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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSPCC Minutes 1990-07-10SRCC MINUTES (Special pint Workshop) 7/10/90 Page 1 AT SAN RAFAEL IMPROVEMENT CLUB, 5TH AVENUE AND H STREET, TUESDAY, JULY 10, 1990, AT 6:00 PM. Special Joint Workshop: Present: Lawrence E. Mulryan, Mayor San Rafael City Council Albert J. Boro, Councilmember Dorothy L. Breiner, Councilmember Michael A. Shippey, Councilmember Joan Thayer, Councilmember Library Oversight Panel Committee Present: Joan Thayer, Councilmember Bob Roumiguiere, Supervisor Pamela Nicolai, City Manager John Haeuser, Member, San Rafael Board Library Trustees George Walton, Chairman, San Rafael Board Library Trustees Anne Appel, County Library Director Vaughn Stratford, City Library Director Dee Johnson, County Principal Administrative Analyst Also Present: Jake Ours, Katie Korzun, Raymond Holt, Sarah Holt, Robert Oringdulph, John Meadows, Jeff Lamb, Libby Barber SAN RAFAEL/MARIN COUNTY LIBRARY - File 4A3-79 x 9-3-61 x 12-8 1. Councilmember Joan Thayer provided an introduction to the library project, its background, and the agenda for this workshop. The goal of the workshop was to review whether the City should purchase and master plan the whole site, and if so, what site uses were appropriate. 2. John Meadows provided a brief review of the library program, the site, and project goals and objectives. 3. Robert Oringdulph of BOOR/A Architecture reviewed urban design issues and opportunities, and three alternative schemes for use of the site. The issues and schemes were outlined in a report which was distributed at the meeting. URBAN DESIGN ISSUES INCLUDED: a. The opportunity for the library to help downtown activity to develop south of 4th Street and to provide a new anchor for the southern edge of downtown. b. The need for development to respect the historic and pedestrian character of B Street. c. The opportunity to have a library that is highly visible from 2nd and 3rd Streets and creates a strong new civic identity for downtown and the City/County library. d. The potential of mixed uses on the library site, creating increased vitality for downtown and the library, which can increase the use of the library. Retail uses can help create a "fit" with downtown and B Street and offers on-site support to the library program in the form of cafes, coffee shops, etc., which library users could enjoy. Housing on-site helps the City with its goal of affordable downtown housing, and if well designed, can create 24-hour a day vitality on site. ALTERNATIVE SITE SCHEMES INCLUDED: a. Scheme 1: Use the existing westerly 3/4 of the site owned by the City for the new library and leave the existing retail on B Street. b. Scheme 2: Buy the whole site and build new retail and housing on B Street with the library on the westerly half of the site. C. Scheme 3: Buy the whole site and build new housing on C Street and build the library on B Street placing some minimal street level retail on B Street. 4. SUPERVISOR ROUMIGUIERE OPENED THE MEETING FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AND FACILTATED THE DISCUSSION BY THE PUBLIC. COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS OFFERED BY THE PUBLIC WERE AS FOLLOWS,: a. The bakery building at B Street is a historic building and is in a historic district. The building should not be torn down, and the library should be designed to deal with the backs of the existing B Street buildings. b. Auto entry to the site should be from B and/or C Streets rather than 2nd or 3rd Streets. SRCC MINUTES (Special Joint Workshop) 7/10/90 Page 1 SRCC MINUTES (Specia oint Workshop) 7/110/90 Page C. Concern was expressed regarding auto emissions into the library or its outdoor areas. Due to the adjacent streets, the library will probably be designed with interior courtyards and gardens that are quiet and free of noise or emissions. d. This is a good site for the library and will be an important building on 2nd and 3rd Streets. Concern was expressed that the mixed uses, while adding vitality to the site, may spoil the view and identity of the library if not well designed. e. While some of the B Street buildings may have historic value, they are not especially beautiful or important historically and should not compromise the library design. f. Regional access to this site is good. g. Library technology is important in the library design to assure that it is a good resource for students and research as well as informal community use of books. h. Given the City's policy of removing buildings that are hazardous due to seismic condi- tions, removing the B Street buildings may help the City with this goal. i. Consider a pedestrian crossing at 2nd and 3rd Streets. j. Avoid at all cost a raised pedestrian crossing at any street, since people do not use them and pedestrian activity at the street is essential to a healthy downtown. k. Older buildings are nice, but the west side of B Street is not especially beautiful or significant. Consider the possibility of moving the bakery building. 