going to kick things off. So, uh, we'll
call to order the town council meeting
of March 24, 2026.
Jennifer, will you take role?
>> Council member Alberish
>> here.
>> Council member Brown,
>> here.
>> Council member Gold,
>> here.
>> Council member Wall,
>> here.
>> Mayor Donowski,
>> here. Uh, Council Member Wall, will you
lead us in the pledge of allegiance?
Okay, great. Thank you. Uh, and with
that, we will open uh public comment.
Persons wishing to address the council
on non-aggendaized items that are within
the jurisdiction of the town are invited
to do so. Please note, of course, that
the council cannot undertake extended
discussions or act on non-aggendaized
items. We can certainly refer those to
staff for a future agenda item. Um,
communications are limited to five
persons, three minutes each, and the
rest of folks will be scheduled at the
end of regular business. Is there anyone
here that would like to make a public
comment? Yes, sir. Please approach the
mic. I you were you were moving first so
I uh
>> sorry uh
thank you. Um can I pass this really
quick? Uh what is it? As part of my
comment, can I pass them?
>> Sure.
» Yes, sir.
Uh uh good evening uh honorable mayor,
council members, uh city staff, members
of the public. Uh my name is Huain
Himenez. I am the uh the former mayor
for the city of Half Bay. Um I am uh
here to announce that I am running for
county supervisor, you know, Satel
County District 3. I've been uh an
organizer in the community for over 30
years.
uh pretty much since I was uh probably
since I was in high school. I have a
sociology degree uh from Chico State
ethnic studies uh minor. I'm a former
teacher uh Cabern School District. I'm a
former uh juvenile uh correctional
officer in Sato County. I've worked with
organizations uh like Penta La Costasur
uh Alas in half Bombay uh job train and
I've been organizing uh different things
from community events. I don't know if
you heard of uh bakero days in half bay
I am the uh the organizer of that event.
We have been having it every year. We in
our third year uh organizing uh students
uh marches uh protests uh parents uh for
many years. Uh one of the first um organ
organized marches that I did uh was back
when I was in college uh uh against uh
Prop 187. I don't know you remember that
one uh under the governor pit Wilson. Uh
so you know so I've been around the
community and uh I want to serve the
county uh pretty much duplicate what
I've done in in Half Bay. If you like to
do uh research my work it's all over the web. There's a lot of
work that I've a lot of uh initiatives
uh sustainable uh programs and alas if I
was a farmwork program director I
created a express. I don't know if
you're familiar with a express farm bus.
It's a beautiful double-decker bus
that's equipped with uh uh laptops uh
conference rooms uh for telea health uh
that serves the community across the
coast. I've also created know the uh the
food distribution during the pandemic. I
was very active during the pandemic
non-stop. It was the first time that I
ran for office. I was elected in 2020.
Uh during the floods in Halfoon Bay,
during the shootings, I was I was around
uh during the fires. I was also around.
Uh so I uh I like to work. I'm a boots
on the ground. I'm very active in my
community. I'm very interested in
bringing uh vocational trainings into
the coast. Uh right now high school
students are not interested in going to
college anymore. You know, vocational
trainings is a really good option,
especially not in the union. So I'm uh
running for county supervisor uh
Himenez. Thank you.
>> Thank you. We thank you for your service
and your advocacy and your willing to
willingness to run for county
supervisor. That's a lot. So, thank you
for everything over the years. Uh, other
public comments. Yes, Mr. Putnham.
>> Hi, Kent Putnham. I'm a resident here
and I just want to thank the council for
keeping the the license plate reader
cameras up.
>> I'm a car dealer and I have thousands of
cars. So, occasionally we get cars
stolen and that's how they find them.
Some camera reader says, "Boop, there's
your car. So, just want to uh give you
some feedback on that.
>> Thank you very much. Appreciate it. Are
there any other public comments uh this
evening?
>> See in the Zoom?
>> None in the Zoom, but I would like to
make a quick comment, please.
>> Yes, of course, Melissa.
