Brad Pennington

The board meeting included a status update regarding the transition of the Bear Creek Stables operation to the Friends of Bear Creek Stables. Key topics involved the current status of insurance requirements that must be met before the multi-year agreement can be executed and the ongoing interim stables agreement. The district staff will continue to monitor the insurance procurement process and will provide further options to the board if the requirements are not fulfilled by the designated timeline.

The agenda includes consideration of grant awards for the 2025 cycle of the Grantmaking Program. Additional items feature the approval of various contracts and contract amendments for engineering, design, and traffic planning services related to multiple preserve and parking area projects. The Board will also review an option agreement and lease management extension for Cloverdale Ranch lands, discuss compliance actions regarding Bear Creek Stables operations, and select a design alternative for service road and ADA path improvements at Rancho San Antonio.

The meeting focused on the consideration and approval of grant awards for the 2025 cycle of the Grantmaking Program. The General Manager recommended awarding a total of $313,983 across seven projects. The selection process involved reviewing 37 pre-proposals based on criteria aligned with District policies for grassroots organizations and early-stage initiatives. The Board reviewed the recommendations, which cover three priority areas: Access, Interpretation, and Education; Network and Partnership Support; and Applied Science. Fiscal impacts for the 2025-26 fiscal year were confirmed to be nil, with sufficient funds allocated in the proposed FY27 budget.

The Board of Directors evaluated design alternatives for the Rancho San Antonio Service Road and ADA Path Improvement Project. The discussion focused on strategies to delineate the pedestrian path from the vehicle and bicycle access aisle, given the shared-use nature of the rural preserve setting. Three specific design options were presented for consideration: a continuous physical rumble strip; a rumble strip combined with a painted white stripe; and a rumble strip combined with roadway dots. The objective was to select a preferred approach to incorporate into the final project design and environmental review process under the California Environmental Quality Act.

The Board of Directors held a meeting covering several key items. Topics included a 20-year update and strategic goals regarding Sudden Oak Death, the approval of Quarter 3 budget amendments, and the adoption of a legislative position list for the 2026 session. Multiple contracts were awarded for trail design and engineering projects at various preserves, and a new lease agreement with the Ritz Carlton Hotel was authorized. Additionally, the Board discussed property management actions, emergency repairs for a culvert replacement project, and the rejection of bids for a bridge and slide repair project. Extensive discussion was conducted regarding revised design alternatives for the La Honda Creek parking and trailhead access project, with focus on traffic findings, site aesthetics, permit versus docent-led access, and environmental impacts.