FLANDERS FOUNDATION
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FLANDERS FOUNDATION
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PUBLICITY AND SUPPORT Flanders Past and
Present The City of Carmel proposes to sell the Flanders Mansion ("Outlands") and part of the surrounding parkland for what it perceives to be exigent financial reasons. For a variety of reasons, this move is unfortunate since it would deprive Carmel's citizens of the most beautiful property that Carmel owns. The parkland includes the Lester Rowntree Native Plant Garden and the whole park is designated as the Mission Trail Park. The story of the Mission Trail Park begins with the establishment of the Carmel Mission in August, 1771, under the direction of the Franciscan missionary, Father Junipero Serra. The Franciscans established a trail in front of the Mission by which they traveled to the Presidio or San Carlos Church in Monterey. In 1839 Spain granted one league (three miles) to Manuel Lazaro, which contained what was to become the Mission Trail Park and Flanders Mansion. In 1859, after California became part of the United States, the novelist Gertrude Atherton's mother bought the land. Atherton's The Splendid Idle Forties describes the property. In 1925, the Carmel Land Company of which Paul Flanders was the president, purchased 233 acres from the estate of the Hatton family, who had used the meadow at the top of the property to raise hay for their ranch. The Flanders family built their home "Outlands" on the property as a family residence and as a model for the Hatton Fields Subdivision. In the 1950s Robert A. Doolittle bought 16.5. acres of the land to preserve it and planted a redwood grove near the Rio Road entrance to the park, directly across from the Mission. In 1971 wishing to preserve the property from development, Bill Doolittle, Robert's nephew, donated one-third of the property and sold for a token price the remaining portion of the property to the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea. In 1972, the City of Carmel purchased the Flanders Mansion ("Outlands") and 14.9 acres of land from the Flanders estate. These two parcels of land now constitute the Mission Trail Park. The architect of the Flanders Mansion was Henry Higbee Gutterson, one of the most famous of the "Bay area" architects, who collaborated with both Julia Morgan and Bernard Maybeck on other projects. He designed the gardens of the mansion as well. Created during the Arts and Crafts Period, Flanders is an excellent example of English Cottage Tudor Revival Style and is the only example of that style in the area. In 1972, the City of Carmel purchased the Mansion and 14.9 acres of land from the Flanders estate for $275,000. In 1989 the Flanders Mansion was listed on the National Register of Historic Structures, one of two structures in Carmel to be so designated. The meadow, which is part of the Flanders holding, adjacent to Martin Road, was once the grazing place for Paul Flanders' horses. From it one can look out on the Carmel Mission and Point Lobos. The Lester Rowntree Native Plant Garden, only part of which would be included in the sale, would nonetheless be severely compromised by the sale, since many of the plantings are fragile and probably would not survive. Its plantings include ceanothus, manzanita, flowering currant and bush poppy, and the garden is designed to educate residents about drought resistant native plants and their beauty. After the death of the Flanders, one of the last inhabitants of Flanders was John Cunningham, where he directed the Carmel Art Institute. He came to Carmel in 1926. and in 1939 became director of the Art Institute which was located at the Golden Bough. In 1980 he moved the Institute to Flanders Mansion because of a rent increase. He taught at Flanders until 1988 when he retired. Many of his students, who admired his methodology for teaching painting are now members of the Carmel Art Association. He died in 2004 at the age of 99. The Flanders Mansion is now empty and the Carmel Art Institute exists only in a post office box. Several myths exist about Flanders that are true and should be corrected. While, admittedly, Flanders is in need of repairs-- roofing, electricity, etc, the fabric of the building is not, as has been thought, decaying, since it is built of Thermotite brick, which is virtually indestructible and controls the temperature. Many nearby residents fear that if Flanders were leased to a non profit group, the noise, hustle and bustle would be very disturbing, but the Monterey Museum of Art's La Mirada Branch is located in much closer proximity to neighbors in a residential neighborhood than Flanders is and has yet to be criticized for noise, simply because there isn't much. Moreover, Flanders is located on the side of a hill which effectively blocks noise. This wonderful building and its parkland should be preserved for the citizens of Carmel and visitors. John Cunningham and the Carmel Art Institute at Flanders CARMEL: John Cunningham
