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8/5/1986 - Meeting Minutes MINUTES (P APPROVED 411 URBAN FORESTRY ADVISORY BOARD MEETING FEB - 3 1987 August 5, 1986 6 : 30 p.m. CITY RECORDER 414 City & County Building Present: Bob Burke Steve Schwab Lloyd Siegendorf Max Peterson Kathie Anderson Vern Jorgenson JoAnne Milner Larry Livingston Mary Pat Matheson Karen Salisbury Orson Gibb Peter Lassig Bill Schwab, Landmarks Committee Jan Striefel , Land Design Burtch Beall , Architect Announcements: 1 . Dates for Board Meetings through December were set. 2 . Lloyd Siegendorf brought in plaques for 12/13 Heritage trees and ask for sponsors to get publicity. • 3 . The agenda was accepted by the Board. If possible, meetings should be held to two hours. Subcommittee Report: Ordinance Virginia Lee Curtis, public attorney, is addressing the Legal Aspects and Public Nuisance definitions. Kathie Anderson is working on the Definition of Terms and the Appeals Process, and Steve Schwab will address the Biological Factors. A rough draft should be ready for the September 9th Board Meeting . The remainder of the meeting was devoted to the issue of the City & County Building Landscape Renovation . Bill Schwab, Landmarks Committee Staff Member , stated that the Landmarks Committee recommended the grounds be brought back to their original historic state or a condition compatible with the architecture of the building; including tree removal and replanting if necessary. This same idea was brought out in a letter from Peter Lassig to the Urban Forestry Board proposing that the landscape design achieve a style that is historically correct for the style of the building . Mr . Lassig submitted his letter to be included as part of 411 the minutes of this Board meeting . 1 411 110 The following recommendations regarding this project were made and voted on by the Board: I . Recommendation: Lloyd Siegendorf The existing landscape should be modified only to allow visual penetration through the site under a tall canopy provided by trees across a flat plain provided by the lawn . 2nd: Peter Lassig Vote: Aye: Unanimous II . Recommendation: Lloyd Siegendorf Support design alternatives that disturb the fewest number of trees while allowing for the greatest composition through accepted design principles of coherence, organization, geometric pattern, transition, scale, and light vs. shadow. Develop a stronger axial design that incorporates good design principles and preservation of existing healthy trees appropriate to the scale and proportion of the site and building entrance with a strong terminus. 2nd: Bob Burke Vote: Aye: Unanimous Steve Schwab stated that because of the length of the project and the !II crane movement, there will be some affect on the trees, i .e. , compaction, stress, removal , etc . . The five (5) trees being considered for removal on the west side of - the building were evaluated and given a total dollar value of approximately $13 ,000 .00. III . Recommendation: Kathie Anderson Approve proposed design for East entrance giving free hand to Land Design for the type of plantings to be used in the schrub planter . 2nd: Lloyd Siegendorf Vote: Aye: Mary Pat Matheson, Kathie Anderson, Lloyd Siegendorf, Bob Burke, Peter Lassig, JoAnne Milner . Opposed: Orson Gibb IV. Recommendation: Mary Pat Matheson There should be no parking on Washington Square in order to preserve and maintain the historic and aesthetic value of the building and grounds. The circle should remain for emergency vehicles, handicap, and drop off/pick up services. 2nd: Kathie Anderson Vote: Aye: Unanimous 410 411 410 Lloyd Siegendorf and JoAnne Milner were both excused for other committments . 010 V. There was much discussion regarding the health and vigor of the trees which included great concern for their care during the three years of construction and restoration . There should be a division of responsibility and labor written into the contract to provide necessary maintenance during the time of restoration, keeping in mind that a contractor cannot be expected to care for trees without the necessary knowledge and expertise to do so . Until the construction corridors are identified , soil samples are tested , etc. , further discussion and recommendations have been tabled on this subject. VI . Recommendation: Bob Burke Timing of all work which affects growing plants should be scheduled to least affect their health and vigor . Protection instructions regarding least disturbance to trunks, limbs, roots, and guarding against excessive compaction should be specified on plan drawings . Assure that the grounds are maintained and the existing trees watered during construction when the city has vacated the premises for those portions within the Contractor ' s domain . Three specific items to be addressed by the contractor are: 1 . Identify construction corridors. 2 . Test soil to determine current level of aeration. 3 . Return soil to pre-construction level of compaction through 411 vertical aeration. 2nd : Kathie Anderson Vote: Aye: Unanimous VII . Recommendation : Kathie Anderson Spreading plants should be used, ranging from ankle high to shin high, of a non-thorney, ground cover type, that will cover the earthquake superstructure and be consistant with the historic perspective . 2nd : Peter Lassig Vote: Aye: Unanimous VIII . Recommendation: Kathie Anderson Pruning should be done under the close supervision of the Urban Forester , either in early spring or late summer while the trees are in leaf, to accomplish the following desired objectives: Special Trees : Identify for the contractor bn the plan drawing those highly ornamental trees and deliniate on the plan how to prune . Identify on the plan those trees in need of major structural work and deliniate the work on the plan . 