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Summer, 2003
Inside This Issue:
Three miles north of the Sea Ranch Lodge on the east side of Highway One is a spacious fenced meadow area with a sign that reads “Sea Ranch Equestrian Center.” For over a year turkeys and deer were the only animals centered there. On one occasion there were 11 turkeys perched on a fence, sentinels guarding their territory. All that changed on April 19 as four horses came to reside at the Center. Within the following week, two more arrived and as of this writing, several more are to be trucked in within the coming months. The Stables are now under new management after the Board of Directors spent much time and effort in developing a viable operational plan that required interested managers to submit bids. Sandra Jackson submitted what the Board saw as the best proposal. Once she heard the news, she literally dropped everything to prepare herself, her family and the Stables for its reopening in April. You may have noticed much activity of late: electric fences being strung around paddocks, the riding arena mowed and disked, feed boxes placed on the pasture fencing, flower-filled boxes put on the office windows and, of course, those large four-legged animals. Sandra originally hails from the Redding area, but has lived much of her adult life in the Bay Area. She attended California State University at Hayward, earning a teaching credential that she put to work in the Oakland schools. By 1991, she moved to the Sebastopol area and is currently in the process of moving to Forestville. Being around horses comes naturally to Sandra, as she began riding western style at the age of nine. By the time she was in her teens, she had changed to English saddle and all that it entailed: equitation and jumping. She has entered and won numerous equestrian shows and events. It was this love of horses and all it entailed that led her into boarding management. Success at other facilities and the opportunity to work at The Sea Ranch is an “awesome” opportunity. Currently, boarding horses is either in dry pasture or a stall with paddock. While pasture boarding is limited, there are 16 stalls with paddocks. Included with both types of boarding are alfalfa and oat hay fed twice a day. Sandra said she can include “turning out, blanketing, fly masks as well as add-ons such as grain and other hays.” She is very excited about this new venture and is amenable to your ideas, suggestions and needs. Lessons have already begun at the Center and can be arranged for individuals or groups. She welcomes beginners, whether they are children or adults, so if you’ve ever wanted to try sitting in a saddle, give her a call: the Stables telephone number is 707-785-2639. Sandra is also very interested in providing educational programs for children with a focus on the equestrian arts. She’d like to include some visual arts and hiking experiences during the day, with perhaps a little time for lunch. She would also like to organize trail rides and make use of this beautiful area. All are welcome to stop by on their way down the highway or, better yet, walk through by way of the trails. Either way, come look the Center over — just remember to close the gate behind you! Hocker, Mueller, Mattson Elected The good news is three highly capable candidates were elected to the TSRA Board of Directors for three-year terms. Rosemarie Hocker led with 781 votes, incumbent Peter Mattson was brought back for another term with 685 votes, and newcomer Leigh Mueller tallied 559 votes. The remaining candidates and their counts were: Tim Legree, 337; Neal Andrews, 256; and Christina Smith- Owings, 73. Robbin Johnson, Inspector of Election for Sequoia Pacific Systems Corp, announced the election results at the Association’s Annual Meeting, May 24. The bad news is only 41.8 percent of all lots, or 959 lots out of 2,292 voted in the 2003 Election for the Board of Directors. Not the lowest election turnout Sea Ranch has experienced, but close. Last year 45.2 percent, or 1,039 lots voted, and in 2001, 35.8 percent, or 824 lots voted, barely meeting the total of lots for a valid election. Hocker’s campaign emphasized enforcement of the CC&Rs, clarification of the budget process and open communication. Mattson proposed management by objectives, benchmarking TSRA practices against other homeowner associations, and reinvigorating The Sea Ranch Philosophy. Leigh Mueller wants to ensure sufficient understanding of the CC&Rs and the Bylaws, and build the commitment needed to maintain our Sea Ranch Vision. He also would like to see the Association participate with the wider community. He, too, supports a more understandable budget process. Officers elected on Sunday morning were Kate MacIntyre, Chair; Jim Flessner, Vice Chair; Marti Campbell, Treasurer; and Rosemarie Hocker, Secretary. The Board will continue to meet every other month, with their first full meeting on June 28. The sheep grazing on Sea Ranch meadows over the past year have found their way into the hearts and minds of folk living on what was Del Mar Ranch 40 years ago. Visiting grandchildren delight in the 70 lambs born this spring. Photographers find the flock irresistible. Some residents have postponed trips for the few days that sheep grazed in their backyards. In April of last year, 300 sheep imported from Washington state joined about 300 others from the Richardson Ranch in Stewarts Point to begin “mowing” tall grass and tinder to help reduce fire danger at The Sea Ranch. The flock has been leading the planned residential community back to its past, restoring the pastures and the romance of ranching. At the same time, the wooly critters lend present-tense authenticity to The Sea Ranch name and ram’s-head logo. As an exclamation point, The Sea Ranch Village Store at the Lodge will be selling yarn spun at Yolo Wool Mills in Winters, California, from wool sheared from the flock’s Targee sheep, whose wool is comparable to Merino wool. Equally promising, both Sea Ranch staff and sheep-owner applaud the mutual benefits of the grazing program and the experience of working together in an environmentally conscious community. Sheep-owners Charles and Lisa Richardson have become familiar figures on The Sea Ranch, as they tend and shepherd the flock from meadow to meadow every few days, with the help of Alejandro Ramirez and Tess the Border collie. The Richardsons both come from families who have ranched in Sonoma County for generations. Charles, 34, is a sixth-generation member of families who have been running livestock at Fort Ross or Stewarts Point for the past 126 years. Lisa, 27, a second- generation rancher, is the one who proposed the yarn idea to Judith Leeper, manager of the store at the Lodge. Perhaps visions of knitted baby booties and blankets inspired the yarn idea: the couple is expecting their first child in June or July. In addition to the sheep at TSR, the Richardsons also have 150 sheep, 300 goats, 50 cows and five llamas on his grandmother’s organically certified, 3000-acre ranch at Stewarts Point. Having a ranch neighboring TSR has proven a boon, not only because someone can check on the flock every day and respond within minutes to emergencies, but also because the Stewarts Point facility serves as a “hospital” for TSR sheep. Acclimating the older flock from Washington state to TSR posed more problems than anticipated, even though they were from a similar climate. At the outset, the biggest worry was predators and dogs, but the 42-inch-high electric fence has discouraged predators and also motivated