remembered as teacher, creator Cunningham was born April 5, 1904 into a New Jersey family of painters and poets. The year he was born, Cezanne painted "Mount SainteVictoire," Matisse returned to St. Tropez, a 23-year-old Picasso claimed Montmartre and moved into the Bateau-Lavoir, and Puccini premiered "Madama Butterfly" at La Scala in Milan. Carmel was as nascent as Cunningham. He was raised in New York with the Metropolitan Museum of Art as his playground. Although he spent a semester at Manhattan College in New York, a moment at St. Mary's College in Moraga and a stretch at the Mark Hopkins Art Institute in San Francisco, finally commencing from the University of California at Berkeley, it was acting that brought him to Carmel at age 22. The young artist was performing in intimate theater venues when he premiered in 1926 at the Kuster Golden Bough Theater as a cast member in Noel Coward's '''The Young Idea." The show ended and the theater company departed, but Cunningham remained in Carmel. That same year, on April 3, 1926, the local newspaper reported, "It is somewhat of a wonder that Carmel, known the world over as an art center, has no centrally situated, picturesquely located, open-at-all-times gallery." On the afternoon of Aug. 8, 1927, 19 artists, including Cunningham, met at Gray Gables, the home of artists Josephine Culbertson and Ida Johnson, to establish the Carmel Art Association "for the advancement of art and for cooperation among artists." Membership in the new association was made available to artists of "accepted standing" in the art community. Meetings were held weekly at Gray Gables until a suitable gallery could be established. Finally, for $40 per month, the association rented Bert Heron's Seven Arts Building at Lincoln Street and Ocean Avenue. a craftsman building with high gables and wooden beams considered perfect in appearance and location for high-quality art exhibits. Meanwhile, in 1929, having earned both his bachelor's and master's degrees from UC-Berkeley, Cunningham became an honorary traveling fellow of the university. He studied with Hans Hoffman in Munich, apprenticed with Andre L'Hote in Paris and traveled to Cagnes-Sur-Mer to work with Italian sculptor Beniamino Bufano. Cunningham returned to the United States to become the artist-in-residence and chairman of the Fine & Industrial Arts Department at the renowned Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan. By 1935, he was directing the summer session for the School of Fine Arts at Mills College in Oakland. Cunningham returned to California in 1939 to become staff artist on the Governor's Commission for the Golden Gate International Exhibition of Treasure Island. Cunningham's work caught the attention of acclaimed painter Armin Hansen, who had established the Carmel Art Institute two years earlier. Now ill, Hansen invited him to assume instruction at the Institute for the summer session. By summer's end, he became director of the institute, paid Hansen a reported $64 for furniture and equipment and continued to run the operation as a nonprofit corporation well into the 1980s. Cunningham also established an institute abroad program on the Italian island of Capri, where he would become the artist in residence for months at a time, alternating with his first wife, Patricia, and local artist Gene Elmore. "If it hadn't been for John," said Elmore, "1 wouldn't be a painter. I was pre-med in college; I was going to be a psychologist. Two wars stopped that. I would have been in school till I was 90. I had two GI Bills, so I decided to move to California. I went to Carmel and couldn't find any work, so I took a walk on Fisherman's Wharf in Monterey, where I saw an ad for the Carmel Art Institute. "I spent the next four years at the Institute with John and Pat. John was such a good teacher. For the first year, we did nothing but color exercises. After students got started in art, Pat would take over. She was a marvelous artist herself." By 1961, Cunningham was divorced from Patricia and was teaching art in Carmel when a young woman, also named Patricia, stopped by the institute to inquire about art classes. Instead of learning to paint, she says, she fell in love with the painter, and the two were married in the fall of that year. They enjoyed 43 years of marriage before his death. "John was known as a great teacher with many, many students, who turned out to be very successful," Patricia said, "He was a very kind, pleasant man, who had a unique way about him." Carmel artist Sue Roberts was another student of Cunningham's during the 1960s who continues to acknowledge his influence in her work. "John had such an incredible will and personality," Roberts said, "He was so important in the art community and quite a dramatic figure around town. I can tell you most of the artists on the Peninsula studied under him at one time. He would critique us, and he had such power. I can still hear his voice when I paint. I learned color from him. He had a way of treating color and space in a way I'd never seen before or since - ~except maybe from Cezanne." John James Cunningham, April 5, 1904 - January 22, 2004 John James Cunningham, age 99, died at Hospice House on January 22. He was born April 5, 1904 in New Jersey, raised in Manhattan and was educated at the University or California, Berkeley receiving both his Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in Fine Arts. He was awarded a traveling fellowship to study with Hans Hofmann in Munich; Andre L'Hote in Paris and Beniamino Bufano in Cages-Sur-Mer, France. He executed murals for Gimbels and Macys, NYC, Livingstone Manor, NY and the Firestone Winery, Los Olivos. From 1931 - 1933, he was Resident Artist and Head of Summer School at the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan and in 1935, he was Visiting Professor and Head of Summer Session