Volume47
January 8, 2025
PORTOLA VALLEY TOWN COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES - JANUARY 81 2025
1. CALL TO ORDER / ROLL CALL
Mayor Hasko called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m. Roll call was taken.
Present: Councilmembers Rebecca Flynn, Mary Hufty, Helen Wolter, Vice Mayor Craig Taylor and Mayor Judith Hasko
Absent: None
Others: Interim Town Manager Corie Stocker-Pedalino, Town Attorney Catherine Engberg, Interim Planning and Building Director Terrence Grindall, Finance Director Anthony McFarlane, Clerk Consultant Christine Boland
2. PRESENTATIONS / PROCLAMATIONS
a. Presentation of Annual Report by the San Mateo County Library Joint Powers Authority Portola Valley Library Manager, Carmen Letona-Adams and Circulation Supervisor, Eileen Browning, presented the Annual Library JPA report and accompanying video.
b. Proclamation Honoring Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Mayor Hasko read the Proclamation in its entirety.
3. TOWN MANAGER REPORT
Interim Town Manager Corie Stocker-Pedalino welcomed Councilmember Flynn and Wolter to their first Town Council meeting. She announced that the first Finance Committee meeting of the year would be held on January 28 at 4 p.m.
Ms. Stocker-Pedalino thanked the Town Council for allowing her to serve as Interim Town Manager over the past few months. Mayor Hasko thanked Ms. Stocker-Pedalino for her service, stepping up and accepting the challenge as Interim Manager.
Ms. Stocker-Pedalino and Mayor Hasko presented options for submitting oral and/or written communications to the Town Council.
4. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
The following members of the public addressed the Town Council:
• Chris Buja
• Dale Pfau
• Leslie Kriese
• Caroline Vertongen
• Rita Comes Whitney Corrected at the 1/22/25 Council meeting. • Nan Shostack
• Kristi C
5. CONSENT AGENDA
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Councilmember Flynn requested Several requests were made to discuss Consent Agenda items Sa, Se, and Sf separately. Corrected at the 1/22/25 Council meeting. a. Approve Special Meeting Minutes of December 5, 2024
Councilmember Flynn noted that a correction was needed to the December 5, 2024 Minutes, Page 3, second bullet, to reflect the corrected language of the Stanford Portola Terrace project Conditions of Approval, as discussed at the meeting, as follows:
• The applicant shall contribute $100,000 to any future Town initiated operational traffic analysis, which may evaluate the project's ability to comply 1A'ith the Wildland Urban Interface Fire Evacuation Plan, dated June 12, 2024, and any potential Alpine Road street impro1.iements. • Prior to first building permit issuance. the applicant shall make a voluntary contribution of $100,000 toward the Town's analysis. design, and/or implementation of any improvement or improvements the Town wishes to construct to improve circulation along the property frontage on Alpine Road. If. after analysis. the Town declines to pursue such improvements. the_n an1 remain� g
_
funds ma1 be applie� to
'•1 the analysis. design, and/or implementation o other pme Road ransportat,on improvements in the vicinity of the proiect site. If any such funds are not spent within fifteen (15) years after their payment, the Town promptly shall refund the remaining balance, with interest, to the applicant.
Mayor Hasko also inquired about the intent behind the first bullet on Page 3, as follows:
• All details of the final approved trails plan to be constructed shall be coordinated between the project applicant, Town staff, one (1) member of the Trails Committee and one (1) member of the Town Council, as determined by the Planning Director prior to construction.
Vice Mayor Taylor explained the intent was that the Planning Director would facilitate a meeting between the parties, prior to construction commencing.
Vice Mayor Taylor made a motion to approve the Consent Agenda item Sa, Minutes of December 5, 2024, as amended above, seconded by Councilmember Hufty. The motion carried 3-0-2, with Councilmembers Flynn and Wolter abstaining from the vote, since they were not on the Town Council on December 5, 2024. b. Approve Regular Meeting Minutes of December 11, 2024 Vice Mayor Taylor made a motion to approve the Consent Agenda item Sb, seconded by Councilmember Hufty. The motion carried 4-0-1, with Councilmember Wolter abstaining from the vote.
c. Approve Special Meeting Minutes of December 13, 2024 Volume47
January 8, 2025
Vice Mayor Taylor made a motion to approve the Consent Agenda item Sc, seconded by Councilmember Hufty. The motion carried 4-0-1, with Councilmember Wolter abstaining from the vote.
d. Review and Accept Warrant List of January 8, 2025
Public Comment
• Caroline Vertongen
Vice Mayor Taylor made a motion to approve the Consent Agenda item 5d, seconded by Councilmember Hufty. The motion carried unanimously by roll call vote.
e. Approve Regional, Local, Subcommittee and Liaison appointments for 2025 Amendments were proposed to several primary positions on the appointment list, as follows:
Friends of the PV Library
Bicycle/Pedestrian & Traffic Safety Cmtte.
Emergency Services Council
Primary
Flynn
Wolter
Hufty
Councilmember Taylor made a motion to approve Consent Agenda item Se, as amended above, seconded by Councilmember Hufty. The motion carried unanimously by roll call vote.
f. Adoption of Resolution approving the amendments to the Conservation Easement and Declaration of Restrictions and Covenants ("Conservation Easement") for the property located at 880 Westridge Dr.
Mayor Hasko invited public comment.
