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Octobor 17. 1991
HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL
Palo Alto, Californ1i
~oQ;ed Expansion of Children's Theatre
Members of the Council:
REPORT I~ BRI EF
1
The Friends of the Children's Theatre are proposing to (onstruct a 3,350-
square-foot expansion to the Children's Tneatre facilit;!s at the lucie
St~rn Community Center. Tn~y further propose to install air conditioning
in the existi~9 indoor stage and auditorium. These 1m~royement$ are to be
constructed independently by the friends. funded by private donations
currently oeing raised by the Friends, and at the comp1etian of
construction they will be gifted to the Cit~ of P.lo Alto. The ~ain
purposes of the expansion are to allow more children to participate in the
program, to provide i more efficient arrange~ent for the outdoor
performantts~ and to provide i library to house an extensive coilection of
archival materials.
The propos a' inciudes expansion in two locations: 1) a new permanent
stage, storage and production space located on the nort~ side of the Secret
Garden and extendfng into the alley behind th~ existfng C~ildren/s Theatre,
and 2} a ne~ library/rehearsal room on the south side of the Secret Garden,
attached to the existing rehearsal hall. The FriEnds intend to construct
the project, if approved? in bo phases. The fi rs.t pha se wi 11 include tn.e
installation of the air conditioning system and the construction of the
library/rehearsal room. The second phase will inClude the construction of
the stage an~ production area. ~uch of the proposed expansion is located
within the Se-cret Garden. Be,aus~ of the Category I historic des1g:natiorl
of the site and tne importance of the garden to many peopie in the
community. minimizi~~ the impact on the garden is an issue of concern.
During review by tne Planning Commission, the ~istoric Resources Board
(HRB) and the Archttectural Revlew Board (ARB}, areas of conflict between
tMe proposed ~uildings and the garden were identified and various ways of
resoiving the conflicts were recommended.
BACKGROUND
Please see the att!ched Planning Commission staff report for a disc~ssion
of the project and the related issues.
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Following is a ~ummar1 ~f the action tik~n by the Planning Commissio~, the
Hjstoric Resources Board and the Architectural Review 8oard. Verbatim
minutes of the ARB meeting and summary ~;nutes Df t~e HRB ~eeting are
~tta(hed to this report. Minutes of the Planning Commissic~ meeting of
August 27, 19S1 are included ir. your Council packet.
planning CRmmilslgn Recommendations
At the Planning C{)lTJT1ission Tevielri on August 28. 1991, the COlTl'llfssfcn
recommended approval of the project (7-0' with the following c~ange$ to
staff recommended conditions:
I. Eliminate condition II, which required the applicant to ~v~ the east
Will of the stage four feet in order to preser~e the existing hedge
and arched passage, and eliminated condition '3, which required the
applicant to restudy the height of the towers.
2. Change condition '2 to recommend rather than require that the
applicant restudy nnw tne library bUilding might be modified to
provide more space betweer, the building and the hedge.
3. Ad4 a condition to require the applicant to replace the hedge being
removed along the east 'Wall of the new stage.
4. Change condition 15 to say the City shall renew its commitment to
pollarding tne sycamore trees.
5. Ckange co~diti~n '6 to require the applicant to install 20 first
class bicycle parking spaces and not to require improvement of
e~isting bicycle parK~ng.
HRB Rec~ndatjQn
The Historic Resources Board ;nitialiy re ... ie .. ed the project on June 19 and
r~cGmmended approval of the project (3-0-1, Olsen absent, McFall
abstaining) with f;~e suggested changes or actions (min~tes attac~edl. At
tneir September 18 meeting, they voted (3-1·0, linda Scott opposed, Mcfall
abstaining) to review the project again in ii;ht of historic and
horticultural information which was nct available it tn!~r first review.
At their second revie~. the HRB modified suggestio~ '4 of tneir original
recommendation (3-!-O, Linda Stott opposed, McFall abstaining) to say that
1) the hedges along the ne~ stage wall are to be replanted with the arcned
Gpening shift~d forward. 2) that the Circu1ar hedge next to the new library
is to be preserved, and 3} though they wer-e not recorrmending it, tkey would
consider the pos11bility of an o~eni~g to be added in this section of hedge
if function required it.
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ARB Recommendatiqn}
T~e ARB, at their me~tin9 on September 19, recommended approval of the
pr·oject (S·O} wit" tnf follow~ng changes to the staff recommended
condit ions.
1. Eliminate conditions tl and t2 whlch required the applicant to modify
the proposed building footprint It th~ new stage wall and at the
corner of the new 1 ~brary to accormlodate H,e hedge system, ind
elimi~ate condition 13 which required the applicant to restudy the
height of the towers.
2. Add ~ condition requiring the i!Jplicant to ret"rn to AqS with .ill
redesign of the hedg~s and other landscaping in tne gcrden to better
serve the theater, .... ·hi1e maintaining the spirit of HIe garden,
including the formal arrangement and cross-axes and provlding i focal
point in the c~nter of the garden.
3. Add a condition to require the p1a~ of the balcony and windows ov~r
the stage to return to ARB at iI larger scalf.
four additional conditions ~ere also added by the ARB. These conditions
pertain to landscape ~creening to be added .10ng the rear wall of the new
stage building, red~cing air cond\tioning noise, pronibtting parking and
clutter in the alley and controlling d~st during construttion.
ANALYSIS
The actions of all review bodies reflect ~aricus ittem~ts to find a
resolution to points of conflict between t~e proposed new buildings and the
existing Secret Garden, particularly two locations where the proposed
building footprint interferes wtt~ the existing system of ~edge walls w~ith
provide the baSic design struct~re for the garden.
Tbe staff recolllnended' that the nelrf buildings be modif~ed $1 igntly to
fit com~ortably within the eXisting hedge system.
The ARB recolTlTle!lded that thE: garden be redesigned to accorTJl\odate the
proposed n~w buildings.
The Planning Commi~sicn suggested, but did not require, a redesign of
the library addition only, requiring that the central circle hedge
ind that along the library be retained. They accepted the hedse
removal arid' replacement along the stage walL
The HR8 recommendation agreed witn that of the Planning Commission
regarding the remova1 and replacement of hedges at toe stage wall.
like the CommiSSion, t~ey required retention of the center circle of
hedges and Hose next to the library addition, bllt they ilpproved the
proposed building footprint, acknow1ecgfn9 the conflict.
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Staff be11~yes that the ~odif1cations recommended in the staff report to
the Planning Cnmmission are the b~st compromise solution, because th~y
provide .. way for the comunity to c.ontinue to enjoy both of these
important cultural resources, the theater expansion and the historic Secret
G~rden. The mi~or adjustments recommended in the Planning Commission staff
report tnvolve about 110 to 14~ square feet of floor area, approximate)~ ]
to 1.5 per cent of the total t~eatre program area after the proposed
expansion, and could be accomplished in ways which w~u1d nQt ~iterially
affect the ~ery necessary program expansion of the theatre. At the same
time. these changes w~uld allow the most important elern€nt of the garden
design, the hedge wall system, to be kept inta~t, thus mainta1ning the
present high le~el of design integrity of this important historic site, and
preserving the garden in the famlliar form that is lo~ed b~ many people,
including ill c~ildren who use the librir~.
But staff rec.ognizes that both ARB and the Planning (ommiss!on unanimously
approved the proposed footprint, ser.ding I message to Council that Theatre
p~ogram space is of higher community value than t~e historic garden farm.
Gi~en this, Council may want to carefull~ consider the ARB's comm~nts about
redesigning the garden tQ better serve the new theater. Or.ce the the~ter is
constructed and attended, the functional and operational inconven;ence of
the design of the hedges in relation to theater seating and lobby area will
become more readil~ apparent, especially as the popular new theater
attracts more participants. The new additions and seating arrangements
will -bfte-just enough into tne ~edge deSign to cause annoyance to theater
participants.
an the other hand, t~e HRB and Planning Commission's compromise has tne
advantage of being less severe. Even if, in t;~, the garden will require
redesign. a gradual approach may be the most softhearted way to part wit"
an ·old friend.-
RECOHHENDAT1UN
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the He9ati~e Declaratia~ and
apprc~e the project base6 on the findings and conditions contiine4 in the
August 23, 19~1 staff report to tne Planning Commission. While staff a~d
all retommending bodies are unanimously in fa~or of the project, they are
not in concert on the specific recommended conditions. Because the
Planning Commisslon-recommended findings are a cnmpromi~e between the
spectr!JllJ of recolllTlendations received, they are prt!ser.ted below for Councn
consideration. Also added are conditions 17-11 recommended by the AR8.
Staff has t';tC addaional reco!'llN!ndations should the COllnci 1 choose to adopt
certain specific conditions of tn~ Planning Commission ar the ARB.
1. Sn~uld tne Council adopt the ARB r~commendatfon 2, page ~. or other
wise allow the removal of ~edges forming the circle, the landscap~
plan shall he required to be designed by i landscape Architect know
ledgeable and e~perienced in historic garden design and restoratlon.
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2. Should the (oun"l adopt the Planning Colftl'lfssion r2colTlllend 'ion 2,
page 3, th2 wording -require-shoul~ be substituted for ~recommend,·
directing the applicant to restudy mocificat·:nns to the library
addition.
FINOINGS
I. The proposed expansion project, with recommended condit1ons,
will he const~ucted and ~perated in a manner that will b~
order11, ha~nioust and compatible with existing or potential
uses of adjoining or nearty sites, in that the new facll1~1es
will result iF. Dnly I. minimal intrease in the present
activities on the site and w;11 enab1e many of the existlng
activities t~at ~ccur outside to be conducted 1ndoors, thereby
reducing noi~e impacts an neighboring uses.
2.
3.
4.
CO~DITIONS
The proposed project will ensure the desirability gf investment
Dr tne conduct of authorized o(cupations in adjacent areiS, in
that HIe new construction is sufficiently set back from
neiqhboring residential sites and these sites will not be
affected by the impro~ements, and the improvements will e~pand
recreational opportunities for children in Palo ATto.
The proposed project ~;l' ensure sound principles of
environmental design and etological balance, in that the deSign
of t~e project, with the recommended changes, will protect the
basic. composition of the historiC garden and will be compatible
with the architectural charact~r of the historic complex.
The proposed project is in compllance with the Comprehensive
Plan, i~ that it is consistent with th~ land use deSignation of
this site for Spec h." Facilities, and it implements PoTicy 3 of
the Housing (lement ~hich calls for protecting and enhancing
those qualities that make Pato Alto~s neighborhoods especially
deSirable, in that the new building will allow noise generating
act;vitfes, which are currently occurring outside, to be moved
inside, thu$ impr~~ing conditions for nearby neTghbors.
1. The applic~nt shall provide a new hedge to replace the h!dge
prop~sed to be removed next to the east wall of the new stage
bunding.
2. The architect is requested to restudy modifications to the
proposed librar~ building to prOVide more space between the
building and the hedge.
3. All hedges? trees and' other plant materials to be preserved
sha1l be fenced prior to a~d during construction. ~ith
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standards for t~e protective fencing ~nd other protective
aeasures to be worked out with the Public Works Department, the
Planni~g Div1sion and the City Arborist, prior to issuance of
the building permit.
4~ The City shall renew its commitment to pollardfng tne syc3m~re
trees annually during the winter.
5. The applicant shall p~ovide eight additional parking spaces, as
skown on tne proposed plans, by restriping the existing parking
lot. The applicant .hall provide 2Q first el.ss bicycle
parkj~9 spaces to the satisfaction of the staff cf tne
Transportation Division. The final design and placement of all
bfcycle parking s~a" be reviewed and approved by the
TransportatiDn DiviSion, pri~r to issuance of the building
penni t.
6. Tne final arthitectural design and landscape plan shall be
approved by the ARB. ThE final landscape plan, fenestration
plans and a study of the -b1end-from the improvements to the
proposed tower, for c~ncerns about separation of style
elements, snal1 also be reviewed by the HR8 1 as suggested in
their recolTlTlp.ndation of June 19, 1991.
7. All construction activities and the proposed new air
conditioning equipment shall be subject t~ the City's noise
ordinance, Chapter 9.10 of the rilo Alto ""nicip.l Code (PAMel.
The applicant s~all take aeasures to assure t~at the air
conditioning equipment is positioned and baffled and/or
insulit~ so is to minimize t~~ noise trani~itted to the
neighboring ptoperties.
B. Ho parking or outdoor storage shall be allowed in the alley
after construction is completed l in order to ~aintl;n the fire
lane and reduce outdoor clutter.
9. The final landscape plan shall jnclu~! screen planting along
the rear wall of t~e new performance wing.
]0. To reduce dust lev~ls during demolition ind construction,
exposed earth surfates shall be watered frequently during the
late morning and it tne end of the day, wit" frequency of
watering increasing on w~ndy days. All ~treets and haul routes
shall be cTeaned daily. The applicant snill ensurt! that
spillage resulting from hauling operitions along or across any
public or private property s~all be removed immediateTy and
paid for by the applica~t's contractor. The applicant Shill
also ensure that dust nuisances originat'ng from the
contractor's operations either inside or outside the right-of·
way shall be controlled at the contrictor's expense.
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]1. To &11~w for the applfcant's intended phasing of t~e project,
a~d pursuant to the authority sent fOith in Section
16.48.13~(2) of the PAMC, the project's approval s~.ll be valid
for five years. from the date of the tity Council's action, as
specified in the contract between Friends of the Chl1dren's
Theatre and the City of Palo Alto.
Resccctfu'Ty submitted,
~Mnl,u ;t/;Hh<t~
VfRG~I~ WARHcil
Senior Planner
\ .t:x\!'III~ (~JJV~'\~"'-" .
JUN\ FLE~I~1i
"ssistant City Man.ger
~tyd f.JJk;4,/
KENNETH R. SCHREIBER
Director of Planning and
Community En¥ironment
Attachments: Letter from Frfends of tht Pi10 Alto Puhlic Library
letter from Friends of the Pile Alto Childrens; Theatre
Sketch of plan to pcote<t hedges
Planning C~mmfss;on staff report
HRB minutes, September IB, 1991
ARB .inutes, Septembe, 19, 1991
cc: Architecturil Review Board
Historft Resources Board
Planning Commtssi~n
Stoec~er and Northway, Architects, 437 Lytton Avenue, Palo Alto.
CA 94)01
Friends. of Children's Theatre t 1305 Middlefield ROid~ Pa10 Alto,
CA 94301
Albert Wilson, 1137 Fife Street, Palo Alto, CA 94301
Suzan B. Stewart, 1550 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto, CA 94301
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P.O. &x 41
Palo Alto, California, 94302
FRIENDS OF THE PALO ALTO PUBLIC LIBRARY
Septen;.ter 16 I 1991
:·l1chael Lyzwa, Cr.air
)I.rchltect~ral F,evie..,,· Board
City of PaID Alto
City Eall
Palo Alto~ Calirorn!a 94301
Dear ~1r. Lyz\r,'a:
The Board of Di~ectars cf the Friends of the Palo
Alt,;:, Publlc Ljbrary stror.gly urge prese:,vation ,:.1" tl:e
major part of the landrcaping of the S!cret Garden 5~r1ng
and after any remcdel1ng or th2 Palo Alto Children's
Theatre.
Cur reco::ur;er.dat"!on 1 r:<:>: 1 ud-es rres'?!"vaticn o-! the
c:e!".t~"al hedges an~i a...""cj: ... '.2.;;.:: cf' ttl.; 2-;:::'r.;t Carden.
If YDU wish f~rt~er i~for~at!o~, ~!ea5e call ~e
cr any boa:"d rr:E-.r.,t·er.
C(;: Planning Co~.1 sslon
City Council
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the Palo Alto ChildreIis Theatre
Nancy Olson, President
Friends of the Palo Alto Public Library
PO Box -41
Palo Alto CA S4302
Dear Ms. Olson:
14 October 1951
Your letter of 16 September directed to the
Architectural Review Board, regarding our proposal to build
an addition to the Palo Alto Children's Theatre. was made
available to us at the Historic Resources Board's second
hearing of our project.
We vould have appreciated an opportunity to discuss with you
directly the conCerns you express regarding the possible i.
pact of the Theatre sddition on the Secret Garden.
We assure you that the Friends of th~ Palo Alto Child~en's
Theatre have a warlll inter-est in preserving the o,,'e-rall
d~sign of the Secret Garden both during Bnd after the con
struction period. Since the Garden was instituted, the
staff of the Children's Theatre has always beEn concerned to
protect the Garden. Our architect, Jonn Northway~ has
designed the new addition with a view to accomplishing it
yith the least possible disruption of the Secret Garden,
though 'We recognize that certain hed"g ing nearest the new por
tion .a7 be moditied~
./
It would be a pleasure to show ycu the exciting and delight
tul plana that have evolved for our project, which we
believe viII enhance the beauty and use ot the Secret Gar
den, aDd to discuss thea with you.
The childre~ ot the Theatre, and the chl1dr~n of the
Library, need have no fear that this special place ~ill suf
fer per_anent har •.
Sincerely,
President
493-3828
cc: City CauDell
Planning Coamission
Architectural Review Soard
Historic Resources Board
Suzi Stewart
Paat President
323-0905
Staff of the Palo Alt~ Children·s Library
StaY' of tbe Palo Alto Children's Theatre
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TO: PALO ALTO PLANNlN. CUMMISSION PREPARED BY; VIRGINIA WARHEIT
DHE: AUGUST 23, 1991 FILE NO.: 91·0·5, 91·MB·75, 91·EIA·20
PROJECT iNFORMAl! ON
Location:
..A.pp 1 i cant:
Property Owners:
Requested Action:
tucie Stern Comr!l'Ji1i ty Center
1350 Middlefield Road
Palo Alto, CA 94301
Friends of ChPdren's Theatre
1350 Mjcdlefield Road
PaTo Alto, CA 94301
City of Palo Alto
Major Site and Design re~1e~ for a
3,350-square-foot addjtiDn to th~ Children's
Theatre including a ne~ stage, rehearsa1 a~d
multipurpose areas and iibrary+ landscape
modifications to the adjacent Secret Garden and
addition of 8 auto parkin~ spaces and 20 b1tycle
;parkitlg spaces.
This site ;s not designated park 1and. No Park
Impro~e~ent Ordinance is required.
PROJECT 5U,,,,MMA=R,-,Y ______ _
The Frlends of the Children'S Theatre are proposing to construct a
3,3S0-square-foot expansion to the Chlldren I s Theatre facillti~s at the Lucie
Stern Community Center. They further propose to install air conditioning in
the indoor stage and audltorium. These improvements are to be f~nded by
private dcnations currently being raised by the Friends of the Children's
Theatre a~d at the completion of construction they will be gifted to the Cit)
of Palo Alto. The proposal includes a new permanent stage, and rehearsal and
prod~ct;~n space on the north side of the Secret Garden, extending into tne
alley behind the existing Children's Theatre, and a new library/studio on the
south side of the Secret Garden, connecting to the zxisting Chtldren's Theatre
rehearsal hall.
The p~rpose$ of the expansion is to allow more children to partiCipate ir, the
program, to provide a more efflcient arrangement for the outdoor performances
by replacing the tem~orary stege witn a permar.ent enclosed stage, ar.d to
prol,'ide a library to house an extensive collection of books and audin-.... isua1
materials .
~[f9MM[ND[D ACT10N
Staff recorrmends that the Planning CommiSSion recommend tnat the City Council
adopt t~e Negative Declaration and approve the project based on the findjng5
dnd conditions contained in this report.
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SIT~ IHFCRMATION
Pircel Size:
Assessor's ?arcel tJurnber:
Ex;stin~ Zoning:
Comprehensive Plan
Designat inn:
Historic De~;g~at~on:
Density:
[~lst;ng land Use:
Surrounding Land Use:
History:
Mandatory Action Daters):
EmlirDflmentaT Impact
Assessment:
ANALYSIL _____ _
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
18.7 acres
3-46-1
PF Public Facility
Major Institution/5pecia1 Facilitie.i
Category I
Not applicable
COrTil'lLInitjl Center
Single-Family Residantial, Public School, Public
Park
May 31, 1991: Application filed for Major" Site
and Design review for a 3,35n-sQuare-foot
addition to the Chjldren~s Theatre.
Site and Design apPlication deemed complete
July 30, 1991. Date for mandator'), City C{luncll
action ;s January 30, 1992. The project is
scheduled for final review by the Architectural
Review Board on September 19, 1991, and for
City C(Junt,l review on October 21, 1991.
No significant impact; a Negative Declaration
has been prepared and is .ttacned to this report.
The new performance/rehearsal/mu'tip~r~ose win~ is proposed to be located ~n
the north ~all of the amphitheat~r seating area, extending 27 feet into the
Secret Garden .,..5th an additional 11.5 feet into the adjacent a1ley behind the
~arden wall~ current,y used for storage and set building. The stage opening
(proscenium] is framed stmilarly to the indoor stage and has sliding doors
~ich can be closed .nd locked. This building has a pitched roof 23 feet at
the ridge. A gable end over the (enter of the stage inc1udes a balcony and is
25 feet at the peak, providing e~tra height to allow the balcony to be used
when needed for perfo~ance. Towers placed at either side of the stage
ennance the garden's spirit of fantasy and mystery, and sene as second le .... el
performance areas. The to~ers are 18 feet in diameter ~itn 28 feet hig~ wa11s
and 33 fEet at the roof peak, and include doors, ~;ndcws and balconies.
The proposed construction ~ill occur in an old gard~n within a designated
Catetory r hist~ric complex. Consequently, minimizing impacts on the existing
building and grounds is an important concern. Efforts have been made to make
the ne~ (onstruction architecturally compatible ~ith the exjstfng facility and
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to limit the impact on the Secret Garden by locatin9 the two proposed new
wir.~s ne~r the perimeter of the garden.
T~e location of the new performance strucbre will reo).;ire the remol,la1 of a
large Shamel ash tree. The east ~all of the new stage and rehearsal ~rea
extends into a 2S-foot-long sp.ction of the existing hedge fo~ming tne main
axis of the garden, and ttds section of the h:!dge, including an arched entry,
will have to be removed to accommodate the locatinn of the \IIall.
In additi~n to the performante stage, this struetore includes undifferentiated
space in a large open area i~tended to be used for rehearsal~ set production,
etc. An existing open storage area at the northwest corner of the site will
be enclosed and connected to the existing storage area by roll-up doors.
The proDosed library/studio will be located in the op2n space immediately tQ
the left of the main entry gates and adjace~t to the existing reheai~al hall.
Th~ new building is the same ctimensions (18 x 32 feet) as the r€h~arsal hall,
turned at a 90 degree angie and connected to the rehearsal ha1l thro~gh an
opening which is now a window. The room has a lo~-pjtched roof, 13 feet at
the ridge, with a gable in the middle of the nort~ side ove~ the door. The
library displaces six of the nine pal larded sycamores in this bosk. Although
not shown on the pTans, t~o of the remaining syc~mores are proposed to be
retained in the area in front of the library, in order to define the front
edge of this newly created courtyard space.
The hedges on botn sides of the narrow passage leading west from the main
circle are proposed to be removed in order to enlarge the amphitheater seating
area and to make it easier for larg~ numbers of people to get in and out of
this space. An overhead trellis is proposed along the back of th~ seating
area approximately where the hedge is now iDeated. Tnis provides some
definition of the back edge of the amphitheater area, while allowing people to
pass throug~. The surface u~der the trellis will be level and paved with
decomposed granite (DG}, providing nandicap acces.siblility as well as shaded
seating u~der the tre11is~ A small tourtyard w1th the same DG paved surface
will be created on the other side of the passage in front of the new library
room, ~eparated from the larger SEating area on1y by two sycamore trees
proposed to be saved for this purpose.
The pl ans shew a tree to be planted in the center of the open area in the
middle of the garden. This area is new 2 flow~r garden, dev~loped by David
Huber about five or six years ago as an Eagl~ Scout project, and cared for by
children and staff of the Theatre. According to the staff at the theatre,
retaining the f10wer garden is important to most of the peop1e associated ~jth
the Theatre. Among the flowers planted, there arf rnemori~l roses planted in
honor of people who have been as~ociated ~ith the theatre. Since t~e flower
garden would rwt thril,le under a tree, lo.::ating a tree in this area is being
reCMS idered.
The Communi tj Centfi'r parki ng 10t wi1 j be restriped to pro'!ide .a ilet increase
of eight parking spaces, and an additional 20 bicycTe parking spaces will be
provided on the site. Five of the auto parking spau~s and 19 of the bicycle
parking spaces are in excess of the parking requirement generated by this
project and ifill help tv meet projected parking intensificatiorJ at the site.
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BI,CKGR'JUNO
Program need~
The frIends of the Children's Theatre began in~tsti9ating in 1993 the
possibllity of instal1ing air c:o,",d1t1oning in the tn€atr€' to eliminate the
pr~b1em of summer t~mpe,ature) as high as 100 degrees on the inside stage.
This impTovement effort led to a plan to address space problems at the Theatre
as 'Well. The Children's Theatre staff find that they must turn aw~y many
c~11dren who w~nt to participate because the facility is presently being used
to capacity. J~ addition, the Theatre has, over the years. built up a large
collection of books. photographs, fi1ms~ Video tapes and other llbrary
materials which cannot be funy used by the cht1dren and' the community because
there ;s no room that can be spared for use is a library. The summer outdoor
theatre is conducted on a temporary stage in the Secret Garden, requiring
strHing tfle set eacf) !light, with a high cost ill time and E:nergy. The Friel'1ds
embarked on i pian in 1985 to add a permanent outdoor stage, rehearsa1 and
production space, a library and air conditioning. HJa plan also ;nc1uded
initiat;~n of a fund drive to pay for t~e proposed expansion. l~itia' plans
for a 3,7SD-squire-foot expans:io!1 ~nc1uded acldtng a seciJnd stIJry to part of
tne existing building to accommodate a rehearsal ~all, a library and an
expansion of the scene shop La include a permanent outdoor stage. For
structural reasons, the second story concept was abandor.ed and the design
which is being presented for r~view is a revised design with all of the new
building area at ground 1evel. (For more detail about the t~eatre programs
and the expansion drive by the Friends see Attachments J and 2.)
The Ch11dren's Theatre currfntly nas approximate1j B,OOO square feet of
enclosed space_ Excluding 1,400 square feet in the auditorium and bathrooms,
6,600 square feet are used for program activities and offices (see Attachment
3). The proposed expal'1si{!~ of 3,3S0 square feet wi 1 1 increase that space by
approximatel~ SO p!rcent.
