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Home My WebLink AboutCBC 07-11-2013MEETING NOTICE JULY 11, 2013 THE CITY BEAUTIFUL COMMISSION WILL HOLD ITS REGULAR MEETING AT 1 1:30 A.M. ON THURSDAY JULY11, 2013, AT CURRAN HALL, 615 E. CAPITOL AVE. AGENDA CALL TO ORDER: ROLL CALL: APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES: VARIANCE REQUESTS: TREASURER'S REPORT: • EXPENSES REPORT COMMITTEE REPORT: UPDATES • COMMUNITY PROJECTS 0 1-630 TREES o CITY HALL SOUTH YARD • PUBLIC RELATIONS o WEBSITE o LIBRARY EXHIBIT/ HISTORY EXHIBIT • KLRB (UPDATE) (4th Wed / Noon) • ADOPT -A -STREET COORDINATORS • INFORMATION / COMMUNICATION • EYE OF THE BEHOLDER • LANDSCAPE AWARDS NEW BUSINESS: ANNOUNCEMENTS: NEXT MEETING - THURSDAY, AUGUST 1ST, 2013 • LITTER PICK UP - SATURDAY, AUGUST 3RD, 2013 (8:30 am) ADJOURNMENT BILL CHRISTY JUNE 6, 2012 BRITTANY eff� v-isfiy FI aV`y CHRIS' Gd' CaSS16 ' STEVE/LYNN LYNN BRITTANY WALLY CHRIS JENNIE CARRIE, ED, WALLY STEVE LlTTL E R XK CITY BEAUTIFUL COM M iss10N The City Beautiful Commission held its regular meeting Thursday, June 6th, 2013, at 11:30 a.m. at Curran Hall. Chair Wiedower called the meeting to order. MEMBERS PRESENT: Steve Homeyer Bill Wiedower Jennie Cole Lynn Warren Carrie Young Freddie Ratliff Ed Peek Wally Loveless MEMBERS ABSENT: Chris Minor Brittany Snyman Cassie Toro ALSO PRESENT: Christy Marvel, Plans Development Administrator, Department of Planning & Development, City of Little Rock Beth Blevins Carpenter, Deputy City Attorney, City Attorney's Office, City of Little Rock APPROVAL OF THE APRIL MINUTES: (May meeting, no quorum) Motion: Commissioner Young made a motion to accept the minutes with change noted. Second: Commissioner Peek seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. TREASURER'S REPORT: no report; treasury absent. City Staff noted the current balance for the tree fund account as follows: $27,174.33 COMMITTEE REPORTS: UPDATES: OLD BUSINESS: Community Projects -Commissioner Warren noted the nursery position is vacant at the City of Little Rock currently. Also, noting the time of year isn't optimal for tree relocation and new installation. Commissioner Warren recommended the project be completed in the fall once its cooler and the city nursery position is filled. Commissioner Homeyer noted he would help with the irrigation when the time came for installation and such if needed. 1-630 Trees- no report. ' Website-Commissioner Warren noted website is up and running with everything posted. Commissioner Warren noted if anything needs to be posted about upcoming events please get that to her for posting to the CBC Webpage. Library Exhibit -no report. KLRB Commissioner Loveless noted attending the KLRB meeting recently. An update on their current and upcoming projects was given. For further information their website follows: www.klrb.or Adopt -A --Street The KLRB commission is working with the City of Little Rock and revamping the Adopt -A -Street program. New information to follow soon. The trees along Bowman Road are covering up the CBC Adopt -A -Street Program signage. Communications -Commissioner Cole noted the recent broadcast of the Eye of the Beholder Award on Saturday morning television. It was noted the link would be sent to Commissioner Warren and then added to the CBC webpage. Commissioner Warren also noted she would try to email a copy of the link to all CBC members for their viewing. Eye of the Beholder -Commissioner Young has produced and set up the advertisements throughout the city; at local nurseries. Commissioner Young also brought examples of the materials for feedback from the Commission. ADJOURNMENT: Motion: Commissioner Loveless made a motion to adjourn. Second: Commissioner Homeyer seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. The meeting was adjourned at 12:20 p.m. a OFFICE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY Little Rock, Arkansas MEMORANDUM TO: Bruce T. Moore City Manager FROM: Thomas M. Carpenter City Attorney BY: Beth Blevins Carpente��<f_ Deputy City Attorney RE: Landscape Ordinance T.R.E.E. Fund Question DATE: 10 July 2013 The City Beautiful Commission has been having discussions over the past several meetings regarding the expenditure of funds from the Tree Restoration for Environmental Enhancement ("T.R.E.E.") Fund. This fund is set forth in Chapter 15 of the City Code, Landscaping