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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAugust 14OSC FInal_Minutes14-0814.docx 1 Los Altos Hills Open Space Committee Los Altos Hills Parks and Recreation Building FINAL Minutes of Regular Meeting August 14, 2014 Members Present: George Clifford, Nancy Couperus, Alice Sakamoto Roger Spreen, Sharen Schoendorf, Wendie Ward, Sue Welch Members Absent: Karen Lemes, Jean Struthers Associate Members Absent: Kit Gordon City Council Liaison Present: Gary Waldeck Members of the Public: None 1. Call to Order and Approval of Minutes A. Roll Call. RS called meeting to order at 9:02 am. B. Acceptance of Meeting Minutes. Minutes of the July 10, 2014 meeting were approved as written (GC moved; NC seconded; GC, NC, AS, SS, RS, WW voted in favor; SW abstained). Agenda was approved as written. 2. Current Business A. Open Space Stewardship Update. Acterra continues to make progress on invasive weed removal using volunteers and has held regular community workdays (Byrne Brigade) on Thursdays 9:30 am to noon. RS presented a summary of Acterra’s first quarterly report at the July 16, 2014 Council meeting, which was well received by Council. At the request of Peter Evans, Chair of Environmental Initiatives Committee, OSC will prepare invasive weed info sheets for residents. An article submitted by OSC about open space stewardship activities will appear in the September Our Town newsletter. B. SOD BLITZ Update. Treatment training meeting will be held this fall (date TBD). C. Bicycle Signs on Byrne Preserve Pathways. At their July 14, 2014 meeting, Planning Commission voted 5:0 in favor of placing four signs in Byrne Preserve indicating bikes are to yield to horses and pedestrians. Council will vote on this at their August meeting. The issue of damage to trails caused by mountain bikes in environmentally sensitive areas was briefly reviewed. D. Update of Coyote Alert Signs in Byrne Preserve. Staff has placed additional signs letting users know that dogs are not permitted in the grassland area of Byrne Preserve at this time because of coyote pups. They also added display boxes at Moody Road and Byrne Park Lane entrances to Byrne Preserve with informational brochures about coyote hazing. OSC will review recent coyote activity in the preserve to determine if signs can be removed. E. Update on LAH Dog Park Proposal. City Council requested a staff study and the proposal is still under consideration. 3. Planning A. Fence Permit Report. No reported issues. B. Site Plan Reviews i) 12810 Deer Creek Lane. OSC review of development plans was edited and approved at the last meeting. An additional minor clarifying change made by Chair GC was read and approved (Attachment A). SW moved to approve. RS seconded and the vote was unanimously in favor. C. Announcements. None D. Election of Chair and secretary. GC nominated RS as chair. KL seconded and the vote was unanimously in favor. SW agreed to continue as secretary; GC seconded and the vote was unanimously in favor. OSC FInal_Minutes14-0814.docx 2 4. New Topics A. Horse grazing workshop. Deferred until September. B. Trail Camera Project. OSC reviewed the trail cam forum and discussed ways residents and families could share wildlife photos from their trail cams to a website. Suggestions included Facebook, eMammal, NextDoor, and others. Members will explore options. C. Conservation Biology Conference Report. Major topics were reviewed, including methods being used by jurisdictions across the country to facilitate safer wildlife movement (e.g., highway crossings). 5. Open Discussion. A. Natoma Subdivision. The subdivision committee for this project will meet on August 26, 2014. A special OSC meeting was scheduled for August 21, 2014 (9 AM at Town Hall) to consider new comments, which must be submitted by August 22, 2014. B. Weed Wrench Purchase. The stewardship project is currently using borrowed wrenches because the Town does not own one. SW purchased a new weed wrench and donated it to the project. 6. Communications from the Floor. None 7. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 10:40 am. Next Meeting: Special Meeting Thursday, August 21, 2014 9:00 AM at LAH Parks and Recreation Building Attachments: A. OSC Review of 12810 Deer Creek Lane Site Development Plan Minutes were approved without amendments at the Regular meeting held September 11, 2014. Open Space Committee Review 12810 Deer Creek Lane Site Development Plan July 10, 2014 On June 23 three members of the Open Space Committee (Sharen Shoendorf, Wendie Ward, and George Clifford) visited 12810 Deer Creek Lane to evaluate the proposed site development plan. Description The property is a vacant lot located at the corner of Deer Creek Lane and Purissima Road. Deer Creek crosses the middle of the property in a south-to-north direction and currently has water flowing in it. A bridge for Deer Creek Lane crosses over the creek at the edge of the property. The creek bank is quite steep, and there is evidence that it was once retained by concrete, which has collapsed into the creek. Two small concrete dams (approximately 2’ and 5’ high) exist that would bar the passage of fish. Some non- native vegetation is growing along the creek including a large palm tree. A well-used east-west wildlife trail crosses the creek. The neighbor’s existing deer-proof fence extends along on the rear (south) property line Recommendation The development plan calls for a six foot high wood fence extending from the southwest corner of the lot along Purissima Road for about 50’. This section of fence may need to be relocated away from the road to comply with existing town ordinances. This open space easement was created at the time of subdivision to assure access for wildlife to Deer Creek. The fencing, as planned, limits wildlife access to the creek from Purissima Road. Thus, the Open Space Committee wants to reaffirm that the owners understand that the open space easement cannot ever be fenced (per Town ordinances). Open space/conservation easement perimeter fences shall provide openings sufficient to accommodate the free passage of wildlife through the easement. A split-rail wood fence or equivalent design shall be required. (See Fences, Walls, Gates, and Columns, revised 6/25/14) Because of the poor condition of Deer Creek passing through the property, the Committee recommends that the owner consider riparian restoration. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Regional Water Quality Control Board would need to review any proposal for work within the creek channel and/or between the channel and top of bank, and issue permits. Approved with corrections at the Regular OSC meeting of August 14, 2014.