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Los Altos Hills Open Space Committee Los Altos Hills Parks and Recreation Building Final Minutes of Regular Meeting August 11, 2016 Members and Associates Present: George Clifford, Nancy Couperus, Kit Gordon, Alice Sakamoto, Wendie Ward, Sue Welch (Members); Richard Contreras, Karen Lemes (Associates) Members and Associates Absent: Sarah Fogarty, Sharen Schoendorf, Jean Struthers (Members); Heather Knight (Associate) Council Liaison Present: Gary Waldeck Member of Public Present: Fred Herring (for 13210 East Sunset) Quian Lin (for 13210 East Sunset)
Michael Muller (for 13210 East Sunset)
Zining Wu (for 13210 East Sunset)
Kjell Karlsson (LAH Finance and Investment Committee)
1. Call to Order and Approval of Minutes
A. Roll Call. GC called the meeting to order at 9:03 am.
B. Acceptance of Meeting Minutes. NC moved to accept with minor amendments the minutes of the July
14, 2016 meeting. WW seconded and vote was unanimously in favor (GC, NC, KG, AS, WW, SW).
C. Approval of Agenda. GC moved that the agenda be revised to move item 6 b (ii) (discussion of open
space easement on 13210 East Sunset to the top as a courtesy to the developers present. SW seconded
and the vote was unanimously in favor (GC, NC, KG, AS, WW, SW).
2. Communications from the Floor. None.
3. Announcements
A. Rex Gardiner Open Space Dedication. The Town will hold a public ceremony at 2:00 pm Wednesday,
Tuesday Sep 20, 2016 to dedicate the Rex Gardiner Open Space Easement at the intersection of Old
Snakey and Moody Road. OSC members are encouraged to attend.
B. Top Elegant Investment (formerly Stirling) Subdivision. Planning Commission review of developers’
plans for this proposed 9-lot subdivision is tentatively scheduled for Sep 1, 2016. The developers have
not made changes that address concerns of OSC, EDC, or PWC. Although the developers have proposed
wildlife-friendly fencing along the eastern and northern borders, LAH fence ordinance does not prevent
adjacent property owners from installing wildlife impermeable fence along their property lines on this
border. OSC may hold a special meeting to prepare revised recommendations for the Sep 1 meeting.
4. New Business
A. Election of Officers. Discussed briefly and deferred to the next meeting.
B. Coyotes. GC received an email expressing concern about recent coyote encounters in Town and
questioning Town management policies. Suggestions for addressing this included keeping a record of
coyote sightings/encounters in Town and providing information to the public about minimizing potential
problems (e.g., remove food sources; supervise pets and/or keep them indoors, especially at night; learn
how to harass coyotes when they are sighted). It was suggested a link be added to the main Town web
site to information about minimizing coyote issues, as well as a link to the video on the Town web site
of the Project Coyote seminar held in LAH in 2009. NC and SW volunteered to assist.
5. Continuing Business
A. Matadero Creek Restoration. No new information. OSC will continue to monitor activity.
B. Byrne Preserve.
i) Grassroots Ecology (formerly Acterra) Stewardship) Project. Acterra Stewardship is now called
Grassroots Ecology. A large area on the northern slope of the main hill in the grassland was mowed
in July to help control yellow star thistle. Work was started in July on the first year of the Moody
Creek restoration (funded by SCVWD). Generally little work is done in August because invasives
have already gone to seed. Full schedule activity will resume in September.
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C. Creek Signage. Nothing new. Richard Chiu, LAH Director of Public Works, has accepted a position in Daly City. OSC will greatly miss his strong support for conservation projects in the Town. Tina Tseng, Senior Engineer, will act as Interim Public Works Director until a new director is appointed. D. Town Newsletter Articles. KG’s informative article on Lawns to Meadows will appear in the August newsletter. Two other articles planned for future issues are being drafted, one on Palo Alto Animal Services (AS), and one on the interesting life of Dr. Albert Barnitz Byrne (SF). E. Wildlife Seminar on Snakes. JS contacted Ken McCloud, a potential speaker for this wildlife seminar. She and NC will meet with him to discuss a program outline (e.g., benefits of snakes, identification, hazards to snakes around our homes) and set a tentative date for early next spring. A second potential speaker, who can bring live snakes, has also been identified. JS will obtain additional information and set a tentative date for next spring.
F. Open Space Restrictions. The request from the developers of 13210 East Sunset to reduce the open
space easement (OSE) recommended by OSC led to discussion of Town requirements for formal OSE
agreements and specific restrictions that apply. Drainage installations, sewer, and septic fields are
generally allowed. Sample agreements will be sent to OSC members for review and discussion next
month.