Space Requirements fol'" the Outdoor StaR~ ___ Production and __ Rehearsa.l Area,
St(l_~ge and library
The primary objective for Ue new stage is that it shou-Id have the same size
open i ng to the audi ence and the same "i d t hand d.epth as t"e ex i s t 1 ,~g indoor
stage with a clese proximit) to the s~op and back stage area, so that scene
materials can be easily shared b~tween t~e two stages. In addition9 there fs
a desire to Tocate the sta9~ so that it e)tends forward into the amphitheater
area, as littie as possib1e, and is oriented in i direction that makes the
mo$t of the outdoor seating area.
New 1ibrary space is needed 50 that the Theater~s collection of bOOKS, photos,
films and videos can be properly housed and can be made more readlly illial1able
t., ci1ildj-·en and U,a rest of the community_
Histor-v and F,:Jrm of the Secret Gjltden
Ttle $acret Garden was il gift fror."t lucie Stern and was inspired by the c.1assic
childrenrs story, ~The Secret Garden,P a favorite bock cf Mrs. Stern's by
frances Hodgeson Burnett. In the story, two children wllo are ill and
orphaned, meet at an estate ltIIith a wa11ed garden whtch every~ne is forbidden
to enter. The children manage to find a way into the garden and they keep it
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iI secret so thai: they can enjoy the hidden g.o.rdefl for themsel ~e:S.. The garden
has gr~wn wild through lack ~f c.re~ and they gradually restore its beauty by
uncoverinso plai\ts and nursing them back. to 1ife, being careful "not to turn it
into a 9~rdener's ga~den· and ruin its wild and mysterious qualities. Through
the healing power of nature experienced here in their secret world, the
children discover $trength in themselves, regain their health and dis~ell the
tragedy whfch h~d caused the garden to be locked.
The garde!l was designed by 8.1:--g2 and' David Clark and Floyd Cowan, LandEcilpe
Archit~ct, and constructed in 1941. (See Jttachments 4 and 5, Inter~iew with
Birge Clark and the Plan for the Original Garden.) Some of t~e same
mysterious ar.d enchanted quality of the children's story were pro~ided in this
garden by using tall hedges to divide the garden into four hidden rooms, which
are only visib1e once you have entered the~. The designers intended the
hedges to be grown to a height of ten feet. This concept of secret roums,
within a room wa.!: used in formal gar-den design as early as the l1tn century,
""hen such arrangements 'Were k.now as ·wildernesses.·
Tne outdoor rooms in the Secret Gardan were carefully thought out to serve a
vurpose for the programs of the Children's Theatre and the Children's Llbrary.
At that time, a Targe Eucalyptus tree was standing in tne northern most room
next to the library. This room was constructed around the tree and pro¥ided a
sunny place for story hour. The other ream adjacent to the Children's Library
was pianted with i bask of sycamore tr~eS to prDvide a shady bO'tfer for outdoor
reading and parties. The two rooms adjacent to the Children's Theatre we~e
planned as an amph1tneater for performances and a rehearsal area. Tne
performance area was terraced for seating and shrubs were pTanted to screen
the building wall and provide a backdrop for the outdoor stage. It is in this
area that the c:onstructft.,) of the new stage is planned. He rehearsal area
was p1anted -with a bosk of sycamores to match the bosk in the Lfbrary~s stery
hour room. This is where the new 11brary/studio is proposed to be located.
At the center ()f the garden was a. sunken bowl, intended for informa~
gatherings.
The garden is a formal de$ign~ ~ith the dominant organizing el~ment being tne
straight main axis running north and south through the center of the garden to
large gates at each end. The gates, which were designed by Birge Clark. and
crafted of wood and iron~ served as focal points at the ends of the main
access. These gates have fallen into disrepair and one has been removed and
saved by Theatre staff. The gates will ba resto~ed and rep15ced in the garden
when the new project is constructed. A cur¥ing cross a~is which l~ads from
the d'Oor of the Children's Ltbrary through the center of the g.:.rden tll the
sid€ dnor of the Children's Theatre divides the g~rden into quadrants. As is
typical of formal gardens, the garden's beauty and powerful evocative quality
does not come frem co1or and detail but from the simple green geometry
provided by the hedges and bosks of trees~ and from the mystery of the hidden
rooms.
ISSUES
Historic and ~ltural Impacts
B€cause the LUCie Stern Community Center is a designated Cate~ory 1 historic
complex, minimizing the impact of the proposed expansion on both the historiC
bUilding and on the grounds is an important consideration. The complex was
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I designed ~y Birge Clark in Spanish Rev1~al style. and in the proposed additiQn
the designers have stayed with the ol"igina1 des.ign. ""hile introducing some
variation within the style. Approximately onf-~alf of the proposed expansfon
is to be located ~ith1n the Secr~t Gareen adjacer.t to the Cnildren's Theatre.
Th~ new additions have been located near the perimeter of the garden in crder
to reduce the impact on the garden. However, certain aspects of the des19n
appear to compromise the garden design more than is necessary. ronseQuently.
relatively minor changes to the plans are being recommended in order to
mlnimize, as milch as pos:sible, the impact on the historic form and the specia'j
qualit~es cf the gQrden.
The Secretary ~f the Interior Stafldards For Historic Rehabilitation were
endorsed by Cit~ Council for structures listed on the Historic 1nventryry on
October 26? 1987. Under tne Standards, 1 andscape features. incl \.Iding
... ·aTkways, plants and trees and relationships between buildings and open space
are protected as well as building str~ctures. The Building Site sectio~ of
the Standards is attached to thi; report for reference 'Attach~ent 6).
Ristoric ~esources Board Recommendations
Tne Hlst~ri~ R~sources Board (HRB) revlEwed this proposal on June 19, 1~9I.
The HRB asked severa1 questi~ns about the plans, many having to dD with the
expansion'S impact on the hedges surrounding the Secret Garden. Linda Scott
asked that every effort be m~de to preserve the surrounding hedges, with the
exception of the hedge by the theatre libr~ry addition. Elizab~tn Kittas
noted two relevant tenets of historical preservation: 1) that additfons
should h~ve their cwn identity and not try to rep1icate; and 2) that ever~
effort shou~d be made to "touch lightl1~ upon the existing structure. 1n that
context., she suggested that the proposed modification of door and window
arches in the orig1nal structure to match the new additlon be abandoned. S~e
also suggested that gold colored d~composed granite (DG) be substituted for
the proposed brick paving.
The HRB unarnimously recommended approval with the following suggestfons:
I. Retain flat door and Window arches in the original structure;
2. Use gald co1ored DG instead of brick in the courtyard.
3. Study the "blend" fro.f11 the building to the tower in the addition for
concerns about 5eparation of style i!ie.'Tlents;
4. Make every effort to minimize construction impact on tne Secret
Sarden and its surrounding hedges) and consider r~turning to the HRB
with final design and development Qf landscaping plans; and
S. CQnsid~r returning to the ~RB with final fenestration plans.
M nutes of the Jur.e 19, 1991. HRB meeting are attacned to this r~port, as well
a the minutes of Ju1y 17, 1991. which include a corre:tion to the June 19
m nlltes (Attachment 7).
Three imp~rtant items af ir.formation relevant to their review were not
available to the HR6 at the time they re~iewed the proposed project.
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1. The ccpies of nistorical doc~~ents attached to tn1s report showing
the original plans for the garden inciuding He inter .... ie ...... "ith Sirge
Clark, describing the concept for tha ~esign of the garde~; located
after the HRB re'.'ie\ll, though HR8 mer'lbers had made efforts to fir'ld
this information previous to their meeting.
2. The hedges were thought, at the time of the H~:B revie~, to be at th~
end of the~r lives and due to be replaced; i Mcrticultural
evaluation ~on~ucted since then indicates that the hedges are
vigorous and should be retained.
1. The plans ar'E' incons1stent regarding lo::eeplng or remolJing the hedge
and arched entry adjacent to the east ~a'l of the performance
structure. The site plan shows the hedge in place, but the floor
p1an shows the h~dge removed. though this information is obscured by
a ~ark shadow line where the hedge is 10c~ted. HRB members were not
illlare that U,i s sect; or1 of he-dge was prDposed to' be removed~ and it
~as not discussed at the meeting. A letter from HRB member
Elizabeth Kittas regarding this issue is attached to this report
(Attachment 8).
Jl11pact on the Secret Garde!,!
When it became necessary for structural reasons to locate all the new
additional space for the Theatre on the ground leve1, the architects were
~~esented with the difficult design problem of hOIll to accomodate the needs of
the Theatre without intruding too much into the Secr!t Garden. They have
addressed this problem by ustng the aliey north of the garden and by locating
new buildings against the perimeter of the garden where they continue th~
existing pattern of enclosing the garden with building walls. Planning staff
believes that 'ifith relatively minor adjustments identified in the next
section, tht:! proposed new construction can bE: accoiiiodated iI/;tnin the garden
and will be an added source of interest and delight.
Trees: The location of the stage and rehearsal wing il/111 require the removal
of a very large and espeCially fine speelman of shamel ash tree. The tree is
about 40 years old, in excel1er.t condition and couid be eX['lected to live for
several more decades. Its location provides the cOJTllT1!.mity with a palnfwl
choice, and efforts have been made to .jetermine if there is any alternate
locations for the stage that 'Would save the tree. It appears that there are
no a1 ternat ive locations that meet the Theater's program needs and d'J not pose
other dHficulties. inc1~ding si:.nctural problems that wou1d greatly i:lcrease
the cost of construction. Any solution in which the liew and Qld buildings are
structural1y connec.ted requires stn:ctural strengtheni:,g of the affected part
of the old building~ adding to the cast of the project. In the proposed
location the new wings can be structurally separated from tn~ old buildi~g.
Eight additional trees are proposed to be removed, including the six pollarded
!.1camore trees (previousl)' described), a large old )Ie" tree on the west side
of the garden and an old oak tree located 0~t5ide the garden in an open
storage drei ~hich is proposed to be enclosed.
Kedges: The p'P'lmary structure of the garden 15 formed bJ walls of privet
hedge. Tnis sys!~m of hedge walls is presently intact as shown in the
origi~al design of the garden. In the 50 years s~nce they were p'anted, these
plants ~ave de'.'eloped massive stems and broad sculptural tops ranging from 3
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feet to over 6 feet ~id2. The intent? is described by Birge Clark, was to
grow t~e hedge to 10 feet 1r'1 neight but the wii.'l s of t~e hedg~ are presfnt'j
kept trimmed to about 5.5 feet, with only the larg2 arched openings ri~in9 to
10 feet. There ire seven (If these fotigh arched openings; two in each quadrant,
except th~ iomphitheater quadnnt where there is on'IY the Me that ser .... es as
the main entrance to the outdoor seating irea. Secause of the fine ~esthetic
quaiities of these plants <1.nd bec.?:use the hedge lIIa115 remair, intact as
originally designed, they are an irreplaceable comrr.unity resource, and e~ery
effort ~hou1a' be made to preserve them.
Since the he~gE-$ are 50 years old and are thin in sa:ne places. there was some
concer~ that the hedges may need to be replac9d. Planning staff ~isited the
Secret Garden witl't Albert I,Ijlson, a well known and respected local
horticlIlturalist and gard~n expert, to get his ad,dce about the cQI'1dition of
the privet hedges. Mr. WilSOfi'S evaluation is that the hedges are still
vigorous? will last indefinitely if properTy cared for and should not be
removed. He believes there are t~fn Syots in the hedges primarily because
they have not been pr-uned ir.to the wood for many years, and tH! feels certain
tney wou1d respond to severe pruning with new growth. The hedges are aTso
suffering from the eff€cts of the drought.
The proposed plans show the hedge wall to be re~laced ln two locations.
1. The he-dges, on b~th ~;des of the path leading west from the central
circle, wilT be remo .... e-d in order to expand tne outdoor seating area,
open tne twa tneatre quadrants to each other? and facilitate
moveme~t af large numbers of people thro~gh this space. Tn€ hedge,
which presently forms tne back will of the outdoor seating area~
will be replaced with an overhead trelliS to delineate the area and
to provide for shaded seating on a handicap accessible surface.
Planning staff supports the r~maval of the hedges in this location
because we believe tnat the great benefit pro~i~ed by removing tnem
outweighs their relative -importance to the garden.
2. A 25-faot-long section of the hedge ilong the main axis. including
the arched entry into the outdoor seating ~rea~ is proposed to be
removed i~ order to accommodate the location of the east wall of the
new performance structure. Planning staff does not support removing
this hedge because we believe that it is an espeCially fine and
critically important section of the hedge wall system, and it
appears the ~edge could be preserved by a relatively minor
adjustment of the b'uilding wall.
PasSige Through Outdoor Rooms: The present pattern of entering, passing
through and e(itin9 the outdoor rooms would be interrupted by tne proposed
design of the library/studio? since one corner of the building extends to the
hedge preventing passage through this room.
STA~F---"£COMM[ND£D MOD I FICA nONS_IO PROPOSED PLAN
CErtain aspects of the deSign impact the garden in w~ys that Planning staff
belieye compromise the historic design a~d the special qualities of the
gardel1. It appear-s that relatively minor c'Manges could be ma~e to the design
wnich would allow tnese important features of Ue garden to be preserved and
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VIEW TOWARDS OUTDOOR STAGE
AREA OF LIBRARY ADDITION
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VlEW TOVVARDS LlBRARY ADDITION
VIEW TOWARDS OUTDOOR SE ATING
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wnich would not have a nagat1 ... e effect on the project design or on tr,e program
goals of tne theatre. These suggested changes are d~scribed below.
1. fre_!i __ ~!v1 __ ~.9. __ Tne Me;n Axis; A. 25-foot lengtn of the hedge along the
main axis~ ~ncl~ding the arched entry into the amphitheater area, is
proposed to be remo",ed becouse the east end of th~
performance/re,",€'arsal ~ing c-ames so close to the hedge that it
cannot be sa ... ed (see photo on page Sa). Staff pruposes that the
design be adjusted in order that the hedge remain as it is. The
main a~is is the strongest s~ngle element in the garden deSign,
framing the perspective as yc,u entE; the garden frem the main gate,
and p}'olliding il kind of back bone for the garden that hoids the more
informal e1ements tog€'ther. It is pa;-tic.ularly important to
preserve the form of the main axis, sin~e the west haif of the cross
axis is being removed. If the main axis is a1s'J ercded~ the formaT
composition ~f the garden begins to break down. The applicant has
suggested that ~i~es couid be planted on the east wall of the
bUilding, but this 'Wou'd not be an ad'equate replacement for the
striking three-dimensional form of the hedge.
2. Maintain P~_~saae Thro!.Jgh The Outc'Or;aT~g_~: The room ilt,mediately to
your left, is you e~te~ the main ;ate, no~ contains a bask of trees
but after construction it wll1 be tne new library tnat is the
spechl surprise in~ide this room. n.is does not represent a
deterioration of the destgn of the garden as long as the outdoor
room is left intact and one deiight is exchanged for another.
All of the outdoor r{lOms presently have two openings, which generate
excitement and expectation by entering in one p~ace~ mo· .. ing through
t~e space and exiting at another place. Children and parents can be
observed movl~g through the rooms in this way after the Hot Dog
shows and durtng informal use of the facnity. apparently just for
the pleasure of being ill these spaces.
The proposed footprint of the naw library/studio would nO lcnger
permit pa$sage through this room. since one corner of the building
e~tends all the way to the ~edge {see pnoto on page Bbl. Someone
entering the inviting arched opening to the left of the main gate
would find their progrrSs interrupted a few feet inside by tne
building wall. In the same way. so:neone e,ntering the cQurtjard in
frant of the new 1 ibrary would rot be able to pass around tne
library and continue 01"1 out of the rODm toward the main cate. Ttlis
situation does not facilitate the movement of people between the
main gate and the ampnitheat~r. [ven though it is not intended to
be the main route to the amphitheater, it is a natural route being
in a direct l!ne betwee~ the entry and the destination, and it is
expected that peop1e 'Will contirme to try to go this 'Way.
Staff reccm~ends that the design be modified to accommodate
uninterrupted passage through the 1 ibrary outdoor room. He
distance between the hedge and the building wall needs to be at
minimum four feet. The intent is not to accommodate larse groups
of people, but rather not to present an obstacle to tn~ p~rson who
wants to pass.
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3. Reduce S-;.a1e ofJhe East Tow!r: The garden is enc10sed by
6-'oot-hlgh brick wal's and by low building walls 8 to 14 feet hig~,
~it~ t~e 22-foot-high peak of the shop wa~l being the ~ighest point
at the edgE of th~ garden. Th~ hedges, the bu;ld~n9 wa11s, the
risin~ slope of the ti12s roofs and the teller fo~s Df the ~tage
house beyond the garden proyide a layering af successi~ell taller
forms is you move outward. This patte,n of enclosure gives the
garden its feeling of being a secret. hidden place (see p~oto on
page Be).
It is important in a formal garden design for aTl of the parts of
the garden to be 1n ~alan(e. 'With no one e1eme:l'1t domfnatir,g. The
proposed towers are muc~ larger than anything else within th~
garden, mere tha" f7ve times as high as the hedges, and oniy about
four feet lower than the stagE ~ouse. The proposed we,t tower is at
the edge of the garden and forms a compOSition with the other tall
TOI'1l'lS at the edge of He garden, the peak of the shop wall and the
5tlge house. But tha east tower brings this expanded scale fnto the
interior of the garden. Tn this locatlon. the towe':" seems to
dominate the garden and to disrupt the ~(isting pattern of taller
objects be1ng located at the periphery.
Examples af a variety of styles of corner towers on Spanish Revi~a1
buildings can be seen at a number ,f places in town. At 1955 and
1600 Bryant Street are examples of towers tnat do r.ot e.xtend above
the-raof but are the same height, or in the tase of 1600 Bryant
Str~et, the towers are s11ght?y lower than the pitched roof of the
building. The bulldings at 203 Bryant Street and flO Coleridge
Avenue have towers which are slightly higher than the main building
roof. Most of these towers are considerably smaller than the
proposed theatr~ tow~rs, tho~gh they are located on sites
~fgn1ftcar.tly larger than the 60 x 65 feet a~ph;theate; quadrant in
the gard~n (see photos in Attachment 9).
The proposed tneatre towers serve the dual purpose of provtding a
note of fantasy and serving as permanent stage sets. The haiconies
pro~1de an opportunity for dramatic action at a second story ?evel.
How~ver, this pro~ision of a two-story stage set does not seem to
req~ire the towers tQ be as high as proposed (28·foot-high wal1s~
33·foot-high peak). The existing temporary stage placed in the
garden for outdoor performances is two levels high. and both levels
fit well belo~ t~. 22-foot-~igh peak of t~e shop wall (see
Attachment lOJ. The main portion of the r.ew performa.'lce structure
15 about the same height as the temporary summer stage, being 23
feet hig~ at t~e peak of t~e pitehe~ roof and 25 feet high at the
peak of the reof .over the second floar bil.lcony.
Staff believes t~~t the east tower would be more in scale with the
existing forms and spaces ir. the garden jf it were reduced in height
and widt~. In order to contin~e the e~isting pattern of t~e largest
building ferms being at the edge of the garden and beyond, the east
tower that is located near the middle of the garden s~ould be
reduced in sc!le. The west tower (ou1d be reduced as well, if the
applicar.t prefers the towers to be symetrical.
The proposed scale of the east tower iro'aI.Jid be mitigated to some
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ext~nt if the hedge forming the main axis ~ere to be preserved.
This wo~ld contain the t~wer ~ithfn its outdoor room and would
redlJce t~! perception of height by screening the lower pa:"t of the
tower.
UnfcrtunatelYI it is net p~ssible to k~ow e~actly how i structure
will loo:t if'! i particular space until it is built. One of the most
helpful aild aCCUrite ltrIays to SflTlLllate the final product is to erect
poles at the site to mar~ the ~eig~t and 10caticn of key paints of
the structure. Photograp1'1s taken Irith a 35 mm lens, to approximate
naturil vision. pro~ide an accurate base on which to superi~pcse the
proposed ne~ construction. This gf¥es a more accurate impreSSion
than models or drawings of ho~ the new structure will appear in its
setting. In order to provide this 1r.formation for' the decision
makers. the arcnitect and Planning staff met at the site with the
city sun/eyor who marKed the location of the proposed east tower arid
the front building wall, and erected poles to marK the proposed
height of the tower. Ph~~~ simulations ha¥e been prepared and are
attached to this report. The sur¥eyor's stakes are still fn p1ace
at the site and the outl ine of tn.e building is marked on the ground
with white paint. On the afterncon and evening of t~e Planni~9
Commissicn hearir.g i surveyor;s pole will be in place to mark the 28
foot height of the top of the tower walT at its eastern most point.
t.xtent of C~_anges Being Recommended
Attachments 11 and 12 show the dimensions of t~e proposed deSign reduced on
the order of 6-7 pl;!rcent. This amount of reduction provides tf'le: cl€iH"ances
between building walls and hedges that the Planning staff is recommending.
Th1s reduction has been done purely for illustrative ~urpo __ ~ __ ~_~. to ind-icate the
apprOXimate extent of building mcdification which WGU d be required by the
recommendatlons. We reali!e that certain dimensions need to remain as
proposed, for exampie the stage opening needs to be the same 24-foot Iridth as
the indoor stage. and that any change ~ill have impacts on other parts of the
design. Specifically how dimenSions and proportIons of the design are
adjusted to provide the recommended clearances from t~e hedges and to maintain
dimenslons required by the program should be determined by the architect ..
Maintenance of the G~de __ ~
Like the garden in the childr.en's story. the Secret Garden seems to have lost
its caretaker, and it "as fa1len to the children to tTl to look after it and
sustain it. General maintenance of the Secret Garden is done by the Parks arid
Golf CourSf Division, and unofficially by the efforts of t~e ~taff and
children of the Children's Theatre. The high level of care that the garden
has enjoyed in the past seems to "a~e fallen vlctim to City budget cuts. An
important maintenance task wnich is no longer being done is the annual
pollarding of the sycamore trees. This used to be done by the Parks Divisior.,
but City gardeners are not penrlitted to climb above a height of 6 feet in
their work, and so they a,-e no longer allowed to polhrd the trees.
Responsibility for pollarding t~e trees was shifted to the Tree Maintenance
Oivision of the Public Works Department. However. due to budget cuts, that
department is now lImiting tree maintenance only to situations which present a
safety issue. The C~ildren's Library staff belie~e that the trees were last
pol larded in the fall of 1989. Standard care requir:?s pollarding each .... inter
season, and if the current situation continues the tops wIn grow into an
pcsrcht2/~'w Page 11
ungainly mass of l'mbs, presenting a serious future mainte~3nce problem a~d
possib1e damage to the trees once the limns ar~ finally cut away.
Staff believes that a renewed ccmmitm€nt should be made to maintai~ this fine
histcric ~arden at a level which ~ill allow it to be enjoyed as fully as
possible.' At minimum, arrang~lT;ents ne~d to be made for t:'e syc.s;more trees to
be pol larded annually in tl1e dormant season,
Parking
u,.e luci! Stern ComrniHlity Center currently provides 52 parking s.paces for
existing on-site f~cilities. The City ~;ll require the applicant to p~o~ide
three additional parking spaces. based on the occupa~t load of the proposed
theatre storage and library additions. These fatilities are considered an
intensincation of the current use of the property whid increases the demand
for on-site parkfng. No additional parking is required for tne remaining
2,356 square feet of theatre performance and rehearsal area because it is
considered to be an ongoing function of the theatre. an~ movin~ the activity
from i more temporary nutdoor use to a permanent structure will not in itself
create increased demand for parkfng. The eXisting parking lot ~i'l be
restriped to provide a net increase of eight spaces? thereby reducing the
existing parking deficit at the site by five spaces.
Th~ project is require-d to supply one additional bicycle par-king space. The
applicant proposes to add 20 new class III bicyle parking spaces in
antiCipation of drawing additional cn~Tdren to the tneatre and' library
fac;lities. The Transportation DiVision belie-.:es that the existing bicyle
parking facilities are ina~eQuate and in a state of disrepair. Since many
~re children ire expected to be using the facility and they are expected to
arrive on bicycles. the existing bicycle park.ing s~lould he improved. Ttle
final design and placement of all bicycle parking should be re~iewed and
approved by the Transport.tion Division.
Access to the~ecret Gard~n
The main gates to the Secret G.arden are in the middle of the sCl~th .. all of tne
gard!n and ire kept locked mu~h of the time. To get into the garden, you wl,l
probably need to go in through the Children's Theatre or through the
Children's librarl'. The simplest and rr.ost direct route is thro'Jgn the
Cnildren's library.
Chi1dren~s Library hours ire:
Monday. Wednesday •. , ........ , ........ 12 noon to 8:00 p.m.
Tuesday. Thursday, Friday. S~turday .. ,lO:OO a.m, to 5:00 p,m.
Sunday ........... , ...... , .... , .... , ... C1osed
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN COMPLIANCE
The proposed project is in compliance with the Comprehensive Plan beca!Jse it
is consistent with the land use designation of this site for Special
Facilities, and it implements Policy 3 of the Housing Element which calls for
protecting and enhancing those Qualities that make Pale Alto's neighborhoods
especially desirable, in that the new building ~ill allow noise generating
activities which are currently cccuring outside to b€ moved inside, thJ.Js
improving conditions for n~arby neighbors.
pCHd1t2/vllI Page 12
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P,oCOMMfNDAT!Q!i _
Staff reccmmands that the P1ann~ng Commiss10r. recJ)rflmend that the City Council
adopt the Ne9tive Declaration ar"ld approve t"e ,project based on the findings;
and conditions conta~ned in th's report.
FINDINGS
iF The proposed e~pansion project, with recommended conditions will be
c:cnstructed arid o~H?rated in i rn,~nner t.hat wHl be. orderlY, harmordol>s,
and compat~ble wHh e::dstir.g or potential uses of adjoining or nearby
_sites, in that the new faciliite$ .,11 result in only a minimal increase
in the present activities on the ~ite and will enable many of the
existjng ~cti~ities that occur outside ta be condocted ind90rs. thereby
r€oucing noise impacts ~n neighboring uses F
2. The proposed project wil1 ens,",Il'e the desirability ~f in\l~stment or the
conduct of authorized occupations in adjacent areas in that, the new
construction is sl:fficiently set bac~~ from neighboring residential sites
and that t~ese sites ~ill not be affected by th~ new buildings, and the
new boilding5 will expand recreational oppartunities for children i~ Palo
Alto.