1. The Citizens Advisory Committee of the Redevelopment Agency has recommended that the library site include mixed use - especially housing. M. Do what is best for the library, independent of costs, and then see what else works or fits with the site. In any event, do not compromise the library program. n. Consider the 4th and E Street site as it seems large enough, is a better site, and is more economical. o. Avoid mixed use on site, and use the whole block for the library. The added site cost is minimal given the life of the library and its importance in the community. p. Keep the library on a whole block so there is room for future expansion and so it will look like a library. q. Consider the Safeway site area at the southern end of A Street, and develop A Street as a pedestrian mall with the mission and the library as anchors at each end of the street. r. The whole block needs to be controlled by the City to assure a quality setting with or without mixed use. S. Concern was expressed regarding the current uses on the east side of B Street with social services that seem incompatible with library use. t. Some of the best cultural institutions in the world have mixed use (cafes, shops) that add to their vitality and their neighborhoods; this project should do the same. U. An informal show of hands indicated that 14 citizen participants preferred no mixed use of any kind on the site and 16 participants preferred mixed use of some kind on the site. V. Consider making B and C Streets "two-way", which would be better for auto access on this project and for the downtown. The existing two way couplets do not help down- town. W. Mixed-use activities are often the best solution to safety in cities. X. Consider loading and service to any mixed-use on site to assure that it does not detract from the library. 5. THE CITY COUNCIL AND LIBRARY OVERSIGHT PANEL PARTICIPANTS OFFERED THE FOLLOWING COMMENTS: a. Mayor Mulryan: While it is hard to visualize mixed use, the mix of activities seems good from an urban planning standpoint. Mayor Mulryan stated he likes the idea of the library as a part of a village of activities and thinks the City should buy the whole block. SRCC MINUTES (Special Joint Workshop) 7/10/90 Page 2 SRCC MINUTES (Speical jint Workshop) 7/10/90 Page 3 b. Anne Apel, County Library Director: Prefers the whole block with no mixed use, although she thinks this alternative is too costly for the library. Given costs, Ms. Appel stated she prefers Scheme 2, since it offers better planning for B Street. C. Councilmember Albert Boro: Noted the importance of focusing on the integrity of the library and considering the critical need for affordable housing in the downtown area. The City should control the land and consider housing on site with City controlled design to be compatible with the library. The historic issue on site is an issue that needs to be addressed, and Councilmember Boro stated he is not clear what the answer to this issue is. Councilmember Boro noted the need for a 100 year plus building, with vision for the long term. The City should get a building that is a 100 year old building and does not take 30 years to look like one. d. City Manaqer Pamela Nicolai: Noted the need to keep the library as the central focus and thinks there is an opportunity for mixed use to support the library and downtown goals. The Redevelopment Agency has funds for housing that could be applied to this project. e. Councilmember Dorothy Breiner: Noted the need to maintain the integrity of the library and is interested in housing to help create a dynamic downtown. Housing on site could be in a support role. She prefers Scheme 3, with its higher visibility and presence in the downtown. f. Councilmember Michael Shiepe,y: Thinks the City should acquire the whole site and control the design of activities on the whole block. A stand-alone library can be functional but mixed use can better enhance the library and the downtown. Mixed use can increase the library utilization. The library needs to be distinctive and an inspired design. g. Councilmember Joan Thayer: The City should acquire the whole block and master plan it. The design should tend toward a classic look for the library with some mixed use similar to Scheme 2. h. Supervisor Bob Roumiquiere: Suggested the Redevelopment Agency go ahead with the purchase of the whole block to allow control and master planning of the block. He was interested in a mixed-use solution and thinks the Architect should come back to this group with possible images and plans that incorporate mixed use. i. San Rafael Library Trustee, John Haeuser: To most people, a library looks like a Carnegie library, with a building in the middle of the block, large stairs up to the door, lions by the stairs, and at night the building feels unsafe because there is so little activity around it. San Rafael's library may look different. It should offer safety, provide comfort 24 hours a day, and be open and inviting. 6. The City Council to consider formal action at their next meeting on July 16, 1990 to instruct staff to obtain options to purchase the whole block and to ask BOOR/A to proceed with a design studies investigation of mixed use with the library program. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned. L C ✓L PAPEL"J.NIC La*6epu Clerk/City Manager APPROVED THIS DAY OF 1990 MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SAN RAFAEL SRCC MINUTES (Special Joint Workshop) 7/10/90 Page 3