HomeMy WebLinkAboutNovember 9Los Altos Hills Environmental Design Committee
Minutes of monthly meeting: November 9, 2004, 4:30 PM at Bullis School Multipurpose
Room
Attending: Liz Goodman, Sandy Humphries, Pat Ley, Robin Robison., and Neela Shukla.
Minutes of last meeting approved
Next Meeting Date: December 14, 2004, 5:30 PM at Bullis School Multipurpose Room.
Field Trip Dates: Thursday November 12, 10:00 AM.
Site Development and Fast Track assignments:
November 16: Neela Shukla
November 23: Pat Ley
November 30: Sandy Humphries
December 7: Liz Goodman
December 14: Robin Robison
Review of Planning Commission Meeting:
No significant issues
Review of Site and Fast Track meetings:
No significant issues
Future Commitments: None
Old Business:
Sandy reviewed the conservation easement issue in the General Plan #603-4 which states
“An overriding consideration in the design of any land development should be
conservation of the natural slope, and preserving existing native vegetation, and also
conservation of natural drainage channels and swales since they serve in place of
artificial storm drainage systems.” We feel this applies to the Blech property at 2555
Burke Lane. We requested a conservation easement over the swale, but were told it was
under the 20 acre drainage minimum. We still feel the general plan overrides any
minimum state standards and especially this property as a vineyard is planned for above
the swale which could lead to chemical pollution of the swale that leads directly to Adobe
Creek. Please refer to the whole #603 portion of the general plan which attempts to
prevent just this sort of pollution issue. We need to have this project revisited and put a
future emphasis on environmental protection.
We will also ask the open space committee to submit their conservation easement
document to the new council so that this issue can be resolved and an ordinance in place
to assist our committee in it’s duties at site development hearings.
New Business: The committee met with Tom Klope re: landscape plan for the new town
hall. The goal of the plan is to restore the existing apricot orchard, add more redwoods
for screening along the back of the building, and emphasize drought tolerant and native
plantings (including demonstrations gardens in the front to showcase these plantings).
Tom will compile a plant palette of these plants for review.
Meeting adjourned at 5:40 PM