SRCS Board of Education - Special Study Session
San Rafael City Schools
July 27, 2015 4:00PM
District Office - Boardroom
310 Nova Albion Way
San Rafael, CA 94903
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President Natu Tuatagaloa, Vice President Rachel Kertz, Trustee Linda M. Jackson, Trustee Greg Knell, Trustee Maika Llorens Gulati |
President Tuatagaloa convened the meeting Open Session at 4:05 PM.
Trustees present:
Natu Tuatagaloa
Rachel Kertz
Linda M. Jackson
Greg Knell
Trustee Llorens Gulati was absent. |
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| Marcus Hibser led the Pledge of Allegiance. |
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The following individuals addressed the Board regarding the agendized item:
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Jackie Schmidt of the Montecito HOA |
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The Board will be presented with the final K-12 Master Facilities Plan for review and recommended approval. |
BACKGROUND: Due to the ongoing overcrowding across the District over the past several years, it is necessary to evaluate each campus throughout the District and determine the ability to increase capacity for each school based on certain criteria (e.g. existing site conditions, location, acreage, etc.). In 2014, Hibser Yamauchi Architects was selected by the district as a qualified architectural firm to complete site evaluations, needs assessment and recommendations for designs that can address ongoing needs and create a greater level of capacity to address current and future overcrowding. Hiber Yamauchi Architects' technical knowledge, practical approach and ability to communicate with staff, parents and the community provided a structured and inclusive master facilities planning process.
CURRENT CONSIDERATIONS: The Contract Agreement for Architectural Services between San Rafael City Schools and Hibser Yamauchi Architects for the Master Planning Services for San Rafael City Schools to complete a Master Facilities Plan K-12, was approved by the Board on February 24, 2014. The master planning process included meetings with central office staff, school site staff, students, parents, and community members to understand individual school site and community needs. The process included: - Initial site visits
- Team meetings (Facilities staff, M&O staff, IT staff, etc.)
- Site "visioning" meetings
- Executive Committee Meetings
- Public/Community Meetings
- Governing Board Meetings
The Master Facilities Plan was drafted based on the input and recommendations from 34 site/community meetings with over 680 staff, parents, neighbors, and community members in attendance. The draft Master Facilities Plan was presented to the Board for review and comment on April 1, 2015. The Final Master Facilities Plan, which is being presented for review and approval, has incorporated feedback from all of the input gathered at the various visioning site committees as well as Board and staff input. It includes a 10-year master plan for each school site (K-12), a site needs assessment by school, and cost estimates for all schools in the District with an overall cost estimate for both the San Rafael City Elementary District and the San Rafael City High School District. It also includes a Funding Options Report detailing information on various State and Local potential funding opportunities. In addition, staff has worked with the financial team of Bruce Kerns of Stifel, Nicolaus, & Co, and Greg Isom, of Isom Advisers, to develop bonding capacity information for both districts. Based on the assumptions approved by the board in June, as well as current preliminary property valuations provided by the County of Marin Department of Finance, the current bonding capacity for both Districts will be provided. Staff has also work with architect Marcus Hibser, and School Facilities Consultants to estimate new construction and/or modernization eligibility for each school. All of this financial information as well as funding estimates for Proposition 39 energy efficiency funds from the State, has been used to estimate potential resources to fund the implementation of the Master Facilities Plan. Based on the analysis of the potential funding available and the cost estimates for the Master Facilities Plan, it will be necessary to develop an implementation plan based on 2 or more phases. A draft of a Phase I implementation plan will be presented for review and comment.
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Approval of the Final Master Facilities Plan K-12. |
Approval of the Final Master Facilities Plan K-12. Passed with a motion by Greg Knell and a second by Linda Jackson. |
Yes Linda Jackson.
Yes Rachel Kertz.
Yes Greg Knell.
Yes Ms. Maika Llorens Gulati.
Yes Natu Tuatagaloa.
