Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout12/13/2007 • Town of Los Altos Hills City Council Regular Meeting Minutes Thursday, December 13, 2007 Council Chambers, 26379 Fremont Road CALL TO ORDER, ROLL CALL, AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Mayor Jones called the City Council Regular Meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Town Hall. Present: Mayor Craig A.T. Jones, Vice Mayor Jean Mordo, Councilmember Breene Kerr, Councilmember Mike O'Malley, and Councilmember Dean Warshawsky Absent: None Staff. City Manager Carl Cahill, Interim City Engineer Cyrus Kianpour, Finance Director Nick Pegueros, Planning Director Debbie Pedro, Parks and Recreation Supervisor Eric Christensen, City Attorney Steve Mattas, and City Clerk Karen Jost MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED: Moved by Warshawsky, seconded by Mordo • and passed unanimously to limit comments from the floor to two minutes. APPOINTMENTS AND PRESENTATIONS 1. Presentation by Lee Price, Chair, Hidden Villa Board of Directors Lee Price, Chair, Trust for Hidden Villa, addressed Council. He thanked them for the opportunity to make a presentation on a possible alternative to the recreation options and park facilities to be discussed later in the meeting. Hidden Villa is a nonprofit educational organization. The site consists of an organic farm, wilderness hiking area and community center, all open to the general public. Hidden Villa is located adjacent to the Town. Price proceeded with a PowerPoint presentation that included the founding and history of Hidden Villa and the numerous programs available to the community. Price reviewed Hidden Villa's current financial dilemma. The organization is land rich and cash poor with 1,600 acres and an endowment income of only$35,000. The Board, at their December meeting, authorized discussions to sell or lease a small portion of the lower fields to raise endowment funds. Price shared an aerial of the area identified for sale or lease located near the entrance. He noted that if the Town were interested in the site for a soccer field, an annexation process would be required. He thanked the Council for their time and commented that Hidden Villa was very much • interested in entertaining discussions with the Town. 1 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes December 13,2007 Mayor Jones thanked Price for his presentation and advised Council that no specific proposals from Hidden Villa had been identified on the meeting's agenda, however, he would return to the issue at the conclusion of the meeting to see if there was a consensus to place the item on a future agenda for Council discussion. CONSENT CALENDAR Items Removed for discussion: Agenda Item#2 (Casey), Agenda Item#3 (Kerr), Agenda Item#4 (O'Malley) MOTIONED SECONDED AND CARRIED: Moved by Mordo, seconded by O'Malley and passed unanimously to approve the items on the remainder of the consent calendar with the exception of agenda item#5 with Councilmember Warshawsky recusing himself from consideration of the specific item: 5. Approval of Request from Friends of Westwind for Re-Amortization of Loan Balance (Councilmember Warshawsky recused himself from consideration of the agenda item) 6. Adoption of Ordinance Amending Title 8, Building Regulations of the Municipal Code to Adopt the 2007 California Building Standards Code-Ordinance 508 7. Adoption of Ordinance Amending Chapter 6, Title 8 of the Municipal Code"Signs and Advertising Structures" CEQA Review: Exempt per 15311(a)-Ordinance 509 • 8. Adoption of Ordinance Further Amending the Los Altos Hills Municipal Code by Amending Section 2-4.04 Concerning Bidding Procedures-Ordinance 510 9. Approval of Amendment to Resolution No. 78-05 and Award of Contract for Rule 20A Utility Undergrounding Project—Resolution No. 91-07 and Resolution 92-07 Items Removed: 2. Approval of Meeting Minutes: Regular City Council Meeting—October 25, 2007 Resident Toni Casey offered several corrections to the minutes: page 6, third paragraph, first sentence "raise" should be "raze" and page 11, fourth paragraph, third sentence "pubic" should be"public". Vice Mayor Mordo offered a correction to page 7, sixth paragraph, sentence 7 should read "... and the Town subsidizes only the-start-up riding programs." MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED: Moved by Mordo, seconded by O'Malley and passed unanimously to approve the October 25, 2007 City Council meeting minutes as corrected. • 3. Approval of Disbursements— 11/01/2007— 11/30/2007 $1,261,578.24 2 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes December 13 2007 Finance Director Nick Pegueros explained that two particular expenses had spiked the disbursements for the month of October. They included the annual payment to the City of • Palo Alto for sewer treatment and the final payment for the Segment 3 pathway construction. MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED: Moved by Kerr, seconded by Mordo and passed unanimously to approve the disbursements. 4. Approval of Planning Study for Landscaping/Recreation Improvements to Edith Park in an amount Not to Exceed$20,000 Councilmember O'Malley questioned the cost for the proposal and noted that the Santa Clara Valley Water District would be using the site as a staging area for the Adobe Creek project. Mayor Jones explained that the proposal was to develop a plan to enhance an existing recreational asset and noted that the work would not begin until after the completion of the scheduled construction. City Manager Cahill explained that the item before Council was for the development of a conceptual plan for Edith Park landscaping and the addition of possible passive recreational features. MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED: Moved by Jones, seconded by Kerr and passed • by the following voice vote to adopt Resolution 93-07 "Authorizing the City Manager to Execute Contracts to Conduct a Planning Study for Landscaping/Recreation Improvements to Edith Park in an Amount Not to Exceed $20,000. AYES: Mayor Jones, Councilmember Kerr, Councilmember Warshawsky NOES: Councilmember O'Malley ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: Vice Mayor Mordo PRESENTATIONS FROM THE FLOOR Courtenay Corrigan, resident, expressed an interest in serving on the committee chaired by Vice Mayor Mordo that had been tasked with discussions for recreational opportunities with Los Altos. She spoke to her ownership of residences in both communities and her familiarity with both seated councils as a unique asset that could be beneficial to the committee. Council thanked Corrigan for volunteering and Vice Mayor Mordo welcomed her to the committee. • 3 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes December 13,2007 PUBLIC HEARINGS 10. Identification of Recreation Priorities including Improvements and Enhancements to Town-Owned Facilities and Opportunities with Other Public Agency Recreational Assets: Mayor Jones provided an overview of the meeting process that would be adhered to for the public hearing. Staff and consultants would make a presentation for each item on the agenda. Council would be afforded an opportunity to ask questions pertaining to the individual reports and then the Mayor would open the public hearing to permit public comment. At the conclusion of the public input, the item would return to Council for discussion. The clerk would advise speakers when their time had expired. Jones noted that the public would have an opportunity to speak on all five agendized items. Jones reported that the Ad Hoc Committee on Recreation Field and Facilities Investment, whose membership included the Mayor, Councilmember Kerr, and residents Scott Vanderlip and Steve Johnson, had reviewed all of the proposals and options over several months. Jones added that their recommendations had been previously vetted into the public record including their recommendation of an overall budget of $3 million for recreation facilities. Parks and Recreation Supervisor Eric Christensen introduced the item. The staff report before Council summarized each of the projects being considered by Council. The respective project consultants had been invited to present on each of the topics. 