08-27-2026 Open Space Agenda Packet

Carter Warr, Chair TOWN OF PORTOLA VALLEY Jackie Magno, Vice Chair Betsy Morgenthaler, Secretary Open Space Committee Special Nona Chiariello, Member Meeting Terry Lee, Member August 27, 2026 Delle Maxwell, Member Gary Nielsen, Member 5:30 p.m. AGENDA SPECIAL MEETING HISTORIC SCHOOLHOUSE– 765 PORTOLA RD. – PORTOLA VALLEY, CA REMOTE MEETING ADVISORY: On March 1, 2023, all committees in Portola Valley will return to conducting in- person meetings. A Zoom link will be provided for members of the public to participate remotely; however, the Town cannot guarantee there will be no technical issues with the software during the meeting. For best public participation results, attending the meeting in-person is advised. ASSISTANCE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please contact the Town Clerk at (650) 851-1700 or by email at towncenter@portolavalley.net. Notification 48 hours prior to the meeting will enable the Town to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this meeting. VIRTUAL PARTICIPATION VIA ZOOM To access the meeting by computer: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89946271431?pwd=mIvaJpPjD76RQo3vrxQRadfYuVksI0.1 Webinar ID: 899 4627 1431 Passcode: 052438 To access the meeting by phone: 1-669-900-6833 or 1-888-788-0099 (toll-free) Mute/Unmute – Press *6 / Raise Hand – Press *9 1. CALL TO ORDER & ROLL CALL 2. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS FOR ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA Speakers' time is limited to three minutes. 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: a. Draft Minutes of April 14, 2026 (see attachments) 4. OLD BUSINESS: 5. NEW BUSINESS: a. Hawthorns Area Plan i. Summary of the Town Council Hawthorns Study Session, August 26, 2026 @ 5:30 pm in the Schoolhouse ii. Open Space Committee’s input going forward Committee review and discussion (see attachments) b. Dorothy Ford Park Update Project status report regarding Dorothy Ford Field Park (3399 Alpine Road). Progress on the planned permanent restrooms, snack shack, and the timeline for utilizing state/grant funding 6. ADJOURNMENT – The next regular scheduled meeting is on September 3, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. ******************************************************************************************************************* Land Acknowledgement: The Town of Portola Valley acknowledges the colonial history of this land we dwell upon—the unceded territory of the Ramaytush (rah-my-toosh) Ohlone, Tamien Nation, and Muwekma (mah-WEK-mah) Ohlone, who endured a human and cultural genocide that included removal from their lands and their sacred relationship to the land. Portola Valley recognizes that we profit from the commodification of land seized from indigenous peoples and now bear the ecological consequences. We seek to understand the impact of these legacies on all beings and to find ways to make repair. Open Space Committee Meeting April 14, 2026, 6:45pm Minutes 1.Call to Order and Roll Call Chair Carter Warr called the meeting to order at approximately 7pm. Committee members present: Carter Warr, Chair Nona Chiariello Terry Lee Delle Maxwell Betsy Morgenthaler Gary Nielsen On Zoom: Jackie Magno, Vice Chair (departed at approximately 7:25pm) Judith Hasko, Council Liaison Public attendees In the Schoolhouse: Charles Maroney and Nancy Powell On Zoom*: Karen Askey, Gregory Bonfiglio, Kristi Corley, Leslie Kriese, Marianne Plunder, Maria Southgate * (significant AV challenges eventually brought most of the online attendees to the schoolhouse) 2. Oral Communications There were no public comments. 3. Approval of Minutes The April 2nd Minutes were approved as submitted, with one correction to the Roll Call reflecting that Gary Nielsen was present. 4. Old Business 4A..Draft Committee Letter for Committee, Discussion and Action Betsy provided a brief background overview that led to the draft letter to the Town Council before us and whose aim is to promote constructive engagement with Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (Midpen), protect the Town’s interests, and prevent further delays in collaboration. Nona emphasized the urgency of the Committee’s decision to recommend that the Town secure legal counsel for the purpose of engaging with Midpen. At Nona’s suggestion, Gary read aloud the draft Letter. Nona followed, describing the Town’s needs for legal counsel as three: to coordinate informally with Midpen, to comment on the completed CEQA document if early coordination fails, and to evaluate land acquisition pros, cons, and funding sources. The Conservation Easement Nona described the Conservation Easement as a complex document. It is the first attachment because it demonstrates better than anything else why legal counsel is needed. Carter highlighted fundamental conflicts between Midpen’s proposed massive parking lot Options 9 and 10, and the Conservation Easement held by Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST). He emphasized that either location is antithetical to open space protections and would require thousands of yards of grading and additional drainage requirements in violation of the Conservation Easement's restrictions on land use. To demonstrate Carter’s point, Nona read from the Conservation Easement: • Page 5, item B discusses tree cutting: "The cutting down or other removal of live trees—except for safety, fire protection, or sound