HomeMy WebLinkAboutMay 14OSC FInal_Minutes15-0514.docx 1
Los Altos Hills Open Space Committee
Los Altos Hills Parks and Recreation Building
FINAL Minutes of Regular Meeting May 14, 2015
Members Present: Nancy Couperus, Karen Lemes, Alice Sakamoto, Sharen Schoendorf, Roger
Spreen, Jean Struthers, Wendie Ward, Sue Welch
Members Absent: George Clifford, Kit Gordon (Associate Member),
City Council Liaison Absent: Gary Waldeck
Member of Public Present: None
1. Call to Order and Approval of Minutes
A. Roll Call. RS called meeting to order at 9:04 am.
B. Acceptance of Meeting Minutes. Minutes of the April 12, 2015 Regular Meeting were
approved with minor amendments. (NC moved; KL seconded; NC, KL, AS, SS, RS, JS, WW
voted in favor; SW abstained.)
2. Continuing Business
A. Byrne Preserve
i) Open Space Stewardship Update. On April 20, 2015, Council approved another year of
funding for Acterra for work at the Town-owned open space preserves. OSC discussed
goals and deliverables for the next year and how to communicate accomplishments to
Council and staff. Issues included transfer of knowledge to Town staff and work crew and
development a long-term maintenance plan for managing the preserves (i.e., define annual
labor needs for the next 10-20 years). OSC will work with Acterra to prepare a guidebook
for staff that includes information about tasks that need to be done routinely to maintain the
preserves. The guide will include information on management of invasive weeds, the
primary maintenance task on the preserves (e.g., appropriate methods and schedules for
mowing and removing each of the major invasive weeds species). Staff will be invited to
work days to learn the methods firsthand. OSC also discussed options for improving
documentation of work done in the preserves, including detailed maps, photomonitoring,
and possibly formal monitoring methods. Cost comparisons for maintenance of other open
space lands and other Town properties (e.g., Edith Park) will be explored.
ii) Conservation Grazing Management. Nothing new.
iii) 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 late April. OSC sent a letter to Richard Chiu recommending Acterra write
the grant and execute the work.
iv) Off-Leash Dogs in Byrne. Sheriff will continue periodic patrols at Byrne.
v) SOD Prevention and Bay Removal. OSC again discussed the possibility of Bay removal for
SOD prevention and the need to provide recommendations to Richard Chiu. Involving
researchers such as Ted Swiecki was discussed; this would require funding. Replacement
trees were also discussed (e.g., Valley oak, Buckeye, elderberry).
vi) Mountain Bikes in Preserves. OSC discussed the possibility of prohibiting mountain bikes
on trails within Byrne Open Space Preserve, except on the fire road connecting Central
Drive to Moody Court. The primary rationale is safety for horses and pedestrians. OSC
reviewed an excerpt from the Bicycle Transportation Design section of the Caltrans
Highway Design Manual (Attachment A), which advises against allowing bikes and horses
to share multi-use trails. The manual specifies, “Trails that do not meet Class I bikeways
standards should not be signed as bicycle paths,” and that “Where equestrians are expected,
OSC FInal_Minutes15-0514.docx 2
a separate equestrian trail should be provided.” Other reasons for limiting biking in the
preserve include complaints from equestrians and hikers, damage to trails (e.g., increased
erosion), disturbance to wildlife and vegetation, and the intended goal of open space
preserves to provide quiet, low impact recreation where people can enjoy a hike without
having to watch for speeding bikes. NC moved that OSC prohibit bicycle use in Byrne
Preserve except on the fire road connecting Central Drive to Moody Court. To implement
this, OSC will prepare a brief position paper and proposal to take to LAH Public Works
Director, Richard Chiu, and to Planning Commission and City Council. WW seconded and
the vote was unanimously in favor (NC, KL, AS, SS, RS, JS, WW, SW). OSC will also
review bicycle polices in other open space areas and parks in the area.
B. SOD Blitz Recap. Ten people, most of whom collected samples for testing, attended the 7th
annual SOD BLITZ, held on May 2, 2015. Results will be available in early October.
C. Creek Signage. Nothing to report.
D. Our Town articles. OSC agreed to hand off materials for an article on Albert Byrne to the
History Committee so they can prepare an article for the Town newsletter.
3. New Topics
A. Using Town-specified Consultants for Environmental/arborist Reports. OSC discussed the
possibility of requiring developers to use consultants that are approved by the Town when they
prepare reports to for environmental review or to justify removing trees. Planning Director,
Suzanne Avila, reported that selection of consultants is discretionary.
4. Planning
A. Fence Permits. None reported
B. Site Plan Reviews. None.
5. Communications from the Floor. None
6. Open Discussion.
A. Use of Story Poles for Creek Setbacks. A suggestions was made that the Planning Department
require developers to mark creek setbacks with story poles at the time story poles are erected
for a proposed house. OSC will discuss this with Planning Director.
B. Wildlife Seminar. SS suggested the OSC sponsor an informational seminar on snakes to
educate residents about the beneficial role of snakes in the ecosystem and how to identify
dangerous snakes. Bob Drews, a herpetologist at the California Academy of Sciences may be
available to speak.
7. Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 10:45 am.
Next Regular Meeting: Thursday, June 11, 2015
9:00 AM at LAH Parks and Recreation Building
Attachment A: Bicycle Transportation Design section of the Caltrans Highway Design Manual
Minutes were approved with minor amendments at the Regular OSC meeting of June 11, 2015