Loading...
P&R 10-04-07 , I ;, ~~; . "'-, /./', ." CUPERTINO PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION Regular Meeting Thursday, October 4,2007,7 p.rn. Cupertino City Hall, Room 100 10300 Torre A venue, Cupertino, CA 95014 AGENDA (REVISED) 1. CALL TO ORDER 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE' 3. ROLL CALL 4. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING A. Regular meeting of September 6, 2007 5. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS This portion of the meeting is reserved for persons wishing to address the commission on any matter not on the agenda. Speakers are limited to three (3) minutes a person. In most cases, state law will prohibit the commission from making any decisions with respect to a matter not listed on the agenda. 6. NEW BUSINESS A. Project overview, Stevens Creek Corridor Park. 7. MISCELLANEOUS - NO ACTION REQUIRED A. Staff oral reports B. Commissioner contacts 8. ADJOURNMENT In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the city of Cupertino will make reasonable efforts to accommodate persons with qualified disabilities. !f you require special assistance, please contact the Parks and Recreation office at 777-3110 at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting. . "\ PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION CITY OF CUPERTINO DRAFT MINUTES REGULAR MEETING THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2007 1. CALL TO ORDER Commissioner Bradford called the meeting to order at 7 :05 pm at the Blue Pheasant parking lot, 22100 Stevens Creek Blvd., Cupertino, CA, for a site visit of the Stocklmeir property. Points of interest included: proposed trail alignment, future creek realignment and opportunities for expanded orchard planting. 2. ROLL CALL Commissioners present: Jeanne Bradford, David Greenstein, Derek Chen and David Lee (arrived at 7:11 pm) Commissioners absent: None Staff present: Therese Ambrosi Smith, Julia Lamy and Donna Henriques Helene Davis, Donna Austin, Jane Alvarado and Mark McKenna, Board Members of the Cupertino Historical Society (CHS). Also Present: Note: Regular Meeting was reconvened at 8: 10 pm at the Cupertino Senior Center, 21251 Stevens Creek Blvd., Cupertino, CA. All Commissioners were present; also present were Helene Davis and Jane Alvarado. Donna Austin and Mark McKenna were not present at the reconvened meeting. 3. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING A. The minutes of the June 7,2007 were approved. 4. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS - None 5. NEW BUSINESS A. Site visit and changes to Stocklmeir property were discussed. , \ 1. Commissioner Bradford discussed working with the Cupertino Historical Society to better serve their desires for the future use of the property, in conjunction with serving the community's use of the property. Commissioner Bradford offered the support of the Parks and Recreation Commission and would like the CHS to provide their top 5 or 6 issues of most importance, and present them at the next Parks and Recreation Commission regular meeting on October 4, 2007, so that the Commission and CHS could work together on a recommendation to present to the City Council at their meeting on October 16, 2007. Helene Davis, the newly elected President of the CHS Board, complimented the Commission and thanked them for including CHS in this project. She also said that she and the other board members in attendance were going to bring back their impressions and suggestions for the use of the Stocklmeir property, to their membership, on September 19, and would work with them to bring a proposal back to the Parks & Recreation Commission. Action: Helene Davis will bring back the CHS Board recommendation for the Stocklmeir property, to the next Parks and Recreation Commission meeting on October 4, 2007. At that meeting, the Commission will work with the CHS to render a recommendation for moving forward, to the City Council, to present at the Council meeting on October 16,2007. 6. MISCELLANEOUS - NO ACTION REQUIRED A. Staff Report 1. Therese announced the groundbreaking at the Rolling Hills 4-H Facility next week. San Jose Conservation Corps Youth Build Program will be doing the construction. 