SAN BRUNO MOUNTAIN
HABITAT CONSERVATION PLAN TRUSTEES’ MEETING

MINUTES
January 9, 2002

The meeting convened at 3:08 p.m. in the County Manager's Conference Room
400 County Center, Hall of Justice, Redwood City

TRUSTEES PRESENT:	Clayton Holstine, John Maltbie, Michael Wilson
TRUSTEES ABSENT:	John Martin
STAFF PRESENT:	Mike Murphy, Marcia Raines, Mary Burns, Sam Herzberg, Gary Lockman, Roman Gankin, Ron Weaver, Brenda Bennett
OTHERS:	Eben Polk - Thomas Reid Associates; Jeannine DeWald - Fish & Game; Patrick Kobernus - Thomas Reid Associates; Tom Reid - Thomas Reid Associates; Jake Sigg - California Native Plant Society; Doug Allshouse - Friends of San Bruno Mountain; Eric McHuron - Friends of San Bruno Mountain, Vicki Campbell - Fish & Game (via conference call)
Agenda Item #1	Oral Communications Doug Allshouse, Friends of San Bruno Mountain (Friends), in reference to July 17, 2001 minutes regarding Agenda Item 4, "Recommendation, discussion and action on the budget for the San Bruno Mountain Habitat Conservation Trust FY 2001," noted that Friends had requested $3,000 from budget to rehabilitate greenhouse, which the Trustees had approved. He distributed a handout regarding the acquisition of dedicated greenhouse space and the Friends' expectation that they could become self-sufficient by supplying 5,000 plants per year for their botanical garden and could potentially, for profit, grow native plants from San Bruno Mountain seed stock for other restoration projects on the mountain, and provide native plants for local landscaping projects. He indicated that the Friends' plant budget from the HCP would be eliminated. Eric McHuron, Friends, distributed copies of photographs showing not only the renovation of the greenhouse, which was accomplished mainly with volunteer labor, but also some of the plants now being housed and propagated. Mr. McHuron inquired as to when reimbursement of the $3,000 to the Friends might be expected. Mike Murphy, County Counsel, will prepare an agreement for reimbursement.
Agenda Item #2	Approval of July 17, 2001 Minutes Trustee Mike Wilson moved, and Trustee Clay Holstine seconded, approval of the July 17, 2001 minutes as mailed. The motion carried 3-0.
Agenda Item #3	Status Report on Work Program for the San Bruno Mountain Habitat Conservation Plan for FY 2001-2002 Tom Reid, Thomas Reid Associates (TRA), reported that monitoring was accomplished last year and the annual report, a requirement of the permit, is now being prepared. He noted that TRA is using a GPS system to collect data electronically, and Eben Polk, TRA, prepared an electronic series of maps of the mountain, which were made available to other interested parties. Also, TRA staff has compiled "The San Bruno Mountain Ecological Database" on a CD and are looking for Trustees' concurrence to proceed with publication of the CD. Features of the database include a high-resolution satellite photo, butterfly data that can be made available for analysis (can view transects where butterfly monitoring occurred), a table of data, and approximately 20 years of data. If CD is published, Mr. Reid suggested that charge for CD should include all accompanying costs such as licensing and mailing. He indicated that $40.00 might be adequate. Discussion ensued regarding legal and copyright issues in publishing CD. It was decided that consideration of the these issues would be placed on a future agenda.
Agenda Item #4	Status of two workshops on grazing/controlled burning and monitoring Sam Herzberg, County Park Division Senior Planner, noted that last year the HCP Trustees had requested that staff set up workshops on the subjects of grazing/controlled burning and monitoring. Staff's recommendation is for the monitoring workshop to take place in March 2002 so the Habitat Manager would be able to incorporate changes prior to monitoring the butterfly populations in the spring, and that the grazing/controlled burning workshop be held in May 2002. Eric McHuron, Friends, suggested that butterfly monitoring should include study of ant, host plant, and nectar plant populations, and that the planting of more host and nectar plants would work favorably towards supporting and increasing butterfly populations. . Tom Reid, TRA, said that monitoring is ongoing of host plants and habitat condition. Patrick Kobernus, TRA, noted that "stop gap" efforts as mentioned by Mr. McHuron are used to minimize impacts of exotics. Mr.Reid indicated that study of ant populations might be of value.
Agenda Item #5	Discussion and Action concerning options with respect to amendments to the Habitat Conservation Plan Agenda Item #5 was heard after Agenda Item #6.
Agenda Item #6	Discussion and Action concerning an update of the Five Year Plan for San Bruno Mountain Habitat Restoration Activities Tom Reid, TRA, said that the genesis of the previous five year plan (November 1996 until November 2001) was Jake Sigg's, California Native Plant Society (CNPS), questioning about the management of exotic plant control on the mountain. Roman Gankin, on behalf of the County, obtained peer review of their management of exotic plant control. As a result, a five-year plan was created for management of exotic plant control on the mountain which plan has been accomplished. He drew the Trustees' attention to the memo in the agenda packet prepared by Patrick Kobernus, TRA, which outlines the objectives of the previous five-year plan and the proposed objectives of a new five-year plan. In addition to exotic plant control, the new plan proposes sensitive species population monitoring and mapping, habitat restoration, development mitigation, and public participation. Mike Murphy, County Counsel, noted that the amendment to the agreement originally distributed with the packets had been revised to reflect expanded objectives. In response to a question from Jake Sigg, CNPS, Tom Reid, TRA, said that peer review would continue to be integral, and that the preparation of the CD and the five-year plan would enhance the peer review. He also clarified that SEI is conducting peer review and is funded. Responding to a question from Trustee Wilson, Mr. Reid said that the five-year plan could be modified as the result of the public input and peer review processes. to modification arising from the processes of public input and peer review. Mary Burns, Director of Parks & Recreation, indicated that a draft report from SEI had been received yesterday, and forwarded to Fish and Wildlife and staff for comments. The report will be placed on a future agenda for discussion. Mr. Reid, TRA, indicated that his staff would work with County staff to identify potential revenue sources. Following a brief discussion about funding and value of priorities, Trustee Wilson moved, and Trustee Holstine seconded, to amend the budget and adopt an amendment to the agreement with TRA to accomplish the five-year plan for 2002-2007. Motion carried unanimously.
Agenda Item #5	Discussion and Action concerning options with respect to amendments to the Habitat Conservation Plan Mike Murphy, County Counsel, related that the previous year the Trustees had applied for an Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) Planning grant application to fund approximately three-fourths of the funds needed to amend the existing HCP for San Bruno Mountain. This grant application was not approved, primarily because of a lack of support from the California Department of Fish & Game. Fish & Game recommended funding those projects that were new, not existing projects, and Natural Community Conservation Plans involving multiple species rather than HCPs. An amendment of the HCP would include adding the Callippe silverspot butterfly to the permit; peer review and possible modification of butterfly monitoring techniques; reevaluation of habitat management techniques to sustain butterfly habitat and the native ecosystems; and reevaluation of mechanisms for adequately funding HCP requirements. Vickie Campbell, USFWS, said she felt grant should be reapplied for this year. With lobbying of State Fish & Game, she felt that application might be successful. Trustee Maltbie suggested reapplying for the grant and having a backup plan in case application was not successful such as funds being advanced to be recouped from development fees. After lengthy discussion regarding the need for amendment to the HCP and where funding might come from, County staff was directed to reapply for the grant and that options for funding would be an agenda item for the next meeting.
Agenda Item #7	Scheduling of next meeting The next meeting will be in June; the actual date will be arranged by phone. The meeting adjourned at 4:50 p.m.