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Home My WebLink AboutMay 12OSC Final_Minutes16-0512.docx 7/15/16 1 Los Altos Hills Open Space Committee Los Altos Hills Parks and Recreation Building FINAL Minutes of Regular Meeting May 12, 2016 Members and Associates Present: George Clifford, Nancy Couperus, Kit Gordon, Alice Sakamoto, Sharen Schoendorf, Jean Struthers, Sue Welch (Members); Richard Contreras and Karen Lemes (Associate) Members and Associates Absent: Sarah Fogarty, Wendie Ward (Members); Heather Knight (Associate) Council Liaison Present: Gary Waldeck Member of Public Present: Kjell Karlsson (for 12251 Menalto Drive) 1. Call to Order and Approval of Minutes A. Roll Call. GC called the meeting to order at 9:05 am. B. Acceptance of Meeting Minutes. None. 2. New Business 3. Continuing Business A. 2016-2017 Town Budget. Acterra Contract Renewal. OSC reviewed the Acterra contract proposal at the Mar 2016 meeting to fund 1) two months of bridge funding for May and June 2016; and 2) a 3-year contract to provide obligate matching funds from the Town for the 3-year grant ($137K) Acterra received to restore Moody Creek in Byrne Preserve plus funds to continue other vegetation management in the OSPs. Council approved the bridge funding at the April 6, 2016 Council meeting. The Town asked Acterra to revise their contract proposal to split the budget into a 3-year contract for a CIP project to provide matching funds for the grant ($127K over 3-years); and a 1-year contract from maintenance funds for other vegetation management ($15.8K). SW distributed a handout comparing the original and revised proposals (Attachment A). LAH Director of Engineering and Public Works Richard Chiu asked OSC to formally approve the revised budget proposal. SW moved that OSC approve the proposed modification in the Acterra contract for 2016-2019 to fund a 3-year CIP project to provide matching funds for the SCVWD grant and an annual maintenance contract for 2016-1017 to continue other vegetation management in the preserves. JS seconded and the vote was unanimously in favor (GC, NV, KG, AS, SS, JS, SW). Richard Chiu asked OSC and Acterra to make a presentation at the joint FIC-Council meeting on May 31 when this budget request will be formally reviewed. Co-Chair NC agreed to make a brief introduction expressing OSC support for the project. B. Byrne Preserve. Bike Ban and update on signs. The new metal signs posted by Public Works appear to be effective and no further requests for modifications from Parks & Rec have been received. No complaints from the public have been received about the ban or the signs. Equestrians have reported feeling safer on trails. Off-leash dogs continue to be observed in Byrne. More than 500 people participated in the LAH Pathways Run-Walk in Byrne. C. SOD BLITZ. The UC Berkeley SOD BLITZ training session to teach LAH residents how to collect bay leaf samples for SOD testing will be held Saturday, May 14, 2016 at 1 pm in Council Chambers. (Attachment B). GC will post the event on NextDoor. D. Creek Signage. No updates. KG is waiting to hear from RC. She has requested the next LAH Pathways Run-Walk have creeks and watersheds as the theme. She reported that the SCVWD restoration grant for Moody Creek requires a sign and she is working with Acterra to develop one that meets LAH standards. E. Town Newsletter Articles. KG volunteered to author an article on creating wildflower meadows. She is working with Raj Reddy, who transformed a hillside on his property to a spectacular display of native wildflowers. AS volunteered to author an article on Palo Alto Animal Services for a future issue. F. Wildlife Seminar on Snakes. JS has identified a potential speaker for this wildlife seminar and she and NC will meet with him to discuss a program outline (e.g., benefits of snakes, identification, hazards to snakes around our homes such as fine netting). G. Update on 25700 Bassett Lane Subdivision. GC reviewed the status of this proposed subdivision, which OSC reviewed several times and recommended open space easements on both lots. The Planning Commission allowed the border of the OSE on Lot 2 to be lowered to the 532-foot contour rather than OSC Final_Minutes16-0512.docx 7/15/16 2 the 534-foot contour that OSC recommended. PC asked for additional modifications and will review the revised plans at a future meeting. H. Earth Day Celebration. OSC thanked NC for arranging the will wild cat program, which is a major draw for this annual event, and NC, KL, AS, SS, and WW for staffing the OSC information table. 