HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 8.5 Bray Commons Public Art~~~
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CITY CLERK
File # ^ °l^ ei^ D^-,5^ O^
AGENDA STATEMENT
CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: October 21, 2008
SUBJECT:
ATTACHMENTS:
RECOMMENDATION:
Bray Commons Public Art
.. Report by John Hartnett, Heritage & Cultural Arts Manager
1) Photo of "Wind, Light, Shade =Tranquility"
2) Re-location options for artwork
3) Dublin Ranch Terraces HOA Letter
Receive report and provide direction to Staff
FINANCIAL STATEMENT: Noise mitigation options range from $3,500 - $10,000
DESCRIPTION: In September of 1993 the City Council gave conceptual approval to
the Dublin Fine Arts Foundation's proposed "Art in the Parks" program. The goal of the "Art in the
Parks" program is to enhance City parks through the placement of artworks appropriate to each park's
history, location, size and use. The most recent Art in the Parks project was to design and install a
sculpture at Bray Commons Park entitled "Wind, Light, Shade =Tranquility" by artist Bill Gould. The
artwork was dedicated in April of 2008 and is a steel sculpture depicting a tree with several thousand
leaves on five tree limbs (Attachment 1).
Staff has received a number of complaints from local residents of the Dublin Ranch Terraces regarding the
level of noise created by the sculpture as well as metal leaves occasionally falling from the artwork. In
response to the citizen concerns of noise, City Staff conducted two sound tests as described below:
The first test was conducted on June 4th at 1:00 pm. The winds were quite gusty, approximately 15 miles
per hour. The test was conducted by the City's Senior Code Enforcement Officer, directly across the street
from the artwork in front of the Dublin Ranch Terraces. The average decibel level (dB) was between 50
dB and 53 dB (rainfall has an approximate level of 50 dB). Normally acceptable levels in the City's
General Plan are 60 dB or less during the hours of 7:00 am to7:00 pm.
The second test was conducted on June 19th at 10:30 pm. The winds were calmer, approximately 5-10
miles per hour. The test was conducted by the City's Code Enforcement Officer, again directly across the
street from the artwork in front of the Dublin Ranch Terraces. The average decibel level (dB) was between
COPY TO: Dublin Fine Arts Foundation, Heritage & Cultural Arts Commission, John Zukoski, Rod Bugawan
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44 dB and 47 dB (a library has an approximate level of 40 dB). Normally acceptable levels in the City's
General Plan are 50 dB or less during the hours of 10:00 pm to7:00 am.
Based on the two tests, the sound from the artwork is within the normally acceptable levels of the General
Plan.
Following the tests, Staff met with the artist to discuss possible options to reduce the sound level, if
deemed necessary. The following options were discussed.
1) Remove leaves from the artwork - It was the artist's assessment that a significant amount of leaves
would need to be removed to create any noticeable difference in sound, and that doing so wouldn't
necessarily guarantee a considerable reduction in sound. The artist also felt that this action would
dramatically change the artistic character of the artwork. Additionally, removing many leaves would also
create numerous spaces for many leaves to get tangled in the wire mesh.
2) Remove all the leaves and re-hang them by a different method - In a subsequent installation of a
similar artwork, the artist has hung the leaves in a different manner (4 or 5 leaves are strung on wire
cables throughout). It appears that the sound is lessened when the leaves are hung in this manner,
however, the look of the artwork would be changed. The cost for this service would be $3,500.
Regarding the complaints of leaves falling off, the artist agreed to inspect the current condition of all the
leaves and fortify any that appear loose or in need of repair. The artist indicated that he would continue to
inspect the leaves on an agreed upon schedule with the City.
At the August 14, 2008 Heritage and Cultural Arts Commission meeting, Staff presented a report on the
Bray Commons Artwork including the results of the sound level readings and options identified above. At
the meeting, John Zukoski, on behalf of the residents of the Dublin Ranch Terraces, presented the
Commission with a petition containing 62 signatures from 55 households, requesting removal of the
artwork due to metal leaves falling off and noise disturbance from the artwork. No additional
representatives from the Dublin Ranch Terraces were in attendance at the meeting.
The Commission was not in favor of either of the options and asked Staff to investigate the following
sound mitigation options.
1) Coat the leaves with a sound reducing material
2) Plant mature trees to block the sound
3) Re-locate the artwork to another area within the park
Over the past few months, Staff has conducted site visits to address the noted options with Parks &
Facilities Development Staff and the Code Enforcement Officer, as well as conferred with the artist and
Public Works Department. The following is an assessment of the information.
Coating the Metal Leaves
The artist believes that the leaves could be coated with a plastic type of material that would create a more
muted sound that would not be metallic in nature. The artist also feels that coating the leaves would not
significantly alter the look of the leaves. This would most likely also reduce the overall noise level to
some extent, although the exact decibel level can not be determined at this time. In order to accomplish
this option, the artist would remove the leaves, coat them, and re-hang them. The cost for this service
would be $5,000.
