Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutCBC 10-03-2013MEETING NOTICE OCTOBER 3, 2013 THE CITY BEAUTIFUL COMMISSION WILL HOLD ITS REGULAR MEETING AT 1 1:30 A.M. ON THURSDAY OCTOBER 3, 2013, AT CURRAN HALL, 615 E. CAPITOL AVENUE AGENDA CALL TO ORDER: BILL ROLL CALL: DANA APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES' SEPTEMBER 5, 2013 VARIANCE REQUESTS: CBC #628: MID TOWNE CENTER TREASURER'S REPORT: • EXPENSES REPORT CHRIS COMMITTEE REPORT: UPDATES • COMMUNITY PROJECTS 0 1-630 TREES CHRIS 0 CITY HALL SOUTH YARD STEVE/LYNN • PUBLIC RELATIONS 0 WEBSITE LYNN 0 LIBRARY EXHIBIT/ HISTORY EXHIBIT ??? • KLRB (UPDATE) (4th Wed / Noon) WALLY • ADOPT -A -STREET COORDINATORS CHRIS • INFORMATION / COMMUNICATION JENNIE • EYE OF THE BEHOLDER CARRIE, ED, WALLY • LANDSCAPE AWARDS STEVE NEW BUSINESS: • LANDSCAPE AWARDS - 6:00 PM TUESDAY OCTOBER 15, CITY HALL BOARD ROOM • INSTALL 2014 OFFICERS ANNOUNCEMENTS: • NEXT MEETING - THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7TH, 2013 • LITTER PICK UP - SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5TH, 2013 (8:30 am) ADJOURNMENT LITTLE ROCK CITY BEAUTIFUL COM M ISSION The City Beautiful Commission held its regular meeting Thursday, October 3, 2013, at 11:30 a.m. at Curran Hall. Chair Wiedower called the meeting to order. MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT: Bill Wiedower Chris Minor Carrie Young Wally Loveless Three open positions Steve Homeyer Lynn Warren Ed Peek Cassie Toro ALSO PRESENT: Beth Carpenter, City Attorney's Office Dana Carney, Zoning and Subdivision Manager, Department of Planning & Development, City of Little Rock Tony Bozynski, Director, Department of Planning & Development, City of Little Rock APPROVAL OF THE SEPTEMBER MINUTES: The minutes were approved as corrected ITEM NO. 1 - C.B.C. 628 - NI:W MATTERS Applicant: Address: Description: ORDINANCE REQUIREMENTS: Mid-towne Shopping Center Steve Branco, Owner Landscape Architecture Inc., Agent 200 Block of North University Avenue Long Legal (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-Y Zelkova trees for a total of thirty-nine (39) caliper inches, eight (8)- three inches (Y) 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 RECOMMENDATION: Staff is supportive of the requested variance as submitted. CITY BEAUTIFUL COMMISSION ACTION SEPTEMBER 5, 2013: Staff presented the item stating the applicant had failed to notify property owners as required by the Commission's By-laws. Staff presented a recommendation of deferral of the item to the October 3, 2013, Public Hearing. A motion was made to defer the item to the October 3, 2013, Public Hearing as recommended by staff. The motion carried by a vote of 7 ayes, 0 noes, 1 absent and 3 open positions. CITY BEAUTIFUL COMMISSION ACTION OCTOBER 3, 20 Y 3: Zoning and Subdivision Manager Dana Carney presented the item and a staff recommendation or approval. There was then a discussion of the types or trees being proposed by the applicant. Commissioner Wiedower asked if much larger trees could be installed in lieu of putting more money towards the T.R.E.E. fund. Cindi Drilling, the applicant, responded that there were site constrictions due to access restrictions and underground utilities. She stated they were trying to create a new "design feel" with the new tree types. Commissioner Wiedower asked if the remaining trees were also going to be lost. Ms. Drilling responded that the developer had made great efforts, including bringing in professional arborists, to save the trees. She stated the past couple of years had been hard on oak trees, due to drought conditions. There was then a discussion about the amount of landscaping on the site. Ms. Drilling stated the developer was installing twenty-seven (27) new trees, each of which would be fourteen -sixteen (14-16) feet tall and three -three and one-half (3-3.5) inches in caliper. She stated seasonal color, including planters and pots, would be added. In response to a question from Commissioner Homeyer, Ms. Drilling stated there were ten (10) trees remaining on the site, two (2) of which were dead. Commissioner Homeyer asked what would happen if other trees died in the future. Mr. Carney responded that the developer would be back before the CBC to go through this process again, A motion was then made to approve the variance as recommended by staff. The motion was seconded and approved by a vote of 8 ayes, 0 noes, 0 absent and 3 open position. TREASURER'S REPORT: There was discussion about the CBC check book and account. Commissioner Minor said that he had called former Commissioner Snyman