CBC 11-05-1998 (3)C
MEETING NOTICE
The City Beautiful Commission will hold its regular meeting at 8:15 a.m. on Thursday, November
5, 1998 in the Sister Cities Conference Room on the second floor at City Hall.
_AGENDA
I. Call to Order
II. Roll Call
III. Approval of the Minutes October Meeting
IV. Treasurer's Report
V. Committee Reports
A. Education - Dottie Funk
B. Task Force - Dottie Funk
C. Report of Nominating Committee
VI. New Business
Election of 1999 Officers
VII. Miscellaneous Business
A. Parks & Recreation Report - Bryan Day
VIII. Adjournment
The City Beautiful Commission held its regular meeting Thursday, October 1, 1998, in the
Sister Cities Conference Room. Chair Frank Riggins presided.
Members Present: Frank Riggins Dottie Funk
Molly Satterfield Nash Abrams
Carolyn Lawrence Molly Satterfield
Director Linda Joyce
Also Present Bob Brown, Plans Review Specialist, Planning and
Development
Bryan Day, Acting Director, Parks & Recreation
Gayle Owens, Administrative Asst., Parks & Recreation
Approval of Minutes: Minutes approved as distributed.
Treasurer's Report: No Treasurer's Report.
Committee Reports:
Task Force. Dottie Funk reported that the Task Force had met the day before. Two
new members were added to the Task Force. The Task Force has developed a mission
statement. " To provide to the City of Little Rock a set of physical development
guidelines that protect and enhance the existing natural landscape while allowing for
economic and reasonable growth and development of the city." Areas to be tackled
are trees (a different tree preservation ordinance), go into more detail with the
landscape ordinance, create a separate hillside protection ordinance, go into the storm
water management and drainage ordinance, to create new ordinance that has to do
with undisturbed natural areas. Discussed having a downtown overlay that would
enhance and encourage more development downtown. Also discussed additional
enforcement staff and penalties.
■ Landscape Awards. Frank Riggins announced that the Landscape Award
Presentations would be at the Agenda Meeting on October 13, at 4:00 p.m. Gayle
reported that the plaques were ordered and should be ready by October 9. Frank said
we would be sending a letter out to the recipients to let them know to be there. Bob
said he hoped he could be there.
NEW BUSINESS.
■ Nominating Committee. Chair Riggins appointed Molly Satterfield, Carolyn
Lawrence, and Nash Abrams to nominate the 1999 officers. Bryan Day asked about
expiring terms. Frank said that Lin Blair and Pat Torevestad have resigned. Also two
members (Frank and Randy) terms are up for reappointment.
• Polish the Rock Awards. Frank asked if there are Polish the Rock nominations.
Dottie Funk nominated Tree Streets to receive the Polish the Rock Award. Motion
made, seconded and carried. Award will be given on October 13. Dottie nominated
the River Market Trees group. Motion seconded and carried.
MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS
• Parks & Recreation.
1. Bryan Day briefed commission on efforts at Rebsamen. Challenges have been made by
the Audubon Society and the Sierra Club that has stopped everything. We will be
meeting with them next week at their board meetings. Frank said that if the
Commission could help with any of the groups to let them know.
2. River Market Trees is another issue that is dear to your hearts. This fall we will have a
big celebration for all the donors. Bryan said he would like for City Beautiful to be
involved and help co -host the event. If it ever cools down, we will schedule this at the
River Market. Commission members agreed that a Polish the Rock Award should be
awarded to the individuals responsible for raising the money for the trees.
3. Boyle Park. Carolyn Lawrence asked about progress there. Bryan said it was going
slowly. We need to finish up several projects, then we will devote our resources to
completing that project. Game and Fish remain interested in putting a nature center in
Boyle Park.
4. Two Rivers Park. We want to start Phase II. We envision a 2 mile asphalt walking or
biking loop with interpretive graphics talking about the trees and grasses.
5. Soccer Fields. We are building six at Otter Creek Park that will be on-line next spring.
We continue to have discussions with the Trust for Public Lands that is a group out of
San Francisco that wants to buy property for us.
: Islands at Bowman and Chenault. Carolyn Lawrence talked about the islands
where the trees are planted. These islands have not been kept up.
• Nash Abrams reported that he was contacted by some people in Ozark, AR about
going up there and speaking to a group about clean up projects. Nash said he
contacted the Keep Arkansas Beautiful Commission. They will be going around the
state speaking to groups. Nash asked if we should meet with Keep Arkansas Beautiful
occasionally to see if there are any areas where we have a similar interest where we
could use our strength to develop. Frank thought we could set up some dialog with
them.
• Nash said there had been three articles in the paper last week about urban sprawl.
Should we take a position on that, have we in the past, where are we on urban sprawl.
Frank said he did not know if we had ever taken an official position. We have talked
about our concerns in the last year or so.
ADJOURNMENT: 10:00 A.M.
The City Beautiful Commission held its regular meeting Thursday, November 5, 1998, in
the Sister Cities Conference Room. Chair Frank Riggins presided.
