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Construction of school at 765 Portola
Road
Town Incorporation
From 1964 to 1975, Town Hall was located in the stone building
formerly known as the Mangini tavern and picnic grounds, at the
Alpine Hills Swim & Tennis Club.
Establishment of Town’s Geologic
Program
Dr. Dwight Crowder, a Geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey,
(USGS), Town resident, and member of the Town’s Conservation
Committee, recommended geologic mapping and adoption of development
regulations to limit exposure to hazards.
Geologic Hazards Committee
The committee endorsed the recommendations of Dr. Crowder to the
Town Council. Members included geologists with worldwide reputations,
including Professor Ben Page (Stanford) and Dr. Robert Wallace (USGS)
among others.
State of California Essential Services
Building Seismic Safety Act
OVERVIEW:
The Essential Services Building Seismic Safety Act sets standards
to ensure that essential facilities can withstand seismic activity
greater than non-essential services structures.
“Essential Services Buildings” are those which are used
or designed to be used as a fire station, police station, emergency
operations center, California Highway Patrol Office, sheriff’s
office, or emergency communications dispatch
center.
Mapping of the traces of the San Andreas
Fault by Bill Dickenson of
Stanford University.
Hiring of first Town Geologist, Dr.
Arvid Johnson, (Stanford), succeeded
by Dr. Jon Cummings and current Town Geologist, Bill Cotton.
Ad Hoc Geologic Committee
OUTCOME:
Ordinance 1973-119, establishing fault setback requirements for
the Town.
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“The likelihood of surface rifting
and accompanying ground motions of significant to disastrous
proportions along the San Andreas Fault in the mid-Peninsula
some time in the next few decades is a matter of general agreement
among earth scientists. Accumulating evidence and growing
tectonic theory continue to strengthen this view.”
George Mader, Town Planner
March 1972
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H.J. Degenkolb & Associates Structural
Engineers Report commissioned by PV School District to evaluate
the seismic safety of the school buildings
FINDINGS:
“ . . .The principal buildings (are) well designed to withstand
the strongest earthquake shaking. In the case of shearing, caused
by the movement of ground under a building, it was forecast that
the entire building or large portions would collapse.”
Alquist-Priola Earthquake Zoning Act,
State of California
OVERVIEW:
Sets forth minimum fault investigation and approval requirements
for all cities and counties. Requires fault investigations for subdivisions
of five or more parcels and developments of four or more houses.
The Act provides that no structure subject to its provisions be
placed closer to a fault than 50 feet unless studies approved by
the local agency support a lesser setback, but in no case may such
a structure cross a fault trace.
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“ . . .Ground rupture, strong ground
shaking and ground warping are the main seismic hazards that
threaten the existing buildings on the school property. None
of the major buildings are clearly free of the threat of ground
rupture and therefore should not be used for human occupancy.
I would recommend that the Town abandon its proposal to purchase
the school property, unless a detailed geologic investigation
is undertaken. It
should be made clear that even after an exhaustive geologic
investigation, this property may remain to be of little value
for public buildings intended for human occupancy.”
Bill Cotton, Town Geologist
Letter Report to Councilmember
John Wilson June 8, 1974
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Town of Portola Valley Resolution No
500-1974
OUTCOME:
Approved and adopted “Geologic Map” and “Movement
Potential of Undisturbed Ground” and established land use policies
for lands shown on the maps.
Mapping by State Geologist – Released
Alquist-Priolo Special Studies Zone Map covering Portola Valley
Adoption of Geologic Criteria for all
Development in Town
Purchase of Town Center Site from the
School District
Adoption of Seismic Safety Element of
the Town’s General Plan
Town’s Administrative Staff locates
in Administration Building
H.J. Degenkolb & Associates Structural
Engineers Report on Town Center Structures (Commissioned by Town)
OUTCOMES:
Town decided to limit occupancy in the Artists’ Studios and
to create a flexible wall between Rooms 8 & 10, with storage
only in Room 10.
Woodward-Clyde Consultants Seismic
Investigation of the San Andreas Fault crossing the school site
FINDINGS:
Confirmed the location of the Woodside Trace close to where surface
fault rupture was documented to have crossed Portola
Road in 1906.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA),
Title II: Public Sector Services
REQUIREMENT:
Title II prohibits state and local governments from discriminating
against persons with disabilities or from excluding participation
or denying benefits of programs, services or activities to persons
with disabilities. Public sector entities should have completed
a Transition Plan for barrier removal
to guarantee program access by July 26, 1992.
Americans with Disabilities Act, Title
II: Public Sector Services
REQUIREMENT:
Public Sector entities must complete a full
Self-Evaluation of all policies and practices by January
26, 1993.