>> Thank you. Uh, as uh residents of
Woodside may have seen, there was some
smoke outside earlier um right before
our meeting, and I talked to Fire Chief
Zabala, and it is pretty much contained.
It was on the southbound side of 280 at
Edgewood. A vehicle went over into the
eucalyptus trees and started a grass
fire. It jumped to the northbound side
which was uh very minimal and that was
put out very quickly, but there is some
drift smoke and that is what we will see
for about the next hour. An SMC alert
will be going out to advise everybody
that there is no eminent threat and no
evacuation orders at this time. And then
one um once they are more settled, a
second SMC alert will go out to advise
when it is complete.
>> That's a great update. It's good to
hear. Any you
>> Okay, great.
>> Wonderful. Okay. Uh and then last call
for public comment.
Uh with three public comments, we will
then officially close public comment for
the evening. Uh thank you very much. And
we will move on to the consent calendar.
All items on the consent are considered
routine and will be approved by one roll
call motion unless someone on the
council or a member of the public uh
would like to pull any item. Is there
any item on the consent that anyone on
the on the council would like to pull?
>> Like to pull number six.
>> Number six.
Okay. And um Miss Hansen, would you like
us to pull number one and number four
per your earlier email? Okay. And we'll
pull number one and four.
Any other items?
All right. Hearing none. Could we get a
motion for two, three, five, and seven?
>> Second.
>> Senator.
>> Council member Alberish.
>> Yes.
>> Council member Brown.
>> Yes.
>> Council member Gold.
>> Yes.
>> Council member Wall. Mayor Donowski.
>> Yes. Thank you. Uh why don't we why
don't we take them in order? Um uh
number one, the register of demands. Uh we we took a question about uh the
amount that's being paid to maintain
Kite Hill and Melissa, I'm going to just
turn it over to you to address and then
>> we'll open up to public comment.
>> Thank you, Madame Kowski. Yes, I saw
Miss Hansen's comment about Kite Hill
and the street sweeper. Uh so we can
explore further how much is um being
expended for both of those items and
provide some information or if we need
to review um any of the contracts that
are that are in place and provide uh
more information at the next meeting.
>> Okay, great. Is there any questions from
the council?
>> No.
>> Uh any comments from the public on this
issue?
Okay, following up, I guess, is the
answer. Um
let's just move to number four. Uh
general plan uh and uh a series of
omissions uh and adjustments that were
suggested also by the in the same email.
Sage, can I hand that off to you to
address
the author?
>> Um so sure. Would you just like me to
address the comments? Ye.
>> Yes. Y
>> um so uh Miss Hansen brought up a few
points with the general plan uh annual
progress report. Um so I'll just take
them in order. Uh the first one is
regarding policy OS 1.1
which talks about the preservation of
open space um as uh should be given a
high priority um and the development
should be in harmony with the rural
character of the town and optimize
opportunities to preserve open space. Um
the comment notes that report card
doesn't uh indicate the actions taken to
uh abandon a portion of the open space
at the Kyotic Corners. Um that was
something that was a proposed project
that came out of a uh voter initiative
that was passed to modify that open
space. Um so that project was uh
proposed, went through the process and
ultimately approved um primarily based
on that voter initiative.
the um property at Rayundo Drive um for
several years. It's really it's a
working property that the town has used
uh as kind of a transfer station for its
green debris. Um so that sometimes has
equipment on it and various times has
different green debris that's located
there before it's taken out of the town
um for composting. Um, High Road. Uh, so
with High Road and Raundo, both of those
changed open space designations.
Basically, with a general plan, you're
often weighing different priorities. Um,
you know, we have state mandates to look
at. And these two pieces of what were
zoned open space are the smallest open
space areas in the town of Woodside. uh
with Rayundo a little bit over an acre
and a half and the high road with just
being just about an acre. Um and so with
those weighing priorities, you know, the
council looked at minimal options to do
what's necessary for a certified housing
element and that was the action taken.
Um, so wi with those comments, um, if
the town council would like us to, we'd
be happy to kind of insert that those
kind of reasoning of what was actions
were taken on those three projects. Um,
and we could include that in the APR. We
don't have a problem with that. Or if
you have anything else to add or if you
just like to leave it as it is, just
we'll take that direction.
