Core Team Minutes 12-10-12

CORE 12-10-12

·         Initial findings from Peter L showed that we don't have enough elevation difference to have the walkout arrangement shown on all out drawings...easily.

o    If the front of the school is at 784 and there is no articulation between it and the front of school building and the studio/shops then the back of the shops will need to be 794 (+ 2 or more for drainage). 

o    This gives us a grade difference of 10' between front  and back.  A flat quad between the existing school and the shops and also a big useable flat field in the upper area.

o    The new DRB date is Jan. 8th whatever is the second Tuesday in Jan
Materials need to be in the week before…..Kate will research and inform.

·         RESOLVED: Connect the building envelopes for the residential units and the shop studies.

·         RESOLVED: Kathy and Kin will be working up a turn-around for the entry.

·         RESOLVED: Remove the trees along the entry axis...or some of them.

·         RESOLVED: We need a Landscape Team to undertake the resolution of:

o    The turnaround.

o    The pedestrian access.

o    The Quad between the main building and the new buildings.

o    What the look will be through the different phases.

·         ACTION: Peter L to update the site plan

o    Topography

o    Path alignments

o    Connect all building envelopes

o    Lighting (narrative)

o    Screening (narrative)

o    Turn off old parking lot boundary

o    Label greenhouse and everything else….

Solar Team Update

Greetings Solar Team ~

Attached is the current version of the Yestermorrow campus with the center of gravity now returned to the Alpen Inn.  This change was driven by a zoning requirement that no more than 25% of existing buildings may be destroyed.  Budget and schedule also played a role.

So this is great news for those who monitor our solar income as well as many who felt the previous layout was not sufficiently compact.  The current layout is more densely configured and the buildings will receive significantly more sun.

You will see that the parking area has been turned into a solar garden with PV trellises over many of the parking areas.  It is hoped this area may be able to generate some serious electricity though certainly not all that the school uses.  Not really a traditional parking lot, this is meant to be where arrivals will leave their carbon cars and go native…or at least electric.  It is also meant to be a multi-purpose area where the school can host farmers’ markets, flea sales, civic functions and other informal events.  Serving all these functions makes it an important design gesture that goes beyond mere parking.

Currently this draft plan is in the hands of our civil engineer who is working out the topography, septic, and drainage issues.  The results will be combined with our forestry plan, feedback form the Dept. of Agriculture, the storm water study and various other input we have been collecting.

I send it along to keep the Solar Field Team current and invite input.  We are trying to make progress even during the holidays.  Things are moving along nicely but we have put our DRB (Design Review Board) presentation on hold in order to have time to embrace the fullest spectrum of input.

I will send an updated version as soon as we get something back from the civil.  Don’t wait to give any feedback you might have.

Thanks for your thoughts!

John

Core Team Minutes 11-26-12

CORE 11-26-2012

·         John provided a site plan for consideration.

o    Kathy considered the implications  of path and snow.  Mentioned the effect that pedestrians have on slowing traffic.  Suggested minimizing the paths other than what's already paved within the lot.  And then the connection to the main building would be the only additional path.

o    Kate felt the staff would want to be closer to the main building, and that we don't need to specify who can park where.

o    Kate further felt the maintenance & storage shed was redundant.

o    Also, the staging and storage area could be removed (it's redundant) and that would move the parking out of the buffer area of the wetlands.

·         John indicated that would be great to have something for Peter L before the day is out.

o    Still no word from Peter and Andres.  They know that they are supposed to be working together.  Stay tuned….

·         The Mad River Path: Do we want it in the middle of campus or do we want it separate?

o    Kate had met with Will Flender and they worked out a proposed alignment.

o    Question: Do we want to keep MRP traffic on the edge of the campus or right in the mix?

o    Consensus seemed to arrive around the path alignment along the edge of the pond. 

·         Resolved:

o    Enlarge the building envelope for the western building at the entry to the pedestrian campus.

o    Tighten up the parking area, eliminate the staging area, eliminate the extra building, make it parking (not staff parking), change "maintenance & delivery" to vehicle "maintenance and charging"

o    Enlarge envelope around uphill walking axis to accommodate unknown terminus conditions.

o    JBC to speak with Peter L to see when the drawings will be ready and then will set up the next meeting.

Core Team Minutes 11-12-12

·         Pre- McCain (Lazorchak) plan reviewed.

·         Preliminary path designs submitted (thank you Kathy and Kate)
We anticipate a lot more work in this area after we have our topo back from Peter L.

·         Greenhouse inclusion was discussed pro & con.  In the end it was decided (informally) that we should reserve a placeholder for something called a greenhouse at the end of the main roadway organizing the studio/shops (downhill side).

·         Parking lot was discussed.  Only Kathy had a submission which was very preliminary by her own assessment.
This is a major design component that should reflect all our integrative design values as well as being an example for other medium sized parking lots.  We will benefit from a program - for starters:

o   60 cars

o   4 oversized spaces (40' x 12')

o   material storage

o   electric charging station

o   PV array and/or trackers (the more the better)

o   garden and green space

o   permeable surface or equivalent detention ponds

ACTION ITEMS:

1.     Deliver updated site plan to Peter Lazorchak (JC)

2.    Contact Andres Torizzo and have him co-ordinate with Peter (KS)
(what do we do about budgeting for this work?)

3.    Produce rough parking lot designs (JC, KM, and anyone else with an interest. Parking lots are somewhat technical - turning radii and all sorts of minimums - but that shouldn't stand in the way of good ideas.)

4.    Regenerative Report Card (KP & Pentad Representatives)
We need to give ourselves a grade as we complete the preliminary redesign of the MasterPlan.  The campus center has moved and the grain of the circulation as gone somewhat with it.  How are we doing with the various points on the Pentad?  Are we compromising or reconciling?  I can personally say that the Solar Field Team feels greatly "reconciled".  How are the other Field Teams doing?

N.B.  Kate, if you can keep me in the loop as you bring Andres into the mix, I will monitor the work Peter is doing and make sure we have it all on hand well in advance of our next meeting.  (I'll even plot it out this time!)

Remember - this was done from memory.  Please annotate and correct as appropriate.

Thanks!

JC