and Tree Protection ("Landscape Ordinance"). Should a variance be granted from the tree requirements of the Landscape Ordinance, the T.R.E.E. Fund is available for the replenishment of trees in the City under certain circumstances. The T.R.E.E. Fund consists of cash contributions required of the responsible party in -lieu of tree improvements when (1) the city planning official determines in a specific written finding that the required minimum number of trees to be planted pursuant to the Landscape Ordinance is not obtainable without undue hardship on the responsible party; or (2) A variance from the requirements of the Landscape Ordinance has been granted by the City Beautiful Commission which reduces the number of trees that will be planted or preserved from the minimum number of trees required by Chapter 15.1 The City's Finance Department is responsible for receiving, recording, depositing, reporting and reimbursing in -lieu cash contributions as determined by the city planning official x A receipt evidencing cash contributions made shall be provided to both the responsible party and to the city planning official.' Additionally, the Finance Department maintains a T.R.E.E account and I See Little Rock, Ark., Rev. Code § 15-37(b) (1988). z Little Rock, Ark., Rev. Code § 15-37(fl (1988). 3 Id. OFFICE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY Memorandum to Bruce T. Moore Re: Landscape Ordinance T.R.E.E. Fund Question 10 July 2013: Page 2 of 3 maintains records of all in -lieu cash contributions.4 The Finance Department is required to produce an annual report summarizing the tree improvement account and provide same to the city planning official and the City Beautiful Commissions This report shall include both the principal and the interest earned for the accounting period, and the annual tree plantings by section of the city.' Finally, In -lieu contribution funds shall be dedicated to planting and maintaining trees on public property and rights -of -way within the area of the site where the trees were removed as defined by section map.' The Little Rock City Beautiful Commission, in conjunction with the City's Urban Forester, shall advise about tree selection, planting guidelines, and tree placement.' There is currently no process in place concerning the expenditure of T.R.E.E. Funds from the T.R.E.E. account. Because of interest expressed by the City Beautiful Commission in the expenditure of T.R.E.E. Funds for appropriate projects, our office recommends that the City's Planning & Development Department initiate a process whereby Planning receives requests from City Departments, or initiates the request internally from within the Planning Department, relative to planting trees on public property or rights -of --way utilizing T.R.E.E. funds pursuant the City's Landscape Ordinance. The Planning Department will then take the request to expend T.R.E.E. Funds for qualifying projects to the Little Rock City Beautiful Commission, and the City Beautiful Commission will, in conjunction with the City's Urban Forester, advise the Planning Department about tree selection, planting guidelines, and tree placement. The City Beautiful Commission may also establish a committee to consider T.R.E.E. fund requests and report back to the full Commission for further consideration. The City Beautiful Commission, in conjunction with the City's Urban Forester, plays an advisory role to the City and the Planning Department with respect to the expenditure of T.R.E.E. Funds for selecting, planting and placement of trees on public property and rights -of - way. The City Beautiful Commission will consider the item after input from the City's Urban Forester and, after deliberation, will vote on the tree selection, planting guidelines, and tree placement within the area of the site where the trees were removed as defined by section map. The Planning Department may consider the City Beautiful Commission's advisory decision and will obtain the City Manager's approval to move forward with the project, if so desired. The 4 Little Rock, Ark., Rev. Code § 15-37(g) (1988). S Id. c Id. 7 Little Rock, Ark., Ordinance No. 20,533 (February 7, 2012). 