 Aug 18 A District staff member notified District rangers of a vehicle parked at the end of the road which had been there since August 15th. The ranger contacted Mountain View communications to run the plate. The car was reported stolen from San Jose. The ranger notified CHP who said they would respond after the evening commute traffic cleared. 1 MA 14S232 Preserve Off District Lands - Skyline Location End of Stevens Canyon Road CHP 1 Aug 20 A visitor went for a run for approximately two hours and when she returned her vehicle was gone. Some broken glass remained where it had been. She stated she had left her keys (hidden) in the vehicle, but took the alarm fob. The contents of her vehicle included car seats, her purse, and clothes she planned to return to the store. She also mentioned a suspicious vehicle that had followed her closely on her way into the preserve. Santa Clara County Sheriff's Department took a crime report and the deputy drove the victim home. A District ranger also took a report. 2 IR 14F263 Preserve Sierra Azul Location Jacques Ridge Parking Lot SCCSO 1 R-15-22 Page 18 PUBLIC SUMMARYDATE Other Agency #StaffRangers OCCURRENCES OF SPECIAL INTEREST 2014 Aug 21 District rangers and crew accompanied the San Mateo County Narcotics Task Force to clean up the garbage left at a marijuana garden where the plants had been removed earlier in the month. The operations began at Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve on information of a possible garden in the Lambert Creek drainage. No plants were found so the operation moved to La Honda Creek. One dump truck load of garbage was removed and taken to the Ox Mountain Dump in Half Moon Bay. 3 IR 14S237 Preserve La Honda Creek Location Previously cleared marijuana garden, 3/4 mile from southwest of District house at 486 Allen CA DOJ CA F&W CA Nat. Guard CAMP SMC MET Aug 21 A District ranger saw a car in the parking lot after the preserve closing time. The ranger started walking to look for the owner and heard sounds coming from the direction of Horseshoe Lake. He followed the sounds and found two individuals engaged in sexual intercourse on the bench near the spillway. The ranger instructed them to get dressed and walked them back to his patrol vehicle where he verified their identity. The female juvenile's father was notified and was aware of the relationship between the two individuals. They were both cited for the after-hours violation and released. 2 IR 14S238 Preserve Skyline Ridge Location Aug 25 A District ranger was advised of a vehicle over the side of Alpine Road, down a steep hillside into Russian Ridge. The driver and passenger sustained minor injuries, climbed back to the road and had walked part of the way down the road before getting a ride to the Rhys Winery by another employee to get help. The driver was taken by a private vehicle to a hospital for evaluation. The ranger contacted CHP to arrange for a tow truck and the vehicle was removed. 2 AR 14S243 Preserve Russian Ridge Location Alpine Road at Russian Ridge CHP 4 Aug 25 While on patrol in the preserve, two District rangers observed that a chain had been cut, and a lock installed, on a District gate. Further investigation revealed that approximately 3/4 of a mile of water pipe had been installed to illegally divert water from a creek. Damage had also been done to the creek and a tree appeared to have been cut down. Lupine Lodge was contacted and directed to remove the water pipe and to restore the area. 4 IR 14F269 Preserve Sierra Azul Location Hendrys Creek / Lupin Lodge Aug 27 While on patrol a District ranger came upon a suspicious vehicle parked above the gate in the preserve. He hiked around the area and found a suspicious water line in the creek. The Santa Clara County Sheriff's Marijuana Eradication Team was notified. They returned a few days later and removed the plants and waterline. 1 IR 14F270 Preserve Bear Creek Redwoods Location Biggs Creek area SCC MET 1 September Sep 01 While on patrol, District rangers found a road that leads from private property on to District Land. The illegal road has motorcycle and ATV tracks and is approximately two miles long. The road appears to be recently graded. Rangers observed evidence of a recent water line installation along the road. The road ends in a drainage where spring boxes are located. 3 IR 14F281 Preserve Sierra Azul Location Hendrys Creek / Lupin Lodge R-15-22 Page 19 PUBLIC SUMMARYDATE Other Agency #StaffRangers OCCURRENCES OF SPECIAL INTEREST 2014 Sep 03 District rangers responded to a report of a bicyclist down on Page Mill Road. A 70 year man was riding Page Mill Road when he collapsed. CPR was performed. Rangers set up a helicopter landing zone and transported flight nurses from the helicopter to the accident scene. The patient was pronounced dead at the scene. Palo Alto Police responded and took responsibility for the scene. 2 MA 14S247 Preserve Off District Lands - Skyline Location Page Mill Road CDF SMCF Sep 07 A mountain lion attack occurred in the preserve. A small boy was walking about 15 feet in front of his parents when he was grabbed by a mountain lion. The parents were able to chase the lion away. The parents carried the child to the Picchetti Winery where they called for emergency services. District rangers, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Santa Clara County Fire, Sheriffs, and County rangers responded. The child was transported to hospital, treated and later released. An incident command post was established with California Fish and Wildlife as the lead agency. Picchetti Ranch, Fremont Older, and Stevens Creek County Park were closed for visitor protection. District Public Information Officers (PIOs) were dispatched and worked with the PIO from Fish and Wildlife. Command staff kept the General Manager informed of the status of the incident, and Board members were informed. The mountain lion was tracked for three days, and eventually located and dispatched when it returned to within 150 yards of the attack site. DNA results confirmed that the lion which was dispatched was the one which had attacked the child. 11 IR 14F283 Preserve Picchetti Ranch Location Zinfandel Trail ADC - USDA 1 CA F&W 5 CDF 3 RM Amb. 2 SCCP 4 SCCSO 8 SC VFD 3 Sep 09 CAL FIRE was dispatched to a report of a fire, but the location was unclear. A visitor flagged down a District ranger and advised that he had called 911 to report a fire but the dispatcher wasn't able to understand the location he was describing. The ranger was able to identify the location the visitor was describing and responded. CAL FIRE was informed of the updated location, which was in the preserve. When the ranger arrived he was able to smell smoke. He proceeded on foot and saw flames on a hill side above the trail. Cal Fire arrived on scene and extinguished the fire. The ranger worked with Cal Fire to build a line around the fire. There was no observable source of the fire. A fire investigator was not able to determine the source of the fire, but felt it was suspicious. Rangers have increased patrol in the area. 4 IR 14S251 Preserve Long Ridge Location CDF Sep 11 The District conducted an operation involving District rangers and maintenance staff who removed approximately 1/2 of mile of 3/4" diameter water line that was diverting water from a creek on District managed land to an adjacent private resort in violation of District ordinances. The hose was cut into manageable lengths to remove it, documented, and returned to the owner of the adjacent resort. The resort owner had contacted news media and District public information officers responded to handle questions and interviews with the media. In published comments the resort owner said that they would continue to fill their swimming pool from other water sources. 3 IR 14F255 Preserve Sierra Azul Location Hendrys Creek / Lupin Lodge SCCSO 1 R-15-22 Page 20 PUBLIC SUMMARYDATE Other Agency #StaffRangers OCCURRENCES OF SPECIAL INTEREST 2014 Sep 15 While on patrol a District ranger discovered that a patrol road that has not been maintained for many years had been recently cleared. Additional clearing on the east side of Harrington Creek between the patrol road crossing and the private property to the north was also found. All fallen trees and brush had been removed from the road. Large fallen trees had cleared with a chainsaw, cut into rounds and in one case, rolled to the side of the road. Sawdust was still visible. Staff are investigating to determine who might be responsible. 1 IR 14S254 Preserve La Honda Creek Location Inside gate LH02 Sep 17 Two waterlines were discovered which were stealing water, at a high rate of flow, from a creek in the preserve. The pipes led the same resort which was involved in the September 11th incident. The pipes were removed and placed on the resort's property. 2 IR 14F255 Preserve Sierra Azul Location Hendrys Creek / Lupin Lodge Sep 29 A District ranger observed smoke emanating from a vehicle parked in the handicapped parking lot. Upon approaching the vehicle the ranger smelled a strong odor of marijuana. The person in the vehicle said that he was smoking marijuana and that he had more in the vehicle. The ranger had the man exit the vehicle, at which point a large bag of marijuana was observed. The ranger handcuffed the suspect for safety and called for assistance. A Santa Clara County Deputy arrived and the ranger cited the man for possession of more than an ounce of marijuana and released him. The marijuana was seized and booked into evidence. 1 IR 14F293 Preserve Sierra Azul Location Jacques Ridge Parking Lot SCCSO 1 Sep 29 Two District rangers returned to a location where water theft had occurred and found evidence of more illegal activity. A small dam had been constructed in the creek to divert water. Two T-post fence posts were vandalized and graffiti was carved into a split rail fence. 2 IR 14F255 Preserve Sierra Azul Location Hendrys Creek / Lupin Lodge October Oct 04 A newly constructed parking lot, restroom facility and District sign were heavily vandalized with graffiti. Staff did extensive work to clean up the site prior to the opening ceremonies. 1 IR 14F296 Preserve Sierra Azul Location SA08 Oct 04 District rangers responded to the preserve when they received a report from Dispatch of a person having a seizure near the Monte Bello backpack camp. Witnesses reported the victim had fallen from her bike, hitting her head. She had been unconscious for approximately 17 minutes and seized for 45 seconds. When rangers arrived the patient was conscious and responsive to verbal stimuli, but only with moans and garbled words. Rangers performed an initial assessment and provided patient care while a witness held C- spine. A helicopter landing zone was established by a District ranger and the patient was airlifted to a local hospital. 3 AR 14S259 Preserve Monte Bello Location Montebello Road, approx. 