3. The proposed project will ensure sou~~ principles of environmental design
and ecologicGl ba1ance~ in that the desi9n of the project, with the
recommended changes, will protect the ba5ic compo5iti~n of the historic
~arden and ~i)l be compatible with th~ afchitEct~~al chatactar of the
r.istoric complex.
CONDITIONS
]. Reduce the dimensions of tha proposed perfortTlance building so that the
following two clearances ire achi~v~d, Tne architect shall determine how
the dimensions and proportions of the proposed design are to be modified
to achieve tnese clearances.
a. Provide a minimum of 5 feet between the building ~al' and the stem
of the ~edge plants in order to protect the plants from damage, and
a" ow for t!le i r deve 1 opment ar,d m3, i n ter.anc~ .
b. Provide a minimwm of 5 feet betlrfeen the bull ding .... all and the
vertical side of the opening in the hedge, so t~at passage remains
unimpeded tnrough the existing arched opening in the hedge.
2. Reduce ti'1e dimel'isions of the propcosed library bu~lding to provide a
~inimam d1stanc@ cf 4 f~et b~tween the bu,iding ~all 6nd the vertlcal
side of t~e hedge, so that passage remains unimpeded t~rough this outdoor
room, The architect shall determine haw the d~mensions ~nd proportio~s of
the propcsed design are to be modified to achieve this clearance.
3. The applicant shall restudy the height and width of tne ~roposed tQwers
to consider whether reduced dimensions might achieve t~e same qualitj of
fantasy and mystery, .... hile pre::.er .... ing the e1(isting scale and ::.pacial
relationships of the historic garden. This reevaluation shall be
presented for discussion at the Architectural Pevielll Board' reviel/l.
pcsrcnt2/w
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4. All ht;!G'ges. trees and other plant materials to be presented shall be
fanced pr1o~ to and during tonstr~ction. ~it~ standards for the
p"'otecti'.'e fencing and other protective measures to be worked out .... ith
the Public ~orks Department, the Planning Oivision a~d the C,tj Arbori~t.
prior to issuance of the building perm1t.
5. The City should renew its commitment to po1larding the sycamore trees
annuall.)l during the -wirlter.
6. The applitint shall impro\le the e:dsting b~cyc1E-park.'ing to the
satisfaction of the Transportatton Dh'"isiol1. The final design and
placement of all b~cyc1e park~n9 snall b~ rev~ewed and a,prcYed b) the
Transportation Division, prior to issuance of a building permit.
1. Final architectural design and landscape plan shall be approl,'ed by tne
ARB. The final landscape plan, fenestration plans and a studj of the
-blend-from the building to Ue proposed to·",er, for concerns aboLit
separat1~n of style elements, s.~all a1~o be reviewed by the HRB. as
suggested in their recommend=tion of ,June 19, 199J.
~ITACHMENT$
EIA
Su?plementa' ~lterials
1. Program Statement by Pat Briggs, Director of the Cnildren~s Theatre
2. Promotion Material. friends of the Children's Theatre
3. Jnformational Handout About the Community Center
4. Interview with Birge Clark. Ne~spaper Article dated October 14. 1941
S. Original Plan for the Secret Garden, Newspaper Artic1e dated
NG~ember 1, 1941
5.
7.
8.
9.
10.
II.
12.
Secretary of the rnterior Standards for Historic Ret1abilitation
ARE Minutes, June 19 and J'Jly 17, 1991
L~tter to the Planning Commiss;~n from [li2abeth Kittas
Photos of corner towers
Photo of temporary summer stage
Proposed building e1evations reduced 6 percent
Proposed floor plans reduced 6 percent
from patrons of the Children's library Comments
Pooto of existing conditions and photomontage of prQPosed constructior.
COPIES SENT TO
Children's Theatre (Pat Br~ggs, Michael Litfin}
Chi1dren's library (Mary Jo levy~ Katy Obringer)
Stoecker and Northway Architects. 437 lytton Avenue, Pa10 Alto. C~ 94301
Friends of the Chi'dren~s Theatre. 1305 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto, CA 94301
Albert Wilson, 1137 fife Street, Palo Alto, CA 94301
SUl'r. B. Stewart, 1550 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto, CA 94301
pcsrctJt2/vw Fage I4
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Environmental Documents· City af P310 A1to
ENVIRO~MENTAL ASSESSMEN!
Project Descr"1ption;Title: Addition of 3,350 sgu.are feet S:.R~--~~~---~.------.=~=
Childrenls Theatre including a new stage. re!;€ar~~ __ L __ ~.~_g' ____ multiplJrJlQse areas and
libral"Y. hndscape modifk.tio~s ___ .J.~~he __ ~.~·f.j __ ~s~nt Sec)""~t ~ardel'1 and addition
of eight. auto~kin]L~ces and bicyc1e perking spa~es.
location/Address: lucie Stern C91TWl"1uI'1ity C~ntert 1350 Middlefield Road.
____ .. ___ .!.PiliAHC,;-CA -
Sponsoring AgencY/AppTicant~ C~h~j~l~d~r~e~n_'s~T~n~e~.~t~.~r ________________ _
Addres sand Te l' ephont" of APP"l~;~c:a~i1 t~::""jli3~O;5~M~i[d]d~lie±f:,:i e~l=d=p=,O='=d~, ::p~a~l=O=A:,:l =to=:,,:::,(,,,,,:: _ 415-329-2231
Applkat;,on fOl": M.ajor SIte ~~\d Oesign Revl~w~=.,.===r::=77 __ =-:-__ _
(e.g .• Ioning change, subdrvislOl1 of property, architectural revie'w·~ use
penl'it)
Zoning at Project l.oCOIticn: ______ PL Fee ~eceipt No.:
Bi~ed upon review of the project f;le~, the undersigned ~2rnber of the Planning
Department has c~ncluded;
i:!1 Negative
impact.
Negat ive-
Declaration: The project has no significant
Ho En'WiroTtmentai Impact Report is re~ui'T'"ed,
Oec1aration are:
environmental
The reasons for a
I] ThE! project ma~ rti'le a significant emdronmental impact. An
Environmenti1 Impact Report ~i11 be prepared.
/C" Pl anning Department Offi cial: .. ~ __ .-=-_ ~ --,. ___ ~-"-'-=-
-,". r,' --r / f Pl anning Director: ji._.~J:-l,r<" ..... Yk'"\ "tlLsf<.,.
The project has bee~ appr~ved.
The project has been denied.
Rev; sed 8/1/79
EIAcoild
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Date: August 7. 1991
Date:
Date:
File No. 91-EEA·20
91·[IA-1C
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Environmental Documents -City of Palo Alto
l. Project Title/Address: 1350 "-idd1eUe)"d'--"R"'oa"'d'-_________ _
If. Project Oesc~iption: Construction of 3!350-squire~foot ldd1ticn t~
the Children's theater ,ir\ch,:.d;I'\.9-..!_n_'J~_ sta9~. r€hearsi'\"ir.d muitiPUl't)ose
areas and libraryL~ __ rl_d'Scape !J\Odifications to the adjacent ~e_~_t __ _
Garden and addition of eight auto . ..p . .a.rking_spaces and bicYcle parkins
spaces _
fII. En ..... ironmental SEtting: Tha ChiTdren's Theater is located in thl? Lucie
Stern COiMIunity Center. a historic complex of one-story bui1djMs __ _
surY'()unding open courtyards: des19fted U'l Spam3_~ Re'-'i __ 'f_~] Style-by tsirge
Clark. __ and constructed in the 19305. . _________ _
I'V. £nviranment.al Imp.:.ct Checklist {Expla~at10n of all "yes· answers an in
Section VJ:
l. Earth. Will the proposal result in:
i. Unstable earth conditions or changes
in gec10gic substructure5? ~
b. Disruptions, dispTacements, compact ian
or overcovering of the so~1? _1_
c. Change in t~?~9rGphy or groun~ surface
relief features? ~
d4 The destruct;on~ covering or modification
of ~ny unique geolo9ic or pnysical
features? _1_
e. Any increaSE i~ _ina o~ ~at~r e~osion cf
soils, either on or off the site? L
f. Exposure of people or property to
geologic hazards su(~ as earthquakes.
landslidis, m~dsjides, ground failure.
or similar nazards? X
g. Changes in stltation. depOSition, or
erOsion which may modify the channel
of a river or the bed of a bay or inlet? X
lAdapted from Appendix r. Califorr.;a Guidelines for rmplementation of
CEQA, December 14, 1976.
1Updated May 1981; June 1983
ChThElA 91-£IA-20
1
,
l
2. Air. Will the prc;posal result in:
a. Substantial air emissions or deterjora
tion of ambient air quality?
b. The creat;~n of objectional odtlrs?
c. A,ter~tion.of .air 1'IIOverr.ent. moisture
temperature, or any cnar.ge in climate,
either locally or regional?
3. ~ater. Will the proposai resu;t in:
i. Changes in absorption rates. dfiinage
patterns. or the rat~ a~d amount of
surface water runoff7
b. Alterations to the cOurse or flow of
flood waters?
c. Discharge into surface waters. or in any
alteration of surface water quality,
including but not limited to temperature.
dissolYed oxygen or turbidi ty'?
d. Alteration of the direction of rate of
flow of ground waters?
e. Exposure of people or property to water
r~lated hazardS such is fToodiog or
tidal ,iives?
f. Change in the quantity of 9rQun~ waters,
either through direct additions or ~ith·
drawals. ~r through interceptions of a~
aquifer by cuts or excavations?
4. Plant Life. Will the proposal reslJH ir'1:
ChThErA
a. Change in the diversity of species. or
number of any species of plants (includ
ing trees, shrubs. grass, crops, micro
flora and aquatic plants)?
b. Reduction of t""e numbers of any unique,
rare or e~dangered species of pTants?
c. Introduction of ne~ species of plants
into an area, Qr in a barrier t~ the
nonnal repienishment ~f exl'Sting species1
d_ Reduction in acreage of any agricu1tJJral
crap?
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9J·E1A-20
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x
x
_1_
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5. ~JmatJ.ili. \lill the proposal result in:
a. Cr.ange in the diversity of species, or
of .any species of animal s {birds. 1 and
animals including reptiles, flsn and
shellfish, benthic organisms~ ins!cts
or microfauna)?
b. Reduction of the n~mbers of an~ ur.ique,
rare 01'" endan~ered species of animal s?
c. Introduction of new spe~ies of animals
'~to an area 9 or result in a barrier to
the ~igration or movement of animals?
d. Deterioration in existing fish or
wildl1f. habitat?
6. Noise. Will the proposal result in:
7.
8.
i. Increases in existing r'loise Tevels?
b. Exposure of people to severe noise
levels?
light and glare. l'i11 the praposal produce
new li9Mt glare?
land Use. Will the proposal result in a
substantial a1teration of the prese~t or
p1anned land use of an area?
9. Energy/Natural Resources. Will the proposal
result il"l:
i. Use of substantia1 amounts of fuel or
energ,Y?
b. Substantial increase in demand ~pon
e~isting sources of energy, or require
th~ development of new sourc&s or
energy?
c. Incr~ase in the rate of use of any
natural resources?
d. Substantial depletion of an'y nonrenew
able nat~ral resource?
10. Risk of Upset. Does the proposal in~o1ve a
risk of an explosion or the release of
hazardous sUbstances (including, but not
limited to, oil, pestiCides, chemicals or
radiation) in the event of a~ accident or
upset?
ChThEIA
YJS
_x_
l
x
l
_1_
_1_
lJ. Population/Housing.
i. ~ill the proposal alter the location,
distribution, density. or growt~ rate
of the human population of an area?
b. Will the propos,l eff.,t existing
~ousin9, or create i demand for a~di·
tional housing?
12. Transportatlon/Ci[~~!ion. ~ilT the prop~sal
resuH ~n:
a. Generatton of substantial additional
veh:cclar movement?
b. Effects on !xlsting parking facilities,
or demand for ne~ parking?
C. Alterations to present patterns of
c.irculation or mo .... ement of people and!
or goods?
d. Increase in traffic hazards to motor
vehicles. bicyclists or pecastrians?
13. Public Servic.es. Will the prcposal l"IavE an
effect upon, or result in a need for ne~ or
altered governmental services i;'l any of thE:'
folTowing areas:
i. Fire protection?
b. Police protection?
C. Schools?
d. Pir~s or other recreational facilities?
!. ~aintena~ce of public fac.ilities,
inc1uding reads?
f. Other governmental services?
14+ Utilities. Win tne proposal rfswlt in a need
for new systems, or substantial alterations to
the following utilit~es:
ChThErA
i. Power or natural gas?
b. CnmmUnic.at1or.~ systems?
'-
91·ELQ.+20
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x
l
_X_
X
l
l
X
X
X
.. -
C. Water?
d. Sewer or septic tank?
e. Storm water drai~age?
f. Solid ~aste and disposal?
]5. li_uman lieaHh. liill the proposal resuTt in:
a. Creation ~f any ~£ilth nazard or
potentia1 health hazard (excludir.g
mental on lth) ?
b. C:xposure of people to potential healtn
hazard's?
16. Aesthetics. ~;ll the propos.l result in the
obstruction of a~y scenic vista or view
open to the public. or will tne proposal
result in the treat ion of an aesthetically
YES ~Q
I
_I
X
I
_1-
offe.lSive site open. to public. vie .. ! _x_
17. Recreation. Will the pfoposal res~lt In a~
impact upon the ~ualiti or G~antity of exist-
ing recreational opportunities? ~
18. Cultural ~_~SQur5'!!.
ChThEIA
i. Will the proposa1 resu1t in t~e altera
tion of/or the c~struction of i
prehistoric or historiC archaeological
Site?
b. Win tne proposal result in advers.e
physica.l or 2!sthetic effects tt:' i
prehistoric O~ nistoric building,
structure, or cbject?
c. Does th~ proposal ha~e tne potential
to cause a physicil change which would
affect unique cultural ~a7ues?
d. Will the proposal restrict existing
religious or sacred uses ~;thin the
potential impact area?
__ 1_
91· ElA·20
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19. Mandatory Findings of Si9nific.a __ l}f_~'
a. Do~s the project nave the potential to
degrade lne Q~ality of the environme~t.
s~bstantiil1y reduct the habitat of a
(jsh Gr wildlife species, cause 1 fish
or wildlife vopulation to drop below
self-sustaining le~els, threaten to
eliminate i plant or anima1 commur.jty~
reduce the numb~r or restr~ct Lhe range
of a r~re or endangered plant or animal or
eliminate important exa~ples of tne major
periods of Cllifornia history or
prehi stury?
b. Does the project nave the potenti31 to
acniev~ short-term, to the disadvantage
of long-term, env; rcnmental goals? {A
short-term impact on the en~;ronment is
one which occ~rs in a relati~ely brief,
definit:i'r'e period of time while long-term
impacts will endure well ~,nto ttle future.}
c. OQes the project have impacts which are
individually limited, but cumulatively
considerable? (A project may impact on
two ~r more separate resources whe~e tne
impact on each resource is relatively
small, but where the effect of the total
of those impacts on the environment is
significant.)
d. Does the project have enwironmental
effects which will cause substantial
adverse effects on h~man beings, !lther
d~rectly or indirectly?
V. Explanation of ·yes W answers In environmental cneckl:st.
See attached.
CMTM£lA 91~fIA~20
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I. [art' (bl (f)
The propos.ed construction will result in very m'inimal soil disruption.
A detailed grading and drainage report shall be req'Jired tc be revifwed
~nd approved by the Public Works Department prior to iS$uance of i
BU1 1ding Permit.
The p.oject sit! is locited in a seismic: area. of moderate risk, and "'i11
be subject to very strong ground shaking in the evant of an earthquake.
A1l new construction on tne site will be subject to the prollisions of
the current Uniform a~i1ding Code, portions of which ire directed at
minimizing seismic risk and preventing loss of life and property ~n the
event of an eartnquake.
2. Plant lifo
The proposed plans show nine mature trees to be removed. These include
a Shamal Ash, oil 'Vaney Oak, six sycamore trees and a large ~'ew tree.
The Shama1 As~ is approximate1y 50-60 feet high and 30 inches in
diameter. T~e tree is approximate1y 35 years aid, in excellent
condition, and would be exp!cted to live for an additional 40 or 50
years. The tree is a handsome speciman witn a large, ~ell fOI~ed
tanop.)'. Due to its location in the north~est con'ler of the Secret
Garcen, it provides shade f~om tne latE afternoon sun and screens a
portion of the building wall, proll1ding i green backdrop for the garden.
The 'ValTey Oile. is a large, old tree, in declining condi:ion. Jt is
surrounded by an existing storage area and not within view of public
areas.
Tne six sytamores are part of a baSK of ntne pollarded sycamores witni~
the southwest quadrant of tne Secret Garden. T~e trees ir~ piantej
appro,l(lmately 10 feet on center and are approximately is to lD f~et
high, Their trucks and pollarded tops provide an internal structure and
a ceiling for this garden roo",.
The ¥ew tree is an old. handsome speeiman approxim3tely 2S feet high.
It is located adjacent to an existing building and out of t,~e -immediate
construction area.
Other pi ants potentially affected by the proposed const~uction are a
system of Privet hedges which are part of the original garden design and
divide the garden into four Quadrants or "roomsw. The hedge i;
approximately 6 feet wide and is sheared to oil height of 5 feet, .... ith
arched doorways 10 feet nigh over openings into the garden rooms. Two
secondary sections of the hedges are proposed to be removed in order to
facilitate mO\i'effif:flt between tne two western quadrants of the garden.
ihe hedges throughout the garder. are genertll1y in good condition, ttwugh
tney are sornewr,at thin in pl aces bectluse they have not been pruned back
into the wood for many yedrs. They are healthy and vigorous. and ~ith
proper care can be expected to sunive construct; on arid to respo:"\d to
pruning with ne~ growth,
All of these plant materials have valuF in the garden ~etting. However,
it appears that in order to tlccomplisn the main purpose~ of the
ChThEIA 9;-t1A-1C
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expansion project it is necessary to remove t~e Asn, the Oak a~d at
Teast some of the Sycamore trees. Relatively miner modlficatio~s to the
proposed' i brary -:oLJld permi t mere of the sycamore:s in Uti 5 bask. to be
retained. and this should be e~plored. The two secondary sections of
Pri~et hedge proposed to be rEmoved are not critical to tne garden
design and also may be removed without seriously damaging the garden.
Howeve"~ the hedges which fonn the main axis and tlie central cirClJhr
area ar~ fundamental to the composition of the garden and should be
retained. These hedges shouTd not be remnved. ad~quate space should be
prv~ided for their development and maintenance and they should be
protected during construction. The Yew tree also should be retained,
slnc~ its age ~ou'd sU9gest that it '5 a part af t~e orlgin~l garden and
it is a classic plant in formal gardens of tnis type. ConsideritiQn
should be gi'{en to planting a large canop)' tree along the west side of
the amphitneiter area to replace the Ash wh~ch is being removed. This
t,..u would, in time, provide afternoon s"-adt!, screen the bu; 1 ding wall
and provide a green 'oac~drop for t!'le garden, benefits which ar!!
current1y being provided by the Ash tree.
TransPQTtati..Q'_~Circulation (b)
Parking:
The Lucie Stern C~rrmunity Center currently provides 92 parKing spaces,
for e)'ist:ng on-site ct1lMlunity factTities. in a surface parking lot
which is accessible from Middlefield ~oad and Hopkins A .... enue. The
proposed project WOUld add 3,350 sQ~are feet of floor area to the
Children'S Theater and Children r s library. These additions would
increase the capacity for storag~ at both facilities and reT ocate many
of the support funct1~~s for the outdoor theat~r from the rear alley and
secret garden to an enclosed performance and rehearsa1 area.
The City will require the applicant to provide three addittonal parking
spaces, based on the occupant load of the proposed theater storage and
library additions. Th~se facilities are considered an intensification
of the current use of the property which increases the demand for
on-site parking. On~site parking spaces must be provided to meet the
increased demand.
ConverselY, the City will !"lot require addit~onal park"ing for the
remaining 2,356 square feet of theater performance and rehearsel area
because it is considered to be inCidental to the function of the theater
and will not in itself create increased demand for parking.
Additionally, this facilit)' lIIi11 only be used to accommodate 2xisting
functions that now take place Tn the rear alley and within the secret
garden. Incorporating these functions within an encTosed area behind
the outdoor stage is not ~n expansion of the existing use ~f th~ site.
The applicant proposes to increase the capacity of the par~ing lot to
101 parking spaces, a net increase of eight spaces, through restriping
of the exist~ng parking lot. The Transport~tion Oi~is;on has re~1ewed
the proposed parking lot layout and has determined that the function of
the spaces and the circ~lation is ~dequat!. The five additional par(ing
spaces supplied in excess of the incremental demand created by the
project ""i11 serve to reduce the current parking deficit. The
construction of tne proposed project wTil result in complete supply of
ChThEIA 91-ElA-20
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parking fo, the nello' facilities and a reduction of the parking deficit
for e~isring community facilities.
The project is requi:"'ed to supply one addHional bicycle parking space.
The applicant proposes to add 20 flf!'W Class III bicycle parki'1g spaces in
anticipation of drawing additional children to the theater and library
f~cilities. Th~ proposed bicyc1e parking spaces ire seen as an
impro~ement to the current supply of parking spaces. The Transportation
Division ~i.S made t;,e corrment that the existing bicycle parlc.ing
facilities are -;nadi!quate and in a state of disrepair. Since marry more
children are e-xpected to be using the facil ity and they are expected to
arr;ve on bicycTes, the existing bicycle parking should be imrroved.
The final design and placement of all bicycle pa1"Un9 will be reviewed
and approved by the Transportation Di~ision prior to issuanc~ of a
building permit.
The Transport1l:tion Oi't'ision is currently stud)ing the layout of V'le
parking facility at Lucie Stern Community Center independent of this
application. The study will make recommendations for the lmprovement of
the (frc~1ition patterns, parking space layout and street access.
Separate funds will be ne~ded for the imp1ementation of the final
reconwendations.
11. B_€creat ton
The proposed expansion of the Chi1d~en's Theater will increase
recreational opportunities for some children in the community, since it
will allow more children to participate in the Theater's acti~itie$.
The Secret Garden as pre~ently designed also provides a unique
recreational experience for children as a setting for fantasy and
exploration. These ~ualities of the garaen shoul0 not be compromised
uc"·pt as abso1wtelj nec2ssary to achieve important program goa1s.
18. Cult.!',,1 Resources (b) (C)
The Secret Garden was constr~cted ~n 1941 and is an important part of
tr.e composition of the designated historic Community Center Complex.
The idea for the gat'den canle from t""e classiC children's book, The
Secret Garden, by France!> Kodssc1n Burnett. According to a 1941
inter\liew with Birge Clark, the architect of tne COllll'flunity Center, the
garden was conceived of as a series of outdoor rooms formed by a wall
of hedges 10 feet high ~ith openings in t""e nedges vrovidi~g entrances
into the rooms. The rooms each had a purpose. On the west side of tne
garden adjacent to the Chi1dren's Theater was an amphitheater fo~
outdoor Droductions and a sma'1e~ room to serve as a ~ehearsal area. On
the eas( side in front of the Children's library was a large shady room
for story time and partles and a smal1er sunny story hour room. (A
large old Eucalyptus tree originally stood in tile center of this room.
rt was repTaced by a bask of Sycamores in about 1960.) Basks of trees
.. ere plante~ in the two rooms on the south side of the garden to form a
cejling and provtde s~ade+ In the center ~as a sunken bowl which was
intended to accomoda te sma 11 in forma T ga tneri ng s .
The garden has been intenSively used, much as the original designers
intended. f0r the past 50 years by seve~al generations of local ch~ldren
and their families. It is a r.luch loved and highly unique community
ChThEIA ,1·EIA·2D
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r~~ource. Any modifications to tne garden ~hich serJously coreprornised
its quality .ould be a significant loss to the community.
ft is important to preser.".e the basic elements. of the garden's
composition in order not to comprcmise its special ind unique quallties.
Those basic desjgn e?ements are the discl'ete, "secret-qualit.!' of the
rooms, the hedge walls formi."l9 the rooms, entry into the rooms through
arched openings in the nedges, the denseJy p1anted basks forming
ceil ings. o .... er the three quadrants: pf"ovrded for' story time and rehearsal.
and by contrast, the open :';IJnny area in the center of the garden.
In order to protect these importa~t aspects of the garden it may be
necessary to make minor adjustments to the plans as currently prop~sed.
For example, both the prQPosed new stage and the ne~ l1brary appear to
come so close to the hedge along the main axis t~at there is not
adequate room for proper development and maintenance of the hedge. Ii'!
the case of the 1ibrary, there snould also be enough room between t~e
hedge and the building to allow passage throug~ thE opening in the hedge
and into and through this quadrant. The loss of the bask of sycamores
where the new library ~s proposed is unfortunate. R€taining at least
two of these sycamores will r.elp to reduce the impact of the Toss and
maintain the visual connection with the two remaining bosks in front. of
the Children'S library. It appears that if the proposed new library
~ere shorte~ed by several feet, bQtn pa~sage through the quadrant i~d
the retent ion of ·i total of four sycamores in the bask could be
acnie~ed, and this would be highly desirable. The dimensions of the
proposed towers located on either side of the stage (33 feet high, 18
feet in diameter) seem to be to~ Targe a scale for this small, enclos€d
space. Tne t~wers may appear to loom o~e~ the hedge and visually
intrude into the rest of the garden, thus compromising the secret and
hidden Quality of the 5epa~ate rooms. In order to better understand the
impact of the towers on the garden, photomontage shou1d be prepared for
ose by decision makers in the reyiew process, and the height and
location of the towers should b~ marked by poles erected at the sites.
cnThE IA 91-ErA-20
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TO:
FROM:
SOBJECT:
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PALO ALTO CHIl.DREN'S THEATRE
1305 Middlefield Ro06d
Palo Alto. Ct\ 94301
Na:ncY1V~nla
Pa, l11.
PRodkAM STATEMENT
ATIACHMENT I
27 JuJy 19901
The Palo Alto Children's Theatra-. founded in 1932. mo .... ed to H~ own
facility buill especially for children in 1937. The new theatre was a
gift of Lucie Sh:. . .m.
