SUSTAINABLE DESIGN IN FULLERTON?
Dave Musante knows it takes a long time to bring about positive change in cities. Right now the first LEED-certified affordable housing development is being built in Northampton Massachusetts, where Dave was first elected Mayor for 12 years. What did they name the street that leads to the project?
Dave was advocating sustainable planning elements–greenbelts, energy conservation features, etc. way before he left office back in 1992. So 17 years later, when this project became a reality, the planners said its street sign had to say “Musante”.
Now that Sharon Quirk has reappointed him to the Planning Commission for the next four years, we can anticipate his outspoken advocacy for sustainability in public projects here in his new hometown? Will the Fullerton Redevelopment Agency’s planned $30 million government-subsidized Richman Ave. housing project adjacent to the historic Jones and Emmons neighborhood live up to the standards Dave pushed for in Northampton. Stay Tuned……
What is this, an advertisement for Dave Musante? What is he selling? Where does he stand on the issue?
What is the issue here? That Dave is a genius or that the Richman area is about to have a development?
Stick to the issues FFFF. If you want to sell adds you can do so as banners.
The issue here is apparently: Will he (Musante) or won’t he live up to his reputation elsewhere, and push the planning commission to hold out for sustainability elements in projects they approve?
I say he might push, but his odds of success in this city are about what they are for all of Obama’s promises coming to pass.
For the sake of the city, I wish him good luck.
You need a separate post for this project. I smell a boondoggle coming on.
The Commish is right. Let Musante take out an ad.
Admin, looks like your kissing some booty here, you watch and see the Forever Neighborhood will be crapped on by some pseudo Spanglish revival junk, the same crap that’s built damn near everywhere in OC.
Maybe what this post is trying to point out that in 17 years the project will be built and they will change the name of the street to Musante.
Hey nobody named a street after me and I did more to overbuild Fullerton than anybody.
The jury is still out on the LEEDS program. It sure makes liberals feel good about themselves, but it also adds cost to projects that hardly seem supported by any supposed environmental advantage. For instance, millwork has to come from certified forrests within a certain radius of the project, etc., etc.
Environmental focus should settle on design issues such as shading, cross ventilation, insulation techniques – even rain and irrigation run-off retention and recycling.
The real issue here should be whether the design is going to follow that strategy or whether it will just be another cookie cutter McSpanish mess.
“Environmental focus should settle on design issues such as shading, cross ventilation, insulation techniques – even rain and irrigation run-off retention and recycling.” says Get Your Leeds Lungs Out, I agree! I’m an architect, and the most important features to good design are shading, light and cross ventilation.
– North facing window walls
– Small windows on south and west elevations
– Operable windows, especially on the east/west axis
– Double paned windows (expensive, yes, but with demonstrable energy savings + privacy
– Water collection and cistern system with pump circulation for irrigation
– Permeable paving
– Substantial roof ovehangs for added shade creation esp. on west facing elevations
Of course it’s going to be hard to accomplish most of this with some standard, boiler plate Spanish/Mediterranean style garbage.
everyone, calm down and remember this is fullerton a town where any one can style themselves as an artist, architect or poet. Due to this fact, the best fullerton deserves are mcspanish buildings
Admin, can you please describe what is planned for this site? Is it houses, or aparments, or what? Thanks,
JD
Jim, I believe 33 detached houses are currently planned for the site. There’s a “Study Session” planned for the next City Council meeting:
http://fullerton.granicus.com/DocumentViewer.php?file=fullerton_edca3f36fbbf16a79f2efa93650c7705.pdf
AGENDA FORECAST
MARCH 17, 2009
Study Session – 5 pm – Affordable Ownership Housing – Euclid
Don’t ask me why it reads “Euclid”, I took it straight from the City’s website.
This needs to be changed. You can’t practically control the resale of houses with deed restrictions – if you do you are asking for forclosures and you defeat the purpose of the project. That would be a disaster – just look what happened to Dick Joneses University Heights fiasco.
This project should be rental where the units could be restricted. Sure it sounds like a “project” because that’s what it would be. But it would be worse to just give people houses. 33 houses may appeal to the “home ownership” crowd (who have conveniently forgotten that things of value should be EARNED – dolts like Dick Jones); but it does nothing to alleviate the housing shortage the low income housing drum baters are always blathering about.
Instead of 33 units, how about 66 rental housing units? This point really needs to be broadcast to the Clowncil.
A solution to the “affordable” housing issue would be to get the government to provide incentives (density bonus) to developers to build affordable housing unit’s that must meet a certain threshold of “sustainable” design (using building materials that last at least 100 years), and using natural light (the sun) and ventilation to dictate the design.
Also, this project should not be houses.
Cathy, I hope you show up at tonight’s Planning Commission meeting. This project is a turkey, and should be shot and stuffed before Thanksgiving.
34 For Sale “Moderate” income units, that’s the project the nincompoops came up with. Off with their heads!
http://cityoffullerton.com/weblink7/PDF/ycvr1w2rrkeobf55xupm0i45/3/01%20PRJ09-00005-Olson%20Urban%20Housing.pdf