1.2 mi in from gate MB01 CALSTAR PAF PAPD PAR SCCF R-15-22 Page 21 PUBLIC SUMMARYDATE Other Agency #StaffRangers OCCURRENCES OF SPECIAL INTEREST 2014 Oct 07 A District ranger contacted two visitors who were camping in the preserve parking lot after the preserve was officially closed. The ranger informed them they were in violation of the after-hours ordinance and were also not allowed to camp at that location. They said they were too tired to move and refused to leave. A supervising ranger was contacted and talked to one of the people and told the person that they were not allowed to camp at their location. They again refused to leave which led the ranger to start writing a citation. The man refused to give the ranger his address. Another District ranger arrived to assist and the two visitors eventually agreed to move. After signing the citations, both were released. 1 IR 14S260 Preserve Purisima Creek Redwoods Location Northridge parking lot Oct 12 An assault on a peace officer which led to injury occurred on Hicks Road in unincorporated Santa Clara County. A District ranger came upon a Santa Clara County deputy searching a suspicious vehicle and pulled over to see if he could be of assistance. The ranger recognized the truck and trailer from several days earlier and was going to attempt to exchange information with the deputy. The suspect was in the back of the patrol car when the ranger arrived. The deputy, having found methamphetamines during the search, went back to the car to put the suspect in handcuffs and place him under arrest. When the deputy opened the door, the suspect attacked him with his fists and attempted to take the deputies sidearm. The ranger grabbed one of the suspect's arms while the deputy had the other and, after wrestling him to the ground, the ranger and deputy were able to handcuff and control the suspect. The ranger then called for backup and for a medical response for the suspect who was bleeding. The ranger sustained some minor abrasions on his knees and was potentially exposed to blood-borne pathogens. The suspect was transported to the hospital. 2 IR 14F298 Preserve Off District Lands - Foothills Location Hicks Road, Los Gatos LGPD 2 RM Amb. 2 SJF 3 SCCF 3 SCCSO 6 Oct 12 While on patrol, a District ranger saw something smoldering on the shoulder of the roadside in the duff. There were small flames approximately 2 - 3'' high that had crept along to become approximately 12" wide and 8' in length. The ranger called for Santa Clara County Fire to respond and then put the fire out with the extinguisher from his vehicle. 1 MA 14F299 Preserve Off District Lands - Foothills Location SB Hwy 85 @ De Anza Exit CHP SVFD Oct 17 While on patrol of the creek area, a diversion of water was discovered. Two District rangers spoke with the subject who explained that the water line in the creek was missed by the rangers when they were removing water lines and that he was the one who had attached the funnel to the end. He also stated that the resort he was associated with were the ones who had left a riding lawn mower in the preserve. He said that someone had removed the keys from the lawn mower's ignition and that he wanted to go into the preserve and get the mower back. 2 IR 14F255 Preserve Sierra Azul Location Hendrys Creek R-15-22 Page 22 PUBLIC SUMMARYDATE Other Agency #StaffRangers OCCURRENCES OF SPECIAL INTEREST 2014 Oct 19 District rangers responded to the scene of a bicycle accident in the preserve. A bicyclist had lost control of his bike, going over the handlebars and landing on his head. Several other cyclists were tending to the patient. A District ranger first on scene and assessed the patient, administered oxygen, and coordinated with other agencies responding to the scene. The patient said he had pain in his left shoulder and his neck. He also complained of numbness in his left arm. Rangers set up a helicopter landing zone and the patient was airlifted to a local hospital. 3 AR 14S264 Preserve Monte Bello Location CALSTAR PAF SCCF SCRCF Oct 21 While on patrol in the preserve, two District rangers came upon further evidence of water diversion and petty theft violations. A game camera which had been mounted in a tree was also missing. The rangers checked the T-post fence at the property boundary and one T-post had been moved to gain access and a fresh motorcycle track adjacent to the fence was found. They also discovered new work on the east end of the hillside road cut. There were improvements to the 1 1/2" water diversion line and an additional brass valve had water flowing through it from an undetermined spring in the area. All of the valves were tagged and removed, all exposed lines were capped. 2 IR 14F255 Preserve Sierra Azul Location Hendrys Creek Oct 22 District rangers discovered hundreds of small butane canisters dumped over the side of Highway 35 just north of Highway 9. Part of the dump site is on the Cal Trans easement and part is in the preserve. Cal Trans has been notified and has agreed to clean up the canisters. The Santa Clara County Sheriff was also notified because dumping was probably related illegal drug production. Butane is used in the production of a concentrated cannabis product known as "marijuana wax." 2 IR 14S265 Preserve Saratoga Gap Location Hwy. 35 CAL TRANS SCCSO Oct 26 District staff responded to the parking lot where a bicyclist had been taken after crashing into a deer on Alpine Road. A passerby transported the patient to the parking lot where rangers, CHP, and fire responded. The patient complained of pain to the right shoulder and leg. He was transported by ambulance to a local hospital. 4 MA 14S267 Preserve Off District Lands - Skyline Location Russian Ridge parking lot/Alpine Rd. AMR CHP LHFD SMCF November Nov 12 A bicycle accident occurred in the preserve. While riding his bike down the trail, apparently faster than the posted 15 MPH speed limit, the rider lost control and crashed. He complained of pain in the center of his back, left shoulder, and that he had lost consciousness. District rangers and Santa Clara County Fire responded to treat the patient. The patient was put on a back board and transported to a landing zone where he was airlifted to a local hospital. 5 AR 14F304 Preserve Sierra Azul Location LIFE 2 RM Amb. 2 SCCF 3 SCCP 1 Nov 19 While on patrol, a District ranger came across a small grave with animal remains buried approximately nine inches beneath. Someone had left a flower bouquet, a small skull, a white candle and some other items. The ranger left the animal buried and removed the gravesite items. 1 IR 14F308 Preserve Sierra Azul - Cathedral Oaks Area Location R-15-22 Page 23 PUBLIC SUMMARYDATE Other Agency #StaffRangers OCCURRENCES OF SPECIAL INTEREST 2014 Nov 27 A District ranger came back to the preserve parking lot and found the two rear tires on his patrol truck had been punctured and flattened. A second ranger called dispatch to request a tow. 2 IR 14F312 Preserve Sierra Azul Location Nov 29 District rangers responded to the scene of an injury bicycle accident reported by San Mateo County Fire. The bicyclist was riding downhill, when the front wheel of his bicycle lost traction and he went over the handle bars. When the District ranger arrived the patient was on the ground in obvious pain, with three people trying to keep him as still as possible. A witness said that the patient was conscious but disoriented prior to going unconscious for about 10 minutes. The ranger met with the incident commander and took information from the witness and bystanders. The ranger assisted with packaging the victim who was transported by ambulance to a local hospital. 2 AR 14S271 Preserve El Corte de Madera Creek Location CDF December Dec 02 District rangers responded to a report of a vehicle stuck in the mud inside the preserve. Upon arrival, they discovered a paint delivery truck had made several wrong turns and was stuck on a very muddy trail. It was impossible to get a tow truck to the scene, so the paint truck was left at the scene until the trail had dried out enough to permit a tow truck in. The paint truck was finally extricated a week later. 1 IR 14S273 Preserve Windy Hill Location Dec 20 One subject was stopped and cited for a dog off leash violation. The individual provided false information regarding his identity. After a lengthy and contentious discussion he finally gave the correct information. During the contact the individual said he would return the next day and would have his dog off leash again. During the contact the person claimed to be a retired police officer, and was upset about the delay caused by the ranger having to wait for dispatch to confirm the validity of his new information. He was issued a citation for the dog off leash and warned for giving false information to a peace officer. 1 IR 14F314 Preserve Pulgas Ridge Location Hassler Trail Dec 21 District rangers were requested by Palo Alto rangers to assist in locating a reported vehicle into a ditch on Page Mill Road. A District ranger located the accident, and was first on scene. The vehicle was located off the side of the road into Monte Bello Preserve. The uncle of the two juvenile passengers was driving when his brakes seemed to fail on a sharp turn. He applied the brakes vigorously making the car skid off the road. One of the juveniles was transported to a local hospital complaining of pain in his neck, legs and shoulders. The other juvenile passenger said he had no injuries along with the driver. There was no damage to District property. 2 AR 14S277 Preserve Monte Bello Location Page Mill Road PAF PAPD 1 PAR 2 R-15-22 Page 24 PUBLIC SUMMARYDATE Other Agency #StaffRangers OCCURRENCES OF SPECIAL INTEREST 2014 Dec 24 A District ranger observed two young women walking on Page Mill Road. The ranger stopped and asked them if they needed help. The two women told the ranger that they were waiting for a tow truck. They stated they had rolled their car off the road. The ranger located the vehicle approximately 75 feet into the preserve, sitting on all four tires. The car had rolled once. District rangers worked with Palo Alto rangers to provide scene safety while a tow truck removed the vehicle. While discussing the situation with the father of the driver, a small baggie of fresh marijuana was found on the ground. This was pointed out to the father. 1 AR 14S278 Preserve Los Trancos Location Off Page Mill Road PAR 2 Dec 26 Mountain View dispatch advised District rangers that San Mateo deputies were on their way for an overdue hiker in the preserve. Rangers launched a search of the immediate area with no results. The area was expanded to cover the greater part of the preserve with the same results. Rangers with the help of deputies tried to contact the missing party via cell phone, but the phone had been left in her companions car. A State Park ranger drove down Page Mill Road with no results. After several hours of searching, the missing party called her companion stating she was home and safe. Sheriff's deputies followed the companion to the missing party's home to verify her well being. 