HomeMy WebLinkAboutApril 9OSC FInal_Minutes15-0409.docx 1
Los Altos Hills Open Space Committee
Los Altos Hills Parks and Recreation Building
FINAL Minutes of Regular Meeting April 9, 2015
Members Present: George Clifford (9:08 am), Nancy Couperus, Karen Lemes, Alice Sakamoto,
Sharen Schoendorf, Roger Spreen, Jean Struthers, Wendie Ward, Sue Welch
Members Absent: Kit Gordon (Associate Member),
City Council Liaison Present: Gary Waldeck
Member of Public Present: Yoriko Kishimoto, Board of Directors, MROSD
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 March 12, 2014 Regular Meeting were
approved without amendments. (NC moved; AS seconded; GC, NC, AS, SS, RS, WW voted in
favor; KL, JS, and SW abstained.)
2. Continuing Business
A. Byrne Preserve
i) Open Space Stewardship Update. On March 8, 2015, Acterra submitted a contract to
Richard Chiu for another year of stewardship work at the Town-owned open space
preserves covering the period April 1, 2015 to March 31, 2016. At the March OSC meeting
OSC reviewed and approved a draft letter to Council recommending another year of work
with Acterra. Richard Chiu will submit a staff report to Council and request they approve
the funding ($50K with a $5K contingency) at the Council meeting of April 20, 2015.
A nature walk is planned at Byrne Preserve on Sunday, April 25 at 3 pm. Acterra botanist
Claire Elliot will point out invasive weeds and local native plants.
ii) Budget Request for Conservation Grazing Management. Two vendors contacted have not
responded.
iii) Budget Request for Writing Creek Erosion Grant. Acterra is interested in working with the
Town to submit a grant to SCVWD for bank stabilization and revegetation of the eroding
tributary of Moody Creek that runs through the grassland in Byrne Preserve. SCVWD is
expected to release grant information in April. OSC has sent a letter to staff recommending
that Acterra help write the grant and execute the work.
iv) Off-Leash Dogs in Byrne. OSC discussed a news article about a recent serious dog attack
on horse riders in a California open space area and steps that could be taken to avoid such
an incident in LAH. Coyote pups will likely arrive in April. The sheriff will resume
periodic patrols at Byrne starting in April.
v) SOD Prevention and Bay Removal. GC explored potential sites for bay removal around
oaks in Byrne Preserve. It may be difficult to find appropriate sites in Byrne (i.e., not in
riparian areas or on slopes); Juan Prada Mesa may have sites that are more amenable to this
preventative measure. Involving researchers such as Ted Swiecki was discussed; this would
require funding. Replacement trees were also discussed (e.g., Valley oaks, other).
B. SOD Blitz. The 7th annual SOD BLITZ will be held on May 2, 2015 at 1:00 pm at Town Hall.
Publicity has been via emails to prior participants, Town web site, and two items in the LATC
Community Calendar section.
C. O’Keefe Preserve Restoration. A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Purissima Creek restoration
done under the SCVWD grant was held on March 17, 2015. NC presented commemorative tee
shirts to RS and SW.
D. Creek Signage. SW made a motion to reconsider the type of signs to be used to mark creeks in
Town. JS seconded and OSC discussed the pros and cons. The general consensus was that
OSC FInal_Minutes15-0409.docx 2
standard LAH format wooden signs with white lettering would be more appropriate than metal
signs used by SCVWD that OSC discussed several months ago. SS moved that the OSC ask the
Town to install wooden signs to mark creeks rather than metal signs. NC seconded and the vote
was unanimously in favor. KG and Public Works Director, Richard Chiu will determine the
location and spelling.
E. Streamlining Site Visit/Review Process. Nothing to report.
F. Invasives: Oxalis. It’s everywhere.
G. Earth Day. This annual event will be held at Westwind Community barn on Sunday April 26,
2015. OSC will host a table with information on fawns, deer, coyotes, invasives, SOD BLITZ,
drought tolerant plants, water conservation, and native plants.
H. Our Town articles. Nothing to report.
4. New Topics None.
3. Planning
A. Fence Permits. None reported
B. Site Plan Reviews.
i) 26890 Alejandro Drive. Development plans show a “slope easement on part of the parcel. A
site visit and further information are needed.
ii) 10730 Mora Drive. Review and recommendation made at March OSC meeting.
iii) 27930 Roble Blanco. Review and recommendation made at March OSC meeting.
iv) 26900 Beatrice Lane. Review and recommendation made at February meeting.
5. Communications from the Floor.
A. Emergency drought regulations. Yoriko Kishimoto, MROSD Board Member, reported on a
proposed drought-related change in water policy that would allow less diversion of water from
rivers and streams to agriculture and other uses. With insufficient water to serve all users, the
state is requiring curtailment of diversions to protect fish and habitat.
6. Open Discussion.
A. OSC Annual Report. RS will present the OSC 2015 annual report to Council at the meeting of
April 20, 2015.
B. Change in OSC Charter. RS will determine if the changes to the OSC charter, which OSC
proposed in May 2014 were ever approved by Council.
C. Broken Water Pipe at Byrne. GC reported that a large diameter water pipe from the tank on
Byrne Park Lane broke during work on the tank (pressure regulator failed) and flooded the trail
down from Byrne Park Lane to Moody Creek. PHWD used heavy equipment to repair the path
and reconfigure the drainage beside the path and the small bridge.
D. Stirling Subdivision. NC reported that the town has selected a firm to do the environmental
review of this proposed 9-lot subdivision. It is not known whether an EIR or a less extensive
study will be done (a full EIR for this sensitive area would be less subject to challenge).
E. Town Purchase of Park Lands. GC reported an apparent requirement that the Town include
“5% for parks” in new development (??? source to be clarified) and proposed the town small
lots specifically for parkland. OSC discussed lack of funds for such purchases and that
conservation easements help address this goal.
7. Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 10:48 am.
Next Regular Meeting: Thursday, May 14, 2015
9:00 AM at LAH Parks and Recreation Building
No Attachments
Approved at the Regular Open Space Meeting of May 14, 2014