Since 1937 the theatre has provided an average of 20 plays a yeai."' for
audiences and participants. It has included radjo. television. film and video
as each became a special l.nterest to the partkipants. It has gained world
accJaim as a mode! for theatres by and for young people. Guests and
scholars (rom around the world have been welcomed and told about the
theatre. It is included :in the textbooks and hjstory books on Childre!l's
Theatre in A meri-ca.
From its inception. the theatre has worked closely ,",itll the Palo Alto
Unified Schoct Djstrict to provide ir:.novative programming which benefits
the young peopJe of the community and teaches them tbe \falue of perform
ing arts in their ever)tday lives.
The ChiMren's Theatre sen·es children and young adults aged eight
to twenty-four years and provides educational programs to children as
young as tour years old. An estima!ed 4000 child .. en are involved il1
every aspect of the.atre activity each year with an average annual audience
oC 50.0110 from throughout the Bay Area.
While many organizations are experiencing the effects of dectiiie in the
schooI--age populatkln. the Children's Theatre deals ""ith il1creased demand
and interest. £i,cb. year the theatre offers an average of 3S classes and
workshop$~ 24 productions [or a [a.iIlily audience witb 120 performances.
and 170 Outreach performances and events.
Year around the theatre o!.Cers a drop-in component in costume/techniCAl
theatre hands-on trainjng. !n the past nve yea.rs. tf1.e Chi1dren 's Theatre
audience bas averaged 95% bouse capadty and most performances are
sold out weeks in advance.
T~e SUmUle!'" Conservatory Program is a six-week intensive lhutre training
program tracked 'by level of experience for young people ten years old
through high E.:chooL In the M.l"ly 1980 's pl'eVlolJS Children's Theatre
pa.rt:icipanU who were attending college Iament'l!:d the Jack of a theatre
program lor their age group during the summer months. Thus. during
the summer or 1982. Wingspread was born. providing a demanding and
popular summer stock progr8:m ror participants lrom fourteen to twenty-four
years old.
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To: .Maney/Virginia
'rom: Pat
%7 ~uly 1991
lnadequllte Bp&:ce lor 'Classes, rehears:als. and prodoction activities has
become a tremendous problem as more and more children become involved
in the Theatre. The start is {oreed to turn m.any away because there
is no room for additional participants. The existing facility needs to be
enlarged to meet tbe needs or today's demands.
Special N oed.
Included in this category is a LibraryJStudio space in which to bouse the
rneatre collections of books~ records. audio tapes. video tapes, photos.
news clipping(l:. programs, posters~ nyers, slides, films, and other historical
dasta developed over the years. Tbe!:le unique resources will be accessible
to Theatre participants and scholars in t!le field. This space will also
be used for meetings, study session3~ and small-group rehearsals and
classes.
The Hotdog shows are an integral part or the summer program necessitating
building an outdoor platform and striking production elements each nighL
The cost in time and energy for this act~vity is great. and the current
plan for a permanent outdoor platform will assist in keoeping costs manageable.
Memorial Roses in the Secret Carden Circle
Memorial ros~a were given/planted in memory of various people by the
Theatre staff and patrons.
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AT1ACHME~T 2
Tht:'"1'udJ111£: ,1.JJITI"n t __ , tll .. , But 'With YOUr h r e.p -____ !!-I,,<~crt' • ... ,J!I ~,!i\',\,\ 1'.1; ic.: J~m;~nl
We can h ----, ,-r"IJ~"n r, J't,·nJ rht "u'llillt t go ere f I r'"l' ,r r, I'f ,.:r 111 III \ . 1m rt,-I.lll'l'l1r rQHIU['1rt" I I
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1'·'1.[0 ""ZYO 'V"'r,,,, !"~. "':=:'.lo.. ____ . __
_____ , -''-' [H;i..[)f':fN.!= ,.r,_.'
_____ r!II',·\r,,< -
he Children's The<nrt' ':1/ ral'.~, ~-~=:::::-------_J
Aiw, a uniquenatiilnal 'nsTitutii'n ~ja~ \\hi,~h will h,l\e
&impl'J' run out (,If sr<JCt, T" '-lUI,lte tht' it~ iiI t tl'Th <Jnniwr-:1r1-"' Jltlll,H\ I q",~
The,me scaff: "\Vehave all these-chL!-was bUilt in 19.~i ",'irh fUIIJ, Jlln"reJ h
dr~n and no rl,Ke ((l rut them. ~ TIle Lucie Srern ,mel "'lrCh~""L 'ur,d Jc",i)!l1~
Theatre .:urrenrly mlJst rurn 3W;!\ e\ Cli' h· Blr~t'" Clark. Th( dH:~"ltn: l'r<>JII':r,~
(Ither child who arplie~ ttf the SU111I1'n twer;f\'·(, 'lIT ~h,,\\'~ rer \'t.':lr r-I \ I 'un,t:
Cuos.ervOlr(lfY prt)~m The frie:nch, l>{ rt'l 'rle ~I.!",. t'"12hl tnrl, 'll~~ I (~t"t1tV·t'.\'ll
the Children's The<Jtre, a nnn·rrdfn ,4..rrn ,)" lTlli11t'!'i rhirt,!··n,. t h1m,11l'd
cOIT'oration. i!;r!anningtc>r .. >~ c.h,IJrerr ;ue 1n'.'llh,t'"J WI,h om ;nt'ra~t'"
$-7SQ,OOO fm a mClj;.If !:-uildrng <1"rm.;[ r...mil\ ",uJlt'Il'~e tl( thLfr '. -h\'t,'
add!fi(ln. ,hl'u:<.:lrd Ther!:' '~:t: ",0, n d\i\'t'
The C:hildren's TIlearrt' facilirV. huodreJ "JlJfr q 111Illlnor_ :mJ <I full
time rr\lfe;'~11 m"'ll ~t.IIT ; ,( t~ I't
rrl J~I~rl 'rl' ell' ~t"l1l,mu' the
ql'lltr'l{fllt'rl\t;1'~t' ,~JI ,lnLT
\Jle C'Xr("rllrh"~
! lit' iI,LI:tl' :.", ".\"'tlIJ ,I'-U
;~ fi Ii I· ,1:'(;' ft,II[-":;',ll h,dl
~l jXl!il,lr;('IH "ilt,J, I, 'r <;ld~r II lint"
III TIl rl \ .. "r >11' 1\1" ~11 L' r'("r (I 'rmt"J;
rn'd'"ln('n~ r,cIC'\!'III:l. r,IJi;l, mJ
iitm f')lrli~le' n' h,\1 :t:n d-oe
d'l,ld;e-n\ t,"rnit"lXt"
a 0\ IJt" \Jrieij' ,l( tllr,v.t' equirmt'll;
111'.1 ~"i '1'1 Ie,
;lir-{i'rIJI1~'lnin;:: r,' 1, ... IIt'\T r]1t;.
h'(1 + It'mr~T,1tL:rl'' ,'n ~t,.lge ciur'rr~
t~C" ~IJmm(:'r
,,;1 t:ltl:I'.:t'J "'Illr 'i,' 1 h;1! full tl:d
,(,I', C,li'; ~~ I'llih I ,(t' 'T l''':~ r'~t"1 n~ rf It:
<;r~!F'~ 11,lt reht'lr'~il,
(I<l';'r,,, It'I"
111'r,lr', '<.ruJ,,' <JJt-i
Apr'" 1:\lrIL~~L"" 1;751' '411::lrt' rt:et
~l';r"ct: II'!II r'e JdJd, C, "trudHln
<lrd ,1rdHtectur~;1 (,,~t~ \\ d I 'rHi! r,l
,$::;':;O,0C'O: t'-jlHf'tII t'TI' ,11),[ "'I'ntrLrl~
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TIlE GOLDEN ANNlVERSARY COMMEMORATIVE POSTER
Name ________ _
Addles.<; ______ _
--~---~--
N um~r of POliter. _____ ,H $ lO.()<]
:a~ $ 1:; ,0(1 (nlllll"rt"J ,'n fnmlh'.iTJ)·
at .$100 .IX, 11'1~f1ed r,1 ,mist rill] Bout" "f \~,: Imlllil AJ'.er 1m!:' 1
Enclosed ~rld tunl Lli $ ____ ~ __ ~
Make ch~c"l:: ~ayable tL' frl~nd; c-,j" rJk, Altll ChIIJl~n'~ T Ill",~tr<'
Clip ('.('Iuron and ~end tu. P;lI[l Air,· Children"1i Th~atre ~ i !\. F.
D05 "hddlefie-Id Rd
Pille AI\;', C4, 94~C'1 o Plea~ m,llt m)' r")!;ttt I~', __ ~. __ . ___ _
• \l'e-ar(' lln<lble te' mad (he-m"~nr~J f"'~l\!'~_ j,lC." ;,\' ,h., ,q("r II:!." l~-',F< )t 24
Thel,' c .. n N-rICh.:! ur ar (he Theorrt' (Ir J("rl;'t'reJ
o r"lllric\:urr<Nt'r.:ur!\t'tht'Mre C<lII~U,·!-" aI'J\H· ... ,lid~k,·:To, ,II')
The~ bew./tiflJ pOHe'n Oils.· m;lKe VfcJ1 rl'.' f"r ;IIH'Ime ...... 1-,,' '0 1n:C:"~rt'1111i rl,~ Ail', \.\. f,,', !H< f,~t"I1;l I'd:; 1'·lr~,-n.
or <In ;Jud'ent"('rr.emt-er dlmnl2' rl"le I~'T 'il' t '.f""~<'
THANK YOU!
CHILD~NS
LI BR. ... R.Y
,\TTACHME~T 3
PALO ALTO
COMMUNilY CENTER
I.,OS MIDDlEFIE'LD 1<0., PALO ALTO
SOCIAL
HALL
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,
AD;,~IilrsT?J,rr:' AND OfE?';'fIJt~·. Cit.? of Pe.lo .t!to Fi.eeeation Der..artclent.
S'l'Yi..,r: eJF fl.P.S""I1'E:'~: __ :RE. Spanis"", ;"e-diter:rar.ea..'1. E..lr.e-r'!vr \o:al1~ stucco. Tl:e roc!.
t.~{r;C.~ Constructed bE'twee~ 1932 a.=-.d 1935.
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;~.e lar,d 'o.'a::' J_r::;·J.ided t:~t the C::'ty. Tr~e r::atrrials were d,·:mated by 11%"5. Lucie 5r.er!"1 .•
Th~ hbor-p·ovJ"..!c.:! by 1i.f.A. (Federii.l F.E.1.ie! Fl"ograro).
.
T!iC' ol'.i,~inc.l cost est:rua.te is about $125 .• OCQ. The replacement c')st toda.y about .$650 J CI"JC
hU l'H oS -:'ER.?i iI':: ~'iG -10 J 7 6'6 Sq. Ft.
Office Rooms (6) -Gccupied by the Re;::rc&!.ion DepE.rtm~r,+~ (1l1.xl6'. 12 'x1·S', 10 fx.15' , 11'x15',
Lobby (40 1.JC23 I) 2(]'.x21 t ,lS"xl5')
l:eeting a.nd Social :t.o-.,ms.
Room ~'::Ju (7D'x.!"O')
Room 1'.0" (26 !.x25 t)
Room lOR" (2!;, 'x,46 I)
l(~tcben '~Glxl:<")
Rest:-c;oms (2) (S'x15 ', 1()'x21 ')
Offi .. :~ Rooms (2) Occupied by Boy Scouts (15'x15'J 15 t JCX)l)
Basemer.t (?O 'x40l)
COf.llWI7Y Tf;EATP..E 1r.'IN:r -1'<.1 595 Sq. Ft.
Lobby {7.2 'x15')
Cffice R::>oos (2) {17 I x:;'O', 15 1.:x.l7'l
!;:ud.itori'u.I" (58 'xJ3') 5~ati:",g C2p::!ci ty: 421.
stage (nO l xJ4')
~,lorkshop {2r;'x35 t)
Storage Area {24'x22')
Gret;:ri Rc.om (15 'x..15')
D .. essIng Rooms (2) (12 1.:04', 12'.xl.41)
Re"-earsal R~om -Includ~r.r, ~tap'e (26'X40 t)
Costume Roo.'Il (26 'xJ4' J
r;:es7,.r0DmS (2) (D'xlJ.J 1?rx8 1)
Ease~r.ent (52'x}3')
·:;:nL!)f-~;:\ I S 7' !Y,ATR.:"':: '.":::J;(~. -g .1056 :q. FL
Lobby 1..~":"x2S')
Office R.o'o:r,,:<:;: OJ (1?'xl.:..'~ :'Clxll.'~ 2.:)IXPI)
t.u.dltor.! . .>1':. (3.2 ~:xitl I) :";f!at -;'""1£ I:o.p<:tci ty: -z::,e
St.&.,[';e (46 1727')
l'iori-.:::;hJp (B'x36 ,)
Stor",g~ ;,!,u;. (l2'x2~·!)
nc",5tro::.m~ C~) (2'x..;:j', 8'xl0'}
P,enea:·sal !ino::'. {H~' xJ.2 ,)
F.1t.che!"l (17'](7')
coysl D.r<:.'s'S~rLg P.::JOJT; (1"y22'.J
b:.seOlen t , ;
Cr:, stl.::r,,;;, :t:)O:':1 (l.:;" .x2 r / ' )
:::;.:.rls ' Drcs~i:'b rt.J':];'. (1.:. 'x;~ I)
CQ~t\,;.ii'.oC St:Jrabe (14'x27')
r .;Y :..,:,.:tr J."~),I.} -2,39 f . Sq. Ft.
ll',r:IOR J.r~s:ar!-·. ' .. }.lJG. -5,e{~O SQ. Ft.
C~aft ~o~~24'x381)
?-fai fJ 2.xl1i'U t R:)o~ (21. t x}2 t)
Live Exhi~jt &,om (:221xl21)
Entrance -,..ray (22'.x5~!J
Science R~om C24'x34 1 )
African RDOO (l,s 'xJ4 I)
Storage Areas (lltxlO'.J 11'x20 'J
Science ~;ir.g {20'x60 I}
Offi:e &: Entrance Vay (24 tx25 I)
w'~ficE R::"orr,s (5) {SiX} ... ', .lO'XU1. 8'.xl4', 10'>":1'::"', :',~;,·xli.')
.;;,cout !iall (40) Ix3D I )
Lobty (2J'x~'J
Stc~aF.e Ar~a (€'xl2 1 )
:"(t2p:roducticn R')oJ:! Ce 'x2':J I)
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~TTACHMENi 5
Work to begin Monday on Secret Garden at Centf . ------.-----
High brick wall
15 completed
ahead of schedule
Cun .. ug tte l~('."t f,"II' ":t~k..'
tDcr~ "m u,,;: a. DU~Li.: <:If "',lJ1".l;;',
lot. th" cl:y-(;' .... ::.cl! l.J'*fLC.s <:J,~
Palo iUtCi I.I.v;;-t1'..:e, Bc.:;o~ctir'i t-r..
f' ar It Sl.:.P".I'l;,·,·:·,JL-~" A::tL;.u
J'Hlk~, flll' CI' 'Il;liU:!j'----o..;.n.:"L1>
ra..J~ "r c",,-,t""'---"'~rl!: 't-"o::~ HI
f'\J~t.l'~ c.~l t.hf' b"'~r\'" t,:.:.,ju'. ::I.~
Cr.:r..mun.ty Cf-l1l .. r
Tl:Je Cll.:'-T,'.H ..... -:'i.'.1 "';:1 pl.;.y ...
TJ:..:Jilr I'L):\' l;l U .... rr.-a,j,-'Ll {Jt ,,1"
~ ... r":~rL. fur It WlLi ",Ul'\J1Jl yl'.'C'_
1H;";~.'" all 81 Ll"Jt' tnt"', !.:.tco.e--.
and brullb, r . .l! lh~ FI''';J,-,-L
11l( rJ';l, btl '/t_ 1/, d',l,'.I',j,.!.J 3.1~r
r",c;:"Ld.;; l!i<' :;,J..tJ"J; "('C' 1, .. i b,·c::
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: .. ,,<!'L u! tl"' ... })kll;m;~ .... , Ii :.,~ .... cl:~, ..
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r,''J.dy, '''''l:<..JtJli,,, \.0., !Ii" J>lJll'.~
Pl ... n" t.r....,~ to bO' pr"!llC~
Tn!:: Jo..u·up .. ",,, ';'!.~".Ilj';'~·_('r
;Jlu.r,f t;~r·~-rLlr 1I ... Duld"",
• !"::;rmi.,·'· "J ,d ~.i:" J ..:j".JJl, '>t 11:'I\',..t: T,I~~, i<, lh .. ClTtl~I'bo ,':'n( "I.'tloo til 1\:)\1' the Se!'to!', Qar-de:a .t thr Coml'llu:ahy CiO!otu .111 1001: •
f,)!" LF-e h",J:,.:"" ~liJ bt· tl;,r'..;,-: Kilt .11 P .. tu .-\l('>,~ llllh:lr\'n, r'll~ !\Ino, LolJj~ S!~TD an4 the tit:-C'GlHICIJ, 110111 ("onntd: tht: ChiJdr.ta
)Ji"nL .. o::I !U l!', .. C()!",,\r.Ul'l'~V C'!l-] ('bilrlr(:l"~ {,iI,.r.i.,... '.4hl b;),(.,h.,l"'.'" "d •• and .. m Inrlilde an aJl))J~tb .. &trll! &nG ollt4bor wvrb_
Lt! SHe ~" ~'.'Vl', :u; !l'J . .."lbte-:!<J r~ad'''1: r,,"n. <Iud ~urm.r "turr-bLOur court lor 'hI' tillrat"Y. rbr b"lt ... an .r;zrTOll:tld'iJt,r the 1"1U1!'C'r)
they 'will g,H Lne 1:111 b"llt"!it (,1 I will .~tarL on the p.ath!. and e1t"a\'aU'Jrl ,,,, the bolill'f (CfllW) alld lilt' &mphjth~tn. Be4$. Will
.... 'lnter ;-... In:i. ",,'au t.h:1I heact I pla.nn~d by Floyd CUII'.lR, bnd-"CilP'-atoCblte<:"1.
:~~t.i~~.i~/h~pLlrl~~~e"'·~~tI'~;~; 1------~~~;--=-----~-------------
gr~ h III Cit: pla.nt.el.!, Mr, .Tio.nl.c.,1
said. 1
Thr trt'e5 ~j'l b€ fairly I .. r~''''.
be add!"d. "'" that by ~urnmcr
the,. ""ill ,;mJI'Hle <UT,pl~ :sha.d.:.:
tor the c:.ltdoo~ :-€.adjn~ room :..t:
Ule ChUd:tn'~ Ilbra:y end of the I
luden IoW:l fiJr the OPHl-~ re·!
hear.&a: haJJ att .. c:Ced: to t!-;t;
Chlld:ren's Thl':).',r" Wh'l't! ttlz'
trE~ h.oive rH.c~.l'::1 ~il.tur:ty, M~
,l'ame& plcdlCt .. "d, the bl>llgh~ v.:li
interlaee III ,oml a .cl·d C-t:-UI1.:::
over the t\\'o St~tiCll", The tG""
wliJ prob .• bi.l· toe tnmn:oed. t," ..
un ilorm be Iii: ht
111e bedp: p';..:-.~$, ow. hl~b w;~l
form th'l' c.,ndjl;~ ..., .. :;£ Wli~,I"
H.e f:a;: dt'.r., .. 1."_' ...,.:; br Sci.i;l:iH::
for ~llC, fur ii ",,";':li:'LU~1". t".ti.~llt
1S "'h.:H!:'d lur !'ilL;',;:;,:, ",!.,.~, :".~
C!",;;d~n'5 TIlt .. ::'" p: ... _.~ .. tl -:.;!
&O<.U" f.nlQU"~,·.,t :r. 1:-.~ u.',p1.,~:
t.h.,.al~~ lI.':r,;~!l I .... ;: "c, 1.J;"~ itlt:
largeli~settlou ,0: .", i".:-d',1 BI'-i
.. :c~ .. he v~(·~ 01;,.1 ::. i,"" t:~'I'
","'ill be C'1;.:lY ~I.: l>~' .p .. ~ni..1L'd f;, !
tl.", ni,;.f~e-ry t,-, ~" ;.:' l:,,,~l.:.Q;"r'-J
lor the an.p!lIt;-"'""re ~l.!F:" it.:.:'.' ~~!~d~;~n V"::-'Cc'.' h; tn~ ~~,~ .. t:" r
L
c "
T.1.f p];t.:jl:r:J .en,i ,r,:;u"t"r,,;..r.:[ I
or thl' >!"retne.r)· ~i!] b~ <l '\l.-j;~'''~.-'
l(;~~ J,:b. !\1r, J:..1.1 "':;. a~d • .;1, anrj i
v.'1i1 not b",g~~, 101.',1 ("oo ;1:J"h~ i
havl! cef'n !.illd .... :.i1 ;).lld tt-"~ t<x-,
cav:ltlC,'1.S ~u! lrw .,;lwhHI.reJlr<, i
and t:.~ r.ll.,;c· l:.:~., .. :.te b"'I.",
COC'l,r.'"LM, Dra: ,;.-.:~ uf lhf bin]'
and tnt O1~-.'.;t'·_;."._'I. II..~, t.-e tl.c',
malar prUb;",r;l.li t,., J::ot e,.:;]Lo>1-:
t~rtd 1" t")e Cl"'';'~lu:: oJ! t;;~ &-;
C~f't G",rdt'!l. h.: s:..., .. ~ It ._~ tr.~_:
p;:a.se • .(:! ,~-,e w(.::': .. ,:t".~th '\0,:" lH:"-J
g.=< !>.·lt~~·;·;·i'"nil'ld" unit r
···n:~ 5('1'1'· ~ G:,"dF~' \\,,1 C,.r.L.1
!J:t"~~ '.-'.Co: .. :_:1 I": lb' (.'u.:' [1.:":-;1'
c~,_t('! r'~&.~.'" tj,~ ~U;":rl;: f':i1<1-:
el,t .'i.lii:l .... ',' !~~L~''-:.c-'.:; O:~-j
Pll~,,"d:-b.'I'.! I,:' 1;'.(· ~:', b',-i
~'i"{'I_11 LH" Cr..:,::, '", ,hl~"~
... "Cd Li'). {"1. .. ":t"I·, LI:~; _'.,
\dJ.1 1 ~h ',\.11.' ~,'
h~,· '-<'flo a r:,Jr
~" ' ~" .,
T~.f t,a.i ;. '1.-I , :1 ~~ ',.:
J'r 01 :"' <' '._ 1: "of'
d'",j]di~ ",j l: '"' ~<,
G:;.r.kr, .. .a:,1
t? l!'" r'-.
Theai;e!' rJr :.
l"-:~~,,.,;·c ;.; 1.:~
E_l",'
• ,'~ '" ~\ '. I .:
[>.1 .'.; Ie:,
Ll~,~ry OI','~,
."~l' 11 a' ,d I ,,:, ',r: c-~" ,. !
w,_ ,'1, c:! •••
.. ,1.1I: I" t:· .; .'L d,l"':' :-1.:,., J
C]uO< ~" .: Ir" k '\lo~ '".r<;I,
lIUlI_": ~;, ,i· ... ,::.,~, o.t.
r
n Monday on Secret Garden at Center;
--------------------.. ---.----------. Drawing shows
how it wil! look ,. -.' -;
•
Ihh b lhl' artl~l's cono:-rpl",n "r tlO>>I tht !!it:('~t (';iIIrdCl1 at lhr ('<lmmunlty C'I!'Dter _Ill Inok • :<,ear from nfl",. rhe ra~., rollil
("if I til Pa'o . .\11,,·, lhLlllreu-lr-"m ~In.. LOlli.\. 51"1'11 aud tnt' city (,"und:. ",in c"nnefl t.he Childrf'n's LrbrlloJT rJ.c/t fOTI'!JfOllnd) wUb the
(:hilllrtn',l, I.lbnl,.,· rri.chl bad'/p'uundl ... lid 'IIiTl Iliduclt an arnllh!thf"a~rc :Inc! outulJur ... nrk:rwm for thl!! tlll':iLtre al'll!" tl'ftc-Ilhad~
n:ad'in( f(J{!m aLld !u,my IotOQ'-I:JCIH etHlrt for thp 11!'Ir.uy. Thf brid. '\Iall !IlH"","d;", the ,ardell is completed, and Oft 1ttOftrday won:
.. ill st;ort (In the p;z.·.hs alld oe:JliU'Ol,lLOIJ r"r the lH'~''-Cecnt..er, &I'd tht lunrhlthe.a.trr. Hed.e,; .. m CDclo.e _eJ:. HCiion of th& I&rWA,
p_~n_n_ed by ~:~~COW~,'-"~·~"~-cla~"~'.~ .... ~ .. ~~~'':!c~---------------.------______________ -'-_1
'j,lt ;ll;.,.tUl-:';-."!)C l'·.:-"'I.;.rnai1.~e .. 1
,,{ Un' 1-!'re",,,r;,' wLl b.-.l. ' ... :.!;~r'~
~::J i~' ~t;~,}~;:"L~1 at~~: dp..'i~';~:
~.o.v~ boeen la.,:: OL;t at • .:! tr.t ex-I
r:l\'l.~k,.l'.s to.r '_he :G.~! '·.~t:.,,""t:. I
'"-I.~l '.;1'-iI".::,:t-i· ~.:,', t.,.,
C--J:I •••. I'-~""c: DT":'::,L.!," D: b. ' .... j
iI.::c i;:t SL~;)h··i.;, .. ·,,· '\>~,: b ;;;£"
!'lalc'f .. ~.;Jbif"n~ t.) bE e;,,;c'cL:-:
t,,".·~J::1 th~ C:I,,· ... ', c.~ t;,~ Sc···
.. ~~~ G·,:Ct:l. h .. '-... ,j I, ).!>
:1:-:.01..'''' "r t!.~ ,,",",:1;: · ... llJc:. II.;: no-
Ir:" .: .:..iay
JI will nmlplde-1I11i:
~TL" ~'-.:r' ~ (,_,:',1'_1! ... ,'
1 I e~.. l~~ .. ~ ,'J;:: ,,: " " ('ow',',) ',,,:,,,:; \
CeJ:l .... i-·La.::t ~ ,no .'-':' ';l;:·.[.'.~
";.' : .• ;ct ~W, ': .. ",,,, : . .-~;': .'",
;><~,,"J V, bHi ti '[;" ."Cc
t',\'-/:1 the ("! ',C.ll ':u I:··:
111:0 tl: .. (";":!r'Jn.'~ L.tJ,_r:"
" .... ~. t:) d,-10.'." :.~ 1.1',':"; ~ I ~
""" t."-f'""--:!:-:,,r_';('_ ..... l,',;;~:.;,;,
.;. ~., . J "
1":.> ,~rd"~. ~;, ... :·,11F::
F r: ("'.<; 1: n: "cr. L,ll
,; .. ~.I~: ,,-,(;, (' ~"", .<, • 71;" S,'
C.:J.r,j, :'. ..: i..' L,., ',., ~~::
t~',,, ('n::.l:t:., 1 I '-_'." ;;:.'-
1 ..... ,,'(' r.: :-;, ~ L, :,' S:, ~:' "-,r:,
11.~ C':, ~(,[;t,' F.",ci r, .".l!