4 IR 14S279 Preserve Russian Ridge Location Charquin Trail CASP 1 SMCSO 2 Dec 30 Two women were walking their dog down the trail when their dog saw another dog and dragged one of the women down the trail. The dog walker was dragged about 100 feet and heard a snap in her ankle. The dog walker told rangers that the dog was a service animal. The patient was transported to hospital. 3 AR 14F316 Preserve St. Joseph's Hill Location Flume Trail RM Amb. 2 SCCF 3 Dec 30 A twelve year old boy was riding his bicycle behind his brother and saw his brother ride up an "eyebrow" on the side of the trail. When the twelve year old tried this he hit a piece of wood and crashed and injured his elbow and knee. A District ranger provided medical assistance and called the patient's mother and had her meet them at the parking lot to pick him up. 1 AR 14F315 Preserve St. Joseph's Hill Location Manzanita Trail KEY ADC - USDA Animal Damage Control (USDA) AMR AMR - Ambulance CA DOJ CA Dept. of Justice CA F&W CA Fish & Wildlife CA Nat. Guard CA National Guard CAL TRANS CAL TRANS CALSTAR Cal Star CAMP Campaign Against Marijuana Program (CAMP) CASP CA State Parks CDF CAL FIRE CHP CHP KMFD Kings Mountain Fire LGPD Los Gatos Police Department LHFD La Honda Fire Brigade LIFE Life Flight MPF Menlo Park Fire PAF Palo Alto Fire PAPD Palo Alto PD PAR Palo Alto Rangers RM Amb.Rural/Metro Ambulance SC VFD Stevens Creek Volunteer FD SCC MET Santa Clara County Sheriff - Marijuana Eradication Tea SCCF Santa Clara County Fire Department SCCP Santa Clara County Parks R-15-22 Appendix B.1Text9:R-15-22 B. ACCIDENTS/FIRE 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 1. Bicycle Accident 23 24 38 32 41 25 22 36 37 30 2. Equestrian Accident 3325 2112 3. Hiking/Running Accident 25 24 38 38 49 21 18 16 16 22 4. Other first aid 14241015252415 5. Search & rescue 101398911151085 6. Vehicle 11 6 9 13 9 8 11 16 15 14 7. Fire 36757657816 8. HazMat 33 1 9. Other 2 11610557 TOTAL 77 77 107 104 120 92 100 116 115 110 *With Landing Zone 841368223116 A. MROSD VIOLATIONS 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 1. Bike - closed area 49 74 75 58 84 76 70 80 62 65 2. Bike - speed 117 85 89 85 103 67 72 59 90 66 3. Bike - helmet 119 151 153 142 156 129 91 78 142 93 4. Bike - night ridimg 26 18 12 12 25 13 17 17 39 9 5. Bike - unsafe operation 2943676473 1 2 6 1 6. Dogs - prohibited 55 62 78 114 128 114 121 104 139 147 7. Dogs - off leash 128 205 231 179 216 217 228 184 246 146 8. Off road vehicle 4 3 3 38 26 27 17 21 9. Closed area 74 101 69 90 76 113 119 178 185 237 10. After hours 198 156 168 206 232 209 206 241 274 336 11. Fishing 1245 236745 12. Vandalism 85535231345064423249 13. Parking 165 171 166 187 156 125 147 178 162 164 14. Parking after hours 223 341 286 309 326 293 331 378 455 421 15. Dump/litter 16. Campfires 621216 17. Camping 713 9121318 4 2 722 18. Other Violations 223 235 247 263 252 129 95 100 102 119 TOTAL 1510 1712 1711 1755 1879 1595 1605 1677 1974 1917 C. ENFORCEMENT 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 1. Subject Citation or JCR 470 545 589 509 510 558 509 526 735 617 2. Subject Warning 359 336 340 435 575 491 500 475 518 519 3. Parking Citation 338 459 401 467 474 386 434 527 621 584 4. Parking Warning 132 133 113 108 110 87 92 73 67 51 5. Arrests 8317121121 6. Police Assistance 18 18 13 25 29 18 48 35 36 32 TOTAL 1325 1494 1457 1551 1699 1542 1584 1637 1979 1804 Appendix B.1Text9:R-15-22 E. MUTUAL AID 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 1. Bicycle Accident 5 7 6 10 9 9 12 12 20 16 2. Equestrian Accident 1 3. Hiking/Running Accident 23363 3131 4. Other first aid 221226444 5. Search & rescue 35113 6. Vehicle 15173836303328343924 7. Fire 75755 8. HazMat 122 9. Law Enforcement 910 614 5 10. Other 94626 TOTAL 22 29 49 53 44 73 73 73 90 65 *With Landing Zone 6312882710198 D. CRIMES 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 1. Auto burglaries 3114 823 6 5 91611 7 2. False information 6625226567 3. Resisting peace officer 4 10 9 7 11 9 13 9 12 10 4. Assault 2331 2123 5. Poaching 2 1 1 6. Marijuana - possession/cultivation 17 21 15 23 14 11 10 8 21 23 7. Alcohol - possession by minor 4 9 8 25 9 3 5 3 1 8. Non-District Parking 63362734415248547753 9. Other Crimes 35 45 43 35 27 57 82 51 44 42 TOTAL 9160 145 116 155 103 145 173 149 176 146 Appendix B.2 2014201320122011201020092008200720062005VIOLATIONS - min 5 occurrances MROSD - 805.3 - After hours 198 156 168 206 232 209 206 241 274 336 MROSD - 805.2(a) - Enter temporary/regular closed area 66 87 65 80 53 66 68 143 165 212 MROSD - 701.1(b) - Dog in prohibited area 55 62 78 114 128 107 117 100 139 146 MROSD - 701.1(c) - Leash required - Dog 128 205 231 179 216 217 228 184 244 146 MROSD - 502.3(a) - Helmet required 119 151 153 142 156 125 81 71 128 86 MROSD - 500.1 - Trail use speed limit 117 85 89 85 103 67 72 59 90 66 MROSD - 502.1 - Closed area - bicycle 49 74 75 58 84 76 70 80 62 65 MROSD - 801.1(l) - Prohibited Areas (Nondesignated area)53 46 39 41 39 39 44 52 42 59 MROSD - 703.1 - Unlawful defacement 85 53 52 31 34 48 60 40 30 47 MROSD - 805.2(b) - Enter sensitive/hazardous closed area 7 14 4 10 22 47 49 35 19 22 MROSD - 802.1 - Vehicles prohibited 4 3 3 38 26 27 17 21 MROSD - 404.2 - Smoking - undesignated area 15 15 21 20 30 45 28 32 38 20 MROSD - 400.1 - Camping without permit 713912131641719 MROSD - 404.1 - Outdoor fire without permit 6 2 12 16 H&S - 11358 - Plant or Cultivate Marijuana 1 3 6 2 11 13 PC - 594(b)(2)(A) - Vandalism, damage < $900 954711 PC - 374.4(a) - Littering 142026514834611 PC - 148(a)(1) - Resist, Obstruct, Delay Peace Officer 4 10 9 7 11 9 13 9 12 10 MROSD - 702.1 - Damaging / removing plants 11 1278510 MROSD - 805.4 - Bicycle after hours 26 18 12 12 25 13 17 17 39 9 MROSD - 703.2 - Unlawful construction 1 63748 MROSD - 502.3(b) - Helmet possession required 410 714 7 MROSD - 702.7 - Unpermitted Diversion of Water 7 H&S - 11357(b) - Possession of Marijuana - < an ounce 1 62487 PC - 459 - Burglary 31 14 8 23 6 5 9 16 11 7 MROSD - 805.7 - Off Trail Use 37 PC - 148.9(b) - False Information to a peace officer 6625226567 MROSD - 403.1(a) - Possession of/discharging weapon 46577 MROSD - 703.3 - Unlawful maintenance 1 35466 MROSD - 803.2 - Reckless Driving 17416 MROSD - 403.1(b) - Possession of/discharging paint ball gun, BB gun 734116 PC - 594(b)(1) - Vandalism, damage > $900 354138312715735 2014201320122011201020092008200720062005PARKING - min 5 occurrances MROSD - 801.1(i) - Prohibited Areas (After hours)223 341 286 309 326 293 331 378 455 421 MROSD - 801.1(a) - Prohibited Areas (Signed)69 73 86 86 68 19 29 52 43 39 MROSD - 801.1(d) - Prohibited Areas (Blocking gate)15 21 14 16 12 22 30 28 24 24 SCC - B12-120 - No parking 23 14 9 16 9 12 14 23 21 15 CVC - 22507.8(a) - Disabled Parking - Designated Handicapped Space 6 13 6 7 21 10 18 9 17 14 MROSD - 801.1(f) - Prohibited Areas (Blocking traffic)9 11 6 14 9 6 16 13 17 12 Tuesday, March 10, 2015 Appendix B.2 CVC - 22505(b) - Parking – State Highway 20210969651511 MROSD - 801.1(b) - Prohibited Areas (On fire trail)46275129379 MROSD - 801.1(h) - Prohibited Areas (Red curb)11 9121815 7 31517 8 MROSD - 801.1(j) - Prohibited Areas (Permit only)13 32 16 MROSD - 801.1(k) - Disabled Parking: Permit Required unpaved 45626147445 2014201320122011201020092008200720062005 WEAPONS related Incidents Weapon - Contact 4454 Weapon - Evidence of 13 Weapon - Report 132 Tuesday, March 10, 2015 R-15-22 District Enforcement Activities Appendix C 70,0002,500 1,669 1,941 1,771 51 131 56,677 57,076 57,984 59,216 60,153 61,837 62,167 62,318 50,000 60,000 2,000 1,299 1,473 1,443 1,519 1,669 1,522 1,535 1,60150,852 51,131 40,000 1,500 ve n t s 30,000 1,000 Nu m b e r o f E 20,000 500 340 371 396 361 441 286 252 234 339 234 10,000 500 00 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Written Warnings Citations (Non-parking)Parking Citations + Warnings Total Bicycle Violations Acres of Land R-15-22 Accidents and Searches Appendix D 45 50 38 38 49 38 41 30 35 40 25 24 38 23 24 32 25 36 37 30 20 25 24 21 18 16 16 22 25 22 5 10 15 16 16 Equestrian Accident Search and Rescue Hiking/Running Accident Bicycle Accident0 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Equestrian Accident2011201220132014 Equestrian Accident Search and Rescue Hiking/Running Accident Bicycle Accident DATE: March 11, 2015 MEMO TO: MROSD Board of Directors THROUGH: Stephen E. Abbors FROM: Gretchen Laustsen, Planner II SUBJECT: Informational Report on the Accessibility Plan Update _____________________________________________________________________________ SUMMARY The Fiscal Year (FY) 2015-16 Action Plan includes updating the District’s Accessibility Plan. The American with Disabilities Act (ADA), which was enacted in 1990, is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination of people with disabilities in employment, transportation, public accommodation, communications, and governmental activities. ADA protection also applies to the provision of programs, activities and services offered to the public by a state or local government. To comply with the 1990 ADA, the Board adopted the “Access Plan for Persons with Disabilities (‘Accessibility Plan’)” in January 1993 (refer to Attachment). This informational memo provides an overview of the ADA requirements and the necessity for an update to the District’s Accessibility Plan. DISCUSSION Since the adoption of the Accessibility Plan, ADA regulations and accessibility guidelines have changed. Amendments have been made to the ADA that broadens the scope of who is considered disabled under the law and expand accessibility requirements for recreational facilities. Also, the Federal 2010 ADA Guidelines for Accessible Design and Accessibility Guidelines for Outdoor Developed Areas (effective 2012) and the U.S. Access Board’s updated accessibility guidelines for the design of accessible facilities and programs have been issued to define and clarify compliance requirements for agencies that provide outdoor recreation opportunities. Since 1993, the District has also expanded many of its programs, activities and services that are subject to ADA regulations. In addition to adding nearly 25,000 acres to the regional greenbelt, the District’s operations and programs have grown significantly. For example, the organization has increased from less than 50 employees in the 1990s to 120 in 2015, with additional staffing anticipated as part of the Financial Operational Sustainability Model (FOSM). In addition, the volunteer program has grown from less than 100 volunteers in the 1990s to over 600. 