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Planning & Design Meetings Landscape Subcommittee Meeting #3 12/3/2009 - AgendaAgenda Gunn High School Landscape Sub-Committee Meeting 12/3/09 3:30 PM • Tree Inventory Status • Master Plan Mitigation Strategy • Group 1 Project and Mitigation Approach • Next Steps • Public Comments GUNN HIGH SCHOOL MASTER PLAN Palo Alto Unified School District PROGRAMMING AND PREDESIGN: MEETING NO. DATE: 3 December 2009, 3:30-5:00 pm SUBJECT: Landscape Subcommittee Meeting 3 ATTENDEES: See attached sign-in sheet The following are the highlights of the meeting: 1. Todd Young (TY), Principal of Gates of Associates, summarized the Master Plan progress describing the breakdown of the zones on campus. He then proposed three different character styles for the Gunn campus – Natural, High Tech/Sustainable, and Traditional/Collegiate. At this point he opened discussion up to the group to receive feedback on what type of character they would like to see at Gunn. Comments by the Public: • We prefer a style that is native and natural. The use of lawn should depend on the function of the space. It may be appropriate where students sit or use it for recreation purposes, whereas it does not make sense to have lawn in areas where people are just driving by. Lawn should be for use, not just as a visual buffer. • As a student I also like the native style, and the idea of incorporating the earth into our manmade campus. However, these images show a lot of boulders and we don’t have boulders. In higher use zones I am leaning more towards the tech/sustainable style. • We could bring boulders in that would match the character of the mature Oak trees we do have. • A traditional/collegiate style is the wrong character for Gunn. It sends the wrong message to students. We are not in college. We want to focus on high school. • The design of seating areas should be warm and friendly. Expanses of formed concrete emit a cold feeling. The cut granite looks harsh and urban. Natural materials are warmer. I would like to see the use of local field stone in beige and brown tones. • I like the images of tech/sustain character except for the grid of granite seat pads. I would like to see stonework in golden beige tones rather than black or white. The browns fit into our oak setting. • When designing the outdoor spaces maintain perspective of Gunn’s natural character. • The best character is Gun High School. The campus has been here for 35 years and we don’t want to lose its original character. Comment by Committee Member: • The original look of the campus was a grassy bowl with oak trees throughout. 2. Todd Young presented the tree studies for the new classroom buildings A & B and the new gymnasium. A total of 4 “A” trees, 8 “B” trees, and 5 “C” trees to be removed which will require a total of 20 replacement trees based on the mitigation strategy, Comments by the Public: • We need to be sensitive to the overwatering of oaks. We must also protect them during construction. No heavy trucks or compaction within the drip lines should occur. • The oak trees in the lawn area are currently receiving spray irrigation which is not healthy for the trees, especially when the spray is hitting the trunks. There should be a 15’ natural barrier around the oak trees. Response by a Committee Member, Chuck McDonnell (CM): • Must be careful about removing the turf around the Oaks all at once. CH has walked the campus with Barry Coats and Dave Doctor and both agreed that the Oaks had adapted to the irrigation and removing irrigation would jeopardize the health of the trees. We need to look at removing the water in stages so the trees can adapt to a new culture over time. Question by the Public: • Can tree preservation be incorporated into capital improvement projects? Response by a Committee Member, Tom Hodges (TH): • Yes, if the trees are within the envelope of a new capital improvement project. Comment by the Public: • Please save oak #144, which is currently in conflict with the Spangenberger addition. Response by the Architect: • DLM is currently looking at relocating the Spangenberg addition to save this oak. Comment by the Public: • I’m concerned the tree rating system may not be sufficient. For example where you have trees shown as small stunted growth(C trees), no replanting is required. I think we should lean more toward replacement. Responses by a Committee Member TH: • The proposed mitigation strategy is intended as a general guide, and for a plan to be the right design for the location. The master plan will provide a framework which guides in the placing of new trees. The mitigation provides a tool to keep track of the loss and the minimum replacement value. It is our desire to do better than what is required and to place trees where they make sense. • Trees don’t have to replace in same the location trees are removed from. For example the parking lot will be part of the capital improvement project and will provide space for the planting of many trees. Question by the Public: • What will happen to the Hopkins Memorial Bench/Tree? Response by a Committee Member: • It will be relocated, but of the exact location at this point. The master plan should help guide in choosing a location. • a memorial zone will be incorporated into the campus master plan. 3. Following are additional comments from the Public highlighted by topics. Materials / Paving / Furnishings • Incorporate design continuity into the master plan. Continuous hardscape materials and furnishings should occur throughout. Try to use minimal paving. Where paving is necessary use permeable paving. • Will DG be used in the design? • DG can pose a maintenance issue. Permeable pavers/concrete would be preferable options. • I would like to see more plant material weaved into the hardscape to soften the appearance of the concrete. • I have seen images designed in concrete. Perhaps we can incorporate imagery such as the school mascot into the concrete at Gunn. • We should be careful about including images which may not be appropriate. Our current mascot would look goofy. If we do include images they must be timeless and eternal. • How do you keep students from walking through planters? • The first thing we would do is design circulation to follow the easiest flow. We can also add curbs and/or seatwalls around planters. • You could even use cut logs around planters. • Students like the informal square seat platforms in the quad. We don’t want chairs and tables which provide limited seating. We can fit an amazing number of people on our existing benches. • I don’t like the formal table/chair sets. They remind me of Costco. We prefer the flexible seating our square benches provide. • Those benches are timeless and are a central theme of the quad. • Perhaps the Redwood trees we are losing could be carved into benches Arrival Zone • Our existing arrival zone has the presence of a substantial canopy trees. Please preserve this canopy. • There should be seating in the arrival zone. • The existing arrival island is filled with ugly ivy. This could be an opportunity to create an entry drive experience. Quad • When expanding the quad, it is important to stay in context and enhance the existing character. • Currently seniors dominate the benches in the quad. • The existing quad is unique to Gunn. Amphitheater • The existing shrubs in the amphitheater are extremely ugly. • The size of the amphitheater is insufficient. About 1/3 of graduation visitors stand behind the shrubs, while seating spills outside of the ceremony. • The shrubs provide enclosure but the space is too small. • The stage in the amphitheater area also serves as the freshman quad. • There is a memorial plaque in the amphitheater. Riparian Corridor • I like the idea of a Riparian Corridor located near the tennis courts where there is currently a drainage problem. • It would be great to incorporate local natives into the design. Such plantings could provide educational opportunities.