2. Therese also discussed a breakthrough with Santa Clara County Roads and Airports for the City to acquire a six-acre parcel at Lawrence Expressway. A parcel at Lawrence Expressway and Doyle Avenue may be available from San Jose Water that could be exchanged with the County Roads and Airports, for the creek area, a future park site. 3. Therese discussed the Mary Avenue Bridge project, which will be further studied by the City Council at a future meeting. B. Commissioner contacts 1. David Greenstein attended the August Mayor's Meeting last week. It was discussed that the Villa Serra Apartments will be tom down. The proposed development will include a future one-third acre park site. 2. Derek Chen will attend the September Mayor's Meeting and David Lee will attend in October. " ;, 9. ADJOURNMENT - The meeting was adjourned at 9:00 pm. Respectfully submitted, Donna Henriques, Administrative Assistant '~ " /, "- " L.., / ..... DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION CUPERTINO CITY HALL 10300 TORRE AVENUE. CUPERTINO, CA 95014-3255 TELEPHONE: (408) 777-3110. FAX: (408) 777-3366 DIRECTOR'S REPORT TO THE CUPERTINO PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION Agenda Date: October 4, 2007 Agenda Item: 5A Project overview, Stevens Creek Corridor Park for the Cupertino Historical Society Board. At the last Parks and Recreation Commission meeting, the President of the Cupertino Historical Society (CHS) indicated that the CHS Board would be meeting to discuss the Stocklmeir Property on September 19th and that more feedback from the Board would be forthcoming. Earlier this week, we learned that the Board could not reach consensus regarding planning for the Stocklmeir Property. Two issues of importance to the CHS Board are creek and trail location. The President did not feel she had adequate information to address the Board's questions. The entire Board of the Cupertino Historical Society has been invited to meet with you on October 4, 2007. There is no new information to share with you at this time. We will distribute the information from your last packet to the entire CHS Board and will prepare to answer their questions regarding the project.. Hopefully the meeting will be a productive one and we will be able to move forward on a project of mutual interest. If you recycled your packet from the last meeting and would like another copy, please contact our Administrative Assistant, Donna at donnah@cupertino.org. See you on Thursday. \\ I Ii '~~ ~ / " ' ~.... " DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION CUPERTINO CITY HALL 10300 TORRE AVENUE · CUPERTINO, CA 95014-3255 TELEPHONE: (408) 777-3110. FAX: (408) 777-3366 September 27, 2007 Dear Board Member, ~epresentatives from CHS attended the last Parks and Recreation Commission meeting to discuss planning for the Stocklmeir property. President Davis indicated that the CHS Board would be meeting to discuss the project on September 19th and that more feedback from the Board would be forthcoming. Earlier this week, we learned that the CHS Board could not reach consensus regarding the Stocklmeir Property. We were told that two issues of importance were creek and trail location, and that more explanation is needed. The entire Board of the Cupertino Historical Society is invited to meet with the Parks and Recreation Commission on October 4,2007. Attached is the background information we distributed to your representatives that attended the September Parks and Recreation Commission meeting. We will walk you through our planning and answer any questions you may have. Hopefully, the meeting will be a productive one and we will be able to move forward on a project of mutual interest. If you have any questions, please call (408) 777-3110. I hope you can make the meeting with the Parks and Recreation Commission on Thursday, October 4. The agenda is attached. Sincerely, Therese Ambrosi Smith Director, Parks and Recreation ;' Page 2-14 Project De.scriptjon the 4-H pro gram whole. In addition, a new double fence would be erected around the 4-H area so that trail users can view the lmim::ll!;: but would not be able to feed l'l:nima.l s. Drainage from the slope above the bam would be integrated into the trail design to reduce seasonal ponding in the l'lilim::ll pens and bam.. 2.4.,5 " StQ~eir PTOperty PurS\Wlt to~ertmo Geneml Plan ~ JP8CC policies, the Stocldmeir property, which is located dli Stev6.Ds'Q:eek Boulevard was purcl1asedin l~: The 1964. 1912d 1993 Cupertino General Plans have supported the acquisition oftbe landsadj~t to St.evens Creek to preserve the floodplain as open space and to develop a formal urban trail along the creek.. The 5.l-acre Stocklmeir property was the most recent acquisition. The siteiacludcs one home, md a convcrtedgarage and as-acre orange orcbard, 1he only orcl1a:rd remj:;;nin g along the entire length of Stevens Creek from San Francisco Bay in Mountain View to 'the foothills in Cupertino. The main Stocldmeir house, dafing to 1903, has been extensively remodeled, but has been identified " as a City of Cupertino Historic Site in. the Cupertino General p~ Photo 5. 