HomeMy WebLinkAboutJune 8OSC FINAL_Minutes17-0609.docx 1
Los Altos Hills Open Space Committee
Los Altos Hills Parks and Recreation Building
FINAL Minutes of Regular Meeting June 8, 2017
Members and Associates Present: George Clifford, Richard Contreras, Nancy Couperus, Kit Gordon, Alice
Sakamoto, Sharen Schoendorf, Wendie Ward, Sue Welch (Members); Peter Brown
(Associate)
Members and Associates Absent: Jean Struthers (Member); Karen Lemes (Associate)
Council Liaison Present: Roger Spreen
Member of Public Present: Pat Lange (LAH resident)
Kjell Karlsson (LAH Finance and Investment Committee)
1. Call to Order and Approval of Minutes
A. Roll Call. KG called the meeting to order at 9:08 am.
B. Acceptance of Meeting Minutes. WW moved to accept with minor amendments the minutes of the
May 5, 2017 meeting. AS seconded and the vote was 7 in favor (RC, NC, KG, AS, SS, SW) with
GC abstaining (not at May 5 meeting).
C. Announcements
2. New Business
A. LAH Green Infrastructure Plan. KG attended a SCVURPPP workshop on Green Infrastructure (GI) for
municipalities in April and provided an update on work on the Town’s GI plan. The objective of GI is to
reduce stormwater pollutants by replacing impervious stormwater infrastructure with distributed point
earthen drainage systems. The benefits are fourfold, 1) reduced pollutants, 2) increased groundwater
recharge, 3) reduced flooding, 4) improved ecosystems. The Town’s municipal stormwater discharge
permit (NPDES) now requires the Town to complete and implement a plan describing how the Town
will incorporate GI requirements into its planning process, ordinances, streetscape maintenance, and
policies. Planning Director Suzanne Avila and Planner Marni Moseley are preparing LAH’s preliminary
GI plan, which will be submitted by end of the month. OSC can advise in a variety of ways, including
identifying priority areas for GI projects, evaluating options on GI proposals, assisting with
modifications the Town's road maintenance protocol, promoting reduction of run-off and erosive flow in
creeks and helping educate residents about the importance of managing stormwater on their properties
and private roads. The severely eroded reach of Moody Creek in Byrne Preserve exemplifies effects
from excessive runoff. Open Space and Riparian Easements are key tools in promoting GI on
development projects. .
3. Continuing Business
A. Byrne Preserve
i) Grassroots Ecology Update. Grassroots continues invasive plant removal in Byrne OSP. Special
group volunteer workdays were held and Byrne Brigade workdays continue most Mondays. The
floodplain adjacent to Moody Creek is continuing to fill in passively with native plants in spots
where the invasives have been removed. Because they are no longer being grazed, these natives (e.
g., Iris leaf rush and creeping wild rye) are forming abundant seed this year. Mowing for YST control
will be done next month on the main hill per advice from Grassroots Ecology. Public Works Director
Allen Chen has requested $16,205 from the FY 2017-18 base budget for maintenance (by Grassroots
Ecology) in Byrne and an additional $42,167 to cover a year of matching funds for the SCVWD
grant. Council will vote on the final budget at the June 15 Council meeting.
ii) Weed Abatement at Westwind Community Barn. SW distributed photos of the seasonal wetland area
on lower WWCB property where four paddocks were recently removed (Attachment A). The area is
now heavily infested with highly invasive pest plants, including stinkwort, Italian thistle, milk thistle,
poison hemlock, dock, and many others. Two invasive pest plants, nicotinia and rabbit’s foot grass,
were probably brought in with hay and are not found elsewhere in Town. These pest plants are
already going to seed and will contaminate the adjacent floodplain in Byrne Preserve that Grassroots
Ecology is restoring with SCVWD and Town funds. Golden Current (Ribes aureum), the riparian
native shrub that was cut back for paddocks, is resprouting in some spots and many small coyote
OSC FINAL_Minutes17-0609.docx 2
brush and two willow sprouts are also present, suggesting that if invasives can be controlled, passive
restoration may be successful. Although several OSC members have helped remove invasives in this
wetland area, the heavy infestation will need ongoing care by a professional firm with knowledge of
how to manage native and invasive plants and sufficient manpower. Last month OSC sent a letter
recommending the Town hire a vendor for weed management for the WWCB property, but has not
received a response. Grassroots Ecology suggested several potential vendors. Council Liaison Roger
Spreen suggested a meeting with City Manager Carl Cahill to discuss the situation.
