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none, , Correspondence(310) 544-6222 cRoffi 2 &- L'A eommunit,9 C�� OeLRtL012 JJ of c?anefio _Taros /E' cIE1 NO. 1 PORTUGUESE BEND RD. • ROLLING HILLS, CALIF. 90274 ROLLING HILLS November 11, 2011 Cheryl Lynn Marcz 8 Chesterfield Road Rolling Hills, CA 90274 Dear Mrs. Marcz, CALIFORNIA (310) 544-6766 FAX Enclosed are the approved minutes from the October 6, 2011 meeting in which your request to close the trail across your property was discussed. The minutes were approved at the last meeting on November 3, 2011 and are for your records. If you have any question about the minutes or this matter in general, please do not hesitate to contact our office. Sincerely, Nedra Trask RHCA Administrator nt/documents/M inutesLtr OPEN AGENDA & MATTERS PRESENTED BY ASSOCIATION MEMBERS, Association members commented on the following items held from the previous meeting: • The reporting in the financial statements of a July 27, 2011 lien on the RHCA's bank account • Comparison of audited financial statements to the budget Following discussion, Treasurer Crocker requested that staff consult with Financial Advisor John Lacey to assure that the financial reports comply with proper accounting practices and to amend if incorrect. Legal Counsel Croft gave a summary of the Murrell v. RHCA litigation noting that most of the issues have been resolved, except for legal fees on the appeal. MATTERS TO BE PRESENTED BY MEMBERS OF THE BOARD No Ouorum for October 20 Board Meeting Directors Crocker, Hill -Breckenridge and Stetson said they are unable to attend the October 20th meeting. Because there will not be a quorum the Board agreed to cancel the meeting. Eucalyptus Trees in Roadside Easements Directors Heitzler and Crocker said that due to the recent death of a motorist in Costa Mesa from a fallen eucalyptus tree, they are requesting staff to prepare a plan that addresses old eucalyptus trees in the city that may pose a danger of falling over or dropping branches. Manager Raig confirmed that along with regular safety trimming, staff has scheduled a meeting with RHCA's consulting arborist to identify trees that need immediate attention and that the Landscape Committee is preparing a general plan for replacing trees. Reconsider RHCA Involvement in View Complaints Director Black said that he would like to request legal Counsel Croft to explore whether the Board can discontinue acting to resolve view complaints. MATTERS TO BE PRESENTED BY MEMBERS OF THE STAFF Proposed Closure of Two Bridle Trails — Martingale Trail and 14 Crest Road West Manager Raig said she prepared a letter to the City of Rancho Palos Verdes notifying them of the closure of two trails. The letter was prompted by a complaint from a rider that the Martingale bridle trail is unsafe and that the signs in RPV are misleading. She explained that the Martingale bridle trail originates in RPV connecting to the Willow Springs trail in Rolling Hills crossing the Marcz' property at 8 Chesterfield Road and gave details of the dangerous conditions. She said that she and Maintenance Supervisor Beckler recommended Page 4 of 6 nt/BOD Minutes-10-6-I I -Approved closing the trail until the Board could make a decision to permanently close or repair the trail to make it safe. Association Member Marcz said she would like the trail closed because people trespass and she is not able to monitor its use. Following discussion, the Board agreed to authorize staff and legal counsel to work with RPV to close the trail and for staff to close the Rolling Hills portion of the trail. Manager Raig said that she will also notify RPV of the closure of the trail that crosses 14 Crest Road West and request that they close the trail at the RPV boundary with RH at the top of the trail and remove both this trial and Martingale trail from their maps. The Board discussed options for property owner Cathy Nichols to close the trail on her property and made a motion to send the letter to Rancho Palos Verdes to reinforce Ms. Nichols request to block the trail from the top at RPV border and authorize her to take steps to close her trail; m. Director Crocker, s. Director Black, the motion passed unanimously. Poppy Trail Remediation Update Association Maintenance Supervisor Beckler reported that the grading is 50% complete. Fire Fuel Reduction — Cost Sharing Program Manager Raig requested that this matter be held on agenda. Request to Exceed $5.000 Limit for No -bid Work for Trail Maintenance Following discussion, the Board authorized staff to exceed the $5,000 limit for non bid work when using the job bid with the lowest