6. Planning
A. Fence Permits. No notices were received.
B. Site Plan Reviews.
i) 24990 La Loma (Lands of Vandergriff; APN 336-32-023; file#188-16-ZP-SD-GD). PWC discussed
this project at the June 2016 OSC meeting and GC sent an email to the Planner, Steve Padovan,
confirming the OSC recommendation for the Town to request dedication of an open space easement
in areas with slopes ≥ 30%. In August, GC made a site visit and today distributed maps and draft
recommendations. The parcel is on the south side of La Loma Drive and slopes down steeply to
Hale Creek, which runs along the southern border. Several nearby parcels downstream have open
space easements protecting the creek and the slopes above it (Attachment A1). After discussion,
NC moved that OSC approve the recommendation for 24990 La Loma Drive presented in
GC’s draft. GC seconded and the vote was unanimously in favor (GC, NC, KG, AS, WW,
SW). The recommendations specify:
• Remove the barbed wire fences.
• Do not allow removal of any mature oak trees on the property.
• Create an OPEN SPACE EASEMENT, as defined follows from the Topographic Survey dated
12/16/2015: An area in the southern portion of the lot enclosed by the southern, eastern, and
western boundaries of the lot AND a line extending from the intersection of the 560’ contour line
with the eastern border to the intersection of the 546’ contour line with the western border. See
attached image of proposed easement. See area shown in red on the map below.
• Create a RIPARIAN EASEMENT, defined as follows from the Topographic Survey dated
12/16/2015: An area extending from the southern property line of the lot to a line parallel to at it
at a distance of 40’. See area shown in green on the map in Attachment A2.
ii) 13210 East Sunset Drive (Lands of Ho; APN 331-21-002; file#117-16-ZP-SD-GD). OSC reviewed
this parcel on with a recommendation to dedicate an open space easement over the slopes behind the
building pad that are ≥30%, extending across the parcel and down to the eastern boundary. The
developers requested re-review and want the OSE reduced to allow a vineyard. After lengthy
discussion and negotiations with the four representatives of the developers present, OSC made the
revised recommendation described below and shown in Attachment B.
A large portion of this 2.5-acre parcel has steep slopes in excess of 30%, and the SE property line
abuts dense oak woodlands that connect to Adobe Creek approximately 350 yards away.
The OSC recommendation in May 2016 was to dedicate an OSE from the 360-foot elevation
contour line below the building pad down to the southeast property line.
At the Aug 11 meeting, the developers, Quian Lin and Zining Wu, the Project Manager, Michael
Muller, and Fred Herring argued that the area of OSE should be reduced to accommodate a
vineyard, to allow more developable area below the building pad, and to provide an area for project
OSC Final_Minutes16-0811.docx 3
staging and piling excavated dirt. Developers also want to install a septic system near the southeast border. After lengthy discussion with OSC, the developers drew a pencil line on the development plans indicating an upper boundary to a revised OSE that would allow a vineyard and more area below the building pad. LAH OSE agreements allow approved septic or sewer systems and drainage installations within the OSE. OSC reiterated the importance of OSEs to protect steep slopes (generally 30% of more) and to provide connectivity to areas of conservation value. Although the strip of land along the southeast boundary of the parcel at the bottom of the slope is not as steep as most of the hillside, OSC considers it of conservation value because it connects to a large area of oak woodland and nearby Adobe Creek.
After further OSC discussion, SW moved that OSC recommend the Town require the
developers of 13210 East Sunset to dedicate an open space easement across the parcel
extending from the pencil line drawn on the map by the developers down to the southeast
boundary of the parcel. The pencil line starts at the 350-foot elevation contour line on the
southwest border and runs along that contour line below the building pad, then drops down to
the southeast to 320-foot elevation contour line, and then runs along the 320-foot contour line
to the northeast border of the parcel. WW seconded and the vote was 5 in favor (NC, KG, AS,
WW, SW) and 1 opposed (GC; supported original recommendation).
The revised recommendation (Attachment B) reduces the OSE by at least a third, allows the
developers to install a vineyard on a steeply sloped portion of the lot, and provides additional area
below the building pad that is outside the OSE.
iii) 24840 Summerhill Avenue (Lands of Ari Arish and Varadarajan Sudha K); APN 336-15-009;
file#260-16-ZP-SD-GD). The parcel is a flag lot on the south side of Summerhill Avenue, accessed
via a drive off Tiara Lane. It has frontage on El Monte, but no frontage on Summerhill. Based on
measurements from the site plans, the parcel has no slopes ≥30% and is located adjacent to a major
arterial. No OSE was proposed.
