City and County of San FranciscoSan Francisco Arts Commission

Civic Design Review Committee - November 17, 2014 - Meeting Minutes

Civic Design Review Committee - November 17, 2014

MEETING OF THE CIVIC DESIGN REVIEW COMMITTEE
OF THE SAN FRANCISCO ARTS COMMISSION

Monday, November 17, 2014

3:00 p.m.
25 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 70


Minutes
 

Committee Chair Cass Calder Smith called the meeting to order at 3:06 p.m.

  1. Roll Call
    Commissioners Present
    Cass Calder Smith, Chair
    Dorka Keehn
    Roberto Ordeñana
    Kimberlee Stryker

    Commissioners Absent
    Kathrin Moore, ex officio

    Staff Present
    Jill Manton, Director of Public Art Trust and Special Initiatives
    Sharon Page Ritchie, Commission Secretary
     

  2. Public Comment
    There was no public comment.
     
  3. Westside Recycled Water Treatment Plant Project: Phase 1
    Michael Pierron, Project Designer, Architect, Bureau of Design and Construction, Public Works

    Barbara Palacios, Project Manager, Public Utilities Commission

    Edward Chin, Landscape Architect Bureau of Design and Construction, Public Works


     
    The team presented the project, including the design goals and challenges. They discussed comments and contingencies from prior review and how the team had addressed them. They presented a model and material samples.
     
    Mr. Chin presented the landscape design concept, influences, site conditions and potential locations for public art, as well as the proposed plant palette.
     
    The Committee discussed the project, and they agreed with the decision to eliminate the exterior stair. They requested that the team simplify the design further, determining that more work was needed before Phase 2 approval. The Committee recommended further study of massing and glazing, and limiting the number of elements in the landscape design. Staff proposed an interim informal review, and emphasized that the landscape and building design should be presented together.
     
    There was no public comment, and the motion was unanimously approved as follows.
     
    Motion to approve Phase 1 landscaping of the Westside Recycled Water Treatment Plant project.
     
  4. Golden Gate Recycled Water Pump Station and Reservoir Project: Phase 1
    Michael Pierron, Project Designer, Architect, Bureau of Design and Construction, Public Works

    Barbara Palacios, Project Manager, Public Utilities Commission

    Edward Chin, Landscape Architect Bureau of Design and Construction, Public Works


     
    The design team presented the project, noting its connection to the preceding project as part of the water system. They discussed the Committee’s comments from prior review and how the team addressed them.
     
    The Committee discussed the project and requested that the team simplify the design, making it more like the existing structure.
     
    There was no public comment. Motion to approve Phase 1 of the Golden Gate Recycled Water Pump Station and Reservoir project, contingent upon simplifying the design by (1) not wrapping the barrier wall around the third side of the building; (2) making the gap wall with the transformer a part of the new structure as a singular element.
     
  5. Alameda Creek Watershed Center in Sunol Project: Phase 2
    Bryan Dessaure, Project Manager, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
    
Paul De Freitas, Lead Designer, Bureau of Design and Construction, Public Works
    
Martha Ketterer, Landscape Architect, Bureau of Design and Construction, Public Works
    
Nick Ancel, Landscape Architect, Bureau of Design and Construction, Public Works

     
    The team presented the project and its goals, including the history of review by this Committee, and how the design team addressed the Committee’s comments. They discussed materials in context with the site and presented samples. The team reviewed the landscape design and plant palette, discussing design influences. They reported that, after a lively discussion, the team agreed that the project was an informal botanical garden and not an interpretive landscape. They reviewed the design of water features. Public Art Program Project Manager Mary Chou presented the artwork proposed by Mark Brest van Kempen, based on the concept of an inverted aquarium where the viewer walks on a dry path into the stream up to approximately a five-foot depth.
     
    The Committee discussed the design and the challenges of the artwork, including maintenance. They also discussed the design of signage, lighting and furnishings on the entry plaza, as well as the roof treatment, which will allow for potential future placement of photovoltaic panels.
     
    The Committee pointed out the importance of plant choice and site drainage to maintaining an ecosystem that will keep the water in the pond clear; the team reported that they have an aquatic plant engineer knowledgeable in such matters.
     
    The Committee praised the team’s work on the project and suggested that the completed project be brought to the full Commission as an informational presentation. They requested that the team work closely with the separate contractor on the interpretive signage, and work carefully on the details of the pond.
     
    There was no public comment, and the motion was approved unanimously as follows.
     
    Motion to approve Phase 2 of the Alameda Creek Watershed Center in Sunol project.
     
  6. Proposed Mission Statement for Civic Design Review Program
    Special Projects Director Jill Manton presented the draft mission statement. The Committee discussed the context for adopting a mission statement, and proposed revisions to the draft statement.
     
    There was no public comment, and the motion was unanimously approved as follows.
     
    Motion to approve the following mission statement for the Civic Design Review Program: “The mission of Civic Design Review is to ensure that any capital project improves the public realm, respects the natural environment and serves the best interests of the public.”
     
  7. Revision of Civic Design Review Guidelines

    The Committee discussed the draft guidelines, including the question of what is a temporary structure and what the Committee’s role should be in reviewing them. Staff discussed the inclusion in the guidelines of information about how projects should be presented to the Committee, including addressing specific contingencies; the Committee requested more elevations and other drawings to present a clearer picture.
     
    There was no public comment, and there was no motion.
     
  8. Visual Arts Committee Update
    Commissioner Keehn made no report; there was no public comment.
     
  9. Staff Report
    Ms. Manton said that at a future meeting, she would present a summary of projects that had been administratively reviewed, and projects which had changes after Phase 3 approval. She briefly discussed the administrative review process.
     
    There was no public comment.
     
  10. New Business and Announcements
    The Committee discussed how to manage its time when a large number of projects is submitted for review at a single meeting, and requested staff to establish a procedure to help determine earlier each month how many projects will be sumitted to the Committee. Staff proposed establishing a deadline two weeks before the Committee meeting for departments to request a place on the agenda, and a second deadline one week before the meeting for submission of their materials.
     
    There was no further new business or announcements, and no public comment.
     
  11. Adjournment
    There being no further busines, the meeting was adjourned at 5:30 p.m.
     

    spr posted 11/28/14
    approved 12/1/14

     


    Language Accessibility

    Translated written materials and interpretation services are available to you at no cost. For assistance, please notify Director of Special Projects and Civic Design Review Program Manager Jill Manton, 415-252-2585, jill.manton@sfgov.org.

    我們將為閣下提供免費的書面翻譯資料和口譯服務。如需協助,Director of Special Projects and Civic Design Review Program Manager Jill Manton, 415-252-2585, jill.manton@sfgov.org.

    Materiales traducidos y servicios de interpretación están disponibles para usted de manera gratuita. Para asistencia, notifique a Director of Special Projects and Civic Design Review Program Manager Jill Manton, 415-252-2585, jill.manton@sfgov.org.

    Ang mga materyales na nakasalin sa ibang wika at ang mga serbisyong tagapagsalin sa wika ay walang bayad. Para sa tulong, maaring i-contact si Director of Special Projects and Civic Design Review Program Manager Jill Manton, 415-252-2585, jill.manton@sfgov.org.