in Art in Mills College, Oakland. In 1936 and 1937, he was staff artist of (he Governor's Commission, University of California Hall of Science and Articulator and Exhibition Designer of Decorative Arts for the Golden Gate International Exposition, Treasure Island. John came to Carmel in 1937 and, in 1938, was the Director of the First Summer School al the Carmel Art Institute. He has been a member of the Carmel Art Association since 1938, served seven terms as Board Member and as President in 1965 and 1985. In 1939, he became the Director and Owner of Carmel Art Institute and, except for US Maritime Service from 1942 to 1946, remained at the Institute until 1990 when he became President Emeritus. Among his numerous one-man shows was an exhibition of eighty works in 1932 at the M. H. de Young Museum in San Francisco. John is survived by his wife, Patti Cunningham, of Carmel Valley, his brother James Cunningham, of New York, and many children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. At his request, no services will be held. Cremation arrangements are under the direction of the Paul Mortuary. Letters of Support A year and a half ago I retired as a Pediatrician and moved to the City of Carmel to spend the remaining years of my life. If I had wanted a scenic area with a bunch of individuals going their own way and no sense of community I would have gone to Bishop, CA. It's very pretty there and a whole lot cheaper. I came to Carmel for several reasons: I can walk down the block from my house to the Cherry Foundation and attend a live performance or an art show. Sure there is some extra traffic on my streets those few nights and it costs me extra to have a place like that in my neighborhood but it is well worth it for me to live in proximity to the arts and feel that my community appreciates and sponsors endeavors such as this. I can drive or walk Scenic Drive at sunset and not feel I am intruding on the people living along the streets. I can walk and bird watch thru the Mission Trails park and not intrude on others privacy. I can visit the Lester Rowntree Garden and appreciate the horticulture and serenity of this beautiful spot. I can walk a half-mile to see live theater, etc at the Sunset Center and not worry about intruding on the local neighbors. I can go to another residential neighborhood and see live theater at the Golden Bough. I can attend my photography workshops and other events at the Carmel Foundation in the midst of other homes. Sure it promotes traffic in these neighborhoods to offer these things. Sure these things are not free. It costs us each to be members of this community. I would not have moved here unless I was willing to pay my way. I would not have moved here unless I felt the community at large was also willing to work and support their community as well as their own private domain. After all our private domains aren't worth a whole lot unless we have a beautiful and enlightened community in which to live. The Flanders Mansion is a jewel in the midst of another residential area. Once a city begins to sell off its heritage it loses its integrity and meaning. To deprive the City of Carmel residents of this treasure would be a great loss. I vote we keep Flanders for ourselves and those who come after us .. ***************************************************************************** June 2005 Dear Fellow Citizens of Carmel
May 24, 2004 The National Trust Comes to Carmel The National Trust visited Carmel to show how Flanders can be saved and to express its strong support for the Flanders Foundation's efforts. In an attempt to resolve it budgetary woes, the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea has decided to sell parkland and a major historic asset, the Flanders mansion, a National Register property. The Flanders foundation was created to restore and preserve the mansion, which is located within the Mission Trail Nature Preserve/Park. We strongly oppose any sale and have offered to raise the funds necessary to accomplish our goal and to open Flanders to the public as a cultural and natural history museum. To demonstrate the feasibility of this type of adaptive use, the Nation Trust's Western Regional Office partnered with the Flanders Foundation in Spring 2005 to hold a very successful workshop in Carmel to a packed audience. Western Regional Director Holly Fiala and Program Director/Attorney Mike Buhler did an outstanding job of using other "California success stories" in adaptive use to make the very strong case to Save Flanders. Another goal of the meeting was to underscore the need for preservation groups to cooperate with each other, share information and to support each other's projects. This is certainly happening in Monterey County. Our Preservation Alliance has been a wonderful support to our Foundation. The National Trust continues to be a major ally with advice, letters of support and articles in their newsletters about Flanders. They stand poised and ready to help us rehabilitate the mansion and gardens. We deeply appreciate their years of financial and moral support. Good News for Flanders, July 2005 Carmel's City Council has tried to fast track the sale of parkland and open space, including the Flanders Mansion. Fortunately for Carmel's future, they have been stopped. After months of ignoring the advice of the City Attorney and Carmel's principal planner, the city was forced to follow the law, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and