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CBO Thomas introduced Marcus Hibser of Hibser Yamauchi Architects, bond attorney David Cascanova, Charles Heath of TBWB consultants and co-consultant Paul Cohen who presented the final master facilities plan and bond capacity recommendations for board approval.
President Tuatagaloa acknowledged Mr. Hibser’s work on the master facilities plan over the last 2 years, holding many site and community stakeholder meetings and incorporating feedback received from stakeholders into the development of the plan. President Tuatagaloa noted the concerns recently heard from the surrounding community regarding the proposed SRHS stadium development.
Mr. Hibser reviewed the planning process that has gone into the creation of the master facilities plan. Assessments were done at each campus to determine the condition of all facilities. In addition, district administration was consulted to talk about other districtwide needs such as technology and needed upgrades at facilities. Capacity and size issues were considered. A Master Facilities Plan Executive Committee discussed how big school campuses should be as well as the configuration of campuses. Funding and budgeting were considered. Visioning meetings were held at each school campus. Sign in sheets at the various meetings reflect 410 school and community stakeholders who participated in the meetings, with the note that others who also attended, but did not sign in.
Mr. Hibser reported on plan changes that were made since the Board reviewed the draft master facilities plan in April when they provided the direction for reopening of the Old Gallinas site, a modified K-8 at Venetia Valley, and the maximum size of Davidson MS to be 1400 students. He defined the master facilities plan as setting the vision for each campus, with focus on safety and security, infrastructure issues, relief for overcrowding and maintaining needed play spaces. Mr. Hibser noted projected master facilities costs in the ESD that are greater than ESD bonding capacity have spurred funding discussions.
Mr. Hibser provided an update of the plans at each campus, noting changes that have been made after site committees, community, board and district administration input. He noted that a traffic engineer will be hired to study traffic concerns around the district. He responded to trustee questions regarding the SRHS campus - pathway from the field to the gym, and the change of address from Mission Avenue to 3rd Street.
Mr. Hibser addressed projected costs including construction and ‘soft’ costs such as fees and hiring of consultants for all phases: ESD $272.5M and HSD $181M.
Trustee Llorens Gulati arrived at 4:40 PM.
President Tuatagaloa opened Public Comment on the master facilities plan. Audience members provided input and asked questions which Mr. Hibser and staff addressed, regarding:
- The pull out lane in front of MHS and the high traffic area around the blind curb; suggestion to have someone monitoring this area during high traffic times. - Mr. Hibser noted the traffic consultant will provide a professional opinion for this area.
- Have the traffic consultant also study the Venetia Valley and Old Gallinas areas – Mr. Hibser also noted that buses will be encouraged and work will be done with parents and sites to discourage student dropoffs. Trustee Jackson suggested also talking with the JCC, the county, and safe routes to schools.
- Delineation of unincorporated property line at SRHS.
- Elimination of palm trees, the use of the new parking near the tennis courts, and gating by the gym for the neighborhood – Ms. Thomas reviewed the addition of this parking was for school site staff and has been used by some outside users to get cars off the street. President Tuatagaloa suggested adding a gate for the neighborhood to have access to the tennis courts as in the past.
- Suggestion to keep the stadium plans where they were before moving it south toward 3rd Street, to allow for more parking. In response to questions about neighborhood input, Mr. Hibser explained that should the plan be approved and the bond measures passed, the district will begin the design process for all the details of the projects which will include neighborhood input.
- CEQA compliance - Mr. Hibser noted the district will hire a CEQA consultant separately for all projects, including the SRHS stadium and all uses for it. Attorney Phil Henderson who was present to answer questions, provided a brief outline of the CEQA process which will define what is happening at each site. SRHS/MHS would be considered one CEQA project. He also responded to questions regarding environmental impact reports.
- How much will Phase 1 cost? – Mr. Hibser defined two types of Phase 1; what can be afforded by the first bond, and that each site project will have a Phase 1.
- How differently can the plan change from the original approved plan after design begins; how much influence will the neighborhood have? – Mr. Hibser noted that during the schematic process is when the bigger changes can be made. Neighborhoods will be provided with opportunities for input.