to make arrangements to get the CBC documents and had thus far been unsuccessful. He said he would attempt to get the account information from the bank and would continue to try to get the documents from Ms. Snyman. City Attorney Beth Carpenter stated it might be necessary to close the account and establish a new one with two signatories. COMMITTEE REPORTS: UPDATES: I-630 —Commissioner Minor stated there was no update. Cily Hall- Commissioner Homeyer stated he would schedule a meeting with the appropriate people at City Hall. Public Relations -Commissioner Warren stated the web site had been updated and there was nothing new to report on the Library/History exhibit. KLRB —Commissioner Loveless reported that there were several clean-up activities scheduled for October 5 and KLRB had discussed ways to make the adopt -a -street program more effective. Adopt -A -Street -Commissioner Minor reported that there would be a clean-up on October 5. There was a show of hands and six (6) commissioners committed to going Conwi Imitations- Commissioner Homeyer said he had worked with Meg Matthews on the landscape awards. Eve of the Beholder -Commissioner Young stated there had been no submittals in a couple of months. Landscape Awards- Chairman Wiedower stated the winners of the 2013 CBC Landscape Awards had been contacted and photographs of the sites had been taken. The commissioners were encouraged to be in the rotunda of City Hall by 5:30 on October 15 to meet the winners. The presentations are scheduled to begin at 6:00 in the Board room. Chairman Wiedower stated Commissioners Homeyer and Warren would be making the presentations. New Business: Nominations for officers were taken from the floor. Chris Minor was nominated as Chairman, Edward Peek was nominated as Vice -chair and Wally Loveless was nominated as Treasurer. The proposed slate of officers was approved by a vote of 8 ayes, 0 noes, 0 absent and 3 open positions. ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 12:47 p.m. October 3, 2013 ITEM NO. 1- C.B.C. 628 - NEW MATTERS Applicant: Address: Description: ORDINANCE REOUiREMENTS: Mid-towne Shopping Center Steve Branco, Owner Landscape Architecture Inc., Agent 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 REOUESTED: 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 (Y) 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 RECOMMENDATION: Staff is supportive of the requested variance as submitted. CITY BEAUTIFUL COMMISSION ACTION SEPTEMBER S Z013: Staff presented the item stating the applicant had failed to notify property owners as required by the Commission's By-laws. Staff presented a recommendation of deferral of the item to the October 3, 2013, Public Hearing. A motion was made to defer the item to the October 3, 2013, Public Hearing as recommended by staff. The motion carried by a vote of 7 ayes, 0 noes, 1 absent and 3 open positions. CITY BEAUTIFUL COMMISSION ACTION OCTOBER 3 2013: Zoning and Subdivision Manager Dana Carney presented the item and a staff recommendation or approval. There was then a discussion of the types or trees being proposed by the applicant. Commissioner Wiedower asked if much larger trees could be installed in lieu of putting more money towards the T.R.E.E. fund. Cindi Drilling, the applicant, responded that there were site constrictions due to access restrictions and underground utilities. She stated they were trying to create a new "design feel" with the new tree types. Commissioner Wiedower asked if the remaining trees were also going to be lost. Ms. Drilling responded that the developer had made great efforts, including bringing in professional arborists, to save the trees. She stated the past couple of years had been hard on oak trees, due to drought conditions. There was then a discussion about the amount of landscaping on the site. Ms. Drilling stated the developer was installing twenty-seven (27) new trees, each of which would be fourteen -sixteen (14-16) feet tall and three -three and one-half (3-3.5) inches in caliper. She stated seasonal color, including planters and pots, would be added. In response to a question from Commissioner Homeyer, Ms. Drilling stated there were ten (10) trees remaining on the site, two (2) of which were dead. Commissioner Homeyer asked what would happen if other trees died in the future. Mr. Carney responded that the developer would be back before the CBC to go through this process again. A motion was then made to approve the variance as recommended by staff. The motion was seconded and approved by a vote of 8 ayes, 0 noes, 0 absent and 3 open position.