1 O Bullis-Purissima School Fields Christensen introduced Reed Dillingham, Dillingham Associates Landscape Architects. Dillingham proceeded with a PowerPoint presentation of the design and feasibility study of the Bullis-Purissima school fields. It included an aerial of the site and the surrounding properties; photographs of the existing site's upper terrace and lower terrace; and a design schematic of the proposed park area and small soccer field. Total proposed cost for the project was $1,100,000. Dillingham explained that the school district had decided to move in a different direction than the Town's proposal. City Manager.Carl Cahill confirmed Dillingham's comments. He offered that their initial position on the site was that they had little interest in developing the area and encouraged the Town to move forward with a proposal. The district has now countered with a different plan and use for the area and was planning to grade the upper and lower terraces into a single soccer field that would be suitable for high school participants. Potentially there may be room for park improvements in their plan but the initial concern with their proposal was the possible impact on the neighbors. Council discussed the history with the school district on the development of the site. The Town been encouraged to move forward and develop plans and now an alternative plan was in play. Councilmember Warshawsky spoke to his and former Mayor Emily Cheng's • discussions with the district following the closure of Bullis school about the Town's use of the fields. He suggested that the district was very open to the Town's suggestions for 4 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes December 13,2007 the site and had very little interest in anything other than minimal improvements on their part. Subsequently, he and Councilmember Kerr met with the district and the message was the same with an expressed interest in allowing the Town to sponsor improvements at their school site. This year, meetings have resulted in a similar consensus for the site with the district being very amenable and accommodating to the Town's proposal. Warshawsky noted that the direction recently changed and currently the district was supporting an alternative proposal for the site with the development of a full soccer field. Without a partnership with the district, the Town's plans for the. site would not be successful. OPENED PUBLIC HEARING Scott Vanderlip, Fremont Pines Lane, spoke in favor of a community park at the Bullis site. He noted that this was the only public school grass field available for the community to fly kites, kick a ball and play catch. He expressed his concern that a soccer field would be heavily used and basically"lock out"the community from using the site. Rodney Robinson, Via Arlene, spoke in favor of the soccer field. He represented the Los Altos Soccer Club that had offered to fund 50% of the project and encouraged the Town to sponsor the remaining 50%. Robinson stated that the field would serve the children of the community and offered that the majority of the players were girls and they were underserved in recreational opportunities. Resident, Robleda Road, favored a dog park for the site. The project would be • inexpensive and could be a nice social meeting place for the community. She also supported the park and hoped her proposal could be incorporated into the design. Resident, Saltamontes Way, suggested that the Town should ask the district to clarify their proposal. He had seen designs that included multi-use (baseball and soccer) for the site. Ginger Summit, Lennox Way, voiced her concern with the Town turning the last open space area into a playing field for an adult soccer group and did not support the Town subsidizing 50% of the cost ,of the field. She. referenced the. resident survey that had expresseda priority in a public park as their number one preference. AYSO representative, Los Altos resident, commented that he supported any size field. The district had also requested their financial partnership in the project. He noted that regulations could be set to limit the hours of use. Jim Abraham, Los Altos Hills resident, concurred with the comments of Ginger Summit and encouraged the Council to reject the idea of a club soccer field at the Bullis site. He did not support the Town funding a project when they did not have control over the use of the field and offered that it would be disastrous for the neighbors. Abraham suggested that other sites in Town be investigated for a soccer field. Jitze Couperus, Page Mill Road, expressed his concern that Town funds would be paid to • benefit the Los Altos School District to build a soccer field that the Town might not have access to. 5 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes December 13,2007 Richard Partridge, Briones Way, questioned if the Bullis-Purissima proposed park designed by the Town would be widely used and suggested an alternative to leave the site in a more natural state and use it for educational purposes. Nick Dunkel, Cortez Lane, stated that he opposed spending any large amount of money on property that was not owned by the Town. He encouraged the Council to reject the proposal. Toni Casey, Ravensbury Avenue, requested clarification from David Pefley, Los Altos School District Board Member on their position. David Pefley, LASD Board member, offered that the Town's proposal had been carefully reviewed and it was determined that the suggested field was inadequate for the campus and too small. Additionally, there were concerns about supervision of the students with the area being divided into two levels. Grading the site into one space was a more viable long term solution that made the space appropriate for more uses. Councilmember Kerr spoke to the amount of time and money that had been invested into the Town's proposal and noted that he was disappointed that the district had walked away from the Town's community survey input, research and advice. Chris Vargas, Templeton Place, suggested that the Council consider two principles when making their decision. First, Council should reach a consensus on a use that serves the greatest number of Hills residents; and, second, for the project currently being discussed, they should remember that the land was not under control of the Town. Vargas suggested that with the limited funds for the proposed projects, the Council consider a project on a site where the Town controlled the land and there was no risk that a future district board might decide to move forward with another use for the site that did would not benefit the Town's residents. Fred Gallagher, Golden Hills Court, commented that he was opposed to the large playing field at the school site and suggested that the Council consider the history of negotiations with the district with any agreement that they enter into. Bob Stutz, Elena Road, suggested that the Council consider developing the Town's property on O'Keefe Lane. CLOSED PUBLIC HEARING Council discussion: Mayor Jones commented that his daughters were active in soccer and he had served as an AYSO referee. He supported the investigation to find soccer capacity remain on the agenda for future projects and spoke to the difficulty of finding appropriate land and the high cost of field development. Jones noted that the suburban park and tot-play lot project at the Bullis School had been developed for the upper fields and was disappointed • that the district had recently taken a different direction after their assurances. City Council Regular Meeting Minutes December 13,2007 Council consensus was to take no action. Mayor Jones offered that there was time to continue the dialogue. Councilmember O'Malley suggested that the proposed field should be open to all communities for use similar to the Little League fields and it was important for residents to remember that the Council was not favoring one area of Town over another when approving recreation assets but taking advantage of the land opportunities that were available. 10B Town-Owned Little League Fields Reed Dillingham, Dillingham Associates Landscape Architects, introduced the item to Council. In addition to developing the design for the Bullis-Purrisma School site, Dillingham had been engaged to design the improvement plan for the Purissima Fields site. In preparing the design, Dillingham had received input from staff, the Little League association and the maintenance company that prepared the fields. He proceeded with a PowerPoint presentation that included: an aerial of the site and vicinity; list of first priority improvements; proposed improvement site plan, site plans for the north and south halves of the site and a pie chart representing the costs associated with the different priorities for the overall proposed project budget of$1,200,000. The project included: safety fencing between the site and Purissima Road and parking improvements; new restroom/concession stand;. drainage improvements; basketball half court, park like amenities including picnic tables and trees and additional fencing improvements for the fields. Council questions: Councilmember Kerr suggested that the project needed to be sensitive to the parking needs for users of the Town ring including parking spaces for vehicles and horse trailers. He suggested that this detail could be addressed as the project's final design was developed. Vice Mayor Mordo queried if additional bathrooms closer to the ring had been considered and suggested that it would be a more optimal location for users of the ring than the concession stand facilities. OPENED PUBLIC HEARING Alex Myers, Los Altos, President Los Altos/Los Altos Hills Little League, addressed Council. He voiced his and the League's support for the proposed improvements project and spoke to the importance of the Little League Program to the community. Paul Kelleher, Los Altos, Fields Commissioner for the Little League. Mr. Kelleher was responsible for arranging access to fields for the program. He supported the project and offered that it was a positive opportunity to make the needed safety and irrigation improvements to the site. • 7 