ROLL CALL/ CONVENED TO CLOSED SESSION

Chairperson Jim Foran called the regular meeting of the Santa Clara County Open Space Authority (OSA) to order at 6:40 p.m. at the Open Space Authority Administrative Office, 6830 Via del Oro, Ste 200, San Jose, CA.  He directed the Clerk to take Roll Call.

Members Present

A. Kennett, J. Foran, V. Holtz, K. Gill, G. Annable, M. Potter

S. Hall arrived at 7:00 p.m.

Members Excused Absent

None

Staff Present

Patrick Congdon, General Manager

Bill Parkin, Legal Counsel

Lauren Crook, Clerk of the Board

Lark Burkhart, Public Information Specialist

Public Present

Dorsey Moore

Eric Carruthers

Dave Poeschel

Jan Hintermeister

Ken Schreiber

David Zippin

Greg West

RETURN FROM CLOSED SESSION

7:15 P.M.   No reportable actions.

OPEN SESSION

Chairperson Jim Foran called the open session of the regular meeting of the OSA to order at 7:15 p.m.

PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS

J. Foran asked if there were any members of the public who wished to address the Board on a topic not already on the agenda. 

ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA

P. Congdon asked to move Agenda Item #2: Presentation by Ken Schreiber and Board Discussion of Open Space Authority Role in Santa Clara Valley Habitat Plan and make it the first item in Board Business. 

S. Hall moved to adopt the agenda with amendment.  V. Holtz seconded the motion.  The motion passed 7-0.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Minutes of March 27, 2008

A. Kennett moved to approve the minutes of March 27, 2008.  M. Potter seconded the motion.  The motion passed 7-0. 

CONSENT CALENDAR

J. Foran noted that there were no items on the Consent Calendar.

WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS

J. Foran asked the Clerk if there were any written communications. 

L. Crook stated there were no written communications.

NEW BUSINESS

Agenda Item #2: Presentation by Ken Schreiber and Board Discussion of Open Space Authority Role in Santa Clara Valley Habitat Plan

P. Congdon introduced the item stating that Ken Schreiber and David Zippin were in attendance and would be available to answer questions from the Board about the status of the HCP.

K. Schreiber greeted the Board and introduced David Zippin.  He stated he and D. Zippin would answer questions the Board had regarding the HCP.

Board questions and discussion ensued.

S. Hall asked the General Manager to contact East Bay Regional Parks and talk to them about how they came to a decision to be a Permittee.

G. Annable asked that an item be placed on a future agenda to discuss and decide which specific role the Open Space Authority will take within the HCP.

Board discussion with staff continued regarding the type of role the Authority would like to play.

S. Hall asked that the Authority begin discussing the HCP with the other jurisdictions involved.  He asked the General Manager if he had any conversations with the other agencies.

P. Congdon stated he has had a number of conversations with other agencies and management staff of the jurisdictions.

He stated that both he and Open Space Authority legal counsel, Bill Parkin, would give a presentation at the next Board meeting concerning the Open Space Authority’s role as a Permittee and legal status in regards to the HCP.

Agenda Item #1: Presentation of Final Agricultural Lands Survey Results by member(s) of the Open Space Authority Citizen’s Advisory Committee.

D. Moore, chairperson of the CAC, introduced the item and stated that J. Hintermeister, D. Poeschel and E. Carruthers of the CAC would participate in the presentation of the Agriculture Survey report.

J. Foran thanked the CAC for all of their work on the survey and report.

G. Annable asked to have included the number of acres of agriculture land in the report.  She also asked that the importance of relationship building be called out more.

K. Gill thanked the CAC and stated the document provided was very thorough.

Board comments and discussion continued.

V. Holtz asked that the survey be distributed to the agencies who participated in the survey as well as the local park agencies and Santa Clara County LAFCO.

D. Moore asked if the Board would like to receive an update and recommendation of the survey results at a future meeting.

The Board gave consensus that they would like further information and J. Foran stated he looked forward to hearing their recommendations.

INFORMATIONAL REPORTS

CAC Committee Update (from liaisons)

J. Foran stated that there was no report.

Acquisition Committee

J. Foran stated that there was no report.

Use & Management Committee

J. Foran stated that there was no report.

Administration & Budget Committee

J. Foran stated that the Committee met prior to the Board meeting.  He noted that they would be bringing a draft budget to the Board at the next meeting.

Agriculture and Conservation Mitigation Workshop Committee

J. Foran stated that the Committee did not meet.

General Manager’s Report

P. Congdon stated that he attended a program for a school group at Coyote Ridge and Rancho Canada del Oro arranged by T. Rogoway.  He commented that she has done an excellent job of outreach in the urban areas of the Open Space Authority; He noted that new wildlife cameras have been installed on the trails at Rancho Canada del Oro.  He stated that the cameras were being used for trail counts and wildlife observation.

He noted that a volunteer project occurred at the Boccardo trail where students from Silver Creek High School helped remove invasive plants. 

He stated that staff continued to work on the Vilas pond project;  He noted that staff hoped to bring a report to the Board in the next 30 to 45 days recommending acceptance of an agreement to receive 13 acres of mitigation land on Coyote Ridge from PG&E.

He reported that Megan Chamberlin, an Open Space Authority Open Space Technician, would be taking a 6-month leave of absence.  He noted that her position would temporarily be replaced by a Seasonal Open Space Technician.

Legal Counsel Report

William Parkin reported that the California Supreme Court would be hearing arguments on Silicon Valley Taxpayers Assoc. v. OSA on May 6.

Board Member Reports

Kalvin Gill stated he had no report.

Mike Potter stated he had no report.

Virginia Holtz stated she had no report.

Alex Kennett distributed various flyers for the Morgan Hill Earth Day celebration and the Sustainable Business Conference.  He recognized CAC members E. Carruthers and S. McKuhen for attending the Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce meeting.  He also distributed information about AB 2212.

S. Hall stated that his daughter’s second grade class attended one of the OSA’s programs on Coyote Ridge. He commended T. Rogoway for an excellent program.

Garnetta Annable stated she had no report.

Jim Foran stated he was on Coyote Ridge with the California Native Plant Society.

Adjournment

Meeting was adjourned at 9:53 p.m.