owners to leash their dogs, Charles Richardson said at a meeting of the Redwood Coast Medical Service Auxiliary in May. The biggest problem was the age of the sheep coupled with overly matured grass that had lost its nutrients. Unchecked for decades, the grass contained only two percent protein and had choked out fresh grass. Consequently, not only did the sheep owner have to supplement with alfalfa, he lost sheep — sometimes as many as four to six a week — and had to remove others to Stewarts Point for treatment. As a result, costs soared. To salvage the project, TSR revised the three-year budget to meet the sheepherder’s costs. Money was available from the Fuel Management Program budget because of savings accrued by efficiencies of TSR crew and machines, said Randy Burke, Director of Facilities and Resources. Richardson expects costs to stabilize as the number of sheep born at TSR increases and the flock acclimates, thereby improving the survival rate. Furthermore, in recently grazed pastures, the fresh, new growth should offer sufficient nutrition with little or no supplemental feed. Not only did this experience carry a lesson for the Richardsons, it introduced the somber realities of ranching to urbanites living at Sea Ranch. Residents with no ranching history began worrying about sheep survival rates, nutrient values of feed, and foot rot. “It is a ranch,” said Bill Wiemeyer, Director of Environmental Planning, wryly acknowledging the novelty of an agricultural operation in the midst of a residential community. As a tool for vegetation management, however, controlled grazing is not unique to TSR. It is widely used across the country, for example, by the U.S. Forest Service, utility companies, park districts and the Nature Conservancy. The TSR grazing project, however, does more than manage vegetation; it contributes to an ongoing study. For the past three or four years, Bill Wiemeyer and Rand Evett, a professor of botany at U.C. Berkeley, have been monitoring the biodiversity of vegetation in Sea Ranch meadows subjected to prescribed burns in the mid- 1990s. In addition, Prof. Evett clipped sections to mimic grazing. Data from these two kinds of “control” plots, which are off limits to the sheep, will be compared with that from the newly foraged areas, as well as from U.C. Davis studies conducted in the 1970s and ’80s. “We know grazing increases diversity,” Wiemeyer said. “We need scientific studies to tell us if the grazing is giving us the kind of diversity we want.” The data will be used to develop selective, controlled grazing to reduce competition from unwanted species, and to avoid areas where grazing eliminates desired plants. Meanwhile, waves of emerging “high-protein” grass beckon from the Longmeadow hillside where the sheep began their dining tour. TSR and the Richardsons may have to call in goat reinforcements to clear the remaining 50 acres of meadow south of the Knipp-Stengel Barn that the sheep didn’t nuzzle. Because goats eat thatch, poison oak and shear off coyote brush, they just might become regular members of the highly respected sheep-mowing team. Environmentalists finally recognize it’s time that sheep got some respect for working all day every day, chewing up flammable vegetation as they restore and fertilize the meadows, where seeds buried for years under thatch and tall grass may sprout again. And this doesn’t count the contribution of wool for Sea Ranch knitters and weavers. Who knows? Maybe eventually grass-fed Sea Ranch lamb will find its way into restaurants and markets. THE SEA RANCH GRAZING
PROJECT FAST FACTS
Forums Tackle “Aging in Place” Sea Ranch is losing its “old-timers”… some into the sunset and some to Oregon where living is easier and medical attention is near. Alarmed at the loss of those who remember the beginnings of Sea Ranch, a few members are researching ways to keep seniors on the Ranch. Recently, two Forums have dealt with “Aging in Place”: The first on designing livability into one’s home, and the second on an alternative called “co-housing.” They mark the latest in an effort that begun in the mid-1980s. AGING IN PLACE GROUP They agreed on an overriding goal: “to extend as long as possible the time we can live at The Sea Ranch.” A preliminary survey to determine those needs is available online at annelong@paycycle.com. Other proposed goals: minimize house maintenance; preserve equity; have other people around; share services on an optional basis, e.g., transportation, housekeeping, laundry, meals; and design homes with universal access (elderly friendly design). Long said, “It became clear that the goals depended on the needs or the perceived needs of the residents.” Next step for the group is to meet again, invite older Sea Ranchers, identify needs and goals at the various stages of aging, determine the plans of Sea Ranch developers, and determine the plans of RCMS. Contact Alex Long or Marti Campbell to be included in the discussions. DESIGNING LIVABILITY
INTO YOUR HOME On the Domus Web site (www.domus design.com), Goff encouraged people to plan ahead about the living space they’ll need later. “We tend to design spaces for people who are 25 years old. Instead, design needs to more realistically accommodate the population. Good design takes everyone, at all levels of ability, into account.” He noted that 80 percent of the population will have a temporary infirmity at some point in their lives. One of the first things Goff asks clients — no matter what their age — is how long they plan to live in their home. They may not want to think about it but they soon realize the obvious benefits. According to an AARP study, 82 percent of those over age 45 would prefer to remain at home as they age, even if they need help caring for themselves. Dr. Nancy Wolford spoke on design guidelines for residences to ensure that people may remain in their homes as long as possible in their later years. Universal Design Guidelines include: rooms/areas on the same level with no steps or stairs; at least one entrance on ground level; doors that accommodate wheelchairs; stairs with adequate handrails; ramps with slopes no greater than one foot rise for each 20 feet in length; slip-resistant, non-reflective floor materials with color/texture contrast to indicate change in surface levels; lever controls on faucets; adjustable shelves and clothes-rods; grab-bars around the tub, shower and toilet to support 250-300 pounds; adjustable, handheld shower; adjustable and/or varied height counters in kitchen. Goff also gave examples that would increase accessibility and ease of use for everyone, not just the aged or infirm: install an elevator or stair lift should a second floor be necessary; walk-in showers without curbs on the floor for easy wheelchair access; add roll-out drawers to cupboards for easier access and less reaching; remove cabinet doors under the sink to accommodate a wheelchair. “Universal Design makes sense socially, societally and economically,” said Goff, “It’s a matter of public awareness. Contractors are not going to offer it until the public asks for it.” SENIOR-FRIENDLY