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes December 13,2007 David Rock, Portola Valley, Past President of the LA/LAH Little League spoke in favor of the improvement project. He noted that historically 33%-37% of the participants in the program were Los Altos Hills' youth and that 63% of the games and practices were held on Los Altos fields. Rock offered that the infrastructure improvements to correct drainage issues would be a cost saving measure in maintaining the fields in the future. Steven Wang, Vindedo Lane, spoke in favor of the project. He offered that the Little League program offered a sense of community and opportunity for residents to meet their neighbors given the distance between properties. His son participated in the program and has had a positive experience. Steve Wang (son), Little League participant (youth), commented on his positive experiences as a player. He has met a lot of friends and his team has won a lot of games. Bob Sandor, Alta Tierra Road, father of Little League players and Little League board member addressed council. He supported the Little League improvements and commented on the importance of the Fields as a play area and asset to the community and encouraged the Council to approve funding for the project. Danny Wittenauer, Canario Way, Little League participant (youth), stated that he loved the LA/LAH program and playing baseball. He hoped Council would make the necessary repairs to the fields because they were often very wet after a rain. Michael Sandor,Alta Tierra Road, Little League participant(youth), spoke of his love of baseball and his ability to bike to the fields to play. He supported the project. Resident, father of a Little League participant, supported funding of the improvement project voicing his concerns for safety at the fields and the drainage problems that often compromised the games. Resident, Alicante Lane, stated that he was a Little League coach and had two sons who participated in the program. He applauded the Council's proposal and spoke to the need for safety and drainage infrastructure improvements at the site. He offered that the fields were the largest gathering site in Town for residents and-.their families. John Harney, Foothill Lane, spoke in favor of the project but expressed his concern that the improvements could be increased usage. He wanted assurance that the fields would be kept for a baseball facility noting the difficulty of maintaining the fields when they were used for a soccer program. Steve Grimes, Elena Road, resident since 1959, spoke in favor of the improvement project. He commented that he had played Little League at the Pusissima fields, his sons had participated in the program and he had been a coach. Grimes offered that improvements to the facility were long overdue. As a contractor specializing in drainage issues, he understood that the solution to the problems at the fields was not a simple fix with quick repairs but required major renovations to address the issues. 8 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes December 13,2007 Public, volunteer Little League concession manager, suggested that the snack shack was the central hub for activities at the field and used by bikers, hikers and families. He supported the improvement project at the fields. Resident, Laura Court, thanked the City Council for considering the proposed improvements to the fields and noted the importance of resolving the safety issues at the site. He believed that it was important for the Los Altos Hills to share the fields with other communities and offered that it helped build friendships with residents of Los Altos to develop a community between the neighboring cities. He supported the expansion of use at the site and the addition of the sport court. Resident, father of Little League players and coach, offered that the Purissima facility was the nicest natural facility of the surrounding communities but had the worst infrastructure. He supported the improvements noting that the safety issues needed to be resolved. Jolon Wagner, Pathways Committee, expressed her concern that the improvements would mean the loss of a pathway and suggested that for safety reasons, paths should be available on both sides of the road. Marlin Miller, Taaffe Road, supported the project and offered that with a son in the program he better understood the value of the Little League program. He suggested that the fields were a community asset, owned by the Town and any investment in the fields would be a benefit to the residents. Miller added that there was no guarantee with any investment with the school district. Jim Abraham, Viscaino Road, supported the proposed project and commented that improvements to the facility were overdue. He considered the fields a community asset and noted that it was the only area for the Town's kids to enjoy sports and recreation. He recommended that the design harvest more parking spaces near the Town riding ring. Abraham spoke to the Pilot Undergrounding Project that would be completed within a year and he believed that the area with the additional improvements would be a beautiful site. He suggested Council employ a formula to determine the percentage of the overall budget for the different projects under consideration. The formula suggested was hours of use "times" Los.Altos Hills residents and-noted that, a quid pro quo should also be considered in conjunction with use because Town's children also play on Los Altos fields. Fred Gallagher, Golden Hills Court, encouraged the Council to remember that the majority of Little League players were boys and that girls also need recreational facilities. Youth, stated that he played baseball, soccer and rode horses. He felt the fields were soggy and thanked the Council for considering the improvements to fix the condition. Chris Vargas, Templeton Place, supported funding for the field renovation. He spoke to the prior improvements at the Town ring that had expanded the use of the area and suggested that the proposed sport court would expand the usage even further. Vargas added that it would be beneficial to have a better understanding of the scheduling of programs at the fields. 9 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes December 13,2007 i Ben Gikis, Parks and Recreation Committee, offered that girls were encouraged to play baseball and he had two girl players on his winning team. Toni Casey, Ravensbury Avenue, "dittoed"the comments of the previous speakers. Player Agent-Los Altos Little League, resident Los Altos, offered that the fields' infrastructure was in need of improvements. He suggested that in addition to the proposal before Council, a road sign alerting drivers to children in the area be located prior to the corporation yard. Resident, Cantata Way, spoke to his experience of coaching a team the last two seasons. He reiterated the importance of the proposed fencing that would address the safety issues at the facility. He added that the Little League program was an important part of community life in Los Altos Hills and a great way to meet your neighbors and residents. He suggested that the improvements would be a benefit to future generations of users. CLOSED PUBLIC HEARING Council discussion: Councilmember Warshawsky voiced his support for the proposal. He thanked the speakers for their input and Mayor Jones for taking the initiative to review recreation issues and include the Purissima fields in the process. Councilmember O'Malley supported the project and commented that improvements to the fields were long overdue. He suggested that Council approve an expenditure of $1,000,000 and to challenge the Little League to raise $150,000 to $200,000 given their very strong and active membership. Councilmember Kerr offered that the proposal was a great project and he encouraged the Council to move forward. He did not foresee any impediments to the project and suggested that it had been well thought-out. Kerr asked that staff review the pathway issue that had been brought to Council's attention during the public hearing and if only one pathway was feasible that it be wide enough for both horses and pedestrians to navigate. Additionally, he wanted to see more parking area near the Town riding ring and modest improvements of water and shade in the area. Vice Mayor Mordo concurred with the Council's comments and expressed his support for the project. He noted that the area was the best and most suitable area in Town for recreation given its flat topography, easy access and location: Mordo suggested that he would like to see the addition of a bathroom facility at the south end of the site for users of the Town ring and players on the outer field and additional parking spaces. Mordo commented that a majority of the children that use the fields were from Los Altos and the Town was not going to request the City to pay their proportionate share of the improvements. He added that he was fine with the Town not requesting that they participate in the funding but was making the statement because later, on the agenda, was �I a request from Los Altos for the Town to participate in a swimming pool project and"pay 10 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes December 