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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFinal Minutes November 27Los Altos Hills Pathway Committee Minutes of Meeting November 27, 2006 1. ADMINSTRATIVE Chairman Ginger Summit called the meeting to order at 7:05 PM Members present: Anna Brunzell, , Nick Dunckel, Ann Duwe, Nancy Ginzton, Bill Silver, Bob Stutz, Ginger Summit, Chris Vargas, and Sue Welch Members absent: Courtenay Corrigan, Jolon Wagner Members of public present: Walt Wood and Gayla Lorthridge, 27133 Byrne Park Lane Charlie Clark, 13300 E. Sunset Les Earnest, Carol Gottlieb, Dot Schreiner The agenda was approved as amended below. 2. NEW BUSINESS A. The following properties were reviewed for pathway recommendations: i. 27133 Byrne Park Lane (Lands of Wood). The reason for pathway review is construction of a pool and cabana. The property owners were present at the meeting and expressed interest in learning about the PWC decision process. The property has an existing IIB roadside path along Byrne Park Lane that is in good condition. On the architectural drawings, the existing path appears to be in the road right-of-way and a 10-foot public utility easement exists between the road right-of-way and the property line. Chris Vargas moved that the owners of 27133 Byrne Park Lane restore the existing roadside path to meet Town standards for a IIB path after construction is completed. In addition, Town staff should verify that an easement exists for this pathway within the right-of way of Byrne Park Lane, and if it does not exist, that one is required. Anne Duwe seconded. The vote was unanimously in favor. ii. 13300 East Sunset (Lands of Clark/Wren). The reason for pathway review is construction of a new residence. The property is adjacent to 13241 Burke, which was reviewed by the PWC in June 2006. A IIB roadside path was required for 13241 Burke because the road is steep and sharply curved there. 13300 E. Sunset is the next lot up the hill on E. Sunset. A pathway that is off the road here is desirable for safety reasons. Because the roadside is relatively flat, construction of a roadside path should be relatively easy; architectural drawings show that some trees along the roadside will be removed. At this time, no pathways are planned on properties further up E. Sunset (i.e., beyond 13300). The owner, Charlie Clark, was present and asked the committee why they wanted a pathway that ended on his property (i.e., that "went nowhere"). Chairman Summit reiterated the safety issues and the desirability of a roadside path as far up the hill as possible. Anna Brunzell moved that on the property at 13300 E. Sunset a IIB path along E. Sunset be required. In addition, Town staff should verify that an easement exists for this pathway and if it does not exist, that one is required. Chris Vargas seconded. The vote was unanimously in favor. iii. 26900 St. Francis Road (Lands of Askarinam). The reason for pathway review is construction of a new residence. The property is at the corner of St. Francis Road and Alejandro Drive. Alejandro is a cul-de-sac with five properties (two of which use St. Francis for access) and does not connect to an off-road pathway. Because of the local topography (i.e., steep roadsides) the side of St. Francis opposite 26900 is the preferred side for a pathway. Bill Silver moved that an in-lieu fee be collected from the property owners at 26900 St. Francis Drive. The vote was unanimously in favor. iv. Eastbrook Subdivision (Lands of Nicholson). The reason for pathway review is a two-lot subdivision. The property is between Dawson Drive and Interstate 280. Hale Creek runs through it approximately North-South near the dividing line between the two proposed parcels. A paved sewer easement runs approximately east west and approximately parallels I-280 through the property from Eastbrook Avenue to the east side of Hale Creek. The pavement resumes on the opposite (west) side of Hale Creek and continues to the adjacent property at 12131 Oak Park Court. A gate on Eastbrook provides access to the paved sewer easement. It is no known whether a pathway easement exists on 12131 Oak Park Court. A pathway on the paved pathway can serve as part of a regional bicycle route serving Foothill College and will make the area more accessible during winter months, when it can be marshy. Anne Duwe moved that the following be required for the Eastbrook subdivision: 1) A pathway easement over the existing sewer easement from Eastbrook Avenue to the western boundary of the subdivision; 2) A paved path for pedestrians and non-motorized vehicles and a native path adjacent to the paved path for horse, both within the existing sewer easement; 3) A bridge over Hale Creek suitable for pedestrians, horses, and bicycles; 4) A native path connecting Dawson Drive to the above paths. This native path is to be located between Parcel A and Parcel B of the subdivision and to use the existing pathway easement between 11639 and 11635 Dawson Drive. B. Planning for 2007 Earth Day. Last year Chris Vargas organized a pathway cleanup project for Bullis Charter School and LAH residents. The project was a great success and a large amount of trash was collected. Tasks for this year include purchasing trash bags and bottled water and arranging a dumpster at Town Hall. Orange safety vests and kid's gloves are available from last year. Anne Duwe will write an article for Hills 2000 and the Los Altos Town Crier. Chris Vargas will talk to Bullis Charter School, City Council members, and Pinewood School. 