Americans with Disabilities Act, Title
II: Public Sector Services
REQUIREMENT:
Structural changes that are required
in the Transition Plan were to be
completed by this date. The Town is currently not in compliance
with Title II of the ADA.
Ad Hoc Town Center Facilities Committee
OUTCOME:
Studied Town Center facilities and made recommendations to the Town
Council concerning space allocation & improvements, as well
as addressing ADA issues.
Town Center Master Plan – Scheme
“C”
PROPOSAL:
Add ADA-compliant restrooms to MUR; addition to Administration
Building to make it ADA compliant; construct Emergency
Services/Shop Building.
Renovation of Historic Schoolhouse
Complete renovation of the Historic Schoolhouse, including full
seismic upgrade
to meet current Building Codes.
El Nino Storms resulted in severe damage
to Upper Alpine Road, causing
the Town to temporarily forgo further planning for the Town Center.
Design of Portions of Scheme “C”
(from 1997 Town Center Master Plan)
PROPOSAL:
Add ADA-compliant restrooms to MUR and Historic Schoolhouse;
addition to Administration Building to make it ADA compliant;
construct maintenance facility/corporation yard.
Ad Hoc Town Center Facilitation Committee
OUTCOME:
Developed Mission Statement for Town Center. Four conceptual schemes
with preliminary ballpark costs were presented to the committee
for review; of these Option “D” was chosen by the Council.
We would attempt to rebuild the Town Center Buildings largely in
place and over time.
Phase 1:
Demolition of existing Town Administration Building; temporary office
trailers provided for Town Staff to use; rebuild Town Administration
Building in same location, behind the earthquake fault setback line.
Demolition of existing science/nature room; relocation of science/nature
room into classroom 8. Construction of a new Corporation Building
and Yard on the vacant land next to the MUR. All other functionality
and buildings on site retained.
Phase 2:
Demolition of classroom building next to schoolhouse. Addition to
the existing library to house the science room and natural history
archives plus seismic upgrade of the library. Demolition of artist
studios. Construction of an art room, dance studio and new, smaller
artist studios (dance studio would be enlargement of green room
in MUR). Seismic upgrade of MUR. Demolition of classrooms 8,9.10.
Building a pavilion and opening of the creek.
Town
Council approved contract for architectural design services related
to Option D
Due to the close proximity of proposed Town Center improvements
to the mapped traces of the San Andreas Fault, the Town sought a
Fault Investigation Analysis for the Town Center site. The analysis
was undertaken by Geomatrix Consultants, Inc.
The Fault Investigation Analysis was submitted to Bill Cotton,
Town Geologist, for geologic peer review. He concluded the report
was inadequate and he recommended completion of trenching at the
Town Center.
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“As you are aware, the entire Town
Center complex lies within the San Andreas Fault zone and
indeed some portion of the existing buildings may lie astride
the active trace(s) of the fault. As the Town Geologist, naturally
our first recommendation would be to encourage the Town to
consider alternative sites for the Town Hall that are not
located within the San Andreas rift zone. If an alternative
site is not feasible, we recommend that a very detailed fault
investigation become part of the scope-of-work necessary for
the new Town Center.”
Bill Cotton, Town Geologist
Geologic Evaluation Letter to Town Administrator Angela Howard
June 13, 2001
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“Through the Portola Valley,
and for about 3 miles northwest of Woodside, the fracture
runs in a continuous and almost straight line. At a little
distance, it looks as though a furrow had been run down the
valley with a big plow. In places the earth has been piled
up into ridges 2 or 3 feet high, and at other places fissures
have been opened that measure 2 ½ feet in width.”
Tim Hall, Geologist, Member,
Geologic Safety Committee
(July 2001) quoting a report by Tabor about the 1906 earthquake
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“We are certain that surface faulting has passed through
the Town Hall site in 1906 and that it will happen again in
the future, but we are uncertain as to when, where and how
(pattern) it will do so.”
Bill Cotton, Town Geologist
July 27, 2001
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Geomatrix
Seismic Investigation of the nearby White Property (formerly Jelich)
and land immediately south
FINDINGS:
Clearly identified active faulting in the vicinity of the mapped
Woodside Trace. The exact trend and location of the active Woodside
Trace was not defined with certainty as it crossed the property.
In addition, Geomatrix identified young surface faulting on the
Spring Ridge property, located immediately south of the Lands of
White.
Ad
Hoc Fault Setback Committee
OUTCOMES:
Recommended revisions to fault setbacks; sent to Planning Commission
for review and adoption.
