QUARTERLY MEETING

February 11, 2014 | NPS Pacific West Regional Office, San Francisco

Chair: Larkin Owens
Recorder: Gretchen Hilyard
Attendees: Gray Brechin, Jennifer deGraaf, Fredrica Drotos, Cathy Garrett, Vida Germano, Gretchen Hilyard, Ellen Johnck, Larkin Owens, Chris Pattillo, Sarah Raube, Julia Reitan, January Ruck, Valeria Vincent-Sancisi, Anthony Veerkamp, Alex Westhoff, Jan Wooley

Sarah Raube graciously hosted us at her office. We met in the conference room and enjoyed a presentation by Vida Germano about the University of Oregon Landscape Architecture Program's recent student project conducted in partnership with NPS. The student work was featured on illustrative boards hung around the room. The semester-long project studied the cultural landscape and treatment solutions for the Nuestra Senora Reina de la Paz site in Keene, California which is part of the Cesar E. Chavez National Monument. The site was the location of the headquarters of the United Farm Workers of America beginning in 1972 and is still actively used. The site is designated as a National Historical Landmark.

[2/26 update from Vida Germano: I am told by the grant manager, that the second year of the NCPTT grant to study cultural landscapes threatened by climate change will include a broad spectrum of landscapes, including those on the west coast. This is currently the pilot year of the project, which includes six east-coast cultural landscapes.]

Minutes:

1. Introductions

   All persons present introduced themselves to the group. Jan Wooley requested HALS volunteers to assist with a documentation session at the California Preservation Conference (April 2014) at Asilomar, which was designed by Julia Morgan and is located near Monterey, CA.

2. SHPO Subcommittee

   Cathy Garrett reported on the recent (December 4, 2013) meeting with Amanda Blosser of the State Office of Historic Preservation (SHPO).Cathy and Janet Gracyk attended on behalf of HALS-NCC. The goal of these meetings is to determine how the goals of HALS and SHPO overlap and explore opportunities for collaboration. Cathy discussed the importance of developing a shared vocabulary about landscapes and we will be working with SHPO to create this vocabulary illustrated with case studies. The next meeting will be held in March 2014.

3. China Camp Progress

   Ellen Johnck reported that no progress has been made to advance the China Camp documentation since our last meeting. Ellen is no longer able to head up this effort and is looking for volunteers to take it over. She asked the group to assist in brainstorming ideas for completion of the project. Progress to date includes completion of the site survey, photography, research, a rough draft narrative, and 75% of the drawings. Julia Reitan expressed interest in learning more about the project and possibly could assist with the project, Jennifer deGraaf said she could mentor a volunteer to finish the drawings, and Gretchen Hilyard offered to review the narrative once completed. It was also suggested that we email the entire HALS-NCC email list to solicit volunteers to assist with this effort.

4. HALS Heroes Initiative

   HALS Heroes is a $1,000 stipend granted by the chapter for completion of HALS documentation (drawings or photographs). Chris Pattillo reported that she is still awaiting submission of final 4x5 photographs of the Oakland Museum from Dane Pollok. The final deadline has been extended to May 1, 2014 and Chris will inform Dane of this. New project applications are always encouraged.

5. Berkeley Path Wanderers and Potential New HALS Project

   Fredrica Drotos updated the group on her proposal to document the public stair at Orchard Lane/Panoramic Hill in Berkeley designed by Henry Atkins in 1910. Frederica shared photos of the stair, which is elegantly designed and in deteriorated condition. The stair is a City of Berkeley Landmark and part of the Panoramic Hills National Register Historic District. Many architect-designed houses, including examples by Bernard Maybeck, Julia Morgan, Walter Steilberg, Frank Lloyd Wright, and others, front on the stair.

   The group decided to pursue documentation and consider the possibility of granting HALS Heroes funding to the project. Frederica will follow up with the Berkeley Path Wanders, Panoramic Hills Association, and Friends of Piedmont Way groups about possible fundraising opportunities. Cathy and Chris will assist in scoping the budget for the photos and drawings. They will report back on the progress at our next meeting.

6. Fulton Mall EIR

   Gretchen Hilyard reported that a joint EIR comment letter was submitted to the City of Fresno by The Cultural Landscape Foundation, California Preservation Foundation, National Trust for Historic Preservation and California Historical Society in support of preservation of the site and further exploration of a partial preservation alternative in the EIR. Anthony Veerkamp reported that the Fresno City Council approved the EIR at a recent meeting and that one of the alternatives that re-incorporates automobiles back into the pedestrian mall was approved. This is a very aggressive alternative and will likely compromise the historic integrity of the site. HALS-NCC plans no further action on the project at this time.

7. 2014 HALS Challenge and National News

   Chris Pattillo summarized the most recent HALS Liaison coordination meeting. There are several new members on the liaison group. This is David Driapsa's last year as HALS Liaison Coordinator and Chris Stevens will be taking over next year.

   The 2014 HALS challenge will be to document landscapes of the New Deal. The goal is 100 short form submissions by the deadline in July 2014. Chris sent out an announcement to the HALS-NCC email list after the meeting to solicit documentation projects from our members. Jan Wooley recommended documentation of State Parks many CCC sites. Jan will follow up with a list of sites to the email list. Cate Bainton and Chris will manage the list of submissions again this year to ensure that there isn't overlap in site selection. Winners of the challenge will be announced at the ASLA Annual Meeting in Denver, CO November 21-24, 2014.

8. HALS-NCC 10th Anniversary Party Save the Date: Saturday, October 11, 2014

   The party will be a potluck picnic in a landscape (location TBD). The picnic will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the group! Larkin Owens will send a Save the Date email to the email list.

9. William Cole Winery Thomas Church Garden

   Larkin Owens reported on an advocacy request received for the William Cole Winery in St. Helena. The Thomas Church garden on site is threatened by a proposal to widen the existing driveway from 14' to 20'. Larkin offered to write a letter of support on behalf of the group to encourage preservation of the garden and use of the CA Historical Building Code.

10. Announcements and Upcoming Events
    • Friday, March 7, 5-7pm: Gray Brechin will give a lecture at UC Berkeley (315 Wheeler Hall) called "Ruin in Progress" about the two Hearst Plans for the campus.
    • March 27 and 28th 2014: The National Association of Olmsted Parks symposium about Frederic Law Olmsted, Jr's work in the west will be held at Stanford University.
    • ASLA Annual Meeting: Denver, CO November 21-24, 2014.
    • Anthony Veerkamp told the group about a recent project undertaken by Robert Melnick of the Univ. of Oregon and funded by NCPTT to document 10 east coast landscapes threatened by climate change and encouraged the group to consider this issue on the west coast.

      [2/26 update from Vida Germano: I am told by the grant manager, that the second year of the NCPTT grant to study cultural landscapes threatened by climate change will include a broad spectrum of landscapes, including those on the west coast. This is currently the pilot year of the project, which includes six east-coast cultural landscapes.]

11. Upcoming Meetings
    • May 13, Petaluma
    • August, Lake Chalet Restaurant, Lake Merritt in Oakland