CO-HOUSING Marti Campbell described the Forum as an outgrowth of the “21st Century Vision Project” introduced by then director Toby Lovallo several years ago. A discussion group from that project looked at various kinds of opportunities for senior housing at The Sea Ranch. A focus group of 12 or 13 longtime Sea Ranchers discussed why older people leave the Ranch: loneliness, particularly when a partner dies; the burden of home maintenance and cooking; the pressure to get into a care facility before it’s too late because of age or medical conditions; medical concerns — distance from hospitals; remoteness from family and medical facilities. Co-housing could meet some but not all of their concerns. Campbell said, “We’re not attempting to address medical issues associated with hospitals, but loneliness, home maintenance and cooking, those issues can easily be addressed in a co-housing kind of environment.” Any group need could be arranged much more easily and economically with a critical mass of people; for example: hire a driver for transportation, hire a cook or housekeeper, etc. Co-housing addresses the changing needs of a diverse population. “Almost one quarter of the population lives alone, and this proportion is predicted to grow as the number of Americans over the age of 60 increases,” cites McCamant and Durret in Co-housing, A Contemporary Approach to Housing Ourselves. The time is coming when the modern single-family detached home, which makes up 67 percent of the American housing stock, will no longer make sense economically and socially. At a high level, co-housing is a group-living arrangement where all parties have their own home complete with a kitchen, living room and all the spaces they would normally have. In addition, there are shared spaces: a shared dining room, shared kitchen, and shared common spaces where activities can take place. In the United States, these are usually legally condominiums. Michael Black taught design at the Southern California Institute of Architecture, and is an advocate and designer of co-housing who works to facilitate consensus in the community planning process. He has been involved with three co-housing projects: the Valley Oaks Co-housing in Chico, Two-Acre Wood where he lives in Sebastopol. and Yulupa Co-housing being planned in Santa Rosa. His wife, Alexandra Hart, editor of The Possible Community Journal, assists in facilitating the consensus-based planning process. Black showed slides of various co-housing efforts in various parts of the United States. He said, “What I hear about Sea Ranch is that you’ve developed a community here and it’s really hard to leave. What makes co-housing different from most housing or from other condos is that you design it to facilitate community.” For example, garages are set apart from the housing so that the neighbors meet each other going to and from their cars. About three nights a week, the residents get together for common meals that are cooked in teams. Mail is delivered to the common house. Black said, “Building communities isn’t just about building buildings, it’s about the process of building community.” In order to build community, consensus is used. Instead of pitting people against each other where they vote in blocs, they end up listening to what each person’s needs are so that they can mutually come up with a solution. Alexandra Hart observed, “The creativity of the group is able to come up with much more exciting things than anyone can do alone.” With good facilitation, the group can come to a decision much more quickly. The stages of community development are: sharing the vision, refining the vision, conflicts in vision and style, creating meaningful community. In her co-housing homeowners’ association at Two Acre Wood, each owner is a director and the officers are elected from the pool of directors. All of the officers and the chairs of various committees come together as a coordinating committee. Black observed that the model of co-housing for Sea Ranch could be different in that it would be senior-friendly, something that might go further toward assisted living. “Usually when we need assisted living we turn ourselves over to some large corporation, but in co-housing you might have something in-between.” For example, the housing could include an apartment for a nurse to live in; could include an exam room; residents could hire a physical therapist to visit, or hire cooks and maintenance. The residents would be in charge and could choose the staff. “The more houses you have, the more ingredients you have to share. Twenty-six to 36 homes is ideal.” The size of the community depends on marketing. Alex Long concluded with a summary of co-housing ideas that would be consistent with The Sea Ranch design concept and consistent with the CC&Rs as long as it’s not commercial. Areas envisioned as possible sites include the north Corporation Yard, the Transfer Site, land adjacent to the Lodge, or land adjacent to the Golf Links. The possible cost range is estimated between $350,000 and $450,000 per unit, depending on what is desired. HISTORY OF “HERON HILL” RCC purchased an option on a 14- acre site at Sea Ranch that they named “Heron Hill.” The acreage, behind the eucalyptus grove opposite Unit 28 on Highway One, was part of a larger parcel of the developer’s Remnant Land. Platt wrote, “With wide local participation, RCC and its local architects developed a detailed program and philosophy for Heron Hill, together with a preliminary layout. By 1988, we were well along the way toward getting Sonoma County to rezone the land for our planned use.” Several hundred coastal residents joined RCC and held numerous fund-raising events; over 500 coastal residents signed petitions of support; and 14 local organizations sent letters of endorsement to Sonoma County Supervisors. However, in 1989, The Sea Ranch Association filed a lawsuit against Castle and Cooke to resolve the remaining issues between the developer and the Association. A lis pendens was placed on all properties owned by the developer, which included Heron Hill. The lis pendens prevented subdivision, rezoning and transfer of the Remnant Lands until the lawsuit was resolved. The TSRA Board of Directors withdrew its earlier support for Heron Hill in a letter to the Sonoma County Planning Department. RCC’s Board reluctantly concluded that the litigation and possible appeals would prevent any early release of the Heron Hill site and eventually relinquished its option on the site. RCC then investigated the lease of a site adjacent to RCMS; however, they were faced with moratoriums on sewer hookups and water capacity. A marketing research agency, which was suggested by American Baptist Homes of the West, concluded that the total coastal population did not meet the threshold generally considered necessary for the viability of an assisted living facility. Thus, a great effort came to a sad end and the elderly still are moving away from The Sea Ranch. The format and the speeches are generally the same year after year, but it’s all new to people who bought their Sea Ranch homes or lots within the last year or two. Cheerfully packed into the New Owners’ Meeting, this is their chance to introduce themselves, meet each other and learn who their neighbors are. A good number had been coming to the Ranch on vacation for up to 25 years but are still eager to hear the ins and outs of making The Sea Ranch their home. Sea Ranch is a community of volunteers, Rob Elder, Chair of the Communications Committee, told the attendees. He introduced the two outstanding volunteer members of the Committee, Matt Adams and Rose Marie Hocker, who organized the meeting. Community Manager Jim Carruthers introduced members of the staff as one would meet them coming into the Administration building — first, Linda Weinstein, who greets people as they come in the door. Last was Sandy Hughes whose Utilities office is a block away in another building. Saying he “fully believes in redundancy,” Dick Whitaker, Director of Design Review, spoke about the concept