Docusign Envelope ID: 9E5BD2D9-E42F-42FO-BA36-4DO10C8F619A TOWN OF WOOD31DE
TOWN COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
Independence Hall, 2955 Woodside Road, Woodside
July22,2025
7:00 p.m.
CALLTOORDER
Mayor Dombkowski called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
ROLL CALL
Present: Councilmembers Aburish, Brown, Goeld, Wall, and Mayor Dombkowski Staff Present:
Jason Ledbetter, Town Manager
Jean Savaree, Town Attorney
Sage Schaan, Planning Director
Yazdan Emrani, Town Engineer/Public Works Director
Jennifer Li, Town Clerk
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Councilmember Aburish led the Pledge of Allegiance.
COMMUNICATIONS
David Mittelman, Grandview Drive, stated: the ASRB is not meeting its full potential and encouraged Council to review the ideas he emailed.
Mayor Dombkowski expressed appreciation for Mr. Mittelman's email, and said Council will work on ASRB improvements.
MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT PRESENT ATION Margaret MacNiven, Director or Ward 6, introduced Zoe Kersteen-Tucker, Director of Ward 7, and Joshua Hugg, Governmental Affairs Program Manager. She provided an overview of the district and its work.
Ms. Kersteen-Tucker spoke of the Wildland Fire Resiliency Program and upcoming projects.
Council and Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District discussion included: the district analyzes fire hazard and ecological resiliency using Geographic Information System (GIS) to determine where to concentrate efforts and prioritize; the Peninsula Open SpaceTrust (POST) buys land that has strategic value for agricultural resources and comes to the district for long-term care; the Town Council Meeting Minutes July 22, 2025 Pagel
Docusign Envelope ID: 9E5BD2D9-E42F-42FO-BA36-4DO10C8F619A district has a list of properties that might have strategic value for a critical watershed; they tend to be opportunistic when possible; recent projects revolve more around trail networks; conservation grazing helps reduce fuel load and control non-native species; after the San Mateo-Santa Cruz Unit (CZU) Lightning Complex Fire in 2020, the districtworked quicky to collect nine million dollars for fire resiliency work; staff is very responsive to community needs and to get resources in place to do the work; the district has been increasing staff for vegetative management.
TOWN MANAGER REPORT
Mr. Ledbetter stated: he met with the San Mateo County Sheriff on July 17 to discuss the Law Enforcement Services Contract; the subcommittee will meet again in August to discuss, and it will be on the agenda in September; the San Mateo Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo) had a meeting with the Deputy Town Attorney, the Public Works Director, and himself on July 17 regarding how the sewer system and wastewater treatment plant affect the Town's Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) requirements and if the system is capable of handling increases, not only for hypothetical development but also for when septic systems fail and homeowners attempt to connect to the sewer system and transition away from septic; there will be a meeting in the near future with the County to discuss these topics; staff met with the consultant updating the Records Retention Schedule, which will initiate a project of digitizing paper plans and files; on July 16, he attended the Emergency Preparedness in Community (EPiC) meeting at the Portola \7alley Woodside Fire Protection District offices; he met with the Woodside Hills HOA president and discussed her concerns about Fire Preparedness, and she stressed her interest in seeing the Town provide more vegetation removal along the right-of-way specifically along Woodside Dr and into High Rd; he will bring the vegetation removal contract forward from the Woodside Fire Protection District in September and is hopeful that the partnership will have an impressive impact on vegetation removal and egress routes during emergencies; on July 8, the Town launched a community-wide Communication Survey.
APPOINTMENTS
Report and Recommendation from the Town Council Committees Appointments Subcommittee:
a. Trails Committee
Councilmember Wall expressed support for the application.
Councilmember Brown moved to appoint Stacia Garr to the Trails Committee.