B. Tree Ordinance Proposed from EDPC and OSC. The purpose of the revised ordinance is to protect
significant trees other than Heritage oaks and other legally designated heritage trees, which are the only
trees protected by current LAH ordinances. In April, a subcommittee (including Planning Commissioner
Mandle) was formed at Council request to study the proposal. NC reported that Planning Director
Suzanne Avila reviewed tree ordinances from nearby cities and found all provide more protection for
trees than does the existing LAH ordinance. Staff will take the lead in revising the new ordinance and
taking it to Council for approval. RC volunteered to serve as OSC liaison to the subcommittee.
C. Subdivision Ordinance Update. LAH Planner Steve Padovan has distributed the most recent version and
KG responded with proposed changes to the stormwater section. Some changes suggested by OSC were
incorporated, but the revised doc needs a careful review by all OSC members. KG will submit a letter as
an individual addressing how LUF calculations are calculated for lots with sections of slopes over 55%.
D. Pest Plant Messaging for Residents At the request of EDPC, SW prepared a series of short info sheets
on management of the major pest plants to distribute at the Town picnic to encourage residents to
remove these invasives. The docs need to be fully vetted before they can be posted on Nextdoor.
E. Fence Regulation Review; Fences Near Waterways. Not discussed however the BAARI memo advised
planning staff on reviewing creek locations on EcoAtlas prior to permitting a fence so as to not impede
water flows.
F. Site Development & Fast Track Review Meetings. OSC members were asked to volunteer to attend
these important planning meetings (held Tuesdays 10 am) to provide input on potential impact of
proposed development projects on creeks, trees, and other conservation resources. WW volunteered to
attend the June 13, 2017 meeting; NC will attend July 11, 2017.
G. Arundo Removal. Not discussed.
H. Bay Area Aquatic Resource Inventory (BAARI) Memo to Staff. KG distributed a draft memo to be sent
to Planning Director Suzanne Avila, City Manager Carl Cahill, and LAH Planning Commissioners
informing them of the BAARI and the Bay Area Atlas (Attachment B). This on-line resource,
(EcoAtlas.com) which is used by local and state agencies, identifies creeks, tributaries ad wetlands and
should help clarify which local waterways meet the definition of creeks. NC moved that the OSC
approve as written the memo to staff on the Bay Area Aquatic Resource Inventory (BAARI). GC
seconded and the vote was unanimously in favor (GC, RC, NC, KG, AS, SS, WW, SW).
4. Planning
A. Fence Permit Reviews. AS reviewed fence plans for the following parcel:
i) 14293 Saddle Mountain Drive. No action recommended.
B. OSC Site Reviews and Recommendations for Development Projects. None
5. Open Discussion.
6. Communications from the Floor.
7. Adjournment.
The meeting was adjourned at 10:40 am.
Next Regular Meeting: Thursday, June 20, 2017
9:00 AM at LAH Parks and Recreation Building
Attachment A: Invasive Weed infestation in seasonal wetland at Westwind Community Barn
Attachment B: DRAFT Bay Area Aquatic Resource Inventory (BAARI) Memo to Staff
Final minutes approved without amendments at the regular OSC meeting of July 20, 2018.