do an Environmental Impact Report on the sale of Flanders and adjacent property. This was the direct result of action by the Flanders Foundation and the ever vigilant Carmel Preservation Foundation's hiring lawyers and sending two very strong letters. The city also still believes that it does not have to follow another state statute regarding the procedure for the sale of parkland. The Flanders Mansion and adjacent property slated for sale are all an integral part of Mission Trail Nature Preserve/Park and zoned parkland. Unfortunately for Carmelites, the city has tried to argue that it is not in fact parkland. This is of course totally incorrect. One look at city land use and zoning documents reveals otherwise. Again, as park and cultural preservationists, we have had to ask attorneys to set the facts straight and protect the public's interests from its own local government. Fortunately, we have succeeded. Our Foundation is determined to see that the city of Carmel follows the correct legal. processes if it continues to pursue the sale of environmental and historic resources. This will require the city to hold public hearings and a public vote on any sale. We will also continue to vigorously oppose any sale based on the very damaging impacts on the park and on Flanders if sold to a single family. We are confident that Carmelites will not support a sale of their precious parkland/open space and historic resources. The other piece of good news is that the city's own hired objective consultants issued in their Draft Environmental Impact Report a conclusion that Flanders Mansion should not be sold to a private family, but should remain in the public domain with a non-profit agency managing and operating it based on a long-term lease. The Flanders Foundation had included a copy of its professional business plan for the consultants to review. This plan demonstrates how we could rehab, maintain and operate Flanders for public enjoyment without any cost to the city. The Draft was supportive of a non-profit group's taking over this responsibility for the Mansion as opposed to sale. All preservationists of all ranks and interests must understand that this is not a small isolated battle. Scout House and Rio Park are part o this. This Council long ago declared war on historic/cultural and environmental preservation - forest, parks and community landscaping. We must draw our line in the sand and Not Budge. Historic and environmental assets are defining elements of a community. They contribute to our identity, roots and sense of place. The power of identity and sense of place is the unique coming together, the symbiotic relationship between the built and natural environment. Protection of these assets, our past and present are and should be the basis for a healthy spiritual and economic future for Carmel. Let's fight on. Carmel depends on us! 2004 Happenings and 2005 Plans Flanders Receives Grant The Foundation received two grants in 2004, one from the Barnet Segal Foundation and the other from the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The $4,000 was used to sponsor a preservation seminar and to educate and inform the public about our mission to protect, preserve and restore the Flanders mansion and keep it in the public domain. This year we have again applied for support for our educational endeavors. The year 2005 will be truly a milestone for Flanders, a decision on sale will most likely occur. This is why we need to do our greatest community outreach. We hope all preservationists, forest and park lovers as well as fiscally responsible Carmelites will assist us in this annual fundraising campaign. The Foundation has been severely hampered for some time in its grant raising efforts by the city's talk of sale. Institutions do not want to give when they see that their money for restoration will be wasted and lost to a private owner and not go to some greater public benefit. The work of our Foundation has been strongly supported by the National Trust, the State Office of Historic Preservation, the California Preservation Foundation, Sierra Club, Audubon Society and the Native Plant Society, to name a few. We feel we are in outstanding company and value their assistance and support. March Historic Preservation Conference a Big Hit with Local Preservationists The Flanders Foundation and the National Trust co-hosted a very successful preservation conference to a packed house of enthusiastic countywide preservationists at the Carmel Woman's Club. The Western Regional Director, Holly Fiala, and the Western Regional Attorney of the National Trust were the featured speakers. They made a very strong case for keeping Flanders as a city property and using it as a museum of art and natural history. They also discussed the many grant opportunities available to realize this dream and showed by other community success stories in California and around the country how it can work in Carmel. It is fabulous to have such strong support from the Trust and our local countywide preservationists. 