Bishop - Judge to hold meetings on new court facility site

As local authorities continue discussing where to build Inyo’s new courthouse, either in Independence, where the court facility has been located, or in Bishop, where the county’s population center is, the AOC has selected an architect for the building. File photo

Officials are moving forward on the Court Facility Construction project and the community is being invited to once again share its thoughts on the matter.
Judge Brian Lamb has yet to announce his recommendation for where the new courthouse will be located and is hoping to gather more community input regarding a proposed courthouse construction project. The California Administrative Offices of the Court, meanwhile, has announced that an architect has been selected to design the building, even though neither a site or community has been selected for the facility.
Lamb will be holding five informal public meetings to be held in Independence, Bishop, Big Pine, Tecopa and Lone Pine to gather input from residents about where they would like to see a new courthouse constructed in Inyo.
The meetings will be held from 7-9 p.m. in Independence Tuesday, Aug. 17, in the American Legion Hall; from 7-9 p.m. in Bishop Wednesday, Aug. 18 at First United Methodist Church; from 7-9 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 19 in Big Pine at the Town hall; from 7-9 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 22 in Tecopa in the county building; and from 7-9 p.m. Monday, Aug. 23 in Lone Pine at Statham Hall.
As far as site selection, a press release from the courts states that “no recommendation has been made to the AOC, nor will be made, before several county-wide informal public forums occur.”

“The court, through these discussions, will embrace all constructive information, ideas and views presented by Inyo residents that can assist the court in making a final recommendation to the AOC on where to place the bond-funded courthouse,” the press release states. “The court intends to maintain court services in both locations regardless of the recommendation for the new courthouse’s location.”
Once Lamb feels he has heard the community’s concerns and hopes for the new court facility, he will make a recommendation to the AOC, which, he said, is ultimately charged with the siting and construction of the bond-funded facility.
Controversy has surrounded the court facility project since the beginning of the year, when Lamb announced that approximately $40 million in Senate Bill 1407 money would be used to construct a new court facility in Bishop.
Upon hearing that announcement, residents from all over Inyo County, including Bishop and the far southern reaches of the county, argued that the new facility should be built in Independence, the county seat and traditional home of the main court facility.
In response, the courts held a community meeting in Independence to discuss ideas. Since that meeting, Lamb has met personally with some concerned residents, and said he has continued weighing the pros and cons brought forward during that initial meeting, but wanted to meet with local communities again before making a final recommendation to the AOC.
While Lamb was planning those workshops, the AOC announced that the architecture firm of Natoma Architects, Inc. has been selected to design the new courthouse.
“The proposed project, which is in the earliest phase of site selection, will provide a new two-courtroom building to improve access to justice for the residents of Inyo County,” the AOC said. “The AOC and the Superior Court of Inyo County are exploring various location options for the project, and no decisions about the location have been finalized.”

Once engaged, the architecture team can begin preliminary space programming and test fits, but architectural design must wait until a site is selected and acquisition is approved by the State Public Works Board. Site selection and acquisition typically take a year or more. The project is scheduled for completion in spring 2014.
“We are thrilled to have Natoma Architects, Inc. join the Inyo County Courthouse design project,” said Tammy L. Grimm, court executive officer for the Superior Court of Inyo County. “The firm will be instrumental in helping create and design a facility that will be a symbol of justice in our community while providing for the long-term needs of the Inyo County Superior Court for many decades to come.”
San Francisco-based Natoma Architects, Inc., the firm of design principal Stanley Saitowitz, reportedly brings broad experience to the project, having designed a range of buildings throughout California including civic/cultural, educational, institutional and commercial projects, with a strong emphasis on sustainable design. The firm has received national and international recognition for its work. Also among the firm’s strengths that led to its selection for this project is its experience in open public processes, used to gather public input regarding courthouse architecture and design.