]"t,d..,,-.l.,)e .. L;, :. d,_·: ; i
T',," ~'.r t: '. , r,,; ..
(',"-~i:: l":"',:r."c. :,~, C'.H', ... t, .'~'
l:'1t.-·~I:--t.~j(d ,,~
-
---~!~~~~.".
_';4'
•
~'<'. ~~~~~-
",
ATTACH~lnf; 6
BUILDiNG SITE The-rel<.tl'iml"llp be-~' .. '~cn a historic: :,uild~~:g Of b':::ainp
a~::l lar~ds.c<,~e ieatlJr'ts '.I.'ithln a prC'perty's h:)'.mdc:-ies--::-j~
the buildi,:g si~e--hejps to deft'le the rlis't :-:-ic charac:~er
a,-.d should be cO!'Iside:-ed an integra! pact of D'fera::
piannhg ior rehabH:13;~;on project worK.
Identifying. retaining, and pre54erving
buildings' and their fe':'llJrt!s as weil as
featu,es. of the site that .. re impofta.nt in
defining its o~'erall histo~ic character.
Site features can include driveways,
walkways, li;g,hting, fenc!!lg, sigrls,
benc'hes, fouf1!ains 1 ,; •• 'ells, terraces, canal
~)'.stemE, plants and trees, berms, a"!d
drainage or irrJgation c'itches; and
archeo!ogicai redtures that arE'
Rf"mo\.'ing Of radicalJy changi~lg bdtdhgs
and their fea~ures. N sJ1e fel~'lres w~ich
a.e r!TIp-:)rt,~:',t i;-} defmirlg tile oVE',-ail
hisle-rir: ch"raC!N of the building sih:-SCI
tha t, as a result, the chafas~er is
cE'nin:s.l-jed_
in:portant in defining t!le histDr~_~~-.!h.e ___ . __ _
site. ____ ----.-
~::::;:::::=====.:~~~~-------
Retaining the fllstoric relations'nip Rer:lovirlg or relocatln~ hi"tor]c buildl'lP
-----------------
bet ..... een bulldlngs, landscape features, or ia:lds.c:ape features, thus de5:.r;)yi~g
at1d op{!n space. the hi-s.torie-relatio-:lshJp b€-:\I.'€'en
buii:::llnbs, la:idsca;)e features, and ope~,
space.
Protecting and maintalning buiJdings i:..~.d
the site by providing pr':lper dra.inage to
a:s.sure that water does. not erode
founda.tion wall.s~ drain t~ward the
buiJding; nor erode the historic
landscape.
Remov;ng Dr re!ocatiqg historic buddir.gs
Dr. a s.;te cr in a. c.ornple)( of rela :'C'd
h!$~orlC struc-ture$--such as a mj~l
c::,r:'lpfex or farm--tJ'I'$ diminishing the
hh:orlc c.har K!er of tr.e site or ccr;-'ple)l(.
Mo\'jr;g bu:ldlngs or.to the 5ltl", thus
creating a false historical appearar.ce,
Lowering the g:-ade level adjacent tD a
buitding to permit del,ie!opment of a
formerly below-grad..;-area such as a
b-'3.SemeM in i!t manner that wouid
drast;ca!ly cha>l[,e the hist-::-ric
reJati0nship Df the bullding t':lc its sHe.
FaiJing to rT,<I.;:;tain site dra"lilage so th?.t
buildings and stte features. are damaged
or destroyed; or, aiternat,veJy, changing
the $Jte gradir'g so that water no JongE'f
d~ajns j?roper!y'.
•
BUILDlNG SITE (continued)
Minjmj2i~g rllst·..Jrbance of !err3.in an:.lund
buildings or ei .. e'~hf're Or\ the ~~t<'l thus
r-educing the pes ibiJity of destroying
unknown archeological materi',ls.
Surveying are2.S where major :errain
al1eration is likely to impact importa:;t
archeological sites~
Protecti:,g, e.g. pr~soe::"ving in piace
known archeologica.l materiai ..... ·henever
possible.
Plannir:g a.nd carrying out an)' necessar)'
investigati.::m usi.ng professional archeo
Icgists and modem archeol.:"gicat
methods when pre:-sen'O"!.ion in piace is
not feasible.
Protecting tht" butlcEr.g and other
features of the site ag,ain.st anon and
vandalism befor~ rf>habi!ltation work
begins, i.e.! erecttng prctecth'e fencing
and installing alarm s;,stems that are:
keyed into local protet::tiM agencies.
Providing contirn.Jed protectioi1 of
mason,)" wo-..."I<j? anel a,chiteclufQ! meta!s
,",'hic~1 cornpris.:: buildIng and' site feature~
through a.p~o?date sudac~ treatments
such as cleaning. rust rerno\'al. Ij!lijt~d
paint removal, and re·a;>pUcCi.tlon of
protective coating sys-tems; ar,d
continued pI"otection al,d main!erl<F"lCe of
landscape feat'.Jres, incbding plant
materia!.
Evaluating the overail condi:ior. of
mater;als to do:termine ..... he1.her more
than protection and maintenance are
rec,.uired, tha.t is, if repaHs 10 building
and site features ...... ill be neCes.Sdry.
1.ltrorluci~~
equip'11ent
pr-esence
materi,,]s.
.tJot RecomiTlended
h{'a'.: machine...-,. or
irlto are3S \,1,'he;e their
may di<;turb archcobg:C?:
Failing to surve)' the bulldmg si!e prier
1Q the begin!11ng of .rehabilitatiorl proje.::t
work so that, as a result, impcrtant
arc~('ologkal material is d('s~ro:r~d.
Leaving k~o\l-,,'I archeologlca! ma!er:8.J
unprotected and st.ibiect to \'andal:s:n,
looting. and de'StrlJcti,m by natural
E,)cme,'1ts such as Nosinn.
Pcr.M~~~i,..,g u,"'1qualified' project pers·:Jnnel
tc per!o~m data recov~rJ ~0 that
lmprop~r methodology results in the loss
of important arche''Jlogical materja!.
Pe-rmiHing bUildings a"1d s:1.e feat"Jres to
remain unprotected so that plant
materials, re-nci:1~. .....·alk...,.·ays,
archeo!ogical features, etc. 3fe damagpd
or C::est:"oj'ed.
Strippi!lg !eatures from b rJildi,,8" arLd the
site such as .... ood sJding~ iron fencing.
m2sonry balllstracesj or ;erno,.'Irrg or
destrC1yi.;-o.g j~;)dscapc features, Irlcludlng
plant materIaL
Faili:lg te..> pro'dde adequate protectIon cf
rnaterials c,,", a C'ydic:al basis so that
deterioration c1 buiJdir.g and site
features results.
Failmg tv undertGke adequate: measur!'.s
to a<;sur~ the: pre"avation of building and
SiH· I~atures.
BU1LUIN:::' S;TE. (continued)
Recommer"lded
Repairing features of buildi:"lgs. and the
site by reinforcing the his.toric
materials. Repair '.I,riJl al">.) generally
ir.dude replacement in klnd---w1:.h a
compatible s'Jbstitute maleria,J--<,f those
extensively deted~rated 0" mis!:.ing ~rts
of leatures where there are surviving
prototypes such as fencing ar1d paYing.
RqJlacing .in kbd an entire feature of
the building or s1 te that is toe
deteriorated to r~pair--if the avera!:
form and detailing are st!II evident-
using the physical evidence tD guide the
new WD\k. Th.is .r;o, .. !d inch..lde ar"l
entrance or porch, walk'.\Ia.y, or
fountaln~ Ii using the same kird of
material is not technicallv or
econ.omically fea.sible, then. a compatible
substitute material may be considered.
Replacing ton entir~ feature of the
b'Ji1:iir,g Df site such a5 a fei1ce, .".'al~· .. 'ay,
or drivel,;,'ay ·.vhen rep-;.ir of materia!s and
limited replacement of de1eriorateG or
mis~i.r.g part5 i3.re ap)'''Dpria teo
Usjn~ a sub~titu,e r.lateriaJ fOt the
re-piaceGicnt part that do-:s no~ cO~l,'e)'
the vislJal appearance of the survi",>irg
parts of the bl!~!dl:1g or site leatu,e or
that is phys;cally or ch('-micaiJy
incompatible.
RemoYing a feature of the bL.'L:ding N
site that is un.!'ep.airabJe and nDt
replacing it; or repl.a<:.i,~.g it .... ith a new
fettl..lre that does not convey the same
v.is:;al appea.raflce.
The foUowing work is highlighted to indicate that it repl"esents the particuJ.arly
complex tedvtica1 or design aspects of rehabilitation pr{'tject work and should oo!y
be consi~ed' after the preservation concerns lls1ed above have been address.ed~
Creating. a false histc,rical 3j.',;)ea:-.an(IC"
because th~ replaced' feature is based on.
InsuHkient his1orica:= pictorial, and
ph)'::.ic:a! docu:Tl~'~'catio!"'.
Intro{hKing a ne ... ' b'..:il::lmg or site feature
that is out of s.<::aje or otherwise
inappropriate.
Introducing a new laildscape fei3tL:re or
plant matNial that is visually
incompatible wit:, the 5:te or that
destroys sIte patterns O( vistas.
•
-'-.~%_ .......
BUILDING SlTE kontinue:!)
Alteratjor05fAddition.~ for tt-..e r-.:cw Use
Designing new on.5ite parking, loading
docks, or ramps ... ~n r-equire-d by the
nell; u~ 50 that they ;are a~ uoob1.rusi ... e
as poJ$Sible &I1d assure the preservation of
character-defining features of the site.
Designing new e-J(terlor .. dditiOi"'s to
h.i~loric buiJdings or a.~jacent new
cOMtrocti(>n which is compatible with
the historic ch3.ract~r of the site .and
which preserve the historic relationship
between a buiJd:ng or buildin.gs,
),mdscape features, and Qpen :space.
-'----
Removing nons!gnifkant buildings,
addltio,lS. or site featllres \I,Ihjch detract
from the historic character 01 the site.
,-
Placing par'kin~ facilities directly
adjacent 10 hist':lric budd~ngs · ... ,he:e
c-...:toiTlot>iJes may cau~e da:.-;ag,e to 11u!
buildings or Ja'"ld5Cape !earurt>s or be
intrl/si .... e to the buitdl!'lg si1e.
\
----------.---Introd:.A~i"~ r ,'0' ' .. 1,: constructlc-n ~:"l'O tf-te ~
bui\:!ing site ... :hieh is \'is'Ja:ly I
incompatible in terr.:s-of s:ze, scal'?, I
desigr'l, ma1erials, calor and teKt'.!re or
whkh d('str0Ys his1cric reJatior:ships or;
the site.
Rer,10'.;ng a hi'Stor:c-bulldm~ b a
CO:Tlplex, a building featwe, c; a sitE'
feature whr:-h is important if I defining
the histCIric charac-te .. of tht" site.
, ,,' •
ATTACHHDIT 7 t 1 ~~ ... ~gJ~=::;;:;;;;~~~'"
-
19100el991
The meeting was called te order at 7:37 A.M.
Members Present: Lind" Scot!. Elizabeth !.:ilia!. Jim M:Fall. and ;\eU Heyden
Members Not Present: i:aren Olson
Staff Liaison: George Zimmerman
Council Liai:!ion: Emily Renzel "l,'3!' not present
I. REVIEW OF MINGTES:
The minutes for 216 were not available f(;[ revie .... The minute, for 4/3
were approved without correction. The minule, for 6/S were approved witb
the. following corrections and amendments: J) Neil Heyden noted tMt there
were two items lined as ~3.-: the second of these should be jdemnied as item
~. 2) Concerning item 3. Elizabeth Kittas ... ·ished to note th.lth. offer of
selling the AMEZion Churctl for One dollar to anyone "'i1Eng to move il
made by the Me. Tllorwaldson is nol included in lhe formal EIR
2. 1305 CHILDm'S THEATRE EXPANSION:
Jim McFall elcused himself from participation in this item because of a
conflict or interest. . '-
Susan Sle"·arl.lhe signed applicant on tbe project. and architect' John
NOrLh''iltay and Dave Stewart were accompanied by several members or the
lheatre staff and children participants. With the help of other members and.
staff, Su~aD Stewart spoke to the pressing need for elpansion--i permznent
outdoor stage, set cons~ruction/sLorage space, air"conditio"nlD.g and"-a library-~ "
and John Northway and Dave St ... ·arl spate lei tlledesign o[the eipansion: .. ' .i ...
an attempt to keep wit!! the original Birge Qa-rk: design and the preceden(!of " """
variation within lhe style. The Bo'rd .sked ,everal questions about lhe
______________ City or Plilo Alto _____________ --
l '
.... -....,.,,~---.... -...
plan.. many baving 10 do "ith the e'pansioo·, impa01 on lhe ~-.~,.:'
.urr"uodin~ lhe 'Secret Garden", Linda Scott asted that every be
made to preserve tbe surroun~ing hedges. Eliz.abeth I.:ittas noted t,·"
relevant tenants 0[ historical preservalion 'os outlined by. Secretary 0[ the
Interior publication): ]) Addilions should bave tlleir o"'n identity and
should not Lry to replicate. 2) Wbea constructing an addition every dfort
should be made to toucb "lightly" upon tbe original structure. Ideally if :he
addition were rema"ed .,t a fUlure date tbe origin.l structure ,bould appe"
as il had originally. In that con tell she suggeste1that tbe proposed
rounding 0[ door and "'indow arches in tbe original structure to malch the
addition be abandoned. She also suggesled that gold colored decomposed
granite be sUbStitu:ed for the proposed brick in tbe courtyard.
MOTlON: The ~ard recommend, appr·oval of the erpansion plans as
proposed' ,~ .. rth the fo!Jo~"ing ~uggenior..5: ]1 Retain fla: door and ',;,:indO';I,:
arches in the original s~rUCLure. 2) Substitute gold colored decomposed
granite instead of bricl.: in courtyard. ::l Study the "blend' frem the bullding
to the 10""er In the addition for concerns about separation of .si:yle elemeow;,
4) Every effort be made to minimize construction impact .on the Secret
Garden and it's surrounding hedges, Consider returning to the HRB ... ·ilh final
design and development landscaping plans 5) Consider returning to the HRB
" .. ith final [enestration plans.
The Illation pas>ed unanimously. The HRlI offered to have a member
aCCOtDpany the Children', Th .. tre group .. ·hen Ihe), .ppear before the ARB.
3. 1009 FOREST COl:'RT:
The owned':ingslq Wood and his archltect described the proposed
remodeling ~'bjch Includes the ~c1eaJ1Jng 'Up~ of the current makeshift
dormers and the addition of a carport. A discussion of the bui.1din'S's original
deslgn and purpose a::; a water lo~er and ~tGrage bui]ding. and jts evolution
into a bome elplained the sUte of the current building aDd the need for
remoeeling. Some concern ",'as elpressed that the new carport would blocl:
view of the borne from lhe street. Funher explanation made it clear the
moving of the drive'\\"ay and current vegetation will still leave an ample j""
vjew. Citing the fltst or th"e: preser\'ation tenants mentioned in item 2 above"·
(.dditions should. ~'Dt try to 'replicate), Elizabeth t:iltas noted Ih.! .,.. .
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MINUTES
17 JUly 1991
The meeting was c~lled to order at 7:45 a.m.
He'lnlJers Pres:ent: Ka:-en Olson~ Linda Scott, Jim Mcfall
Hewers Not Present: Neil Heyden. Elizabeth Kittas
Staff Liason: Virginia Warheit
Council Li enzel
1. REVIEW OF MINUTES,
Mi:-.ut.es of 7/3/91 'Were ::--evi£1,,'E:c. T~e:re \Jere no CD1!'l!1ent.s, l1o'oolever
since there t..'as no~ a quorum of members .... ho ... ere p.:-esent at the
'/3/91 meetinq, the vote was postponed to the next meeting. (Linda
Scott had a correction of the 5/l'?/Sl minutes, item #2: "Linda
Scott as~ed that every effort be made to preserve the s~rrounding
hedges '\ofi th the ~_)(ceptic.":ln of hedge bv theatre /1 ibri!~d_..J:tion In,
2. FROnSSORVILL:
The Board discussed strategies for proceeding ~ith needed research
in revie~ of proposed expansion. Ji~ McFall noted th~t he ~as talkea
t.o Joan Jacic of P;..sT and Steve Staiger in regards to PAST ~"·olur.teers
doing library research of hooses in the expansion area. The~e is to
be a trainfng session at a date yet to be announced for the
volunteers; .:Tim suggested: that Soard ~en::ber'5 participate.
~inda SCvtt confirmed th~t there iS I at present, ~o written criteria
for the expansion !"lor written definitions of cor.tribu';ir,g or
non-ccntributing structures. She is to meet with Elizabeth Kittas to
jevelop criteria ar.d definitions.
?reliroina:ry inv~~tor}' for'O:1s '.le:-e inclUded i., meet.ing packets; Loard
,embers are to use these fonns for fie1d su["veying of expansion
lr-ea. E>..-pansion area ""as divided into five groups.
,~r-en Olson to 5ur-vey Me.lville <!Ireii nort.h of Wave.r-ly.
'"im McFall to survey Kingsley and ~elville between W.:1verly aTld
,r:)rant. and .Emerson -wcst. $ide~
'?:il iie)'~en to survey east side of Emerson, Ramona and east to Scot.t
ark.
lizabeth Kittas to survey covper to Scott Court between Channing
:-ad Addison.
__________ (i1\ I)f f\1/t) :\lill ______ _
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22 August 91
TO: JOS$pIl Huber
Ch.air, Plannif1g Commission
City 01 Palo Alto
FROM: Elizabeth KUlas
Member, HistorIC Resources Beard
City of Palo Ailo
RE: Review of C~~dren's Theatre Addition
ATT;""CHMENT B
Since the HAS met to review the Children's TMatre application, further staff study has
made more-information avai1abl.e. I was asked 10 relook al the project in vie"N of these
fa;:::S because no HAS meeting was scheduled before ~Qur review and I was the member
available. I will tr; to reinterpret the spirit of our findings in this l"lgh!.
Tha HR8 asked t!'lal lhe Pledges be saved 10 preserve the ~~'m of the Secret Garden, whlch
it fell to be part or the tllstoric comprex. We al/rese that the hedges between the additions
woulcf probably need to go to accommodate the audlence. Linda Soon voiced a'l opinion
tha! tile libI'ary addilion lOudled the h~e and maybe pan of thaI hedge should go to
appear less awkward.
Wi'la.! we had 004 seen ~as thallt1e drawings conlained diSCfepandes and tt1a! the hodges
were gone next to the slage addltion. We had believed from the overa~' si1e plan ti2! only
the hedges betwesn the ackfrtions wouJd go.
I mel with a staff member In the ga.rden to v'ew the surveyors chalk man-s, the pole
marking the roof hei(jnt of the tower and the Chi~ren'S Library collecllon. On the basis
of this obser ... ation, I conduded the stage addltion needad 10 st1ri!1k sligt1!ly 10 fi! beh~nd
the hedge. The roof height seems appropriate wilh tht: other rool he~hls and altholJ9h
the new roof would be .... isible from other parts or Ihe garde-n it could add 10 th e air of
mystery vilal 10 !he garden's original literary spirit.
This second trip to the garden aIso suggested a way to solve the HRB·s concern about the
rfbrary addition touching the hedge. Just as the slage addiliorl softens in form as it
approaches lhe hedge, so can &he lib-rary adollion. An sxample or thls would be
.q,ortening the rectangular portion sfiGhtry and creallng a semi·circufar bay al the end.
rm sure the archftect, based or. the programmatic needs, cOi..!ld create a form in ihe
stylistic vocabulary.
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COMMENTS FROM CHILDRENS MBRAR'l PATRONS
From mid-June to early Julj" plans for the proposed ChildrE"n I 50
Theater expansion were on display at the Children's Library~ A
pad and pen vas provided for making written comments about the
plans. Following are the comments of the twenty-three people ~~o
responded.
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MINtlTES
18 September 1991
The meeting ,,:a5 calied 10 order al 7" .17 A J.!
\ie-mbers Pre~en:: Etizabe:h ~iuas:. Lindi;l $eo:: . .Jim ~lcF;:Jll, t.:aren Dls.ori. and
"eil He~-den
~!embers Sot Pre~ent: ~one
Staff liajson~ GeOfg~ Zlmmer man ';ldl'!: present
(oundl Uairon: Emily Renzel \1:3S present
1. RE \"l Ell" OF ;.:; XlTES
The mLnure~ fo:' 9/4 u:ere ai"prO\"ed 'Q,"I!hoU! correction
2 1}[l5 ~I]DDLEFIELD CH1LDRE\S THEATER
Jim i\1cFal1 e:sclJ5c:-d hlm:s.elJ from the It~m dute' In a pOren!13! connlCl o[
inIert?5L Lmda ScOtt s.en.:ea Cl~ Chairperson Elizi:lbt'ih ~jlia$ elpiaineJ Tn ...
~he had <lst€O for this Ii:em to come back befen: the riKPo ..:lut: .(1
dlScret:l::.:ies m t~..: plans fl)r the Seere: GOlrden ~e.jges ;h<1t COl::!!'=' ~:) li~!1l
after :he Bo~rd S \notion or ~I ~ 9.
MOTION If} recr_'~s:de-r :t,e f'.n.a:-:' s ~/l 9 c(Jtinn of aDf1[(r":alof :te
erj:'am:!on piil!';~ lor I}(I) ~!!dC!l~tjetd RESULTS Ye~· E::rden b.H~Ol.'3 a~1j
OI5-on ~t). SCQ!t
John :'\ort1"J>;),:ay. ilrchlt;:-C"t of the project. np:amed that the p;iln~ for lhe
hedge~ h;3,Ye e\"ol\·ed. The hedge::: are not a::: fragile :J.~ once ihougJ'it. (l.! •• en;
plan::: call fnr remo\"al o~ :he hedge neii.re~ ... ite p:-0p(:$ecf ~:Jge t(l',;,:e:
addilion d'Jiin~ c()r.::::":-u~lJon . .l" ne~: .~eo'ge ~:oul:j repJace t.t'.e remo':ec ur;-e
ilt the con(!tl~ior; O!" con~t!,":J:::.jO!l E .. ·e:-~ e:lort "'l. ill ~e Q.Jde to re~J:!J tr.e
________________ Cily or Pain Alto ____ _
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hedge nearest the prop()~·e"J library adljition. He u'ished rhe minures It)
reflect that the '"Friends of the Children ~ Theater" \\."Hf dislres:;e.j thJ.! 'If.is
item had been called back before Ihe HRB on Yom llppuf ~'hen !'€'\-e[a~ ot irs
member!' ~:ere unable to altend
Elizabeth ~itta~ asked about the proximity of Ihe hedge oeare.5"t tbe propo~ed
~tage to~'t'{ and aboul the pos:5ib!ljt~· or ;lItering the proposed libr3f'}
acdilion to oeLler accommodate the eXisting bedge u"hich she feels is a te:
elem€nl of the Secret Garder.
