HomeMy WebLinkAboutDecember 20Next meeting: January 17, 2013
8:50 am – Council Chambers
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Los Altos Hills Open Space Committee
Los Altos Hills Council Chambers
Minutes of December 20, 2012
(Actions Items Printed in Bold)
Present: Roger Spreen, George Clifford, Nancy Couperus, Karen Lemes, Alice
Sakamoto, Sharen Schoendorf, Jean Struthers, Council liaison Gary Waldeck
Regrets: Wendie Ward, Sue Welch
Guests: Council Member John Harpootlian, Planning Commissioner Susan Mandle,
MROSD board member Yoriko Kishimoto, Kit Gordon, Pat Ley, Neela Shukla
Staff: none
1. Call to Order:
The meeting was called to order at 8:50 am. The minutes of the November meeting were
approved as written.
2. Introductions/Presentations/Guests: None
3. Current Business:
Adobe Creek planting project – SCVWD Clean, Safe Creeks Grant
Students from Gardner Bullis School helped plant natives in Edith Park as
a part of the Clean, Safe Creeks Grant. The project is almost complete.
Yoriko informed the Committee that another round of grants will be
available (Jan-June 2013). The District has $700,000 in grant money that
needs to be used up by June 2013. After that, grant money will be
available every other year. The grant application will probably be
available sometime in January. The OSC suggested that Purissima Creek
at the O’Keefe Preserve might be considered for a grant, since the Town
commissioned a report by Shelterbelt and much of the work is therefore
done.
Fencing - Homa
Nothing new to report.
Open Space Management – Dogs on Leash
George provided a short update on progress with the signs. Sarah
Gualtieri has been assigned the task of determining the number and
Next meeting: January 17, 2013
8:50 am – Council Chambers
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location of signs. The number of signs has been reduced and O’Keefe and
Juan Prada Mesa were not included. George would like to see an
additional sign on the Ginzton trail at the Moody Road end. Gary offered
to look into this further.
Bike riders on trails – Nothing new to report
Sponsored Memorials in Open Space – benches, plaques, etc.
Town Manager Carl Cahill requested that the Committee come up with a
policy on memorial benches in open space.
After much discussion the Committee agreed that it didn’t want to
promote donor-directed memorial projects. Instead, the Committee
proposed creation of a list of recreational enhancement projects in open
space, which individuals could donate to. Some ideas included planting
trees where a small plaque could be located, a memorial wall.
Heritage Trees
This topic was discussed at the Environmental Design Committee, which
was also attended by a few members of the OSC. Council member John
Harpootlian offered at that meeting to request a copy of the Town’s
Heritage Tree Ordinance from staff. John was directed to Sec. 12-2.401 to
12-2.405 of the Los Altos Hills Municipal Code. Copies were distributed
to members of the OSC and to Pat Ley and Neela Shukla of the
Environmental Design Committee. While the ordinance appears to be
quite comprehensive, it is apparent that there has been little follow-up –
example, compiling a list of heritage trees.
Karen recommended that an information sheet be prepared for the staff
and Town receptionist to explain what heritage trees are.
Several ideas were explored, but ultimately it was agreed that a
subcommittee be formed to distill what current practice is and how this
aligns with what the ordinance says, and to determine what ought to be
happening from this point on.
Nancy recommended that guidelines for non-oaks should be revisited.
A subcommittee was formed to include two open space committee
members, George and Sharen, and one member of the EDC, Neela.
Next meeting: January 17, 2013
8:50 am – Council Chambers
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4. New Topics
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
Nancy briefly introduced this topic. With little time left for discussion,
she passed out an information sheet about CEQA. This landmark piece of
legislation is currently under attack and if gutted by the State legislature
could have consequences for the Town.
Planning Project – 12234 Tepa
Members were invited by Roger at the conclusion of the OSC meeting to
visit this site. The issue involved is the diversion of Adobe Creek – a
“realignment bypass” originally created by the architect Wendell Roscoe.
The OSC has been asked to recommend (or not) a creek setback.
5. Open Discussion – There was no time left for open discussion.
Submitted by Nancy Couperus
Next meeting: January 17, 2013
8:50 am – Council Chambers
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