2004 City Election - A Huge Loss for Preservation! Unfortunately, the 2004 city election resulted in the loss of 2 committed preservationists and the emergence of a 5 vote council which has committed itself to solve budgetary problems through the sale of city assets rather than by developing meaningful, dependable long term revenue generators. Our Foundation continues to believe that it is neither prudent nor responsible to sell parkland and historic assets for a ONE TIME short term financial gain. The new council decided that it would try to sell Flanders without abiding by the state statutes. Contrary to their own staff's advice, the council has refused to follow the law. The state statutes require that the sale of parkland and historic resources necessitates an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) which entails objective analysis, public hearings and a review of viable alternatives. It's sad that nonprofit organizations must hire attorneys to insure that our city council follows the laws that they are sworn to uphold. Due to the councils' strident attitude and approach, our foundation's attorneys, Shute, Mihaly and Weinberger of San Francisco, along with Susan Brandt Hawley, sent letters to the city informing them of their legal obligations under the law. Now, as a result, the city of Carmel will do an EIR as the law requires. We intend to fully participate in this process and will keep you alerted. Our Ever Popular Nature and Historic Walks From April to November 2004 we also did our bimonthly nature and historic walks and talks through Mission Trail nature Preserve up to Flanders. These walks attract locals, county residents and visitors from all over the country. Our record turnout was 51 people for one walk. The wonderful participants of these hikes have become a major informational and educational avenue for us to get our message out regarding the importance of saving significant city resources like Flanders and the Mission Trail Nature Preserve/Park. On several of our outings we were fortunate to have as guides Greg D'Ambrosio, the park's designer, and Judd Vandervere, noted peninsula naturalist. Many of the walkers sent postcards to the mayor and city council requesting that Flanders be retained by the city and opened to the public. Some of the walkers received a letter from the mayor in response to their cards. Due to the tone and inaccuracies of that letter we found it necessary to write a response to the walkers. Also, due to the negativity of the local city press and the city council, our Board of Directors decided that we should send a mailing to all Carmel residents explaining that the proposed sale is not a "done deal" and why the parkland and Flanders are worth saving. We received lots of positive responses and numerous donations. We will start them up again in June. Watch for our ads and community announcements, as well as checking our website. We hope that you'll join us. We have a lot of fun and it's a real learning experience as well. Letters to Our Supporters Flanders Foundation January 18, 2005 Dear Friends and Supporters of Flanders, This is an update on our accomplishments this past year, our current situation and our goals for the future. This was another great year for our foundation. We received 2 grants - one from the National Trust and another from the Barnet Segal Foundation. We also co-hosted a very successful preservation conference with the National Trust for Historic Preservation. There was a "packed house" of enthusiastic countywide preservationists. The Western Regional Director and the Western Regional Attorney of the National Trust were our featured speakers. They made a very strong case for keeping Flanders as a city property and using it as a museum. From April to November we also did our 'bimonthly nature and historic walks and talks through Mission Trail Nature Preserve up to Flanders. Our record turnout was 81 people for one walk. The wonderful participants of these hikes have become a major informational and educational avenue for us to get our message out regarding the importance of saving significant city resources like Flanders and the Mission Trail Nature Preserve/park. On several of our outings we were fortunate to have as guides Greg D'Ambroslo, the park's designer, and Judd Vandervere, noted peninsula naturalist. Many of the walkers sent postcards to the mayor and city council requesting that Flanders be retained by the city and opened to the public. Some of the walkers received a letter from the mayor in response to their cards. Due to the tone and inaccuracies of that letter we found it necessary to write a response to the walkers. Also, due to the negativity of the local press and the city council our Board of Directors decided that we should send a mailing to all Carmel residents explaining that the proposed sale is not a "done deal" and why the parkland and Flanders are worth saving. We received lots of positive responses and numerous donations. Unfortunately, the 2004 city election resulted in the loss of 2 committed preservationists and the emergence of a 5 vote council which has committed itself to solve budgetary problems through the sale of city assets rather than by developing meaningful, dependable long term revenue generators. Our Foundation continues to believe that it is neither prudent nor responsible to sell parkland and historic assets for a ONE TIME short term financial gain. The new council decided that it would try to sell Flanders without abiding by the state statutes. Contrary to their own staff's advice, the council has refused to follow the law. The state statutes require that the sale of parkland and historic resources necessitates an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) which entails objective analysis, public hearings and a review of viable