Linda S<:ou eIpressec di.sappolntment that the rninUl€S of 6/11:] and :t'lI~;
correcrlo .. 1S to lho~e m.inutes (7117 J did not accurate!:," refleci t.ter comments
about the hedge neares~ the proposed lib~ajy eI;-ar:s'I)!'l !! i~ b:er opinior..
that this hedge ~hould be remo\"ed and replJcec ~,:jrh an element --bench
or trellis that beuer reflects the inten! of the exp'ms;.rm a::d the c~ange In
use of this area
k"aren Olron e:apJained that sbe ~ . .a~ not able tel atiend the 6/ j g ERB rneeung
but felt ~trongly that the €\·ery effort should be m:H~e 10 retain the 5ecre~
Garden hedge~. '9:""hiJe not encQu.aging it. she could support ti1e addition of
an addilional opening in the library hedge 5'bOl .. l!~ ii. be deecned necessOl.;Y to
accommodate the area·s chan-e:€ in use
~ej! Heyden !alC that ..,,:jth acceplance of expansion there is inevitably
compromise .... 'jth preser\"sticm: there is a speclrum bel\i,:een complEle
preser\-ation and demolition. :-'!uch has been done to accommodate thiS;
necessar: ... · eipanslOD bui. in the ca:&e of u.1e hedges he favors pre~ervJtl(ln
George Zimmerman handed 0:1t cople~ c[ a '91 J ~ !ett-er to the A.RE :"ro:l1
~ancy Ol~on. Preside:3~, 0( The Fflend:;. of 'the Pa!D AJlO Public Libra;-:-· rr.~
Jetter 5~rangly encouraged lhe pre~ervation of the Secret G";}rde!J. hed~es
MOTION' The &lara confirm iu appn.,. ... aJ of the 6!19 motion cc-'ncernmg i.h.e
pianned expansion 0[ the Chiidren ~ Thealer! 130:; Middlefield '\l,:il,1 ,b~
f(lllcr~·ing modification oi clau:se . 4'. A I the hedge nearest the .o:::~age-w~·e;--~e
remo\,ed and repiaced ,.·ith a nell· ane 01:5 proposed by tbe archi1..ect ~,I
retention of the hedge neare~t t:'e propMed fibril;--}" ~ddl:j(1.'1 (I 'U,·u!.lJd alJo\l·
for the possjhility of.:n :lddii.lOnJ! openmg 1D toe LJ~ra:'"\' I'"Ied~E' if ~!1e areJ ~
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change in use 'i1'i:lrranr~ RESULTS Ye':, O!~on. k.ltlCl:::, and ht'Ytkn \0
, Scot!,
Linda Scott asJ..:ed r!Jat the minute: note he, "no \'C'~e on ~lle IT;O;j)7J
refleGed a cis:agreemf'TH i.:ith the ClQdlica:icm p:-arcrsed. she fu:J:,' e.1::bne~
the other clJus:e~ of the origin:!.! m(ltlGn
3 390 LELA"D.\ IT\rE
The c\"'-ner~, the Derrid~ mel ""'ith Board [U dj~cu~s thre addj,wn (If a gara~e
'U'ilh ~econd fj()(lr lJying: ~pace to the fronl and ~I,jl:' uJ U'lt'i;-Ci11e~~)ry 4
inventor:.." 11904' home. The Derricl.:s e!.rla:nE'~ L1J.: Ihey na\"e bee::.
reno\,ating !hei:-home for se\'~riJj ~ ear'!: a::.c nOil' "';i,.'a:.:t Hi fE"p;;::ce a: cJ."'j)(ln
that 'U'.1~ damaged curing tbe rn(J$:l n:ce:1t e2.fttql.laLe. Ther [L;r~be:
flplaLned' that they ba\'e pJannec! the e!p;J:il~:on l~: takre acl\"a~',ago;! r;,J ',r,~
backyarc for \!r, [lre:"rJC'k != ilgrJcu!!Ural \)','ort Th-= Board eIr:e~5ec t~elr
i5ppreClillwn for iJ.h;:H all agreed 'i&:a~ a unique home (Jl.Je~:1on~ C~:1ler,:J
around the m1i5~ of lhe pr0po~ed garage ll~ anach menl In tne horne ilnd f'L:r
detractinn from the appe~;-.lnce ui lhe j'ront (if the n{)me in pa;';.:cw:Oli' ih€
~aiage jUHir..g fi\'e feet for-v:ard of ;:he-h(IGJe .lod :he ne-ej 1'.:)[ ~ fr-.:,r:.:
crj\"eu'ay, The 50ard ttanled the 03;JP;;C:u:: f:)r (emir'll: ;)!"'C,:Ol:--: ~;)r ':.,"!';;1:
~:as a Yo!unrary r€\"le'q-and made "the :"oU(,~'mg !',ugges[lons : I c,::.:'.~;de:
~epi1ra:ung the purpo:-:e:-: of the addHlOTI and r('l~~jt'l::-' /:1ulJdmg a carron on
the ~ide of the home! perhaps ~hlelded u:nh J treJI~~ I ilnd a ~erara~e ,<:'lUCW
livwg :;pace on I_he rear 21 re\-Ie'i&'lhe rece~tJy publi~hed ~mgl~ Famih
Re~iden .. ial Design GuideljnE:'~ Fc>r Palo Alto for ad-deE' on apprc)p,IJie ~l~·je ,) I
feel free to contact mdlYidua! mem ber~ (){ th~ BO.:lrj for laJ ()(-mal J.(!"·ice 015
they prClcee-d .
• The l~~ue of eJ~~r'.g \-arIJ.1ce guid€'l:ne::-;or lli~:orl':-,~orr;e~ 15' Lte~\' ''''
he dlsr:u~~ed U1 the Roard!~ meeung 'U'J!_h Cjry C(tu~cd ne,n \I.'t'e1, l~ t!'",~
cunIen, the Zonll"Jg -,~.dmrnl~traWf ,\3ncy LY11~ hr!eted the fiOJfC (>0 her
pians w reque~t il ~1.reamljnlng or the .nome fClprO\"t:me:-n, E:\:cer;:iOn rrc)ce5'~
for a11 eIl$i.ln~ rt-~Jder:.ces. Sh~ plJ.r.:;: "i[1 rNJ,ue~"i j I p.uhiJC _!"learJnP1~ he ht'fd
9.nJ~ u'ht=n noticed nei~hh0rs ri?.'~;';C'5"' 0n~ 2 l ;e~:: eJ:le;",.<::;,,:e n(lL.jcjn~ (,r.,',,'
tho!=e propenie::: In::rneclilte:y c:m',;~~w:,;::: ::r::-,C 1::':;~e {,n the c';-';"O~l:ig
bloc-trace U'l'.!", '! \"ieiJ.' of ~he :-e~:de:,,!ce S.~e J~:I;e~ r.h.e-~e c!,::::;",,~~~ ,,'j~: '.:'=!
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fRIENDS Of THE CHILDREN'S THEATRE
1305 MIDDLEFIELD ROAD
Pilo Alto, California
Architedural ReIJ1eW Board hearing
September 19, 1991
Mr. lYlwa: This is the first item on our reg~lar agenda. Are t~ere any
staff corrments?
Ms. Warheit: J have three points. ha'y"e put a letter before you from
Friends of the Public library which came in after the packet we~t cut.
Second t this project ..... as reviewed by the Historic Resources Board
yesterday. Aino was present~ and 'Will s\Jmmarize their cOlT'.m~nts. Thh'd,
realize Hat your format was considerably differ-ellt this time, since we
forwarded to you the p1annfng commission staff report. I wi11 be glad to
answer any questions about that.
~~ lvzwa: Aina, would you please give us a report on the HRB?
Ms. DaR~sa: Yes, the HRB ~oted to recGnsider this project to discuss the
preservat~on of the hedges. There were conCErns about the curved privet
hedge and the straight privet nedge. The HRB felt it was very important
to malotain this line of the main axis of the secret garden between tnese
hedges. /l.fter some discu.5~ion~ it became cTear that it w~s the
applicant's intent that this hedge along here by the theater was goin.g to
be removed dUring construction and replanted after construction.
Then there was some discussio~ about the importance of this curved section
of hedge. All of the H~B, except for onE member, fe1t it was very
importapt to maintain this curve her~. It wa~ proposed, at one point, to
remove this curve. The HRB felt it was important to keep the hedge as a
wall all around this portion of the secret garden. As a compromise, they
could see putting an additi~nal opening someplace in the hedge, a1though
they would prefer not to. One HRB member, linda Scott, felt that this
hedge should be entireTy removed 50 that the function of the new library
reception area could flaw into the central garder, space. Tney limited
their discussion to the hedges. Their other recownendations remained the
same.
~s~ Wilson: A question of staff, the comment in cur report about the
HRB's first review about ~indows in the existing building nct being
cnanged, which windows were they ref2rring to?
Ms. Warheit: The applicant was originally proposing to change some of the
windows in the original b~i1ding to have arch€s on them, as they are
proposing in t.he new addition. The HRB said, no, p1ease 1e.a.ve the
original building as it is.
Ms. OaRosa: Does that incTuae th1s door?
Ms. Wilson: There are some rather shabby doors and windows in the
existing building.
Mr. Northway: These particular openings at the end of the existing
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rehearsal hall a~d library, and t~is opening rignt here, are e~i5ting.
Thi$ n~ .... door is one of th~ existing two pa.irs of lIdndoltils .at the end of
the reMear~a' ~all. What hie had proposed. sirlce we are adding a large
door and la~g~ window here in t~e ne~ addition, was to get design
consisterC.,)' witl1 these tW'o doors. They were recorrrnending that 'We shy
with the existing straight top. To be fair to them, the reason that t"ey
did that was tr.at there are some kind of federal guidelines which state
that ff you irE adding to a historical structure, you s~ould try to c~ange
tnat structure is littl~ as possible. Then. in the future, if the
addUion should be re;;;oved. the structure would be basically is it was
before you touched it.
Ms. DaRos.a: Th~y then reiterated their support of maintaining the fTat
top in tne existing openings. The ~hole point of t~e discussion was
re,lly 1 imited to the hedges.
Mr. l~zwa: ~e will now ~ear from the applicQnt.
Laura Selznik: 1 am the president of the Friends of the Children's
Theatre. We are very excited to be here today. We are in the process of
going through the last step of the city process for a dream that people
have had for se~en or eight years, making it almost clQse to reality. The
Chndren's Theat.er has been a hcility t11at tlas benefited the children of
Palo Alto for over fifty years. The ~rogram has really bee~ bursting at
the seams. We have had to turn a!.Hay children who have wanted to
participate. It has not been so easy for people wno co~ to our indoor
theatre because t~ey melt during the summer season~ Chi1dren wearing
animal costumes on stage are under t~e hot lig~ts and melt e~en more
during the summer s~a~on. So the Friends hav~ put together a fund ralsing
plan to be ab1e to air condition the tneater a~d also the r~hearsa'
S?ice. We are very 1uc~y to have John Northway as the p~rson ~ho is
putting it together.
M_ro Northway; rid like to go over a little histor,Y of the theatre which
feel is rather important. About five years ago, when the Friends got
tcgether and decided they really needed to help the theater and relieve
some of the trem!ndous space strain tnat tMe~ ~Ere under, a design was
brought fO'rWClrd which proposed to add iii second story in the area above the
existing dressing rooms ar.d partially above the ixisting rehearsa1 hall,
and to add an outdoor theater that was going to be constructed at about a
~5-deqree angle across nere. Those drawings were used to do the initia1
fund raising. When it reacned the point of being serious about executing
the plan. the Friends started negotiating with the city. Tne city's
requirements for the architect to ~urk on the project was that tney be
licensed and have at h'ast $I million in 1iability ir,surance. The young
woman who was tne architect did not have those requirements, and was
unable to continue. The Friends came and asked us, first of al" if we
would e~ecute this. We did a qUick, moderate p1an tnat would basically
fit. I ~ad a couple of concerns --I was concerned about what it was
going to 100k like from the main courtyard, and 1 was not e~c;ted about
this block going in that would be seen from the lTiain courtya.rd. But we
also s!nt structural engineers out~ and essentially, the bui1ding
underneath this addition would have to be demolished, because the footings
were not able to tarry the second story. Also, there were tremer.oous
te'nnic~T difficulties with planning this roof into the old roof. Tne net
result was that the recommendations by the structural e~9ineers were to
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see 1r we could come up with a scheme that all had its Q',m footings and
was all O~ on2 floor.
At this pOint, I ~ent and saw June Fleffifng, ~ho ~as the head of the
project from the city's standpoint, and we met with D~ve Ada~s, because
wanted to find out how sacred was the Secret Garden, as the onl~ space
available to do a free-standing situatior1 was out into the Secret Garden.
'We lo~k.ed at it and said, if 'We cOtlld go out, maintain the fire iar.e~ pi.:sh
the additions to tha farthest perimeters, we could probably mainta'~ the
sens~ of space that was in t~e Secret Garden. June told us that as far as
she was concer~ed. tne property line for the Children'S Theater ran right
through the middle here. They were excited aborJt the concept, and told ~s
to go ahead and do it. So '!lie did. At the same tim!?, IrrIIe 'Were downgrading
the program that the Children's Theate~ had put to~ether by a~out
800 square feet. This one is 3,350 and the one th~y had waS around
4,150 square feet.
The way we w~re able to de that 'Was to put space together that could be
used for dual pur~oses. The space that had been on top here was just a
pr~prietary of the rehearsal ha)l. By combining that rehearsal hall with
the space that could also become the outd(lor theater, we were a~le to
combine that space, We had some other rehearsal space. There was a1~o a
need for a library, as there is are tremendous archiVES over there that
are currently in bOXES all over the place, so the 1 ibrary ... as to be H!e
same size IS this exist~ng rehearsal hall, again, so that these spaces
cou1d be intercnan9~able and you c01.J1d get a double IJse out of ther:1. More
storage was added back nere. and this whole space ~as designed t~ be open
and flexible so that varieties of uses from building sets to rehearsal
could take place in it. ~e ~ere able to cut the oyerall program down by
BOO square feet.
The idea .... as to tie in the architecture to the existing 8irge Clark.
architecture. The thing that became a lot of fun that evolved was that
th~ rational solution to the outdoor stage became a fantasy. Be~ause this
i5 for chiTdren 1 and because there is a strong hist;ory in both the Spanish
theater and the English theater of using t~e architect~re around an
outdoor stage as stage set, the design of this outdoor platform and this
fa(:ade evclyed. ~e '",orked .... ery closely \!lith M~cnael and Pat and the stage
designers over there, and wha~ evolved ~JS th1s 1 whic~ picks up on the
fantasy of towers happening w;thin this garden complex . .0.11 of this is
working, ar.d it is all quite rational. All of these openings are
.... orkable. Behind all of this is a catwaH .... hich 1Ii.;l11 allow all of these
openings to be used, as necessary, in prod'JCtion. The reason fer doing
this as a peM'1arlent st,age set is Hlat there is a tremendous amount of
staff time and energ,J" that goes into setting up the outdoor theater~ IrrIIhich
they already do during the summer. ThiS would be a nuge time saver,
besides ha ..... ing a reall1 fl!n space to ha ... ·e the Sf outdoor performances go on
in the summertime.
There is zlso a lot of rationale between the dimensions of tnis. This
opening is the exact opening as the opening in the main, indoor tneater.
This was designed bl Birge to be at a scale that was compatible with
children, so that children did no: look like little ~iniatures. So we
wanted to pick up this opening exactly the same. Because ther~ is no fly
on this, as we hay! above the maln theater. the wings of the stage ~aye to
be much brc;:der'. So ti'lis dimension also reflects the stage dimension. So
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a's we go tnrcugh and look. at SGii1e of the recomrr.endat ions that staff came
daft"" .. ith, we realT,)' d'fd look very hard ilt the~. There was. no one
in .... olved with this project who wants to go 1M and do something t,'rat .... ·ou'd
be delet~r'ious to the Secret Garden or to t~is whole complex. But tile
fact is that to cut back. on tPlis spac~ m4~e5 this function l'1Ot work. To
cut ~i!ick on other ~pace seriously impairs tr,-e double use function we .ire
trying to achieve. So we are not ib1~ to cut back, and that has basically
been the position 'lite have had to maintain tnroughout the rel/;ew process.
So far, tnt planning commission and the Hi~toric Resourc~s Board ~as felt
comfortable with ",r,at we have proposed. il'ld we hope that you 'Will also
endorse it.
The idea t~at linda Scott had broug~t forward. ~hich the HRB conced~d was
a good desi;n idea, was not as good from the historic standpoi~t. That
~as that when you add this, the historic function of the garden is really
going to thange. Vou cannot put in something of this magnitude and szy,
it will be the sam~ as it ~as been. Linda was suggesting quite strongly
that this hedge be removed. It was origina11y endorse~ by tne HRB, and in
the-"ir reconsideration, it lost on a vote of 3-1. The reHon for remo .... ing
it was that since this is serving as an outdoor theater, this area really
is starting to serve as the lobby in the su~ertime. There are not do~
sales made out here at intermission. Rather than jamming up this space by
keeping the hedge, the thought was to remove it, and through the use of
the crushed granite material, unite these two spaces. You are
acknow1edging that the functions that were put :nto tnis 50 years ag~
nave, indeed, changed someWhat, ind you are acknowledging t~at fur tne
next 50 years, perhaps i d~sign change wou1d h€ appropriate iro orcer to
really acknowledge that todayrs needs are different from the n~eds of
1941. ln 1941, this ... as it mud h01e and needed to get deyeloped. Birge
deSigned the walls, paid for them, had it landscape arc~itect deSign it
{which is stat~d in the articl£), and the plans were supplied by the
city. It met iI: fundion that 'Was viable in 1941. This fjJjJction is going
to change it. Remova.l of the hedge 'Would a('.tua11y be very sympathetic to
the new functions tnat are going in. But as Aioo has accurately reported,
the histor;c aspect has been to try and save th~ geometry of the hedges as
much is possible. Frafik1y. the Friends of the C~ildr~nls Tneatre will do
whatever they are directed to do by the final authority, the city
council. The Historic Resources Soard did ~ay we could cut another
opening here, and mor~ t~an likely, it ~ould gJ in tnis location.
As far as detailing, it is absolutely our intention to pick up on every
single existing detail that is tnere. The front of the little theater is
actually pidi'ng :lP on. the detail ing tnat is tne front of the main
theater. The idea ... as to have this actually be seen as little as possibTe
from the main t public spaces of the center so that w~en you came in Mere,
you would be hit by it and start to experience the fantasy cf this outdoor
child~en's theater. You can see from the photographs taken from this
angle that the high olhe tre~s w111 really b10ck most of this vip.w. The
trees that are in t~is section will also block most of the view coming in
here. This is that door situation that is spoken to, which we just went
tnrough as regards the arched ~1ndows. That is the main thrust Qf my
presentation.
Ms • .,n son: Are you propos ing that the outdoor seating slope dOil!in?
M,e. Northway: Yes, you can see it here. The stage wou1d be very close to
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grade, and then there is ail 18·1nc-h drap fro'm this point to the front of
the stage. So it is a very shallow, gradual drop.
Mss W11son: So you ire 90in9 to be cutting a"iay at the front of the
existing bui1ding?
Mr. NQrthwa 't:
will b. dip.
Not really. There 'is a walkway a 1,ong here, arid Her" it
There will be a s~all bowl.
Ms. Wilson: Are ~ou removing this tr~e?
Ms. Wi1son: Ar~ these thre~ Existing trees?
Mr. Ngrthway: Yes.
Ms. WilJ&n: Wnat are those?
Mr. Northway: I have no idea.
Ms. Birnes identifies them.
Mr. N~rthway: Basica1ly, the i~tention was to touch the garden as little
as possib";e, only to r-emove things thdt were in the "Way of the fundion.
So there is a hedge along here that is coming out. beca~se it opens up
space t and during construction, this hedge will be taken out and then
replanted. This thing looks like it was planted by a stray bird 30 Jr 40
years ago. It is not particularly handsome. These were put in as screen
plantfng. and there ;s a request in the staff report that this be
~creened. We can do it ~ith e~isting material or ~ith brand new material.
Ms~ DaRosa~ At the HRB w~etins. you mentioned additional trees being left
in this area.
Mr. North~: Yes, as ~e have gone through tne procEss and people have
expressed a desire to keep the feeling of a grouping cf trees here, we
beiieve that tnere are at 1east two trees out here that can be mai~tained
through construction and kept i" this courtyard.
Ms. DaRosa: What are they?
Mr. North~ay: They are sycamores.
Ms. paRosa: There are: ho side b.l side and one in front.
l-4.r. North"~.1.: The ones that wilt not be affected by construction -..ill be
ret.. ; r"led.
~aRo~~: ~hat do you see happening in this space between the library
and this arched opening?
Mr. ND~thwa¥: It is not very big" It will probably j~st stay the way it
is.
Ms. Nset: John, H'ould you discus.s i littTe bit how the existing
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rehi!,arul room and ne'w library wiii functiofl, Ciofld how til", internal access
to tne library will be acnieved? In other words, when something is going
on in the ex;sting r!hearsal ~all. yow will either have to go diagonally
through that Toam to get to the 1 ibrary inter:1ally, Jr I gattj€r that there
must be a door off the courtyard.
Mr.J!Q,rthwav: Yes, there is a door 'Jff the courtyard. We brought this U;i
with the staff. Both Michael and Pat are here, and they did not feel t~is
was a probTe~ to get into the 11brary through t~;s space.
Ms. ~ds~r: I would just like to kno~ ~DW those two rooms might be
functioning at the same time.
Michael Utfin. _'-~jldren's Theater Staff: It is our intention ..,ith regard
to those two spaces, sholild they be functioning at the same time? that
there is no prcblem ~ith going through the rehearsal nall ta get in
there~ And obviously we have the outside door if Ioie have to keep
~omething in the renearsal haJl absol~t~ly isolated. We were looking at
the need to be able to close off areas an~ how to functionally shut down
areas at different times so that )"e cocld keep sllpenlision of the young
people ir. a safe environment. This allolo/s us the ability to do this by
going through the rehears ill hall. There is nothing unusual at the
Children~s Theater during rehearsal time with having spaces side by side
like that and functioning at tne sa~e time. For example, in summer time.
yOIJ will ofter. find us in t~e main theater rehearsing (In stage. and in the
lobby will be a dance or scene rehea:-sal going on. In Pat's office, which
is adjacent to the lobby. there may be a small scene rehearsal go~ng on,
and the rehearsal ~all, just down the ~al1. ~ay ~ave sometning gOIng on.
This type ~f functioning becomes very fluid in most of what we do. 1t is
called controlled chaos!
Ms. Barn€s: So you are sayi1'19 that if there is Some rehearsal going on in
the existing rehearsal hall, having somebody wa1king through there
diagonally is not gDing to impact ~hat is happening.
Mr. Litfin: Generally, people are not going to wal( through a scene.
They wl11 go along tne 57des of the room, or t~ey can go through the
outside area. Tn the s~mmertime, that has never been a problem.
Ms. Barn~_~: What 1 am asking is, Clre you comfortable .... ith this
circulation arrangement? ~ould it be ~orthwhtTe to redesign that?
Mr. Litfin: We looked it a lot of dlfferent ..... ays of dotng tnat, and the)""e
does not seem to be a way 'Without losing space somewhere, by putting ·;n a
ha11way or diviSion of some sort to make that access different. The more
we thought about it and how we functioned and how the ~rogram functions,
it will work very nicely for what we want to do.
Ms. Wilson: Mr~ Northway. wou1d you elaborate Dn ho ..... the stairs ~ork,
since \tie have no plans of the tower? I understand about the ..... idth of the
tower at this poi~t. Ho ..... do tne stairs work in relation to that?
Mr. Northway: Basically? they will be catwalks. nese elements are all
at the same lev~l~
Ms. ~ilson: ~hen you get into the tower, ~hat happens in the tower floor
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space1 Is ther~ a tlrcul~r st.irway1
Mr. North .. ay: t don't ;;'rIOW. "her. in doubt, ten the trlJ,th. The reas::H1 I
don't know is that the arc~itectural ~nion stops at these ~al1s. and the
theatrical union takes o~er once you get inside th~se walls. I really do
not know.
~r. Lltfi~: We h~v~ not completeTy thought it all the way through, but we
have given i great deal of thought to a series of new ladders which are
available, which roll. ~e do not wont a conSistent, obvicus access. ~e
want to be able to k~ep that space open. So by nav~og some of these new
ladJers ",,'hich act 1ike step l!nits, you can put them into p1ac~; there is
place to g~ up and down, they ha~e ali the elements you need for safety.
Gnd they can be removed.
Ms. ~ilson: S~ there is some sort of la~dings at these balcony openings.
Mr. Northway: Above here, tlIHe will be a who1e system of catwaTks to
ser'vice them,
~~ las there been any discussion anywhere in all of tnis about
this ash tree that is being remo¥ed? Is that considered exper.dable? It
does dominate tl'1e site as YOjJ go out there. 1 wondered if there ..,as --
Ms. Warheit: There Pias a great deal of discussion abDut that. Everybody
realizes that if they are going to build a new, permanent stage similar to
the in400r stage, no one could come up with any otner place to put it that
would sa¥e that tree. In the world of a1l possibilities, there may be a
say to prcl'ldde somethi n9 better than a temporary stage that wOl.Jld work
around the tree, but tl1ere does not seem to be .UiY constituency for
exploring tt1at, so oppoSition to taking out t~e tree was dropped. ThHe
did not ~eem to be any possibility to sa~e it.
Ms. lvtle; We spent a great deal of time ~jth theater staFf and the
Friends on this issue at staff level and with the architect.
Mr. Northway: Car1 Gillespie is here who wears two hats. ~e works on the
tree comm~ttee, in~ ilso has been past president af the Fr'e~ds. He
struggled ~ith this, and th~re just was no so1ution.
Ms. DaRDsa: How does that library function? Is it for storage?
Mr. litfi~: Like every area in the theater~ it has i multipurpcse
function. The walls will primarily be lined · ... itn bo-foot-wide cabine:s
so that we have ample space for storage of the book collection. quite an
extensi¥e co11ect1or. of material for r~search. Also, it will house the
historical records of the theater? whicn includes a1most 60 yea~s of
ph~tographs. and for the last 15 years, t~ere are videotapes. There are
films from the forties. Classics! TherE ar~ programs, etc., plus things
which we are gi v€n by former part icipants and other members of the
community. For example~ recently~ some of you may remember Dorothy
Nichols, a very well known critic in Palo Alto. When she passed away, her
theater collection was given to us. We WOUld ha¥e space to house that.
There are a number of individuals who are a part of the early years of tne
theater who ha.e donated scrapbooks and other dDcuments pertaining to
tneater history, S~ that people who are doing doctoral dissertations on
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our theater ... ill ~ave aH ·t~ese materlals in one spot. We have an
1nter~ational reputatio~, and we do get about a dozen requests a ~sar from
around the natio~ and the world about how we operate. They also request
to come and visit. T~is has been true of t~e Children's Theater sinc~ its
1nctpt'~n in the th~rties.
Mr. Northway: You also ~ave so~e pecple earma~k tneir donations
spec1ffcally for bUildings.
Wgman: The place owil1 also be used as a T"eh€arsal are>l: and small
classroom area. There ~ill be a piano tr.~rE, etc.
Ms. Barnes.: On the rendering at the top, I am ..... ondering if the red.,.-Md
tre~s are accurate?J placeJ. One of the staff recommendatio~s is that
there be some screening on the b~ck side of the new addition. 1 wondered
if th~t raises any fssue with the fire lane~
Mr. Northway: Yes, it does. After readirjg the staff report, I drove back
there. These trees do a lot of scre~ning of thi3 already. J would
suggest, rather than trying to phnt a'rong here, whlch is shaky from a
functional standpoint, in that this is really the back end of the
blli1ding~ the '",forking area, 1 would think it \fr/{)uld be more effecti .... e (if
the intent of the recommendation is t~ ~elp screen this working, back area
whic~ is the tail end of the building), if the plantings were more 210ng
the pr~perty line rather than along the edge of the building. We have a
22-foot fire lane that we have to malntain. Gi .... en that requirement and
given the functional things gOing on here, Michael has promise~ not to
ha .... e any wcrk spill out into here. Anything that could grow here would be
only of a ~ine·like nature that takes up very Tittle space, whereas along
here, we could get more of iii sc~eenlng effect.
Ms. Barnes: Do you ~ave the dimens'on to get anything back there, ~ith a
22-foot fire road requirement?
Mr. Northwav: There 15 not iii whole lot of room. I was Jooking baCK there
yesterday, and it is hard to tell ... here the property line is. There is a
planting strip i!1 hete. and probably the plants would flourish better in
that planting strip. 1 am not sure if that strip is on tMe city property
or on the neighbor's property. 8~t I d~ not see it working right next to
the b~ilding. It came out at the planning commission rne€ting that this js
a somewhat flat side, out of necessity, and we ~ere thinking of ideas such
as running a contest, a childran;s mural. and letting them eKecute jt.