13,2007 our fair share". Mordo suggested that there was an issue of symmetry with the proposal and offered that later in the meeting he would propose an approach that a broader • agreement with the City of Los Altos be considered to make all recreational facilities available with the same priority and same costs for residents of both the City and Town. This agreement might make participation in the swimming pool project more acceptable because the costs being proposed were substantial. Mordo expressed his support for adding additional park improvements to the site while maintaining the four fields, noting that residents had listed a park as their first choice for a recreation asset. Councilmember Kerr explained that the Ad Hoc Committee had reviewed the issue raised by Mordo but had decided that it was primarily a baseball facility with the enhancements included in the proposal. He added that if the Little League wished to raise funds for improvements, there were numerous opportunities. The proposal had only focused on items identified as first priorities but there was a list of additional enhancements that could be added. Mayor Jones offered his opinion that the Town had two "crown jewels" of recreation facilities. Byrne Park which was retained in its natural state with light use by pedestrians and equestrians and the Purissima Little League fields that had been used by residents for over fifty years and supported heavy use. Jones noted that the fields had been built and basically maintained by volunteers with some participation by the Town and improvements were long overdue. The improvements being considered were not • investments in baseball enhancements but specifically addressed issues of safety, parking, public restrooms, better irrigation to improve water needs and associated costs, and drainage to minimize the cost for maintenance. Additionally, the proposal included some park like features for the site. He had been assured by the Little League that they would fund raise for any additional baseball enhancements and Jones considered the proposal before Council the Town's appropriate contribution for improvements to the fields for the greater community. MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED: Moved by Kerr, seconded by Mordo and passed unanimously to approve a budget of$1,200,000 for the project as proposed with the suggested time frame of 2008. Mayor Jones with consensus from the Council re-ordered the agenda to accommodate the children in the audience that wished to comment on agenda item 10E Westwind Community Barn. 10E Westwind Community Barn Councilmember Warshaswky recused himself from discussion of the item due to a potential conflict of interest and stepped down from the dais. Councilmember Kerr introduced the item. He offered that the facility had been a focus of • attention for the past several years and thanked Vice Mayor Mordo for his efforts in. 11 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes December 13,2007 resolving many of the issues at the Barn. Kerr was of the opinion that with the new agreement the Town currently had better control over the asset. • Kerr reviewed the user profile of the facility and programs. Similar to the Little League fields, approximately one third of the total paid usage was by Los Altos Hills residents. Additionally, the facility was used for numerous public events that served the Los Altos Hills community. Kerr provided an overview of the Barn's profile. The facility was built in three stages: 1940, 1960 and 1971. Town became the owner in 1975. The facility has a ground floor of approximately 20,000 square feet, 20,000 square foot loft and 34 stalls. Approximately 60 horses are on-site between boarding at the Barn and in the pasture of Byrne Preserve. Barn sits on 14.96 acres. Kerr noted that one of the primary reasons he had chosen to run for Council in 2002 was to ensure the preservation of the Town's unique asset. Kerr introduced Architect John Miller who had been engaged jointly by the Town and Supporters of Westwind Community Barn for the project. Kerr advised that Miller had just concluded an extensive field investigation of the facility. Miller provided an overview of the proposed construction program that included: improvements to the seismic strength and electrical system; connection to the sanitary sewer system, addition of a meeting room/classroom; upgrade of the office and addition of storage space. Additionally, the plan called for an on-site residence to accommodate is the need for 24-hour supervision of the stables and ADA accessible restrooms. Both of which were currently not available in the facility. The goal of the project was to provide a structurally safe building that was code compliant with regards to handicapped accessibility and support the programs and mission of the facility. Millers investigation of the Barn had been very thorough. Radar had been used on the g rY � concrete walls to assess the steel that had been used and the foundation had been evaluated with borings and holes had been dug for soils review. Miller commented that the investigation had given them a clear understanding of the current construction. The building had been constructed in three phases and was basically two or three different structural systems. The south and east wings were relatively good with regards to seismic standards in comparison to the north wing. The concrete masonry walls in the north wing were not as strong as they should be. Additionally, in assessing the building, Miller had determined that the electrical system was old and needed to be upgraded with the inclusion of a fire alarm. Miller reviewed the schematic designs for improvements at Westwind Barn. They included: 1) Option 6-Proposal to improvements in the north wing-first floor provided base operations in a safe building with handicapped accessible restrooms, meeting room/classroom, office and tack room. Miller spoke to the efficiency of doing the new • construction in the area which needed the most work and considered Option 6 the "base construction program".No on-site residence was proposed. Cost estimate $1.760 million; 12 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes December 13,2007 2) Option 7-Proposal for improvements to the north wing-included the construction of a manager's residence and bunk room on the second floor in addition to the improvements identified in Option 6. Residence was located above the office and not above the horse stalls. Option would fulfill all of the barns needs in a safe building. Because the proposal called for a residence and created a change of occupancy in the design, the seismic upgrade would be beyond the seismic upgrade in Option 6. Cost estimate $2.250 million; 3) Option 5-Proposal extended the east wing towards Byrne Preserve and included a new addition that would accommodate the community room, office and handicapped accessible bathrooms with the living quarters on the second floor. Miller offered that Option 5 was the most extensive program presented but offered more options for non- equestrian users of the facility and additionally fulfilled all of the barns needs. Cost estimate $2.8 million. Miller explained that the buildings would be brought up to a code standard referred to as "collapse prevention". This would make the barn seismically able to withstand the "500 year earthquake" standard and was an acceptable code for rehabilitation work that was being done voluntarily. Councilmember Mordo questioned if a residence could be added to Option 6 at a later date. Miller explained that it would not be cost effective unless you determined at this phase that the residence would be added in the future and made the necessary seismic improvements in the initial construction phase. • OPENED PUBLIC HEARING Tara Swan, youth-resident, member of the Los Altos Hills Pacific Ridge Pony Club, thanked the City Council for hearing the item early so she and other members of her club could go home and do their homework. Swan explained that the Pony Club was based at Westwind and had 28 members with 18 members residing in Los Altos Hills. She supported the proposed improvements to the facility and loved the Barn. Her group had contributedto the improvements to the lower ring. Swan encouraged the Council to support Westwind Barn and riding. Shai Baharau, youth-resident, member of the Los Altos Hills Pacific Ridge Pony Club hoped the Council would support Westwind Barn because it was a great community barn. She had made a lot of friends and it was a very friendly environment. Margaret Mok, resident, spoke to her daughters' participation in the Pony Club. She noted that she had no equestrian roots but appreciated the historical value of Westwind Barn and believed it was important to pass on the tradition of riding that was available to community members. Mok offered that the Barn was a community asset, open to the public and encouraged the Council to support restoration of the Town's "crown jewel". Maya Nagaraj, youth-resident, member of the Los Altos Hills Pacific Ridge Pony Club, had only been a member of the Club for six months but loved riding and the beautiful • 13 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes December 13,2007 Barn. She hoped the Council would spend money to improve the restrooms and add lighting to the arena. Youth-resident, commented on her volunteer involvement in the 4-H riding program. She believed that the Barn upkeep was very important to ensure that all of the programs functioned properly. She spoke to the humanitarian benefits realized from restoring the historical facility. Youth-resident, commented that he had ridden at the Barn for a short period of time and has developed a keen love of horses, riding and the barn and made many new friends. He supported improvements at the Barn. Savanna Swan, youth-resident, spoke to her love of the Barn and supported restoration of the facility. Jane Kawasaki, Pony Club District Commissioner, offered that there were many similarities between the Barn and Little League. Neighbors meet each other at the facility; residents make friends with other community residents; there is a volunteer base of parents supporting the Barn and programs; and, riding teaches responsibility. Kawasaki added that riding was a wonderful sport for girls. Yuval Baharau, youth-resident, member of the Los Altos Hills Pacific Ridge Pony Club, noted that her family boarded two horses at Westwind and she loved the Barn and hoped the Council would make improvements to the Barn's restrooms, horse stalls, and add lighting to the arena. Kathy Evans, La Loma Drive, commented on the numerous public events held at the Barn. They included: the Halloween Horse Show, Horse Play Day with 4-H, Earth Day Celebration, Doggy Easter Biscuit Hunt, Pathways Run, educational riding clinics, staff picnic, Hoe-Down Barbeque and the Holiday Barn lighting. The events were all open to the public. Evans suggested that the Barn was the Town's Parks and Recreation facility open year round for programs and a worthwhile recipient of funding for improvements. She encouraged the Council to commit funding to restore the Barn beyond just new restrooms. Noam Baharau, youth-resident, encouraged the Council to invest in the Barn. She has made many new friends at the barn and loved riding. Nancy Couperus, Page Mill Road, stated that she had five key points that she would like to make regarding Westwind Barn. Couperus offered that: 1) Westwind was a "town treasure" and a signature landmark that defines the Town's rural heritage and equestrian culture; 2) that an assertion had been made that the Town's Recreation Survey did not show much support for Westwind, however, Couperus believed this was misleading adding that the purpose of the survey was to discover recreational needs that were not currently met; 3)the 2002 Open Space Initiative was signed by many who gave Westwind Barn as their reason for supporting the petition; 4) participation of residents and non- residents was a benefit to both Westwind and the Little League; 5) Westwind 4-H Riding Program for Handicapped had served Los Altos Hills' children both in the past and 14 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes December 13,2007 currently attracted volunteer youth from the community. In conclusion, Couperus reiterated that Westwind Barn was a Town-owned property and a community asset that should be preserved. Eric Clow, Friends of Westwind Board Member, congratulated the City Council for their efforts to make the Barn a facility that was more aligned with the needs of the community. Clow voiced his support for the restoration project and offered that the Barn was a public facility with a friendly environment that benefited from volunteer input. Peter Evans resident suggested that when the Council deliberated on the funding for the > gg g project they should not think about horses but consider the facility as a recreational asset that served the entire Town. Evans referenced the many events and programs that were hosted at the Barn and attended b a wide variety of individuals. Evans spoke to the Y tY p recent governance changes that he equated to the Town now having the ability to support the Town's uses and programs at the facility. He suggested that the new riding programs at the Barn were a great success story and a way for the community to be introduced to horses without owning or leasing a horse. Jitze Couperus, Page Mill Road, offered that the Barn was of great value to the community. It provided an opportunity for students of the community and surrounding cities to fulfill their community service obligations by working with the horses and children of the 4-H Handicapped Riding Program. Often the experience for the youth was immeasurable. • Linda Swan, Burke Road, concurred with the statements that Westwind Barn was one of the crown jewels of Los Altos Hills. She noted that the Little League fields were used primarily by the boys and suggested that the recreational needs of girls were being meet by the riding programs at Westwind. Swan encouraged the Council to support the Barn with the same funding as the Little League. Zsuzsanna Molnar, resident, commented that Westwind Barn was a great asset and she was pleased that the Parks and Recreation Department had 'created such a strong riding program at the Barn and extended kudos to Jane Kawasaki. She encouraged the Council to maintain the Barn noting that it was a great place for community events. John Swan, resident, commented that he wished to make three points: 1) the Town was not faced with a scarcity model and did not have to make decisions to fund one project over another and thanked the Council for listening to the community's input on the options; 2) the Barn was the last vestige of the strong agricultural roots of Town and it was important to maintain it for future generations; and, 3) he believed it was important to resolve how the Town's money was going to be spent and if the funds were spent wisely it would set the stage for decades to come. Toni Casey, Ravensbury Avenue, commented that she had moved to Los Altos Hills to be able to own a horse. She rode horses both as a child and as an adult and offered that it was a sport enjoyed by both boys and girls. Casey noted that the recent survey results had identified that only 2% of the residents had an interest in equestrian facilities. These findings were similar to the results of prior Town surveys that had showed little demand 15 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes December 13,2007 i for equestrian activities. She added that residents had not been asked if they were interested in the Town spending funds in any amount, not $1.2 million or $2.4 million for a new Barn. Casey supported the Barn but did not support any public funds being spent on the facility and added that the comparison between the Little League and Westwind were not viable. The Little League had many more resident participants than the few that participated in the programs at the Barn and added that she believed the riding programs should be self-supporting and not subsidized by public funds. Jim Abraham, Viscaino Road, concurred with the statements made by Toni Casey and added that the suggestion that girls were not afforded the same access to sports as boys was not valid. His daughter had played Little League for three years and had been given an important position on the team, not delegated to the outfield. Abraham did not support spending public funds on the facility, especially in the substantial amounts being considered and thought the idea of spending the Town's money on a facility that was already costing money was outrageous. Abraham added that very few residents spend time at the Barn and suggested that the money be spent on a recreation program that would have a more broad base support. Nick Dunkel, Cortez Lane, noted that his comments were as a neighbor of the Barn. He suggested that the Barn was a fantastic place and he often took his guests, friends and grandchildren to visit the Barn. Dunkel offered that he disagreed with the former speakers and did believe the Barn and Little League had many similarities. He considered both major assets to the community; both had roughly the same percentage of residents .using the facilities, significant number of children participated in both programs, both • were built around the same time and require maintenance; and, both have safety issues. Dunkel noted that the Town owned the Barn and encouraged the Council to be as generous with the funding for the Barn as they had been with the Little League fields. Jolon Wagner, Robleda Court, stated that the Stanford Barn and Folger Barn were being renovated. She commented on the benefits of riding and added that it was a sport enjoyed by both girls and boys. Wagner added that there were very few. old Barns left and encouraged the Council to support the facility. Ulli Sharma, La Rena Lane, Boarder at.Westwind, and President of Friends of Westwind, addressed Council. Her two daughters both ride at Westwind. She offered that Westwind was a warm, friendly, open, welcoming community place. Sharma suggested that the Barn was more than a crown jewel; it served as a symbol of the community and was an important part of the Town's identity. John Harpootlian, Anacapa Drive, noted that his comments would not speak for or against funding at the Barn but wanted to read into the record an excerpt from a letter that had been written by Ulli Sharma. ..."Furthermore, you have disclosed information about these proceedings to the Councilmembers of the Town of Los Altos Hills in writing. Additionally, you have personally appeared at the Los Altos Hills Town Council meeting on January 11, 2007 to complain about Friends of Westwind Inc. Such behavior is unacceptable for a member of our organization and can result in expulsion from our • organization." 