Members Present
Also Present:
Frank Riggins
Randall Stocks
David Roberts
Dottie Funk
Nash Abrams
Carolyn Lawrence
Gayle Owens, Administrative Asst., Parks & Recreation
Richard Wood, Planning & Development
Approval of Minutes: Minutes approved as distributed.
Treasurer's Report: No Report.
Committee Reports:
Task Force - Dottie Funk reported that the task force is in the process of getting
ordinances from other cities. She said one of the most interesting ordinances is from
Chapel Hill, North Carolina. We hope to adopt a "City Tree." Dottie asked
Commission members to help by coming up with a short list of preferable trees or a
list of trees not to select. Dottie distributed copies of a draft memorandum from Bob
Brown regarding tree protection and preservation ordinances for discussion purposes
only. Members discussed the memorandum in detail. Dottie requested that members
write on the top right hand corner that the memoranda are for discussion purpose only
and not an ordinance, private property of the task force. Next meeting is at 4:00 p.m.
on Wednesday, November 11, 1998.
Education Committee. Dottie shared newspaper articles regarding subjects
pertinent to City Beautiful Commission issues. A discussion followed regarding the
Kanis project. Dottie Funk suggested that a letter be sent to developers letting them
know about the concern that citizens of Little Rock have for their city. Dottie moved
that we develop a letter using the Chapel Hill findings in 11.1.2 and send to
developers from a list supplied by Planning and Development. Motion seconded and
carried. Gayle will work with Dottie on the letter.
• Nominating Committee Report. Carolyn Lawrence reported that the nominating
committee met and presented the following slate of officers for the year 1999.
Chairman -- Frank Riggins
Vice Chairman -- Dottie Funk
Treasurer -- Randy Stocks
+ Election of 1999 Officers. Motion made and seconded to accept the slate of officers
recommended by the nominating committee. Motion carried.
MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS
Gayle distributed copies of a play named "Earth Kids." She told the commission that
the Arts and Humanities staff are working on this play. She said she thought that this was
something that the City Beautiful Commission would be interested in pursuing. There is a
possibility that the play can be produced on video and shown on Channel 11 during the
month of March for Arbor Day. She said the performers would be children from the
Latch Key Program sponsored by the Parks and Recreation Department. Dottie Funk
moved that the Commission research the possibility of sponsoring this play. Motion
seconded and carried.
• Nash Abrams said he went to the Neighborhood meeting. He said there are about 116
members of the coalition. Nash said we need to start thinking about how the City
Beautiful Commission is going to position itself with these neighborhood groups.
Frank Riggins said that maybe at some point we can make a presentation to this group
regarding some of things we are working on such as the Tree Preservation Ordinance
and establishing a catalog of trees. Frank said we give out the Landscape Awards for
commercial businesses around town, maybe we should try to develop some
competition among the neighborhoods to and give some awards to them as an
incentive.. Frank Riggins appointed Nash Abrams to look into that and start
establishing a rapport between the neighborhoods and the City Beautiful Commission.
• Commission members decided to make the presentation at a Board of Directors
Meeting between now and early December. Commissioner also discussed giving an
award to Director Linda Joyce for our service to the Commission.
• Frank discussed the technical aspects of the proposed Kanis Road Overlay and the
impacts that such things as utilities have on it.
Adjournment: Meeting adjourned at 10:30 a.m.
• Nominating Committee Report. Carolyn Lawrence reported that the nominating
committee met and presented the following slate of officers for the year 1999.
Chairman -- Frank Riggins
Vice Chairman -- Dottie Funk
Treasurer -- Randy Stocks
■ Election of 1999 Officers. Motion made and seconded to accept the slate of officers
recommended by the nominating committee. Motion carried.
MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS
Gayle distributed copies of a play named `Barth Kids." She told the commission that
the Arts and Humanities staff are working on this play. She said she thought that this was
something that the City Beautiful Commission would be interested in pursuing. There is a
possibility that the play can be produced on video and shown on Channel 11 during the
month of March for Arbor Day. She said the performers would be children from the
Latch Key Program sponsored by the Parks and Recreation Department. Dottie Funk
moved that the Commission research the possibility of sponsoring this play. Motion
seconded and carried.
• Nash Abrams said he went to the Neighborhood meeting. He said there are about 116
members of the coalition. Nash said we need to start thinking about how the City
Beautiful Commission is going to position itself with these neighborhood groups.
Frank Riggins said that maybe at some point we can make a presentation to this group
regarding some of things we are working on such as the Tree Preservation Ordinance
and establishing a catalog of trees. Frank said we give out the Landscape Awards for
commercial businesses around town, maybe we should try to develop some
competition among the neighborhoods to and give some awards to them as an
incentive.. Frank Riggins appointed Nash Abrams to look into that and start
establishing a rapport between the neighborhoods and the City Beautiful Commission.
■ Commission members decided to make the Polish the Rock presentation at a Board of
Directors Meeting between now and early December.
• Frank discussed the technical aspects of the proposed Kanis Road Overlay and the
impacts that such things as utilities have on it.
Adjournment: Meeting adjourned at 10:30 a.m.