Something that .... ould:bl:! interesting. Your obser .... ation is correct.
~s. Barnes: I ha~e a question about something that may not have been
w~rked out yet. In the rendering? your tr~ll;s seems to be a double-post
structure, and you would walk under a colonnade. Sut on your pTan view,
that is i single-post r~w. I wondered how you reconciled that.
Mr. Nqrthway: We rea11y have not finalized that design. The rendering
was graciously donated. ~e went through many iterations of it. 1nis we
abso1utely wanted to nave totally accu~ately constructed, with no artistic
license. These are out of sca1e. If we had dor.e them at scale, they
would have sliced through our .... ie~ing area. That still needs to be
brought back to you after execution.
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Ms. Barnes: Since J lIIon't be here then, I wou1d also ask you, what 'are
you)'" thoughts about the center clrcle of the guden? Ha ... e you extended
your t~i~king to that?
Mr4 N~)"'th~ay: When the tree wa~ an iss~e, and we were all frustrated th~t
it was where H W(lS. one thought was to plant a significant tree in the
center ~f that main circle. Sin<:e then, it was concluded that that was
not a very good idea because of the history of the design of ~he garden.
So the curr~nt propos~l en the table is that the center c!.cle, IIIhich has
abo~t a fh'e 4 year history of its own, 'IIill stay as it is. The drcle in
the original deSign is actually a story Circle and had steps do~n. I do
not know when its demise came, hut r think it ~as about five years ago.
There ~as a team of boy scouts that went in and did some ~or~ there.
Ms. Warheit: The garden was planted about fi~e ye~rs ago. Tne St2PS may
have bee~ taken out earlier.
Mr. Northway: So the idea fs that the 9arden .,;as a product of a boy scout
project. AlSO. s~veral of the rosa bushes th~re were donated in memory of
peopl!. The proposal currently is that that will stay as it is.
Ms. Warhelt: It is ~ot being T€commended by staff that it stay exactly as
it is felr any presilrvation reason, rn my talking with all the people
involved in all of this~ it be~ame 'lear that using that for a flower
garden where children could plant things ~as important to a lot of
people. That use could continue, and some improvements cOtJld be made.
Mr. Northway: One thing we are hoping, along ~ith additional spate for
the Children's Theater, which would certainly help the big impact that
they have on their program which currently does not allow as many children
as there are who ~ish to participate, is that the Secret Garden is rea11y
falli~g into disrepair. It has been a case of benign neglect on t~e part
of the city. Througn the efforts of the Cnildren's Theater staff and
efforts on the part of the Children'S library staff, there has been some
maintenance done. We are hoping that t~is project wi}] refocus on that
and that things like the planting circle can be done a little better with
some regular maintenance of trees. ihen ~e would have a whole
rejuvenation of that space.
Ms. Bar'nes: What is staff's experi~nce in wori:.ing with the hedges? Ha· ... e
they been in your w~y when using that space as a theater spac~? What 1S
your preferred option in terms of the hedging around the circle, and the
hedging in general? Also, 'Would there be any f'easans regarding the sun,
or for safety reasons, why not to let that hedge grow to the ten feet that
was originally conceived?
Mr. Litfin: I don't think it ever did reach a height of ten feet. see
no reasoi'! for not letting it grow that tall. but my sense \I>'Ould be that
that would be a question to ask the city risk manager, because if the
hedge gets too till. then we have to deal with ho~ the individuals who
ha~e to tr1m tne hedge would accomplish that. So safety issues are
involved. Currently, that is not a challenge. The hedges, as you have
mentioned. ha~e not been pruned evenly. They vary in width from two feet
to six 4 and-a 4 half feet and a variety of heights. They do not impact i
great deal right no~, and they are very thin at the bottom. ~t one point,
this sumiT\<!r we thought a four-year-old f1ad crall'led betweeli them and had
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gotten away from the hot dog show. Tne one area of the hedge by the
library) ... hid .. has been under discussion, the more 'We looked it that,
don't think staff has a great deal of conce~n one way or the other with
ft. The idea that linda had of opening up that whole space generated a
lot of excitement. rt 9ave a ~hol@ new look to it. As a staff, we pretty
much tOld John Northway to keep things tne lrIIiy they were. We 'Were not oJ,Jt
to make changes. But we (ou1d live with some changes, and if that wow1d
help move people in and out of that space, it ~ould be considered.
14$. Barres: For the record, I met with the applicant on ttJe site. Is
there money in the budget to repiace the entire hedging?
Mr. 'Nortf'l ... a'l: Yes. When we first got involved with this, we 'Iro'ere told
that the hedges ",,'ere tired, were 50 year~ 01d and \IIould probably croak any
day. So we put into the budget enough money to replant all the hedges.
Then as we got further into it, especially t~e ~istoric r€~iew portion,
and ~irginia got lnvolv~d and talked with Mr. Wi1son, and he ~a~d, these
are okay, so the recorrrnendation was to save as many of them as W2 possib1y
could that would not interfere ... ith construction. That is what we are
currently planning on doing. But yes, in our original budget included
money to replant the hedges.
The main thing t want to mak.e yO"il aware of so that )IOU can comm~~t upon it
is that the Historic Resources Board concluded that thi~ is crushF.O
9ranite, and they thought it wo~ld be best to 00 it i~ cTJshed gfcnite
like the Gamble tarden is, and actually have this co~rtyard be all crushed
granite. ~~ ~ere happy to do that.
Mr,--.lmi:
building.
You mentioned that you ~ere going to air con~itian th~
Where will JOU be pl~cing the air conditioners?
~r~Qrthway: The air conditioning will go on this back plitform. We
have been worKing ~ith an acousticaT engineer, is there are residences
right near by. If you want to see the final detat7s on ;,ow that "',11 be
don!~ J am happy to bring that back to you.
Mr. t¥zwa: I am concerned about the screening. and r am concerned about
the vibrations. Are YOll 9(')ing to be mOl1nting the air conditioners on the
existing construction?
Mr. Northway; Nc, the air conditioners ...,i]l go <In thi$ new construction,
because we do not think thls would adequately support the equipment.
Mr. lyz~a: Are you g01ng to put those on curbs and provide proper
insuTation?
Mr. North.m: Yes.
Mr. Lyzwa: How wnl you ha.nd'e Title 24 fr1ergy calculatior1s?
~L)~orth\llay: kiith o'ir mechanical consultant.
Mr. Lyzwa: The reason I bring this up is t~3t this is 90i~g to be i vast
spac.e, and ob"iclJs1y. you do not hl.'ie thE propH insulaUor. in the wallS
and in the ceilings, presently. So has there been thought 9f~e as to how
you wouid mak~ that work?
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Mr. Northway: Funo3:me-rltoll.,)', th~ agre-.ernsnt we h:we with the c-tt,y is. that.
ewervthfng that is new W2 will absolutely take care cf. So all of the
.reas up here will be t~ today~s ir.5u1at~on standards. 1~€ only thing we
are going to do in the existing H!Nter 1$ to tie in with an existing d1.Jct
system there and air condtt,on the stase a~d the auditorium. We had to do
a study for that one, because the city ~as a policy that they do not air
c1Jndit\o~ spaces, but if }"OU can shaw th.at there are extreme conditions,
ownerI!' we t1ad a mechanical engineer do H, and the conditions are, indeed,
extr,eme. There are between llO and 120 cegrees on the stage in the Slimmer
when the lights are turned on. The children m~lt.
~wa: Do you know if ther~ might be an asbestos problem?
Mr. Northwa~: We do oat think so.
Mr. lvzwa: So you are not sure lf you will haYe to inSUlate the e~isting
building?
Mr. Nqrthway: We do not belieye so, at this time.
Mt. Lyzwa: How do you handle ~andicap access to ycu~ propo~als?
Mr. North~: For the outdoor theater, you wou1rl come in here. T"is;5
an at grade, and seating would bt=! here ullder the tre11is.
Mr. lyzwa: It seems to me terrib1y inconvenient for people in whee1chairs
to Mave to go through dirt, ar.d then there is an IS-inch slope on tl,e
grass. Are you thinking about s.umdhing more sol id for tJandicap
accessibil ity1
Mr. Northwat: We were basically goiJ;9 to do a hardscape here_ This level
will sta~ ~11 around the stage. The stage and this 1e~el are basica11y
the same, so you can go around here and also around this side to get to
the sta.ge.
Mr. ltzwa: You wou1d haYe to be traver,lng through lawn to get to it?
Mr. Northway: Yes.
~..la!i~: YOLl had' mentioned that all the additions will match t""e
existing buildings, so that means that the roof tile, the stucco, the
windo~s, the gutters and downspouts will be copper, and all of those
e1ements will match the existing.
Mr. Northway: That is ,orrect. The windows would be t~e only exception
that might ~ot exactlY match because of the need for double glazing.
linda Scott has been working lIfith a company in los Angel es that she thinks
very highly of, in tenllS of being able to match t~i!t style pretty well and
not be gross with the double glazing .. They are steel sash windows.
Mr. lYlwa: How wl11 you accorrrnoclate the sprink.ler systems, if iny? 1s
there an existing sprinkler system?
Mr. litfin: We have an existing exterior sprin~ler system, and indeed,
one of the city parks people was out and informed me that they could
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irrigate wit'n ene sP(Jut instead of all the p(1p-bp heac!s. $0 ail the pipes:
are in phce.
Mr.~: [lQ yOIJ kMW H you 'Will be required to provide a transformer
fer this new addition?
D3.lI.iJL..Won: There is a transformer', hut it ma.y ot' may not be adequate.
It is borderline.
Mr. lvzwa: Where is: it 1 t:lcate(~?
(r.r. Northway snows it on th~ plans)
Mr. lyzwa; So you might or ~ight nat need a n~w transformer I assume
that the new tr-ansforn~'t 'Would be placed in the same 1ocat;on as the o1d
one?
Mr, raton; That is wh~t we nive proposed, but t~at wouid be a utilities
department decision. It doesn't look like we will need it, but ~e wiil
hive to upgrade the panel.
Mr. lvzwa: Where are a1 i t!1€ connections to the existing indoor sprinkler
system~
Mr. Eaton; TherE 1s a standpipe here, and it looks l'ke e~eryth1n9 comes
off of that standpipe, illS far as we can tell at this point. We were going
to move that fire hose connection to tnis side of the bvilding at th~
request of the fire department so that it is more accessible.
Mr. Lyz~a: r
h.nds.capfng.
probably be a
Wil~ just thinking about blending the two with the
If you He required to provide a new transformer,
sizeable elfment to deal with aesthetically.
existing
tnat wi 1]
Mr. Eaton: thinK ~e would ha¥e ill separate transformer. Ther~ is an
existing one for more than just this tomple.x. If we went to that, there
would pr'Jbably be one just for tne air conditioner. So it woulrl be a
smaller Version than what 1s out there.
Mr. Nprthwa 'i: You ashd me a ques t i on on the: telephone abolJ t the nattJre
of the doors at the back of the work area of the stage. r went over and
thought J would do wnat tne adult theater ~as done. I had i choice. Th~
adult theater has two ~ers;ons. One is two giant p~,el doors at the rear
of the origina.l ba<:k. stage; then they built i ne .. SI"'''P, -and that's done
with r~11up steel doors.
Mr. lyzwa: $0 the ones in the baCK would be rcl1up7
Hr. Northway: That is what we wou1d propose. Jt works better. A1so,
they won't be swinging out into the fire lang.
Mr. lY2~a; How abcut the ones in the front?
Mr. NQrthway; The ones in the front will be architecturally correct.
They wi]] be solid. heavy wand doors,
Mr. lyz~a: Will they be folded on the side~?
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~r. NorthwaY: We still ~~ve to work that out.
Mr,--lyzwa: rt does not ~ook. like yO:J might ha\le eno~gh TOO:n to 11ave a
solid pane1.
Mr. Northway: we have to work with Mic~ael and Pat on Exactly what their
functional n€eds are on the sid~, and how we can adapt the doors to them.
~zwa: What als~ is gOing to be interesting is ~~w you accommcdate
lighting. I am sure that for the theater. you ~ill have ~pecific needs.
D~ you have nig~t performances out there?
Mr. Northway: They are more 1 ike e'/ening performances, so tnere will be
some lightins to be done.
Mr. lyzwa; Are there members of th~ public who care to address this
proposal?
Jear1ne Morris, 1248 Harriet Stre~ __ t, Pale Al to: I 1 iye right next door,
the nearest neig~bor in the back. I would like to know more abou~ the
noise from the air conditioner, and I wou1d like to put in a reqlies't that
you plant ~ines on the bock side of the building.
~~..:tl..!!..!: Could you point out where your property is?
(It is shown to the Board)
Mrs. Morris: We are worried about the noise.
Mr. lvzwa; So your concerns are air conditioning and planting?
William Morris. 1248 Harriet Strfet. Pa~o AHa: It is sort of a
philosophical antagonism to the fact that everybody is striVing to save
the Secret Ga:rden whicn seems to s~r-'oIe r10 purpose at al i. We can see
practically everything that goes on here~ because we have the SEcond story
porch, so we get free shows! $0 we are more conscious of the fact_ that
this is realTy an area of desolation. Nobody goes 11'1 01" goes Ol!t, except
for the theater trying to keep it more or less presentable. It may as
well not exist at al1. Normally, these gates are loded, arid nobody
objects because nobody wants to get in, unless the theater wants to use jt
for scmething.
Still, you see the maintenance of this as falTing an the shoulders of the
theater. So we are really striving to do something ({lr the good of the
children, and we must say that everything that we see and hear makes us
greatl1 admire the way it is run, and the size and scope of the job they
are doing, This is simply a burden on the theater to try and keep this
thing l~oking pr~sentable. The architectural drawing that this is made
from might be i work of art, but at this point, the common privet hedges
are not a great gar~~n. Nobody goes there, nobody uses it for anything,
and I wou1d forget this as a conSideration, having this p~sh the shape of
the Children's Theater.
TrLldi Reinhardt: I am the parent of two chi ldren 'w'ho have gone through
the theater--over t~e last ten years. and one is still there. I have also
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been on the board for about flve years. I just ~ant to make one pOint,
thit is, t~e n~ed for eveq inch of S,Di;;ce. It really is not iI matter of
cutting out i foot here and there. It is inches that cou~t. ~at and
Michael hav~ worked with John to try and make this tn~ most uS3ble space
we can~ and it is very difficult to fund it. Cutting it off here and
there is more than just a little space to us. It is very import~nt.
Janet Mathiatt. 3165 Ramona Street. Palo Alto: r na~e been a resident of
Palo Alto for over 30 years, and now our ,)randchildren ha.ve enjoyed
prc4ucticns in the theater, as we11 as a daugnter who is very active as an
audience participant. I wou1d like to draw the board/s attention that the
funding for this has been ~ard won~ We hav~ not had some angel that many
theaters have had. Many of the boys and girls, young adults? teenagers
a.nd young people in their twent'ies, ha ... e devoted a great deal of time and
effort to help rais~ money for this gift to the city. It is a unique
gift, and we appreciate all of the time that a1l of the boards ha~e given
to consideration of it. The boys and girls who are at school and cannot
be h~re to thank this board and others certalnly want to do so.
~r. lyzwa: Seeing no other spea~ers, I ~ill c10se the public hearing and
return this item to the board for discussion.
Ms. DaRosa; I think the Ch~ldren's Theater is a marvelous institution in
Palo Alto, and the city; s really lucky to have it. I hope that .... ith this
expansion, it will be easier to get tickets!
But viewing this from the Architectural Revie~ Board standpoint, I see a
conflict th£l:t I do not quite know how to resolve between the Secret barden
and the theater. The ~ecret Garden is sort of pushing the theater and the
theater is pushing 39ainst the Secret Gar6en. Some people say it is nDt
used and the circle area is somewhat decrepit. 9ut we are startlng out as
a given that the Secret Garden must remain, ind must remain as it is. ThE:
Historic Resources Board feels strongly that it is important to the
building. It was not until this gentl~mdn starting commenting on it that
I started wondering about its use and what reall~ ~appens in that Secret
Garden. But if tne Secret Garden is to remain, then in terms of the site
plann1ng ... first of all, I think there are marvelous things happening with
the site pTanning, and the Tocation of the theater seems appropriate,
protecting the ma;1"! cou'!'"tyard. gut there is a real conflict Here .'it;'
the Secret £arden af1d the Irian and the hb!"'ary and nat 1 ittle area here
(by the library) that looks like it is gorng to be sort of a dumpster
lo~~tion that I feel unr.omfort~ble about.
(Goes to the plans) I feel uncomfortable about it right in here {pointing
to tne library addition). I would expect a passageway there. ihis
connection is really odd to me. That is the major site plan issue I am
concerned with. I assume that it is important that this line (by the
theater] remain and be ~ade to work by the replanting of the hedge there.
I think it is important that this become a space (in front of the library)
instead of just a passageway. If yo~ planted a trio of trees there, it
.auld make i sort of gathering space, making ft a spot to stop in, ~ith
perhaps a bench.
Assuming that this is going to remain .as is, this cOrHIection, I think,
will work. Architecturally, there are a lot of fun things happening, i
lot of marvelous things. support the ~istoric Rescurces Board in
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maintainll1g these flat openlf,rjs here, because the communitj center is
really a jewel for Pil0 Alto, and it is a category 1 building. Ob¥ious1y,
replacing the door there {s imp~rtant. but keep1ng th~ shape of the
ori~inal openings are importint. T~is is the old, this is the ne~. and
althJugh you are trying to blend in lrfHh the M€""., it is not ri9ht to say.
yes, this was ill built at the same time. I support t~e new irched
windows as saying the arched windows are d;stinctiy different from the
flat windows. That is a clear way cf signalling the new and the old when
you are attaching to nistoric buildings.
Architecturally. t~e one thing that bothers me the most is the height of
these to~ers, ~nd it was nat clear to me what this space up here was going
to be. That;s somethir.g I would like t~ have clarified. The height ~f
that area right the,"E, and I feel a little uncomfortable ... ·ith that
particular scale, especially when yOiJ Cirz ~t~~1i:".-; her!;' 1ii t;,C' 1 ibrary.
But I see this part working nlarwelously well, and there arE a Tot of
exciting things ~appen;ng.
I am nct sure how this area ",,·arks. Right no", you come in here and buv
the hot d0gS, and everything ;s sort of crammed over there. I do nGt feeT
as comfortable with thi~ side of the proposal.
I support t~e pTanting of vines on the back side of the tnater building,
because if you put a high screening o~ the neighbors' side, it separat~5
them fro~ the light and air, and even thougl1 the daylight plane starts at
the fence and slope.:; up, by putting a tree right there'at the fence, we
would be robbing them of more light. If you have a very narrow area, you
can deal with 'Wines on a 'Wan in a 'Way that ... ocld be interesting.
Generally, I am really supportive of this p~oject, ~xcept for a couple of
little tra~$itions I have mentioned.
Ms. Wilson: 1, too, feel very supportive of what you are trying to do
here. It is a real1y exciting opportunity. It is nice to see something
besides a spec R&D building. I am encouraged by what this gentleman said
in speaking of some of my thoughts on the Secret Garder.. 11 too, ha'l'e a
great deal of difficulty ~ith the ~ay this is fitting together. 1t is
obviously in disrepair, and it looks like disuse. Preserving the center
gard~n as it is seems ludicrous to me. Alno described it well --th~
garden is pushing the structurE. I wou'd like to suggest that there is an
oppcrtunity nere, ind I think we should -rre-e ourselves and make this thing
really work. The important thing about the Secret Garden is the spirit of
it, the cnaracter of it, not exactiy where these h~dges are today_ There
is nothing sacred about that, and I aare say 8irge Clark would be the
first to agree with that. I think there is an ~pportun;ty to maint~in
this acc~~~ here, to extend this hedge out farther, to maintain these
turves as they are around here, to eliminate some of this garden, creating
iI path in here, and maybe not even being a perfect circle, and developing
sometnlng in here. is Aino said, makes this a space. I was kind of in
favor of a tall cypress tree th~t ~ould not c~st a lot of shade, somethi~g
~kinny. It could be an arbor with ber,ches in itl scme kind of a focal
point here that wou1d be interestin9 and yet, useful. Give yourself some
more space here. If you had free space over nere. it wou1d help
tremendo~sly with the seating here. 1 think this courtyard where the
theater is, is a secret 9&rden in itself, and it should be treated t~~t
way. It should be an integral part of the design. Pulling this ~edge
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back would give more space ~ere. and would alleviate t~is horrible corner
prc.·blelTl~ and would gi~e you the opportufJity to ha .... e some kir,d of bosque of
trees here. I th1nk YOij need to grab ahold of this a llttl~ more. r am
t~rl11ed to know that ther:~ is some money in yc:.;r budget for us to do
somethfng here. So that is, to me, on~ of the biggest issues tnat ~as to
be resolved, and J am very unCOmfOl"tabl'e with where it 15 right now.
There 1$ plenty of room to do someth:ng, iJ,d some money. as well. So I
would encourage you to reconsider that wt,oTe issue as a further desig!',
development.
The 'sense of enclosure to that seating area 1S important. I cannot
imagine that seating area of the theater ... it~OlJt a ","'all of some surt
there t a wall with wines on it. or it couTd be a hedge, or a lot of
things. Again, it is the spirit tnat is rea1lj' important to me.
Something should be done on the end of the 1ibrary wherf Aino ~as
concerned about its lQoking like a place fo~ dump~ters, to opEn some doors
into that passage. Where you "'alle an entry in the hedge at that corner
there against the wa11 of the library, it seems like something should
happen there. Perhaps with a little more room, it might make more sense
to ha ... e that, eYen if you dor.' t ""ant kids to get out complete1y. maybe, a
door witn a balcony or :something H, .. t makes t~at passagewiiY meanif11)ful.
r t~ink I understand better about the doors and windows in the old
buildings and the new buildings. I thought the HRB did not want anything
touched, but from Aino's descrlption of the doors and windo'iis. I could go
eitner way about them. I do not feel too strongly about them. but if
there is a precedent in preservation for maintaining that kind of thing.
I'll let yOJ and th.e city work th.at out.
1 like the playfUlness of thE-architecture. I .almost ..,ish it were more
playful. I should go on record that I did speak wit~ th~ architect a
n~mber of rr.onths ago, and my COlTl11ent at the time was similar. Tfle;t is why
I 'needed to halo'<=! !I1orp understandi ng about what happened within these
towers. I would be ~appier to see a study of asymmetry i~ these towers. r see no reas~n why the tower on the right. whic~ might help this kind of
overpowering fe21ing that some peop1e are uncomfortable with, of tne
building to the space and to the people using it. 1 a~ ~ondering if
thatrig"t-nanj tower, as we look at the stage, could be a smaller
diameter. that the corner of the building might come out beyond it. Mow
that I know JOu are using ladders, it seems like it is a pretty free
t~ing. It might gill£ you a tall, SKinny tower with a fatter one on the
lefL
Mr. lHfin: The ladders are rol1,ing ladders.
Ms. \1111:;:on: Yes. but they do not curve around inSide like a c1rcu1ar
stai rease.
Mr_ litfin: No. but they need a certain amount of space.
Ms. W'lson: Yes, but ~e don't seem to know what t~at is.
Mr. litfin: Judging from the one that ~~ currently have, I know that we
need a minimum floor space of at least flYe feet, and it 'Works on a
ten·foot top platform. so sinr:'€ thi::i is a 12·foot high platfo)"m, it is
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probably going to need even more space.
realize that the design has not been worked out yet.
Hr. Nort~way: It n'dght be helpful if J .... ent over row t~at tOwer has
evolved. w~ 'frorked .... ery c.art'ftJl1y 'IIIith the theater staff ar,d really dOif1g
a combination of architecture and set desigr.. ~e wa~ted to have the~ be
towers. The governing point on the tower was this space ~;9ht here.
There was i strong request from the theater staff that the f3~ade ~e
sYTIViletrical. ~rababTy the best eX"am;J1e ;5 the Guggeilheim Museum where Ul.e
architect created a buiiding that is f~r more interesting than any piece
of art that will ever go inside of it. ~e wanted to make sure we did not
create a piece of architecture that is far more interesting than what is
going on the stage. So the need is to be ;nt~resting, but they need ta be
symmetrical so that what is going or; on stage is the prime foci.J'S, l'Iot the
architecture. That W2S the way it evolved.
Ms+ .. 115M: Yes, you explained tl1at to me at the time. I am nat svre I
~gree with that. J think that is a design cpportunity that might lighten
up that end af the building.
~..!Llj . .!: I am nat going to repeat everything they hav,: said, because J do
agree liWith everythif1g that A.ino and Shi rley "ave said so far. r fee1,
after having heard what was presented today, I came in with an entireTy
different set of t~inking and co~~e~ts that I thought I was going to
mak.e+ After hearing \<I'hat yau said, I have changed my posit ion
considerably during the presi!ntat ion of your prabl err's with the theate', and
your space requirements. You have already compromised consfderably in the
amount of square footage that you had in the previous two-story scheme.
Thro:Jgh a let of c~eative thinking and combining uf spaces, jlGU ;,a.ve been
able to come up with a solution that satisfies the nee~s of the theater in
a. very geod way.
I am having a lat of troub1e lroIith the cOl'lfl ict between the preservaHon of
this hedge along the western side of the pathway where it creates problems
in here (next to the theater). ~ill t~is hedge survive as half a hedge?
What happens to this space in here where the building bites o~t into the
h~dge? It apparently needs to be this size for rehearsal purposes. 1 a~
asking r:i'yse1f, do we really need to ha ... ·e this hedge at a11 (ne..(t to the
1ibrary)? Shirley has come up with some independent thinking, but would
it be stronger, rather than prese~ving piece: ~f this hedge, to treat this
in some comp1etely different marmer, alTowing this Side ta remair. is it
is. and make a stror)g statement on this side of the central garden and'
come out 'With something different t1ere that will satisfy your nee-ds better
which ~on't end up being a compromise, half thought out, situation. Sa if
you decided you did want some s~n5e af privacy for this outdaor seating,
Shirley mentioned tne possibility of a wall. Maybe leaving this out is a
very good suggestion, ... hid', would enable thi:> caurtyard and access to this
seating to become a lot s~mpler and to function a lot better. It \ro'a~ld
get rid af this pocket in here. and get rid of this uncomfortable, sharp
angle that really does not seem to ~ork with your library addition. I
really would e~courage you to explore some of these things. I do net know
how we resolve these issues of the hedge ~ith the Historic Rp.~ources
Board, but J would certainly be supportj~e of yo~r consideration.