Motion seconded by Councilmember Aburish and approved by roll call vote:
AYES:
NOES:
Councilmembers Aburish, Brown, Goeld, Wall, and Mayor Dombkowski None
Town Council Meeting Minutes July 22, 2025 Page 2
Docusign Envelope ID: 9E5BD2D9-E42F-42FO-BA36-4DOalOC8F619A
CONSENT CALENDAR
1. RegisterofDemandsAgainsttheTownofWoodsidefromJuly1throughl5y2025.
2. Approval of Minutes: Regular Meeting of June 10, 2025.
3. Resolution Changing the Employer Contribution to the Section 125 Plan.
Resolution No. 2025 - 7766
Councilmember Wall moved approval of the Consent Calendar Items 1, 2, and 3.
Motion seconded by Council member Aburish and approved by roll call vote:
AYES:
NOES:
Councilmembers Aburish, Brown, Goeld, Wall, and Mayor Dombkowski None
PUBLIC HEARING
A. ResolutionApprovingtheVacationofPedestrianandEquestrianEasementson153and 155 Marva Oaks Drive.
Resolution No. 2025 - 7767
Mr. Emrani presented the staff report.
In response to Council's question about whether there is currently a trail on the easement, or is it only an easement with ability to use if needed, Mr. Emrani stated: there is an existing trail.
The public comment period opened at 7:44 p.m.
Bob Falkenberg, property owner, explained how the trail that is remaining is superior to the portion that is proposed to be abandoned.
David Mittelman, Grandview Drive, asked who maintains the trails that have equestrian easements.
In response to Mr. Mittelman's question, Mr. Emrani stated: the Town.
Kim Hansen, Raymundo Drive, expressed support for the changes as well as a request for the Town to evaluate the health of the trees along the trail.
The public comment period closed at 7:48 p.m.
Council comments included: this balances the needs of all parties and improves upon the situation.
Town Council Meeting Minutes July 22, 2025 Page 3
Docusign Envelope ID: 9E5BD2D9-E42F-42FO-BA36-4DO10C8F619A Councilmember Brown moved approval of Item A.
Motion seconded by Councilmember Aburish and approved by roll call vote:
AYES:
NOES:
Councilmembers Aburish, Brown, Goeld, Wall, and Mayor Dombkowski None
NEW BUSINESS
B. Resolution Ratifying Ordinance No. 25-01 of the Woodside Fire Protection District Designating Fire Hazard Severity Zones and Official Maps and Rescinding Woodside Ordinance No. 2008-542 Designating Very High Fire Hazard and Severity zones in LRA Based on 2008 Maps.
Resolution No. 2025 - 7768
Mr. Ledbetter presented the staff report and introduced Kim Giuliacci, Fire Marshal. There is a desk item showing the 2008 Fire Map.
Council questions included: why Woodside Heights is not on the map; whether the maps could be used to push back against insurance companies denying coverage to homeowners due to their location in the severity zones; how the State categorizes hazards that qualify the moderate, high, and very high zones; whether the Woodside Fire Protection District (WFPD) treats a fire differently if it started in a very high severity zone versus a moderately severe zone; whether the Council could provide input on the Cal Fire maps; whether the State Responsibility Areas (SRA) have they evolved since 2008.
In response to Council's questions, Ms. Giuliacci, stated: there are some areas that are no longer designated as "high fire", however, that does not mean they are no longer in danger; these hazard maps have nothing to do with the risk of living in a wildland urban interface; they are more used for applying firesafe regulations during land use planning; the WFPD Fuel Mitigation ordinance and requirements for defensible space for existing structures and new construction apply to all in the district; the State maps are based on climate and topography and are useful for areas that do not have any types of laws applying defensible space requirements; insurance companies look at risk, not hazards; insurance decisions are not regulated; the WFPD has not been able to decipher the formula that Cal Fire uses for how they designate the various zones; the State uses a much wider lens because they are analyzing a large part of California; fires move faster on steeper, densely vegetated slopes; the WFPD has a webpage specific to fire-hazard severity zones, including the science and methodology behind how Cal Fire maps are created; the WFPD addresses all fires, no matter the location, the same; residents who live in the high and very high severity zones for a long time have already taken action to protect their homes because they are already aware; research has shown that more structures burned in the moderate areas than the high and very high areas because those residents do not expect fires to affect their neighborhood; the Town cannot make anything less restrictive, and the WFPD Town Council Meeting Minutes July 22, 2025 Page 4
Docusign Envelope ID: 9E5BD2D9-E42F-42FO-BA36-4DO10C8F619A adopted it as it was; the SRAs have reduced; those who were already in very high stayed in very high; the majority of the WFPD'stayed in moderate; the boots-on-the-ground perspective is very different; the WFPD is focusing on educating all on the risks and important actions to take.