>> Thank you. Any questions for Steve?
have a comment
>> comment
>> if there's any questions.
>> Yeah. Uh are there any questions from
the public on uh item number four, the
consent?
» Welcome, Miss Hansen.
>> Thank you. Um, I mean it was first of
all the exercise was great for me to go
back and look at the general plan
because I found a lot of other items
that we have in the general plan that
speak to conditions that are no longer
in place. So, um, I'm glad we do an
update to the general plan and I'm glad
I had a chance to look at it. Uh, it's a
report card. If my kids came home and
only told me what classes they were
getting A's in, and they neglected to
tell me about that calculus test, that
was at the same time that it was a
really great snow day. It I I feel like
it is appropriate that we address the
things that the town has done um that we
list in the general plan as priorities.
And so my question is, would you please
consider adding the C minus in calculus
with the A+ and other things that we're
doing? Thank you.
>> Thank you.
>> Any other comments on item four?
>> And and there are other things, but I
figure we just
>> Yeah, there was a laundry. Yeah, a lot.
Okay. Uh any thoughts from council? You
had a comment to start things off or
>> Sure. Yeah. Um, so yeah, I think Kim, I
think you made some really great points.
I think my comment would be I I would
definitely support including this
information in the report card. Um, I I
my preference would be to include it
factually, right? Because again, like
when we look at the general plan, like
we're weighing different priorities. So
I guess my my one difference of opinion
is that I I wouldn't characterize this
as like a C++ or an A+. It's just
factually this is, you know, actions
that the town took. And I think that uh
including that factual information I
have no issue with.
>> Very good. Other comments?
>> Yes.
>> I would disagree or agree with with
Jen's. Yeah. Wasn't clear.
>> I want to just thank you for providing
the comments in the first place. A lot
of homework went into that and we
appreciate it.
>> Yeah. I also wanted to thank Miss Hansen
for um reading part of the packet. And
I'm not so well I shouldn't speak for
I'll speak for myself. We don't always
go into the kind of depth that clearly
you did on this. So I do appreciate
that. Um I did have a comment on the OS1
general plan. Um as I think some might
expect and um I've always viewed the
general plan as sort of like it's the
equivalent of in the in the federal
government it's the constitution. In
cities and towns it's the general plan.
I mean that's sort of our
bible if you will and that's supposed to
be our overriding thing. It's supposed
to be a serious document that we review
every decade or so. And um um it's
really supposed to be, you know, the guiding light, if you will, of how
we do things. And I think that um you
know, I made it pretty clear during the
last housing element that we discarded
parts of the general plan just
willy-nilly because the state was
holding a gun to our head was what I was
told and uh what we were told. And um I
think to change the zoning, as I've said
many times, from our most protected open
space for the preservation of natural
resources, it doesn't get any more
pristine than that, to changing it
literally with a, you know, click of a
pen to um multifamily with uh up to 20
units per acre, which is our our most
intensive use to go from one extreme to
the other was really a breathtaking
move. and just to check them off just
kind of, you know, in in the course of
an evening or two uh in the middle of
the night uh to to to check these things
off was really sort of I think insulting
to the I think our citizens and to the
um uh to our general plan which we just
ignored. And I've always viewed zoning
as very as a very sacred thing. I know
that when I buy a property or when I
have bought a property, when it's owned
a certain way, I don't just think, well,
I could build a hotel here if I want to,
if it's a house now. And yet, apparently
that's the way it works now. And so,
that was very disappointing. So, I
appreciate you pointing this out to us.
I do think it should be noted. As
council member Wall said, I think that
it should be factual, of course, but um
I hope we don't do that again. I think
that it was a really um I think it was
insulting to our citizens and property
owners and neighbors, and I u and I
think it should be pointed out. But I
think it's appropriate to point that out
in this update. So, thank you.
>> Okay. I believe we are all in agreement
that there's one more round of rework to
incorporate uh public input.
>> So, if if we could we have to get this
um submitted to the state by April 1st.
