BUSD's School Bus Depot on 6th st. is up for its Preliminary Design Review this week
The proposal for the BUSD Bus Depot at 1325 Sixth St. will be presented this Thursday, Jan. 19th at 7:30pm at the North Berkeley Senior Center at 1901 Hearst. The design, by Baker Vilar Architects, contains 4,100 sf of office/classroom space, 6,550 of shop space, 44,000 sf of parking for 32 school buses, and 11,300 sf for on site parking. If it meets the DRC's approval, it will go on to its first ZAB meeting.
For more specific info, contact planner Chris Wolf.
Or click here to view the evening's agenda.
Click here for related past posts.
posted by camelia at
12:18 PM
1 Comments:
Following is the letter I turned into Design Review regarding the above mentioned project:
Dear Design Review,
I am writing in regards to the proposed BUSD bus depot at 1325 Sixth St. I am a resident that lives on a block adjacent to the site. Following are my thoughts, comments, and questions about the project.
Item 1: Site Plan
a) The applicant says this is the optimum arrangement for their use of the site. Could they elaborate on why the site is arranged as it is? I'm guessing it may have something to do with the 70' setback along Gilman requested by Tom Bates, driveway access and drainage, but I'm not sure.
b) I do have strong reactions to the location of the buildings on the site, Sixth (80 ft) is a wider more traveled main street that Seventh (60 ft). This being the case, I’m curious to know why the mass of the building runs along the edge of Seventh instead. A 7’-6” high fence that runs the entire length of the lot along Sixth 276’—doesn’t do anything to positively define the street edge. Were other configurations considered? ( see attached sketch of preferred layout)
c) Why can't the bus parking be run along the North edge of the site, instead of the South as they are shown? I, and other residents adjacent to the South edge of the site, recommend moving the loudest and most pollution producing part of the site's program as far away from the residential part of the neighborhood as possible. As many may know, pollution in this part of berkeley is a hot topic (Pac Steel etc.), so any decisions to help mitigate the addition of more pollution are certainly encouraged.
*the above numerical data was taken off the applicant's site plan.
Item 2: Vehicular and Pedestrian Access
a) No new comments here, the above discussion contains info that relates to this.
Item 3: Building Design
a) I applaud the Baker Vilar for an appropriate aesthetic. So far, the elevations show an acceptable example of transitional light industrial form and material that are appropriate for this MULI/ MUR/ R-1A neighborhood. Will the metal siding be painted or left raw?
Item 4: Fence Design
a) The 8' high fence is a bit excessive and presents a very unfriendly street edge. Could all fences, except the ones on the interior lot lines, be kept to 6'-6"?
b) I appreciate the more thoughtful design that occurs along the Sixth st. edge. Is there a reason the Sixth St. type of fence cannot be used on all sides fronting on public right of ways?
Item 5: Landscape Plan
a) I am not familiar with the "London Plane" tree. Are they common in Berkeley, or do some already exist around the site? If I can recollect correctly, 6th has mostly sycamore's planted along it, was there a reason they didn't specify them instead of the London Plane?
b) This is a vast paved area, and most types of Ginko Bilboa trees tend to be mousy and thin. Could a more verdant tree type be spec'd for the parking lot?
Recommedations:
1) Encourage the applicant to arrange a meeting with interested community members. Most of us have only a vague idea of what will go on here on a daily basis. I would like to know about how soon the buses start up every morning, when they return, and when they head out again in the afternoon. Also, do they warm up on site? Warming up is the most particulate producing time for a diesel engine. And since they buses are no longer running on 100% bio diesel, the exhaust isn't as clean as it used to be.
2) Re-evaluate the current scheme, the fence height and its design, and some of the landscaping choices per the above suggestions.
Overall I applaud the architects for a workable design.
*Issues about diesel exhaust from all the buses is a whole other matter, which I will save for the ZAB hearing.
Thank You,
Ann
By
Ann, at 11:11 AM
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