Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutCBC 09-05-2013(2)LITTLE ROCK CITY BEAUTIFUL COMMISSION The City Beautiful Commission held its regular meeting Thursday, September 05, 2013, at 11:30 a.m. at City Hall. Chair Wiedower called the meeting to order. MEMBERS PRESENT: Bill Wiedower Steve Homeyer Chris Minor Lynn Warren Carrie Young Ed Peek Wally Loveless (arrived after the roll call) MEMBERS ABSENT: Cassie Toro Three open positions ALSO PRESENT: Beth Carpenter, City Attorney's Office Donna James, Subdivision Administrator, Department of Planning & Development, City of Little Rock Tony Bozynski, Director, Department of Planning & Development, City of Little Rock APPROVAL OF THE AUGUST MINUTES: Approved as corrected Variance Request CBC Case 628, Midtowne Center: Staff reported that the item needed to be deferred. A motion was made and seconded to defer the request to the October 3, 2013 meeting. The motion passed by a vote of 6 ayes and 0 noes. TREASURER'S REPORT: There was discussion about the CBC check book and account. Commissioner Minor said that he would call former Commissioner Snyman to make arrangements to get the CBC documents. COMMITTEE REPORTS: UPDATES: I-630 —There were comments made about the name, Capital City Corridor Beautification project; the need to establish relationships with other groups; and developing a list of partners. City Hall -An update was given. Public Relations -Comments were made about the website and the Library exhibit. KLRB —Commissioner Loveless reported on envision Little Rock 2013. Adopt -A -Street -Commissioner Minor reported that there would be two more clean-ups, October 5 and a date before the end of the year. There was discussion about the need to provide future applicants information about the adopt -a -street program and the Commission's involvement. Communications- Commissioner Homeyer said he would work with Meg Matthews on the landscape awards. Eve of the Beholder -Commissioner Young read an e-mail from an Eye of the Beholder winner. Landscape Awards -The Commission viewed a PowerPoint presentation and reviewed the awards criteria. The following projects were selected to receive awards for 2013. • Heifer Village • Kitchens Pediatric Dentistry Clinic • Village Shopping Center The Commission then viewed photos for the awards poster and selected a photo showing the Riverfront Park splash park. A committee of Commissioners Loveless, Peek and Young was appointed to select a slate of officers for 2014. The officers will be voted on at the October meeting. T.R.E.E. FUND —Beth Carpenter reviewed the September 3, 2013 memorandum to the Commission (attached) and the process approved by the City Manager. There was a long discussion on the T.R.E.E. Fund and the proposed amendments to the ordinance. A motion was made and seconded to approve the amendments as presented. The vote was 7 ayes, 0 noes and 1 absent, with three open positions. ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 1:50 p.m. September 5th, 2013 ITEM NO. 1 - C.B.C. 628 - NEW MATTERS Applicant: Mid-towne Shopping Center Steve Branco, Owner Landscape Architecture Inc., Agent Address: Description: ORDINANCE REQUIREMENTS: 200 Block of North University Avenue Long Legal 1. (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. VARIANCE REQUESTED: a. A contribution in excess of the amount allowable per ordinance; in both number of trees being replaced and in the monetary amount allowable by ordinance. FINDINGS: The property located at the 200 Block of the North University comprises the Mid -Towne Mall per the Planned Commercial District Plan (Z-7233). Per the PCD plan numerous, large trees were shown to be preserved that are now either dead, missing, diseased and are needing to be mitigated per the PCD revision and to mitigate the trees per the Landscape Ordinance. The PCD was recently revised and approved pending the approval from the City Beautiful Commission; regarding their plans for mitigation which includes both newly planted trees and a monetary donation to the City of Little Rock, T.R.E.E. Fund. The initial approved site plan development included the preservation of twenty-five (25) trees. Ten (10) of the preserved trees are remaining; of which two (2) are dead. The live trees remaining total 167 caliper inches and the two (2) dead trees total sixty-three (63) caliper inches. If the remaining original fifteen (15) trees are mitigated at twenty-one (21) caliper inches per tree, an additional three hundred fifteen caliper inches must be provided as a part of the mitigation plan. The two (2) existing dead trees must also be mitigated (63 caliper inches) for a total of three hundred eighty-seven (387) caliper inches. The mitigation plan includes installment twenty-seven (27) new trees; 13-3" Zelkova trees for a total of thirty-nine (39) caliper inches, eight (8)- three inches (3") East Palatka Holly Trees for a total of twenty-four (24) caliper inches, three (3)- three inch (3") Red Maple Trees for a total of nine (9) caliper inches. Three (3)-two inch (2") Sweetgum trees for a total of six (6) caliper inches. The installation plan totals seventy-eight (78) caliper inches. The calculations include the loss of three -hundred seventy eight (378) caliper inches of trees and the installation of seventy-eight (78) caliper inches of new trees. The tree caliper inches lost and not replaced equal three -hundred (300) caliper inches. The landscape ordinance establishes the rate of payment per caliper inch lost. Three -hundred (300) caliper inches divided by two (2) equals one hundred and fifty (150) caliper inches. The cost for replacement trees per the ordinance is two -hundred dollars ($200.00) resulting in a total of thirty thousand dollars ($30,000). The applicant is proposing to make a payment to the City's T.R.E.E. fund. The payment proposed is thirty thousand dollars ($30,000.00). The rate is determined by payment of two hundred dollars ($200.00) for each two (2) caliper inches to be mitigated. The ordinance allows for a mitigation of ten (10) trees per site. The City Beautiful Commission must approve any variation from the ordinance requirement(s). Staff feels the applicant is attempting to mitigate the loss of the large caliper trees on the site. New trees are being proposed and the remaining monetary balance will be denoted. This will allow for trees to be planted within the same section area of the City of Little Rock; allowing optimal growth for the trees at their mature size. STAFF RECOMAMNDATION: Staff is supportive of the requested variance as submitted.