Um so, if if it's okay with the council,
we would just take that direction and
input that factual um stuff in which I
just mentioned that would be into the
reporting.
>> Realize that. That's good.
Okay. Uh and uh we're going to come back
to all these but number six we're just
going through. Um
>> do do you want me at all to there's a
few other things mentioned in the
>> I think we just giving general direction
to incorporate the factual
it will probably
>> that sounds good. That's the there's one
other thing with the fire maps. Um and
we'll also include those references into
the uh make sure that just that the fire
map was updated and we're going to
include that as a reference to the
general plan. The other items aren't
directly related to that. Excellent.
Thank you, Council Member Brown. On
number six,
>> um, yes. Uh, I've spent a lot of time
over the last six years I served on the
council observing parking around the
council, the halls, and it's horrible,
particularly on on busy times, even non-
busy times. We had an event here on
Saturday
that uh you couldn't get parking
Saturday. Saturday morning, 10 o'clock
in the morning, you could not find a
parking place. and our EV stations took
four parking places out. And so the idea
that an EV station can be parked in 6 7
8 hours where somebody's doing is uh uh
110
um for the day um I think is is absurd
and I'm all for shorting it. Question I
have is how are we going to enforce it?
And uh unless we have our sheriff uh
wander down there and haul away the cars
that are there tagged somehow somebody's
got to tag it. And my other question is
when we first approved these uh
stations, I was uh assured that the
they'd be operating at at least break
even if not a little bit margin a
positive margin. And I'd like to report
on what's going on with that also
please.
Good evening, um, Council Member Brown.
Um, to enforce this, uh, we first need a
sign and we will be working with the
sheriff's officers and also with us, our
code enforcement officer, we can enforce
once the signs is in place and we can uh
whether it be a uh ticket or uh or
towing. Um, we can choose that. Um,
we'll place that information on our
signs.
Okay.
And do you have any idea what the cost
is to the town where we're making a
profit or is at least break even?
>> Um, I don't have any ideas, but I can
look into and work with staff and find
out uh that information.
>> Okay. Thank you. Anybody else?
Anybody have any idea of how many hour?
I'm thinking two to three hours.
>> I don't I couldn't speculate. I don't
know
>> what whatever it is in force char to be
used the charging station
>> proposed in the in the report is that
you would be allowed to continue parking
while your car is receiving a charge.
>> Yeah. But some charges can take a whole
night long. My car.
>> Yeah. Those aren't particularly fat
charges.
>> It's a it's it's a 110 charge and it
takes a long time to build up a lot of
charge.
>> I know that cuz I've been doing that.
And so if somebody's on that for 8
hours, it's taking 8 hours of parking
away. And it's a sort we should be
saying 2 to 3 hours, maybe 3 hours
maximum, then we enforce um going going
someplace else to park.
>> So I think I mean I think it makes sense
if somebody's char using that as a
charger. They live around town and
they're using that as one of their
primary chargers. I feel like it makes
sense to allow it as long as they're
actually using it. I think this is
addressing a problem where people are
just parking their vehicle there, not
charging, and then leaving it for 8
hours. Um,
I mean, if they're charging spots and
people are using them, we'll probably
actually the town will probably make
more money if we're allowing people to
get a full charge and charge for 8, 10,
12 hours at those spots versus if they
have to change every two hours, they're
probably not going to be very effective.
And I I personally wouldn't use them if
uh if I was set to some kind of limit
like that and I couldn't just leave my
car and come back.
>> Well, let's put this way. Would people
go down go and take trips if you stop at
uh uh any any place going down I five?
You only have an hour, maybe two hours
at most available as you're eating and
you're on the go again. I don't know why
we have to spend seven or eight hours
taking away some very precious parking
spaces.
» So, I think I mean I see those spaces as
a little bit different than a typical
parking space. Like I think um they they
are equipped with charging stations. I
think as long as a car is parked there
is being charged, I think that's a good
use of the spot. Um totally hear you. I
think there are definitely um moments
around here, particularly here uh by
Independence Hall, where parking can be
challenging. Um so I think it's that's a
very valid um topic to to talk about.