Mr. Northway: I t~ini<. we need a pol;c)' decision from the policymakers en
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October (:l'st. tertain1J1t 'ole are very slIpportive of what you are sa,Yirrg.
You are r-ight on ab\HJt th~ confl "jet between the bu,ld'irlg alief hal-: much of
the Secret Garde~ is saved.
J!DJ..!: iIle probably do ha't'e differ.ence-s. of opin ion hen1, but my own
opinion i1 th.t preserving th.t •• stern ~.1f of the g.rden totally int.ct
and improving its maintenanc~ ~~u1d probably end up be1ng a !tronger, m~re
usable statement than trying to presf'n'~ bits and pieces of t~e entire
he~ge. ] have ne particular prob1em ~it~ tne de$5sn of the towe~$. Ihere
55 ju::;t one small de-talL 1 ~·cu1d like to have the r.e.1a.t1ol1s~lp of the
'Windows arid: ba1cQny over the stage restl,ld1ed. i am just a. little
uncomfortab1e with th~t. 1f j could see that in a 1arger sca1e, p~rhaps.
I do agree tflat as far as the landscapfng is concerned along the north
elevation". I CQu1d certa.inly li .... e with rrrinim.al landscaping along that
north wall, but with some landscspfng across the alley.
~s. Barnes: Everyol'\~ is agreeing with everyo~e e1se, but we lt~ all
seein9 it ~ifferently. ] do ~ot $€e this as l conflict of use betwe~n the
sarden and the th •• t., at all. Perh.p. that is bee.us. I am a chIld of
both cf them, and th~y bath have a place in my heart. It may ce that
pao~Te ~re not seen in this gar~€n very much, b~t tnr.t is t~e nat~re of
it. It is a h1ace-n plate to be, a se-ct'.H ,pi ace to be. I have accessed
thh garden from the Coi1Dr~I'l'$ TneatEr side when r sneaked cut the
Kitchen ~ODr because we weren't b~ing $uper~\sed, as ~fll as from the
Cht1dren's library sioe. lhis is a magical p1ace. You ~sk any child that
has e~er wandered through here l and they wilT tEll you it is a mag1ca1
place. I do not see tnis as 6 conf11ct. I hav~ looke1 at the articles in
our pacK~t. and this has iTwa)s been an outdoor theater space. rt has
b~en intended ~o be that ~ay. This is talled abo~t as being a rehearsal
spa~e~ whfch the~. did not wcr~ becaus~ of the tre~s. The ljse of tnete
two s~aces is consistent with the orS9iflal desi9n~ What "We ate hav-1"fl
some troub1~ with ,$ the form cf it. a~~ ~ow W~ ~aintain its Qriginal
intent and magic ~ith~n the fonm. This 15 where it starts gettfog
complicat~d. Part cf the reason we are having ciffj'~1ty with the form ~s
because the plant materl;1s t~at were used are tke ~(ong p1~~t materia1i.
B~t they ar€ no~ in t and that is • part cf tnt history, and now ~~ ~re
tryir to sa¥~ them.
Let me tell yo~ what is important to me. F5r3t of all, I was very p1eased
to see tki5~ When! first heard about the additicn\ hefor~ I e~e~ saw any
,clans, mJ fh~st thought "-3S, Ue~ rlE'E'd to go into the 401 lei'. 1h3t 15 dead
.space. ¥oOU: ha!{e maxlrn12e·d that. and you have r.-e90thted wHh the fire
department for moving 1I'l3jD"r water h.Y'dnnts, etc .• to get this iIIl1 to
wor~. iDU are a{s~ in th~ process of 5a~ing the redwoods. which I th~nK
is .. ond~r(uL Jt is go-ing to nelp bring this. into sc.ale.
Th~ screening of tne baCK ~all is done, tQ a large 2~tent. fer several ¢f
the nef9~bors by the redwood$. UnfortunatelY, tne peQ~1e we na~e present
today 11v~ over h~r~, and the redwoods dG not h!Tp them. The $~n is a
defir,ite tSSO~ he-r~. ! think. that <CI.n be di $CUS5~a tWith n.eighbors as to
what they vould l~ke to ~ee. T~~re,s no vine you can plant tn4t can
climb u~ a Will withput ~ st~ucture that will not r~i~ the stucco. So
that is a practica1, hort1cultural ;ssue you ~i'l ge-t to Tater. So that
needs to ~ont 1 f'ue ttl be T ooked oil t. I am rea n Y 91 ad that you have mo"'eo
back into the alley. intn tnat d~ad space, as ~vch as JOU ca~, eVEn though
you have s.acdficed the cak tree. ",'hid is also dear to my h.e~rt.
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Part of w~a.t ma~H this garden magica.l is t~at ,YOIJ C-3.n ~ide, and you can
run arJund. If you ~~ve an island in your house, you know that kids will
run around and arou:1d a;-ound 1 t. W.; need to preserve that sense of
hiddenness. Th3t is the essence of the garden. Hedge, ~o hedge, wall,
1 ine, is less important to me than keeping ~,hat se"s~ of mystery and
magic. I think it makes perfect sense tc tale this out. This ne€ds to be
tied together. What I would 1 ike to see in your landscape design is a
double pillar trellis ~ere so that ~e carryon that feeling of the arcade
as you walk do~r.. When I was on site, we tAlked about the timber not
bein'g this big, but pretty l1efty, 1 iKe the beams ~n the cen ings, picking
up on that hea, .. ii1ess to mah it all worle:. If we do that, ",'e are
continuing the integrity of the mystery and magic of the 9a~den and still
keepi1!g the deSign. This central spac€ de f ;{lite1y needi to be a focal
point. I would lik~ to see a structure such as a garden ornament, a
wisnfng well or gazebo. Trees are not what ~e need to stand out from a
field of trees here. Again, the sense of f!lY5t~ry ana' place w~ere kids can
plant flowers and participate. as well as a gathering place, is desirable.
The problem area is i~ here (iibrary tc'~chiiig the hedge). Trris does not
make sense to me. It is a tradeoff between the feeling of the garden
versus the use of this as archival spare versus t~e use of this as
rehearsal space. If we shrink the wa1l? we 10se archi¥'es arid we lose
rehearsal space and we gain the garden. If we cut out the hedge. we lose
the sense of the gard~n. If we put in a door or an access here, we lose
archival space but we keep the re~earsal space and ~e keep the garden. I
think. that is the answer to me, to open this up {end of the library}.
Mr. Northway; There is a window there.
Ms. Barnes: There is a window there? but this does not make ~e~se here.
I think it is important to keep these t~o archways across from ~ach other,
so maybe we are rot even 10sin9 archival space.
Mr. Narthway~ No. We even talked about making that a door.
Ms,_ Barnes: Yes~ I irroLIld make that a door, and th11t makes sense to me.
(ids ar~ goin9 to squeeze through here (betweer. library and hedge), and
they are gO;ilg to rip their c:ostumes. and you are going t-o be sorry that
you des~gnE'd' it th1S way. It ~orks for me to nave this a door.
Tn;s is i stickler here. ff this were appropriate hedge p'anting
materials, and not freebees, they must ha~e fo11Qwed the birds around and
collected these trees, If this were appropriate he~ging materfal, we
could keep this hedge at three feet and it would look full and Tush and
d€nse~ and it would be gr€at. Keeping it the privet. it n~eds to be at an
absolute minimum cf four feet. You are ~ithin one foot of the established
trunk line of thfs hedge (along the theater). so if we ke~p this wall
exactly where it is, that only gives us one foot on that side of the
plant. That is just net enough, I do not know how ~fde the hedge is at
this point. is this an accurate picture of it?
Ms. Warbeit: Yes. it is a littTe over six feet.
Ms. Barnes: Then we could move the center line of that planting, have a
three-or four-foot hedge, maintaining this outer edge, so that this line
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is the s3me, and keep a ~edge there th,~t is four feet.' F'Our feet h what
y~u really need for a decer.t hedge, with the appropriate ~edge material.
But ante we st~rt talking about making this ~edge work, we are talking
about changing what it is made of. And o~ce you change one section of thE
hedge, you need to carry that tnrough. So you are talking abo~t redoi~g
all of th! hedges i~ the entire gardpn in order to keep yo~r sQ~are
footage.
J wOIJld say. shavE the building back a foot. if ! were yOLl, but your
campaign is saying, e .... ery inch counts. If J were doing this, I ",auTo' opt
to mc~e the building over and sa .... e the hedge. But also, if it is a
perf~ctly v;ab1~ option for you to choDse to c~ange the hedging material
to a yew, which ;s would yery classic and would ~ork very well. an
around, you ~ould be abTe to preserve the magic. the mystery~ the
integrity. the strong axes, all the things that make this garden work, and
keep your square footage. That is ~hat r would add to the ste~ is to look
at tne plant materials.
The height of these towers does seem excessive tQ me. The presenium does
need to b~ at a constant level. The upper part of the t~wers seems to be
a place where the square footage does not matter. It is not going to
impinge on the progra~. Some board members have expres~ed concern o .... er
the he;g~t of these t~wers. Others have not. I t~ink it is one place
where you could bring it down a little b~t, and make it feel 1ike ~t is
not c!)nflicting so much. Gtners of you who are feeling tnat it impinges
a~d conflicts do not see it as an integral pa~t as I do. But perhaps that
is som!thing that could be done with minimum impact. Basically?] see
this as evolving out of the ori9in~l plan. I also see this as very
magical. ] was just talking with staff abo~t what we could 0'0 with this
central space. ] was thinking of a gazebo, and Michael thought of a
wishing well. That is s~ fantasy and fable and ruagical and theater
altogether, that that is the kind of thinking W~ need t~ do. Saving the
spirit, saYing the essenc~, improving that essence, that i~ the thing to
do. T~e hedging 1S histo~ical, but I would rather see it 5a~eo' in form
and give everybody what they want than to save the actual hedges.
Mr~ lVlwa: I am in support of the additiDn and the arcnitect~ral
solution. I t~i~k same of the landscaping needs to return with
adjustment!.: that were suggested by some of tile board members. Other than
that, I feel very cc~f~rtable with yo~r proposal.
MOTION; .M1.._~: I would liKe to make a motion for approval of the
building. ~it~ ~cceptance of all the space as designed and the staff
conditfons. I do not know whether, in the conditions, anything "as said
about the w-';ndows. r am not sure we ha .... e a consensus on the wi ndow
situation. t~e a1d and the new. I ""ant to stop my motion. Everyone did
not speak to those adjustments. J feel ambi .... alent to that.
Mr. Nortnway: We are comfortable with them.
Ms. Wilson: With preserving the existing windows as t~ey are?
~r. Northway: Yes.
MOTION: tls. wnson: All right. I ttlove for apprO'olal of the building with
the rectangLllar ~indoiIW tops in the existing building. I would like to
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have the landsnpe design be contir:ued for fl..'rther de-sign deve1opl11ent 50
that it he redeveloped and redesigned to better ser~e tne theater.
~s,_ DaRosa: ~ell, J'll second that just bec~use we need to') discuss it.
Fo-r-me, Hand touched on it w~en she said "pres.erlling the spirit of the
Secret Garden.·
Ms. Wilson: That is What I said. \I.Ie are !iayir:g exactly the same thing.
Ms. Barnes: But it is not taldr,g out hedges and building 'Wal1s and
shrinking that center focal point.
Ms. Wilson: I can't think. that is our decision to m.ak~. They should come
back "to us \l/ith a presentation.
Ms. DaRosa: But if the Secret Garden is to remain as is, then there are
some--architectural problems, and this thing has to be resolved somehow,
with the llbrary jutting into the middle of a hedgF., or a foot into it, it
is not a good architectural ~r landscape solution. So if we approve the
bUllding now, ~e are saying those hedges have to Change. I do not feel
comfortable with saying tnat. SDmething more has to be in our motion,
that if those hedges 2rf going to remain, then the library nas to be
pulled back. I cannot support i library building that is built into a
h~dge with dead end space.
The dead end space I can see being made into a~other s~cret place with
benches, etc., and maybe it doesn't have to be a door. It cou~d be a
window. You could build something there so th1t it doesn't become a trash
area. It could be a~otner secret corner, but not being able to pass by
that library into the courtyard and having the huilding actually inside
the nedge I do not think is a good solution. Of all the things that a:e
happening there, that bothers me the most.
Ms. Wilson: I could not agre~ with you more. What r am saying is that I
am accepting the t-...lilding ,-s H ;:;, ind I think something has to nappen
with the landscaping. That is where their 501ution should lie. I am not
goin9 to tell the~ how to design it, but there are several ways it ,ouTd
be done. I think that is their opportunity.
Ms. Barnes: I am no~ comfortable with that, because it is saying, by
implication, that the hedges can move or be removed entirely.
Ms. Wilson: They nave to come back fer approval.
Ms .• _Mi"nes: No, I think that is something we have
because of conf1icts ~ith the building structure.
to go ahead with the building and leal,le everything
appl ieant.
to tal <
To gi ve
open is
about now
carte blanche
not fa; r to the
Ms. Wilson: Well, 1t is not open. It has to be appro\led~ and we ha\le
been very clear that we want the spirit of the Secret Garden to be
maintained, and that there is a sense of enclosure needed.
Ms. Ba.rnes: But there are options open Dn noW' to do it.
Ms. Wilson: Well, of course there are.
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Ms. Maar; r V,1nk t~ere ;s i1 conflict iM('In9 IjS as to whether these
hedges need to rEmain totally intact, the way they are, or whether there
can be some modification of those to help the th~ater in accomplisning
what they are trying to accomplish. Pfrhaps we cou1d clarify some of tne
archftectural details that we are having probiems with, or with spaces
that ire resulting from the architecture. Maybe we s~ould vot£ among
~urselv!s as to whether WE would be willing to entertain anoth~r so1ution
that involves removing s~me of the hedge, or modifying or relocating it.
I wQuld be in favor of allowing them to go back and try that.
Mr.....J.l:m: It is a very important item yeu tJa\le brought up, ar1d we shc!Jld
put it to the test. let us take a straw vote on the motion th~t Shirley
made. Those in favor of allowing there to make adjustmEnts t<l the hedges~
as well as to otner landscaping? In order far ~€r motion t~ be clarified~
we need to make this vote. It is not a formal \lote. It is just us, amol1g
ourselves, discussing the adjustment to the landscaping.
Ms. DaRosa: ] waul d 1 i ke to clarify with everyone what the concernS are.
£5 anyone else concerned with the 1ibrary inside the hedge? I ~ave not
heard anyone e1se refer to it.
Ms Wilson: I think we have all expr~ssed a concern ~jtn the geometry of
how that library intersects the hedge and what tne re:StJ1til'1g spaces are.
I thin~ e ... eryone has expressed that ;01 one way or another.
Mr~ lyzwa: ] do not ha\,/E that concern.
Ms Barngs: I ha ... e the concern, but my concern can be addressed simply by
changing the piant materials and not changing the form, not changing the
shape? not changing the location. So I cannot support anything that 90es
beyond that.
Ms. Wilson: So you do not support relocation of the ~edges?
Ms. Barnes: That is correct.
1"1$ paRoH; You would change t~e hedge material, but 1eave the library
jutting into it?
Ms. Barnes: If you change ttle heage materia1, the hedge ,an get much
narrower and will not jut into it ~nymore.
Ms. Maser; It ~ill just touch it, and that will be even wor~e.
Ms. Barnes: [yen ~orse?
~~: If it bites into it, it 15 making i statement. Jf it is just
graz1ng by tne corr.er. it is neitner here no~ there.
Ms. Wilson: Can you round off the corner of the library, like the towers?
Ms. Maser; Well, they have talked about that. Staff has recommended
that.
Mr.~: let's decide what Aino is 5ay'n9 in reference to t~~
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landscaping. Tho~e in favor of altowing the applicant to make adju~tments
to the hedge iod landscaping. say aye?
11L..J'''a~_e.r: We ar-e ailowing them t~e latitude to come up with another
solution.
Mr. lyzwa7 That Is correct. You ~aye 1 motion. Is there a second to
your mot ion?
Ms. Da~Q.li: I second it fDr discussion. I realTy fee1 t..'n,:.onlf.artable. \i't'
are approving this building with landscaping to return, b~t it always
returns.
Ms. W;150;1: It is returning for furt~er deslgr"l developmEnt to a11eviate
problems of hedge and building intersection, ind to maintain the spirit of
the garden and ttl improve the re1atior.ship and the spati.al use aro-.lnd the
ChfTdre~'5 Theater, 5~ that the garden is not pushing the space
unnecessarlly.
Ms. DaRosa: And vice versa.
Ms. Wilson; What J am trying to identify is that the garden showld serve
the space, and not the space serve the garden, as it is not that sacred.
The axes are probably important. The central concept is important. but it
~op,s not have to be exactly the way it is now.
Ms. Maser: Can't we clarify and reword the motion to say that we approve
the bui1ding additions as designed, providing they can properly resoive
the relationship of the enve1cpe of the building with tne Secret Garden.
Mr. Lyzwa; I am sorry. I would really not encourage you to do that, as
that is !:o subjective. We are either going to be y€'s on the building, or
no. But for us to say. ·provided that t"ey satisfy us down the road" is
like saying we are not approving anytr.ing. We need to make a deciSion -
yes, ~e are approving the additions to the building, and we are willing to
adjust the landscaping~ or MO, we are not going to do that, and we are
going to continue the project. That is what is before us, and that IS
what we need to maKe the deciSion on.
So the motion is that we approve th€' bu~ldj~g, ~ith the landscape design
to bE continued, with the specifics that were outlined.
Ms. DaRosa~ One other thing J would like to throw Oiit is ti'l3t one-of the
things that happens in the outdoor theater is that tnefe is that big tree
and you fee1 like you are sitting under a tree. ~ou are retaining some of
the sycamores in front of the library, so it is a little hard to tell, but
if you are required to do some screening of the building, if there is
something morE that cou':d be done with trees to get some of that feel in9
~f sitting in a 9arden w~en you are in the o~tdoor t~eater, just something
to look at when the landscaping returns in whatever form it returns in.
Ms. Wilson:
in front of
concept, to
fils. Barnes:
One of my comments was that t"at courtyard arEa, 1f openEd up
the library, you could almost return the bosque of trees, in
that space. It could start to work again.
That is not preserving the garden in spirit.
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Mi. Wilson: It certainly is.
Ms. 8arn(os:
focal point.
integrity~
No, it is not. It is il forma1 garden with two axeS and a
If you remove that piecE of hedge, you have lost your design
.Ms. lii1son: But there is it majar cnange in function, Marn;' You have got
to adapt to that.
Mr 'Lyzwa: ~e ~ave an obvjous confl iet or disagreement in reference to
the landscaping. We have a. mot ;-:In. bEfore us with reference to the
building des~gn and landscaping.
Ms. DaRosa: I withdraw my second.
Mr~: [will second the motion that Shirley has made.
Ms. Maser: Can 1 add another candition to the motion?
~r. Lyzwa: CertainTy.
Ms. MasJrr: My condition would be that Ue balcony ir'ld the th1'ee 'Window
openings above the presenium return at a larger scale for a detailed
study.
M's. wn sao; J:s. it bothering you that they ire not .. ithi n the cement
?1 aster?
Ms. Maser: I just feel that the dlsti111Ce between the small .. indows and
the eave Tine is too minima'. I ~ould like to s~e t~at restudied and.
~erhaps. those dropped z little blt so that if you were g0109 to draw a~
'maginary line through this central windo~ and parallel to the eave of the
roof line, that this wo~ld not project ~p into that. It is just a
question of scale. If we see it in a larger scale, it 'Will become more
obvious.
Ms. DaRosa: I would also like to clarify my Pr'EVTOt.:S objection t{) the
to~ers. now that I sef the rehtioroship to this roof 1 ir:e. The towers are
almost rignt h~re on this ridge 1 ioe. Tnere has to be some differenCE!
betweer. that ridge and the tower. I would keep it is low as you can.
There needs to be that differentiation.
Mr. l~zwa: Shirley has i question for t~e applicant.
Ms. Wilson; Before we vQte, r am stiil not too clear about some of the
nuts and bo1ts of the theater. The actors wou1d come in front and through
the preseniu:l1, would they no':? ('fes) So 'Would there be any necessity for
lighting overhead and in front of them? Are we gOlr19 to end up with a
grid across tnis apron in Cony ""'ay? (No)
Mr ...... Jyzwa: I \ll/ant to include in our motion that both the landscaping ind
the lighting return. It is very important that the function of the
theater be resolved and how the lightirlg takes place.
Ms. Maser: Michael? do you have any prob1ems wfth access?
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.K,.~: No, I do not. If this WJS an office t.J:;e, I ""ould have a lot
of prob1ems with c,rcu1~tion ~nd handicap acce5S, but this is so magical
and hYPGth2tical, such a Oisniyland type of addition, that that is why 1
fetl comfortab1e with adju~tm€nts beinq made~
""r. NOl"thwiY: We are currently ir. what '\s ca.l1ed Site. a.nd DJ2:Sigr. review.
It has gone to the Historic ResourcEs Board, the planning commission, and
is now .,th you people. It automatically goes to the city council.
Essentially, we will do with this project what the counci1 ends up tellirg
us to do, so it m19ht be very helpful, when yot.J give yaur reccnnendations,
which are really more to the council tnan to us, to phrase your motion so
that the advice to the counc,' is --I ~m happy to redesign the
Tands(aping, but 1 don't kf10W if the Gil)' council is gtdng to 1et me do
; t .
Ms. Wilson: ! 'Would suggest, and shff correct me H 1 am wrong, that you
maintain this presentation, do some flimsy overlays, and show them what
the passibH ities are. They can then. see the options ar:d ~,OW they 'Wor( or
do not work. Then 1 if they aoprove yo~r m~~in9 same modification~ to the
landscaping, that wuuld prabablj" came. bac.k to us for fina.1 approva.l. But
1 would not go in there b1indly witho~t any drawings.
~_lytle: Well, remember that John is noloo/ balancing t~e recomtllpndations
of the commission with what he is hearing from the board majority. The
ccmmission was very firm about the hedge being maintained. Tne KRB has
been firm, now is of yesterday, about the hedge being maintained.
Ms. Wilson: I was approllched by a phnr,ing commissfoner this weekend who
said he thought they really overdid it about the hedge and hopad we would
be more openminded about it.
,ltts. lytle: I beliEVE that one diffie-ulty the commission frank1y had that
evenirrg is that they did not see Ue inherent confl ids that the board is
seeing today. I think they did ~ot agree that there was the problem of
the building deadending into the hedge. It did not appear as a conflict
to them. So clearly. t~th re~cmmendations going as they are to the
council .allows the council to balance tnat and to .:ome up .... ith some
deCision and accept one alternative ever the other. But for John to
prompt1y respond to cne oYer the other would not be politic at th~5 time.
Ms. Barnes: ! could support your motion with the addition of a phrase.
What worries ~ about the motion is that by implication, by what is 1eft
unstat~o, it implies that the whOle garden is open for redesign. If I
c~uld suggest a phras~ that you add that -not only would the redesign of
the garden maintain the spirit of the garden, but that it retain the
formal nature of a cross axis and fo~al pOint.-
i'ts. WiltQD: I am a1so not greatTy in favor of disturbiflg the form af the
right~hand side.
Ms. Barnes: Right. ~i9ht. If we cou1d say that the garden needs to
retain a fonma1 cross axis and a focal point in the middle, t~en I ~ould
be comfortable with that. rs that a friendly amendment?
Ms. ~ilson: That is perfectly friendly.
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Ms. Maser: So that it does not get lost in ili the ~erbiage. we ~hould
put into the motion i couple of the sugqestio~s that were made for this
focal point, such as includi~g the idea of instead of a tree, a gazebo or
a wishing ~ell or some ether -folly,-
Mr. Luwa: Virginia. would you repNt t~e mot ion?
~rhet1: Approval of the building a~d acceptance of the project as
desi.gned, with the landscaping and lighting plan to return to the
Arcnitectural Review Board for further design develupment of the garden to
better $er~e the theater While maintaining the spirit of the garden, as
we1l as the cro~s axes and focal point in the middle of the garden, e.g"
gazebo, 'liiistJing wen, or fo1ly? with one additional condition, which is
tnat th~ the balcony and three window openings return at a larger scaie
when the p1ans come back to the Architectural Review Board.
Mr. l'tzwa: That lighting includes all indoor and outdoor theater
1 i gh t ; og_
~r. Litfin; It is i daytime theater use. It is not p1anned for evening
use.
Mr. ~: So you are not planning any sputli9hts or traditional,
theatrical lighting?
Mr, Litfin; That is correct.
Ms. Maser; But you will ha~e some site l~ghtingj ~onJt you?
Mr. Northwat: No.
Mr. l)l~: As l\lng as .... e put it in om-motion that there will be no
lighting fixtures to light Ute theat.er with or the staga ..,ith on the
o~tside that lre mounted on the building.
Ms. Wilson: But the Children's library is open ~ntil 8 at night, probably
even in t~e ~inter. Don't pe:~le trickle out there?
Mr~: There is no lighting out there at a11. I alEo don't like the
id€a of the whole gardan bei!1g closed off. If this is a public space,
people shou1d be able to trayer~e through there at 6 or 9 o'clock at night
and walk through it.
We have been ~n this for two hours no~. ~e have a motion. a~d it has been
reiterated.
All those in favor? Aye. Ail opposed? (None) That passes unanimously.
t1s. lytle: Could 1 share one historic anecdote? 1 l~arned 1n mJ
leade,·ship Palo Alto meeting on Friday tnat we are <:a.rrying on the
historic traditi{)n \o!ith our intensi\le debate that this community biJ-nding
~as had. Apparently, Birge Clark gat so frustrated, as well as Mrs.
Stern, ~1th the process of the orlg1nal construction of t~e lucie Stern
comp1ex that he proceed~d ~lthout permits. He admitted this to a
leadership Palo Alto meeting a couple of }ea~s ago. He simply built the
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building without any city tppro~al.
Mr. Norihwav; And tt!cause the cfty could not figure out ~ow to have a
private person build a ~uilding on public land. just couldn't get it
together~ finally Mrs. Stern in$t~urted him to go ahead and just do it.
END OF ITEM
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