daily rate and continuing the same job without exceeding the budget; m. Director Crocker, s. Director Hill -Breckenridge, the motion passed unanimously. Staff Report — License Agreements since 2003 The Board reviewed and accepted a report of license agreement requests since the adoption of the Easement Policy in 2003. Report - 2012 Annual Meeting Manager Raig reported that there have been no items submitted for the agenda and that two members, Clint Patterson and Matthew McConaughy, have declared themselves as candidates for the Board of Directors. Page 5 of 6 nt/BOD Minutes-10-6-1 l-Approved �oL'L'in9 dtiffl Community i ociation of cjancfio Faros (141cl€i NO. 1 PORTUGUESE BEND RD. • ROLLING HILLS, CALIF. 90274 (310) 544-6222 October 17, 2011 ROLLING HILLS Cheryl Marcz 8 Chesterfield Road Rolling Hills, CA 90274 Re: Martingale Trail Dear Mrs. Marcz: CALIFORNIA (310) 544-6766 FAx Thank you for taking the time to attend the RHCA Board meeting on October 6`I' to discuss your concerns about the portion of the Martingale Bridle trail that crosses your property and your efforts to contact the city of Rancho Palos Verdes. As you are aware, the Board recognizes the ha7.ardous conditions on the trail and has decided to close off access to the bridle trail both at the connection to Willow Springs trail and at the boundary with Rancho Palos Verdes. The RHCA Board also instructed it's legal counsel to send a letter to the City of Rancho Palos Verdes informing them of the trail closure and asking them to remove the sign at the Martingale trailhead park. RHCA maintenance staff will monitor the barricades at both ends of the trail to make sure that passers by understand that the trail is closed. Thanks again for your input and for taking the time to attend the Board meeting. Sincerely, QVw-ukki Kristen Raig Manager Marcz-Marti ngaleTrai l 10-17-11 WARNING GRAVE DANGER DUE TO VERY HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS. PRIV,' TE PROPERTY YOU 1)O NOT HAVE PER\IISSION TO ENTER. IN DOING SO YOU WILL BE TRESPASSING. SECTIONS 846 & 1008 l'AI.I FORNI •\ CIVIL ('ODE Signage installed July 15, 2001 Destroyed prior to August 1, 2001 New signage installed August 15, 2001 Destroyed prior to August 20, 2001 Signage installed September 1, 2001 Destroyed prior to September 15, 2001 RICHARD & CHERYL MARCZ i]Eg-fdlY [--)\ NOV 2 3 1999 8 CHESTERFIELD ROAD • ROLLING H dAMI,10 (14fQ§41-5747 �tr November 18, 1999 Ms. Lola Ungar Planning Director City of Rolling Hills 2 Portuguese Bend Road Rolling Hills, CA 90274 Dear Lola; As we discussed in our meeting on November 17th, we are interested in separating the portion of our parcel that lies north of the Willow Springs Trail into a separate parcel. The reason for this separation is our desire to donate this new parcel to the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservatory, so it will remain as open space in perpetuity. We will be meeting with the PVP Land Conservatory during the first week in December to further discuss this donation. In our meeting yesterday, you expressed a concern that this newly created parcel would have no street access. The current access to this projected parcel is from Martingale Trailhead Park or from the Willow Springs Trail. Since there is no access to our parcel north of the Willow Springs Trail from the portion of our parcel south of the Willow Springs Trail, the access to this new northern parcel would remain unchanged. As Planning Director of a city dedicated to the preservation of open land and its natural habitat, I am confident that you will be able to find a way to justify the creation of this new parcel to be used for the public benefit. Thanking you in advance for your contribution in helping to create an open space preserve which will guarantee to future generations the joy of viewing the beauty of our natural chaparral. Sincerely, Cheryl and Richard Marcz q6eiv,e,Le.( September 25, 1999 Mr. Dave McBride Public Works Department City of Rancho Palos Verdes 30940 Hawthorne Blvd Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275 Dear Mr. McBride; The purpose of this letter is to summarize the relationship between MartingaleTrailhead Park in the city of Rancho Palos Verdes and our residence at 8 Chesterfield Road in Rolling Hills. We purchased our home in the summer of 1984, and have resided at this address for twelve of the fifteen years we have owned the property. The western half of our northern property line borders the park and the eastern half of our northern property line borders the vacant residential lot adjacent to the park. There are no trail easements on the northern