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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNovember 25 2013 FinalPWC_Min_13-1127.doc 1/29/14 1 Los Altos Hills Pathway Committee FINAL Minutes of Special Meeting of Monday, November 25, 2013 1. ADMINISTRATIVE Chairman Joe Kleitman called the meeting to order at 6:05 PM Members present: Weegie Caughlan, Ann Duwe, Nick Dunckel, Eileen Gibbons, Vic Hesterman, Joseph Kleitman, Rachelle Mirkin, Sue Welch, Denise Williams, Members absent: Breene Kerr, Tim Warner, Bob Stutz (Associate Member) Council Members present: Courtney Corrigan, John Radford (PWC Liaison) Staff present: Richard Chiu, Director of Public Works Members of public present: Jeff Peterson, Kjell Karlsson, Traffic Safety Committee Piyush Patel The agenda was approved as written. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES. Minutes from the October 28, 2013 meeting were approved with typos corrected. 3. STAFF PRESENTATION: PATHWAY MAINTENANCE. Richard Chiu, Director of Public works reviewed the work his staff has done over the past months. This includes routine scraping and rolling of paths, placement of water bars where needed, and responding to specific maintenance requests from the public. He noted the need to prioritize projects because of the limited budget. The highest priority for the next year is construction of Hale Creek path, for which Council recently approved easements. Budget available is about $12K. The Town applied for grant funds to complete the next phase of the Safe Routes to School path on Fremont Road (Town Hall to Arastradero Road) but funds were not awarded. The Town has received approval to upgrade the roadside path along Robleda Creek on Robleda Road, but the cost has increased to about $500K. The PWC briefly discussed the Robleda Creek path, other potential CIP projects, how to get information to PWC on potential project costs, and how repair requests are managed. The PWC thanked Mr. Chiu for his excellent work. 3. PATHWAY MAP CONSOLIDATION PROJECT. The PWC reviewed sections of the Pathway Element of the General Plan outlining the types of maps the Town is required to create and maintain (Attachment A). • Goal 3 requires specifically requires three classes of off-road paths: Class 1—Off-road paths for which easements have been granted to the Town for a completed route, on which a path has been developed or pathway use has been established, and which is maintained by the Town and is open for public use. Class 2—Off-road paths for which easements have been granted to the Town for less than a completed route, or where the pathway easement exists but the path has not been constructed or maintained and is not open for public use. Such paths remain to be completed in the future. Class 3—A planned future off-road path, as shown in the Master Path Plan. These paths may need dedication of easements over a single large parcel of land, or may require easements over a number of smaller parcels. • Goal 4 describes the maintenance and implementation of the Master Path Plan. Requirements include a book of street maps showing streets with paths planned on both sides of the street (per Council); 2) a book of maps showing the side of each street on which a roadside path is planned; 3) books of maps showing locations of Class 1, Class 2, and Class 3 off-road paths. See Attachment A. The PWC discussed the need to review and update the existing maps, including adding new information, correcting known errors, and creating maps of newly annexed areas. It was noted that PWC created the map showing the side of each street on which a roadside path is planned, but that Council has never approved this map. The Town currently uses a CAD system to record the pathway information. PWC discussed sources of pathway easement information and costs and advantages/disadvantages of technologies that could be used (e.g., GIS, CAD) and AD volunteered to explore methods used by other Towns. 3. PROPERTY REVIEWS. The following properties was reviewed for pathway recommendations: A. 26400 Eshner Court (Project Contact Jude Kirk; File #337-13-ZP-SD). The reason for pathway review is lot merger and construction of a new residence. Neither the owner nor a representative was present. The FinalPWC_Min_13-1127.doc 1/29/14 2 parcel is on the north side of Eshner Court, a cul-de-sac off Altamont Road. The parcel is being merged with 26420 Eshner Court, the adjacent parcel to the east. Both parcels have frontage along Altamont Road where the existing roadside pathway runs along the top of a steep bank above the road. Development plans show the owners are requesting to move the existing pathway along Altamont Road from its current location along the top of the bank to a new location closer to the roadside. The PWC had concerns about moving the pathway along Altamont closer to the road because of the adjacent oaks and the steep slope that drops down from the current pathway location. AD moved that the PWC deny the developers’ request to move the path from its current location and to restore it to IIB standards after construction is completed. In addition, staff is to confirm that this pathway easement exists in its current position. DW seconded. The vote was unanimously in favor. B. 27200 Deer Springs Court (Lands of Patel, Project