Open Space Advisory Board Agenda and Packet 2017 01 11

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Open Space Advisory Board Minutes December 14th 2016 Page 4 of 7 deplete the seed bank of cheatgrass seeds, as cheatgrass has very small, short-lived seeds. Esplande is a lipophilic chemical that remains on the very surface of the soil and doesn’t wash away quickly. Shannon shared some data to show the effect of Esplanade on native species. The study showed that the native species are tolerant of the chemical and their diversity increases just from the standing seed banks. Chris asked about the cost. Derek replied that the product is very expensive, but the low amount needed for effective application offsets the cost. Ember asked if the board approved of including Davidson Mesa in this study. Missy motioned to approve the proposal. Linda seconded. The motion passed unanimously. Missy complimented Derek’s presentation. Spencer asked for regular updates on the study. IX. Discussion Item: Candidate Open Space Property Ranking Scores Helen asked if the rankings in the packet correctly reflect OSAB’s feelings about the properties, and no one seemed to find anything to object to. Jeff was surprised to see that the board had included the Philips property in the rankings. It is currently zoned for a single-company campus. It is on the market, but there aren’t a lot of companies looking for such a facility. Jeff’s reported his feeling that most of the Council will want this to be a tax-generating piece of land and the city will probably need to have this land generating revenue to keep the city solvent in the future. Mike hoped that there might be a middle ground between complete preservation and complete development for this land, whereas during any development, there could be parts of the land that are high- value and can be set aside. Spencer felt that to think big is important and to keep in mind the idea that this land could make a wonderful Open Space property. Missy suggested that one way to meet future tax needs and to keep citizens happy would be to ask the current owners if they would like to lease the land to the city for Open Space. She felt that creative solutions are important and worth trying. Graeme pointed out that the city’s tax base isn’t part of the purview of OSAB, just the land, and that the board should stick to its guns on this matter. Linda added that the size of the properties makes them particularly special, and this will be even more important if the Cities and County fail to procure the Mayhoffer property for Open Space. Ember thought a result of this list could be to start focusing on areas, rather than specific parcels and clarifying top priorities and potential strategies to City Council. Mike wanted to clarify that this ranking should not necessarily signal to City staff to start buying any land on the list. Jeff commended that this ranking may cause a credibility issue with Council, if OSAB completely ignores costs and zoning. Jeff Lipton pointed out two properties that have been recently under discussion: the Santilly property near Harney Lastoka and a property north of Balfour with a church on it. He felt that Council should know if those two areas are high priorities. Several Council members want to see that land purchased for Open Space. Jeff added that the comprehensive plan will be reviewed in three years. Any changes for the Philips land would have to be discussed then. Joe felt that there could be planning to determine what OSAB and the City will ask for if/when the land gets ultimately developed. Joe pointed out that increasing Open Space area may put a strain on the budget. Missy replied that Open Space is very cheap to maintain, compared to Parks. This discussion will be continued in January. X. Discussion Item: Review & Make Final Recommendations on the Design and Text for the Lake Park Open Space Interpretive Sign- Presented by: Catherine Jepson & Michelle Wolf, ECOS Communications 6