Portola Valley: Mayor seeks more public input on Town Center project Portola Valley: Mayor seeks more public input on Town Center project (October 19, 2005)

By Marion Softky

Almanac Staff Writer

Portola Valley Mayor Ed Davis said he wants more town residents to get involved in planning a new Town Center to replace the old buildings straddling the active traces of the San Andreas Fault.

Story poles on the tennis and volleyball courts behind the Town Center give an indication where the new buildings are proposed in the 11.2-acre center, and how high they will be.

On October 10, members of the town Architectural and Site Control Commission (ASCC), which advises the Town Council on design issues, toured the area to get an on-the-ground feel for how the proposed design would look and work. They discussed fences, traffic and height; they stood on ladders in the middle of a tennis court to check out the view.

Their site tour and meeting that night inaugurated the next phase of the Town Center project: to come up with a design that has community backing before the town undertakes a major fundraising drive to cover much of the estimated $20 million cost.

The preliminary design, presented by architect Larry Strain of Siegel & Strain Architects of Emeryville, shows four buildings in the back corner of the property bordered by Christ Church and the orchard of El Mirador, formerly Morshead, property.

A new library would rise on the tennis courts, across from a Community Hall basically where the volleyball courts are located now. A Town Hall would be located behind, and an activities building in front, around a town plaza.

"It will be a much more open feeling than it is now," said architect Jim Goring.

"It's not too late to raise issues," said Planning Commissioner Chip McIntosh. "This is a huge issue for the town. Everybody should get a good feel for it."

That night about 20 people came to the ASCC meeting to comment on the proposed design. They raised questions ranging from style and height to landscaping, parking, fencing and lighting, according to Deputy Town Planner Tom Vlasic.

The ASCC will hold a special meeting Monday, November 7, at 8 p.m. in the Historic Schoolhouse to hear from the public and consider modifications to the current design. Later, it will hold another one or more meetings to prepare its recommendations to the Town Council on the project's design.

To prepare for the November 7 meeting, the ASCC asked the architects to study some of the issues raised at last week's meeting, Mr. Vlasic said. These include: reducing the square footage on the site; looking at architectural styles that would have a more familiar "Portola Valley" look; lowering some of the building heights to provide better views; redesigning the main entrance to the library on the north side; and considering alternatives for landscaping, fencing, and lighting.

Mayor Davis encouraged people to come to the meeting and join the debate. "We need to have the participants hear from each other," he said. "We need to find consensus on function -- not just the nature of the buildings, but the activities we want."
INFORMATION

For information on the Town Center project, including the latest project site map, go to portolavalley.net and click on "Town Center Improvement Project" on the home page.

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