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Approved 8.6.25
<br /> 165 Karen Cumberbatch: I show you that, so that you can get a sense of the way that we inhabit the space, so as you can
<br /> 166 see there's been new intentionality to maintain the tree growth as much as possible. It's really a
<br /> 167 tremendous value to us to be able to look out our windows and see the fullness of the greenery
<br /> 168 that is available to us. It is really important to us that our kids are outside, that they are
<br /> 169 experiencing the opportunity to play in the creek and that is something that we hold sacrosanct.
<br /> 170 We know that the knowledge base that is core to walking lightly on the earth, and also to being a
<br /> 171 laboratory for us. We intentionally teach our students about environmental stewardship, and our
<br /> 172 classes from the youngest to the oldest can be seen conducting experiments, observing insects,
<br /> 173 birds,snakes, all of that, maintaining their actual habitats. That's a part of what we do, and as 1
<br /> 174 said, outdoor play, all of our students have access to the outdoors throughout the course of the
<br /> 175 day, again core to what we believe is important for students. We teach our students to be grateful
<br /> 176 for the ways that being in nature can expand their minds and hearts, and that there's a
<br /> 177 sacredness in nature that we hope they will come to appreciate and to work to protect. So,for the
<br /> 178 future,for us, the rezoning will allow us to lean into a future,where we'll continue to live with these
<br /> 179 same values. These will continue to be the ways that we will approach any additions that might
<br /> 180 happen,or any changes that might happen, as we have done for the past 60 years, but we'll also
<br /> 181 be maintaining and enhancing our sustainability efforts. One of our goals is to ensure that all of
<br /> 182 the new features are built as sustainably as possible, and contain features that will minimize our
<br /> 183 carbon footprint, and we'll continue with the same uses of the land for educating students with
<br /> 184 enhanced learning spaces that we have in the past. We're not looking to make any significant
<br /> 185 changes in our use, and it will allow us to serve more students in the future. You know,which we,
<br /> 186 which we believe we're a school that has a lot to offer, and so we're looking for ways to be able to
<br /> 187 serve even more families. Thank you for hearing a little bit about Carolina Friends, and I'm going
<br /> 188 to pass the mic.
<br /> 189
<br /> 190 Ellen Weinstein: Good evening. I'm Ellen Weinstein, an architect at With Architecture, and I've had the privilege of
<br /> 191 working with Carolina Friends School since the early 1990s. This is the Carolina Friends School
<br /> 192 campus today. Friends School has served as a steward of its 110 acre campus since the early
<br /> 193 1960s. The campus is bordered by Friends School Road to the east, Mount Sinai Road to the
<br /> 194 south,with residential neighbors to the west and north. There is an entrance to campus from
<br /> 195 Friends School Road indicated with the orange arrow and it is the only active entry into campus.
<br /> 196 There is service access from Mount Sinai Road it is a gated. It's a gated entry and opened
<br /> 197 infrequently for campus maintenance. The campus combines wooded areas with open pass-
<br /> 198 throughs in the southern,and northwestern sections. Natural features include a pond to the north,
<br /> 199 and a stream that bisects the campus with segments flowing southwest, and southeast, 24
<br /> 200 buildings currently house classrooms, lab spaces, performance spaces, meeting rooms, and
<br /> 201 offices. The campus layout flows from the entry point with lower school building nearest the
<br /> 202 entrance,followed by middle school, upper school, and early school moving southward. Shared
<br /> 203 campus facilities include a gymnasium,soccer fields, performing arts center, a track, and cross-
<br /> 204 country trail. Over the past two and a half years, Friends School has undertaken an extensive
<br /> 205 campus master planning process to envision, and plan for the future. Five-year development
<br /> 206 goals include a new upper school, expanded drop off and parking areas, and enhanced Mount
<br /> 207 Sinai Road access as a second campus entry point. According to the traffic impact analysis
<br /> 208 prepared by Kimberly Horn for this submittal,opening this second entry point,will reduce traffic
<br /> 209 congestion on Friends School Road, and improve campus access, and safety for all users, and
<br /> 210 the neighbors. What is the vision for campus in 15 years? Well, this is a little more conceptual,
<br /> 211 15 years is a long, long, long time, and so it's more conceptual in nature. Friends School
<br /> 212 anticipates potential need for additions to lower school, middle school, and early school, a
<br /> 213 gymnasium perhaps near the tennis courts, maintenance building across from the new gym,
<br /> 214 additional outdoor learning spaces,which play a vital role in providing hands on experiences in
<br /> 215 nature, and sustainability studies. So, Carolina Friends School's current campus is on the left,
<br /> 216 vision for 2040 on the right. I think this hopefully shows you the measured growth on the campus,
<br /> 217 while remaining a school in the woods. I look forward to your questions when the presentation is
<br /> 218 complete. Thank you.
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