alternatives. It's sad that nonprofit organizations must hire attorneys to insure that our city council follows the laws that they are sworn to uphold. Due to the council's strident attitude and approach, our foundation's attorneys, Shute, Mihaly and Weinberger of San Francisco, along with Susan Brandt Hawley, sent letters to the city informing them of their legal obligations under the law. Now, as a result, the city of Carmel will do an EIR as the law requires. We intend to fully participate in this process. This will very likely be the decision-making year on Flanders. We will, of course, be ever vigilant in watching the council's actions. All of us hope that you will continue to support us as you have in the past. It is so crucial to our ultimate success. Now is the t1me when we need your letters to the editor and donations the most. Warmest Regards, October 18, 2004 Dear Walkers of Mission Trail Nature Preserve/Park and Friends of Flanders, Quite a number of you have told us that after you sent in your postcards commenting on our walks through the Mission Trail Nature Preserve to the Flanders Mansion that you received a letter from the Mayor of Carmel. After reviewing a copy of that letter, we feel that the record needs to be set straight on some of her statements because they simply are not true. We do not want to leave you with questions in your mind about the information that the mayor gave to you. 1. When the Flanders property was purchased in 1972 to become part of the Mission Trail Park, the city always intended to sell the house. Not so! The city administrator "floated" the idea to the council, which rejected it and shortly thereafter invested over $100,000 in improvements. Two past council members, past city forester, staff and city archives back up these facts. 2. Committees and task forces have looked at Flanders without a result. That's true, however. the county neighbors have stopped every proposal. Our Foundation's plan would be low impact for the neighborhood and park totally in keeping with the educational and environmental goals of the nature preserve. We propose a small scale cultural and natural history museum which complies with Carmel zoning and the General Plan. The National Trust will help us eliminate potential concerns by developing conditions to protect the neighbors and the park. The fact that the county neighbors are in the city's sphere of influence and might in the future be annexed to Carmel, has nothing to do with the creation of a museum. The Sunset Center, the Cherry Foundation gallery/theater, the Golden Bough Theater and the Carmel Youth Center are in residential neighborhoods and co-exist pleasantly with their neighbors. 3. Background: In 1998-99 the then city council gave the Foundation 1 year to obtain its non-profit status, develop a business plan and begin to raise funds. Our organization accomplished this. Then Mayor, Ken White, asked us not to do a major fund raising program because the city did not want our organization competing for funds with Sunset Center. We agreed to stay in the background, but unfortunately never again did we have the opportunity to gain support for our fund raising efforts due to the city's fear of competition with the Sunset fund raisers. We were ultimately denied in spite of our cooperation and our work, especially in the last 5 years, as the cost of Sunset doubled and more fund raising and grants were needed to offset the debt incurred. It is very obvious to anyone who has attended the city's budget hearings that the Flanders Mansion is being looked at as the "cash cow" to lower that debt. Today Sunset's annual cost to the city's taxpayers is 1.6 million dollars. 4. The Foundation has no plan for Flanders. Incorrect. We have developed a professional business plan funded via a grant from the National Trust and donations to our nonprofit organization. Our plan is to create a cultural and natural history museum to inform and educate residents and visitors about Carmel's rich heritage and environmental setting. 5. The sale of Flanders would entail a sale of part of Mission Trail Park Preserve because Flanders is entirely within the park. Although the adjoining Native Plant Garden/ Arboretum is not now for sale, how long will it last if buyers of Flanders, paying 5.2 million dollars, find themselves with a public garden abutting their garage and volunteer gardeners and the public bustling about? There will then be tremendous pressure to move the native plant garden and to subdivide that land into multiple housing sites. 6. If sold, the Mansion will be compromised because of loss of its historic setting and by building walls and fences, landscaping and removal from the original property that belonged to it. 7. The city has been presented with several offers to do long term leases for the Mansion but every time the offers have failed to meet with fruition due to the city's adverse attitude. Within the last approximately 18 months the latest lease offer was stopped by the mayor because of the city's intent to sell the property. 