16 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes December 13,2007 Bob Stutz,Elena Road, stated that the Barn was becoming more open and available to the entire community. • CLOSED PUBLIC HEARING Council discussion: Councilmember Kerr thanked the youth and members of the public for their comments. He suggested that the Council, when considering the project, remember the architect's words-"collapse prevention". Kerr stated that it would be difficult to imagine the Town without Westwind Barn and if Council concurred, they were compelled to begin fixing it. He proposed that the recent investigations of the facility had identified what needed to be done over time and suggested that the base option was the fiduciary responsibility of the Town to keep the Barn to a minimum standard. He suggested a possible five year time frame for the proposal. Kerr concurred that fewer people use the Barn in comparison to the Little League fields and that possibly was a factor to be considered in determining the level of funding but he believed it was imperative to resolve the safety and infrastructure issues at the Barn. He suggested that private donations and fundraising could support improvements and renovation work at the Barn beyond the Town's participation. Vice Mayor Mordo commented that he could not imagine Los Altos Hills without Westwind Barn. He clarified that no one has ever stated that $2.8 million or $1.7 million of the Town's funds were going to be spent on the facility. However, he did support a • public/private partnership to raise the necessary funds, with some participation by the Town. Mordo suggested that he would be comfortable with $1 million of public funds or approximately one third of the necessary funding for the improvements with the remainder from matching private donations. Councilmember O'Malley stated that his involvement at Westwind had extended over twenty years and noted that the Barn had always been a friendly place. The percentage of residents to nonresidents using the facility had remained consistent over time. O'Malley added that the Barn was not a historic structure but a building that needed repairs. He suggested that a million dollars was too much but he could support the Town funding approximately $300,000 to $400,000 with additional funding from the Supporters. O'Malley preferred to raze the Barn and put up a smaller new facility for the cost of the options. He expected the construction costs for the project to escalate. Mayor Jones commented that the previous perception held by residents was that Westwind Barn was being run by a private club with a majority of the board membership comprised of nonresidents with the Town having little control over its own facility. He offered that the issue of governance had been resolved with the new Operating Agreement and the reality was that the Barn was now more accessible to the general public. There had been an increase in Town events at the Barn and the Parks and Recreation programs at the facility had expanded. He suggested that in considering expenditures, he was of the opinion that it was important to focus on what the Town "has" and that included horseback riding. Jones spoke to the value of having both a • staging area at the Barn and nearby pathways for equestrians to enjoy. 17 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes December 13,2007 Jones added that the dilemma with the proposal was that it was very expensive and most likely would increase. He was sensitive to resolving the safety issue and felt it was important. As the owners of the property, there was a fiduciary responsibility to address the problem. Jones explained that the Supporters had requested a plan that they could use for fundraising purposes. He suggested that Option 6 could be the basis for the renovation program and should be endorsed by Council. Jones supported Council funding the cost of the structural repairs the north wing for "collapse prevention" in the amount of $420,000 and to work with the Supporters to fundraise the remainder of the $1.76 million or reasonable facsimile. Vice Mayor Mordo reminded Council that the architect had advised that the manager's quarters could not be added cost effectively to Option 6 and recommended that additional funding of $110,000 be considered to allow the second story lodging to be added at a different date. Councilmember Kerr explained that the proposal before Council was to remove the current north wing and build a new restored north wing. Option 6 as the base option would address the collapse prevention work on the Barn in the most economical way, add bathrooms and address some infrastructure issues. The construction program for Option 6 called out what had to be done to the facility and offered a clear strategy. He suggested that the Supporters be approached for a 1:1 match of donated-private funds with a commitment from the Town of up to $880,000 for the projects cost of $1.76 million. • Additional enhancements could be funded by private donations. Vice Mayor Mordo suggested that the Town consider committing to a ratio for matching funds to enable the fundraising to have an upside potential and leverage of the Town's funds. City Attorney Steve Mattas clarified that approval of an expenditure of funds and providing direction required a majority vote-three affirmative votes. Councilmember O'Malley questioned if- mernbers of. the Supporters of Westwind Barn Community Bawished to comment on the proposal since their participation was under discussion. Jeanne Seeley, President of Supporters, stated that she was joined in the audience by four other members. She commented that they were very interested in the project and had been silent because they were listening and attempting to assess the level of commitment by Council. Seeley believed they could not successfully raise any funds without a plan and most likely could not raise any substantial funds without participation from the Town. She stated that they would like the opportunity to take the plan (Option 6) with a commitment from the Town and develop a capital campaign to raise enough funds to, at a minimum, support Option 6. Seeley clarified that the only role of the Supporters was to bring private money in to supplement the Town's funding to restore the Barn to a state • that it will continue to be an asset for the community. 18 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes December 13,2007 Vice Mayor Mordo suggested that the Westwind Community Barn Committee should have the opportunity to review the Options and approve the proposal. He spoke to his concern that with Option 6 the on-site residence could not be added later and suggested that the Council's vote should only be in principle and the construction program decided at a later date. Seeley stated that the most important component of the campaign was to have a plan in place. Once they moved forward with the campaign, they would be able to better assess the appetite and the level of donations. She was hopeful that the campaign could generate enough funding for a full restoration to eliminate the.need to revisit the issue. in another five years. MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED: Moved by Kerr, seconded by Mordo and passed by the following voice vote for the Town to resolve to restore Westwind Barn and establish a process for the Town to match private donations 1:1 with public funding up to $880,000 with the expressed purpose of performing the collapse prevention and infrastructure improvements to the Barn. At the conclusion of the fundraising campaign, when the level of private funding was determined,the building options would be returned for Council's consideration and approval. The Town would manage the construction project. AYES: Vice Mayor Mordo, Councilmember Kerr and Councilmember O'Malley NOES: Mayor Jones ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: Councilmember Warshawsky Council Recess: 10:15 p.m. Council Reconvened to Open Meeting: 10:20 p.m. 10C Pathways Capital Improvement Projects Interim City Engineer Cyrus Kianpour introduced the item to Council. The Standing Pathways Committee had identified six key routes for pathways projects that would improve pedestrian circulation in and around Town. Kianpour proceeded with a PowerPoint presentation that included aerial maps of each route with construction comments for the projects and estimated costs. The Town had easements for the proposed projects with the exception of one project which staff was currentlyreviewing to assess the status of easements. Kianpour reviewed the cost factors g for the pathways including the costs per linear foot and noted that 20% for the 0 