3. OLD BUSINESS A. PWC Representatives at LAH Planning Commission (PC) and City Council (CC) Meetings. It was decided in August that PWC members would take turns attending Planning and Council meetings. PC meetings are usually on the first Thursday of each month and CC meetings are on the second and fourth Thursdays. Members volunteered for the following dates: Planning Commission Dec 7 Ginger Summit City Council Dec 14 Anne Duwe Planning Commission Jan 4 not clear if meeting will be held City Council Dec 11 Bill Silver City Council Dec 18 Anne Duwe B. Trash Cans at Trailheads. Chris Vargas suggested that trashcans be placed along roadsides at trailheads to major off-road paths. Pros and cons of the proposal were discussed, including the cost of pick-up, keeping varmints (e.g., raccoons) out of the trash, and aesthetics. Edith Park has a suitable trash receptacle with an animal-proof lid and a small opening to discourage large-scale trash dumping. Cans must be placed on Town property. Chris Vargas will discuss this with Henry Louie, City Engineer and then prepare a proposal for City Council. C. Cars Obstructing Pathway near Pinewood School. Chris Vargas reported problems with cars driving on the pathway on Fremont Road near Pinewood School to get around cars backed up on Fremont to turn left into the school in the morning. Driving on the pathways is a danger to pedestrians and is tearing up the pathway. Ginger Summit has discussed this with Henry Louie, who will address the problem. D. Permissible Use of Pathway Easements Not on the Master Path Plan. Recently several residents have asked to install fencing and/or landscaping on off-road pathway easements on their property that are not on the Master Path Plan. Some residents have asked that their easements be vacated (e.g., lands of Liccardo on Simon Lane). The committee discussed permissible activities on such easements. In the past, easements apparently have been lost because owners planted trees in them. Chairman Summit suggested that the PWC take a formal position on this issue. Because certain legal issues are unknown to the PWC, it was suggested that the Town Attorney is asked about 1) time limits on easements; and 2) what use can be made of easements not on the Master Path Plan. Les Earnest recommended that PWC members review the Bakker memo, which deals with this issue. E. Review of Items Addresses in Special Meeting of November 13, 2006. Chairman Summit reviewed items addressed at the easement map special working session on November 13, 2006, including points in email from Les Earnest. The following issues were discussed: 1) A database to track the outcomes for pathway easement decisions (as described last month by Nancy Ginzton) should be restarted; Sue Welch agreed to start this. 2) Carol Gottlieb has identified a large number of errors in the most recent version of the easement map received from town staff. These will be addressed by Chairman Summit and other PWC members. 3) An email sent to all PWC from Les Earnest describing issues Les considers unresolved. He has requested that the PWC address them. The issues are: access to maps; clarification of definitions of public and private roads in the LAH Municipal Code; resolution of conflicts between Pathway Element and Master Path Plan; indemnification of landowners with pathways on their properties; updating the list of two-sided streets; need for pathway construction standards; missing grant deeds; and need for three pathway maps. Chairman Summit has reviewed this email with Town Staff and City Council members. The PWC discussed these items in detail and the consensus of the committee was that the Town has adequately addressed the majority of these items. For example, parcel maps, tract maps, and the pathway easement book are available for review at Town Hall; detailed pathway construction guidelines are available at Town Hall, although they have not been reviewed and adopted by City Council; Town staff is aware of the missing grant deeds and this will gradually be rectified as title reports are requested; three easement maps are planned and are in process. In view of the request by the City Council that the PWC focus on maintenance issues, review of other issues (e.g., public versus private roads; resolution of conflicts between Pathway Element and Master Path Plan; update of two-sided road list) will be put off until later in 2007. F. Focus on Maintenance and CIP Projects. City Council has requested that the PWC focus on pathway maintenance and construction, including capital improvement projects. The priority should be on making repairs to existing pathways and building new pathways on existing easements. Funds are available for this work and the Council wants the PWC to provide guidance on where these funds can best be used. Completion of the on-road pathway Master Path is less of a priority. PWC members will review the pathways in their assigned quadrants for maintenance issues and for errors in on-road pathways on the most recent map (September 5, 2006). G. New City Council Liaison. A new City Council liaison replacing Dean Warshawsky will be appointed in January 2007. H. Calculation of Pathway In-Lieu Fees. Bill Silver suggested that the PWC calculate the approximate in-lieu fee for each property under review. It would be of value to understand how much money the Town is giving up in return for a given pathway easement. The current formula is 1/4 the property perimeter in feet times $48. For a typical one-acre lot this is about $10,000; for a two-acre lot the fee is about $15,000 and for a three-acre lot, about $17,500. 4. PRESENTATIONS FROM THE FLOOR A. Chairman Summit showed copies of the most recent easement maps from Town Engineering staff (dated November 27, 2006). The maps contain errors that Chairman Summit and other PWC members will address. A. San Jose Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee. Anna Brunzell, PWC representative to the San Jose Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee reported that she has contacted Dan Collen and his staff regarding the dangerous intersection at Page Mill Road and Moody Road. Cars turning left from Page Mill onto Moody cannot see oncoming traffic coming down Page Mill. The required "blind turns" are very dangerous because cars and bikes come down this steep section of Page Mill very fast. The county has made several site visits and will work with Councilman Breene Kerr to make this intersection safer. B. Les Earnest presented a copy of a map from 1913 that he said showed East Sunset and West Sunset as a single public road. C. Bill Silver suggested that the committee develop a series of standardized phrases that can be used when appropriate to described PWC recommendations. For example, a phrase addressing requests for easements in the road right-of-way might read, "The PWC requests that Town Staff verify that a pathway easement providing public access exists on this side of [street name] and if it does not, that one be required". Minutes of October 23, 2006 were approved as amended (8 votes approved; 1 abstention). Meeting was adjourned at 9:55PM. Note change in meeting time from the fourth Monday to the third Monday. Next pathway walk: Saturday, January 13, 2007 at 8:30 AM at Town Hall Next regular meeting: Monday, January 15, 2007 at 7:00 PM at Town Hall Respectfully submitted, Sue Welch December 14, 2006