To: Suzanne Avila, LAH Planning Director
LAH Planning Commissioners
Carl Cahill, City Manager
Date: June 2017
Subject: Bay Area Aquatic Resource Inventory, EcoAtlas
From: LAH Open Space Committee
______________________________________________________________________________
Summary
The Open Space Committee (OSC) would like to inform Town planning staff and Planning
Commissioners of a resource for indentifying creeks and their tributaries. Collectively known as
the Bay Area Aquatic Resource Inventory (BAARI), local waterways can be viewed online
through the website, EcoAtlas.org. The OSC is willing to help navigate this resource as needed.
EcoAtlas Overview
The EcoAtlas maps both major and minor creeks, shown as blue lines. There has been some
confusion regarding creek definition and which waterways require protection. Here are some
quotes from agency employees to help clarify.
Creeks on EcoAtlas almost certainly meet federal (US Army Corps of Engineers under the
Clean Water Act) and state (SF Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board, CDFW)
regulatory definitions, in addition to wetland areas bordering the channels. CDFW has
jurisdiction over riparian habitat.
Employee of Santa Clara Valley Water District
There is a body of research that calls out the importance of headwater channels for water
quality and argues that the small headwater streams have greater water quality "treatment"
value than the larger ones because the greater channel surface-water contact has more water
quality treatment function.
Employee of Regional Water Quality Control Board
EcoAtlas provides a means to quickly and accurately recognize waterways. Placing construction
and fences away from creeks reduces property damage and minimizes neighbor disputes. The
utility of the EcoAtlas is illustrated by these recent activities.
! A former homeowner on what is now 27755 Central Drive removed riparian vegetation
and modified the creek bank. The owner was subsequently cited by the California
Department of Fish and Wildlife, fined, and ordered to restore the creek bank. If the
Town had notified the homeowner about creek regulations, the fine and damage may
have been avoided.
! A Page Mill Road homeowner on the tributary of Moody Creek upstream from the new
development at 27985 Central Drive sustains water damage and reduced usage to their
arena and barn in wet winters. The EcoAtlas shows a tributary running through their
property. Town guidance on placement of the structures with respect to the aquatic
resources could have avoided this recurring problem.
! In 2014, horse paddocks were installed in the lower Westwind Community Barn
property. The paddocks proved too boggy to use in most winters (Exhibit B). In 2017,
SCVWD fined the Town for improper manure management near a natural waterway and
required removal of the paddocks. Extensive and expensive remediation is now required.
Review of the EcoAtlas prior to this installation would have revealed that this area is a
wetland and a tributary of Moody Creek.
! A fence was built at the property line between 27271 Moody Road and 27360 Sherlock
Road. The fence redirected creek flows and causes property damage with excessive
runoff.
! Long standing problems have existed near Summerville Creek. Building and fencing
have caused neighbor disputes and property damage (I need more info here)
! Although Moody Creek is not shown on Santa Clara Valley Water District's (SCVWD)
major creeks map, it is nonetheless a valuable resource and a recognized natural
waterway. SCVWD awarded Grassroots Ecology a $138K grant to restore the small
tributary of Moody Creek that runs through the Byrne Preserve grassland
Waters of the United States
The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) definition of Waters of the United States
("jurisdictional") includes streams, their tributaries and adjacent waters. Adjacent water includes
waters connected to streams or at heads of streams. The Clean Water Act seeks to "restore and
maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Nation's waters." Ditches are not
protected under the Clean Water Act if the water is not chemically, physically and biologically
connected to a protected waterway. If a manmade ditch is a redirected tributary or has become
connected to a tributary then it is considered to be waters of the United State and requires
protection. See EPA and Army Corp of Engineers publication titled Clean Water Rule Definition
of "Waters of United States," dated June 29, 2015.
Recognition of which waterways are jurisdictional is essential to implementing the protections
required by the Town’s ordinances and General Plan. The EcoAtlas is an invaluable resource to
help staff, developers, and homeowners indentify creeks and avoid costly mistakes and damage
to our natural resources.
We are happy to meet with you and demonstrate the EcoAtlas tool.
The Open Space Committee