The public comment period opened at 8:05 p.m.
Kim Hansen, Raymundo Drive, expressed frustrations when properties classified as very high need to do inspections and defensible space when buying or selling, and asked what happens if the Council does not adopt the new map.
In response, Ms. Giuliacci stated: the WFPD is no asking the Town to adopt anything more restrictive; regarding real estate, the fuel mitigation ordinance is applicable to the entire Fire District and has nothing to do with the maps; regardless of which severity zone, any property in an wildland urban interface are at risk for destruction during a wildfire; the WFPD adopted the Cal Fire map as is; the website has an overlay option to see differences between 2008 and 2025.
The public comment period closed at 8:10 p.m.
Council noted that this is an interagency ratification, and they are here for collaboration.
Councilmember Wall moved approval of Item B.
Motion seconded by Councilmember Aburish and approved by roll call vote:
AYES:
NOES:
Councilmembers Aburish, Brown, Goeld, Wall, and Mayor Dombkowski NOne
C. Resolution Authorizing the Town Manager to Execute an Agreement With NV5 in an AmountNotToExceed$167,080orwithKPFFinan AmountNotToExceed$116,710.60forthe Old La Honda Road (OLHR) Drainage Improvements Project Upon SatisfactoryCompletion of a Reference Check.
Resolution No. 2025 - 7769
Mr. Ledbetter stated: the proposals came in at 4:00 p.m. on Friday; knowing there is a legislative recess in August, staff wanted to bring this forward asking for authorization to evaluate both proposals and give authority to the Town Manager move forward with one.
Council's questions included: what the difference is between the two proposals; whether a contractor might go over the budget in the proposal.
In response to Council's questions, Mr. Emrani stated: staff will evaluate the proposals in more detail (i.e., check references, schedule interviews); every effort is made to keep all projects close to the quotes; there is a 10% contingency that is not in the scope; there are five criteria for selection; one of the main things is the project managers' experience.
Town Council Meeting Minutes July 22, 2025 Page 5
Docusign Envelope ID: 9E5BD2D9-E42F-42FO-BA36-4DO10C8F619A The public comment period opened and closed 8:18 p.m.
Council's comments included: there is a substantial cost difference, so only go with the higher proposal if it is far superior to the other; appreciation for seeing this project move forward; storm drain maintenance is an important investment in Town.
Councilmember Aburish moved approval of Item C.
Motion seconded by Councilmember Brown and approved by roll call vote:
AYES:
NOES:
Councilmembers 4burish, Brown, Goeld, Wall, and Mayor Dombkowski None
REPORTS
D. Volunteer Committee Updates.
Mr. Ledbetter stated: the interior of the History Museum will be repainted soon before the History Committee installs their new exhibit to celebrate the 100th year of the Woodside Fire Protection District; the new Information panel for Independence Hall has been installed outside; the next First Friday event on August 1, 2025, will feature The Wordside Writers; the Trails Committee would like to meet with Circulation Committee to discuss the Town Center Area Plan.
E. Mayor and Councilmember Communications.
Councilmember Brown announced that the next senior workshop on making life changes is in the works for September 27, 2025, in Holbrook Palmer Park.
Council and staff discussed the meeting schedule for the rest of the year.
Mayor Dombkowski spoke of a recent event at the Horse Park where he delivered a proclamation and honor coin to Karl Cook, who was a silver medalist for equestrian jumping.
COMMUNICATIONS
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Dombkowski adjourned the meeting at 8:25 p.m.
Clerk own of Woodside
Town Council Meeting Minutes July 22, 2025 Page 6
Docusign Envelope ID: 9E5BD2D9-E42F-42FO-BA36-4DO10C8F619A APPROVED:
Mayor of the Town of Woodside
Town Council Meeting Minutes July 22, 2025 Page 7