Contact Daryl Harris, File #336-13-ZP-SD-GD). The reason for pathway review is construction of a new residence. Piyush Patel, the owner, was present. The lot is on the east side of Deer Springs Court at the intersection with Byrne Park Lane and has frontage on both streets. Roadside pathways exist across the street from this lot on both Deer Springs Court and Byrne Park Lane. Development plans show that the Town holds a 10-foot wide pathway easement along the northern border of the property from Byrne Park Lane to the eastern border, where an existing off-road path runs connecting Byrne Park Lane to Julietta Lane. AD moved that the PWC ask staff to confirm that the Town holds the off-road pathway easement where the existing path runs, and if not, to request it. If the town does not hold the easement they should request it. If the easement already exists, the Town should request a pathway in lieu fee. EG seconded. The vote was unanimously in favor. C. 25720 La Lanne Court (Lands of Woolworth; File 361-13-ZP-SD-VAR). Review of this property was removed from the agenda. D. 28030 Natoma Road (Lands of Stirling subdivision; File #86-12-PM). The reason for pathway review is to review of the revised preliminary subdivision map. Jeff Peterson was present representing the subdividers. The PWC reviewed the initial preliminary map for this subdivision in September, 2012 (Attachment C) and recommended at that time that the subdividers provide 1) a 30-foot off-road path easement along the full length of the eastern border of the subdivision; and 2) a pathway easement along the northern border that is 30-feet wide along the flatter portion and extending to 50 feet wide on the steeper portion to accommodate path switchbacks; 3) the developers are to construct all the pathways and a bridge over Matadero Creek at the time of subdivision; and 4) developer’s comprehensive pathway plan is to be reviewed by the pathway committee before pathway construction begins. The revised map presented by the developers today shows a 10-foot wide off-road path easement along the northern border; a 10-foot wide roadside path easement within the road right-of-way of the cul-de-sac; and a 10-foot wide off-road path connecting the end of the cul-de-sac to the path on the northern border. The PWC discussed the revised proposal and personal property rights balanced against the Town’s rights to mitigate the impact of new subdivisions. Some members thought the roadside path on the cul-de-sac provided connectivity and was an acceptable compromise. Others favored the original PWC recommendation requiring off-road paths along both borders. Mr. Peterson said the roadside path on the cul-de-sac would allow residents to access their neighbors’ homes by walking along the road. WC moved that the PWC accept the developers’ proposal with the proviso that the width of the pathway easement along the northern border and easement connecting the cul-de-sac to the northern border easement be increased to 15 feet instead of only 10 feet. No second was made. JK amended the motion to require the off-road pathway easements be widened to a minimum of 20-feet wide unless they were already wider (e.g., as they are on the steep slope) AND that the roadside path along the cul-de-sac be made to run towards the outside of the road right-of-way where possible. The vote was 6 in favor (JK, WC, EG, VH, RM, DW); 2 opposed (ND, AD); one abstention (SW for proximity). 4. NEW BUSINESS A. Pathway Mapping Scoping. The PWC discussed the need to review and update the existing maps before considering changes to the Pathway Element General Plan. Sources of easement information and priorities (e.g., maps for newly annexed areas) for moving forward with this large project were briefly discussed. A subcommittee was formed (EG, ND, VH, SW) to review the Councilmember Corrigan’s recommendations from August 2013 for changing the guidelines the Town uses for updating the Master Path Plan (Attachment A) and to explore potential strategies to update and consolidate the Town’s pathway maps. B. Prioritization of Pathway Capital Improvement and Maintenance Projects. Potential CIP projects outlined in August 2012 were briefly discussed, including Hilltop-Dawnridge; Miranda; Summerhill, 12355 Hilltop Road: Aric Lane entrance to Esther Clark Park. The consensus was that the PWC recommend to Director of FinalPWC_Min_13-1127.doc 1/29/14 3 Public Works that staff proceed with the Hale Creek path. CIP project will be formally reviewed at the January meeting. 5. OLD BUSINESS None. 6. REPORTS FROM OTHER MEETINGS None. 7. PRESENTATIONS FROM THE FLOOR. None. 8. GENERAL DISCUSSION None. 9. NEXT SCHEDULED MEETINGS Next Pathway Walk: Saturday, January 25, 2013 at 8:30 AM at Town Hall Next Regular Meeting: Monday, January 27, 2013 at 7:00 PM at Town Hall 10. TOPICS FOR NEXT AGENDA. It was suggested that the first item on Councilmember Corrigan’s list of recommendations for update of the MPP be added to the agenda for the January meeting. 11. ADJOURNMENT. The meeting was adjourned at 8:56 PM Attachment A: Pathway Element of LAH General Plan Attachment B: Recommendations from Councilmember Corrigan Attachment C: PWC Recommendations for Natoma Subdivision Made September 2012 Respectfully submitted by Sue Welch 01/22/13 Approved 01/27/13