Loading...
HomeMy Public PortalAbout20141029 - Minutes - Board of Directors (BOD) October 29, 2014 Board Meeting 14-31 *Approved by the Board of Directors on November 12, 2014 SPECIAL MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT Administrative Office – Board Room 330 Distel Circle Los Altos, CA 94022 Wednesday, October 29, 2014 APPROVED MINUTES* SPECIAL MEETING – STUDY SESSION CALL TO ORDER President Harris called the Special Meeting of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Board of Directors to order at 5:00 p.m. 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, Assistant General Counsel Hilary Stevenson, Planning Manager Jane Mark, Senior Planner Tina Hugg, Natural Resources Manager Kirk Lenington, Real Property Manager Mike Williams, Operations Manager Michael Newburn, Public Affairs Manager Shelly Lewis, Administrative Services Manager Kate Drayson, and District Clerk Jennifer Woodworth III. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS Oscar Braun, spoke regarding his organization California Watershed Posse and submitted a document for the Board members to review. IV. ADOPTION OF AGENDA Motion: Director Siemens moved, and Director Kishimoto seconded the motion to adopt the agenda. Meeting 14-31 Page 2 VOTE: 7-0-0 III. BOARD BUSINESS 1. Initial 5-Year Measure AA Project List, Including Projects Identified for Fiscal Year 2015-16 (R-14-130) General Manager Steve Abbors provided comments regarding the Board actions previously taken related to Measure AA and its implementation and future steps to be taken by the Board and members of District staff to implement the voter-approved priority actions. Senior Planner Tina Hugg summarized the goal of the evening’s meeting for the Board to approve the list of projects to be implemented during the first five years of Measure AA implementation. Ms. Hugg introduced facilitator Patrick Miller who described the agenda, format, and protocols for the evening’s meeting. Ms. Hugg described the methodology and process used by staff to create the list of potential Measure AA projects and using the prioritization criteria approved by the Board of Directors prioritized the list of projects. The prioritized lists were then refined based on current staff capacity, which could be completed in the first five years of Measure AA implementation, and additional projects that were included in a “parking lot” list. Director Hassett provided comments regarding projects that did not meet any of the Board adopted prioritization criteria, such as public access projects at La Honda Open Space Preserve. Director Kishimoto provided comments regarding potential access projects at Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve. Director Hassett provided comments regarding staff capacity to complete land conservation projects. Mr. Abbors explained that all departments are involved in land acquisition projects due to the planning process required in these projects. Director Siemens provided comments regarding planning and implementation of projects at the same time, such as opening Bear Creek Redwoods to public access. Mr. Abbors provided comments regarding planning requirements for the District to evaluate the various access projects prior to project implementation. The Board discussed Public hearing opened at 6:13 p.m. Brandon Lewke, resident of Redwood City, spoke regarding use of water as a prioritization criteria and the Mt Umunhum Radar Tower. Meeting 14-31 Page 3 Mike Bushue, resident of Belmont and member of ETRAC, provided comments regarding the District’s budget and completion of non-Measure AA projects. Mike Buncic, resident of Los Gatos, spoke regarding providing trail access as a major concern of the public. Mr. Buncic also spoke regarding the planning process for Bear Creek Redwoods and spoke regarding the application of the Board-approved prioritization criteria. Lyndall Erb, resident of Montera and president of Bay Area & Trails, spoke regarding La Honda Open Space Preserve and asked the Board to reconsider including more public access projects at La Honda. Dave George, resident of Saratoga, spoke regarding increasing hiking and biking access. Sam Drake, president of the Umunhum Conservancy, spoke regarding the funding and scheduling of the planned interim Radar Tower repairs. Hans Luemers, resident of Woodside, spoke regarding public access to District properties and the increased need for District staffing to complete the Measure AA projects urging the Board to be aggressive in completing the projects. Ping Li, resident of Saratoga and Park and Recreation Commission member, spoke regarding the popularity of District preserves located near cities. Ms. Ling also spoke regarding the Saratoga Quarry Park property, jointly owned by the City of Saratoga and District, should be opened to the public. Alex Anderson, resident of Mountain View, spoke regarding increasing the number of public access projects. Marilyn Walter spoke regarding the Alpine Trail, its current narrow condition and potential safety concerns when the area is opened to mountain bikers. Bob Gonzales spoke regarding the mountain bike constituency and other District constituencies and which constituencies will have access to the new areas and trails open to public access. Mr. Gonzales also spoke regarding reevaluation of current District trails to open them to additional constituencies, such as mountain bikers. Steve Patt, resident of Cupertino, spoke regarding the trails currently included in the Measure AA project list and “parking lot” list. Mitchell Harnett, resident of Mountain View, urged the Board to consider additional projects, which would be open to mountain bike access. Frank Bakonyi, resident of Los Gatos, spoke regarding the use of private sector resources to expedite the process of completing Measure AA projects. Public hearing closed at 6:38 p.m. Directors Riffle, Harris, and Hanko provided comments regarding the Measure AA project lists recommended by staff stating that these lists are only a starting point utilizing current staff Meeting 14-31 Page 4 capacity, which lists may be increased in subsequent years depending on potential added staff capacity. Director Siemens provided comments regarding the need for additional District staffing to increase the ability to complete projects. Director Kishimoto inquired regarding additional transit access to Rancho San Antonio and the urgency of the Quarry Trail. Ms. Hugg explained that the Quarry Trail included in the Measure AA project list is tied to an construction easement with Lehigh Quarry, which is time constrained. Director Riffle suggested, and the Board agreed by consensus to direct to staff to return with a process to include additional projects in the “parking lot” list. Motion: Director Hanko moved, and Director Kishimoto seconded a motion to approve the proposed 5-year Measure AA project list, including projects identified for Fiscal Year 2015-16 for their inclusion in the District’s 5-Year Capital Improvement Plan, as presented in the staff report. VOTE: 7-0-0 X. ADJOURNMENT President Harris adjourned the special meeting of the Board of Directors of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District at 7:05 p.m. ________________________________ Jennifer Woodworth, CMC District Clerk