QUARTERLY MEETING

February 16, 2010 | Western Office, National Trust for Historic Preservation

Mark your calendar for the next meeting: Tuesday, May 18, 2010. Location to be announced.

1. Installation of New Officers:

   Chris Pattillo opened the meeting by noting that the group had successfully completed an online vote for new group officers. Those positions and officers are now:

   1. Chair: Janet Gracyk (write and distribute the meeting agenda, lead the meeting, and arrange for refreshments)
   2. Vice-Chair: Jennifer de Graaf (take and distribute meeting minutes)
   3. Past-Chair: Chris Pattillo (select and arrange the meeting venue)

   Chris also mentioned that some of our members' e-mails seem to be outdated and that an effort was already underway to solve those issues.

2. Theme Park Challenge:

   Chris noted that the list of people interested in participating in the Theme Park Challenge is very short and encouraged participation. The prize money is $1,000. Janet passed around a copy of EDEN, the newsletter of the California Garden and Landscape History Society (cglhs.org) that had recently published an article on the Theme Park Challenge. Oakland Magazine, ASLA LAND Online, and the ASLA Preservation Network have also done pieces on the challenge. Challenge deadline is 10 July 2010.

3. Leicester B. Holland Prize Competition:

   Chris mentioned a new annual competition that recognizes the best single-sheet measured drawing of an historic building, site, or structure (prepared to the standards of HABS, HAER, or HALS). The deadline for submissions is 30 June 2011. PGA is interested in participating.

1. Soccer Complex in Golden Gate Park:

   Katherine Howard of the Golden Gate Park Preservation Alliance explained the situation in the west end of Golden Gate Park where a new soccer complex is proposed to replace the existing meadow-like athletic fields behind the windbreak, directly east of the Beach Chalet and south of the Tulip Garden and windmill. The project was granted a CEQA categorical exemption in 2005, but that decision was withdrawn. The SF Planning Department is now reviewing documents on the project and will come to a CEQA determination soon. The group agreed that this work would dramatically change the cultural landscape and unanimously voted that a letter would be written by Katherine Howard and Gretchen Hilyard on behalf of HALS NCC that a proper review process should be followed. This letter will be circulated to the membership for review before the final is sent. Ms. Howard detailed her impressive collection of existing documentation, and impressed the urgency of the situation on the group. Most notably, she notes that the community is not aware of the project.

   The HALS related issues that caused the most concern regarding the negative effects this project would impose included 60' light poles that are intended to be on from before sunset to 10 pm daily (year round) which would be detrimental to enjoyment of the sunset at Ocean Beach and would give this area an urban park feel which is the antithesis of the environment of the west end of Golden Gate park. The group was also concerned with the removal of trees and other vegetation from the area that will be extensive due to expected survival rates through the construction process.

   In addition, this project may become a model for future development and HALS NCC might rely on local preservation of small historic golf courses for precedent.

2. Context Statements:

   Mary Brown, Planner with the City of San Francisco handed out a Context Statement outline of Modernist Landscape Design in San Francisco. The list includes Institutional, Commercial, Planned and Private Residential sites, influences, and local Landscape Architects. She asked the group to review it and let her know if there were any names or locations that should be added to the list, or if there are resources that her office may not have discovered yet. Biographies will be written for key petitioners. The context statement will become part of a larger database of these sites and people and currently spans from 1930 to 1970. The time frame may be expanded if a defensible argument can be made to include a site or person that doesn't currently fit. Deadline is 30 September 2010.

3. Western Hills Rare Plant Nursery:

   Betsy Flack explained the history of the nursery and that since the original owner died in 1991, the nursery has been struggling. Historically, this nursery has been a place of inspiration and learning for writers, designers, landscape architects, and horticulturalists. The Garden Conservancy is concerned and documentation funds have been applied for. The nursery is now in foreclosure and a friends group is working to maintain it and coordinate with the bank for access to the site. She and other volunteers have begun developing a site plan, tree survey, and plant list but they need help. She feels that the nursery should become a public garden, but the site is threatened and unprotected from re-development by any buyer.

4. Berkeley Women's City Club:

   Chris Pattillo proposed this project and noted that the Club was designed by Julia Morgan. She notes that the two courtyards and roof garden are small and would make for a good quick project; it has a friends group, and some documentation. We do not know who the Landscape Architect was (if any). It is close to downtown Berkeley.

5. China Camp:

   Chris Pattillo also proposed China Camp for its historic context as a former Chinese Shrimp harvesting facility. She mentioned that it is nearly without planting, the site is mostly an old pier, buildings, and paths. It would also be a small project for a team to survey and document. There may be an opportunity to apply for a grant from the state of California.

6. Sun House:

   Chris Pattillo also proposed Sun House as a small project. It was formerly owned by John Hudson, a doctor turned ethnologist and painter Grade Hudson. It is a manageable four acres and there is a scaled plan available from the National Register. The garden retains some integrity including trees, a totem pole, pond, and original stone benches. There is an existing museum on the site and the beginnings of a friends group.

7. Four Private Residences:

   Cate Bainton noted that the designers of the Halprin Garden, Royston& Stein Gardens, Osmundson Garden and Fleming Garden had passed away in recent years and that these gardens were all still in the family's possession. Betsy Flack noted that the Fleming garden may be of particular interest because it is a unique native plant garden and still intact.

8. Next Projects:

   The group generated a list of projects that we might take on next. Cathy Garrett suggested that we focus first on landscapes that are threatened. Chris Pattillo reminded the group that we had asked for an inventory form for new projects, that the presence of a friends group would be immensely helpful, and that if there wasn't a site survey (or the site was small and discrete enough not to need one), that could be an impediment.

   The group reviewed the list of proposed projects that had submitted some form of documentation. Below is the entire list we discussed. In italics are those that included paperwork (or would in short order) and in underlined bold are those that were voted to be the next projects:

   • Park Merced
   • Crown Memorial State Beach, Alameda
   • Western Hills Nursery, Occidental (acceptance dependent on access)
   • Soccer Complex at Golden Gate Park's west end
   • Sun House, Ukiah
   • China Camp, San Rafael
   • Berkeley Women's City Club, Berkeley
   • San Francisco playgrounds
   • San Francisco National Cemetery
   • Greenwood Common, Berkeley
   • Halprin Garden (private residence)
   • Royston & Stein Gardens (private residences)
   • Fleming Garden (private residence)
   • Osmundson Garden (private residence)
   • Cleveland Cascade, Oakland
   • Something modernist
   • Royston Playground
   • Dolores Park
   • Wellesley Park, Redwood City

   Due to threat of loss, our priorities will be the Soccer Complex at Golden Gate Park and Western Hills Rare Plant Nursery (if we are allowed access by the bank). The other sites will be included as people are available and they can be completed. New projects are welcome to be proposed, the list will remain open-ended.