Board approves design development for Park and Old Mill Measure G projects, moves work toward construction documents

Mill Valley, Calif.

The board approved design development for Measure G renovation projects at Park and Old Mill elementary schools and authorized staff to proceed to construction documents and DSA submittal. Facilities staff presented the completed design development package and described the scope for each campus, community engagement, and preliminary cost estimates.

Key scope items presented for both Park and Old Mill included replacement or addition of drinking fountains with integrated bottle fillers, limited restroom accessibility upgrades to meet code, replacement of TK play structures and sandboxes, replacement of roofing and selected HVAC units (including multi‑purpose rooms and portables), replacement of basketball backboards, and path‑of‑travel improvements with lighting. The Old Mill scope also included landscape enhancements around a new play structure and repair reseal/stripe work on play areas listed as an alternate.

Facilities and design staff detailed code and safety work: fire alarm detector replacements, completion of the campus fire loop and addition of two hydrants with associated backflow prevention hardware. Project designers said roofing parapet cap flashing and certain low‑slope walkway roofs would be replaced as part of the work.

Staff reported community and staff engagement in design review, including multiple meetings with site staff and select parent committees. Trustees asked about the visual and safety effects of retaining walls at Old Mill and about resident engagement for perimeter landscaping; staff said the retaining wall would vary in height (roughly two to four feet) with safety fencing and that PTA and parents had been invited to provide input on tree species.

The board approved the design development packages and the motion to move forward with preparing 100% construction documents over the summer. Staff noted alternates such as full asphalt reseal and restripe at Park could carry substantial additional cost (presented estimate ranged roughly between $400,000 and $750,000 in the discussion) and might be deferred if funding did not permit.

Next steps: staff will complete construction documents this summer and submit to the Division of the State Architect (DSA) for permit review, return to the board with final GMPs and contract awards as required, and proceed with summer repairs and Measure G work as scheduled.