- Will there be a facilities management plan for the use of the revitalized stadium? – Ms. Thomas noted that there will be a plan to determine the usage and scheduling of a newly refurbished stadium, and that the neighborhood would have input into it. She also noted that the district is already working on a formal address change for SRHS to the 3rd Street side. The 185 Mission Ave. address will be used for the relocation of Madrone HS.
- The childcare use of the building at the corner of Mission and Union – President Tuatagaloa encouraged the community to assist the district with support of the childcare needs.
- Is the SRHS stadium project separate from the bond measure? – Mr. Hibser clarified that the stadium project is part of the overall master plan.
- Projected stadium parking and stadium capacity – Ms. Thomas noted that the projected parking is approximately 240-250 spaces with the projected capacity for the grandstands to accommodate 1300 which is based on the student population for site use.
Mr. Hibser and staff responded to Trustee Jackson’s questions and suggestions regarding: a check in with the city regarding traffic near San Pedro, and the possibility of moving the exit to allow a left hand turn out of the campus; include the city in the study of traffic patterns at Venetia Valley; revisit the DMS annex plans to take up less room for a traffic turn – involve safe routes to schools; revisit the VV design to consider utilizing the dead space area created with the redesign of the 2 story building; rename Old Gallinas – staff noted that Old Gallinas is not included in the plans at this time, but the district will continue to keep partners that lease the facility informed; keep the view on the Southside to the iconic SRHS administration building for the community, and review drop off issues and traffic problems on the Southside. In response to Trustee Jackson’s questions regarding parity of projects and funds proposed at SRHS and TLHS, trustee Kertz noted that the TL community items are being addressed in the proposed plans. Ms. Thomas noted that the need to address the flood plain area of SRHS is what is driving the additional dollar costs at SRHS.
Mr. Hibser reviewed Phase 1 funding options and recommendations. He explained the Proposition 39 obligation bonds approval needed for a general election is 55%. The State facilities grant program is dependent on a state bond; a state bond measure is anticipated on the ballot in Nov. 2016. The Prop 39 grant program for sustainable energy efficiency upgrades to buildings is a potential funding source. Local funding through facilities use fees, maintenance funds are additional options. Other funding options are QZABs, joint use contributions and certificates of participation (COPs).
Mr. Hibser noted the amount potentially available to the ESD is approximately $120M with all potential funding. The total potential capacity for the HSD is approximately $166M. The priority for use of these funds would be to relieve overcrowding, resolve critical needs not covered in the last bond, safety improvements and addressing parity issues between sites.
He reviewed Phase 1 recommendations for each site. Some sites’ Phase 1 would include completion of the entire or nearly entire master plan for that site. He reviewed the ESD Phase 1 costs using modular construction for cost savings is $128.5M, pointing out the shortage of potential funding as compared to Phase 1 costs. Other funding options to fill the gap will continue to be studied.
He reviewed the HSD facilities focus has been to relieve overcrowding, to address critical needs not covered by the first bond, program improvement, campus safety, parking and traffic issues, and parity between campuses. He reviewed Phase 1 recommendations with most of the facilities plans being completed with the exception of: postponement of the reconstruction of the SRHS Performance Arts building to a future phase - the Bulldog theatre would not get an upgrade for now; and the renovation of the Terra Linda HS library. Phase 1 costs for the HSD are estimated to be $165M.
Mr. Hibser noted that Board approval of the master facilities plan would not specifically include the calendar for facility projects.
Trustee Llorens Gulati asked that traffic safety improvements at the back of the DMS campus be included in Phase 1. Staff noted the district will be partnering with Safe Routes to Schools to look at this area of the campus.
Trustee Jackson asked for consideration of improvements to the Bulldog theatre at SRHS in Phase 1. Ms. Thomas reviewed that some recent improvements have already been done to the building, noting that staff can look at doing something to the ceiling to address acoustical issues.
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Master Facilities Plan
Master Facilities Plan Site Assessments
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| There being no further business, President Tuatagaloa adjourned the study session at 5:49 PM. |
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