411 Identify trees on the plan in unhealthy competition and deliniate how 3 411 I to prune on the plan . Axis Trees : Prune for visual penetration to the building but preserve 411 the natural form of the trees. Perimeter Trees : Prune to create uniformity as a group, allow for visual penetration and preserve natural form. Quadrant Trees: Prune for optimum light penentration and preserve natural form. 2nd : Peter Lassig Vote: Aye: Unanimous IX. Recommendation: Kathie Anderson Establish economic priorities for project development as follows: 1 . The lawn should have no berms. It should be a forthright, uninterrupted flat ground plane that troves in a clean horizontal line from the periphery of the block to the base of the building . 2 . Provide for all paving improvements. 3 . Landscape the building foundation . 4 . Develop new east and west entry landscapes. 5 . Restore the northwest quadrant fountain. 6 . Provide site furnishings including lighting , benches, resepticles, and bike racks . 411 The Board also recommends that none of the alternate plans be developed . After lengthy discussion of the concerns of the Board members, a letter was drafted to Mayor Palmer DePaulis with these recommendations regarding design philosophy, priorities, and specific actions that would directly impact the trees . A copy of this letter is included as part of these minutes . lettrifrjA.4 1.,:•PROVED Meeting adjourned at 10 :05 . FEB - 31987 CITY RECORDER 411 411 411 411 5 Rugust Il$d To the Salt Lake City Urban Forestry Board: The focus of Washington Square is the City and County Building. Now that the committment has been made to restore the building, the landscape also needs to be reassed. Of most importance is the initial decision whether to preserve the existing eclectic gardens or to renew the grounds to a bold, beautiful landscape that is in harmony with the building. R resolution could be made to keep the existing landscape based on the piecemeal qualities that chronicle the different phases and styles of gardening that. have been popular in Salt Lake. If this route is chosen it means much less renovation. and lower planting costs. But it should be recongized that those initial savings will be eaten up by maintenance. • But even more authentic than restoring the grounds to what- has been around the building is to create a landscape that is historically correct to the style of the building. The Romanesque form of the building is a style developed by H. H.• Richardson in the late nineteenth century in reaction to the disordered eclecticism of the Victorian period. The Victorian era carpet flower beds, the Greek Revival groves, the ,Rustro - Hungarian rose beds, the morose thickets of shrubs of the R. J. Downing landscape style are all unsuited to bold Richardsonian architecture and are in direct opposition to the counter- eclecticism the architecture represents. Because of the confusing cacophony of landscape character of the present site we may want to abandon parts like the rose-garden, the carpet flower beds and thickets. If there is a roncensus, the fountain could remain. The famous Richarsonian stairhalls of the buildings interior offer free access and circulation, something not quite achieved on the grounds. Foundation plantings do no suit the design strength of the building and are so inappropriate they would seem more of an apology that an asset. The lawn should have no berms. It should be a forthright, uninterrupted flat ground plane that moves in a clean horizontal line from the periphery of the block to the base of the building. Capitalizing on the design strength and clarity of form in the architecture and eliminating the frivolity would he more practical with less maintenance while creating a landscape that honors the building. • • 411 SUMMARY The building stands alone and, like other Richardsononian buildings across the nation needs only a setting that would not dilute the power of the building as its own statement. Other sac! Richardsonian Romanesque buildings are simply surrounded by flat • lawn or plain level concrete. Elements that dissapate the visual strength and should be removed are: 1. The Victorian carpet flower beds. 2. The Greek Revival groves. 3. The Austria - Hungarian rose beds. 4. The deformed catalpas. 5. The foundation plantngs. 6. The thickets of shrubs. The Italianate fountain represents a substantial effort and • probably should he preserved and restored. It has a fine muscular quality and would have more visual power if the above visual distractions were removed. Do keep and where needed add trees that mirror the assending pillars, high arches and airy hallways of the building. Such trees are: Ash, Elm, Hackberry and Zelcovas. _ ,Respectfully Pete Lassig Esther Truitt ASLA Landscape Historian i Ii Your Salt Lake City ! Parks&Recreation 1965 West 500 South Salt Lake City,Utah 84104 Telephone 801 972-7800 • Palmer DePaulis,Mayor • John Gust,Director of Parks Urban Forestry Board August 13, 1986 • Mayor Palmer DePaulis 300 City & County Building Salt Lake City, UT. 84111 Dear Mayor DePaulis: On behalf of Salt Lake's newly formed Urban Forestry Board, I wish to express our pleasure to have this timely opportunity to make recommendations regarding the design and restoration of the Washington Square grounds around the City & County Building. • As that part of the Board's purpose which is to enhance the natural beauty of the City and encourage quality landscaping, the Board feels that a statement of design philosophy is as essential to the grounds as it is to the building if the building restoration itself is to be successful. For this to