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Planning & Design Meetings Landscape Subcommittee Meeting #4 2/4/2010 - Minutes02/08/2010 18:43 IFAY GUNN HIGH SCHOOL Palo Alto Unified School District LANDSCAPE SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING DATE: 4 February 2010, 3:30 — 5:00 pm SUBJECT: CONCEPTUAL DESIGN LANDSCAPE MASTER PLAN ATTENDEES: See attached sign -in sheet The following are the highlights of the meeting: E Q001/004 1. The purpose of the meeting was to review and comment on the initial, conceptual design for the Landscape Master Plan ideas for Gunn High School. 2. Todd Young (TY) with Gates & Associates, presented the following: a. Circulation diagrams and site analysis b. Public Destination Diagram • New gymnasium plaza and entry • Amphitheater • Quad entries c. Bike Circulation Diagram • Identified points of entry and the various proposed locations for bike parking d. Student Circulation Diagram e. Landscape Character and Spaces • Arrival areas and forecourt to quad • Quad • Small courts or spaces between buildings • Perimeter evergreen screen • Riparian corridor 3. Enlarged site plans of the following areas were presented: a. Main school entry with proposed enhancements • Important to accent entry with planting and structures • Create better visibility at the entry corner, especially where right -turn trap lane occurs Use of columnar trees to create rhythm and structure at the entry Comments: Anne Ingels (AI) felt that the campus had a more rural feel with random oak trees and felt that the proposed entry improvements were not consistent with what she felt was the character of the campus. TY responded that the plan is to have a less formal feel at the edges with a stronger organization closer to the buildings. He also indicated that other trees could be used to create a different feel. Sharon Kelly (SK) suggested that a columnar oak, such as the cathedral southern live oak could, be used which might address Landscape Subcommittee Gunn High School 4 February 2010 Page 1 02/08/2010 18:43 IFAY � E U002/004 both concern—the columnar structure and retain the feel of the oaks. Noreen Likins (NL) indicated that the entry area is narrow and concerned about trees that spread out too far. The new drop-off area at the forecourt • The proposed area is generous and will accommodate large number of people • Promote waiting areas in the way of seating opportunities • Make it a space rather than just a pass-thru area • Introduce greenery and highlight the large oak trees that will remain c. Plaza at the new gym • Create an arrival area for the sports complex d. Main Quad • Create green spaces within the quad and highlight the oak trees • Create lots of seating opportunities • Preserve long vistas and sight lines • Comments: NL suggested that there be more protected or covered spaces for students during inclement weather. Al imagined the space as less urban or corporate park -like and more "fluid" with rocks and other landscape features to replace the rigorous seat pads. Mary Gordon (MG) agreed that the quad should feel less formal and that more curvilinear shapes in lieu of angular and grid -like would be better suited. e. Student Drop-off • Screen the propose bike area from view of the amphitheater and parking by lowering it. Create seating areas at parking side Amphitheater (graduation area) • The plan proposes to remove the platform in the center between the mature trees. This would create more seating space with the lawn area. A raised terrace would be created at the end of Spangenberg which would serve the function of the platform. Erwin Lee (EL) noted that it would also create a more generous entry to the little theater as well as a terrace for the band. Concrete seat walls would be built in the lawn area. • Comments: NL was concerned that the terrace area was not large enough to accommodate the platform functions as well as the band. Both NL and TH both felt that the concrete seat walls would reduce the flexibility of the amphitheater. They like the flexibility of setting up chairs in whatever configuration is appropriate for the event. SK suggested that without the concrete seat walls, more seating opportunities would exists including sitting on blankets. 4. TH requested that at the next meeting, alternate design schemes be presented that address the issue of less formality in the design. Landscape Subcommittee Gunn High School 4 February 2010 Page 2 02/08/2010 18:43 IFAY E Q003/004 5. TH indicated that the parking should be reviewed and revised to create a single entry loop rather than having multiple patterns throughout the parking area. He said that these were recent developments and that they haven't been shared with the design team yet. 6. NL asked if the new landscape design would reduce water usage and maintenance. TY responded that the landscape will conserve water and be low maintenance. Al suggested that increased shading in the parking area would be good. EL shared that as CHPS projects, sustainability, conservation and low maintenance will all be addressed and are important features of the program. 7. RG asked if the removal of grass and irrigation will be part of the Landscape Master Plan as well as oak tree maintenance. TY responded that although there are not specific line items for these tasks, they will become part of the Landscape Master Plan and each project will address these issues as appropriate. Some of the work will be required to be maintenance items. 8. EL reminded the group that there is no project line item for the improvements proposed in the Landscape Master Plan. The line item for the quad and miscellaneous site improvements is currently unfunded and that a reprioritization of projects would need to happen in order to fund them. However, each funded project will have some associated site improvements and that the Landscape Master Plan will be the guide for these improvements. 9. TY will prepare concept drawings to bring back to the landscape subcommittee and the FSC for review. END Prepared by Erwin Lee of Deems Lewis McKinley. Please advise in writing if you feel that any of the above items are inaccurate. cc: Attendees File Landscape Subcommittee Gunn High School 4 February 2010 Page 3 02/08/2010 18:44 IFAY � E U004/004 GUNN HIGH SCHOOL DATE: 4 January 2010 Palo Alto Unified School District SIGN IN SHEET.- LANDSCAPE HEET: LANDSCAPE MASTER PLAN 4 LANDSCAPE SUBCOMMITTEE MEEETING Name Email 2. /�iO�r /�crM. So+, GCIO rr. fan @ G'i��rrt ca . ori 3. 6 a n ,4 A jt . c o 4. �' n�",w�✓J e!B c� C�iGili� • Go/�'1 5. 6. 7. r 8. lo 9. 10. r1a,49 0111 ra a 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19.