5. Planning A. Fence Permits. No notices were received. B. Site Plan Reviews. i) 13210 East Sunset. JS and WW made a site visit and drafted a recommendation. The project is on hold until a sewer issue is resolved. This parcel slopes steeply (slope of 30% or more) down from Sunset to the El Retiro retreat lands an Adobe Creek. JS recommended that the town require an open space easement from the eastern border up to the 360-foot elevation contour to protect the drainage. If the 18” and 15” diameter oaks shown on the 350-foot contour line are healthy, they should be retained. ii) 10888 Magdalena Road. NC and SF made a site visit and drafted a recommendation (Attachment C). The adjacent parcel to the west (10800 Magdalena; Lot 3) is also being developed. Both lots have mature oaks and sloped areas in excess of 30% slope. The revised plans include a shared driveway that will spare some mature oaks proposed for removal on earlier plans. NC moved that the OSC recommend the Town require the developers of 10888 Magdalena Road to dedicate an open space easement over the areas with slope of 30% or more. GC amended the motion to require that OSC review the adjacent parcel to the west (10800 Magdalena) for open space issues. SW seconded and the vote was five in favor (GC, NC, AS, SS, SW) and one abstaining (JS). (KG not present.) iii) 24802 Olive Tree Lane. SS and SW volunteered to make a site visit and draft a recommendation. iv) 12251 Menalto Drive. The parcel is on the north side of Menalto, a cul-de-sac off Altamont Road. Kjell Karlsson was present representing the developer and explained that the homeowners wished to dedicate a 0.5-acre open space easement over a steeply sloped section of the parcel as shown on the development plans. OSC discussed the proposal. JS moved that for 12251 Menalto Drive, OSC recommend approval of the open space easement proposed by the homeowners and shown on the development plans dated April 6, 2015. GC seconded and the vote was unanimously in favor (GC, NC, AS, SS, JS, SW). KG and AS not present. 5. Communications from the Floor. 6. Open Discussion. 7. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 10:35 am. Next Regular Meeting: Thursday, June 9, 2016 9:00 AM at LAH Parks and Recreation Building Attachment A: Summary of Budget Proposal for Funding Acterra Contracts Attachment B: SOD BLITZ Meeting flyer Attachment C: Draft OSC Recommendations for 10888 Magdalena Road. Final minutes were approved with amendments (red text) at the regular Open Space Committee meeting of July 14, 2016. Contract Acterra_Contract_Comparison16-0510.xlsx 7/10/16 1 Comparison of Acterra Contracts For OSC meeting 5/12/2016 Mar 2, 2016 Proposal Three-year contract for SCVWD grant work and other work in preserves Cost 2016-2017 $56,720.00 2017-2018 $58,420.00 3% per year increase based on CPI 2018-2019 $60,170.00 Total $175,310.00 Total cost 2016-2019 =$175,310.00 April 14, 2016 REVISED Proposal Three-year contract for SCVWD grant work and annual contracts for other work in preserves Project cost of annual contracts SCVWD grant Other work assuming 3% per year increase Capital improvement Education and Maintenance Education and Maintenance 2016-2017 $40,938.50 $15,781.50 $15,781.50 2017-2018 $42,166.66 $16,254.95 2018-2019 $43,431.65 $16,742.59 Total $126,536.81 $15,781.50 $48,779.04 Total cost 2016-2019 =$175,315.85 .  A$end a mee*ng in your local area to learn more and help with the SOD Blitz.  Download the new SODmap  Mobile app, available free for  iPhone and Android   Scan this QR Code with your smart  phone for more informa*on  With 2016 rain levels the highest they  have been in 4 years in California, sudden  oak death (SOD) spread is expected to be  on the rise. This year’s 10th annual spring  SOD BLITZ (ci*zen scien*st surveys for  SOD) will to be cri*cally important to  document the spread of the disease.     “We’re calling for as many seasoned and  novice SOD Blitzers as we can get to help  collect samples for tes*ng,” said Ma$eo  Garbelo$o, UC Berkeley SOD researcher  who organizes the SOD Blitz project.   Los Altos Hills Area SOD BLITZ  Saturday May 14   1:00 pm  LAH Town Hall at 26379 Fremont Road  Open to all. For more info email sodblitz09@earthlink.net   