But I think for the EV chargers, I'm
with Hassan. think like um you know I
own an EV and I think the etiquette um
at all of the charging stations that I have ever charged my car at is
that you're allowed to charge until your
car is charged and then you exit the the parking space so that you can allow
somebody else to charge their vehicle.
Um so I mean I think I'm totally
comfortable with the way the item is
framed um in the packet um which is that
you know we will be taking action and
enforcing putting up signs and then
enforcing
um you know to the extent somebody's not
charging but I think it's important to
allow somebody to continue to charge and
I think you know the the uh economic
point is is important too right I think
as you brought up I think the town was anticipating not making a huge
profit but um potenti
you know, incurring some um added uh
benefit in terms of money from these.
And I think if you're kicking people off
after 2 hours, that would that would go
against that goal as well.
>> If I may add a little more context to
this, um just recently stab observed
that there was an EV vehicle parked
there for almost 3 days um sitting in
the spot and we're not sure if it's
charging or not, but this is kind of
addressing that kind of issue.
>> It was an EV vehicle. Yes, it was
plugged in, but it was there almost
three days.
>> Question. Are you I you I imagine that
we're able to observe whether a car is
still charging by looking at the the um
infrastructure, right? Is that can you
observe that?
>> I need to go out there and take a look,
but I believe you can look at the
charging um the booth itself and see if
it's active or not. You can also I mean
if the hose is attached
it's it's it's either charging or it's
taking they're expecting it to have been
charging. They don't hook it in just to
hook it in. So I know that some chargers
um if you leave your car plugged in
after it's fully charged, it will charge
you a fee like an and it's pretty high.
It can get pretty high. So I don't think
anyone would um but I don't know if
these specific chargers do that. Do you
have does anyone happen to know if they
do or or if they can't if we can reach
out to them to have them apply a fee if
people are leaving it plugged in
overnight? Um because the other issue is
if you try to remove they usually lock
into the vehicle. So then if you try to
remove it, you won't be able to. So then
you'd have to tow it or something. You'd
have to cut it. So then I guess the only
option would be a ticket. But
>> yeah, I I would look into that. I'm not
sure about um our setting our charges,
but I will look into that and find out.
>> Thank you.
>> And as as stated, I would support this
uh the language. Okay.
» Thanks for bringing it up. Sounds like
we have some good followup.
>> Okay. What are we going to do is what
I'm asking.
>> Uh
well, I think we're looking at potential
overnight excess charging. We're looking
at U. Is are you still back at how many
hours a car can charge?
>> Yeah, that's what I'm saying. I mean,
that's that's the point. We're going to
restrict parking. We got to tell them
what we're restricting it to.
I
>> think what they're saying is they're
restricting it to to cars that are
receiving a charge while they're parked
there.
>> Then we need to to state that in the
policy is what I'm saying here.
>> I think it says it. That is what the
vehicle code provides for. And so we're
just bringing this into we're putting up
signage to say we're going to enforce
the vehicle code which says you can be
there as long as you're charging and
that's the extent of the time period
that you're allowed to occupy that
space.
>> Okay.
I'd suggest we say that instead of what
the vehicle code says because most
people don't know what the vehicle code
says.
>> Well do. Thank you.
>> All right. Any further comments or
questions from the public on any of
these items?
Seeing none, uh, can we get a motion for
We're I think we take them one at a time
here. So, motion for number one on
register of demands.
>> Um, I'll move we approve uh agenda item
one. You want to do them individual?
>> We can maybe take all three.
>> All right. What is it?
>> One, four, and six.
>> 1, four, and six.
>> I move to approve consent calendar items
1, four, and six.
>> Second that. Council member Alberish.
>> Yes.
>> Council member Brown.
>> Yes.
>> Council member Gold.
>> Yes.
>> Council member Wall. Mayor Donowski.
>> Yes. Thank you. Uh I appreciate the
efficiency overlay. Um moving on to
appointments. Uh we uh have two
appointments for the emergency
preparedness committee. And I will hand
this off to this the subcommittee on
appointments.