Request
for Proposals -- Seismic Site Assessment, Town Center Project
SCOPE:
Primarily focused on collection and evaluation of subsurface information
to address the potential risk associated with surface fault rupture
and ground deformation (tilting and warping). Estimation of anticipated
levels of ground shaking from a ground-
rupturing earthquake and recording of subsurface evidence of liquefaction
Phases
I & II Seismic Investigation by William Lettis & Associates
FINDINGS:
The Woodside trace is not a simple, single through-going fault.
It consists of a complex zone of deformation associated with tilting,
warping, folding and brittle surface-fault rupture along northwest
and northeast-striking faults.
Phase
III Seismic Investigation by William Lettis & Associates
FINDINGS:
Report reviewed by Town Geologist, and currently under review by
State of California Geological Survey. Report findings indicate
that active secondary faults do not cross the northwestern
portion of the Town Center site. Preliminary input from the State
Geological Survey is positive with respect to investigation findings.
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“It’s very powerful, very clear evidence of a complex
fault zone,” said Mr. Lettis (William Lettis, Ph.D. Geologist).
He said that with the next big earthquake, the landscape of
Town Center could warp by one to two feet, and the surface
of the ground could break by one foot or more.
The Country Almanac
May 29, 2002
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“Preliminarily, we have cleared a rectangular
parcel in the tennis-court area that is appropriate for building.”
said John Baldwin of William Lettis & Associates. “There’s
no evidence of surface-fault rupture across the (tennis-court
area of the) site within the last 1,000 years or so.”
Portola Valley Newsletter
Fall 2002
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Ad
Hoc Town Center Location Committee
SITES CONSIDERED:
- Current Town Center Site
- Orchard on Portola Road (adjacent to Town Center)
- Nathhorst Triangle (at least 2 possible configurations)
- Los Trancos Triangle
- Alpine Road @ Paso del Arroyo
- Rossotti’s Field
- Stanford Wedge
- Glen Oaks Horse Park
- Ford Field
- Country Offices
- Pollock Office Building
NARROWED FIELD DOWN TO:
- Current Town Center Site
- Various Nathhorst Configurations
- Stanford Wedge
RECOMMENDATION:
Current Town Center Site
PRINCIPAL CONSIDERATIONS:
Cost, Site Area, Sequencing of Construction, Historical Continuity
Town
Center Project Public Workshop (April 8, 2003)
OVERVIEW:
The workshop was held to:
- Inform residents about historic use of Town Center facilities, seismic evaluations
conducted on the Town Center site, and committee planning efforts concerning the Town Center.
- Identify concerns and issues pertaining to structural integrity, disability access,
seismic setback and building code requirements regarding existing Town Center buildings; and
- Provide an opportunity for dialogue between residents, Town staff and Councilmembers.
OUTCOME:
Then-Mayor Driscoll asked for names of persons who would be interested in forming a committee to advise
the Council on the Town Center Project. At the April 23, 2003 Town Council meeting, the Mayor, with
concurrence of the Council, appointed a "Town Center Citizens' Advisory Committee."
Town
Center Citizens' Advisory Committee
OUTCOMES:
The committee formed two sub-committees: 1) Finance; and 2) Facility Function/Activities. The Finance sub-committee prepared a report titled "Finance Sub-committee Portola Valley Town
Center Renovation Committee." Another task group prepared a questionnaire distributed to committee members, the results of which are
titled "Town Center Citizens' Advisory Committee Questionnaire Results."
The committee of the whole, formed as small working groups, also prepared six site reports, which evaluated
potential sites for location of a new Town Center. These site reports include:
- Existing Town Center Buildings at Front of Site
- Town Center Outside of Fault Setbacks
- Ford Park
- El Mirador/Town Center
- Nathhorst Triangle
- Stanford Wedge
Advocates of each site presented the site reports to the Council as unedited documents; no committee
consensus was reached on the content of the reports.
Phase IV Seismic
Investigation by William Lettis & Associates (reported to Town Council on February 9, 2004)
FINDINGS:
Report reviewed by Town Geologist, and filed with the State of California Geological Survey. Report
findings indicate that active secondary faults do not cross the southwestern portion (Russ Miller
soccer field) of the Town Center site. Report also included a recommended building setback map. Input from
the State Geological Survey is positive with respect to investigation findings.
Town and
Library Staff Presentation Concerning Town Center Project (November 12, 2003)
OVERVIEW:
Town and Library Staff gave a presentation to the Town Council that included:
- Heightened staff awareness of the dangers involved in occupying the existing Town Center
buildings;
- Building code changes that had been adopted since the buildings were constructed;
- Lack of compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (disabled accessibility);
- Lack of room for expansion in the existing buildings;
- Lack of heat in the maintenance shop;
- Problems and limitations with the existing corporation yard;
- Safety issues concerning the large expanse of un-tempered glass in the Library; and
- Potential loss of liability insurance due to the condition of the existing Town Center buildings
RECOMMENDATIONS:
- Relocation of Town staff to a portable or modular office building
- Installation of protective film on the large Library windows
Town
Council Approval of Protective Film Installation on Large Library Windows
Town
Council Policy Decisions Concerning Town Center Project (February 9, 2004)
DECISIONS:
- The current buildings on the site represent an unacceptable risk, particularly in light
of the most recent geologic investigations. The Town is exposed to unnecessary liability and uncertain
future availability of basic insurance. And the buildings have aged to their full lifetimes and declined
in health. They should be abandoned.
