HomeMy WebLinkAboutAugust 18OSC Final_Minutes15-0818.docx 1
Los Altos Hills Open Space Committee
Los Altos Hills Parks and Recreation Building
FINAL Minutes of Special Meeting August 18, 2015
Members Present: George Clifford, Nancy Couperus, Karen Lemes, Alice Sakamoto, Sharen Schoendorf,
Roger Spreen, Jean Struthers, Sue Welch, Kit Gordon (Associate Member)
Members Absent: Wendie Ward
City Council Liaison Present: Gary Waldeck
Member of Public Present: Kjell Karlsson (9:10 am)
1. Call to Order
A. Roll Call. RS called meeting to order at 9:00 am.
2. Continuing Business
A. Proposal for Conservation Grazing Advice. Review proposal for Byrne Preserve submitted by Lawrence
Ford. An excerpt from the 08/10/15 draft proposal from Rangeland Conservation Sciences (Attachment
A) was distributed. The document describes methods, costs, and preliminary deliverables and will be
refined following further discussion. Also distributed were a handout from a Feb meetings with staff
describing potential impacts of horse grazing (Attachment B); and a brief summary of rationale for the
OSC request for professional advice to help manage grazing in Byrne Preserve (Attachment C).
OSC reviewed the history of the request for professional grazing advice for Byrne, including
communications with staff and the preliminary administrative approval in March of $5-8K from the
committee budget for this. Sheila Barry, UC Cooperative Extension Bay Area Natural
Resources/Livestock Manager visited Byrne Preserve on 07/14/15 and provided advice about the status
of the grassland and ideas about how the site could be improved for both horses and natural resources.
Attendees were Paul Heiple and Kristen Williams from Acterra, the barn manager, Torie Dye, Sarah
Gaultieri from Parks and Rec, NC, AS, JS and SW from OSC, and LAH resident Kjell Karlssen. Barry’s
findings were discussed. Although her assessment was valuable and provided by UC Extension Services
at no cost, she cannot provide a written report, which Town staff requested. To address this need, OSC
sought the services of a professional who can provide a written report.
OSC discussed at length the rationale for obtaining professional conservation grazing advice;
how the vendor (Ford) was selected; concerns about fencing; and concerns about the cost of the service
and how supplemental funds might be found. Rationale discussed included 1) Town has a responsibility
to protect he natural resources of the preserve; 2) grazing within the preserve has not been
professionally assessed or managed for decades; 3) conservation grazing management is standard Best
Management Practice for modern livestock operations and can enhance both natural resources and
forage.
JS moved that the committee recommend the Town to contract with Lawrence Ford, Rangeland
Conservation Sciences, to make a site visit to Byrne Preserve to assess the grazing situation and write a
report of his findings and recommendations. GC seconded and the vote was unanimously in favor (GC,
NC, KL, AS, SS, RS, JS, SW).
4. New Topics
3. Planning
5. Communications from the Floor. None.
6. Open Discussion
7. Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 10:00 am.
Next Regular Meeting: Thursday, September 10, 2015
9:00 AM at LAH Parks and Recreation Building
Attachment A: Excerpt from For Proposal submitted 08/10/15
Attachment B: Conservation grazing Advice for Byrne Preserve (02/17/15)
Attachment C: Rationale for OSC Request for Conservation Grazing Advice for Byrne Preserve
Minutes approved at the Regular Open Space Committee Meeting of September 10, 2015. Amendments in red.