The following members of the public addressed the Town Council:
• Mary Jack
• Danna Breen
• Andrew Thompson
• George Savage
• Caroline Vertongen
• Tamara Galanter, Esq., representing residents Mr. and Mrs. Jack • Konstantin Guericke, applicant
• Valerie Armenta Armento, Esq., representing the Town of Portola Valley • John Hanna, Esq., representing the Town of Portola Valley applicant Corrected at the 1/22/25 Council meeting
This item was pulled from the Consent Calendar and heard after Agenda item 6a.
6. REGULAR AGENDA
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a. Consideration of appointing Mark Linder as Interim Town Manager and Approval of Employment Agreement
Town Attorney Engberg provided details of Mr. Linder's contract and noted the proposed start date would be January 13, 2025 with the contract ending December 12, 2025, or until a permanent Town Manager is hired.
Vice Mayor Taylor made a motion to approve the appointment of Mark Linder as Interim Town Manager and accompanying employment agreement, seconded by Councilmember Hufty. The motion carried unanimously by roll call vote.
The Council took a five-minute break.
Continued: 5.f. Adoption of Resolution approving the amendments to the Conservation Easement and Declaration of Restrictions and Covenants ("Conservation Easement") for the property located at 880 Westridge Drive
Regarding the next agenda item, 5.f. Town Attorney Engberg disclosed previously that her law firm had a preexisting conflict of interest and that she would be recusing herself on Consent Agenda item Sf. She introduced Valerie ArmentaQ, Esq. who would represent the Town on the item, along with John Hanna, Esq.
Corrected at the 1/22/25 Council meeting.
Interim Planning & Building Director Grindall addressed the Council and provided background on the proposed amendment to the Conservation Easement at 880 Westridge Drive. He stated the Architectural & Site Control Commission reviewed a proposed project that includes trails and recreational courts and found it generally consistent with the intent of the Conservation Easement. However, ambiguities in the easement were identified that could be addressed through an amendment to align more closely with the original intent of the easement's creators, Mr. and Mrs. Lane.
Regarding the proposed trails, Mr. Grindall stated three new private trails that pass through areas not previously disturbed, potentially conflicting with Section 4.3 of the easement, which prohibits surface alterations or development. However, he noted the trails are designed as natural paths using light decomposed granite with no excavation or rock edging. The trails follow the natural grade and are intended to encourage residents to use them rather than trample the larger property. The proposed amendment to Section
4.1.3 would explicitly allow the trail system, ensuring no harm to the property's scenic or open space condition. The proposed trails align with the conservation easement's intent because they won't impact the property's natural value.
Further, Mr. Grindall addressed the recreational courts stating the project also includes a tennis and pickleball court, located in previously disturbed areas (the site of a barn and horse corral), possibly conflicting Section 4.3, which limits surface alterations for recreational uses, and Section 3.4, which restricts asphalt installation. The courts are proposed to have clay and asphalt surfaces. The amendment to Section 4.3 would clarify that surface modifications are permissible within previously disturbed areas, thus allowing the proposed courts. He believed the modifications were consistent with the conservation easement's intent because they won't impact the property's natural, scenic, Volume47
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conservation easement's intent because they won't impact the property's natural, scenic, or open space conditions.
Valerie Armenta Armento, Esq. and John Hanna, Esq. were introduced and addressed the Council regarding the project, addressed details of the proposed easement and believed that both the trail and court proposals were consistent with the conservation goals of the easement.
After extensive further discussion, Vice Mayor Taylor moved to adopt Resolution No. 2959-2025, Approving the amendments to the Conservation Easement and Declaration of Restrictions and Covenants ("Conservation Easement") for the property located at 880 Westridge Dr.
The motion carried 4-1, with Councilmember Hufty voting no.
6.b. Hold interviews and appoint three residents to Planning Commission, ("PC"), terms expiring December 31, 2028, and
6.c. Hold interviews and appoint four residents to the Architectural & Site Control Commission ("ASCC"), terms expiring 12/31/2027 (1 seat) and 12/31/2028 (3 seats) The Council interviewed the following residents for the vacancies on Planning Commission:
• Karen Vahtra
• Ronny Krashinsky
• Danna Breen, and
• Doug Morss
Following the interviews, Vice Mayor Taylor moved to appoint Karen Vahtra, Ronny Krashinsky and Doug Morss to the Planning Commission, whose terms expire December 31, 2028, seconded by CouncilmemberWolter. The motion carried unanimously by roll call vote.
The Council interviewed the following residents for the vacancies on the Architectural & Site Control Commission ("ASCC"):
• Lance Vaughan
® Gina Dixon (not present; paper application only)
• Danna Breen, and
• Doug Morss
Following the interviews, Vice Mayor Taylor moved to appoint Danna Breen, (term expiring 12/31/2027),Lance Vaughan, (term expiring 12/31/2028), and Gina Dixon, (term expiring 12/31/2028), to the Architectural & Site Control Commission, seconded by Councilmember Wolter. The motion carried unanimously by roll �II vote.
7. COUNCIL SUBCOMMITTEE, LIAISON COMMITTEE, AND REGIONAL AGENCIES
REPORTS
Mayor Hasko reported that Chet Wrucke, long-time Geologic Committee member, resigned from the committee recently. Councilmember Hufty reported on an ad hoc Housing Site Evaluation committee meeting held recently.
8. ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Hasko adjourned the meeting at 11: 14 p.m.
Jd'ith Hasko, Mayor \)
Approved by the Town•Council at its January 22, 2025 meeting.
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