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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDecember 10OSC_Final_Minutes15-1210.docx 1 Los Altos Hills Open Space Committee Los Altos Hills Parks and Recreation Building FINAL Minutes of Regular Meeting December 10, 2015 Members Present: George Clifford, Nancy Couperus, Karen Lemes, Alice Sakamoto, Sharen Schoendorf, Jean Struthers, Wendie Ward (9:18 am), Sue Welch Associates Present: Heather Knight, Karen Lemes Members and Associates Absent: Kit Gordon (Member) City Council Members Present: Gary Waldeck (OSC Council Liaison) Member of Public Present: Sunitha Sethi Richard Contreras 1. Call to Order and Approval of Minutes A. Roll Call. GC called meeting to order at 9:05 am. The agenda was approved as written. NC moved, SS seconded and the vote was unanimously in favor. B. Acceptance of Meeting Minutes. Minutes of the Nov 12, 2015 Regular Meeting were approved with minor amendments. NC moved; SS seconded; GC, NC, KL, AS, SS, JS, voted in favor; SW abstained. 2. New Business A. Appointment of Associate Members. OSC appointed Richard Contreras and Sunitha Sethi as Associate Members. Both have participated in OSC meetings and understand that as Associate Members they must attend at least once a quarter and cannot participate in votes or site visits. NC moved, SS seconded and the vote was unanimously in favor (GC, NC, KL, AS, SS, JS, SW). Council will consider applications for the OSC member opening at the January 2016 Council meeting. 3. Continuing Business A. Matadero Creek Bank Stabilization and Restoration. It is not known if the OSC recommendation on the MND for the project was sent to the Planning Commission (PC). The PC approved the MND at the Dec 3, 2015 meeting. B. Byrne Preserve i) Limiting Biking in Byrne Preserve. At the Jan 27, 2016 Council meeting, Council will consider a draft ordinance to limit biking in Council (to be presented by staff). OSC has received some opposition from mountain bikers. It was suggested that the OSC support the proposal with documents from earlier meetings, photos, videos, and reports of incidents between horses and bikes. OSC members were encouraged to write letters of support to the Council, Planning Director, and City Clerk. ii) Conservation Grazing Management. Larry Ford (Rangeland Conservation Sciences) will submit his report on his assessment of the Byrne Preserves grassland by the end of year. iii) Open Space Stewardship/Acterra. KL reported on the Acterra willow-planting workday in Byrne Preserve. Volunteers placed willow stakes and bundles in the Moody Creek tributary in the grassland to help prevent further erosion. iv) Creek Erosion: SCVWD Grant. Nothing to report. v) SOD Prevention and Bay Removal. JS reported on the evaluation and prevention measures to help manage the Phytophthora species (e.g., Phytophthora tentaculata) newly detected in California that infect soil and water and can damage or kill many plant species. Nurseries and restoration managers are taking steps to avoid this serious pest. Richard Chiu informed SW that Agri-Fos spaying of selected oaks in Byrne Preserve has been completed. C. Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (Update). Council will vote on the ordinance by end of December to meet the state deadline for submitting an alternative to the state Model Ordinance. D. Creek Signage. Nothing to report. A Wnw,*['WW,, Dt&w ptroTosoJ w weJ(-{'fa"L, n6 CONDITIONS OF DEVELOPMENT- Riparian areas Prior to issuance of building permits, temporary chain-llnk fencing shall be located along the full length of the border of the riparian setback at the dlstance from top of bank specified by the planning staff (generally 25 feet from top of bank). Town staff must inspect the fencing prior to commencement of grading. The property owner shall call for said inspection at least three days in advance of the grading operation. The fencing must remain throughout the course of construction. No storage of construction materials, equipment vehicles, or debris shall be allowed within the riparian setback at any time. OSC_Final_Minutes15-1210.docx 2 E. Creek Setback Staking. NC presented a draft proposal from OSC to the LAH Planning Department to require developers stake creek setbacks before and during construction (Attachment A). The goal is to protect riparian setbacks from construction activities. OSC discussed a number of issues (e.g., type of fencing required, timing of fence installation) and made a number of edits to the letter. SW will send a copy of the original letter to Chair GC who will revise it and submit it to Suzanne Avila. JS moved that the OSC approve the amended letter proposing to require staking of riparian setbacks before and during construction. NC seconded and the vote was unanimously in favor (GC, NC, KL, AS, SS, JS, WW, SW). F. Our Town articles. OSC discussed Tay Vanderlip’s excellent article on snakes in the recent newsletter. NC will contact a resident who may be willing to author an article on Albert Byrne for a future issue. G. Wildlife Seminar on Snakes. NC attended an informative seminar on snakes sponsored by the Silicon Valley Wildlife Center. The speaker expressed interest in participating in a similar seminar in LAH in spring 2016 (probably in April). 5. Planning A. Fence Permits. Not reviewed. B. Site Plan Reviews. i) 24632 Olive Tree Lane. Not yet reviewed. JS and WW volunteered to make a site visit and prepare a recommendation using the OSC checklist. ii) 12390 La Cresta Drive. NC and SS reported on their site visit. LAH Planning Director has requested recommendation from OSC regarding requirement for an open space easement (OSE). OSC suggested an OSE the border of an open space easement (OSE) on the old landslide area above Anacapa Road and areas that appear to be at least 30% slope. This property is very steep with a number of mature oak trees and the lower portion of the site has an old landslide. The OSC recommended the Town ask for dedication of an open space easement at the 414-foot contour line and below at the northeast portion of the property to the edge of the property on Anacapa. OSC also recommended an open space easement to the south side of the property for slopes greater than 30 percent. WW moved that the OSC support the recommendation to ask for dedication of an open space easement over the part of 12930 La Cresta extending from the 414-foot contour line down to the property line along Anacapa and on areas on the south side for slopes greater than 30%. NC seconded and the vote was unanimously in favor (GC, NC, KL, AS, SS, JS, WW, SW). 5. Communications from the Floor. 6. Open Discussion. None 7. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 10:40 am. Next Regular Meeting: Thursday, January 14, 2016 9:00 AM at LAH Parks and Recreation Building Attachment A: Draft OSC Proposal to Stake Creek Setbacks (15-0731) Final minutes approved with minor amendments (in red text) at the OSC meeting of Jan 14, 2016.