8 Id. OFFICE C7F'rHE CrfY AT'I'Cit2:NLY Memorandum to Bruce T. Moore Re: Landscape Ordinance T.R.E.E. Fund Question 10 July 2013: Page 3 of 3 Planning Department must also comply with the City's purchasing manual and formal bidding, requirements, if necessary, concerning the expenditure of T.R.E.E. Funds and will also need to coordinate with the Finance Department regarding the expenditure of these Funds. Please advise if this approach is acceptable and if you have any questions or comments. Thank you. TMC-,BBC;bb Attachment (Little Rock, Ark., .Rev. Code Sec. 15-37. —T.R.E.E. Fund) cc: William C. Mann, III, Chief Deputy City Attorney Bonnie Engster, Law mice Administrative Coordinator Tony Bozynslti, Director, Planning and Development Department Dana Carney, Zoning and Subdivision Manager, Planning and Development Department -- Christy Marvel, Plans Development Administrator, Planning and Development Department Sara .Lenehan, .Director, Finance Department V �Municode Page 1 of 2 Sec. 15-37. - T.R.E.E fund. (a) Intent. The board of directors of the city recognizes that from time to time variances from the tree requirements of this chapter will be granted by the city beautiful commission to the responsible party. In an effort to afford the citizens of the city the benefits they would have received from the trees required by this chapter but were lost through development of the site, the city enacts this section establishing a fund to be used for the replenishment of trees in the city entitled the "Tree Restoration for Environmental Enhancement" (T.R.E.E.) fund. (b) [Source offunds.]The T.R.E.E. fund shall consist of cash contributions required of the responsible party in -lieu of tree improvements under the following circumstances: (1) The city official determines in a specific written finding that the required minimum number of trees to be planted pursuant to this chapter is not obtainable without undue hardship on the responsible party; or (2) A variance from the requirements of this chapter has been granted by the city beautiful commission which reduces the number of trees that will be planted or preserved from the minimum number of trees required by this chapter. (c) The responsible party shall contribute to the city a cash payment equal to one hundred (100) percent of an estimate prepared by a registered professional landscape architect or certified arborist of the cost of the trees required by this c€iapter that will not be planted under the provisions of subsection (b) above. Such estimate shall also include the cost of installation of the trees. (d) The city official shall determine annually the required per tree in -lieu cash payment amount. Such amount shall not exceed two hundred dollars ($200.00) per tree with annual CPI inflation adjustments commencing in 2001. Any in -lieu cash contribution required shall be limited to a maximum of ten (10) trees per site. (e) When in -lieu contributions are required to be made, a responsible party's landscape plan shall not be approved until: (1) The tree requirements pursuant to this section are waived or granted variance pursuant to subsection (b), above; and (2) A copy of the receipt for the required cash contribution has been received by the city official. M The city finance department shall be responsible for receiving, recording, depositing, reporting and reimbursing in -lieu cash contributions as determined by the city official. A receipt evidencing cash contributions made shall be provided to both the responsible party and to the city official. (g) The finance department shall maintain a T.R.E.E account and shall maintain records of all in - lieu cash contributions. The finance department shall produce an annual report summarizing the tree improvement account and provide same to the city official and the city beautiful commission. This report shall include both the principal and the interest earned for the accounting period, and the annual tree plantings by section of the city. (h) In -lieu contribution funds shall be dedicated to planting and maintaining trees on public property and rights -of -way within the area of the site where the trees were removed as defined by section map. The Little Rock City Beautiful Commission, in conjunction with the city's urban forester, shall advise about tree selection, planting guidelines, and tree placement. (Ord. No. 20,181, § 1, 10-20-09; Ord. No. 20,533, § 1, 2-7-12) http://Iibrary.municode.com/print.aspx?h=&clientID=l 1170&HTMRequest=http%3 a%2f%... 7/8/2013 C� ��r A a- Or t iv\ 0,0