of “living lightly on the land which has to do with an attitude that the environmental setting is more important than the building. The Sea Ranch is not about individual buildings, it’s about 10 miles of Pacific Ocean and the land adjacent to it. It has to do with developing a shared image.” The Design Review Process essentially deals with each site as a unique entity. The responsibility for the review process is vested in the Design Committee members who are “incredibly committed people.” Some of their problems stem not so much from “bad architecture but from good architecture in the wrong place.” Whitaker advised those who were going to build to “engage an architect with great care; they’re going to be part of your lives. You want your house, not your architect’s house.” He also warned about architects who see this as the opportunity to do their life’s work, to build monumental works. “That’s not what this place is about.” Whitaker led the newcomers through the design process that starts with a preliminary site review. He recommended two books to read prior to building, The Place of Houses, and Chambers for a Memory Palace. The second step is the conceptual review to get feedback from the design staff and the Design Committee to “see if you are going in the right direction. We try to help you get a better house in a better piece of the environment to make a better place for your experience at The Sea Ranch.” He advised people to visit the Design Department even before the design process starts, “just to talk about ideas.” After approval of the conceptual submission, then comes the preliminary review “where you commit yourself to more than an idea, it’s really a piece of architecture. Neighbors will have the chance to see the plans and make comments. “Anything you do that changes the environment around your house or of your house needs to be reviewed.” The final submittal is a set of working drawings from which the house will be built. After Design Committee approval, those drawings may be taken to Sonoma County to get building permits. “We are the design review service for the county.” The Sea Ranch design staff will monitor the building process along the way to check and be sure the house is being built according to the plans. In the very earliest days of The Sea Ranch, added Jer Skibbins, one man wanted to build a replica of Fort Ross, another had plans for a Mississippi Southern plantation complete with white pillars. Skibbins gave a keynote speech about life on the Ranch. (see accompanying article.) Around the edges of the room were tables with representatives of various committees and community activities inviting new members to become involved. Margie and Gene Rosholt and Janet and Glen Hubbard arranged and hosted a wine-and-cheese reception to allow new members to get better acquainted. One sunny Sunday afternoon in 1967, my wife Sally and I decided to drive up the coast from the Bay Area. We thought we might visit the town of Mendocino. When we got to Jenner, the sun vanished and we drove the Jenner grade in total fog. When we spotted a Sea Ranch sign after a lot of slow driving, we thought, “What the heck, let ‘s stop in and take a look, maybe we’ll have lunch.“ One hour later, to our astonishment, we had bought a lot in Unit 18, right on the shore. As you might imagine, it was love at first sight, fog or no. Today, 36 years later, we’re still in love with Sea Ranch, perhaps not as blind as originally, but still a bit myopic. Let me describe a recent day in my life at Sea Ranch. My days are not all wonderful, of course; everyone has a few lusterless days at times; but this was a good day. After breakfast, I walked out my front door. Even though I moved quietly, the door creaked a little; the deer, who sleep under our madrone tree 30 feet away, heard that and got up slowly and walked across the meadow to a copse of Monterey pines. Overhead were a few ravens, a blue jay, and a flight of robins who pause for a week or two on their flight south. I walked through the quiet woods to the Posh Squash, our community garden, flushing a covey of California quail. They eat here too. I checked the greenhouse and watered some newly sprouted flats of lettuce, broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower. Outside in the garden I dumped our household vegetable clippings and parings in one of the dozen compost piles. Walking back home, I traversed a small wood. I spotted several puffball mushrooms and gathered them up. Puffballs go well with scrambled eggs. We eat about 17 different mushrooms that we have found on Sea Ranch, but please don’t follow my example here unless you become an expert in mushroom lore. Back home, I got the car out and drove along the Ridge Road. Around a comer I had to stop. Three wild turkey gobblers were all fluffed out in a mating strut, each trying to impress the hens who were feeding in the grass. After inching by, I drove on to the White Barn for a visit with the Barn-workers who set up Bam events like the plays for The Sea Ranch Thespians, the screen for classic movies that the Sea Ranch Foundation sponsors, or for Sea Ranch Association events. Their morning break usually involves coffee and cinnamon buns. The talk usually ranges over many coastal activities, because some of the folks who volunteer at the Barn also volunteer for RCMS (our medical center), Gualala Arts Center, the Fire Department, Community Resources Connection, Association committees, and many other groups. I left the Barn to get the mail at our Post Office at the Lodge. Several friends were there and we chatted in the bright sunshine. Let’s stop this record of my day, although we’ve only gotten to lunchtime. I might go fishing this afternoon or to the Library. In the evening I know that I might play bridge or perhaps go to a meeting of the Silicon Coast Computer Group (the PC owners group of which I am the president). Let’s ask a question: What has happened to my life that once was spent driving choked freeways, rushing to meetings, meeting deadlines, cooped up in air-conditioned offices, running through airports, living in hotels while in other cities, fighting weather and traffic, constantly phoning about appointments, and enduring the racket day and night of busy cities? It sure changed, didn’t it? I decided to give you this sample of one of my days because I think it illustrates some key characteristics of used the complete name for those who didn’t know “CRC.” OK? life at the Sea Ranch:
