09-01-2026 Conservation Agenda Packet

Marianne Plunder, Chair Judith Murphy, Vice Chair Megan Richards, Secretary TOWN OF PORTOLA VALLEY Kori Anne Bagrowski, Member Nona Chiariello, Member Conservation Committee Meeting Teresa Coleman, Member September 1, 2026 Sarah Gilbert, Member Eliza Low, Student Member 5:30 p.m. Chris Morace, Member Dieter Walz, Member AGENDA REGULAR 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/87992926554?pwd=693De433oOBsYZZvbM4TyHpbDIYC99.1 Meeting ID: 879 9292 6554 Passcode: 369532 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. August 4, 2026 4. COMMITTEE BUSINESS: a. Membership update i. Welcome Kori Anne Bagrowski ii. Subcommittee spreadsheet (FYI – Appendix D) iii. Town Picnic update (Plunder) 5. OLD BUSINESS: a. Tip of the Month (Richards) b. What’s Blooming Now (Chiariello) c. Committee / Townwide Cooperation i. Conservation Committee duties & code • Objective design standards subcommittee (Murphy) • Tree Permit application (Plunder) a. Form updates b. Arborist review (discussion) ii. Redwood Guidelines Subcommittee (Morace) iii. Community Engagement Subcommittee (Morace) Town of Portola Valley – Conservation Committee Agenda September 1, 2026 Page 2 of 2 • Nature App (PV Pulse) Update on the CC’s nature website, which draws on public community- science observations to show residents what’s blooming, nesting, and moving through Portola Valley each month. Demonstration and discussion of how the Committee might use it for outreach. • Follow-up presentation on the committee’s internal reference site – a searchable index of CC records, meeting materials and past work. Walkthrough of what it contains, how to use it, and what it is not. iv. Committee liaison reports • Wildfire Preparedness • Open Space • Trails • ASCC • Other 6. NEW BUSINESS: a. Plant list updates & vote (Appendix A and B) (Chiariello) 7. SITE REVIEWS – None 8. TREE PERMITS a. 22 Grove (done) b. 200 Cherokee (deferred) c. 1365 Westridge Drive (pending) d. 43 Hillbrook Dr. 2nd review (done) e. 5588 Alpine Road 4th review (pending) 9. TABLED ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION WHEN UPDATES AVAILABLE a. Biocide Subcommittee (Chiariello) b. Subcommittee on wildlife-friendly fencing (Plunder) c. Conservation Committee duties & Code Subcommittee (Plunder) i. Town Manager proposed meeting with Planning (TBD) ii. Open issues • Semi-codified – Review of Landscaping plans • Discretionary – Wildlife corridors & habitat preservation iii. Conservation Committee Charter updates d. Cooperation with WASC (Plunder) e. Owl box community project (Low) 10. ADJOURNMENT The next regularly scheduled meeting date is October 6, 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. Marianne Plunder, Chair TOWN OF PORTOLA VALLEY Judith Murphy, Vice Chair Conservation Committee Meeting Megan Richards, Secretary Nona Chiariello, Member Aug 04, 2026 Teresa Coleman, Member 5:30 PM Sarah Gilbert, Member Eliza Low, Student Member (honorary) Christopher Morace, Member Dieter Walz, Member MEETING MINUTES - DRAFT 1. CALL TO ORDER & ROLL CALL The meeting was called to order at 5:30 Members present: M. Plunder, M. Richards, J. Murphy, S. Gilbert, T. Coleman, N. Chiariello, D. Walz Members absent: C. Morace Also present: J. and B. Kubecka, R. Flynn Attendance Via zoom: K. A. Bagrowski, E. Low, D. Cardinal, K. Corley 2. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS FOR ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA a. None 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Jul 07, 2026 a. Approved unanimously with revisions: i. 5.C.iv.4, change J. Murphy’s statement to: Committee does not intend to implement retroactive code changes ii. 5.C.v.6, remove bullet points that were not discussed iii. 6.a.ii, change D. Gilbert to S. Gilbert. iv. Abstain: N. Chiariello 4. COMMITTEE BUSINESS a. Emergency item, J. Murphy: Priory event details published as of Friday, 7/31 for Planning Commission meeting on 8/5. i. Application proposes a night-time football game with stadium lights until 9:30pm, which conflicts with dark skies ordinance and conditional use permit (CUP). Staff report recommends approval of the event with exceptions, including that night-time lighting should not be allowed. ii. Discussion: 1. N. Chiariello: agrees this is relevant to this committee and confirmed that the event will occur during the peak of fall migration, but the primary concern is that Portola Valley is a dark skies town. 2. M. Plunder: the best impact would be for a committee member to speak at the meeting. 3. T. Coleman: prefers to have time to read and review before voting. 4. R. Flynn: PV Palooza is scheduled to go to 10pm; how do they handle lighting? 5. K. Corley: Also has concerns about dark skies and is concerned about setting precedent for additional requests by Alpine Hills, others. 6. D. Cardinal: Is uncomfortable with the precedent. PV Palooza lighting is limited to targeted stage lighting. iii. Approved unanimously: J. Murphy proposes that Conservation Committee prepare a letter to the planning commission strongly urging the Planning Commission to include the staff’s recommended conditions related to night-time lighting: 1. Per section 18.36.040.A.8.vii.b of the Portola Valley Municipal Code, no lighting shall be used for night use of uncovered game courts, including tennis, paddle tennis, basketball, riding rings, and similar outdoor recreation facilities and areas. 2. Per section 18.36.040.A.8.vii.g of the Portola Valley Municipal Code, no lighting shall be used where any permanent or temporary lighting in which any single light source exceeds one thousand one hundred twenty-five lumens. that no night-time lighting be allowed when approving the CUP for this event. b. Membership update: i. Kori Ann Bagrowski: Committee application submitted, approval on Town Council agenda for 8/26/26. ii. Remote participation with voting rights (M. Plunder): 1. Members can fully participate remotely, provided they submit their address during the meeting for inclusion in the agenda. There is no additional requirement for accessibility or opening that location for participation by others. iii. Subcommittee spreadsheet (Appendix D) 1. Add S. Gilbert to Ford Field 2. Make S. Gilbert chair of Frog pond 3. Remove Hathorn/MROSD from Town-owned Open Space 4. Remove Trails Committee from Triangle Park 5. Change chair of Springdown from J. Murphy to M. Plunder 6. Add J. Murphy to Broom Pull 5. OLD BUSINESS a. Tip of the Month (Richards): Life after blooms - leaving spent flowers for wildlife i. September: pruning tips b. What’s blooming now (Chiariello): What’s fr