UUSS Comments On Master Plan

 A. Suggestions For Final Plan

Sanctuary/Social Hall (current site)

Concern:  Style & Aesthetics

Suggestion: Skylights

Reason: Current hall is dark. Natural light is contemporary, and skylights suggest a modern building and thus a congregation up with the times.

 Concern:  Distance from car to main hall for event prep

Reason:  CUUPS leaders, for example, may have 50 trips loading and unloading things from car to main hall (not to backstage area and not to kitchen).

Suggestions:  Paved area for temporary parking near door(s)

                       “Driveable” entry? 

Add an outside door to the support room at southwest to shorten distance into main hall?

Concern:  Rain protection at Handicap Van Drop Off

Suggestion:  Overhang height and orientation such that high vans can get under, but rain is not wind-driven over lower vehicles, under the overhang making the sheltered space not sheltered.

Suggestion:   If only one such drop-off place is feasible, put in continuous cover between it  & RE. 

Concern:  Distance from the Handicap Parking to the Social Hall.

Suggestion:  Put future handicap parking closer to a Social Hall entrance than it has been.

Reason:  People who have trouble walking find it a shorter walk from parking near

the Sun Room (Small lobby off the Social

Hall in front of the bathrooms) than from the current handicap parking. (Anne Andrews)

 Concern:  Lack of dedicated quiet space indoors

Suggestions:  Small Quiet Indoor Space

Reasons:        Place for prayer, contemplation or solitude at any time, for grief respite during memorials

 Concern:  People with Impaired Hearing

Suggestions:  T Coils

                          (Other rooms?  Chapel/Multi-Purpose/Library?

 RE Building

Concern:  Those with Impaired Hearing

Suggestion:  T Coils in FAHS type rooms

Landscape

Suggestion:  Plants native to the Sacramento Valley

Reason:   Habit restoration

 Hardscape

 Concern:  Security with minimal “Keep Out” feeling

Suggestion:  Consider fencing-pillar combination at Carmichael Presbyterian Church

 Suggestion: Large Amphitheater, with noise restrictions

 Reasons: To support youth activities including presentations and performing arts

To support Theater One, the music program, and other performance groups at UUSS, including concerts or recitals. 

To facilitate services and programs relating to nature, such as the Mingling of Waters, Flower Communion, May Day, etc.

To support special services such as the Xmas Eve service and possibly the Day of the Dead service.

To support other services related to the seventh principle regarding the interconnected web of life.

To support CUUPS and other nature/outdoor oriented UU groups.

To support facility rental needing an outdoor theater, such as weddings or some memorial services.

To be a magnet for additional creative uses over time as people see it is available. (John Hingtgen)

Note 1 from Jeff on concept as of 2/9/2012: with chairs set up on the patio (with viewing angle to the amphitheatre stage), the overall setting could accommodate as many as 200 for a performance.  There is also the possibility of staging an event "in the round" and utilizing the area on the lawn "behind" the stage area.

Suggestion: Amphitheater seating of 250-300.

Reason:   Membership is now over 400

 Note 2 from Jeff on increase:  Can be accommodated by moving the stage slightly and adjusting the alignment of the play yard fence.

 Duplex Property

 Suggestion:  Remove the duplexes, but keep the land

Reasons:  to maintain our protection against multi-story buildings overlooking our campus.  (This was the reason the board decided to buy the land in the 19xx’s.)

       To prevent a new owner from renting the existing duplexes.

       To make up for open land being built on, to use for volleyball, new tree grove, garden, or other green space.

        To make current space east of patio and south of RE bigger – more room for patio, volleyball/lawn, amphitheater, and labyrinth.

 Suggestion:  Keep the land, remove one duplex and keep one duplex for caretakers.

Reasons:  24-7 security shifts, Possible support for events (opening, closing buildings). (Bill Storm)

Suggestion: And remainder of parcel for trees, garden, or other greeenspace

Reason:  To help make up for other land lost to buildings, paving; possibly more room for patio/lawn/amphitheater/labyrinth

Signage

Concern:  Confusing Signage, Lack of Orientation to Destination for People As They Drive In, Possible Confusion for Emergency Responders,

Suggestions: Distinguish between rooms of the same number in different buildings.  (“Room 5” could be Social Hall or RE to a newcomer, fire truck or ambulance)

Be able to read where you are headed before you park.  (Be able to know what building/area you are going to without getting out of car. - especially important for people with orthopedic difficulties, with children in the car , for security at night, and in bad weather.  More welcoming to newcomers and non-UU’s at events.

 Parking Lots, Drives   

Suggestion: Put back the slanted parking spaces

 Reasons:  Easier to pull into and out of, lessens accidental backing into car that is also backing out from other side, prevents two large vehicles from totally blocking view of a middle vehicle trying to back out between them.

 B.  Nominations For Sooner Than Later

Signage & Room Numbering (See Signage above in Section A)

 Distinguish between Rooms of the same number in RE and Main Hall

Have Signs so you can see where you need to go before you park.

Curtain or Wall Where Accordion Curtain Failing in Social Hall

We encourage comments to the completed master plan.