(iv) 13816 Page Mill Road. GC and KG volunteered to make a site visit and prepare a draft
recommendation.
7. Open Discussion.
8. Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 11:04 am.
Next Regular Meeting: Thursday, September 8, 2016
9:00 AM at LAH Parks and Recreation Building
Attachment A1: Santa Clara County Assessor map showing conservation easements near 24990 La Loma
Attachment A2: OSC Recommendation for 24990 La Loma Drive
Attachment B: OSC Revised Recommendation for 13210 East Sunset Drive (map)
Final minutes approved at the Regular OSC meeting of 09/08/16.
24990 La Loma DriveGC_16‐0812.docx 9/3/16 1
DRAFT Open Space Committee Property Review Information Property address 24990 La Loma Drive Lands of __Rabkin_____________________________ APN_____336‐32‐023________ Planner______________________________________ Project number ______________________________________
Reason for OSC review: _____ New residence, ____ Second Unit, _XXX_ Addition/major remodel
Other (specify)_______________________________________________________________________________________
OSC Reviewers (initials)__NC, WW, GC_ Date of site visit___7/21/2016___
SLOPE:
Average slope of lot ___unknown_____
Areas with slope ≥30% YES
CREEKS
Creeks or waterways through parcel? Seasonal stream in ravine at rear (South) of lot
Name of creek. Shown on USGS map? SCVWD creek map? LAH Hazard Map? Tributary to
Hale Creek on southern boundary of property
Evidence of bed, banks, Official High Water Mark? No
Condition of banks? N/A
Existing riparian or OSE along creek on this property or nearby parcels? Yes: see below.
Proposed setbacks for structures? N/A
TREES
Heritage oaks? None
Groves of significant trees? Lower (south) portion of lot
Trees proposed for removal (Heritage oaks or other; number and species)? None
WILDLIFE CORRIDORS
Check 2006 Live Oak Associates map (not official)
Evidence of wildlife (e.g., deer trails, spoor)?
Deer trail crosses east‐west across the southern steep portion of the property.
The wildlife corridor map shows the lower part of the property as part of a
larger wildlife corridor.
24990 La Loma DriveGC_16‐0812.docx 9/3/16 2
EXISTING FENCING: Identify location and type of existing fencing Check that fencing on plans agrees with fencing on the ground Note any fence that does not meet current fencing regulations Old barbed wire fences crossing east‐west in rear of property and along the eastern edge, as shown on the Topographic Survey in the plans.
OPEN SPACE EASEMENTS
Check Town records for existing CE or OSE on this property or adjacent and nearby parcels
Identify areas where OSE may be appropriate (slope ≥30%, significant trees, creeks, drainage
swales)
See attachment showing the southern portion of the property included in the
Town’s Open Space Conservation Area.
Open Space Easements exist on two nearby properties at 24910 and 24920 La
Loma Court to the east of this site, encompassing the same tributary stream.
SEPTIC FIELD LOCATION
Note location if applicable
Septic fields, sewer and approved drainage installations are generally allowed in OSE
OSC RECOMMENDATION FOR THIS PROPERTY
• Remove the barbed wire fences.
• Do not allow removal of any mature oak trees on the property.
• Create an OPEN SPACE EASEMENT, as defined follows from the
Topographic Survey dated 12/16/2015:
An area in the southern portion of the lot enclosed by the southern,
eastern, and western boundaries of the lot AND a line extending from the
intersection of the 560’ contour line with the eastern border to the
intersection of the 546’ contour line with the western border. See
attached image of proposed easement. See area shown in red on the map
below.
• Create a RIPARIAN EASEMENT, as defined follows from the Topographic
Survey dated 12/16/2015:
24990 La Loma DriveGC_16‐0812.docx 9/3/16 3
An area extending from the southern property line of the lot to a line parallel to at it at a distance of 40’. See area shown in green on the map below.
from Topographic Survey, 12/16/2015
24990 La Loma DriveGC_16‐0812.docx 9/3/16 4
OPEN SPACE CONSERVATION AREA
Town of Los Altos Hills Land Use Diagram, March 16, 2010
Approved 8/12/2016 by vote of Open Space Committee
George Clifford & Nancy Couperus, OSC co‐chairs
FOLLOWUP
Date Development Plans approved:
__________________ Fast Track meeting
__________________ Planning Commission meeting
__________________ City Council meeting
Conditions of approval related to open space
Note changes from OSC recommendation
Attachment B: Open Space Committee meeting 08/11/16
Revised Open Space Easement Recommendation for 13210 East Sunset