8tocklmeir property orange orchard The J;Dajor changes proposed for this" property as part oftbe Master Plan include c.onstru.ction of the new trail, realignment of the creek through the orange orchard (see Photo 5 and Restoration p1aJl Section 2.5), and coDstroc:tion of a new pedestri.an/bicyc1e bridge across the creek for the proposed trail (see Fig. 10). Approximately 95 orchard trees would be lost to accominoda.te the prop~ed creek realignment and trail. There is a total of 175 orchard trees consisting of 144 orange trees and 31 other orl?hard trees (waJn.ut, loquat, olive, lemon and tangerine) in the orchard: approximately 54% of the orchard would be removed. The orange orchard, for the most part, is iJ;l good c.Qndition and i$ still productive. However, the orchard is Stevens Creek Corridor Park Master Plan and Restoratjon Plan InmaJ Study eft}' of Cupertino - Aprit 2006 Page 2-16 . Project De.scription everything downstream until the chain link fence SUIIOunding the softball field just past the abandoned Walnut orchard on District property. The Simms property is included in this reach so that plans are in hand for the time wD.eJ;l. the house is removed.. However, the house would not be removed during i"t$ useful life. The Blackberry Fann area begins at the end of the abovementioned area and covers everything downstream to the end of the lm-ge paved paiking lot that is separated from the golf course 1;Iy a tall mesh fence. The Stocklmeir Site is the rem~iTliTl g dO~1JStream portion of the creek tba:t includes a 5.1-acre home site and orange orchard with access from Stevens Creek Boulevard. 2_5~1. Removal of Existing Site Feamres Low-flow automobile crossings: Three low-flow automobile crossings, which pose significant barriers to steelhead passage, would be removed. All three crossings are within Blackberry Fa:rm (see Fig. 4 aDd Photo 6}. Two of the crossings are within creek realignment areas and the tbird lies just do'ililIlStream of the existing diversion dam. . Diversion dam: The diversion dam within Blackberry Farm would be removed to i1;Dprove passage for EtLfielhead (see Fig. 4 and Photo 7). The pmpose of this dam was to divert water to the tWo B1ackbe~ Farm Golf Course ponds. In the absence of this dam, the City would use an existing 35,OOO-gallon underground cistern whic.h would possibly be connected to an existing nearby well. This cistem was a fil1;ration gallery for the old Monta V lSta Wate!" System. It would store water for all the irrigation needs of the golf course, inc1urling the ponds, and park improvements Pedestrian Bridges: Three pedestrian bridges sp::;:rrn;T1 e the creek: within the Blackberry F&-m wo~4 be remov.ed (see Fig. 4 an4 Photo 8). These bridges currently provide access to picnic areas on the west side of the creek. However, due to the proposed creek reaJignme.b.ts and decrease iIi. picnic area size they would no longer be necessary. One of the bridges to be removed has historically provided. public access from the Scenic Circle"neighborhood and other neighborhoods on the west side of the creek. At the request of some neighbOrs in tha:t: area, the City Council directed that this bridge be removed and that no access be provided from the Scenic Circle neighborhood. . Should any:p.ew bridges be considered in the future other than what is proposed in the Master PJ.a:n. they would need to go through the permitting and CEQA process separately. . .. . One 14-foot wide bridge tha:t: can support light duty City vehicles would replace the three existing. bridges in Bl.a.ckberry Farm. The new bridge woUld connect the pool complex with the proposed, consolidated west bank picnic facilities. A second 8..foot wide bicycle/pedestrian bridge would be installed to connect the trail extending along the Blackbeny Farm Golf Course on the east bank to the Stocklmeir site on the west baBk.. Stevens Creek Corridor Park Mast5r Plan and Restoration Plan Initial Study , . City of Cupertino - April 2006 . Page 2-18 Project Description ~- ....:~- ~;: - - lit" Photo 8. Pedestrian bridg.e to Sycamore picnic site at Blackb~rry Farm to be .demolished and removed. Concrete and Rock Bank Stabilization Structures: Where appropriate and feasible, the existing concrete rubble, rock riprap, shotcrete and sacked concrete found within the project area would be removed. These erosion coiltrol siructures were originally installed to stE..bilize banks, however, their continued presence along the creek banks have precluded vegetation colonization and caused flow velocity and channel incision to increase, which has fu.-ther degraded habita:!: for steeIhead. Therefore3 the creek banks would be stabilized through. a more n8.l."ural means by widening the creek channel and floodpl~ decreasing both the creek grade and bank slope and using bioengineei.1D.g techniques such as willow wattles. 