preliminary design contingency and 20% for soft costs had been included in the estimates. Kianpour considered the construction of most of the projects difficult,adding that they were not easily accessible and adjacent to roadways. He offered that the proposed paths would be constructed of composition granite and were three feet wide. Projects included: 1) Old Altos Triangle path, 2) Taaffe pathway, 3) Oak Knoll pathway, 4) Buena Vista pathway, 5) Zappetini pathway; and 6) La Barranca pathway. Criteria that had been used by the Committee to determine a ranking of the proposals included: safety, 19 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes December 13,2007 connectivity/gap closure, availability of right of ways and available outside source of funding. The number one pathway in ranking, using the criteria described, was the Old Altos Triangle pathway. Ginger Summit, Pathways Committee Chair, commented that there had been much discussion during the course of the evening's project review process of who benefited from the different proposals and she wanted to advise Council that the pathways throughout the Town served everyone in the community and the pathway system was one of the trademarks of the Town. Summit reviewed the logic behind the Committees prioritization and identification of the pathway projects: 1) The Old Altos Triangle had been selected-as their .first choice because it was the entrance to the Town, heavily used, had safety issues.that needed to be addressed and the project could take advantage of the Fremont Road resurfacing project as a cost saving factor. The Committee suggested a raised path and signage for the path. Project would not require any easements; 2) Taaffe pathway offered connectivity to the very heavily used off-road path that goes from Elena to Black Mountain. Summit offered that the path would be easily accessible and provide several walking options. Summit referenced the cost estimates for the paths under discussion and suggested that the off-road paths be kept"native"which would be consistent with other off-road paths in Town and not constructed with the suggested crushed granite composition. Mayor Jones elucidated that the Ad Hoc Recreation Committee's expenditure recommendation for pathway capital improvement projects was $500,000. Cost of projects 1, 2, and 3 was cost approximately $627,000. OPENED PUBLIC HEARING Scott Vanderlip, Fremont Pines Lane, commented that the Taaffe path was one of his favorites- very pristine and a "gem". He supported funding for the pathway projects and concurred with the recommendation for native paths. He did not expect retaining walls to be required for the construction. Vanderlip suggested that staff use the Trail Center in Mountain View as a resource. Nick Dunkel, Cortez Lane, stated that he had walked most of the recommended pathways projects and supported funding the proposal. He believed that when the construction process was more thoroughly researched,the costs would be substantially reduced. Carol Gottlieb, Summerhill Avenue, commented that the Taaffe pathway would be a wonderful edition to the system and would provide a long segment that was very pristine. She concurred that the Trail Center was a great resource. 20 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes December 13,2007 Chris Vargas, Templeton Place, member of the Pathways Committee, explained that an additional criteria used by the Committee in reviewing the projects was "impact". All of • the projects being discussed would enhance the system and would provide a high impact statement. He suggested that the Council consider how many projects they wanted to endorse rather than the dollars and offered that it might be possible to handle projects in parallel. Bob Stutz, Elena Road, stated that historically the paths and path bridges had been constructed by Town volunteers. Eric Clow, Central Drive, recommended pathways 4 and 5. He suggested that the paths be native-wilderness paths without retaining walls and crushed granite. Clow added that the native construction should reduce construction costs. Ray Collins, Elena Road, stated that she had led trail walks throughout Town that had been enjoyed by over 100 participants. She supported construction of the Taaffe pathway adding that it was a loop favored by many. Toni Casey, Ravensbury Avenue, commented that she agreed with the speakers that had recommended native trails. She was very happy that paths in the southern end of Town were being considered and considered the Town's pathways system a treasure. Casey questioned if the neighbors of the proposed paths had been notified? She recommended that they be notified. She suggested that the Council approve the funding but determine which pathway projects were funded at a future meeting after the neighbors were notified. • Peter Evans, resident, supported funding of the pathways and favored the native path construction. He suggested that when the Town had an easement,they should be used. CLOSED PUBLIC HEARING Council discussion: Councilmember O'Malley, Pathways Committee Council Liaison, supported funding for the pathways capital improvement projects. He offered that the Pathways Committee had developed a good list of projects and options and concurred with their top three choices. He suggested that Council approve a budget for projects #1-3 and if any of the proposals were not feasible,they be replaced by project#4. Vice Mayor Mordo, commented that as a member of the Finance Committee, he wanted to advise Council that they had already appropriated $2.1 million dollars which would leave approximately $900,000 for funding of the remaining projects. He offered that he realized the approved expenditure would be over a period of time and did include matching dollars but as deference to those waiting in the audience from Los Altos to present their project, Council consider hearing their proposal before making a determination on the amount of funding for pathways. He offered that once Council heard their proposals, they might decide not to participate in the pool project but not having any funds left would pre-empt the discussion. If Council should chose to make an • appropriation for pathways it should be limited to 1 or 2 projects to have funds left for the pool discussion. 21 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes December 13,2007 Councilmember Kerr suggested that Council should review construction proposals for the • identified projects and determine which they would like to construct in 2008 and 2009. Kerr suggested that Council consider committing to pathways #1 and #2 for next year with a budget not to exceed$355,000 and resolve to build two additional paths in 2009. Councilmember Warshawsky supported funding of the pathways projects and congratulated the Committee on developing a great list of proposed pathways. He suggested that if the Committee was able to reduce the cost of the paths, that paths #1-3 be constructed for a not to exceed amount of$500,000. Mayor Jones offered that he did not believe Council's approval'of funding of the paths would have any influence on the consideration of the pool project. The projects approved were multi-year projects and the pool project could be supported if the Council and residents wished to participate. MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED: Moved by Kerr, seconded by O'Malley and passed unanimously to commit to building pathways #1 Old Altos Triangle pathway and #2 Taaffe pathway as presented in the staff report in 2008 for a not-to-exceed amount of $355,000. 1 O Los Altos CopjpLuni �y Pool John Day,Executive Director, Los Altos Community Pool Foundation addressed Council. • The Foundation was a joint collaboration with the City of Los Altos for the construction and development of a community pool to serve the area. He offered that communities of Los Altos and Los Altos Hills with a population of approximately 35,000 were the only communities in the vicinity without a public pool. Day introduced Los Altos Mayor Carpenter and Councilmember Casas. Day proceeded with a PowerPoint presentation that provided an overview of the project. The conceptual design had been approved by the Los Altos City Council and was scheduled to be built on Rosita Avenue behind Covington School. The City Council had a model of the project before them that included two elements - a children's/family play water area and a pool. The pool would be owned by the City of Los Altos and operated as an element of the Los Altos recreation department. The estimated cost for the project was $8 million. Day spoke to the reasons that people want a community pool that included swim lessons,pool safety,youth activities and adult swimming. Day deferred to Los Altos Mayor Val Carpenter for the remainder of the presentation. Carpenter stated that she and Councilmember Casas were before Council as members of the Los Altos City Council Community Pool Committee. Carpenter spoke to the importance of the Town partnering with the City to provide a community resource that would benefit the residents of both communities. She encouraged the Council to make a substantial financial commitment to enable the project to move forward and provide a • community resource that the Los Altos Hills residents have clearly stated they wanted. 