happen, • the existing landscape should be modified only so much as to allow visual penetration generally throughout the site under a tall canopy provided by the trees and across a flat plane provided by the lawns, thus leaving the building as easily seen below the canopy as it is above. There should be only so much pruning as to allow enough light penetration for the desired visibility goal and for better health and vigor of the entire growing environment. We submit a letter with these recommendations from Peter Lassig, Central Business District member, that would be historically correct for the building. A second purpose of the Board's recommendation deals with a committment to the heritage of Washington Square. The Board supports design alternatives that disturb the fewest number of trees while allowing for the best design composition brought about by accepted principles of coherence, organization, geometric pattern, transition, scale, and light vs. shadow. All construction people should know by reading the contract drawings and specifications that they are working on a unique project with a heritage entrusted to them as they work. Ultimately, the Board is concerned with the overall health and vigor of the growing environment of Washington Square during the construction period. Our recommendations would include a definition of duties and responsibilities of contractors and city grounds crews for their respective areas of grounds maintenance during construction. At this time the construction corridors and staging areas have not yet been clearly identified and; therefore, specific recommendations will be submitted at a later time when such areas • have been identified and studied. • Mayor Palmer DePau. -2- • August 13, 1986 • SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS FOR 70o REVIEW • EAST ENTRANCE Approve the proposed design giving free hand to Land Design for the type of plantings to be used in the shrub planter. WEST ENTRANCE • Support design alternatives that preserve the healthy trees on the site. Develop a strong axial design that incorporates the existing healthy trees along with other plantings appropriate to the scale and proportion of the building entrance. BUILDING FOUNDATION PLANTINGS Spreading plants of non-thorny ground cover type, ranging from ankle high to shin high that will cover the earthquake superstructure and is consistant . with the historic perspective as set forth in Mr. Lassig's letter. PARKING There should be no parking on Washington Square in order to preserve and maintain the historic and aesthetic value of the building and grounds. The circle drive should remain only for emergency vehicles, handicap, and drop-off/pick-up services. HEALTHY AND UNIQUE TREES A recommendation regarding such trees will be addressed after the construction corridors and staging areas have been identified. 411 INITIAL PRUNING PROGRAM Pruning should be done under the close supervision of the Urban Forester, either in the early spring or in the late summer while the trees are in leaf, to accomplish the following desired objectives: Special Trees: Identify for the contractor on. the plan drawing those highly ornamental trees and deliniate on the plan how to prune. Identify on the plan those trees in need of major structural work • and deliniate the work on the plan. Identify trees on the plan in unhealthy competition and deliniate how to prune on the plan. Axis Trees: Prune for visual penetration to the building but preserve the natural form of the trees. Perimeter Trees: Prune to create uniformity as a group, allow for visual penetration and preserve the natural form. Quadrant Trees: Prune for optimum light penetration and preserve natural form. PROTECTION AND SCHEDULING Timing of all work.which affects growing plants should be scheduled to minimally impact their health and vigor. Protection instructions regarding least disturbance to trunks, limbs, roots, and guarding against excessive compaction be specified on plan drawings. Assure that the grounds are maintained and the existing trees are watered during construction when the City has vacated the premises for those portions within the contractor's domain. There are three specific items the contractor should determine: Mayor Palmer DePau -3- August 13, 1986 - 1. Identify construction corridors and staging areas. • 2. Test soil structure to determine current level of compaction in those areas. 3. Return soil to pre-construction level of compaction through vertical aeration. PRIORITY OF DESIGN IMPLEMENTATION Establish economic priority of design implementation as follows and renovate the existing grounds with the following principles in mind: 1. The lawn should have no berms. It should be a forthright, uninterrupted flat ground plane that moves in a clean horizontal line from the periphery of the block to the base of the building. 2. Provide for paving improvements. 3. Landscape the building foundation. 4. Develop new east and west entry landscapes. 5. Restore the northwest quadrant fountain. '. 6. •Provide site furnishings including lighting, benches, receptacles and bike racks. The Board recommends that the alternates not be developed. The Board is of course interested in the issue of long term maintenance. We will consider-that issue and have specific recommendations before the city takes over maintenance on completion of the project. The Board feels that it is necessary to be allowed an interim review of the results of these recommendations so that any remaining issues can be resolved 410 prior to 100% review. Since rely, Robert A. Burke, Chairman S.L.C. Urban Forestry Board cc: Phil Erickson, Building Restoration Committee • Bill Schwab, Landmarks Committee • /kes •