CC 10-24-01 APPROVED MINUTES
CUPERTINO CITY COUNCIL
Regular Adjourned Meeting
Wednesday, October 24, 2001
CALL TO ORDER
At 3:04 p.m. Mayor James called the meeting to order in Conference Room C/D, 10300 Torte
Avenue, Cupertino, California.
ROLL CALL
City Council members present: Mayor Sandra James, Vice-Mayor Richard Lowenthal, and
Council members Don Bumett and Michael Chang (3:16 p.m.) Council members absent: None.
Staff present: City Manager David Knapp, Community Development Director Steve Piasecki,
Parks and Recreation Director Therese Smith, Public Works Director Ralph Quails, City
Attorney Charles Kilian, Public Infoimation Officer Rick Kitson, Senior Planner Aarti
Shrivastava and City Clerk Kimberly Smith.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS - None
STUDY SESSION
1. Progress report on preliminary design for the new Cupertino Civic Center and Public
Library - Presentation by SMWM Architects
· Concept Development on Civic Center Complex (Library, Community Hall,
City Hall and Plaza)
· Library Program Layout
· Library Preliminary Schematic Design
Public Works Director Ralph Quails summarized the purpose of the meeting and
introduced the design team involved.
Kathy Simon of SMWM acknowledged the importance of the new library. She said that it
would be the heart of the city for years to come and a place for community to gather
together in activities such as weddings and festivals. She presented a slide show of
examples of other city Civic Center plazas to give a sense of how Cupertino Civic Center
might look. The slides covered hard and soft landscape, water features, light and shade,
and focal points.
October 24, 2001 Cupertino City Council Page
Quails showed a scale model of the Civic Center and explained the features. He said that
there is a commitment to make the project affordable and keep it within the budget and
said that this would be accomplished. He also said it was important to provide a
maximum amount of parking and still make a connection out to Regnart Trail.
Linda Sobuta of SMWM reviewed the diagram of the first floor plan, option 1. She talked
about the importance of bringing light into the building, the orientation of the building,
and the different views into and from the building. She then reviewed the diagram of the
second floor plan, option 2.
James asked if there was a group study area for teens.
Sobuta talked about that space, which would provide a flexible seating area for up to 22
people. She said that it might be divided from the rest of the area by floor to ceiling glass
walls.
Julie Famsworth, Deputy County Librarian, talked from the audience about electrical and
technical improvements.
There was discussion about how to best program the outdoor space to attract people.
Leslie Bumell asked if a cost-benefit analysis computer program had been established to
track the changes in cost as the design model changes.
Quails responded that a set of unit costs was used to calibrate every step taken in the
project and sets of identifiers for each building component. He said that when the time
comes to finalize the details, there is an exercise of value engineering where the trade-offs
would be determ'med and the costs would be refined. He also said that in the near future,
a construction management firm would be hired to bring in sophisticated cost-estimating
techniques.
Anna Polman-Black asked what would happen with the waterfall in the plaza area.
Chang wanted more specifics about ways the courtyard area and plaza could be used.
Robert Levy asked about the bookcases and if there was a way to expand beyond the
current bookcases shelving. He also was concerned about safety in an earthquake.
Famsworth responded that there are strong standards, which detemdne how the stacks are
bolted to the floor and that they are in compliance with state standards. She said that there
would be room for growth.
Lowenthal asked about the possibility of turning Torre Avenue into a parking alley, rather
than a street.
Octol er 2001 Cup'no C; y ounc;1 Page 3
Qualls responded that diagonal parking is a possibility but that it would only address a
fraction of the parking demand for the library and Civic Center area. He said that parking
iSSUeS were still in the planning stages.
Quails talked about the community hall and how it would be used. There was a brief
discussion about the new meeting space versus the current meeting room.
Quails said that no action was required; that the goal was to have the schematic
development completed in February, and that the project was on schedule. He said that
the next gathering would be sometime in December at a Library Steering Committee
meeting and staff would be back to Council in mid-December or early January for action
on some of the concepts.
Chang said he preferred classical versus modern style. He said he wanted more
infouuation about how the community room would be used.
Burnett said he liked the modem look and was excited about the potential for the plaza
area.
Lowenthal said that he liked the open space look and wanted to have the program for the
space in place before finishing the building plan.
James said she wasn't in favor of a modern look but liked the open feel o£ the building
and was interested in water features. She said that Torre Avenue needed to be part of the
design and wanted to be sure that there were many places available to sit.
NEW BUSINESS
2. Report on commission and committee terms expiring January 15, 2002; selection of
application deadlines and interview dates.
City Clerk Kimberly Smith reviewed the staff report. Council concurred that the
application deadline would be Friday, December 14 by 5:00 p.m. and that interviews
would be Monday, January 14 commencing at 5:30 p.m.
ADJOURNMENT
At 4:42 p.m. the meeting was adjourned to Friday, October 26, at 8:30 a.m. at the Blackberry
Farm Retreat Center, 21975 San Femando Avenue, for a closed session to conduct an evaluation
of the city manager.
Clerk