2 To ensure that the District is complying with the updated federal regulations and meeting the access objectives and policies of the Accessibility Plan, an update to the Accessibility Plan is needed that includes the following: • Implementation of ADA awareness training for staff and volunteers. • Review, update and implementation of ADA policies and procedures. • Updated assessment of facilities, programs and services. • Transition plan to address necessary structural modifications, program accessibility guidelines, standards and resources. The District will need to contract with accessibility experts to assist with the Accessibility Plan Update and ADA training of staff and volunteers. The General Manager has directed staff to proceed with developing a Request for Proposal for accessibility consulting services to assist with the Accessibility Plan Update. This contract is expected to be over $25,000 and will be brought to the Board for approval next fiscal year. On a related note and in the interim, the General Manager will be bringing to the Board a new policy on Other Power-Driven Mobility Devices for Board consideration. Attachment: Agenda Report R-93-08 regarding Plan for Compliance with the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act R-93-08 Meeting 93-2 January 13, 1993 AGENDA ITEM MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT Plan for Compliance with the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act GENERAL MANAGER'S RECOMMENDATIONS 1. Adopt the attached ADA plan as District policy. 2. Amend the existing Site Emphasis Policy, Addendum number 1, Section,E, Accessibility to the Public, to add the criterion: "Does the .site offer opportunities to provide access for persons with disabilities?" / The ADA Plan is available to the public on request from the Planning Manager. Discussion: Over the past six months planning and public outreach h~s taken place to formulate and review a plan for compliance with the new federal· law, the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The law is intended to protect the rights of people with disabilities for access to public facilities. The law requires the District to have completed a self evaluation of the accessibility of its facilities and programs by January 26, 1993. The plan is to include measures for correcting any identified barriers or deficiencies, if physically and financially feasible, by January 26, 1995. · The Planning Process An informational report was made to the Board !it your regular meeting of July 22, 1992 including presentation of a Transition Plan outlining the requirements, objectives and process for the ADA plan. · On September 15 a public workshop on access needs for persons with disabilities was held at District offices. A Steering Committee was formed to guide the planning process. A mailing list of approximately 70 organizations serving people with disabilities in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties was assembled to provide notification of the meeting, and a number of known interested parties were personally contacted. Open Space ... for room to breathe 20th Anniversary • 1972-1992 330 Distel Circle • Los Altos, California 94022-1404 • Phone: 415-691-1200 • FAX: 415-691-0485 @ General Manager: Herbert Grench Board of Directors: Katherine Duffy, Robert McKibbin, Teena Henshaw, Ginny Babbitt, Nanette Hanko, Betsy Crowder, Richard Bishop R-93-08 Page 2 The Steering Committee held its first meeting on September 30 to focus on specific issues. On October 20 a combined public workshop and Steering Committee meeting was held to review the initial draft plan. The plan was then circulated for staff comments and revised to its current form. Members of the Steering Committee and other persons who commented on the plan have been sent copies of the draft, and notice of this hearing has been sent to the ADA mailing list. Highlights of the Plan The Trail Classifications, beginning on page 9, provide a system that is intended to provide information to help people decide for themselves which trails are accessible. It will also help the District to inventory the accessibility of its trails, and helps to clarify trail construction standards. The inventory of trails for accessibility must be coordinated with the inventory for application of the new Trail Use Guidelines. The Access Objectives and Policies, starting on page 14, are the heart of the Plan. The primary focus of the plan is on information and coordination. Only item 5 involves an amendment of existing District policy, by adding a criterion to the adopted Site Emphasis Policy. The charts starting on page 19 illustrate the scheduled and budget projects that would include special access provisions; however, this does not reflect the impact of the pending budget cuts, which are now being analyzed and are likely to significantly extend the schedule. The existing barriers to be corrected are listed starting on page 26. These are generally in-house projects which are not expected to have a significant budget impact. Current Access Measures As an implementation measure for the plan, a pamphlet describing the condition and features of the District's existing accessible trails and sites, entitled "Access Opportunities" has been prepared and publicized. Also, copies of the "Hikes and Walks" and "Volunteer Voice" newsletters have been mailed to the ADA contact list to encourage their participation. Prepared by: Randy Anderson, Planning Manager Contact person: Same as above Open Space MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRIG January 4, 1993 DRAFT ACCESS PLAN FOR-PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES. lVIIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT Open Space ... for room to breathe • · 20th Anniversary 1972-1992 330 Distel Circle • Los Altos, California 94022-1404 • Phone: 415-691-1200 • FAX: 415-691-0485 @ General Manager: Herbert Grench Board of Directors: Katherine Duffy, Robert McKibbin, Teena Henshaw, Ginny Babbitt, Nonette Hanko, Betsy Crowder, Richard Bishop I. II. III. IV. v. VI. VII. VIII. IX. ACCESS PLAN FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION Introduction Description of the District's Basic Program Existing Access Improvements Trail Access Classifications Access Objective and Policies Planning and Prioritizing Access Improvements Volunteer and Docent Programs Physical Barriers to be Corrected Implementation of the Access Plan Under Separate Cover: Appendix A ADA Assessment Notes -Skyline Area Preserves Appendix B ADA Assessment Notes -Foothills Area Preserves LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE Figure 1, District Preserves Map Figure 2, Welcome to Open Space Map Table 1, Existing Access Improvements Figure 3, Trail Classification Criteria Chart A, Capital Improvements Plan, Trail Projects Chart B, Use and Management Plan Review Schedule PAGE 1 2 3 9 14 16 23 26 28 PAGE 4 5 6 13 19 22 DRAFT ACCESS PLAN FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT I. Introduction The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA or "The Act") established that: No qualified individual with a disability shall, by reason of that disability, be excluded from participation in or denied the benefits of services, programs, or activities of a public entity or subject to discrimination by such entity. The Act became effective January 26, 1992 for park and recreation agencies. The lmv require~ each agency to prepare a self-evaluation, to be completed by January 26, 1993. The self- evaluation is to cover all aspects of the District's facilities, programs and services, and identifies corrective measures where necessary. The self-evaluation must: Include evaluation of services, policies and practices (i.e. employment, programs, communications) . Provide opportunity for public comment Be maintained and available to the public for 3 years Include a list of persons consulted, issues and problems examined/identified, and description of modifications made. This Access Plan records the results of the District's self-evaluation for compliance with ADA, and presents the policies, process, and schedule whereby identified access improvement measures are to be implemented. 1 IT. Description of the District's Basic Program The District's basic policies and objectives focus on acquiring and preserving open space in its natural state. Provision of facilities is a secondary objective, and is by policy to be at a minimum level to support public access and use. Alteration of the natural landscape is to be minimized; The District owns and manages 23 preserves totaling 35,000 acres in the Santa Cruz Mountain Range and on the San Francisco bayfront. The District's lands, facilities, and programs are described in more detail in the Visitor's Guide. The District provides facilities that support the following public programs and activities: Trail use for general exercise, nature appreciation and relaxation. This includes walking, hiking, running, bicycling, and horseback ridingo Picnicking (limited formal facilities) Camping (pack-in camp only) Historic buildings and sites to visit, and related activities Specific nature study and interpretation through docent-led walks and presentations Volunteer participation in improvement and maintenance projects Academic and scientific research Special uses including hang gliding, special events and workshops The District also operates Docent and Volunteer programs to facilitate public use and enjoyment of the open space, as detailed in Section VI of this document. 2 ill. Existin~ Access Improvements In addition to its administrative offices, facilities developed and maintained by the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District to support public access are· summarized on the District maps and table of the preserves shown in Figures 1 and 2. The Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District has actively pursued the provision of access to facilities for persons with physical limitations. The District has completed a number of trail and site improvement projects specifically intended to provide such access, and ensures that any new buildings or facilities meet access standards. The District has implemented, or is implementing, the projects listed in Table 1 to provide or improve access to its facilities and programs. 3 '·: ·: ,t::.. loij ~· c:: @ ,__.. tl ....... !:1> s. (') ..... ~ Dl ~ (ll ~ .§ To San f-rancisco Santa Cruz Mountains • N 3 District llounclary ·1 . 0 ·1 2 3 4 '-Scale in Miles .) ©1-1990MROSD Reprinted G-1991 San Francisco B.1y Cupertino 4 To San Jose 1 MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRia Group A Preserves Fully Developed Sites ·1. Fremonl Older Open Sp<1cc l>rescrve 2. Los Trancos Open Space Preserve 3. Monte Bello Open Sp<1ce [>reserve (PZige Mill RoJd Area) 4. Monte Bello Open Sp<1ce Preserve (Picchetti Ranch Area) 5. Purisima Creek Open Sp<1ce Preserve G. R<1ncho San Antonio Open Space Preserve 7. Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve (Duveneck Windmill Pasture Area) B. Saratoga Gap Open Space Preserve 9. Windy Hill Open Sp::1ce Preserve Group B Preserves Partially Developed Sites ·1 0. Coal Creek Open Space Preserve ·1-1. El Corte De Madera Open Space Preserve '12. El Sereno Open Space Preserve '13. Foothills Open Space Preserve '14. La Honda Creek Open Space Preserve ·15_ Long Ridge Open Sptice Preserve ·1 C>. J>ulgas Ridge Open Space Preserve '17. Ri:lvenswood Open Space Preserve 'Ill. Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve '19. Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve (Kennedy-Limekiln Area) 20. Sierril Azul Open Space Preserve (Mt. Umunhum Area) 2·1. Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve 22. Stevens Creek Shoreline NZiture Study Areil 23. St. Joseph's Hill Open Space !>reserve 24. Teague Hill Open Space Preserve 25. Thornewood Open Space Preserve _... f'lmse use key iibove to locilte preserves on map at/eft. We;~ume to Open ~\:r 1ce I ·~ 0 2 3 Scale in Miles 4 5 Palo Alto Mountain View ~~~~~~ Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District J £~{\t\~;~~t~~;~J Federal, State, County and City Parklands Open Space Preserves You May Wish To Visit. Trails ,o~' fl FJ ~ m ~ rJ .. ~ .. ;/~«-"'~0 Special Features Preserves Acres 1. Fremont Older 739 ~ Q) 0 * Historic Home 2. Los Trancos 274 $ Earthquake Trail 3. Monte Bello 2634 $ G * Backpack Camp 4. Picchetti Ranch Area 308 Historic Winery 5. Purisima Creek Redwoods 2596 6. Rancho San Antonio 972 Deer Hollow Farm 7. Ravenswood 471 e e eo Bay Trail 8. Russian Ridge 1547 • • • • 0 9. Saratoga Gap 614 •••• 1 0. Sky I ine Ridge 1258 ••• 0 0 • e Alpine Pond 11. Windy Hill 1132 ••••••• * Model Soaring * Permits Required San jose To obtain a Visitor's Guide for information on all preserves call the District office (415) 949-5500. Preserve {Area) 1. SKYLINE· RIDGE Alpine Pond (~. Table 1. Existing Access Improvements Ol c :Q .... ro 0... Ql :e Ill Ill Ql Ill l) Ql l) l) <( ~ %(f) Ill E 0 0 .... .... Ill Ql: ccj Ql .0 "iii Ill Ql l) l) <( % Trailside Amenities Special Features Comments 0 0 0 0 1.0 Benches @ Nature Accessible mi. Alpine Pond Center from Russian Ridge ~------------1 .... I :~~-, .~".:~: ........ _______ -·-··---··········· J.fl:.f.t;:".:.. .:~:~~_:_.::.· ___ _ Horseshoe Lake Area : : 671:.· 12 2 !:.: 2 ~;25 ~:;:::~0~ ~=,:~:~;, equestrian 1-----------1·· .. ····· .. ~ ................................ i ....................................................................................................... ~.~~~~~-~ ................ . 2. MONTE BELLO 45 ~ 0 2 ~ Bench @ Interpretive 1 restroom @ I I vista point ~~~~hp~~ek ~~:~~~~n. camp (not 1------------J ........... l ................................ ! ..................................................................... :?..~.~ ...................... ~.?.C:.~~~~~-~-~.l .......... . 3. RANCHO SAN 10 ~ 0 ~ 0.5 Deer restroom@ ANTONIO I I mi. ~l;1 0 ~f:~~~~· 4. PURISIMA CREEK REDWOODS Whittemore Gulch Trailhead Redwood Trailhead Higgins-Purisima Trailhead 20 1 0 Part of Ridge Trail 8 · 3 1 0.25 Bench {1), i . i mi. ~~~~cs {2) ···~·; ... r ........ ~ ............. ; .... r .. ; .. ·· ............................................................................................ ~::~~=~-~-;~· .. .. . , accessible L------------' .................................................................................................................................................................................. . 6 (!) (!) .0 U) .0 U) E ·c;; U) U) Ol (!) U) 0 (!) c (_) (!) 0 (_) ~ (_) (_) 1... (_) Preserve (Area) +-' 1... <t: co U) <t: co 0. (!) 0.. ~en 0::: ~ 5. WINDY HILL 10 0 0 0 .!!2~ ·ro o ~ ~ I- -(/J 0, (/) ll.. Q) Cl) ID > 0 Q) Q) 0 U) _,<(_ Trailside Amenities Benches Special Features Accessible picnic table 2 regular tables Part of. Ridge Trail Comments 6. ST. JOSEPH'S 0 1 ........ ~ ............. ~ .... r .. ~ ................................................................................................ ~~ .. ~~~·~·;:~:~ .... .. HILL . .. . parking 1------------I••••••••••• .. Oooouoooouooooooooo oo4ooooooo .loooouooooo oooooooooooooooooooo• oooooooooouoo•••ooooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooounooooooo~oouo .. co ''"'''"''""''"'"~uooouoooooon 7. RAVENSWOOD 12 0 0 1.5 mi. 2 Accessible observation decks w/ . benches ............................... :·····-····· ........................................................................................................................... . 8. EL CORTE DE 0 !, 0 0 l, 0 No developed MADERA CREEK parking 1-----------1···--······.i ....................................................................................................................................................................... . 9. PICCHETTI 35 ~ 0 2 ~ 2 Winetasting RANCH AREA ~ ~ w/ picnic 1-1-0_._S_A_R_A_T_O_G_A---1·····~--1······-~··-··· ··-~···~····~··-·-·····--·· ....................... ·-···· ··-~t:~'.'-·-· -~;~;~:;;;;~· .. GAP ; ; parking l----------1••ooooooooo:oouoooooouooooooooo ""'"''"!HO•ooooooo ooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooooouooooooooooooooooooooo ''''""''"'' .. """'""'""'' ooooooooo~oooooooooo.,ooo.,ooooooo 11. LOS TRANCOS 25 =,_1 0 0 ~:. 0 Interpretive Brochure 1------------l•••oooooooo~ooooooooooooooooooooo ''"'''""'!'""'"'"" o•ooooooooooooooooo•o ''"'""''''''"'""'''"""'"' '"'""'""'"''""'""''''"'' '"'''''''''""'''''"""""''' 12. LONG RIDGE 0 ~ 0 0 ~ 0 Part of No developed ; ; Ridge Trail parking l----------1•••oooooooo~ooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooooo;ooooooooooo ""''""'""'''"" oooooooouoooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooOoo .. Oooooooooo .. ooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo 13. PULGAS RIDGE. 0 1 0 0 1 0 0.4 . No developed ; ; mi. parking 1------------J ................................................................................................................................................................................. .. 1-:-:-:-~-:-~-:-IA-N-:-:-I D-G-E---l···;:.! ....... : ......... ; .. -!---; .... ··----······-···--·······-···---·~:~~~~~!~~-.:;~t~~~~;;·· CREEK l,, l,, for 10 vehicles, no ; ; designated HC l l space '----------.....J ........... ~ ........................................................... u ......................................................................................................... .. 7 Preserve (Area) 16. TEAGUE HILL OJ! c: :.;;::! ,_ : ro: o_l 0 <!) .0 IJl IJl <!) IJl (.) <!) (.) (.) <( ~ ~(f) 0 IJ)! E! o! o: ,_ ' ..... : IJli <!): a::: 0 0 Trailside Amenities Special Features Comments Undeveloped 1------------l•••••ouooo~ooooooooooooooooooooo uooooooooo~ooooooouoo oouoooouooouoooooo oooooooooo•••••••uuooooooooooooo ooouoooouooouuoooooouoooooooo ooooouououooooooooooooooooooooo 17. FREMONT 10 ~,:. 0 1 i:. 0 Annual OLDER house tour 1-~-~--~-~-E--N-~-I ~-~-~-A_R_O_A_D--I::::~::::r::::::~:::::: ::::~::::r::~-.:: ::::~:::::::::: :::::::::::::~::::::::~~: :::::::::~:::::::::::::::::: :::~:':~~:~~~~~-­ r-:-:-S-:-~-~:-~-:-:-1:-~-A----l····~-·l--··:····-···~···l····:···· --~·:;~-.. ·---···················· ·--··············-··········· . ::~:;;;:;:. CREEK SHORELINE l ! mi. NATURE STUDY l j uneven surface AREA 1 ~ 1-----------J•••••••••oo~oooooooooooooooouooo •••••••••••;•ouooooooo ouo•u•noouoooooooo ooooooooooooouooo .. ooooooooonooo •••uouoouoooouoo .. uooooouooo oooo .. oooooooououooooooooooooooo 21 . COAL CREEK 0 i 0 0 i 0 No developed 1----------J···········~····················· ........... ! ................................ ·································· ..................................... P..~.~~!!:'.~ ................ . 22. EL SERENO 0 l 0 0 l 0 No developed 1------------1···········~····················· ........... j ........... ····················· .................................. ·································· ... P..~.~~!~.~ ................ . 23. FOOTHILLS 0 ~ 0 0 ~ 0 Undeveloped 24. THORNEWOOD ···~·;··r··················· ·····~····r···~···· ····················· ·································· ·--~~-~-~-~;··············· ·································· . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . house tours, permit picnic area ~~·~~\Y~~~H UM ···~··l·--~······ ··~·l-~-· ·····-··········· ··············-·········--· ·············-····· ... -~::~~~;~;;~·· r-2-6-. _C_A_T_H_E_D_R_A_L_--l·· .. -~ .... 1 .......... ~ .............. ~ .... !" ... ~ ........................................ : .................................................... ···~~~~~~;·~-~~~ ...... . ·: : OAKS-SIERRA i 1 AZUL l l 8 IV. Trail Access Classifications Trails are improvements that are most directly related to accessibility of the open space lands. These trail classes are intended to guide the District's evaluation of its existing trails, provide planning and construction information for new and improved trails, and provide information for potential trail users. These classifications and criteria are preliminary and may be subject to amendment as the District gains experience in their use and additional public input. The criteria presented in this section are the minimum requirements for trails to be classified according to these levels. Only Level 1 trails are intended to meet whole access standards. Level 2 and 3 trails have a steeper grade, a rougher surface and fewer benches, pullouts, etc. than Levell, but may still be accessible for persons with physical limitations, depending on their abilities and inclinations. Level 3 trails, with a 10% maximum grade, are the steepest trails that the District will construct based on its current overall trail construction standards. However, based on past construction practices and roads and trails inherited through land purchase, many existing trails do not meet this standard. Visitors who are in doubt about what level of trail they want to attempt, or need help in interpreting these classifications, are encouraged to start with the levell trails, and/or to contact District staff for more information and clarification. Level 1 Trails General · description: User Guidelines: Minimum width: Maximum grade: Maximum cross-slope: Surface: These trails are intended to be relatively smooth, gently sloped, generously wide, with a firm surface for traction and low rolling resistance. Pullouts, rest areas and edge treatments are intended to make the trails as safe and comfortable to use as possible in a natural open space setting. , Level 1 trails are intended to accommodate the greatest variety of physical abilities, including wheelchairs. Levell trails will not be open to use by horses or bicycles, due to impact on the trail surface and possible conflict with other users. 4 feet 5% 2% Smooth, stable, all-weather material, texture indicating the edge of the 9 . Rest areas: Edge treatment: Level 2 Trails General description: User Guidelines: Minimum width: Maximum grade: Maximum cross-slope: Surface: Rest areas: Edge treatment: path. Typical surface of compacted decomposed granite fines. Some trail surface materials may incorporate a cement mixture for improved stability. Minimum 4' by 6', outside of the pathway, provided at intervals of 200 to 300 feet, some of which shall include benches. Railings will be provided across bridges, around decks, floating platforms and other structures and at potentially hazardous natural drop-offs. Otherwise, curbs or railings will not typically be provided, in keeping with the District's objective of maintaining the site in as natural condition as possible. Curbs or borders will be provided at the edge of the trail where topography or vegetation does not indicate the edge. Level 2 trails vary from Level 1 trails in two significant ways. The maximum grade, may be slightly steeper; and the surface is typically be composed of native soil, which tends to be rougher and less even. Level 2 trail users may be persons who seek, or are willing to accept, more exertion and interaction with the terrain as part of their trail experience. Bicycles and horses may be allowed on trails designated as Level 2 access. Level 2 trails may include fire and maintenance access roads that the District has inherited with the purchase of property. 