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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFinal Minutes December 15Los Altos Hills Pathway Committee Minutes of Meeting December 15, 2008 1. ADMINISTRATIVE Co-Chairman Nick Dunckel called the meeting to order at 7:05 PM Members present: Anna Brunzell, Nick Dunckel, Ann Duwe, Nancy Ginzton, Bob Stutz, Chris Vargas, Tim Warner, Sue Welch Members absent: Jim Bliss, Courtenay Corrigan, Eileen Gibbons, Bill Silver LAH Council Members present: Breene Kerr, Ginger Summit Members of public present: Christopher Kankel and Craig Blackhurst (architect) for 26303 Alexander Place Isaac Agar, 25611 Vinedo Lane Eran Ichen and Yifat Garra for 25631 Vinedo Lane Ajay Singh for 11267 Magdalena Road Bob Owen for 28080 Story Hill Lane The agenda was approved as amended below. 1. NEW BUSINESS A. Communications from the floor. i. City Council Liaison to the PWC, Breene Kerr encouraged the PWC to present its recommendations for pathway projects to the City Council early in 2009. He recommended that the PWC focus in the coming year on construction of pathways, especially those that complete loop routes. Chair Nick Dunckel will present request for funding for a pathway along 27600 page Mill Road, adjacent to Altamont and possibly for another pathway. ii. New PWC member, Tim Warner, was introduced and welcomed to the committee. Tim has used and appreciated the pathway system in LAH for 15 years. B. The following properties were reviewed for pathway recommendations: i. 26303 Alexander Place (Lands of Gupta). The reason for pathway review is construction of a new residence. The property is near the end of Alexander Place, a cul-de-sac that serves at least nine properties. A well-used off-road pathway runs along the west and north (back) sides of the property connecting to Alta Dena Road and Esther Clark Park. There is also a roadside pathway along Alexander Place. Representatives of the owner requested that the pathway at the rear corner of the property be realigned so it runs along the property line rather than through the property. The owners plan to leave the mature trees that run the length of the off-road pathway on the south side of the lot. The pathway easement here is composed of a 5-foot easement on this property and a 5-foot easement on the adjacent property (i.e., 26321 Alexander Place). Site plans show that the trees are planted within the 5-foot pathway easement on the lands of the applicant for the full length of this pathway. Because of the trees planted in the easement most or all the existing pathway appears to be on the neighbor’s 5-foot easement. One of the trees adjacent to the road blocks the roadside pathway and also limits visibility for equestrians coming out the off-road path. Ann Duwe moved to ask the owners of 26303 Alexander Place to remove the first tree on the right (in the pathway right-of-way next to the curb) as a hiker enters the pathway to Altadena from Alexander; and to have the Town approve moving the pathway back into the easement at the rear of the property; and to ask owners to install a IIB pathway along the roadside; and to trim the trees for horses and insure that there be no mailbox or other obstacle on the IIB roadside path. XX seconded. Vote was 6 in favor, 3 opposed, 0 abstentions. ii. 25631 Vinedo lane (Lands of Gavra). This property was reviewed by the PWC at the time of subdivision. The review tonight is for Parcel 1 of the subdivision, which is adjacent to Vinedo Lane. The property owner (Mr. Gavra) and Eran Ichen were present and reported that the Town required a 10-foot easement along Vinedo to allow for meandering around the mature cypress trees near the road edge. The trees were subsequently removed, apparently without approval of the City Council. Chris Vargas moved that the roadside pathway easement along the road at 25631 Vinedo Lane be diminished to five feet and that the homeowners restore the pathway to IIB standards at the end of construction. No plants or mailboxes are permitted in the pathway right-of-way. Anna Brunzell seconded. Vote was unanimously in favor. City Councilman Breene Kerr requested that the PWC ask the Planning Commission why the trees were allowed to be cut down. iii. 11267 Magdalena Road (Lands of Singh). This property was reviewed at the time of subdivision into two lots. The review tonight is for Parcel 1, which is adjacent to Magdalena Road, across from Hooper Lane. A large swale runs through the lot parallel to Magdalena and flows through a culvert under the private road on the east side of the lot. An existing path in poor shape runs along Magdalena It is not known whether the existing path is in the road right-of-way or on the parcel; it is not shown on the applicants site plan maps. The owners have no plans to remove the trees close to Madgalena. Courtenay Corrigan moved that the homeowner be asked to restore the roadside path to IIB status at the end of construction and not to place mailboxes or other obstructions in the pathway. Courtenay