22 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes December 13,2007 Councilmember Kerr questioned why the Town should participate in the endeavor and what the realized benefits would be? Carpenter offered that with the Town's leadership • and financial support, the project would be more viable. With the partnership, the Committee would propose that the residents of Los Altos Hills have equal access to the pool and the same fee structure as City residents. Vice Mayor Mordo suggested that for the proposed partnership to be viable, it should extend to all recreation assets and suggested that the Town and Los Altos explore a broader agreement that would provide equal access for residents of both communities to all recreational amenities. Facilities within their respective jurisdictions would be maintained by each of the entities and the management of the programs would not be affected; however, access would be equal regardless of the residency. Within this context, Mordo commented that he could support a financial commitment to the pool. Mayor Jones commented that Vice Mayor Mordo's concept was a very creative idea. He opened the public comments advising the audience that their comments should be relative to the swimming pool and the Town's consideration of financial support. OPENED PUBLIC COMMENT Eric Clow, Central Drive, supported Vice Mayor Mordo's proposal. Toni Casey, Ravensbury Avenue, commented that she swam at Covington pool when it was open and her children took swimming lessons at the site. Los Altos Hills residents • paid a fee to swim and there had never been a problem with access. She expressed her concern that the Town would not have any control over the pool. Casey offered that she was never able to enroll her children in any of the Los Altos recreation programs as a nonresident and suggested that the Council not move forward on the pool until the proposal for equal access to all recreation was approved by the Los Altos City Council. She referenced the survey and reminded the previous speaker that there had not been an overwhelming call from Town residents for aquatic facilities. The response had been 158 residents. Marlin Miller, Taaffe Road, wished the pool sponsors success but commented that he did not support any expenditure of Town funds for the project. He suggested there were numerous other swimming venues in the area and the proposed pool was very small and questioned the potential use by Town residents. Shari Emling, resident, concurred with comments made by Miller and added that the pool at Foothill College was an additional venue open to Town residents. She supported Town funds being spent on Town projects and added that she did like the concept broached by Vice Mayor Mordo. Kathy Evans, resident, commented that she was a swim parent and preferred the Town engaging in an agreement with Fremont Hills or Foothill College for pool access. She believed the Town would have better control with her suggested options. i 23 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes December 13,2007 Resident, DuVal Way supported an agreement with Foothill College for access to the pool. She supported the Town participating in the LA pool if no agreement could be made with the College. She offered that she supported community pools for environmental reasons. Resident, Elena Road, stated that he supported funding for the other recreation projects that had been considered by the Council, however, did not support funding of-the pool. He believed that it was important for the Town to have a "sense of place" and suggested that Council consider building a pool in Town. Kamrin Knight Desmond, Los Altos/Los Altos Hills Chamber Chair, member Los Altos Community Pool Foundation, offered that she viewed the project as an opportunity for the Town and City to expand their relationship. The pool would bring a strong sense of community and build a bridge between the two entities. She thanked the Council for their consideration. David Casas, Councilmember, Los Altos offered that the pool would be built with or without the Town's participation. He understood the trade-off that the Council was faced with regarding funding limitations for the proposals under consideration. Casas thanked the Council for the opportunity to speak and rioted that it would be great to have them participate in the proposal and extended an invitation for them to "come to the table" to discuss additional opportunities. Fred Gallagher, Golden Hill Court, suggested that the Council thank the Los Altos • officials for attending the meeting and presenting the project and then politely decline the invitation of participation in the pool. He requested further examination of Vice Mayor Mordo's proposal for equal access to recreation facilities before any financial commitment was made by the Council. John Swan, resident, noted that he was initially opposed to financial participation in the pool however, with the proposal tendered by Vice Mayor Mordo, he suggested that he would reconsider his position if there was open access between the two communities. CLOSED PUBLIC HEARING Mayor Jones commented that he supported the concept of a public community pool. The Ad Hoc Parks and Recreation Committee had recommended Council _consider an expenditure of $300,000 for the pool and given the cost estimates in the presentation, Jones suggested that this most likely was not the pro-rata contribution expected from the City and Community Pool Foundation. Jones added that he did not believe there was a viable proposal for the Council to consider at this time. He suggested that Council voice their interest in further investigation of the proposal and the Town's participation. Additionally, Council could comment on Vice Mayor Mordo's proposal. Vice Mayor Mordo commented that he was passionate about Los Altos Hills. He also enjoyed many of the amenities of Los Altos and believed the two communities were • complimentary. He noted that many of his nonprofit organizations, service organizations, restaurants, and community theatre were located in Los Altos. Mordo suggested that the 24 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes December 13,2007 i City Council authorize him and a fellow council colleague to open discussions with the City Council of Los Altos for a broader agreement. Once that was realized and equal access to recreational opportunities was a reality, funding of the pool could be reconsidered within that context. Councilmember Warshawsky commented that the proposal before the Council was consideration of the Town's participation in the community pool. He thanked the Los Altos Councilmembers for their attendance at the meeting and comments. Warshawsky believed that for a contribution towards the project, the Town should have certain assurances. He offered that if more financial participation were expected from the Town, it would have been helpful to have been included in the early discussions and project planning stage. Warshawsky was amenable to some level of financial participation. Councilmember O'Malley noted that he was comfortable with approving some investment with the pool. He supported Vice Mayor Mordo moving forward with his proposal and then returning to the Council with a more specific plan. O'Malley added that he looked forward to working cooperatively on a project with the City of Los Altos. Councilmember Kerr explained that the Ad Hoc Committee had discussed the proposal the past few months: He concurred with their recommendation to contribute to the project, primarily because the Town had received the request. However, he did have some reservations about spending funds on an asset in another community without control. Kerr liked the proposal tendered by Mordo and offered that the quid pro quo would offer political justification for the investment. Mayor Jones summarized council comments and offered that the majority of the council supported participation in the community pool but wished to include the project in a broader discussion on recreational assets with the City of Los Altos to be led by Vice Mayor Mordo. 11. Consideration of Resolution Amending the Capital Improvement Budget and Appropriating Funds for Recreation Projects. MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED: Moved by Kerr, seconded by Mordo and passed unanimously to approve Resolution No. 90-07 -"Amending the Capital Improvement Program Budget and Appropriating Funds for Recreation Projects". REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES, SUB-COMMITTEES, AND COUNCILMEMBERS ON OUTSIDE AGENCIES No reports were given. STAFF REPORTS City Manager—None City Attorney—None City Clerk—None 25 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes December 13,2007 ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned by consensus of the City Council at 11:55 p.m. Respectfully submitted, aren��� City Cie Minutes of the December 13, 2007 regular city council meeting were approved as presented at the January 10, 2008 regular city council meeting. 26 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes December 13,2007