4 feet 8% 2% Compacted base rock, granite fines or earth. The trail surface may include irregularities that offer a bumpy ride for wheeled conveyances, but no obstacles. Rest stops or pullouts will be provided at irregular intervals, and benches may or may not be provided. Informal resting and sitting spots are often afforded by banks, rocks, and logs, and turnout space is afforded at switchbacks and clearings. Curbs or borders will not typically be provided at the trail edge. Railings will be provided at potentially hazardous locations. 10 Level 3 Trails General description: User guidelines: Minimum width: Maximum grade: Maximum cross-slope: Surface: Rest areas: Edge treatment: These trails may be steeper and narrower than Level2 trails, in response to the constraints of rough terrain. (Any new trails constructed by the District are at least 4 feet wide and no more than 10% grade, however encroaching bank slough-off and vegetation may reduce the available width to 3 feet). These trails are more challenging than Level 2 appropriate for persons who seek or are willing to accept some strenuous physical activity. Like Level 2, they may be open to multiple use, based on a case by case determination. 3 feet 10% 2% The trail surface is typically compacted earth, which may be uneven due to roots, rocks and trail use. Formal rest stops or pull-outs with benches are not typically provided, although informal resting and sitting spots are often afforded by banks, rocks, and logs, and turnout space is afforded at switchbacks and clearings. Edges are not formally marked or bordered. Non-Classified Trails General description: Initially, all trails that have not been inventoried and classified according to these standards will be identified non-classified. As the inventory is completed, trails that will remain non-classified will typically be fire protection and access roads and trails the District has inherited through land purchase. They may not meet the minimum access standards due to steep grades, cross-slope, width or exposure to hazards. 11 User guidelines: Trail Inventory May be open to multiple use, or may be limited to certain uses on a case by case basis. Users must judge for themselves whether to use these trails based on their own research, interests and abilities. In order to classify trails and provide information for potential trail users on the conditions they will encounter when attempting specific trails, the District will inventory and record data regarding its existing trails. This information will be published in a form that is easily interpreted by the public. The data will be collected by taking measurements at regular intervals along the trails, while continually observing and noting any significant changes in condition. The classification information to be collected is illustrated in Figure 2. The following trail conditions will be inventoried: Grade: Width: Cross-slope: Side Slope: Line of Sight: Surface: Rest Areas: Multiple use: Special Interest: 0-5%, 5%-8%, 8%-10%, 10%-15%, 15%+ < 4', 4' -6', 6' + (usually roads) 0-2%, 2%+ 0 -10%' 10% -30%' 30% + <50', 50' -75', 75'-100', 100'+ Indicate material, compacted, rocky, loose, wet, smooth, rough Indicate turnout, bench Indicate permitted trail use, including running, bicycles, horses, dogs; note areas particularly popular with certain user groups where applicable. Views, natural and historical interest Completion of the trail inventory will be the responsibility of District staff, based on training and review to be provided by management and supervisors. The maximum time frame for inventory of any specific site will follow the Site Emphasis Plan Schedule for preparation and update of preserve use and management plans. Opportunities to inventory trails earlier than the scheduled Site Emphasis Plan update will include instances of trail construction projects in the area, and the general availability of District staff to work on the inventory in lieu of other duties. 12 The trail condition and use classification will be incorporated into the site information for the individual preserves. The information may be presented by including symbols or notes on the preserve maps, through written descriptions in the preserve brochures, or through tables of conditions corresponding to topographic profiles. Site maps and brochures are reviewed in draft form by the public, allowing the opportunity for:refinements prior 'to publication. The diagram presented below illustrates some of the terms used in the classification. WIDTH (CLEAR PATH) TRAIL INVENTORY CRITERIA Scale: Schematic CALCULATION OF SLOPE PERCENT EXAMPLE: 5% = 5 FEET VERTICAL IN 100 FEET HORIZONTAL 13 V. Access Objective and Policies The following policies represent the District's position and plan for providing access to persons with disabilities. Objective It is the District's objective to provide access to its activities and programs, including employment, and to its open space preserves, facilities, and trails, to.all persons, regardless of physical limitations. Policies 1) Steering Committee. The District will form an Access Steering Committee, composed of interested constituents. The committee will participate in the preparation and implementation of plans to improve access for persons with disabilities. The committee will also facilitate communication with people who are interested in this issue. 2) Access Plan. Once adopted by the Board of Directors, this document shall comprise the official District policy and procedure with respect to provision of access to persons with disabilities, and shall be implemented as established herein, or as subsequently amended. 3) Access Level Classifications. The District will use the three levels of access outlined in Section N of this document as guidelines in evaluating, designing, constructing, improving and providing information about its sites and trails.. These access classifications may be amended based on further knowledge or public comment. 4) Access Improvement Process and Priorities. The planning and prioritizing of access improvements to accommodate persons with disabilities shall follow the established Relative Site Emphasis and Preserve Use and Management Plan procedures, as outlined in Section VI of this document. Commitment to access improvements shall be on the basis of specific measures or projects rather than a standard percentage of budget or proportion of construction. 5) Amendment of Site Emphasis Criteria. Section E, Accessibility to the Public, contained in addendum number 1 of the District's adopted Site Emphasis Policy, shall be amended to add the following criterion: "Does the site offer opportunities to provide access for persons with disabilities?" 6) Accessible Buildings and Sites. All District-owned buildings and other structures which are used by the public shall be constructed or renovated to meet current state and federal standards for access to persons with disabilities. Designated accessible parking areas will be provided at all sites and trailheads where formal parking is provided. Accessible public toilets will be provided at all locations where public toilets are provided. 14 7) Removal of Physical Barriers. The District will remove or correct the physical barriers identified in Section VII of this plan before January 26, 1995. 8) Public Communication Measures. The District will undertake the following specific measures, and other general outreach and information measures to make the public aware of the access opportunities presented by the District's lands: a. The District will implement the measures outlined in Section VI, Docent and Volunteer Programs. b. The District will publish and regularly update information on currently accessible trails and sites. c. The District will inventory, classify and publish information about the accessibility of its trails in updating its general maps and brochures, as outlined in Section VII of this Plan. d. The District will provide the means to comment on access conditions at specific District sites by posting the communication contact name, number and address at major staging areas. Typically the Planning Manager will be the primary contact on this subject. e. The District will endeavor to inform and educate the public about access opportunities on its trails and sites, and in its programs, through the media and in general public affairs activities. 15 VI. Plannin~: and Prioritizin~: Access hnprovements The prioritizing and scheduling of access improvements will be based on the District's adopted process for scheduling the inventory, planning and improvement of sites. Many of the District's existing trails are barrier free and may be categorized as type 2 or 3, or even type 1, as the inventory progresses. The District is a land acquisition and preservation-oriented organization. The planning and improvement of sites may follow well behind the acquisition of sites. Planning efforts are carefully organized and scheduled to see that limited budget resources are expended in the most efficient and beneficial way, and to respond to diverse public and individual requests for use and improvement of the land. Site Review and Planning Process A process has been designed and adopted by the District to ensure that site planning considers all the issues and conditions at each specific site, as well as overall District and public objectives. Numerous projects to provide access to trails and sites to persons with disabilities have been incorporated into this process, and any future plans and projects are to be considered in the same context. The Preserve Use and Management Plan is the basis for any· sort of physical change or improvement of any District land, and for decisions on any proposed use of the land. This plan will include information about the resources and physical conditions on the site, public input regarding desired uses and improvements, and development and review at staff, public, and District Board levels of these opportunities and constraints and the planning proposals. Until a site has gone through this process, no parking, trails or other significant public improvement or use will be considered. Change is usually gradual even after formulation and adoption of the use and management plan. Existing