resource management purposes, such as to prevent the spread of disease, and subject to the prior written approval of the Grantee [POST], which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld—is prohibited. Any removal shall be performed in accordance with all federal, state, and local applicable laws." Either parking Option 9 or 10 will require the removal of trees that are considered significant, an instance where Midpen proposed something not justified by the Easement. • On the next page, regarding scenic and natural character: "Activities such as clearing, stripping of native vegetation, grading, or storage of materials that can clearly degrade the scenic and natural character of the property are prohibited." A final note, the two maps for Option 9 and Option 10, includes a dashed red line which shows the boundary between the legally defined "Improved Portion” of the Hawthorns versus the "Unimproved Portion”. Everything to the left of that red line is within the Unimproved Portion, and everything to the right is land within the “Improved Portion”. • Page 8, letter I, states: "If the property is ever conveyed to Midpen or a similar entity intending to use it for public open space, construction of a limited staging area, gravel parking lot, vault toilets, wood rail fencing, and trail markers is permitted around the perimeter of the improved portion as necessary to facilitate public access." The implication is that parking should go strictly in the “Improved Portion”, but as Midpen presents it for both Options 9 and 10, roughly half the parking lot footprint spills into the “Unimproved Portion”, where such disruptive activities are explicitly prohibited. Carter requested Committee contributions to the letter -- additions, deletions or rearrangements. Delle clarified there are two distinct issues the letter addresses. One, we really do not like the proposed parking areas because of the environmental reasons, and the separate issue is whether we want to acquire the property. Regarding the potential for acquisition, Betsy shared context that Midpen, in dividing apart the Historic Complex, put Hawthorns’ only flat ground out of bounds. They also ruled-out considering alternative, off-site parking options. The acquisition idea grew from that place. Carter asked why the Town was not made the lead agency, as would be typical for a project requiring a Conditional Use Permit (CUP). He challenged the legal basis for the proposed plan given the terms of the Conservation Easement and showed interest in the potential for an acquisition. Public Comment Period Nancy Powell reread the Conservation Easement to confirm it lasts in perpetuity, legally binding all parties. Bringing up the proposals’ extensive grading and tree cutting, amongst other things, she noted that violation of the public trust is a serious matter, and Private Attorney General lawsuits address such wrongs. She agreed with Betsy about the practical hazard posed by those cars pulling into a closed gate, and forced to back out onto Alpine Road. Nancy pointed out the Town is the steward of zoning and enforcement. These 79 acres, zoned residential, will necessitate all kinds of Town permits. Karen Askey shared that one of Midpen’s options is to sell land. Their eligible pool of buyers is limited, and the Town would qualify. She aligns with hiring an attorney to support the terms of the Conservation Easement and to look into a possible acquisition. Charles Maroney spoke to Midpen’s proposed Hawthorns 50-car parking lot being equal in size to Portola Road’s Windy Hill lot. A 50-car lot will attract a volume of hikers, bicyclists and equestrian traffic to a mere 1.5-mile trail loop, meaning people could find themselves a mere 20 yards apart. He asked Midpen multiple times how they account for the need for a 50-car lot, without receiving an answer. Sharing that Midpen intends to grade for 50 spaces at their 1st implementation, they indicated they would only stripe for 25 cars initially. Midpen points to POST’s ok to develop within the protected “Unimproved Portion”, though it runs contrary to the language of the Conservation Easement. When asked about it, Midpen points to POST, and in turn POST says they will only talk to Midpen. He requested that the Town and attorney engage with POST directly to bring this out. Maria Southgate noted that decisions being made today are going to affect future donations. She shared her real-world observations, questioning the thinking behind adding more safety risks along this narrow heavily trafficked section of Alpine Road. The Road serves many users - cars, pedestrians, children, bicyclers, and when school is in session, the number of cars and kids running up and down the intersection at Alpine and Portola is intense. She suggested Los Trancos Road appears a less dangerous project location, also urging both Midpen and POST to push for public transit shuttles to decrease car use. Kristi Corley speaking from knowledge gained on multiple Hawthorns tours wanted to see Alpine Road Scenic Corridors respected. Both parking Options 9 and 10 cut deeply into the hillside. Kristi advocated for Midpen to follow their own Natural Resources Policy AS2.1 that seeks to minimize the impacts on the Scenic Corridor, not damage it. She asks that the Town apply our Codes equally. She strongly recommended that Midpen continue to make use of the existing parking area midway up the caretaker’s driveway and to supplement that