- There is room at the back (western portion) of the current site to safely and efficiently
build a new Town Center complex, and to replace the current buildings with open recreation facilities. The
most recent geologic investigations have fully confirmed this fact.
- The Town should endeavor to provide for all the current uses at a new Town Center complex,
and generally continue to provide facilities that enrich the broadest spectrum of citizens, consistent with
our economic capability to fund it.
- The Town Council should seek to fund these efforts, over time, out of running revenues,
and avoid public financing, if possible. The next priority for funds should be public contributions. Only
as a last resort should the Town attempt to raise further funds via bonds or other taxation.
- The construction of this process should be tackled in phases after an initial master plan,
so that uses can be "rolled" from existing buildings to the new buildings, where feasible. The order should
be to do the Town Administration and related facilities first, followed by the library and other cultural
and recreational amenities second, with lowest priority going to uses serving few residents with special
facilities.
- The Town is blessed with a wide range of valuable citizen expertise and therefore should
involve the public in the master planning and design of the complex and its phases through the use of a
public Charrette process.
Request for
Qualifications - Architectural Services, Town Center Project
SCOPE:
Requested submissions from qualified firms to provide architectural services to the Town including:
- Development and implementation of a "Community Design Charrette" process;
- Master planning of the Town Center campus; and
- Preparation of design and construction documents for select Town Center buildings.
Town Council
Policy Decisions Concerning Town Center Project: (March 24, 2004)
DECISIONS:
- Move as rapidly as possible to complete the new Town Center facilities. The greatest
safety for our residents and staff is accomplished by placing them in permanent modern facilities built
to the latest earthquake standards.
- As recommended by the Town Attorney, place appropriate signage on all buildings and revise
disclosure forms. Place signs on all buildings describing the potential earthquake risks. Strengthen
language used on the Earthquake Hazard Disclosure Forms.
- Limit the use of the MUR and any other facility at risk. Restrict use of MUR to
Portola Valley activities only. No NEW class usage. No rental for weddings or non-town social events.
Other rooms at risk should have no new usage approved.
- Enter into a 3-year lease-purchase agreement for a 3200 square foot modular as a
Town Administration building. (Agreement approved April 28, 2004).
- Enter into a 3-year lease-purchase agreement for temporary modular classroom
buildings. (Postponed)
Town Council
Adoption of "Policy for Temporary Buildings Within Earthquake Fault Setbacks" (April 14, 2004)
Town Council
Agreement with Siegel & Strain, Architects for Phase I, Architectural Services, Town Center Project (April
28, 2004)
Town staff
moves out of former Town Administration Building and into modular Town Administration Building located next to
the Historic Schoolhouse on the Town Center property.
Town Council
sent each resident a "Summary/Checklist of Community Suggestions & Issues (1997-2004) Facilities, Features and
Qualities of a New Town Center"
OVERVIEW:
Requested each resident to place a check mark next to the facilities and policy matters that they felt were
most important. Also provided an opportunity for residents to submit new ideas/proposals.
Phase I,
Town Center Project, Siegel & Strain Architects and Goring and Straja Architects
A. "Community Design Charrette" Process
OVERVIEW:
Siegel & Strain Architects, Goring and Straja Architects, and Public Affairs Management conducted a series
of "Community Design Charrettes"
- Work Session #1 - Town Center Project Introduction
- Work Session #2 - Sustainable Design and Site Walk
- Work Session #3 - Town Center Puzzle: Developing Site Plan Possibilities
- Work Session #4 - First Draft Conceptual Site Plan
B. Master Planning of the Town Center Campus
OVERVIEW:
Siegel & Strain Architects and Goring and Straja Architects refined a Master Plan for the Town Center
campus through input received at the following series of meetings:
- Town Council Special Sessions - September 8, October 13, and November 3, 2004
- Planning Commission and ASCC Joint Meeting - September 13, 2004
- Meetings with Town Committees - Weeks of September 13 and 20, 2004
The Draft Final Portola Valley Town Center Conceptual Master Plan was presented at a Special Town Council
meeting on November 3, 2004 and accepted at a Regular Town Council meeting on November 10, 2004.
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