uses and conditions are typically maintained. Proposed uses or improvements that were not originally identified in an adopted Use and Management Plan will only be considered in the context of review or amendment of the Use and Management Plan. The schedule for preparation and review of Use and Management Plans is updated annually through review of the Relative Site Emphasis Plan, which includes a five-year Capital Improvement Plan. This review generally takes place in December and January in preparation for the District's budget year, which begins April first. The Relative Site Emphasis Plan is a way of prioritizing both short term and long term planning and development projects for all District sites. The Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) corresponds to the schedule for preparation of Use and Management Plans and is part of the District's overall budgeting process. The CIP identifies significant planning and construction projects within the next five years, including trails. The capital improvement program is the best indication of what the District is planning to do to make its trails and sites accessible to people with disabilities. · Chart A, presented in the following pages, presents the trail projects currently in the Capital 16 Improvement Plan, and highlighting those that are Level 1, or Whole Access. Chart B, presents the schedule for preparation and update of preserve use and management plans, which comprises the general schedule for inventory of existing trails on a site basis and for consideration of new projects. Budget and Schedule for Access Improvements Chart A indicates that the projects budgeted by the District for new or improved Levell/ Whole Access trails in the FY 92/93 version of the plan comprise from 26% to 84% of the annual trail construction budget over the next five years, and comprise 40% of the total trail budget for the five year period. Due to the current state budget deficit, there is a likelihood that the District's revenues will be significantly reduced. The timing and impact of such cuts is unknown at this time. The District Board has taken a conservative approach to spending in anticipation of the cuts. In any case the effect will be extension of the schedule for acquisition and site development compared to the 92/93 plans presented here. Public participation is encouraged during the review and adoption process for the 93/94 budget, which will take place in January '93, and in any subsequent amendments in response to new budget information. Site Emphasis Criteria The adopted criteria for making general site emphasis and site plan decisions, contained in Addendum number 1 of the District Site Emphasis Policy, are reproduced below. With the adoption of this Access Plan, the specific criterion of providing access for persons with disabilities will be added to Section E, Accessibility to the Public, as highlighted in bold type: A. Public Interest Does the public express a desire, either directly or indirectly, to utilize the site? This may be evident by existing use which occurs regardless of land status· and/or by interest communicated to staff or Board. B. Geographical Location Does or will the site receive high levels of use and pressure for recreational development due to its close proximity to the urban area? C. Regional Significance How significant is the site in relationship to other existing public lands, and does it serve 17 as an important link (providing trail connections) between or leading to other facilities? D. Attractiveness of Natural or Developed Features Are there features on the site (such as a unique landscape, historical building, parking areas, trails, etc.) which are of particular interest and attractiveness or usefulness to the public? E. Accessibility to Public Can the District's general public (not only site neighbors) gain access to the property from public roads or adjacent public lands or if not, is there the potential for improving this access (parking) on District or adjacent public lands? Does the site offer opportunities to provide access for persons with disabilities? F. Lack of Existing Open Space/Parklands for Public Use Are there no other nearby open space recreational experiences (including existing developed preserves) accessible to the public on a regional basis? Such facilities if accessible and minimally developed would possibly alleviate the need for development of the site in the near future. G. Geographical Distribution How well does the site serve as a regional facility, and will its development better distribute open space opportunities throughout the District? H. Manageability of Site Can the site be readily managed presently and in the future if further development were to occur? This could be related to the number of access points and the adequacy of patrol routes, presence of an agricultural tenant, a renter, a Ranger residence, or other lease arrangement. I. Costs Measured Against Benefits To what extent do the benefits to the public exceed the costs associated with development and management of the site? Some sites will tend to yield great benefits ·at little costs. J. Physical and Psychological Carrying Capacity Is the site capable of providing open space experiences for large numbers of visitors without degrading the resource or psychologically reducing the quality of the experience? Is there the potential for expanding facilities such as trails without exceeding the carrying capacity? 18 ~­ \0 CHART A-5 YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN. TRAIL CONSTRUCTION & IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS (Revised 10/1 0/92) Preserves Trail Projects 1. Skyline Ridge Trail to LROSP (LWCF) Bullis Bypass Trail Lambert Creek Trail 2. Monte Bello U&M Access FY Adopted Level 1992/93 Yes 3 I 65000 Yes ?, Int. No ?, Int. Gold Mine Trail Yes ·?,Int. FY 1993/94 FY 1994/95 15000 25000 L -Level1, Trail Projects Access Levels -1 -Fully Accessibl-e · FY 19-ftS"/96' 350.00.. FY 1'J96/97 't-tTril<nown Until inventory & D.esig_n .. tot.:.rR.terrreHcroifferexTstihgtrails which may . requlrec upgrad&to provld& acces'~ 2 -Level· 2 Access - 3 -Level 3 Acc·ess · . Outsida Funding. Explan:a!iotr'an:a: 1\fotes 26000 ., Extended 1 year; permit came too late Possible Possible· Anticipatedhigh prioriiy.l:;vt.l&M-pta:n·· Extended 1 year; limited LM resources Disc Line Trail · Yes ?, Int. 15000 Stevens Creek Bridge Yes ? , Int. 110000 ~w@:i'itA.WW~H9)A~f~::m::=:=:::m::::m:::::x~~:::rmm:m::::=:m:rtr::m:m:mt~==~:::mmm::=:m::m:=::::m:::::::::::m:m:m::~::w:~::m:m:mm:99§!ttt''ttm~mm::::=:::::t:::::'::::::::rmm:::wm:::tr:=:::n:t::m=rl:m:::rtti:r;,~mlt:::tlJtttln:::::rrmmr::::m:r::mrmm:m::::: 3 . Ram!J$wii¢.i~~~stf.M::m::::r=:r::=:::::::::rr:x~~}:~:m:r=}:::::::=:::r::l:=:::rr:}:m:m:=:::::m:m:::m:m::=r:~~:rm:=:::m:::::r:n::=::::rmu:::r=::}tmm::::}:m::m:u;tmn;;.mrtxr§9'¥Vrt~I::::~Imt=mw::mmnttl~#®t~llw.t1ftlY.JW~~~ir.~R®.m$.?l.trr::::::::r 4. Purisima Creek ::w.MW:Al?:9:~~~::w~m::::m:rr::=::::==:rrrx~~=:r:::::m::rnms::~l:'t:n:rm:=::n:mm::::::=m:n:::::m:::r::::::=:m:r=:::::n::tt:?.§®.9Ir=m::::::::::::=:::,::::::n:::::n=m::::::mm::~::::m::::m::::=::':::::m:r=:=:::::::~m:lm::tr:n=:r:trnlwm::~tr:::::::r::r::~::: 5. Windy Hill _ .__ _ Corte Madera Trails Yes ? 10000 _ -· · Extended 1 year; limi~e9 lM.r,es0.t!!':cest:'' -· ::$.~@~!Wi~ll:¥M::ls?.@?m:im::m::m:=:w:@:::m::::::::::=:::m:mi:t:: ::=rm:::m:m::=:~:::::::m~:::::=::::::=~=:=:@®.P.=m:r=:m:m:==:=:mt=::m=::m::=:::::=::::::r:,::mn=:m:::tifJ.ittt'li.®~m:s.&&rg~&.~iM~;H@W.iif.~t~;m:;;~r@!!f@Wti¥f:w~w.~~:m::::::m:ttrt1 Meadow Trail ~ Yes ?, Int. 10000 Possible. Extended 1 year; corrisine:With Bozzo Bozzo/Midlevel Trail Yes ?, Int. 40000 Possible· 6. · St. Joseph's Hill Trail to Hilltop Yes ? . 10000 7. Rallii.f.~1n~'l§.;lt:AH?.':=:=::m::::::::::tm:::::=:ttt::::xM=::mtt:::m::::::::==a:ml::::=:m::m:::::m::=::::m:::::::m:::::m:::::::::mm:m:m::::m::::::::::m=mm:::::::::=::m=::m:m:m=:w::::::m=:::m&~9.9.IIe~E;tz$.9.®.i::wm=l::::l,::m:eM~1§l~wl·:~;aM:arlfmv( 8. El Corte Madera 9. Picchetti Ranch Area Trail above Pond Yes ?, Int. I 15000 Trail to Cosigny Yes ?, Int. 10000 1 0. Saratoga Gap 11. LosTrancos :1 l\ h ~I tl ~! ~~' ,') N 0 Preserves Trail Projects 12. Long Ridge Trail to Skyline Jikoji Bypass Trail U&M Access FY Adopted Level 1992/93 Yes 3 / 1DDDD ?, Int. FY 1993/94 1DDDD FY 1994/95 -FY _ 1995/96 FY 1996/97 Outside Funding EXplanatiOn and I"''O"t6S" Anticipated reintroduced project 13. Pulgas Ridge _ . :~:¢.'i:?'f.~mw¥itrMi:l@W.¢.s::m:nmmmm:xw:=rr::::==:r=:::=ri=m :m::t@.j/i'9:m:mj:i$.%@Jm:~tMH?f@UG'm;.::~R:I'¥?B~;.~unrm:m:·n South Canyon Trail Yes ? 2DDOO · Possible Expenditure notpre.viously schedule,d-- Edmonds Trailhead Yes ? 1 DODO Possible 14. Russian Ridge Vista Trail (Prop 70) Level Loop Trails (LWCF) Nature Trail (LWCF) 15. La Honda Creek Dyer Trail to PGE Hwy 84 to Dyer Trail 16. Teague Hill 17. Fremont Older Seven Springs Road 18. Kennedy Road Area 19. Windmill Pasture Area Upper Black Mtn Trail 20. Stevens Creek Shoreline 21. Coal Creek Vista Point Trail Melville Trail 22. El Sereno 23. Foothills Foothills Park Trail 24. Thornewood Upper Bypass Trail Yes 3 Yes ?, Int. -Yes ?, Int. Yes Yes ? ? Yes ?, Int. No ?,Int. Yes ?, Int. Yes 3 No Yes ? 10000 48000 15000 26DOD 5000 PS 15000 15000 1-0000 1DDDO 1DDDD 24DDD' ·rAc'Celerated·tO<complete ~ranis '*"- 12DoD Accelerated to complete grants Possible [Deferred; combine with parking lot .. Possible _ D.eferre.d; comb_ine with parking lot -'~- Possible I Expenditure not previously scheduled Possible I Expenditure not previously scheduled Extended 3 years; grants accelerated Extended 3 years; grants accelerated Possible I Joint project, scheduled but·orrhold t--) 1-' Preserves U&M Access FY FY FY Trail Projects Adopted Level 1992/93 1993/94 1994/95 25. Mt. Umunhum Area 26. Cathedral Oaks Area ------- TOTAL TRAIL DOLLARS 177000 156000 161000 LEVEL 1 TRAIL DOLLARS (57000) (58000) (35000) % LEVEL 1 TRAIL SPENDING (32%) (44%) (26%) Level 1, Trail Projects Access Levels - 1 Fully Accessibl~ ? Unknown Until Inventory & Design Int. Internal to other existing trails which may require upgrade to provide access 2 Level 2 Access 3 Level 3 Access FY FY 1995/96 1996/97 Explanation and Notes 57500 160000 177000 (7500) (90000} (247500) (33%) (84%} (40%) ~·' CHART B • RELATlVE ORDER OF SrTES /TP fT USE AND MANAGMENT REVlEV/ SCHEDULE ·fMTE: 12/11/91 Relatlve Order or Sites Last 1. Skyline Ridge 2. Monte Bello ~ Rancho San Antonio 4. Purlslma Creek 5. \'Iindy Hill 6. St Joseph's Hill 7. Ravenswood ll. El Corte de Madera 9. Plcchelll Ranch Area 10. Saratoga Gap 11. Los Trancos 12. Long Ridge . 13. Pulgas Ridge 14. Russim Ridge· 15. ~a Honda Creek 16. Teague Hill . .--- 17. Eremont Older -1ll. Kenn~o:i'd Area S~!TdAzul . 19. 'tlindmill Pasture Area Rancho San Antonio 20. Stevens Creek Shoreline Zl. Coal Creek . 22. El Sereno 23. Foothills 2-'1. Thomewood 25. Mt Umunhum Area Sierra Azul .•. 