>> Take this one since council member Gold
took the last one. Um we have two
applications for the emergency
preparedness committee. One from Mr.
Simon
Apologies in advance if I butcher your
name, uh, Kimpar and another from Alan
Spira. Um, it's great to see so many,
um, interested residents um, for this
committee because, as you might have
noticed, if you were uh, in the weeds,
we just approved a consent calendar item
um, to increase the membership in quorum
for the Woodside Emergency Preparedness
Committee. So since we did that, we are
able to uh take a vote on these two
applicants. Uh the subcommittee um
agrees that um we should add these folks
to the emergency preparedness committee.
Um so unless there are any comments or
questions, um I think we can entertain a
motion to add these applicants to the
emergency preparedness committee.
>> I'll make that motion. I'll second it.
>> Council member Alberish. Yes.
>> Council member Brown.
>> Yes.
>> Council member Gold.
>> Council member Wall.
>> Yes.
>> Mayor Donowski.
>> Yes. Welcome Mr. Cleer and Dr. Sapira to
the Emergency Preparedness Committee. Uh
we very much appreciate your u
willingness to contribute this important
committee's work on behalf of the town.
Um, moving to our public hearing item A,
which is a review of an abandonment of a
100 foot setback for four properties,
four lots, uh, uh, at towards the back
of Mission Trail there. So, I I think
we'll hand it, if that's all right, over
to Sarah. Thank you.
» Thank you, Mayor Donowski.
Um, so I will be introducing the
proposal to abandon a 100 foot wide
building setback easement on four lots
located on Mission Trail. Uh, the a
proposal to abandon an easement requires
review by the town for conformance with
the general plan which the planning
commission reviewed at their meeting in
December.
Uh, the the subject property is located
um on the map. It's these lots here kind
of adjacent to um highway 280. So this
is Kinata Road over here. Mission Trail
comes off. All right. Mission Trail
comes off and it's these lots here 2,
three, four, and five that we're talking
about.
In the um the 80s, the town approved a
subdivision um of one lot into nine
different lots. And at the time of the
subdivision, the general plan and
municipal code required properties
within the I280
um scenic corridor to have a 200 foot
building setback. Um the ASRB could
grant relief up to 100 ft if they could
make findings that structures would not
be visible from the scenic corridor.
Um the ASRB was not able to make those
findings for lots two and four. So, the
subdivider asked for um a variance and
the planning commission granted a
variance which approved um a 100 ft
building setback easement for those four
lots.
Uh the setback prohibited buildings or
structures of any kind except lawful
fences within that 100 ft setback area.
In 2017, the council amended the
municipal code to eliminate the 200 foot
setback requirement for smaller parcels
along I280.
And the 200 foot requirement remained
for some larger parcels fronting 280
along Moore Road, Valley Road, Valley
Court, Lawler Ranch Road, and at
Kinyatta College.
Uh the town also updated the general
plan to be consistent with the municipal
code which um struck that requirement
for the 200 foot setback for all
properties within the state scenic
rideway. And the current general plan
and municipal code do not have specific
requirements for setbacks from I280
except for those larger part larger
parcels on those roads that I previously
mentioned.
So,
uh, with this proposal,
um, the minimum set minimum required
setbacks for the zoning district would
still apply, and the applicant is
requesting relief of this building
setback easement in order to allow for
more feasible building sites on the
lots. The easement would likely require
a setback exception or a variance for
any future development. Therefore, the
applicants requesting the abandonment of
the 100 foot easement.
Again, the minimum setbacks would still
apply.
Um, also, all of the other existing
easements, including the equestrian
trail easements, would remain and there
are no proposed changes to any of those
other easements. And the equestrian
trail easements would have to be kept
clear of any buildings or structures and
can be used only for equestrian uses.
The planning commission found the
proposal to abandon the easement to be
in conformance with the general plan and
municipal code. And if the town council
agrees and approves the draft draft
resolution, the easement will be removed
from the properties and recorded with
the county. And that concludes my
presentation. And I'm happy to answer
any questions. Thank you.