8. Flanders is falling down. False. Like any property built in 1925, the heating, electrical, plumbing and roof need upgrading. This will cost about 1 million dollars, however our Foundation has offered consistently to raise the money to update it through public and private grants, donations and donations in-kind. The National Trust for Historic Preservation has shown us how this is possible. We have demonstrated how we can also cover the maintenance and operating expenses at no cost to the city. In the past 5 years the city has only talked of sale and that frightens off donors. Thus the house just sits. We have to ask ourselves, if the house is in such bad shape how then can the city put a price tag of $5.2 million on it? The city uses the ADA upgrades as a major hurdle. It simply is not a major obstacle. There is room for an elevator in the breakfast nook if access to the second floor is deemed necessary. On the first floor, inexpensive low-rise ramps can make that entire area accessible. All of the improvements are also subject to the States Alternative Building Code for historic structures which does not require improvements to be held to the criteria of current residential buildings. 9. The city states that it has no plans to use or renovate the Mansion which is sad. We think it is very shortsighted of the city to not work with the Flanders Foundation to produce a real gem for Carmel. The city was farsighted enough to support the on-going efforts of Carmel Heritage to operate the First Murphy at a mere $1.00 per year and even picks up the tab for maintenance of the property. Tor House is another example of how citizens, with the city of Carmel's support, have made the property an absolutely outstanding treasure. Why not Flanders! Finally, since year 2000 the city council under our current mayor has never given the Flanders Foundation a chance to work with the city to accomplish its goals and business plan. As the records will show, our many requests for cooperation, made in a collaborative way at city council meetings, have been met with total silence. Our Foundation remains ever willing to work with the city in a truly harmonious way to develop what many in Carmel believe would be a truly historical, environmental and educational facility at Flanders. Warmest Regards, Melanie C. Billig P.S. Please feel free to contact
me if you have further questions or concerns. I would enjoy chatting with you.
(831) 626-3826 At the April 13, 2005 Planning Commission meeting, Flanders Foundation president Melanie Billig gave the following input to the commissioners: We hope that you all had the opportunity to read the information that we submitted for your packets. Our organization and all of the "Friends of Flanders," have worked diligently since our formation to accomplish the following: (a) Achieve our non-profit status and raise operating funds. (b) Expand our educational and informational programs, particularly our bi-monthly nature/historical walks through Mission Trail Nature Preserve up to Flanders and the Native Plant Garden. We have averaged about 20 guests and several this year have been up to 30 and one at 52. We wish all of you would join us individually of course! There is incredible interest in the preserve and everyone wants to tour Flanders. (c) Our business plan developed by professional consultants demonstrated how Flanders can be renovated, maintained and operated at no cost to the city. We propose two or three small retreats or seminars. The General Plan speaks to the need for this (pages 4-6) and how it will assist the economic base (pages 4-14). We even worked with the Lands End Company in shooting their catalogue at Flanders. These are both significant financial opportunities to offset expenses. (d) We have closely partnered with the National Trust, received two grants and co-hosted a seminar here this year. The topic was how Flanders is an outstanding opportunity for adaptive use. The Trust referenced several grand homes in residential neighborhoods which are very successful community ventures and offered to assist the Flanders Foundation.. (e) We have enlisted the support of local contractors. (f) We have worked to achieve long term leases which have failed due to the city's stance on sale only. (g) We have been meeting with other non-profits both environmental and preservation to partner in open space preservation and renovation. Our greatest impediment to fundraising is the Council's talk of sale. (h) Our goals for Flanders to create a Cultural and Natural History Museum are consistent with the General Plan and Zoning (Park with Facilities P 2A) which allows for non-profit use and museums. We believe that our educational and interpretive programs are and will be consistent with the intent of the General Plan. Our strong plea to you is not to recommend the sale of our irreplaceable open space and historic assets for a short term financial gain. The General Plan references a community survey which shows that the public does not agree that the city should sell off public property (pages 7-8). What this community needs is good long term planning both in land use and finances. Once you set the precedent of selling open space and park land you have put in motion something that will be hard to stop the next time the council needs money. Carmel cannot remain Carmel without thoughtful planning and a large dose of Vision and Creativity. There needs to be a solid understanding of what has made this village unique and what is required to keep it that way. Special experiences and places are a great part of Carmel's charms. Flanders is a significant city asset and needs to remain in the public domain, preserved and cherished. Thank you for your kind attention.
Flanders To prevent you from being owned |
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