further moved that the Town assure that the pathway easement along Magdalena is recorded for this property. Bob Stutz seconded. The vote was unanimously in favor. iv. 28080 Story Hill Lane (Lands of Tai). This property is incorrectly shown as 28030 Story Hill on the Town parcel maps. The reason for review is a new residence. Bob Owen was present representing the owner. The lot is near the end of Story Hill, a cul-de-sac serving seven properties. The road is curving, and has steep roadsides with mature landscape screening in many spots. Pathways exist on the opposite side of Story Hill on a few properties close to Page Mill. There is no direct access to Arastradero Preserve from this parcel; the lot is backed by Palo Alto homes. There are no off-road pathways exiting this part of Story Hill. Courtenay Corrigan moved that the Town request a pathway in-lieu fee from the owners of 28080 Story Hill Lane. Anna Brunzell seconded. The vote was unanimously in favor. v. 26395 Ravensbury Road (Lands of Koong). The reason for pathway review is renovation of the residence. Mr. Koong was present. The lot is at the corner of Ravensbury and La Toyonita. La Toyonita is a private road, part of which is accessible to pedestrians only. Some maps showing the Master Path Plan indicate the intent to put a pathway on Toyonita and other maps do not. A pathway along Toyonita would allow pedestrians to short cut a section of Ravensbury, which is narrow and heavily used by both vehicles and pedestrians. Ann Duwe moved that the Town ask the owners of 26380 Ravensbury Road for a pathways easement along the frontage of La Toyonita conferring public access in this private road, and to request both an easement and a IIB pathway on the frontage on Ravensbury. Anna Brunzell seconded. The vote was unanimously in favor. vi. 10440 Albertsworth Lane (Lands of Trembois). The reason for pathway review is construction of a new residence. The property is at the corner of Albertsworth and Magdalena. Albertsworth is a cul-de-sac serving more than eight properties. Because it is a wide street that can easily provide sufficient room for pedestrians and horses, the PWC decided a path not required here. This property is rather steep along the Magdalena roadside and a serviceable roadside pathway exists on the opposite side. Courtenay Corrigan moved that the Town request a pathway in-lieu fee from the owners of 10440 Albertsworth Lane because no pathway is required on Albertsworth (because it is wide) and a pathway exists on the opposite side of Magdalena. Anna Brunzell seconded. The vote was 8 in favor, 0 opposed, 1 abstention. 2. OLD BUSINESS A. Update on CIP Projects. The EIR for the Taaffe Road pathway was presented to City Council last Thursday and approved. The project will be sent out for bids again (no bids were received last time). B. Maintenance issues. Chairman Nick Dunckel met with LAH Planning Director, Debbie Pedro; Town Engineer, Richard Chen; and new Maintenance Superintendent, Jacob Asfour to discuss pathway maintenance issues. Some work has already been completed (e.g., in Byrne Preserve). C. Reports from members who have attended other meetings i. VTA meetings. Nancy Ginzton reported that the VTA group complained about the recent attempt by LAH to prohibit bicycles on Moody Road. The possibility of soliciting VTA funds for the proposed bicycle-pedestrian route from Magdalena to El Monte was discussed. This route is of regional importance because it connects Magdalena, El Monte, and the new pathways on and around the Foothill College campus. The proposed route must be put on the Master Path Plan and a proposal prepared for submission to the VTA “30-Year Plan”. D. Other issues i. Bob Stutz reported that the paths on the Foothill College campus behind the soccer fields need repair. Breen Kerr has discussed this with the college. The college is willing to pay for the repairs, but needs advice from the Town. Bob Stutz agreed to look into this and report back at the next PWC meeting. ii. Anna Brunzell’s four-year term on the PWC has expired. She will reapply for another term. iii. Courtenay Corrigan suggested adding an ADA accessible pathway around the Little League Fields at Purissima Park. This will be put on the agenda for the next meeting. iv. Long-term PWC issues for future discussion include — Review Master Path Plan and planning for the newly annexed part of LAH; — Review and revise the official list of two-sided roads — Review how often frequently pathway in-lieu fees can reasonably be collected (i.e., for properties for which fees were paid many years in the past). — Consider gathering voluntary easements for Toyonita 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES The minutes of the October 27, 2008 meeting were approved as amended. Meeting was adjourned at 9:48 PM. 4. NEXT SCHEDULED MEETINGS Next pathway walk: Saturday, January 24, 2009 at 8:30 AM at Town Hall Next regular meeting: Monday, January 26, 2009 at 7:00 PM at Town Hall Respectfully submitted, Sue Welch January 26, 2009