>> Wonderful. Thank you. Questions for
staff?
some
>> what what is the minimum setback in that
zoning district
>> for the rear property line? It's 25
feet.
» And in the report, it appeared the
planning commission really had no push
back on this idea. Is that an accurate
characterization?
>> Yes.
>> Okay.
Any other questions?
All right. We will then conclude our
questions and move to public comment.
Any members of the public that would
like to speak?
Let me uh Miss Hansen.
>> Hi. Um I sent an email with questions
yesterday. Did you all receive that? It
went to the same address to town hall. I
just resent it to the town hall. Um
so specific specific to this um I sent
it yesterday. I sent two separate
emails. So what do you do in this case?
I don't think we received I I didn't
receive it. Um, did you guys get it at
town?
>> I received it from the town clerk.
» Okay. So, we can we can address that.
Um, there do you have the here, sir?
Are the um there's questions about uh
construction within the trail easement
and adjacent to it. the trail easement.
>> Excuse me. Why wouldn't you just read my
email?
>> Okay, sorry.
» Okay. So, I'll read um the letter from
Miss Hansen. And so it says, "Hello."
And this was sent on Monday, March 23rd
at 8:28 p.m. And it says, "Hello.
Located in the current 100t setback on
the Mission Trail lots are equestrian
trail easements. If the 100 ft building
setback is abandoned, what will it be
replaced with? 0ft setback.
How close to the equestrian easement
would the applicant be allowed to build?
A fence or a structure?
The applicants provided materials
indicated indicate they are not asking
for removal of these equestrian
easements. So is it agreed that
development will not block the protected
easements and that any improvements or
construction will keep the easements
passable and open with enough room for
use by a person on a large horse.
and that the applicant will agree to
remove any current obstructions
located on restricting access to these
easements as a condition for their
project. Thank you, Kim.
>> And I'll just note that I responded to
Kim. I'm not sure if she received my
email, but I did respond. Um, and if
you'd like, I can read that response.
Okay.
>> Yeah. That's us.
>> I responded uh Tuesday at 11:02 and I
said, "Dear Kim, thank you for reaching
out again about this agenda item. The
minimum setback for the zoning district
would apply, which is 25 ft from the
rear property line. The equestrian trail
easement would need to remain open and
clear, and such strips of land should be
for equestrian uses only. Please let me
know if you have any additional
questions. Thank you.
>> Okay. Thank you, Miss Hansen. Does that
does please I'll let you continue.
>> Thank Thank you. I'm sorry. I just I sent it to town hall so I assumed
it would be part of this and I tried to
send it so we have enough time to
respond but so thank you for responding.
Um how how wide So my questions are how
wide is the equestrian easement and um
the
you you um how wide is that equestrian
easement? And then the other part of my
um and the in the packet there were some
color-coded easement maps. I found like
that found those were pretty helpful. Um
so maybe the council would benefit if if
Sarah could please display those. But my
big question was I'm curious with the
removal of this um setback, does that
mean that potentially there could be
like the back of a shed so that you're
like going through an alley or a tunnel?
Um I'm just trying to understand what it
would feel like because the um the
trails committee was working on actually
opening you know like like looking at
the easements. There is a there is an
interest by the public and the trails
committee to maintain these easements
and to allow passage. So it is really um
a desire of the public that we can um
use these. Um thank you very much.
>> Thank you. So, uh, 25 ft, uh, setback.
And how wide, uh, is the easement?
>> The easements, uh, you can see here on
lots, uh, 2, 3, 4, and part of five.
>> Um, it's 15 ft wide. And so that's
typical of most easements within the
town of Woodside. I'm sorry, uh,
equestrian easements within the town of
Woodside. Um, so the same
>> things would apply to this lot as with
any other lot that has an equestrian
easement on it. they need to stay out of
the equestrian easement. Um, sometimes
property owners propose fences along
equestrian trail easements. Um, we see
that throughout town. Um, there in terms
of creating like structures all the way
across, I mean, look at ADU standards.