portion of our property, but there is a trail easement on the southern property line of the vacant lot adjacent to both the park and our property. At the time we purchased our home, there was no trail on our property leading from Martingale Trailhead Park, across the northern portion of our property, to the canyon below. The park is visible from our patio. Looking across the canyon at the park from our property, it appears to be a vacant lot with a path. There is no fencing around the park defining its boundaries. Somehow between the time we purchased our property in 1984, and actually moved into our home in the summer of 1985, a trail was built down the northeastern portion of our property without our authorization or permission.. The trail begins at MartingaleTrailhead Park and extends southward to the canyon below. The trail is very steep, narrow and dangerous. It looks to have been professionally built and is being maintained against our wishes. Soon after we moved into our home, we began noticing joggers and people on horseback using this "bootlegged" trail across our property. It is easy to understand why these people mistake the northern portion of our property for parkland, as the City of Rancho Palos Verdes never installed any fencing defining the perimeter of this park and its adjacent horse trail easement. A fence around the park would help keep park visitors within its confines. Since it takes about 10 minutes for us to drive over to MartingaleTrailhead Park from our home and longer to walk down to the bottom of the canyon and up the other side, policing the trail from our home is impossible. For several years we tried waging the Battle of Signage. We posted "No Trespassing " signs, only to find them torn down within a few days. Finally we gave up in frustration. Three years ago the lower portion of the "bootlegged" trail on our property was severally eroded due to runoff from a storm. In an effort to stop the trespassing we did not repair the trail. We thought the trail issue had reached closure. Somehow though, without our authorization, the damaged trail was repaired complete with large wooden pylons. Two serious accidents that I am aware of have occurred on this trail due to its dangerous nature. In both instances people have wandered onto our property from Martingale Trailhead Park. Several years ago an elderly women who resides on Martingale was walking down the trail. She fell. Disoriented and confused she was unable to walk out of the canyon, and spent the night huddled in the brush. The following morning her cries for help were heard. The workers in the orchard at 10 Chesterfield Road came to her rescue. Fortunately she only suffered minor scraps and bruises, but had spent a cold, scary night in the canyon. In July of this year another tragic accident occurred on the trail. Three individuals on horseback were riding down the "bootlegged" trail. One of the horses stepped too close to the edge, lost his footing, and fell approximately 30 feet below to the creek. The rider, Steve Lockwood, was able to jump off the horse; but the horse died in the fall. The accompanying two horses became nervous with all the commotion, and a second mishap was narrowly avoided. In speaking with Mr. Lockwood the next day, I mentioned that the trail from which his horse had fallen was not a horse trail. He said he knew that, but he had been riding on that trail for years. He was an experienced rider with trail knowledge. Just imagine the dire consequences if an inexperienced rider wandered onto this treacherous trail. The Martingale Trailhead Park and the adjacent horse trail easement, both owned by Rancho Palos Verdes, are providing trespassers with access to our property. We would like to have the city construct a barrier to keep visitors and horseback riders in their appropriate and safe designated areas. In the past the traditional Rolling Hills three rail fence has been ineffective in closing off the use of "bootlegged" trails. We would like to suggest that Rancho Palos Verdes install a barrier of unpainted steel poles set in concrete approximately 6" to 9" apart extending 60 to 70 feet along our northern property line (from the most eastern point to just beyond the western edge of the "bootlegged" trail). This barrier would be both an effective and an unobtrusive solution.. In order to prevent further accidents, we would also like the city to destroy the "bootlegged" trail on our property and return the land to its natural state. Hopefully we can work together in an effort to prevent future accidents by closing this dangerous trail. Sincerely, Cheryl Lynn Marcz