26. Cathedral Oaks Sierra Azul Review 07/87 12/89 04/90 02/89 11/SS 08/87 04/90 08/89 01/SS o:J/89 07/87 07/90 02/87 o:J/88 11/90 07/89 04/S'J 05./90 10/87 .11/87 02/90 11/87 07/89 RE-v. lt>·1.o·'3Z- Fiva Year Use and Management Plan Target Review Sched~le 1'99'2 1 9S3 1994 1995 1 996 1st 2nd :>rd 4th Qtr Qtr Otr Otr =~·:::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::;:;:::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::· ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: 1st 2nd :>rd 4th Otr Otr Otr Otr :::::::::::::::::::::::~:~:::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::~::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: 1st 2nd :>rd 4th .1st 2nd :>rd 4th Qtr Otr Otr Otr Qtr Otr Otr Q tr :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:; =~::::;:::::::;::::::::::::::: :;:::;:::::;:;::::::::::::::::::::. ::::::::::.~.:;:;::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::.:::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::.~.: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::;:::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: 1st 2nd :>rd 4th Otr Otr Otr . Qtr :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::;:::::::::::::;:::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: . ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::.::.::.::.::.::.::.::_:_·_.::.::.::.::_: .. ·:_:::.::_ ·.·:.::_::.::.::_::.::· .. :.::_::_::_::.=:.::.::.::· .. : :.::_::.::_::.::.::.::_::_::.::_::· .. :.:= .. :·.·:.:· . .-.·.: .·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.· :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ···-1··············· ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :=:::::::::::::::::1:1::::::::::: .·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.· .. ·.·.·.·.· .. · ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::: ~:: :::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ~::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::;::::::::::::::::::::::: ;:::::::::::::::::;:::;:;:::·Jit: ................... :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::;::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::o::::::::::::::::::: ................. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :·_.::.:· .. :.::· •. :· •. :·_.::.:· .. :· .. :· •. :· •. :· .. :·_.::.:· .. :· .. : .:.:_:::.::.::_;_:::.::.::_::.::_::.::.::_::.::_: .• ·: :· .. :· .. :· .. :· .. :· •. :· •. ::.::.:· .. :· .• :· •. :· •. :.::·.·•.·.·.: · .. :.::.::_::_:;_::.::_::· •. :.::_::_::.:·.·.::.::· . .-.·.:· •. :-:·:-:-:·:·:·:·:·:-:-:-:-:-:·:·:-. : .. ~-:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.: 0 Interim Us2 and Management Plan Review Jl Comprehensive Usa and Managemanc Plan Re•tiew 22 ---·-·---·------.·--:-----·----. -. ----~--. -.--::.·.-.--=-=-=-:-:-· -:···- Vll. Volunteer and Docent Pro~rams Background The District has operated a Docent Program, supported by a staff Docent Coordinator, since soon after the District's formation in 1972. The District has operated a Volunteer Program, supported by a half-time staff Volunteer Coordinator, since 1986. In addition to the paid staff, the District provides a modest budget for materials and expenses of the programs. All other participation is on an unpaid volunteer basis. · Program Objectives The basic objectives of the Docent Program are to help educate the public about the natural history and resources of the District's lands; to generate public understanding and support for the District's open space preservation mission; to involve the public in the District's activities; and to enhance the visitor experience. The basic objectives of the Volunteer Program are similar to those of the Docent Program; to generate public understanding and support for the District's open space preservation mission; to involve the public in the District's activities; and to conserve the District's financial resources by using volunteers to assist paid staff in completing maintenance and improvement projects. Docent Program Description The Docent Program typically includes from 50 to 80 volunteer docents. Twice per year, in the Spring and the Fall, the District provides docent training in natural history. New docents may start in either Spring or the Fall, and are expected to attend both training sessions. There are several optional training sessions offered each year in a variety of subjects. Informal docent activity planning meetings and social events are held throughout the year. Docent activities are focused on organizing and leading walks and hikes in the open space preserves, with interpretation of natural resources and human history provided by the docents. Most of the ideas for the walks, hikes, and talks come from the docents themselves. They vary widely in subject, location, length and difficulty. Any group of 10 or more persons may request a special docent-led hike or talk, which may be custom-tailored to their needs and interests. Public awareness of the Docent Program is provided through general District publications such as the quarterly general newsletter, the annual report, the Visitor Guide and site-specific maps and brochures. Direct access and participation is provided by a monthly "Walks. and Hikes" newsletter that is distributed to a large general mailing list and sent to local newspapers for publication. The District has a small Nature Center building at Alpine Pond in the Skyline Preserve which is used for research and interpretive activities. 23 Volunteer Program Description The Volunteer Program operates on a "drop in" basis. There is no required training or membership. The Volunteer Coordinator organizes at least one event or project per month, consisting of a basic resource restoration, maintenance or construction project in the District preserves. Interested members of the public can work alongside District staff to improve or protect natural resources or public access facilities. The District provides tools, equipment, basic supervision, and usually refreshments, for these one-day projects. A Volunteer Newsletter, published quarterly, informs the public of upcoming projects, and reports on the participation and progress on past projects. Like the Docent Program, public awareness of the Volunteer program is promoted by general District publications. In addition to specific projects, the Volunteer Coordinator arranges for the use of public volunteers and community service assignees in administrative office tasks such as filing and mailing. The District also makes use of adult and juvenile justice system work release programs and the California Conservation Corps to complete maintenance and construction projects. This assistance may or may not be combined with public volunteer efforts. Measures to Improve Program Access for Persons with Disabilities The accessibility of the Docent and Volunteer programs is facilitated because they are flexible in format and content, and easily adapted to the specific needs of the participants, including the Docents themselves. Also, because they are based on public participation, any group with special interests is free to design and carry out their own program with the help of District staff and resources, or to ask the District to design a program for them. Expansion of access for persons with disabilities to these programs will be based on wider outreach and communication of the opportunities, and on input from, and participation of, persons with special needs and interests. The following specific measures will be implemented by the District in order to expand access to its Docent and Volunteer Programs: 1. Expand the mailing list for the Docent "Hikes and Walks" and the "Volunteer Voice" newsletters to include organizations and groups that are concerned with serving people with disabilities. (By January, 1992). 2. Encourage and act on specific information or suggestions for participation by persons with disabilities in the programs, either through the efforts of persons already in the programs or by encouraging other individuals or groups to participate in a way that directly or indirectly benefits access for persons with disabilities. 3. Ensure that the Docent and Volunteer Coordinators, and the docents and volunteers themselves, are aware of the interests and needs of persons with disabilities, and help them to 24 provide the accommodations that may be necessary. (Publish article in upcoming newsletter, cover issue generally in upcoming training or meetings, and cover specific measures as they are requested or identified). 4. Encourage and recruit people with disabilities· to participate in the volunteer and docent programs and to make use of open space resources in general. 25 Vill. Physical Barriers to be Corrected An inventory of all District sites has been completed to identify physical barriers to program accessibility. The inventory forms are attached as Appendix A. The inventory identified the following physical barriers to general program accessibility, existing as of August, 1992, which are to be corrected by January 16, 1995: Parking Areas, Various Preserves The following parking areas lack designated accessible parking spaces, which will be added as noted below: Skyline Area Preserves 1. Los Trancos 2. Monte Bello 3. Purisima Creek Redwoods (Higgins-Purisima) 6. Windy Hill Foothills Area Preserves 1. Fremont Older 2. Monte Bello, (Picchetti Ranch) 3. Rancho San Antonio Permit Lot Number of Spaces 25 45 10 10 10 35 12 Total number of signs required Number of Required Accessible Spaces 1 2 1 1 1 2 1 2 Monte Bello Open Space Preserve, Black Mountain Pack-in Camping Area 1. Replace restroom facility with wheelchair accessible unit. 2. Publish permit procedures for backpack camp to allow drive-in access to visitors with disabilities. Fremont Older Open Space Preserve 1. Replace temporary restroom with a wheelchair accessible temporary restroom. 26 Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve 1. Install two self-contained accessible restrooms near Deer Hollow Farm (Project in FY 92/93 budget, currently pending use permit approval). Trailhead Gates and Stiles Most District trailheads feature open access or "block type" stiles which accommodate wheelchairs. Where physically feasible, the District will add accessible (block type) stiles at trailheads that have only step-over stiles. 27 VID. Administration of the Access Plan The District's planning manager, Randy Anderson, is the person responsible for administration of the Access Plan and response to access issues. Comments or questions may be directed to Mr. Anderson at the District administrative offices. The District has formed a steering committee of persons who are interested in reviewing and making recommendations on the implementation of Access Plan. Please contact Randy Anderson at the District for more information, or if you are interested in participating on the committee. The District publishes, and regularly updates, information on access conditions, entitled "Access Opportunities", which may be obtained by calling, writing or visiting the District offices. 28