Well, what does all this talk about my day and what it illustrates really mean to you? You’ve probably already figured that out. If you choose to integrate into the mainstream of our coastal community, the magic secret is to volunteer for whatever activity you-prefer. You’ll find a wide-open welcome because the work is really necessary to the public welfare. If, however, you seek quiet, no involvement and the concentration of your study or studio here, that, too, is perfectly acceptable and many have done that before you. You have choices galore, and space and quiet and pure air and the beauty of this coast to enrich your soul, clean your lungs, and reward your days. I’ll be 85 this summer. I believe that The Sea Ranch has added 20 good years to my life. Open yourself to its possibilities and it may do the same for yours; at least that is my hope for you. Welcome to The Sea Ranch! Workshop Revives TSR Value System Rain and wind hammered the Knipp-Stengel Barn but barely lifted the eyebrows of the 153 Sea Ranchers at the third “Taking Part” Workshop on April 12. The attendees, half newcomers, followed with rapt attention from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. as famed landscape architect and devout Sea Rancher Lawrence Halprin led them in an intensive look at The Sea Ranch value systems and how they affect our lifestyle. This particular 2003 Workshop resulted from a conversation Halprin had with the late Gordon Beebe who was concerned that the value system of The Sea Ranch was gradually slipping away. He wanted to revisit the values of the pioneers and see what had happened. Halprin agreed to conduct a workshop, but unfortunately Gordon Beebe died before it could take place. However, the Workshop was dedicated to Gordon. The issue of the Workshop, Halprin said, was the original value system established by the original planners and developers for The Sea Ranch to see what had changed and what to do about those changes. A slide show illustrated the challenges faced by Halprin and the development team when they planned The Sea Ranch. “In those days, ecology was a brand new word.” Wind was a key element, so roof-slants followed the shape of the erosion of trees and the land. To stay regional, the plant material had to be native or naturalized, avoiding the suburban mentality by ruling out lawns. The team wanted to eschew “prettiness” wherever possible. At first, it was thought there should be a “stable of architects” who could be depended upon to maintain general architectural quality. However, the team decided, “Let’s be more democratic,” and just give architects a set of restrictions and constraints. That’s how the CC&Rs and the Design Committee evolved — to see that designs followed the concept. The team avoided 40-acre “estate” lots by clustering units in a kind of farm-like group of buildings to preserve open space. They wanted to always develop around common areas, “which were the matrix of our society.” Claude E. Finn, enjoying his first Halprin Workshop, observed, “The slide show of early pictures of The Sea Ranch from the air and ground of wide open spaces and less trees … coupled with views of our world-famous coast line were spectacular and a great reminder to me of the canvas Halprin, along with others, was about to paint on. His easygoing but in-charge style of delivery throughout the Workshop was like listening to an eloquent loved and respected family member telling stories after dinner while the family listens with thoughtful smiles.” PRINCIPLES The results of the first “Score,” in which everyone wrote or drew on pieces of butcher paper what had attracted them to Sea Ranch, were condensed into the following qualities: beauty, architecture blending with nature, sense of community, ocean, quality of lifestyle, quietness, peace and spirituality, wildlife and natural beauty, simplicity, harmony with nature, wild character, the people, the history. When participants divided up into 16 groups of 10, they were asked to record three to five things that had changed the most at Sea Ranch. Each group reached consensus on the changes and presented them to the larger group. Then they examined how those changes conflicted with the principles from the earlier workshops and The Sea Ranch Vision, as they understood it. Alex Long represented Table 8 and described the backgrounds of the people at the table: “No architects, but great linguistic ability, including two psychologists, three psychiatrists and a nuclear engineer.” (Another table said its group was made up of “trophy husbands and trophy wives.”) Long said, while his group found the ’93 principles valid, it found them a little myopic in that, “We have extended our vision to go beyond how we are relating to our natural environment and much of our discussion was how Sea Ranch relates to the greater community and how we are relating to our geographic environment.” CONFLICTS WITH VALUES ADAPTATION AND/OR
IMPLEMENTATION Preserving the Vision: One group agreed that a vision can’t be defined with negatives: “We must describe in a positive form what we are trying to achieve.” Many were concerned about how to preserve the vision and pass it on to new people. Some suggested putting Halprin’s morning slide show in a form that could be distributed readily. Solutions ranged from the humorous: “Support realtor rehabilitation,” to the creative: “Have a storyteller in residence,” and “Set up a docent program to conduct tours and educate people interested in building.” Others were more pragmatic: “Support the Interpretive Center Task Force Report.” (See SOUNDINGS, Spring 2003) Almost every group agreed that education and communication in all media, including video and CDs, was paramount to preserving the vision. “Education is the cornerstone; a lot of the information is out there.” “Regarding the implementation of ideas, communication is the primary issue.” “Disseminate the report of this Workshop to all property owners.” Information should be “early and frequent — the sooner you reach those interested in The Sea Ranch, the better.” Community: Many wanted the Association, especially the Board of Directors to: “Encourage community participation; governance is derived from the governed.” The Board should be more proactive in addressing community needs and fostering bi-county cooperation. “The Board should adopt a broader horizon and involve themselves in the issues of the larger community.” Several mentioned the Gualala River and its watershed as a common interest on both sides of the river. Contacting elected officials to see how they can help was encouraged. Architectural Design: There was a difference of opinion on “big box” houses. Many felt “trophy homes” did not belong at Sea Ranch because they called attention to themselves to the detriment of The Sea Ranch as a whole. Others felt it was the visual impact and how the house was sited in the landscape that gave the perception of “bigness.” “Provide incentives to reduce size in architecture.” “Remember that TSR as a whole is a work of art and no architect should be looking to create his or her statement.” One group wanted the Design Committee to “have more backbone,” but another called on members to “stand behind the Design Committee forthrightly,” and said that “the Design Committee should stand behind its decisions forthrightly.” Donlyn Lyndon, another of the early planning team, observed, “Planning of this place was conceived in three-dimension — as things which exist in space, as landforms, tree forms, open meadows. It was not conceived as diagrams of property on a map. We need to get back to see our spaces in that holistic way.” He called for three-dimensional mapping of vegetation and planning by neighborhoods. Aging in Place: One group was of the opinion that “Sea Ranch isn’t for everybody at every stage in life.” Others would “Modify the CC&Rs to be more friendly for people who want to remain here in their later years.” Donlyn Lyndon’s group suggested: “Given the pressures of new needs, if we want diversity, find undesignated lands that would meet the needs of seniors and the low income. We need to bite the bullet and investigate some of the lands that are underused and pursue land-use changes that could occur to allow multiple units.” Work in Progress: Just as the United States of America was an experimental society, said Jer Skibbins, so The Sea Ranch is an experiment. “Our CC&Rs are not cast in concrete; they are our first best attempt at defining what probably is a way we might live together on this piece of land in some kind of harmony and with some kind of mutual enjoyment. They are not the last word on this! We still have to work on