They can be closed or they still cannot
be in an equestrian trail easement. So,
that will just make that very clear. Um,
and we do, you know, we have sometimes
people look at things like tennis courts
and when we have stuff like that, we do
bring it to the trails committee to get
their input. Um, and then to finish off
the width, if you see there on the what
I'll say kind of the right side, it's
like the um the quest actually opens up
to 45 ft on that property. So, um, I'm
not exactly sure why it got widened, but
sometimes I think it gets a little
steeper there. So there might have been
some thought of kind of some switch back
of a trail or something. Um but that
also that 45 ft would also remain in
place as well and be treated the same as
all other equestrian easements in town.
>> Okay. And so on that property to Miss
Hansen's point it's the setback's 25 ft
but the easement is 40 45. Uh so that
line would be the
>> yeah the 45 ft would be the the more
restrictive and that would be applied.
Okay.
>> Um but it would get rid of that yellow
line which is the 100 foot.
>> Okay.
Thank you.
Any other comments from the public? Yes,
Mr. Putnham.
>> Kent Putnham. I'm representing the
property owners and here if you have any
questions.
>> Thank you.
Are there any other public comments on
item A?
Seeing none, we will close public
comment and open deliberations by
council. Any thoughts?
» I would just say Sarah, thank you so
much for the presentation. It was super
clear. Um Kim, thank you for your
questions about the easement. Um, I feel
like I now um, you know, understand the
easement issue better. Um, I think
overall since we're in deliberations,
I'm I'm supportive of this change. Um,
and I have no further comments.
>> Good. Any other comments?
>> I would just say obviously there's no
reason um, that we would require code
that we don't require anymore. and uh if
it can improve the feasibility with and
help our housing goals that makes a lot
of sense to me and this is just one of
those private properties that wasn't
part of the original plan and um now can
be part of the solution. So uh in terms
of delivering on the housing element so
uh I am supportive as well and I also
mentioned just walking the property
there are still wonderful natural
contours there that I think are going to
protect the the look and feel from 280.
Not that that's part of the code
anymore, but just a reassurance.
I think with that we would entertain a
motion.
>> Right. Move to approve the proposal and
agenda item A.
>> Second.
>> Council member Alish.
>> Yes.
>> Council member Brown.
>> Yes.
>> Member Gold.
>> Yes.
>> Council member Wall. Mayor Donowski.
>> Yes. Thank you.
Mr. Putnham.
>> Thank you.
And moving on to reports, volunteer
committee updates.
>> Thank you. Just a quick update about the
environment and open space committee is
accepting applications for the Woodside
Heritage Tree. They are due by April 5th
and the winners will be announced at the
Mayday events. Um if you need anybody
needs an application, that's online or
they can come into town hall or reach
out to me. Thank you.
>> Wonderful. Thank you. Uh council member
communications.
Uh yes, we had a very successful senior
event uh this last Saturday and we have
a follow-up to it on April 25th
>> um here uh covering the same same ground
with whole a different approach um about
you know how do the seniors manage their
issues that their loved ones may
encounter over time in terms of moving
into other institutions such as Sequoas
um or the Kensington Place um and and just how do you how do you manage
that process?
We had 75 people here. So, it was a big success.
>> Congratulations and thank you for doing
that. You've done such a wonderful job
on all those seminars.
>> My pleasure.
>> Yeah, thank you. Any other
communications? Yes, sir.
>> Two quick ones. Uh, one, I did attend uh
the the
function that Dick just talked about and
it was amazing. I mean truly the the
neurologist who spoke was a fantastic
speaker and um uh it was actually pretty
riveting. So uh very useful information.
Um I also attended the meet the sheriff.
Um Sheriff Ken Binder was here at the uh
fire station
Friday afternoon I think and um a very
nice event. He's uh he he he's an
impressive gentleman and um it just
appeared to me that the u the deputies
who were in attendance and the other
folks were um very pleased uh so far
with his leadership. So, it's looking
good and um he has a very um soft place
in his heart for Woodside. He was well
aware of our history with uh the
sheriff's department over the past
several decades and um uh honored that I
think by being here too. So, nice event.
Okay, I think with that we will uh
adjourn the meeting. Thank you all.