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CBC 07-02-1998CITY BEAUTIFUL C O M M I S S I O N 500 WEST MARKHAM MEETING NOTICE ROOM 108 The City Beautiful Commission will hold its regular meeting at 8:15 a.m. on Thursday July 2, 1998 in the Sister Cities Conference Room Center on LITTLE ROCK, AR 72201 the second floor at City Hall. (501) 371-4770 AGENDA I. Call to Order II. Roll Call III. Call Public Hearing to Order Item No. 1 — C.B.C. 559 —New Matters Item No. 2 — C.B.C. 560 — New Matters Item No 3 - C.B.C. 561 —New Matters Close Public Hearing IV. Approval of Minutes of the May Meeting. V. Treasurer's Report. VI. Special Presentation VII.Reports of Committees. VIII.New Business IX. Miscellaneous Business. X. Adjournment. CITY BEAUTIFUL C O M M I S S I O N The City Beautiful Commission held its regular meeting Thursday, June 4,1998 500 WEST MARKHAM in the Sister Cities Conference Room. Chairman Frank Riggins presided. Members Present: Dottie Funk Frank Riggins ROOM 108 Dave Roberts Randall Stocks Pat Torevestad Nash Abrams City Director Linda Joyce LITTLE ROCK, AR 72201 Also Present Bob Callans, Former Chairman of the CBC Bob Brown, Plans Review Specialist, Planning and (501) 371-4770 Development Gayle Owens, Admin. Assist. I, Parks & Recreation Jake Sandlin, Arkansas Democrat Gazette Approval of Minutes: Motion made and seconded to approve the minutes of the May 7, 1998 meeting with no corrections. Motion carried. Treasurer's Report: Treasurer Randy Stocks gave Treasurer's Report, checking account balance is $1, 23 9.93, $210.00 of that is earmarked for the fountain, leaving a net balance of $1,029.93. Special Presentation: Frank Riggins asked Bob Callans to update the commission on some things that he is working with and has seen and collected on what other cities have been doing in terms of preservation of natural areas, buffers, landscape ordinances. Things that we might want to consider in thinking about revisions to the present ordinance. Bob said he had been involved with the landscape ordinance all the way back to the very beginning. "In 1987, we worked on an upgrading, Bob was part of that., Richard Wood, Julius Breckling and others. Bob said he had some thoughts on the upgrading and how to deal with it. He then passed around several booklets, for the commissioners to look at. (These will be copied and distributed to commissioners at next meeting.) He said there is no reason to reinvent the wheel, it has been invented and it's in good shape. It's just a matter of updating the landscape ordinance along with the excavation ordinance and making them mean something. There is no reason to have these ordinances if we cannot enforce them. Over the years I have gotten very upset on many occasions about the way the landscape ordinance is dealt with and the enforcement and that type of thing. Another thing I get upset about is the maintenance. I think we have, in Arkansas, pretty horrible maintenance. Most of the maintenance you see is done wrong or not done at all. I think the secret to any landscape ordinance is proper maintenance and how it's dealt with. I think this is a real opportunity to include the excavation ordinance. I have some personal comments that I want you to think about. I think the requirement for a permit to do excavation on a site is limited to five (5) acres, I argued against that at the time. I showed several examples around town of where you had just small lots that developers had gone in and bulldozed out the area and left huge cuts and erosion problems. If you were looking at the excavation ordinance, I would highly recommend that you look at that end of it and maybe try to get that to cover smaller areas than five (5) acres. Also, within the excavation ordinance they discussed buffer zones. You need good definitions for what buffers are. A buffer may mean 25' of utility lines. A buffer screens, covers and hides a particular area. Another thing that I think needs to be included in the landscape ordinance is consideration for the natural environment, rock outcroppings, native plantings, and trees. You need strong incentives for protecting the natural landscape." Bob then went over a list of eighteen suggested items (included in packet) to be included in the landscape ordinance revision. Bob then opened for questions. Several members asked questions and discussions followed on several aspects of Bob's presentation. Commission members asked Frank to write a letter to the Mayor suggesting possible candidates to serve on the Ordinance Review Task Force. Frank thanked Bob Callans for his presentation and asked him to come back and visit any time. Reports of Committees: Dottie Funk thanked Lin Blair for sending out the information on the Kanis Road Report. Dottie then distributed a copy of a letter to the editor by Nash Abrams. Frank was asked to draft a letter from the Commission to the City Board of Directors in support of the sign ordinance issue as presented by City Director Paul Kelly. New Business: Reception Reconizina Former Cummission Members. Dottie Funk reported that the reception will be at 5:00 p.m., June 18, 1998 at the Tower Plaza at the west end of the River Market. She, Carolyn Lawrence, Gayle, and Jon Light,. City Refreshment Operations Supervisor had met and plans were made for approximately 50 people. Invitations will be mailed to the former members, Planning Commission members, City Board of Directors and city staff this afternoon. Dottie asked that commissioners assist in making follow up calls to those invited. Landscape Awards. Bob Brown distributed a list of nominees for the Landscape Awards. Members are free to add to the list. Miscellaneous Business: Nash Abrams reported that he had attended the Environmental Task Force meeting and told the commissioners about projects they were working on. He said he thought the CBC should adopt some projects of their own. No further business the meeting was adjourned at 10:30 a.m.