02-04-2002 LBOT MINUTES - SPECIAL MEETINGC~ 10d ',-Z-: :2-
CITY OF ORANGE
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AND LIBRARY SERVICES
COMMUNITY SERVICES DIVISION
714) 744-7272 . Fox: (714)
744-7251 LIBRARY
SERVICES DIVISION 714) 288-2471 .
Fex: (714) 771-6126 CITY OF ORANGE DEPARTMENT
OF COMMUNITY & LIBRARY
SERVICES ORANGE PUBLIC
LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES Minutes of Special Board Meeting
held February 4, 2002
Main Library Community Room
I. CALL TO ORDER 1.
1 Pledge of Allegiance Trustee Herrera led
the Pledge of Allegiance.
1.2 Roll Call Trustees Present:Chair William Warne, Vice Chair
Jonell Schlund, Trustee Mark Clemens, Trustee Karen Herrera,
and Trustee Doug Westfall.Staff Present:City Librarian Nora Jacob; Sr.
Librarians Yolanda Moreno and Sarah Rosenblum; Community &
Library Services Director Gary Wann; Economic Development Project
Manager Rick Otto; Senior Planner Dan Ryan; and Assistant to
City Librarian Jan Schafer.Guests:Jim Wirick, Rick D'Amato, and
Keith Hempel ofLPA, Inc.1.
3 Adoption of Agenda Trustee Westfall moved to adopt the agenda as presented.
Vice Chair Schlund seconded the motion,
and it carried unanimously.Meeting turned over to Vice Chair Schlund because of conflict
of interest for Chair Warne. Trustee Clemens also declared
his conflict of interest.230 E. CHAPMAN
CITY OF ORANGE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY & LIBRARY SERVICES
ORANGE PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Minutes of Special Board Meeting Held February 4, 2002
Page 4
II. OLD BUSINESS
2.1 Review & Adoption of Service Area Populations
The City Librarian reviewed with board members the recommendations for Service Area
Populations proposed January 21 by consultants from Group 4, as part of the 20-
Year Library Master Plan development process. In response to questions raised at that time
by Trustee Westfall, the consultants had re-evaluated the boundary line dividing
the Taft Branch Library and the Main Library vis-a-vis service
area populations. Their re-assessment was distributed by the City Librarian, and
board members reviewed it carefully. Based on the presumption that a new Main Library
would attract more people than a branch, and that the Main Library will attract people
from throughout the city,Group 4 called Katella Avenue (rather than Collins Avenue) "a
valid choice" as the boundary. This approach would give the Main Library a service area
population of 63,038 meaning that the square footage of a new Main Library should be between 44,
127 sq ft or 0.7 sq ft per capita) and 53,582 sq ft (or 0.85 sq ft per capita) in size.
After a brief discussion among board members, Trustee Westfall moved to
adopt Service Area Populations that show Katella Avenue as the boundary between the
Taft and Main libraries. The motion was seconded by Trustee Herrera, and it
carried unanimously. Chair Warne and Trustee Clemens abstained from the
discussion and vote.
III. NEW BUSINESS 3.1 Design Input for
New Main Library The architectural consultant team from LP A, Inc., was introduced, and
the City Librarian explained that staff has recommended that the City Council hire LPA to
carry out the conceptual design work and application completion needed for our
Library Bond Act efforts. Mr. D' Amato then reviewed several new Main
Library design possibilities developed last week in conjunction with city staff, and shared sketches of
each one with board members. He and Mr. Wirick noted that three principles shaped the options
that LP A presented: The importance of only moving in/out of the existing Main
Library once; the significance of retaining the existing Main Library to show "good stewardship"
of the 1998-99 remodel there; and the avoidance of subterranean parking because of
its exorbitant cost.Based on those assumptions, Mr. D'Amato said, LPA was proposing that
Orange pursue a remodel/expansion project for a new Main Library - not a "new Main Library
from the ground up." One advantage of this approach, he noted, is that the State Library's
Office of Library Construction has indicated that few applicants appear to be
pursuing a remodel/expansion approach. This could make Orange's application in that
category more competitive,
he said.Several different initial options for design were then presented by the LP A
team with explanations as to why those options weren't desirable - for example, too much height
too close to neighboring homes; poor traffic circulation; or inadequate
parking.
CITY OF ORANGE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY & LIBRARY SERVICES
ORANGE PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Minutes of Special Board Meeting Held February 4, 2002
Page 4
The LP A team then turned to the design proposal that makes the most sense to them so far.
In this scenario, the 100 block of North Center Street would be closed, with a cul-de-
sac to be created north of the library property. A two-story, 28,000-
square-foot wing would be added to the west of the existing building, connected with it and
sited on a 14,000-square-foot footprint. Surface parking would continue to be on
the former Bank of America lot and the existing Main Library lot (restriped). The Edwards
House would be moved onto the northwest side ofthe combined parcels, onto North Center Street,
and its land used for more parking. The expanded library would have a Chapman
Avenue address, and all entry/exit into its parking lot
would take place from Chapman Avenue.The architects noted that this design proposal offers
about 160 parking spaces. City code calls for 4 spaces per 1,000 square feet, or
180 spaces. However, Planning Division staff has commented that a 10 percent variance may be
granted if there is additional parking nearby, as there is at the Civic Center across
Chapman Avenue. Thus, a 45,000-square-foot facility may be the largest size that this site
can support, and this design proposal offers the most possible parking
of any of the options explored thus far.Trustee Westfall expressed positive interest in
this design proposal. He noted that it would remain consistent with the city's original intent
to create a "library block" where the current Main Library is now located (and where
the previous Main Library was situated, as well).He also expressed enthusiasm for the
possibility of creating a park-like "oval" where the new cul-de-sac would be on
North Center Street, which would be evocative of the oval once found at Orange and
Washington streets in the Old Towne area. The architects noted that these are points
to
include during the historic aspect of the upcoming environmental review process.Vice Chair
Schlund and Trustee Herrera also expressed positive interest in this design proposal. Both commented
on how the cul-de-sac design was likely to appeal to neighbors on North
Center Street and North Shaffer Street, and how they appreciated being able to save
the existing Main Library structure (and cOrrect its remaining design flaws, it
is hoped). Parking will be a major issue for the community, each noted.City Librarian Jacob
reported that the next step in the design process would be a community forum for public input, which
has been slated for Saturday morning, Feb. 23, from 9:00 a.m.to 12:00
noon in the City Council Chambers. She explained that notices of this meeting would be
mailed to ~veryone in the Old Towne Orange district plus all community groups.She will also
visit each of the neighbors on North Center Street and North Shaffer Street before the meeting on
Feb. 23, to make sure that all are aware and informed. Ms. Jacob also reminded the board
that the Brown Act would be in effect, so their attendance - if desired -- would need
to be carefully scheduled to ensure that no
city business was perceived to be carried out at that time.Board members agreed that they
wanted to reflect more on all that they had learned and discussed before they voted.
Therefore, action to endorse a design approach for
a
CITY OF ORANGE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY & LIBRARY SERVICES
ORANGE PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Minutes of Special Board Meeting Held February 4, 2002
Page 4
IV. PUBLIC COMMENT
None.
V. ADJOURNMENT
Trustee Westfall moved, Trustee Herrera seconded, to adjourn the meeting. The motion carried
unanimously, and the meeting adjourned at 5:00 p.m. The next meeting will be the regular
session held on Monday, February 11, 3:30 p.m., at the Main Library, 101 North Center Street.
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