Page 2 of 3
Plant Mature Trees
Staff does not believe that this option is feasible as the sound from the artwork goes in all directions - 360
degrees - as well as up and down (not directional, like a speaker system). Surrounding or blocking the
artwork with mature trees will not significantly reduce the noise level. Additionally, since the artwork is
20 feet in height, trees approximately 25 feet or greater would need to be planted in order to block the
artwork; this would also obscure the view of the artwork from the street.
Re-locating the Artwork
Staff looked at options to re-locate the artwork within the park by placing it in different locations along
the perimeter of the lawn area (Attachment 2). At present, the artwork is approximately 147 feet from the
Dublin Ranch Terraces. In all cases, moving the artwork to a different location puts it within closer
proximity to another complex surrounding the park. The farthest location from all buildings was 200 feet,
which is only about 50 feet more than its distance from the Dublin Terraces. Staff does not feel that this is
a great enough distance to make an impact. The cost to re-locate the artwork would range from $8,000 to
$10,000.
It should be noted that the artist and a team of three assistants spent a full day on Saturday, September 6th,
inspecting the artwork. The team utilized plastic "twist ties" to reinforce any group of leaves that needed
re-hanging. In doing so, when the twist ties were pulled tight it was noted that the leaves did not swim as
freely in the wind, possibly further reducing the sound level. The artist feels that this method of hanging
the leaves may reduce or eliminate the possibility of leaves falling off in the future.
At the October 9, 2008 Heritage and Cultural Arts Commission meeting, Staff presented the results of
each of the Commission's suggested options as outlined above. Two residents from the Dublin Ranch
Terraces were in attendance at the meeting. After the October 9th meeting, a letter from the Dublin Ranch
Terraces HOA was also received by Staff (Attachment 3). Staff presented two sound mitigation options to
the Commission:
1) Remove all the leaves and re-hang with twist ties or some other method -cost $3,500.
2) Remove all the leaves, coat with plastic material and re-hang with twist ties or some other method -
cost $5,000.
The Heritage and Cultural Arts Commission recommends Option 2 above (remove all the leaves, coat
with plastic material and re-hang with twist ties or some other method). In addition, the Commission
recommends that some portion of leaves be removed from the artwork in an attempt to further reduce the
sound. The estimated cost to the City is $5,000.
RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the City Council receive the report and
consider the recommendation of the Heritage and Cultural Arts Commission. If the Council is interested
in taking steps to reduce the sound from the artwork, Staff requests direction on the preferred option from
those presented in the report. It should be noted that funds are not available in the Fiscal Year 2008-2009
Budget for modifications to the artwork. Consequently a budget change would need to be brought back
before the City Council at a subsequent meeting.
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19/14/2008 TUE 13x28 FAX 9255988969 RHI CORP PAYROLL TAX
August 25, 2008
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Doha Hartatctt
Ii~eritagc and Cxil~aat Arts Manager
100 Civic Plaza
Dublin, CA 94568
R,~ Artwork at Bray Commons Pads
Dear John Jlattn~ett,
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7]tis letter is aua behalf of the hundreds of households at the 17abttn l>;mmch T that is
in protest of the poteintiaIIy ~zsidous and ~Ry cbi~ tlaaf t~ artw+oik~ at Bray
Cowm~.g Park ot~eabes. .
The chimes Iam fallen o#mmuea+o~us times and ibey at+e made of metadtic shazp edges
with a point on one cnd. This is dahges+nus ss lhcrc is a c1~ldteu's play~cound next
to the chimes whore toddles play. In additiam, many People fr~a~ tha ~+ovndtn8
~ighborhpod peen under and also sit be~h the cbitaes. As cono~ned cau~ens sod
homeownGt'a we a~ toys to your simian ~ ro9.a~ that this baud bo
imme~ia~y removed before s+oFmeo~ is impaled or ~la.~hed by t1x falling chimes.
Them is also a oam~mt cianBinB that the chimes ctm>tio im very light wind contortions that
has resulted in i~nia for oar a+esi~ ss well as elecc~c bads t4 rem their air
eondrtin~na -windows can no laggra bo opcn az nig~¢ becaouse of the nom The
appustics of the pack also amplify ~u0d..imto tho umats ~ I~~blin Rant$ Tesrecis 9o even
a usual eonvusatioa ra the padc:is able to.be heard.. The cbimcs son mum loud~cr and
~sy especially at wlam om rtsldeffis are. trying m sl+cep.
The Homea~wner's A st the I?ubliu. Teraa~ ~ ~ that tine
artwork be relacanbed to a dim paw (e~-, Faresaid ~~ and. ooa~ncted so that it
will rent be a danger io paople..l~y relocating to aaar.~! is nvt m tlk innnaediate
vicinity of homes, the noise will twat be~-issue.andtlae ffilwoYk ~adl.be more visible to
the amity and therefore more ~Y - .
Resaecifully,
Rsmch ~ aaacaa NOA m,ember's ~ttnies. ~'' :~
d' v 1'.
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ATTACHMENT 3