2.5.2 Creek Realignment In addition to the removal of existing site features, the restoration proj ect contains three creek realignments, that have been categmjzed into subsections: ~each A, B, and C. Reaches A . and B are located within Blackberry Farm and Reach C is within the Stocklmeir site (see Fig. 16). . Reach A Realignment: Reach A begins upstream of the diversion dam and extends through the Horseshoe Bend area (see Fig. 17). The upstream portion of Reach A extends from the Blackberry Farm fence line downstream to the diversion dam. In this.area approximately 500 linear feet of large boulders would be removed; the creek would be laid back at a 3: 1 slope, and the banks would be revegetated. with locally collected and grO-WTI native species. . Just downstream, Reach A continues from the diversion dam (to be demolished) to the first low flow crossing~ In this section of creek, the diversion dam and first low flow crossing Stevens Cree~ Corridor Park Master Plan and Restoration Plan Initial Study City of Cupertino,.... April 2006 Page 2-20 Project DescripDon This area would then be filled 'With soil remoyed from the excavation of me new channel and planted with native shrubs to create a 600-foot long willow swale habitat providing additional .screening along the golf course. 2.53 Revegetation and Habitat Enhancement Revegetation: . Revegetation would occur on all areas along the creek that are disturbed by proj ect activities (e.g. creek realig:omen:t, trail constructio~ removal of rubble, sacked concrete and rock riprap )(See Plate 1). The list of plant species, or plant palette, ~ be used for revegetation efforts have been determined based on existing native plants found along the creek, historical native plant species recorded along the creek, and plant species observed in s:i:mil~,. tributary creeks within the watershed. The platrt species to be Used for revegetation ha-ie been rw--tb.er broken up into three habitat zones found along the creek (see Tables 2-2, 2-3, and 2-4 below). These habitat zones would be determined by elevation areas ranging from the waters' edge to the outer floodp1a.i:D., groundwater hydrology and soil substrate. Intergra,dation of the plant palettes in each zone would occuI' as site conditions dem.an,d and a site-responsive plant layout would result. See Plate 1 for a schematic cross section of the extent of revegetation/enha.nQement Each zone would be delineated and illustrated .so that areas disturbed from construction activities would be readily identified for revegetation. Specific revegetation areas within the project mclude the creation of 200 feet of backwater wetland habitat in Reach B (see Fig 18) and the creation of a willow swale in the old channel along Reach C (see Fig.19). All plants used fO!' revegetation will be grovm from locally derived stock. The replacement ratio for coast live oak trees removed as a result of proj ect improvements is 3: 1 according to regulatory agency requirements (Dave JohnE-uJ~ Califo:m:ia Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) pers. comm.). Replacement of other rip~-ian habitat would be according to a ratio specified d.u.r=.wg the .1601 Streambed Alteration Agreement process with theCDFG. Temporary and. permanent irrigation and plant quantities and plant establisbment requirements would be specified in the Plans Specifications and Estimates (pS&E) .document prepared prior to construction. r::.',,:,nJ ~ ":-"- -. ,'I I i: I . _'f' ~{"r'''; .:=,....... , - - ~.~ '.D::I-.~:. - :1 - I . ;::j III - ~. I! 1'," ,~.. - :':;i..II' _.- I, ":",a ~. I~ ~ '7. . = . u~ - . 'C.... ..~~ -. 1':~ '. .::,U- . Plate 1 Schematic Revegetation/Enhancement Stevens Creek Corridor Park Master Plan and RestoraDon Plan Initial Study Cft}' of Cupertino - April 2006 co o o N <..i o c,., C? < Ci ;:: g (;) ~ ~ =- J.c.J " -" ~ < U :'1 l:J :<: :;; X ~ c ~ =-<: . . . . . . , ~~ ~~ ~~ ( o z w (j W ....! Figure 10. Stocklmeir f\1aster Plan - ~ -- - - ;.-.....-..) r, 0 be rOb J 1 f ,..-' : - - - I - " I I I -- . II - - - - i - I I , EJGLANA TiON ==::J L:'i'= CF.:E W,.ll..!.. CF~ C:F~~.:cCF. ~R:F?~ ~";:::CCL CJ FeeL.S ~ DIC-GE.,U:G ST=.!Xil.:F.E: ~ ~ $?\Ce.=. LeG IT=,!..'C7'..JF..:: ____ CEiG~ c:=.a::=:";:c:TCl"l >~ EXSTlr-;G CP,).lll~E.C;;~:X;E-:7 r..IEADOWS OF ClTPERTINO l'iEIGHBORHOOD u j ,- I J/':-/'1' / . . ? -::: .... ;i /.. ... / ( () '~ , , ! --;;:...--/' ----::::::" Rs=,,:h C Crsek RSclignmsnt3 \ r- \, //.~l ~\ '.' //1.'l\ i / , ,// .. \...\-....----1 : --- !- /,:/ (' f \ C ;;;et >z , .) /--- \ " .' /i ___...l ,-~......-----------.' I ~~/ :::i > ::l ~ :2 u or. Z C!.J > r,.. E= CI'1 I I I / r---- ___ ___ II BLUE PHEA. SAI'fT I PARKL',-C I n Source: Balance Hydroiogies, P-.pri , , ...'..'b.....!'....... ~ . . . .. t.! /),:, ... ;! !),)f'.-~ ~ ~," i /W) ^ / , / -~/~</' .// STOCKLMEIR ORCR-lliD '\~.~ -,ft:h ~ ) JJ.__ , .'. -~~-----~ ) , / ~.1 , "- '--- _/ - ~- c: .:"- ". ::::: -. '-----. ". L..------"" 2006 E . , I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I ~I I L- ~ ..--r /..! I . I ' i \ / \. ., \.---,.-. \ \ \ '. \....~ ,\ \ FigUi6 19 -'