everything related to how this community functions to work out all of our problems and to work out all of our goals and dreams of an ideal life. We are not there yet — we are on our way!” Halprin concluded by saying, “Jer Skibbins hit it on the nose when he pointed out this is a work in progress. People over the centuries have been trying to find out what the value system of their community is. Hopefully we’re still at it. … As a form of intensive democracy, all of the things we’ve talked about will become more and more valuable and important. To think of this as a work in progress will depend on all of you, not on the Board of Directors or the Design Committee, because all of you will be carrying this work ahead. I like very much the idea of breaking out of the box and thinking of the remaining landforms and land pieces as pieces that are waiting for creative analysis and creative use, and not just simply thinking about fulfilling the exact same thing we started out with. It’s high time that we developed new ways of thinking about the future of land that’s left over at The Sea Ranch.” The Workshop will be consolidated into a book that will be distributed to all those who attended. Finally, the rain had stopped; Mira, Halprin’s Labrador pup, had fallen asleep; and it was 6 p.m., time for the Workshop to end. Sea Ranch and Gualala By The Numbers During the 1990s, The Sea Ranch grew much faster than Gualala, but people in both communities were more educated, wealthier and paid more for housing. Median age of fulltime residents went up in Gualala and down at Sea Ranch. Significant numbers of people were working at home in both communities. These and other conclusions are reached by reviewing data released by the U.S. Census Bureau late last fall. CENSUS GEOGRAPHY Things are not so simple at The Sea Ranch. In 1990, one “block group” covered Sea Ranch. However, this block group was enlarged for the 2000 census, extending east well past Annapolis. The short-form data for Sea Ranch was obtained by adding up the counts for 34 separate census blocks, but the long-form data are not reported at the block level. That leaves two choices:
Demographically, Sea Ranchers are more like each other than like people living to the east. It seemed appropriate to assume that Sea Ranchers (with the exception of those at Burbank Housing) would be better described by data covering a part of the community than by data from an area in which almost one-third of the people are not Sea Ranchers. Thus, long-form data used in this article are from tabulations for Zip Codes 95445 and 95497. POPULATION AND HOUSING
UNITS Looking just at Gualala and Sea Ranch, Table 2 shows the number of houses and the number and percent of occupied houses in 1990 and 2000. During the 1990s, the percentage of houses occupied by full-time residents went down 6 percent in Gualala and up 6 percent in Sea Ranch. The drop in full-time occupancy in Gualala is accounted for by an increase in the number of vacation rental houses (from 175 in 1990 to 281 in 2000). In this respect, Gualala is becoming more like Sea Ranch. AGE EDUCATIONAL LEVEL PLACE OF BIRTH The Sea Ranch foreign-born came primarily from Europe and Asia, while the Gualala foreign-born were primarily from Europe and Latin America, with 66 percent coming from Latin America. Both communities drew some residents from Canada. AGE OF HOUSING HOME-HEATING FUEL HOUSING COSTS EMPLOYMENT HOUSEHOLD INCOME SUMMING UP The Comprehensive Environmental Plan (CEP) is no longer TSR’s “best-kept secret” as stated at the June 2002 Forum. The Sea Ranch Planning Committee is working diligently to complete a full update of the CEP and is looking for help from all Sea Ranchers. The purposes of the project are to:
Like many TSR projects, volunteers are doing the work — in this case, members of the Planning Committee with oversight by Bill Wiemeyer, Director of Compliance and Environmental Management. Committee members have completed initial drafts of all the elements:
Dibby Tyler is helping the element authors and editing the drafts to bring a consistent style to the plan. The Planning Committee has reviewed the first three elements: land use, building design, and landscape. These elements, all treating the fundamental character of The Sea Ranch, will be discussed at a TSR Forum on July 12, 2003. The PC urges members to attend. There will ample opportunity to comment. The Planning Committee also invites members to use the form on this page to send your comments. The sections that follow summarize the three elements and present the guidelines currently under consideration by the Planning Committee. The full text of the three draft elements is on TSRAWeb site and paper copies are available at the office. 1.0 LAND USE This element outlines the history of development at TSR and describes the current land uses (residential, Commons, community facilities, commercial, infrastructure, timber production). Issues include: lot consolidations, development of Unit 39B (former Transfer Site), uses of “starred sites,” future of timber production zones, need for a commercial center, Lodge and Golf Course expansion, and Burbank Housing. The guidelines under consideration by the Planning Committee are: GUIDELINES — LAND USE ELEMENT 1.1 Manage Commons for the beneficial use of Sea Ranch members in accord with The Sea Ranch Restrictions and Board policy. When conflicts arise over use of Commons, they shall be resolved in favor of the interests of the community at large and protection of natural resources. 1.2 Support lot consolidations in the north end of Sea Ranch where the lots are small and in the parts of Sea Ranch without sewers and poor conditions for septic leachfields. Page 33 1.3 Encourage cluster development of the 23-acre Transfer Site as a “project” under Sections 3.08 and 3.09 of the CC&Rs, leaving at least half the site as open Commons. Overall density should not exceed one unit per acre, but excellence of design and compatibility with The Sea Ranch concept is more important than density for this site. Well-designed senior-friendly housing would be appropriate for this site. 1.4 Evaluate the “starred sites” on Commons, particularly the Remnant Lands and the Central Timber Production Zone (TPZ), for suitability for recreational or other permitted uses. Explore removing the “starred” designation from sites that are found to be unsuitable for recreation. Continue to use the “starred site” procedure to review applications for use of these sites. 1.5 Be ready to acquire full title or easements to all or part of the North TPZ (and possibly part of the South TPZ) when opportunities arise by keeping contact with the owners, identifying funding sources and considering options for land use and management. Acquisition of full title or easements along TSR eastern boundary is the most effective way to control future uses of these lands. 1.6 Study the use of the Verdant View commercial area to identify opportunities for future uses beneficial to TSR. 1.7 Continue communications with owners of the Lodge and Golf Links to ensure that impacts on TSR properties or residents of operations and expansion projects are fully mitigated. 2.0 BUILDING DESIGN This element outlines TSR’s heritage of architectural excellence and describes the role of the Design Committee and steps in the design review process. Issues include: communicating TSR design message, preservation of historic buildings, large houses, and remodels, additions and demolitions. GUIDELINES — BUILDING DESIGN ELEMENT 2.1 Undertake a design education program as recommended by the Interpretive Center Task Force. The program should include:
