Portola Valley Town Center design advances, but debate over uses rolls on Portola Valley Town Center design advances, but debate over uses rolls on (September 15, 2004)

By David Boyce
Almanac Staff Writer

The wisdom of Solomon could be useful to the town of Portola Valley over the coming months, when decisions are planned for which elements to include in a redesigned Town Center. Unfortunately, Solomon isn't taking calls.

The Town Council met with the architects and about 30 residents last Wednesday evening in the multi-use room to receive a project update and to give and receive feedback. A conceptual master plan is due November 3.

The updated design for the center is a blend of two leading designs proposed in June for the 11.2-acre site in a series of well-attended community workshops. The evening's discussion hinted of a looming debate over priorities.

Should it be a green expanse with a tranquility interrupted only by the distant crack of bat on ball or scattered cheers for a soccer goal? Residents in this camp tend to support low-key one-story buildings, a minimum of traffic and uses that are there already, which would exclude a preschool.

Should it be a lively municipal center with options for all ages, including the very young,? Many residents with this view don't object to two-story buildings, do support a preschool, and prefer an "all-sport" court for kids instead of a third tennis court,

Can it be both? "I think we're going to end up with a Town Center that's going to be vibrant at times and peaceful at times," said Mayor George Comstock in an interview.

Almost everyone supports preserving views of the hills, the contiguity of interior green space, the abundant heritage trees, and the playing fields. Since the site is bisected by the San Andreas fault, preservation is a foregone conclusion for seven acres judged unsuitable for construction by recent geo-technical analyses.

About half the buildable land is a soccer field. For the 42,000 square feet built on in the northwest corner, the design shows a town hall, library, community plaza, multi-use room, and several classrooms, including two labeled as a preschool.

The council has said it prefers generic bare-bones classrooms suitable for children and adults; a preschool would technically violate that goal since the state requires it to have direct access to a fenced playground other than the playgrounds that are already at the Town Center.

The current design shows parking for 123 vehicles, including a pick-up and drop-off zone. A preschool would draw about 20 car trips eight times per day, the architects said.

The design shows two two-story buildings, one housing a preschool and classrooms, and the other a town hall and library.

"To get a town-sized plaza, you need a limited (building) footprint," said Larry Strain, one of the lead architects. "We don't think (the buildings) will be overwhelming."

Resident Virginia Bacon opposes the preschool use. "I think we're trying to do too much on this site," she said. "We have to have two-story buildings in order to accommodate this plethora of uses. ... Common sense has to come into play here." Ms. Bacon's remarks drew applause from the audience.

Preschool advocate and resident Rebecca Flynn noted that the grove of 100-foot redwood trees would dwarf a two-story building. "For me, the goal of this whole project is to create community," she said. "I don't actually feel that the current facilities offered in this center create that community."

Councilman Ted Driscoll, who spoke in support of a preschool, said he would prefer plans that don't identify it with a label.

Councilman Ed Davis, who has been skeptical of a preschool, noted that it raises a "fundamental question" of involving the town in education. "If we do build a facility for the very young, if it's more generic and that fills the need, I'd be for it," he said.

The Planning Commission and the Architecture and Site Control Commission were to have reviewed the design September 13. The council next takes up the design at the council meeting of Wednesday, October 13.

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