Hello:  Thank you for agreeing to participate in the chapter's endorsement process.  Here are the questions for the interview.
If you have any questions, you can call me at 650/390-8414.

Julia Bott
Loma prieta Chapter


Candidates Questionnaire - Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Director


1)  What changes or improvements in the District's philosophy, policies or management would you like to see implemented?  Do you have any specific recommendations?  What is your position on the basic use & special use policy?

JJH - Below is an excerpt from MROSD website, along with my comments.

Purpose. The District's purpose is to create a regional greenbelt of open space lands, linking District preserves with other public parklands. Through District acquisitions, the scenic backdrop of midpeninsula communities is being permanently preserved. The District also participates in cooperative efforts such as the Bay Trail, the Ridge Trail, and the Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail, with an overall regional trail system that includes District lands as well as trail and open space easements over privately owned lands.

Basic Policy. Open space is defined as land or water area that either remains in its natural state or is used for agriculture or otherwise essentially undeveloped. Openspace provides protection for areas of particular scenic beauty and enhances the survival prospects for endangered plant and animal species. It enhances public safety through the minimization of flood erosion, landslide, earthquake, and fire hazards. It provides roomfor production of food. It can help shape urban growth and thus provide a more liveable and efficient urban environment. In short, open space means "room to breathe." For additional information, see Basic Policy of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District.

Land Management. The District's 23 open space preserves range in size from55 to over 12,000 acres. The preserves are open to the public free of charge, 365 days a year from dawn to dusk. A small hike-in backpack camp at the Monte Bello Open Space Preserve is available for a nominal fee. The open space preserves are generally kept in a natural condition in order to best protect the environment and animal habitat, and are developed with only the amenities needed to provide public access for low-intensity recreation. The diverse ecosystems on the preserves include redwood, oak,and fir forests, chaparral-covered hillsides, riparian corridors, meadows, grasslands, and shore frontage along San Francisco Bay. Improvements mayinclude gravel parking areas, restrooms, signed trails for hiking, bicycling, and equestrian use, and an occasional picnic table.

History. The Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District was created through the efforts of local conservationists who were successful in placing a voter initiative on the ballot in 1972. At that time, the District's boundaries were within northwestern Santa Clara County, but in 1976, voters approved annexation into southwestern San Mateo County. In 1992, the District annexed a small portion of Santa Cruz County.

JJH - MROSD did not come into existence until 1977, when the MidPeninsula Regional Park District underwent a name and purpose change.  Voter's did not approve those changes.  Land use policy became more restrictive, with golf courses factored out of the equation.  These policies MUST be reversed to
include revenue producing, environmentally beneficial, golf courses.  MROSD should be a prime mover in the implementation of Reclaimed Water Distribution Master Plans.  Water usage for Golf Courses, including augmenting streams, creating lakes, etc. could help "jump start" this effort.
   

Negotiations for land acquisition should be more visible.  Sweetheart deals should be avoided.


2) What are your opinions on the current funding mechanisms for the district?
JJH - The District use of debt financing of it's land acquisitions has gone beyond reason.  Convert to fee based and/or revenue producing land use financing.

On what do you think the district should spend its money?
JJH - Increasing accessibility  and usefulness of lands to a much larger proportion of the population.

3) Do you think the District is doing enough to protect and enhance the native resources of the land?  If not, what improvements would you support?
JJH - Too much protection, not enough enhancement.  Removal of non-indigenous vegetation should only be undertaken when a clear threat to the ecology is proven.  Planting should be allowed and encouraged on lands specified for that purpose.  Vegetable gardens, botannical gardens, medical marijuana are but a few of the enhancements that should be encouraged.

4) Do you think the District is doing enough to provide recreational opportunities for all user groups?
JJH - No!  In fact, their land grab actions have decreased the ability of Parks and Recreation Departments to fulfill those recreational needs.

Is it doing enough to reduce conflicts between user groups?
JJH - No!

What specific recommendations would you make?
JJH - Create new revenue producing recreational uses for fishing and golfing.  Use time-sharing(time-of-day or day-of-week) to reduce conflict on common trails.  Create access to dedicated areas for responsible groups to develop. e.g. ROMP,  rollerbladers, skateboarders, paragliders, equestrians, and, yes, hikers, joggers, botanists, etc.

5) What prompted you to run for this seat?
JJH - The use of "eminent domain" against the nun's was the final straw. However, I had considered running a slate of candidates as early as 1993, when the intransigency of the environmental alliance prevailed against county efforts to create revenue producing "public" golf courses.

6) Please describe any experience that you may have had in environmental or governmental organizations.
JJH - My experience as a taxpayer's advocate dealing with government excesses and abuse of power include a successful Referendum campaign in Hawthorne, CA(1965 - eminent domain issue), and more recently the defeat of Measure A(8-3/4% sales tax) in 1991.  My computer skills provide considerable leverage to my skills as a research scientist and political activist.

John J. "Jack" Hickey