2.2 Establish a working committee, like the Trails Committee, to work with the staff of the Design, Compliance and Environmental Management Department to develop and implement the design education program, especially coordinating volunteer efforts. 2.3 Institute a regular design award program with the Design Committee making nominations and a separate jury of peers selecting the award-winning homes. Page 34 Page 35 2.4 Develop specific criteria and methods to designate “official” Sea Ranch vernacular structures. Explore funding sources to help private owners preserve and maintain these buildings. 2.5 Publish a guide to vernacular structures on The Sea Ranch that includes descriptions of innovative design and site solutions, backgrounds on the designers, and other relevant information. 2.6 Communicate to the Design Committee, the Association’s desire to allow the use of new building materials and concepts that are ecologically sensitive and resistant to the elements and, at the same time, would preserve The Sea Ranch design vernacular. 3.0 LANDSCAPE This element briefly describes the evolution of The Sea Ranch landscape and defines the various types of landscapes at TSR, including the management goals for each. Issues include: too many trees, disappearing views, blufftop cypress, signature hedgerows, wildfire hazards, landscaping on private lots, special features and unique environments, and invasive or noxious plants. GUIDELINES — LANDSCAPE ELEMENT 3.1 Undertake annual maintenance of bluff edge cypress as specified in the 1995 report, The Sea Ranch Blufftop Cypress Trees: Management Recommendations. Continue to use volunteers to help execute the plan. 3.2 Continue working with neighbors to rehabilitate or replace signature hedgerows according to priorities in the Hedgerow Rehabilitation Plan. Do a minimum of one hedgerow a year and, when staff has time, do additional hedgerows. Remove superfluous hedgerow growth after new trees reach maturity. 3.3 Maintain the meadows as basically open land with scattered trees and shrubs. Couple this with an aggressive program to remove seedling trees from the meadows. Working with impacted neighbors, establish a forest/ meadow line and maintain it by removing seedling trees from the meadows. Consider forming a working committee, similar to the Trails Committee, to help staff with this task. 3.4 Initiate a major program to educate Sea Ranchers about appropriate landscaping of private lots. The program should include the following:
3.5 Along with the education program, provide consistent enforcement of TSRA landscaping rules. 3.6 Describe the visual character and reassess the management goals of each landscape type (listed in the table). Use the descriptions to update the current Landscape Management Plan, and guide land management decisions by both the Association and property owners. 3.7 Develop a process for neighborhood landscape planning to achieve better visual integration of landscaping on private lots and Commons. The Association or neighborhood groups could initiate the process, and the resulting plans would be subject to Design Committee approval. The process would be a major tool to resolve disputes among owners over tree removals or planting, particularly on private lots. 3.8 Protect rare and endangered plants and animal habitats as part of all land management activities. Please send the Planning Committee your comments. Clip and fill out the form on this page, add additional pages if you wish, and mail it to: TSRA Planning Committee, c/o Bill Wiemeyer, TSRA, P.O. Box 16, The Sea Ranch, CA 95497-0016. Volunteers Rescue Del Mar Schoolhouse On a warm September morning in 1905, the teacher unlocked the door of her brand new one-room schoolhouse and welcomed the eight children gathered in the yard next to the county road. They trooped into the classroom and took seats facing the teacher’s desk. On the blackboard she had written the date and her name, Miss Edith M. Ames. “Good morning, children,” she said. “I’m Miss Ames and I’m very happy to see you here.” The children were the progeny of employees at the Del Mar Lumber Company, recently constructed in what is now Unit 35C. Mill worker housing had been constructed in the area, and a little community, also called Del Mar, had grown up there. When the minimum number of school-age children (six) was reached, the county was required to provide a teacher. The lumber mill constructed the 16’ x 20’ building on its land, along with a two-seater outhouse nearby. Miss Ames was hired at $70 per month and boarded with the family of one of her students. The little schoolhouse served the local children for seven years, but when the lumber mill burned down in 1910, the community of Del Mar began to dwindle. By 1912, the county abandoned the building and moved “Del Mar School” to Priscilla Cole’s property. Mrs. Cole had homesteaded the land just east of what is now The Sea Ranch, and had built a saloon on Annapolis Road. The defunct saloon was converted to classrooms and functioned until the 1940s. With both its name and its students removed to the saloon, the “old” schoolhouse sat abandoned and gathering dust, and the mill site slowly returned to grazing pastures for cattle. A NEW LIFE In 1964, the Ohlson brothers, who had bought Del Mar Ranch in 1941, sold the ranch to Castle & Cooke (later Oceanic of California) who converted it to a subdivision and renamed it “The Sea Ranch.” For nearly 20 years, the schoolhouse served no purpose other than that of a quaint and picturesque old structure by the side of the road. Its whitewashed exterior wore off, and the unprotected redwood walls turned gray. Its windows were broken out, and once-white curtains flapped in the mullions. Sitting on the ground with no foundation, the building became occupied by termites and nesting swallows. Its forlorn charm attracted many photographers and painters, and Sandy Gravitch’s excellent watercolor of the rundown place was chosen as a poster for one of the annual Art in the Redwoods. TO THE RESCUE Work on the site continued through the efforts of volunteers. The glen between the schoolhouse and the creek was cleared and the area was christened the “Secret Place” by the volunteers’ children. Volunteers also undertook the restoration of vegetation to the area with native plants and grasses, and apple trees — rooted slips from the historic Fort Ross orchard — were planted. THE BIG JOB There is some landscaping and replanting yet to be done, and then the project will be complete, providing for present and future Sea Ranchers a preserved part of their rural heritage, a native plant garden, and a secluded picnic area. Farmers Market Open for
