La Honda Creek Open Space Preserve Master Plan
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Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District La Honda Creek Open Space Preserve Master Plan Our mission is to acquire and preserve a regional greenbelt in perpetuity; protect and restore the natural environment; and provide opportunities for ecologically sensitive public enjoyment and education. FINAL August 2012 Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Board of Directors Pete Siemens, Ward 1 Cupertino, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, Saratoga Yoriko Kishimoto, Ward 2 Cupertino, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Palo Alto, Stanford, Sunnyvale Jed Cyr, Ward 3 Sunnyvale Curt Riffle, Ward 4 Los Altos, Mountain View Nonette Hanko, Ward 5 East Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Palo Alto, Stanford Larry Hassett, Ward 6 Atherton, La Honda, Loma Mar, Menlo Park, Pescadero, Portola Valley, Redwood City, San Gregorio, Woodside Cecily Harris, Ward 7 El Granada, Half Moon Bay, Montara, Moss Beach, Princeton, Redwood City, San Carlos, Woodside Former La Honda Creek Open Space Preserve Master Plan Ad Hoc Committee Larry Hassett, Chair Mary Davey (Former Director, Ward 2) Curt Riffle General Manager Stephen E. Abbors Planning Staff Ana Montaño Ruiz, AICP, Planning Manager Kirk Lenington, Natural Resources Manager Matt Baldzikowski, Planner III Gretchen Laustsen, Planner II Casey Cleve, GIS Coordinator Jeannie Buscaglia, Administrative Assistant Lisa Bankosh, Planner III, Project Manager Former Planning Staff Matt Freeman Stella Cousins Andrea Christenson Erica Simmons Galli Basson Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................... 1 Introduction ................................................................................................ 1 Master Plan Elements .................................................................................. 1 Natural Resource Management ................................................................. 1 Cultural Resource Management ................................................................. 2 Public Access, Recreation, and Environmental Education........................... 2 Maintenance and Operations .................................................................... 3 Financial Implications ................................................................................. 5 Phasing Plan ................................................................................................ 5 Next Steps ................................................................................................... 6 I. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................ 7 Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District ................................................ 7 Mission Statement ..................................................................................... 7 Master Plan Overview ................................................................................. 7 Master Plan Purpose ................................................................................. 7 Master Plan Process ................................................................................ 10 Public Outreach and Involvement ............................................................. 10 Preserve Overview .................................................................................... 13 Preserve Areas ........................................................................................ 13 Preserve Vision Statement ....................................................................... 14 Themes, Challenges, and Opportunities .................................................. 23 II. PRESERVE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES ........................................................ 28 III. MASTER PLAN ELEMENTS ......................................................................... 31 NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ..................................................... 31 Preservation of Surrounding Open Space Lands ....................................... 31 Natural Resource Inventories and Databases ........................................... 31 Conservation Management Units ............................................................. 41 Watershed Resources and Aquatic Habitat .............................................. 45 In-stream Salmonid Habitat ................................................................. 45 Riparian Habitat .................................................................................. 45 Cooperative Watershed Protection ...................................................... 46 Water Quality Protection..................................................................... 46 Pond Management .............................................................................. 46 New Pond Formation .......................................................................... 47 Springs and Water Infrastructure .......................................................... 47 Vegetation Management ......................................................................... 48 Livestock Grazing ............................................................................... 48 Other Grassland Management Techniques .......................................... 49 Rare Plant Populations ........................................................................ 49 La Honda Creek Open Space Preserve Page i Revised June 2012 Master Plan Table of Contents Forest Management ............................................................................. 51 Sudden Oak Death.............................................................................. 52 Invasive Plant Control ......................................................................... 52 Wildlife Management .............................................................................. 53 Rare Wildlife Species .......................................................................... 53 Wildlife Corridors ............................................................................... 53 CULTURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ................................................... 54 Cultural Resource Inventories and Databases ........................................... 54 Cultural Resource Protection Measures .................................................... 54 Historic and Noteworthy Structures ......................................................... 54 Red Barn ............................................................................................. 54 White Barn ......................................................................................... 57 Redwood Cabin .................................................................................. 58 Former Driscoll Ranch Area ................................................................ 59 Historic Landscape Features .................................................................... 60 Historic Logging Features and Sawmill Sites......................................... 60 La Honda Oil Field ............................................................................. 60 PUBLIC ACCESS, RECREATION, AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION .. 61 Public Use .............................................................................................. 61 Hiking ................................................................................................ 62 Equestrian Use .................................................................................... 62 Bicycle Use ........................................................................................ 62 Dog Use ............................................................................................. 65 Practices to Responsibly Introduce Public Use in New Areas ............... 66 Signs, Brochures, and Other Forms of Public Information ................. 66 Land Treatments to Prepare the Preserve for Public Use ................... 66 Measures to Introduce Public Use in Leased Areas ........................... 66 Parking Areas .......................................................................................... 67 Preserve Trail System .............................................................................. 72 New Trail Loops, Connections, and Alignments ................................... 72 Easy Access Trails ............................................................................... 77 Regional Trail Corridors ........................................................................... 77 Recreational Amenities and Enhancements .............................................. 78 Trail Amenities .................................................................................... 78 Horse Troughs ................................................................................ 78 Picnic Areas .................................................................................... 78 Memorial Bench and Bridge Sites .................................................... 79 Viewshed Enhancements ..................................................................... 79 Undergrounding Overhead Lines ..................................................... 79 Removal of Dilapidated and Obsolete Structures ............................. 79 Environmental Education and Interpretation ............................................ 80 MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION .......................................................... 81 Road and Trail Maintenance ................................................................... 81 Best Management Practices 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