Summer Opening Memorial Day weekend, Donna says it will continue each Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 noon — new hours much more convenient for visitors and full-timers alike. The Gualala Farmer’s Market is under the umbrella of the Mendocino County Farmer’s Market Association, a not-for-profit association, whose aim is to provide a place for growers to sell their own just-picked, fresh, naturally grown produce. Each vendor must be certified as growers or producers — even the fish offered for sale must be caught by the vendors or their husbands. Meeting with Donna left me wanting to go home and plant a row of carrots. Her scrubbed, rosy-cheeked freshness and enthusiasm I know must come from working closely with Mother Earth. As owner with Jo Ann Erickson of Seaside School Farms, they will start the season by selling fresh spring greens, early carrots and beets, and continue adding their ripening vegetables and fruits into the season. They are very excited that this year they will also be offering fresh-made pasta (with eggs from their own hens), prepared jams, even salsa. And edible seaweed! Donna is our area’s only licensed seaweed gatherer and producer, and she loves to extol the healthy benefits of our local varieties. Walter Stillman, another longtime resident grower, will be back with strawberries and greens and continue adding his fresh-grown contributions throughout the season. Oz Farms from Manchester will start the season with green garlic and spring greens. Much loved local-born farming veteran R.T. Anderson will be back again with his juicy ripe strawberries. Cindy says he was born in the Old Milano Hotel and attended school in the old schoolhouse across from St. Orres; he is growing his fruits and vegetables just like his father did before him. Hugh Brady of Green Gorge Farms promises to be there later in the summer with vegetables and flowers. Also, look for honey from Cloverdale with its tasty sweet little sample sticks. Point Arena Bakery will be bringing fresh baked bread and desserts as they have in years past. Fandangle Farms will be selling jams, and their young entrepreneurial son will again be selling his zucchini. Kermit Carter of Flowers by the Sea will be there with his fresh colorful blooms and, in addition, a lavender vendor from Gualala Ridge will be selling sachets and lavender products. When available, local smoked wild salmon and seafood will be provided by Jennifer Aranas, freshly caught by her fisherman husband. She has also promised to bring some of her legendary, outrageously delicious pastries. This movable feast will be on the green next to the Community Center on the east side of Highway One. The larger space will give the opportunity for more sampling and display, and Donna promises some surprise guest chef demonstrations as the season progresses. Enjoy the spontaneity. Try samples. Ask questions. Find out about seaweed or life in Gualala in the old days. And let the market be your inspiration for meals. Leave your list at home, and let the sight of fresh picked sweet corn, waxy green cucumbers, the smell of juicy raspberries, or the heady aroma of fresh baked bread be your guide. Buy what was in the earth or local ovens a few short hours ago. You’ll be helping to save our local farms and treating yourself well too.
Gualala Farmer’s Market Thanks to all those who have looked at the guidelines for donating to the Library and followed them. It is clear that people are thinking about what they donate and are doing it selectively. Most donations now are good candidates for circulation, up-to-date and in good condition. The stream of textbooks, magazines, and other unsuitable materials has fallen to a trickle. The result is a Library more than ever in good form and able to meet the needs of its patrons. A perhaps little-known section of the Library contains the Hobby, Do-It- Yourself, and Sports books. These occupy three or four shelves on the outside wall of the “third room,” behind the desk and facing the door. Here are found books on needlework, photography, carpentry, home improvement, gardening (top shelf to the left of the others), and some famous sports: golf, tennis, running, sailing, flying, weight training and softball. Most of these are new and attractive. Strangely, given its popularity at The Sea Ranch, there are no books on quilting. This would make a good donation! Visitors to the Library should not leave without a look at the Free Box. It is full of surprises. Most of the books in it are there because they are duplicates, not because they are too shabby or too outdated to put on the shelves. They are in the box for patrons to take for any purpose whatsoever: to add to their own libraries, to take on some trip and jettison along the way, to stock their rental properties, or to donate to some charity. All that is asked is that nothing be returned. The Library is open from dawn to dusk daily. Come in, browse, borrow, and return. Art in the Redwoods August 15, 16, 17 The 42nd Annual Arts in the Redwoods Festival promises to deliver another unforgettable weekend of art and family entertainment on our coast. It takes place on Saturday, August 16, and Sunday, August 17, 2003, at the Gualala Arts Center. The first Arts in the Redwoods show, held in 1961, was actually held outdoors among the beautiful redwood trees at a Gualala Ridge residence, long before the current Arts Center facility was built. This year marks Art in the Redwoods’ 42nd anniversary, and will bring over 3,000 people into the area for what is now the most popular and largest North Coast art show in California. The exhibit includes 400 or more unique pieces of original artwork for sale. Local, regional, and national artists compete for over $3,000 in prizes. The celebration begins with a champagne preview, presale, and judges’ critique on Friday, August 15, at 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Admission is $6.00. The opening reception is followed by a magnificent dinner by René Fueg of Oceansong at 7:30 p.m. A limited number of dinner tickets are available for $35.00 each at the Gualala Arts Center. On Saturday, August 16, and Sunday, August 17, the festival will be in full swing with over 50 juried vendor booths offering a large variety of art and craft items. There will be outdoor concerts and other live entertainment appropriate for the entire family, and a special kid’s craft area where children of any age can have their faces painted and make crafts. Dozens of food booths include sumptuous fare for all tastes. Alfresco dining is available at the picnic tables underneath the majestic redwood trees at the Gualala Arts Center. Art in the Redwoods will take place on Saturday, August 16, and Sunday, August 17 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Admission is $6.00 for adults and children under 12 are free. Sandy Sloan will fill a vital role in the production of SOUNDINGS as she takes over the position of Advertising Director. Sea Ranchers may recognize Sandy as one of the people who fills in at the Front Desk at the Association office. Sandy and her husband, Jim, hail from Pennsylvania, where Sandy grew up in Altoona. She and Jim traveled the world over to pursue their passion for raising Arabian horses for racing. They had a 30-acre farm with 20 horses when they were in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania. Sandy once had a vivid dream of living in a house on a cliff overlooking the ocean, so Jim suggested they take a trip west to see if they could find such a place. Traveling from Washington down the coast, they discovered The Sea Ranch. From then on, whenever the Arabian horse business took them near, they returned and rented houses on the Ranch. Finally, seven years ago, they decided to retire and buy a home here. Sandy and Jim have two children, Mark in Palm Harbor, Florida, and Laura in Berryville, Virginia, where, not surprisingly, she trains horses for foxhunts and other equestrian events. Susanne Imhaus, who capably managed the advertising for SOUNDINGS for several years, has moved inland to be closer to her daughter and her grandchildren — one of them brand new. We are grateful to Susanne for her competence and cheerful management of the complexities of the advertising end of SOUNDINGS.
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 Last Updated: 03/19/07 |
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